DeviceFidelity Scoops another important mobile wallet patent
Posted by Seth Planck
June 22nd, 2011 at 2:51 PM Filed Under Latest News, Press Release
DeviceFidelity Scoops another important mobile wallet patent
DeviceFidelity has announced that it has been awarded a mobile wallet patent for NFC technology. The new mobile wallet patent that has been granted to DeviceFidelity has strategically placed the company in a very strong position in the emerging market of NFC mobile wallets and payments, and in turn DeviceFidelity is becoming a bigger name in the NFC world everyday. Their patent war chest is also becoming the envy of many larger competitors in the NFC space, and there could be companies that now find themselves on the wrong side of the newly awarded mobile wallet patent.
About the DeviceFidelity mobile wallet patent
Granted on the 17th of May, this new mobile wallet patent describes the use of a “multi institution mobile wallet architecture” ala Google Wallet, protected by a “Secure Element” capable of running applications such as a smart card. Google appears to be in the clear with its own mobile wallet, as this patent applies to the use of a microSD card which the Google Wallet technology does not require to function but instead relies on an in-built secure element. That is not to say that any Android smartphone manufacturer that did want to build its own mobile wallet and have the secure element to reside in a microSD card wouldn’t have to license the technology from DeviceFidelity.
The mobile wallet patent, however, isn’t exclusive to microSD cards. It also covers SecureDigital (SD) interface, a miniSD interface, a MMC interface, a miniMMC, a microMMC, a firewire or a iDock interface, or a UniversalSerial Bus (USB) interface. This allows DeviceFidelity a lot of scope for the mobile wallet products the company can build, and allows for substantial licensing to other companies who want to use an external secure element outside of a SIM card.
This mobile wallet patent is a big step for the company, allowing it the scope to be a leader within the industry, and the ability to license its platforms and products out to other companies seeking to explore NFC payments in their products. Filed for way back in September of 2008 the mobile wallet patent allows DeviceFidelity to build mobile wallet platforms that allow consumers to store all their cards from multiple financial institutions in the secure element section of the phone or on an external secure element, such as the company’s microSD NFC solutions.
Deepak Jain, speaking about DeviceFidelity’s mobile wallet patent
“Most consumers change phones often and several carry multiple phones, especially high end users who are early adopters of new technology. As shown by multiple focus groups and the results of several successful pilots conducted based on our solution, consumers love the flexibility of using a portable microSD device to enable their preferred smart phone for payment and other proximity applications,” said Deepak Jain, President and CEO for DeviceFidelity.
“The patent grant for a mobile wallet comes at a time where the industry is bubbling with a large momentum for such an offering and means that we are able to license the technology, generating greater availability, and meeting consumer demands immediately,” the CEO added.
DeviceFidelity’s In2Pay solution was the first Visa certified product for NFC payments and the company says it is involved in over 100 other projects to bring mobile wallet technology to mobile phones.
DeviceFidelity now has two important patents that help it maintain an important position within the mobile wallet space
This new mobile wallet patent joins another patent granted to the company for a plug and play external NFC accessory such as a protective case, sleeve or a dongle that enables mobile phones, tablets and laptop computers to be NFC enabled, which could mean manufacturers outside of the smartphone market need to work with DeviceFidelity if they intend to use NFC in their products to enable mobile wallet capabilities.
With so many people looking to NFC-enable existing devices in the marketplace, it looks like the future for DeviceFidelity is looking bright and that is especially surprising considering there are no end consumer products available at this time. We took a look at some of the company’s products in our post that tackled the subject of enabling non NFC phones, which can be seen here. If you would like to learn more about DeviceFidelity’s mobile wallet patent, please see the press release and patent below.
