Controlling connectivity of a wireless smart card reader

• US 20060231623A1
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Little, Herb, Brown, Michael K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/451
• 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 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

A system includes a wireless-enabled smart card reader able to be connected concurrently to at least two devices and a mobile device able to be connected wirelessly to the smart card reader and to control connections of the smart card reader.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

controlling connections of a wireless-enabled smart card reader through a mobile device connected wirelessly to said smart card reader.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling said connections comprises:

querying said smart card reader about connections maintained by said smart card reader; and

notifying a user of said mobile device of changes to said connections maintained by smart card reader.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling said user to cancel one or more of said connections maintained by smart card reader.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling said connections comprises:

enabling a user of said mobile device to set an authorization password;

securely transmitting said authorization password wirelessly from said mobile device to said smart card reader; and

requiring said smart card reader to receive said authorization password from another device in order to successfully establish a connection between said other device and said smart card reader.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile device is connected wirelessly to said smart card reader via a Bluetooth(g link.

6. A system comprising:

a wireless-enabled smart card reader able to be connected concurrently to at least two devices; and

a mobile device able to be connected wirelessly to said smart card reader and to control connections of said smart card reader.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said mobile device has a display, and said mobile device is able to query said smart card reader about connections maintained by said smart card reader and to notify a user of said mobile device via said display of changes to said connections maintained by smart card reader.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said mobile device is to enable said user to cancel one or more of said connections maintained by smart card reader.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said mobile device is able to enable a user of said mobile device to set an authorization password and is able to securely transmit said authorization password wirelessly to said smart card reader, and wherein said smart card reader is to require said authorization password from another device in order to successfully establish a connection between said other device and said smart card reader.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said mobile device is able to be connected wirelessly to said smart card reader via a Bluetooth®

link.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a display;

a communication interface compatible with a wireless communication standard through which said mobile device is able to be connected wirelessly to a wireless-enabled smart card reader;

a processor; and

a memory to store executable code which, when executed by said processor, controls connections of said smart card reader

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein said executable code, when executed by said processor, queries said smart card reader about connections maintained by smart card reader and notifies a user of said mobile device via said display of changes to said connections maintained by smart card reader.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein said executable code, when executed by said processor, is to enable said user to cancel one or more of said connections maintained by smart card reader.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising:

an input component, wherein said executable code, when executed by said processor, enables a user of said mobile device to set an authorization password via said input component for additional connections to said smart card reader and securely transmits said authorization password to said smart card reader via said communication interface.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein said wireless communication standard is the Bluetooth®

standard.