Method and Apparatus for A Multi-band, Multi-mode Smartcard

• US 20120088449A1
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Multi-Flex Circuits Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Blackbird Technology Holdings, Inc (Haystack Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Norair, John Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• 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

Abstract

Aspects of a method and apparatus for a multi-band, multi-mode smartcard are provided. An ISO 7816 compliant smartcard may comprise a near-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly, a far-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly, and a contact-based radio operable to communicate via one or more metal contacts of the smartcard. The smartcard may be operable to receive data via a first one of the far-field radio, the near-field radio, and the contact-based radio, and transmit the received data via a second one of the far-field radio, the near-field radio, and the contact-based radio. The smartcard may be operable to transcode the received data prior to the transmitting the received data via the second one of the far-field radio, the near-field radio, and the contact-based radio.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

an ISO 7816 compliant smartcard, said smartcard comprising;

a near-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly;

a far-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly; and

a contact-based radio operable to communicate via one or more metal contacts of said smartcard, wherein said smartcard is operable to;

receive data via a first one of said far-field radio, said near-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

transmit said received data via a second one of said far-field radio, said near-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said smartcard is operable to transcode said received data prior to said transmitting said received data via said second one of said far-field radio, said near-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said smartcard is operable to:

receive said data via said contact-based radio; and

transmit said received data via said far-field radio.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said one smartcard is operable to:

receive said data via said far-field radio; and

transmit said received data via said contact-based radio.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said smartcard is operable to:

transmit a first portion of a message via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

transmit a second portion of a message via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said smartcard is operable to:

receive a first portion of a message via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

receive a second portion of a message via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said smartcard is operable to:

transmit a message via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

receive an acknowledgment of said message via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

8. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said smartcard is operable to:

receive parameters via a first of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

configure a second of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio based on said received parameters.

9. The communication system of claim 1, wherein:

said smartcard comprises a memory;

a first portion of said memory is only accessible via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

a second portion of said memory is only accessible via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

10. A method comprising:

in an ISO 7816 compliant smartcard, said smartcard comprising, a memory, a near-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly, a far-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly, and a contact-based radio operable to communicate via one or more metal contacts of said smartcard;

receiving data via a first one of said far-field radio, said near-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

transmitting said received data via a second one of said far-field radio, said near-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

transcoding said received data to said transmitting said received data via said second one of said far-field radio, said near-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving said data via said contact-based radio; and

transmitting said transcoded data via said far-field radio.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving said data via said far-field radio; and

transmitting said transcoded data via said contact-based radio.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising:

transmitting a first portion of a message via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

transmitting a second portion of a message via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

15. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving a first portion of a message via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

receiving a second portion of a message via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

16. The method of claim 10, comprising:

transmitting a message via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

receiving an acknowledgment of said message via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

17. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving parameters via a first of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

configuring a second of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio based on said received parameters.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said smartcard comprises a memory;

a first portion of said memory is only accessible via a first one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

a second portion of said memory is only accessible via a second one of said near-field radio, said far-field radio, and said contact-based radio.

19. A communication system comprising:

an ISO 7816 compliant smartcard, said smartcard comprising;

a near-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly;

a far-field radio operable to communicate wirelessly; and

a contact-based radio operable to communicate via one or more metal contacts of said smartcard, wherein said smartcard is operable to;

receive information from a particular device via a first one of said near-field radio, far-field radio, and said contact-based radio; and

determine whether to communicate with said particular device via a second one of said near-field radio, far-field radio, and said contact-based radio based on said received information.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein said determination of whether to communicate with said particular device comprises one or both of:

determining an authenticity of said particular device; and

determining an authorization of said particular device.