| Inventor: | Jain |
| Date Issued: | May 17, 2011 |
| Application: | 12/206,564 |
| Filed: | September 8, 2008 |
| Inventors: | Jain; Deepak (Garland, TX) |
| Assignee: | DeviceFidelity, Inc. (Richardson, TX) |
| Primary Examiner: | Le; Thien M. |
| Assistant Examiner: | Vo; Tuyen K |
| Attorney Or Agent: | Fish & Richardson P.C. |
| U.S. Class: | 235/492; 235/375; 235/380; 235/382.5; 235/451; 235/487; 455/558 |
| Field Of Search: | 235/375; 235/380; 235/382; 235/382.5; 235/451; 235/486; 235/492; 455/558 |
| International Class: | G06K 19/06 |
| U.S Patent Documents: | |
| Foreign Patent Documents: | 103 17 394; 20 2006 001 690; 1 111 557; 1 306 760; 1 626 349; 1 770 601; 1 773 059; 1 933 259; WO 99/34314; WO 00/28490; WO 01/22695; WO 01/48688; WO 2005/119607; WO 2005/119608; WO 2006/086232; WO 2006/091709; WO 2006/108184; WO 2007/011937; WO 2007/011990; WO 2007/011991; WO 2007/011992; WO 2007/088898; WO 2007/125223 |
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International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in International Application No. PCT/US2008/076046 on May 21, 2010; 13 pages. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/678,052 entitled “Updating Mobile Devices with Additional Elements”, inventors Jain et al., filed Mar. 12, 2010. cited by other. Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/209,087 on Jul. 7, 2010; 36 pages. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/678,047 entitled “Wirelessly Accessing Broadband Services Using Intelligent Covers”, inventors Jain et al., filed Mar. 12, 2010. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/678,085 entitled “Receiving Broadcast Signals Using Intelligent Covers for Mobile Devices”, inventors Jain et al., filed Mar. 12, 2010. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/205,796, titled Wirelessly Executing Financial Transactions, inventor Jain, filed Sep. 5, 2009. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/205,807, titled Interfacign Transaction Cards With Host Devices, inventor Jain, filed Sep. 5, 2008. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/205,814, titled Presenting Web Pages Through Mobile Host Devices, inventor Jain, filed Sep. 5, 2009. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/205,821, titled Selectively Switching Antennas of Transaction Cards, inventor Jain, filed Sep. 5, 2008. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/209,810, titled Updating Mobile Devices With Additional Elements, inventors Jain et al., filed Sep. 12, 2008. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/209/950, titled Wirelessly Accessing Broadband Services Using Intelligent Cards, inventor Jain, filed Sep. 12, 2008. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/210,167, titled Wirelessly Receiving Broadcast Signals Using Intelligent Cards, inventor Jain, filed Sep. 12, 2008. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/209,087, titled Wirelessly Executing Financial Transactions, inventor Jain, filed Sep. 11, 2008. cited by other. U.S. Appl. No. 12/210,161, titled Wirelessly Accessing Broadband Services Using Intelligent Covers, inventors Jain, et al., filed Sep. 12, 2008. cited by other. 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| Abstract: | The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for wirelessly executing transactions with different institutions. In some implementations, a physical interface, a communication module, secure memory, a user-interface module, and a transaction module. The physical interface connects to a port of a mobile host device that includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The communication module wirelessly receives Radio Frequency (RF) signals from and transmits RF signals to an access terminal. The secure memory stores a plurality of selectable user credentials. At least one set of user credentials is used to execute transactions with the access terminal, and each set is associated with different institutions. The transaction module dynamically switches between the plurality of selectable user credentials in response to at least an event and wirelessly transmits to the access terminal a response to a requested transaction including user credentials selected from the plurality of selectable user credentials. |
| Claim: | What is claimed is: 1. A card, comprising: an physical interface that connects to a port of a mobile host device, wherein the mobile host device includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI); ancommunication module that wirelessly receives Radio Frequency (RF) signals from and transmits RF signals to an access terminal; secure memory that stores a plurality of selectable user credentials, wherein the user credentials execute transactions withaccess terminals and each are associated with different institutions, the secure memory includes master credentials and a master security framework, and the master credentials and the master security framework enable financial institutions to update theuser credentials and associated security frameworks; a user-interface module that presents and receives information through the GUI of the mobile host device; and a transaction module that dynamically switches between the plurality of selectable usercredentials in response to at least an event and wirelessly transmits to the access terminal a response to a requested transaction including user credentials selected from the plurality of selectable user credentials, wherein the card executestransactions with access terminals without adding hardware, software or firmware to the mobile host device. 2. The card of claim 1, wherein the physical interface comprises at least one of a SecureDigital (SD) interface, a miniSD interface, a microSD interface, a MMC interface, a miniMMC, a microMMC, a firewire or a iDock interface, or a UniversalSerial Bus (USB) interface. 3. The card of claim 1, wherein the communication module executes the transaction independent of the mobile host device. 4. The card of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a plurality of security frameworks for the plurality of user credentials, the communication module executes the requested transaction using a security framework from the plurality of securityframeworks corresponding to the selected user credentials. 5. The card of claim 1, wherein the one or more events includes a user selecting a graphical element presented through the GUI of the mobile host device. 6. The card of claim 1, wherein the user-interface module presents information associated with the requested transaction through the GUI of the mobile host device. 7. The card of claim 6, wherein the presented information based, at least in part, on at least one of real-time content during the transaction, locally-stored offline content, or online content associated with the financial institution. 8. The of claim 6, wherein the user-interface module further presents a request for user identification including at least one of a Personal Identification Number (PIN), user ID and password, or biometric signature through the GUI of the mobilehost device, the transaction module further verifies the submitted user identification with user identification locally stored in the secure memory prior executing the requested transaction. 