Using the NFC field from a phone to power card to phone bluetooth communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11329515-B2
Application number	US-202117226852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2021
Priority date	Aug 31, 2020
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A contactless card with power harvesting unit is described. The power harvesting unit is configured to harvest power from near field communication radio wave fields and supply power to a memory, processor, and communication circuit of the contactless card. In some embodiments, the contactless card may also include a capacitor for smoothing out power deliver or a rechargeable battery. The contactless card is configured to establish two-way communication with a secondary device and to store and execute applets. In some embodiments, the contactless card is a payment card which contains information associated with a primary profile and a secondary profile. The secondary profile may be activated using two-way communication if the primary profile is deactivated due to fraudulent activity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data transmission system comprising:
a contactless card comprising a processor, a communication circuit, and a power harvesting unit, wherein:
the power harvesting unit is configured to harvest power from a radio signal, and
the processor is configured to limit an amount of power supplied to the communication interface in order to limit a range of a signal generated by the communication interface to a pre-determined range.

2. The data transmission system of claim 1 , wherein:
the radio signal comprises a near field communication (NFC) field, and
upon detecting that the NFC field is of at least a predetermined strength, the contactless card is configured to engage in communication, via the communication circuit, with a client device.

3. The data transmission system of claim 2 , wherein the client device is in communication with a server and configured to transmit information received from the server to the contactless card.

4. The data transmission system of claim 2 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to engage in communication via low energy wireless data transmission.

5. The data transmission system of claim 2 , wherein:
the contactless card further comprises a memory,
the memory contains a primary profile and a secondary profile, and
the contactless card is configured to, upon receipt of a client device signal from the client device, delete information associated with the primary profile and activate the secondary profile.

6. The data transmission system of claim 5 , wherein:
the contactless card further comprises a visual display, and
the contactless card is further configured to, upon activating the secondary profile, present information associated with the secondary profile on the visual display.

7. The data transmission system of claim 6 , wherein the contactless card is further configured to deactivate the primary profile.

8. The data transmission system of claim 6 , wherein the visual display comprises an e-ink display.

9. A contactless card communication method, the method comprising:
providing a contactless card comprising a processor, a communication interface, and a power harvesting unit;
harvesting, by the power harvesting unit, power from a near field communication (NFC) field generated by a secondary device;
limiting, by the processor, an amount of power supplied to the communication interface in order to limit a range of a signal generated by the communication interface to a pre-determined range;
detecting, by the contactless card, an NFC field generated by the secondary device,
wherein the secondary device comprises a radio antenna and a NFC field generator, and
wherein the secondary device is in communication with a server;

harvesting power, by the contactless card, from the NFC field generated by the secondary device; and
establishing two-way communication between the contactless card and the secondary device.

10. The method of claim 9 , the method further comprising, the contactless card receiving an applet from the secondary device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the one or more applets allows access to a location.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, transmitting, by the contactless card, information to the secondary device configured for auto-filling a form.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, transmitting, by the contactless card, information to the secondary device configured for granting privileges.

14. A contactless card comprising:
a processor;
a communication circuit; and
a power harvesting unit configured to harvest power from a radio signal,
wherein the processor is configured to limit an amount of power supplied to the communication circuit in order to limit a range of a signal generated by the communication circuit to a pre-determined range.

15. The contactless card of claim 14 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to generate a low energy radio signal.

16. The contactless card of claim 14 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to, upon receiving power from the power harvesting unit, establish communication with a client device.

17. The contactless card of claim 16 , wherein:
the contactless card further comprises a memory storing an authentication token, and
the processor is configured to transmit the authentication token to the client device upon receipt of a token request signal from the client device.

18. The contactless card of claim 14 , further comprising a visual display, wherein the processor is configured to cause the visual display to present a notification based on the strength of the radio signal.

19. The contactless card of claim 14 , further comprising a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the power harvesting unit.

20. The contactless card of claim 19 , wherein the communication circuit is powered by the rechargeable battery when the contactless card is beyond the range of the radio signal.

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Rule Jeffrey
• Osborn Kevin
• Herrington Daniel
• Carroll William

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/47

  Arrangements for checking compatibility or authentication between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source · CPC title

• H04L63/0853

  using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234) · CPC title

• G06K19/0708 Primary

  the source being electromagnetic or magnetic · CPC title

• H02J50/12

  of the resonant type · CPC title