Card reader with power efficient architecture that includes a wake-up circuit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A payment card reader, comprising:
- a housing;
a slot positioned within the housing, the slot comprising a read head configured to be coupled to a mobile device, wherein the read head is configured to read data on a payment card and produce a signal indicative of data stored on the payment card;
a power supply coupled to a microcontroller;
an output jack adapted to be inserted in a port of the mobile device and deliver an output jack signal to the mobile device; and
device electronics comprising a control unit, a pathway subsystem, and a fake load, and wherein the pathway subsystem is configured to direct a signal path to the fake load and prevent the mobile device from detecting a disconnect with the payment card reader during a power cycle of the payment card reader.
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Abstract
A card reader is provided with a read head with a slot and is configured to be coupled to a mobile device and has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a raw magnetic signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. A power supply is coupled to wake-up electronics and a microcontroller. An output jack is adapted to be inserted in a port of the mobile device and deliver an output jack signal to the mobile device. The wake-up electronics is powered by a microphone bias of a mobile device.
329 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A payment card reader, comprising:
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a housing; a slot positioned within the housing, the slot comprising a read head configured to be coupled to a mobile device, wherein the read head is configured to read data on a payment card and produce a signal indicative of data stored on the payment card; a power supply coupled to a microcontroller; an output jack adapted to be inserted in a port of the mobile device and deliver an output jack signal to the mobile device; and device electronics comprising a control unit, a pathway subsystem, and a fake load, and wherein the pathway subsystem is configured to direct a signal path to the fake load and prevent the mobile device from detecting a disconnect with the payment card reader during a power cycle of the payment card reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A payment object reader, comprising:
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a read head configured to read data stored on a payment object; a load configured to develop a signal condition in response to an input signal applied to the load; a connector configured to be connected to a port of a mobile device, wherein the connector is further configured to deliver an output signal based at least in part on the data stored on the payment object to the mobile device, and wherein the connector is further configured to selectively deliver the input signal to the load; and a control unit configured to select delivery of the input signal to the load to prevent the mobile device from detecting a disconnection from the payment object reader during a power cycle of the payment object reader. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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reading, by a read head of a payment object reader, data stored on a payment object; delivering, by a connector of the payment object reader that is configured to be connected to a port of a mobile device, an output signal to the mobile device based at least in part on the data stored on the payment object; selecting delivery of an input signal, by a control unit of the payment object reader, to a load to prevent the mobile device from detecting a disconnection from the payment object reader during a power cycle of the payment object reader; developing a signal condition, by a load of the payment object reader, in response to an input signal applied to the load.
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Specification