Credit card with active electronics
First Claim
1. A data card for transferring data to a card reader comprising:
- a card body;
memory means for storing data on an integrated semiconductor chip imbedded in said card body;
an inductive loop on said chip coupled to said memory means and adapted to transfer data to said card reader through inductive coupling of electromagnetic energy;
a power supply circuit coupled to said inductive loop for providing power to said memory means from a power signal provided to said inductive loop from said card reader; and
a circuit means on said chip for transferring data from said memory means to said card reader through said inductive loop.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telecard including active devices to provide communications between the active devices and a card reader without the need for electromechanical interconnection. The active devices include logic processing and data storage modules that are accessed by the application of power thereto via electromagnetic coupling. Data transferred into and out of the active devices are provided by baseband current loop modulation and demodulation. A separate card reader and telecard are provided, the telecard comprising a plastic card within which is sandwiched an integrated circuit powered by an electromagnetic loop formed upon the integrated circuit substrate. The card reader is configured to exchange data by inductive coupling with the telecard and provides direct connection to a telephone line.
251 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A data card for transferring data to a card reader comprising:
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a card body; memory means for storing data on an integrated semiconductor chip imbedded in said card body; an inductive loop on said chip coupled to said memory means and adapted to transfer data to said card reader through inductive coupling of electromagnetic energy; a power supply circuit coupled to said inductive loop for providing power to said memory means from a power signal provided to said inductive loop from said card reader; and a circuit means on said chip for transferring data from said memory means to said card reader through said inductive loop. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An interactive data card having active electronics formed on an integrated circuit substrate, comprising:
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an inductor, formed upon said integrated circuit substrate, coupled to receive an induced power signal and an accompanying input data signal; a power source, coupled to said inductor, for operating said data card with said induced power signal; data demodulator means, coupled to receive said accompanying data signal, for producing an input data bit stream in accordance therewith; non-volatile random access memory means for storing data and instructions at discrete memory locations and including a card user data storage portion, an institution data storage portion, and a card identification portion; logic means, coupled to receive said input data bit stream, for reading and writing said memory locations in accordance therewith and in response to access instructions within said memory, and for producing an output data bit stream in accordance therewith; data modulator means, coupled to said inductor, for generating an output data signal from said output data bit stream by imposing a corresponding varying load condition upon said induced power signal; and communications means, for alternately receiving said input data signal and generating said output data signal according to a half duplex protocol and under control of said logic means.
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13. An integrated circuit for an interactive data card, comprising:
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an inductor, formed upon said integrated circuit substrate, coupled to receive an induced power signal and an accompanying data signal; a power source, coupled to said inductor, for operating said integrated circuit with said induced power signal; demodulator means, coupled to receive said accompanying data signal, for producing an input data bit stream in accordance therewith; memory means for storing data and instructions at discrete memory locations; logic means, coupled to receive said input data bit stream, for reading and writing said memory locations in accordance therewith and in response to accessed instructions within said memory, and for producing an output data bit stream in accordance therewith; and modulator means, coupled to said inductor, for generating an output data signal from said output data bit stream by imposing a corresponding varying load condition upon said induced power signal.
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14. An interactive data card reader, comprising:
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means for generating a power signal; an inductor, coupled to receive said power signal, for producing an induced power signal in accordance therewith; data modulator means, coupled to said inductor, for generating an output data signal to accompany said power signal; and data demodulator means, coupled to said inductor to receive a data input signal imposed upon said inductor by a corresponding varying load condition upon said induced power signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An interactive data card reader, comprising:
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an oscillator for producing a baseband power signal; an inductor, coupled to said oscillator, adapted for inducing a power signal in a data card; a modulator, including a summing node, for producing an input data signal at said summing node to accompany said induced power signal; a receiver, coupled to said inductor, adapted for detecting a varying load condition upon said induced power signal corresponding to an output data bit stream produced by said data card. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An interactive data card system, comprising:
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an interactive data card, including; (a) a card inductor coupled to receive an induced power signal and an accompanying input data signal; (b) a power source coupled to said card inductor for operating said data card with said induced power signal; (c) data demodulator means, coupled to receive said accompanying data signal for producing an input data bit stream in accordance therewith; (d) memory means for storing data and instructions at discrete memory locations; (e) logic means, coupled to receive said input data bit stream, for reading and writing said memory locations in accordance therewith and in response to accessed instructions within said memory, and for producing an output data bit stream in accordance therewith; and (f) data modulator means, coupled to said card inductor, for generating an output data signal from said output data bit stream by imposing a corresponding varying load condition upon said induced power signal; and an interactive data card reader, including; (a) means for generating a baseband power signal; (b) a reader inductor coupled to receive said power signal and for producing said induced power signal therefrom; (c) data modulator means, coupled to said reader inductor, for generating said input data signal; and (d) data demodulator means, coupled to receive said output data signal as a varying load condition upon said induced power signal and for producing an output data bit stream in accordance therewith.
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23. A data card for transferring data to a card reader comprising:
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a card body; memory means for storing data on an integrated semiconductor chip imbedded in said card body; an inductive loop on said chip coupled to said memory means and adapted to transfer data to said card reader through inductive coupling of electromagnetic energy; means for receiving an input signal from said inductive loop; a power supply circuit coupled to said inductive loop for providing power to said memory means from a power signal provided to said inductive loop from said card reader;
said power supply circuit including an active shunt regulator having a high input impedance so that said input signal to said receiving means is not significantly loaded by said power supply circuit;a circuit means on said chip for transferring data from said memory means to said card reader through said inductive loop.
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24. A data card reader for receiving data from a data card, comprising:
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an inductive loop having a winding and a core, said core having a gap therein for receiving a card; means, coupled to said winding, for receiving a data signal from said card through inductive coupling of electromagnetic energy. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification