U.S. patent application number 11/916397 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-14 for carrying devices for rf tokens.
Invention is credited to Steven Gary O'Shea.
Application Number | 20080190526 11/916397 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37481116 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080190526 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Shea; Steven Gary |
August 14, 2008 |
Carrying Devices for Rf Tokens
Abstract
A carrying device adapted to hold one or more RF tokens and
incorporates electrically conductive linings to shield said tokens
from each other when the device is open or an unshielded
compartment containing an individual token is presented to a reader
but which shields the tokens from all electromagnetic radiation
when the device is closed. The linings are made from a metal foil
or other conductive material and a typical device has the general
construction of a caring case or wallet which has compartments to
hold sundries, bank notes, cards and visual material and in
particular to hold RFID tags and contact-less cards. The wallet or
case may also contain one or more panels adapted to hold RFID tags
and contact-less cards and to fold out of the wallet when the
latter is open allowing individual RF tokens to be presented to a
reader.
Inventors: |
O'Shea; Steven Gary;
(Carine, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KIRTON AND MCCONKIE
60 EAST SOUTH TEMPLE,, SUITE 1800
SALT LAKE CITY
UT
84111
US
|
Family ID: |
37481116 |
Appl. No.: |
11/916397 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
June 3, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AU05/00784 |
371 Date: |
December 3, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
150/147 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 19/07327 20130101;
A45C 1/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
150/147 |
International
Class: |
A45C 1/06 20060101
A45C001/06 |
Claims
1. A carrying device adapted to hold one or more RF tokens which
incorporates electrically conductive linings to shield said tokens
from each other when the device is open and an individual token is
presented to a reader but which shield the token or tokens from all
electromagnetic radiation when the device is closed.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive
linings are made from a metal foil.
3. The device of claim 1 having the general construction of a
wallet which has compartments to hold bank notes, cards and visual
material and in particular to hold RFID tags and contact-less
cards.
4. The device of claim 3 which also contains one or more panels
adapted to hold RFID tags and contact-less cards as claimed in
claim 1 and to fold out of the device when the latter is open
allowing individual RF tokens to be presented to a reader.
5. The device of claim 4 which can hold up to eight RF tokens each
of which can be individually presented to a reader without
interference from the others when the device is open.
6. The device of claim 1 which has the general construction of a
money purse.
7. The device of claim 1 which has the general construction of a
passport wallet.
8. The device of claim 1 which has the general construction of an
identification badge or wallet.
9. The device of claim 1 which has the general construction of a
mobile phone carrying case.
10. The device of claim 1 which has the general construction of an
insert or sleeve which can be used to shield an RF token that is
hosed in any none shielded caring device.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
12. The device of claim 2 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
13. The device of claim 3 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are,
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
14. The device of claim 4 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
15. The de vice of claim 5 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
16. The device of claim 6 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
17. The device of claim 7 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
18. The device of claim 8 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are,
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
19. The device of claim 9 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
20. The device of claim 10 wherein one or more of the RF tokens are
not shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is
closed thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a
reader without opening the device, whilst at the same time
shielding RF tokens contained within said carrying device
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to carrying devices such as a wallet
adapted for storing radio frequency tokens such as contact-less
radio frequency smart cards and identity tags which in normal use
shield the token from electromagnetic radiation but also allow it
to be presented to a reader when required.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Developments in radio frequency (RF) technology are evolving
at a rapid pace with contact-less integrated circuit cards (ICCs)
and RF identity (RFID) tags now in wide use. These RF devices
provide speed and convenience of use since they can be presented to
a reader at a distance but this same feature can also be used by
unauthorized parties to read the data stored on said tokens.
[0003] To date the smart card industry has developed the following
technologies which operate without engaging the contact
interface:
[0004] Close-coupled (ISO/IEC 10536-0-1 mm range), have no metallic
contacts but must be physically touched on a reader. These are
receiving renewed interest as technological innovations have made
them a cost-effective alternative to contact cards for a range of
applications.
[0005] Proximity (ISO/IEC 14443-1-10 cm range, type a, b),
typically operate at up to 10 centimetres, are currently the focus
of industry activity, as they are making headway in replacing
magnetic stripe as well as chip cards used for ticketing and
payment cards.
[0006] Near Field Communication (ISO/IEC standard (ISO/IEC18092)
operates in the 13.56 MHz frequency range, over a distance of a few
centimetres. Operating at data rates of 106 kbits/s and 212
kbits/s, NFC is compatible with Philips' MIFARE.RTM. (ISO 14443 A)
and Sony's FeliCa smart card protocols. Higher transmission speeds
up to 424 kbits/s can be achieved between dedicated NFC
devices.
[0007] Vicinity (ISO/IEC 15693-1-100 cm range), operate over a
distance of up to one meter, and is used primarily in the domain of
access control and materials tracking. Many see vicinity as a
potential replacement for various proprietary RFID
technologies.
[0008] RFID are generally of two types, low frequency 300 KHz and
ultra high frequency 902-928 MHz. Both technologies are referred to
as RFID as they include a unique identifier for each chip. An
international standard ISO/IEC 18000, which describes RFID in the
context of supply chain management, is now available, although most
current solutions use a number of proprietary specifications.
[0009] Contact-less smartcards are credit card sized cards that are
being marketed to consumers as a convenient alternative to magnetic
strip cards for storing financial, health and other personal data.
Because of their ability to store relatively large amounts of data
on an embedded microchip, and associated security, it is envisioned
that these cards will eventually be used for all banking,
transportation, healthcare, insurance, social security, welfare and
other personal data.
[0010] It is envisaged that the IC's embedded into RFID tags and
contact-less smartcards will eventually replace other forms of
information cards such as magnetic strip cards and contact
smartcards, primarily due to their convenience. Whereas the latter
must come into physical engagement with a reader, contact-less
smartcards can exchange information with a reader via magnetic, RF,
infrared or visible light radiation. In the case of modulated
magnetic or RF radiation, a contact-less smartcard does not have to
be removed from a persons wallet or carrier for the IC to be
powered up for an exchange of information to occur. An
international standard has been established which sets a range of
one meter between reader and contact-less smartcard. Accordingly
while magnetic strip and contact smartcards both deny surreptitious
access, a contact-less smartcard can be powered up and accessed
without the card owner's knowledge.
[0011] The chips or IC's used in smartcards can be manufactured in
a less sophisticated form called an RFID chip. In their simplest
form, these chips do nothing more than provide a means to remotely
identify an object to which they are attached. They come in several
different physical embodiments such as coin or pill shapes and are
being installed in key rings, gambling chips and military dog tags
for tracking and commercial applications. While RFID chips are
generally less sophisticated than smartcards, they are still
capable of being powered up and interrogated without the owner's
knowledge.
[0012] For several reasons, contact-less smartcards do not
typically have an embedded power source. First, most battery
chemistries contain heavy and toxic metals and since these cards
will routinely be lost or discarded, embedding a power source in
the card would result in a negative environmental impact. Second,
these cards are projected to be manufactured by the billions
worldwide and any product that is produced in these numbers is
extremely sensitive to manufacturing costs; Incorporating a battery
into the card is simply too costly. Therefore, the most common
approach to providing power to the embedded chip is via a modulated
magnetic field. Such a magnetic field induces a current in a loop
antenna (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,323 to Jreft, 1993)
which is typically laminated as an internal layer of a smartcard.
The embedded chip is usually manufactured with on chip charge pumps
and power regulation to provide different voltages to the various
parts of the chip. Some RFID chips have the inductive loop built
right onto the chip eliminating the need for any external antenna
at all.
[0013] Commercially produced RF readers typically have a range of
one meter. However, it is possible that a reader could be produced
or modified to generate a much greater magnetic field strength and
thereby increase the effective range of communication. If such a
reader were also equipped with a very sensitive receiver, the range
and penetrating ability of the reader could be further enhanced.
Since a RF tokens do not need to come into physical contact with
the reader to exchange information, the user can no longer take a
proactive role in securing the information on the IC. The owner
must now rely entirely on software encryption or biometric
techniques for security. Accordingly electromagnetic shielding can
be used to protect information without requiring proactive measures
by the owner.
[0014] There are a number of ways in which shielding can prevent
the exchange of information between a RF Token and a reader. The
simplest method is to prevent the card from being powered up by the
electromagnetic field by shielding the RF token. Another solution
is to simply shield or provide a means to disabling the antenna
which may employee a pressure sensitive switch or special shielding
built into the antenna. The problem with shielding only the antenna
is that the antenna can couple capacitively to the shield in such a
way that the shield itself becomes an antenna.
[0015] Therefore the best way to prevent unauthorised exchanges is
to prevent the magnetic field generated by the reader from powering
up the RF token in the first instance. A number of prior art
documents disclose this method.
[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,714 issued to Goto (1987) discloses an
inexpensive composite material made of layers of paper or plastic
coated with electrodeposited iron to provide magnetic shielding.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,942 issued to Godrey and Westfield (1994)
teaches a similar invention using two thin sheets of soft
ferromagnetic material which act as `keepers` for the data stored
in the form of magnetic patterns on the magnetic strip of magnetic
strip cards. The soft ferromagnetic material in this invention can
take the form of metal foil or powders added to moulded plastic
resins.
[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,941 issued to Roes (1994) and assigned
to Cubic Automatic Revenue Collection Group describes an
electrostatic shield to protect the microchip embedded in a
smartcard while simultaneously allowing communication to occur
between the card and the reader. This shield is an integral part of
the card and its stated purpose is to completely shield the chip
from the effects of electrostatic potential accumulations and
discharges while being receptive to alternating magnetic fields.
However this shield does not give the user any control over when a
data exchange takes place; it merely protects the chip from
electrostatic damage and maintains communication with the
reader.
[0018] Another category of prior art includes bankcard holders,
which only protect the card from physical damage. U.S. Pat. No.
5,125,505 describes a cardholder that ejects the card when a button
is pushed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,255 describes a cardholder in which
the card is inserted and removed manually and is retained by a snap
catch. U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,628 describes a similar holder which is
incorporated into a key ring and is capable of holding several
cards. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,223 and 4,697,698 both describe
cardholders that hold several cards, which can be individually
removed. What all of these patents have in common is that their
preferred embodiments are made of injection moulded plastic parts
which are incapable of shielding against magnetic fields. U.S. Pat.
No. 5,337,813 actually mentions protecting the magnetic strip of
the card from physical damage but it is not concerned with
protecting the information stored on that strip from the effects of
magnetic fields. None of these are concerned with shielding cards
from electromagnetic radiation.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0019] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a carrying device for RF tokens which generally shields
tokens from each other and from electromagnetic radiation but which
allow individual tokens to be presented to a reader when required,
or at least to provide a useful alternative to prior art
devices.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0020] According to the present invention a carrying device is
adapted to hold one or more RF tokens and incorporates electrically
conductive linings to shield said tokens from each other, when the
carrying device is open or an individual token presented to a
reader, but which shields the token or tokens from all
electromagnetic radiation when the carrying device is closed.
[0021] Preferably the electrically conductive linings are made from
a metal foil that sufficiently surround the RF token and be of
adequate thickness as to reduce the electrometric field and thus
prevent the RF token from being powered and therefore unable to
transfer data.
[0022] Preferably the device has the general construction of a
wallet which has compartments to hold bank notes, cards and visual
material and in particular is adapted to securely hold RF tokens
such as RFID tags and contact-less cards.
[0023] Preferably the device also contains one or more panels
adapted to hold RFID tags and contact-less cards and to fold out of
the device when the latter is open allowing individual RF tokens to
be presented to a reader.
[0024] Preferably the device can hold up to eight RF tokens each of
which can be individually presented to a reader without
interference from the others when the device is open.
[0025] In an alternative form the device has the general
construction of a money purse.
[0026] In yet another form the device has the general construction
of a passport wallet.
[0027] In yet another form the device has the general construction
of an identification badge or wallet.
[0028] In yet another form the device has the general construction
of a mobile phone carrying case.
[0029] In yet another form the device has the general construction
of an insert, lining or sleeve which can be used to shield an RF
token that is hosed in any unshielded caring device.
[0030] In yet another form one or more of the RF tokens are not
shielded from electromagnetic radiation when the device is closed
thus allowing said unshielded token to be presented to a reader
without opening the device, whilst at the same time shielding RF
tokens contained within said carrying device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a contact-less smart card being inserted in a
wallet;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wallet of FIG. 1 fully
opened;
[0033] FIG. 3 is an elevation of the open wallet of FIG. 2;
[0034] FIG. 4 is the cross section view I of FIG. 3;
[0035] FIG. 5 is the cross section view II of FIG. 3;
[0036] FIG. 6 is the cross section view III of FIG. 4;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a leather wallet 1 which has
multiple compartments for holding bank notes, 2, cards 3, and
photographs 4. In addition it has, hinged on the right side, two
panels 5, 6 which can fold out when wallet 1 is open. Panels 5, 6
also have slots 3 to hold cards.
[0038] FIG. 4 shows in cross section the construction of the left
hand section of wallet 1. Outer skin 7 forms a compartment with the
body of wallet 1 and is zipped to it by zip 8. This compartment is
lined with aluminium foil liner 9 which shields the contents of the
closed wallet against electromagnetic radiation. This section also
has compartment 2 to hold bank notes and compartments 3 to hold
cards.
[0039] FIG. 5 shows in cross section a continuation of this
construction in the right hand section of wallet 1 where the
continuation of outer skin 7 again forms a compartment with the
body of wallet 1 and is zipped to it by zip 8. This compartment is
also lined with the continuation of aluminium foil liner 9 which
shields the contents of the closed wallet against electromagnetic
radiation. This section also has compartment 2 to hold bank notes,
compartments 3 to hold cards and compartment 4 which has a
transparent-window to hold, for example, a photograph.
[0040] FIG. 6 shows in cross section panels 5, 6 in their closed
position with outer transparent windows 11 forming slip in
compartments which are lined with aluminium foil liners 12. Panels
5, 6 also have compartments 3 to hold cards and are hinged by a
hinging means (not shown) securing the inner edge of panels 5, 6 to
the right edge of wallet 1.
[0041] Accordingly, in addition to bank notes, cards and visually
displayed material, wallet 1 can hold up to eight contact-less
cards 10, 20 in compartments which are shielded from each other and
which enable them to be presented for scanning individually when
the wallet is open. This shielding from each other is necessary
since only one contact-less card can be read by a reader at a time;
if two unshielded cards are presented the reader will not register
either correctly.
[0042] Further, when the wallet is fully closed the foil liner 9
forms a Gaussian (sometimes referred to as Faraday) cage which
shields the contact-less cards 10 held in the inside compartments
of wallet 1 from electromagnetic radiation thus rendering them
secure from unauthorized reading. However contact-less cards 20
held in the zipped compartments formed by outer skin 7 are not so
shielded and can be scanned at any time. Accordingly these
compartments should only be used for RFID tags and other low
security RF tags.
Variations
[0043] It will be realized that the foregoing has been given by way
of illustrative example only and that all other modifications and
variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are
deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as
herein set forth. For example the carrying device could be a purse,
wallet, mobile phone case or a device lining, as used in PDA,
laptop computer, key fob holder, of simpler construction and of
different synthetic materials but still using conductive linings to
shield radio frequency tokens such as smart cards and RFID tags
from each other and from electromagnetic radiation. All such
variations fall within the scope of the present invention.
[0044] Throughout the description and claims to this specification
the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises"
and "comprising" are not intended to exclude other additives
components integers or steps.
* * * * *