Systems and methods for drive circuits for dynamic magnetic stripe communications devices

• US 9,373,069 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
• Inventors: Cloutier, Bruce S., Lambeth, David, Workley, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/063,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20140054384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 235/488, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06206 the magnetic marking being emulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Dynamic magnetic stripe communications devices are provided as magnetic stripe emulators. A magnetic stripe emulator may include a coil. Drive circuits may be coupled to this coil in order to produce electromagnetic fields from the coil operable to communicate with a magnetic stripe reader.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a wireless communications device operable to provide a communication signal to a reader based on a drive signal, the communication signal including transaction data; and

a drive circuit operable to provide the drive signal to the wireless communications device based on a first control signal and a mute signal,

wherein the communication signal is undetectable by the reader in response to a first state of the mute signal and detectable by the reader in response to a second state of the mute signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the drive signal is a drive current, and

the drive current is about zero amperes in response to the first state of the mute signal.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein signals generated during power-up and power-down of the drive circuit are undetectable by the reader in response to the first state of the mute signal.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry operable to provide the mute signal to the drive circuit during power-up of the drive circuit.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry operable to provide the mute signal to the drive circuit during power-down of the drive circuit.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch operable to selectively supply power to at least a portion of the drive circuit based on a second control signal,

wherein signals generated during power-up and power-down of the drive circuit are undetectable by the reader in response to the first state of the mute signal.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device is a dynamic magnetic stripe device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the wireless communications device is an antenna.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the wireless communications device is an antenna connected to an IC chip.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the wireless communications device is an RFID antenna.

11. A method, comprising:

supplying a first mute signal to a drive circuit;

applying power to the drive circuit after the supplying the first mute signal;

releasing the first mute signal;

supplying a drive signal to a wireless communications device;

supplying a second mute signal to the drive circuit; and

removing power from the drive circuit after the supplying a second mute signal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

setting circuitry for low-power operation.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communications device is a dynamic magnetic stripe device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the wireless communications device is an antenna.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the wireless communications device is an antenna connected to an IC chip.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the wireless communications device is an RFID antenna.

13. A method, comprising:

supplying a first mute signal to a drive circuit;

applying power to the drive circuit after the supplying the first mute signal;

releasing the first mute signal; and

supplying a drive signal to a wireless communications device,

wherein the releasing the first mute signal includes leaving the mute signal selectively floating during normal feedback control.

18. A method, comprising:

holding a mute signal at a first logic level;

applying power to at least one drive circuit after the holding a mute signal;

releasing the mute signal;

driving data, by the at least one drive circuit, to a dynamic magnetic stripe communications device after the applying power;

pulling the mute signal to the first logic level;

removing the power from the at least one drive circuit after the pulling the mute signal; and

setting circuitry for low-power operation.