Card for interaction with a computer

• US 7,334,735 B1
• Filed: 10/04/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonixio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beepcard Limited (Beepcard, Inc.)
• Inventors: Antebi, Amit, Cohen, Moshe, Lev, Zvi, Atsmon, Alon
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US09/806,789
• Time in Patent Office: 3,067 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/486, 235383-385, 235439-441, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.4, 340/384.6, 343/866, 343/741
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/16 using difference in transit time between electrical and acoustic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/22 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• 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 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 using wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A smart card comprising: a memory for storing information; at least one transmitting or receiving antenna; and a low frequency circuit, for handling information associated with said antenna and said memory, which information is modulated at a modulation frequency of between 5 kHz and 100 kHz. Preferably the antenna is an acoustic antenna.

Claims

1. A smart card comprising:

a memory for storing information;

at least one transmitting or receiving antenna, suitable for transmitting or receiving acoustic signals; and

a low frequency circuit, adapted to handle transmission of information from the memory, or reception of information for storage in the memory, via said antenna on an acoustic carrier, wherein said information is modulated on the acoustic carrier at a frequency of between 5 kHz and 100 kHz.

2. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna comprises an individual transmission antenna.

3. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna comprises an individual reception antenna.

4. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna comprises a combined antenna for both reception and transmission.

5. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna comprises an array antenna.

6. A smart card according to claim 1, comprising a processor for processing said information.

7. A smart card according to claim 6, wherein said processor generates a response to an interrogation of said smart card.

8. A smart card according to claim 6, wherein said memory comprises a long-term memory.

9. A smart card according to claim 6, wherein said memory comprises a temporary memory for said processor.

10. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is less than 80 kHz.

11. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is less than 60 kHz.

12. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is less than 40 kHz.

13. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is less than 21 kHz.

14. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is over 10 kHz.

15. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is over 14 kHz.

16. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is over 16 kHz.

17. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said carrier frequency is over 17 kHz.

18. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna comprises a piezoelectric antenna.

19. A smart card according to claim 1, comprising a high-frequency circuit for modulating information on a carrier frequency higher than 200 kHz.

20. A smart card according to claim 19, wherein said high frequency circuit comprises an RF circuit.

21. A smart card according to claim 1, comprising a high-frequency circuit for modulating information on a carrier frequency higher than 1 MHz.

22. A smart card according to claim 1, comprising a high frequency circuit adapted to demodulate information from a carrier frequency higher than 200 kHz.

23. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said smart card implements a two-way communication protocol.

24. A smart card according to claim 23, wherein said protocol comprises an error correction protocol.

25. A smart card according to claim 1, comprising:

a biometric data acquisition circuit, for acquiring biometric data, wherein said biometric data acquisition circuit shares an input transducer with said low frequency circuit.

26. A smart card according to claim 25, wherein said biometric data acquisition circuit comprises a voice input circuit.

27. A smart card according to claim 25, wherein said biometric data acquisition circuit comprises a motion determination circuit.

28. A smart card according to claim 27, wherein said biometric data comprises motion of the smart card in the form of a gesture.

29. A smart card according to claim 27, wherein said biometric data comprises motion of the smart card in the form of handwriting.

30. A smart card according to claim 25, comprising a processor for evaluating said biometric data against a sample of biometric data.

31. A smart card according to claim 30, wherein said sample of biometric data is stored in said memory.

32. A smart card according to claim 25, wherein said acquired biometric data is stored in said memory.

33. A smart card according to claim 25, comprising an array of pressure detectors for determining spatial positions of pressure changes on said array.

34. A smart card according to claim 33, wherein said array of detectors comprises a surface acoustic wave (SAW) detector.

35. A smart card according to claim 33, wherein said array of detectors comprises an array of individually electrified piezoelectric elements.

36. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said antenna radiates or receives far-field radiation.

37. A smart card according to claim 1, wherein said card transmits information without a carrier wave.

38. A smart card, comprising:

a memory for storing information;

at least one transmitting or receiving acoustic antenna; and

a low frequency circuit, for handling information associated with said antenna and said memory, wherein said information is modulated on an acoustic carrier frequency of between 5 kHz and 30 kHz.

39. A smart card according to claim 38, wherein said at least one antenna comprises an acoustic antenna.

40. A smart card according to claim 38, wherein said at least one antenna comprises an RF antenna.

41. A smart card according to claim 38, wherein said carrier frequency is less than 25 kHz.

42. A smart card according to claim 38, wherein said at least one antenna comprises at least one transmission antenna and at least one separate reception antenna.

43. A smart card according to claim 38, wherein said at least one antenna comprises a piezoelectric antenna.

44. A smart card according to claim 38, comprising a high-frequency circuit for modulating information on a carrier frequency higher than 200 kHz.

45. A smart card, comprising:

a memory for storing information;

at least one transmitting or receiving piezoelectric antenna; and

a low frequency circuit, adapted for transmission of acoustic signals through the piezoelectric antenna, and for handling information associated with said antenna and said memory, wherein said information is modulated on an acoustic carrier frequency of between 5 kHz and 100 kHz.

46. A smart card according to claim 45, wherein said at least one antenna comprises at least one transmission antenna and at least one separate reception antenna.

47. A smart card according to claim 45, comprising a processor for processing said information and wherein the memory comprises a temporary memory for said processor.

48. A smart card according to claim 45, comprising a high-frequency circuit for modulating information on a carrier frequency higher than 200 kHz.

49. A smart card, comprising:

a memory for storing information;

at least one transmitting or receiving acoustic antenna;

a low frequency circuit, for handling information associated with said antenna and said memory, wherein said information is modulated on a carrier frequency of between 5 kHz and 100 kHz; and

a high frequency circuit, for handling information associated with said antenna and said memory, wherein said information is modulated on a carrier frequency higher than 1 MHz.

50. A smart card according to claim 49, wherein said at least one antenna comprises at least one transmission antenna and at least one separate reception antenna.

51. A smart card according to claim 49, comprising a processor for processing said information and wherein the memory comprises a temporary memory for said processor.

52. A smart card, comprising:

a memory for storing information;

at least one receiving acoustic antenna; and

a low frequency circuit, for handling information transmitted to the at least one receiving antenna, wherein said information is modulated on an acoustic carrier frequency of between 5 kHz and 100 kHz.

53. A smart card according to claim 52, wherein said carrier frequency is less than 50 kHz.

54. A smart card according to claim 52, wherein said carrier frequency is less than 25 kHz.

55. A smart card according to claim 52, wherein said carrier frequency is about one of 22 kHz, 24 kHz, 32 kHz, 44 kHz or 48 kHz.