Mobile device with a contactless smartcard device and active load modulation

• US 9,390,359 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iCashe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Inventors: Narendra, Siva G., Chakraborty, Saurav, Tadepalli, Prabhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US14/542,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20150069139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 235/492, 235/379, 235/380, 235/493, 710/1, 710/100, 710/301, 455/558
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0726 the arrangement including a circuit for tuning the resonance frequency of an antenna on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0727 the arrangement being a circuit facilitating integration of the record carrier with a hand-held device such as a smart phone of PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An RFID card includes a smartcard controller that receives power from a host device. The RFID card also includes a small inductive device capable of inductive coupling with an RFID reader. The small inductive device is small enough to fit in the form factor of a memory card or SIM card. Enhancement circuits enhance the usable read and write distance of the RFID card.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a contactless smartcard integrated circuit having a contactless interface intended for connection to a coil to interact with a radio frequency (RF) field at 13.56 MHz, and having a pad separate from the contactless interface to output digital data;

an antenna; and

an active transmit driver coupled between the pad to output digital data and the antenna to transmit the digital data.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the contactless smartcard integrated circuit is coupled to receive power from the mobile device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the contactless interface includes circuitry to draw power from the RF field at 13.56 MHz when connected to a coil.

4. The mobile device of claim 3 wherein the contactless smartcard integrated circuit is coupled to receive power from the mobile device.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the active transmit driver includes a load modulation driver circuit.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the interaction with an RF field at 13.56 MHz effects mobile payments.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a computer.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a contactless smartcard integrated circuit having a contactless interface intended for connection to a coil to interact with a radio frequency (RF) field at 13.56 MHz, and having a pad separate from the contactless interface to output digital data;

an antenna; and

a load modulation driver circuit coupled between the pad to output digital data and the antenna to transmit the digital data.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the contactless smartcard integrated circuit is coupled to receive power from the mobile device.

11. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the contactless interface includes circuitry to draw power from the RF field at 13.56 MHz when connected to a coil.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the contactless smartcard integrated circuit is coupled to receive power from the mobile device.

13. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the interaction with an RF field at 13.56 MHz effects mobile payments.

14. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

15. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the mobile device comprises a computer.

16. A mobile device comprising:

a contactless smartcard device having a contactless interface intended for connection to a coil to interact with a radio frequency (RF) field at 13.56 MHz, and having a pad separate from the contactless interface to output digital data;

an antenna; and

a performance enhancement integrated circuit coupled between the pad to output digital data and the antenna, wherein the performance enhancement integrated circuit includes a load modulation driver to transmit the digital data.

17. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the contactless smartcard device is coupled to receive power from the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the contactless interface includes circuitry to draw power from the RF field at 13.56 MHz when connected to a coil.

19. The mobile device of claim 18 wherein the contactless smartcard device is coupled to receive power from the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the performance enhancement integrated circuit further includes an amplifier coupled receive a signal from the antenna.

21. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

22. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the mobile device comprises a computer.