9. The card of claim 1, wherein the communication module selectively switches an RF antenna between an activate state and an inactivate state in response to at least an event. 10. The of claim 1, wherein the wireless RF signals comprise at least one of contactless signals, proximity signals, Near Field Communication (NFC) signals, Bluetooth signals, Ultra-wideband (UWB) signals, or Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID)signals. 11. The card of claim 1, wherein the communication module further comprises a protocol translation module that translates signals between wireless protocols compatible with the retail terminal and an internal transaction application. 12. The card of claim 1, further comprising a cryptographic module that decrypts received signals prior to processing by the transaction module and encrypts at least part of the transaction response prior to wireless transmission. 13. The card of claim 1, further comprising an authentication module that authenticates at least one of a network of the mobile host device, the mobile host device, or a user. 14. The card of claim 1, further comprising a bootstrap module that executes one or more authentication processes in response to at least insertion in the port of the mobile host device. 15. The card of claim 14, wherein the one or more authentication processes authenticates at least one of a network, a mobile host device, or a user. 16. The card of claim 1, further comprising an activation module that activates access to user credentials from the plurality of selectable user credentials and transmits to an associated financial institution a request to activate anassociated user account. 17. The card of claim 16, wherein access to user credentials from the plurality of selectable user credentials is activated based, at least in part, on a user manually entering an activation code using the GUI of the mobile host device. 18. The card of claim 1, wherein the user of the mobile host device manages different user accounts associated with the plurality of selectable user credentials using the GUI. 19. The card of claim 1, the communication module further configured to receive requests to update the plurality of selectable user credentials through a wireless connection with a cellular core network or a wired connection with a broadbandnetwork. 20. The card of claim 19, the communication module further configured to at least add new sets of user credentials or delete existing user credentials based, at least in part, on the update requests. 21. The card of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable user credentials include a default user credentials, the communication module further configured to switch to the default user credentials in response to at least completing therequested transaction using a different one of the plurality of selectable user credentials. 22. The card of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable user credentials include a default user credentials, the transaction module further configured to switch to a default user credentials in response to at least expiration of a periodof time to complete a transaction using non-default user credentials. 23. The card of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable credentials are each loaded into the secure memory from a different institution. 24. The card of claim 1, wherein the card comprises a microSD card. 25. A method, comprising: connecting to a port of a mobile host device, wherein the mobile host device includes a GUI; wirelessly communicating RF signals with an access terminal; storing, in secure memory, a plurality of selectable usercredentials, wherein the user credentials execute transactions with access terminals and each is associated with a different institution, the secure memory includes master credentials and a master security framework, and the master credentials and themaster security framework enable financial institutions to update the user credentials and associated security frameworks; presenting information through the GUI of the mobile host device; and dynamically switching between the plurality of selectableuser credentials in response to at least an event; and wirelessly transmitting to the access terminal a response to a requested transaction including user credentials selected from the plurality of selectable user credentials, wherein transactions areexecuted with access terminals without adding hardware, software or firmware to the mobile host device. 26. The method of claim 1, wherein the port comprises at least one of an SD interface, a miniSD interface, a microSD interface, a MMC interface, a miniMMC, a microMMC, a firewire or a iDock interface, or a USB interface. 27. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested transaction is executed independent of the mobile host device. 28. The method of claim 1, further storing a plurality of security frameworks for the plurality of user credentials, the transaction is executed using a security framework from the plurality of security frameworks corresponding to the selecteduser credentials. 29. A system, comprising: a means for connecting to a port of a mobile host device, wherein the mobile host device includes a GUI; a means for wirelessly communicating RF signals with an access terminal; a means for storing, in secure memory,a plurality of selectable user credentials, wherein the user credentials execute transactions with access terminals and each is associated with a different institution, the secure memory includes master credentials and a master security framework, andthe master credentials and the master security framework enable financial institutions to update the user credentials and associated security frameworks; a means for presenting information through the GUI of the mobile host device; and a means fordynamically switching between the plurality of selectable user credentials in response to at least an event; and a means for wirelessly transmitting to the access terminal a response to a requested transaction including user credentials selected fromthe plurality of selectable user credentials, wherein transactions are executed with access terminals without of adding hardware, software or firmware to the mobile host device. |
Mobile Wallet Patent Granted to DeviceFidelity
Patent describes a Near Field Communications (NFC) based multiple account wallet implementation for mobile devices
Richardson, TX (PRWEB) June 22, 2011
DeviceFidelity, Inc. the world’s leader in plug and play mobile payment and contactless technologies announced today, the grant of yet another patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). U.S. Patent No. 7,942,337, granted on May 17, 2011 describes an implementation of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for enabling mobile devices to function like mobile wallets capable of conducting payment, access, transit and other contactless transactions using credentials issued by multiple different enterprises through Points of Sale terminals.
DeviceFidelity’s solutions are already gaining worldwide acceptance and popularity as banks, wireless carriers and other application developers can deploy their NFC offerings on a wide range of smart phones today using the In2Pay microSD NFC product offerings. In Dec 2010, In2Pay microSD became the world’s first NFC solution certified by Visa for commercial deployment. DeviceFidelity is active in more than 100 customer projects worldwide either directly or through its diverse ecosystem partners that include smart card makers, terminal makers, application developers, TSM platform providers, handset makers and mobile banking solution providers.
This latest patent describes a multi institution Mobile Wallet Architecture, protected by a Secure Element capable of running multiple applications, such as a smart card, to deliver a consumer centric approach to NFC transactions, enabling users to choose from multiple accounts and varying institutions to make contactless payments on their preferred mobile device. The patent also describes a security framework usable to implement stronger protection than traditional payment methods, and additional authentication mechanisms to protect NFC transactions.
A recent study projects an installed base of up to 800M NFC smart phone devices globally by end of 2014 and highlights the use of microSD as one of the three main approaches for delivering secure mobile wallet services to consumers. With the DeviceFidelity solution already supporting a vast majority of smart phones shipping today including all the iPhone models and most Blackberry and Android models, DeviceFidelity is well positioned to make a significant contribution in the realization of this high level of NFC penetration.
“Most consumers change phones often and several carry multiple phones, especially high end users who are early adopters of new technology. As shown by multiple focus groups and the results of several successful pilots conducted based on our solution, consumers love the flexibility of using a portable microSD device to enable their preferred smart phone for payment and other proximity applications”, said Deepak Jain, President and CEO for DeviceFidelity. “The patent grant for a mobile wallet comes at a time where the industry is bubbling with a large momentum for such an offering and means that we are able to license the technology, generating greater availability, and meeting consumer demands immediately.”
DeviceFidelity’s mobile wallet patent builds on another patent granted in May for a plug and play external NFC accessory such as a protective case, sleeve or a dongle that enables mobile phones, tablets and laptop computers to be NFC enabled.
“As NFC gets closer to reaching the hands of consumers, excitement continues to build around NFC and mobile wallets,” says Mark Hung, Research Director Wireless at Gartner. “We see a continued push in the industry for innovative ways to quickly bring NFC to the market along with flexibility to support multiple wallet architectures and secure element ownership.”
In February 2011, DeviceFidelity also announced version 3 of the In2Pay microSD solution, that can easily support multiple NFC transaction modes including card emulation, reader and Peer to Peer transactions. This solution with its own NFC software stack on board the microSD device enables smart phone makers, tablet makers, POS makers and other device makers to accelerate the time to market for new NFC devices across multiple platforms.
Several companies have already licensed the In2Pay microSD APIs for iOS, Android, BlackBerry OS and Java, to start building mobile applications, accommodating for varying use cases with NFC transactions. The API allows for the user interface to be fully customizable and controls the performance and operation of the microSD solution.
About DeviceFidelity, Inc.
DeviceFidelity, Inc. develops plug-and-play technologies that empower a variety of institutions to deploy their services and applications on millions of mobile phones worldwide. Its patented In2Pay™ iCaisse and patent-pending In2Pay™ microSD solution transform popular mobile phones into interactive contactless transaction devices. Committed to bringing contactless innovation to the mobile phone, the company has numerous patents pending in both U.S. and international patent offices. DeviceFidelity is a private corporation with headquarters in Texas and offices in California, New York and London. For more information, visit http://www.devicefidelity.com.
[cb type="company"]DeviceFidelity, Inc.[/cb]
DeviceFidelity mobile wallet patent.