Please refer to
Therefore, the card reading device 10 can perform the contact and contactless card reading functions. When performing the contact card reading function, a user can wedge a contact card into the card slot 106. Then, the identification module 108 determines whether the contact card in the card slot 106 is authorized or not. If so, the card reading device 10 will perform corresponding operations. For example, if the contact card is an ATM card issued by a financial organization, the identification module 108 can include a secure application module issued by a financial institution (ex. a bank or credit card international organization) for performing an authentication process. Therefore, when a user slides the credit card for buying a product, the secure application module of the identification module 108 performs the authentication process for make sure whether the credit card is usable and rightful. According to an authentication result of the identification module 108, the microcontroller 110 exchanges data with the backend device 112 through the communication interface 100, so as to finish the trading. Preferably, a format of the card slot 106 conforms to a smart card slot.
When performing the contactless card reading function, the antenna 102 induces a contactless card. Then, according to a protocol of radio frequency identification, the microcontroller 110 processes data stored in the contactless card induced by the antenna 102 with the protocol processor 104. For example, the contactless card can be an electronic wallet. A user can buy points into the electronic wallet like depositing cash. When buying a product or service with the electronic wallet, the user can take the contactless card into a range of electromagnetic induction of the antenna 102 to finish the trading. Preferably, the microcontroller 110 can perform algorithms of international accreditation, such as DES, 3DES, etc., so as to encrypt data between the antenna 108 and the contactless card. Moreover, the present invention can identify the contactless card induced by the antenna 102 with the identification module 108, so as to determine whether the contactless card is authorized or not.
In the present invention, the communication interface 100 can exchange data with the backend device through a wired or wireless channel, which conforms to protocols of compact flash (CF), security digital (SD), personal computer memory card international association (PCMICA) interfaces. The backend device can be a computer system, PDA, POS (point of sales) machine, or other mobile devices capable of performing financial applications, and preferably, connect to a financial institution through a wireless channel.
Therefore, the card reading device 10 performs both the contact and contacless card reading functions, so that the user can take the contactless card into the range of the antenna 102 to finish contactless financial service through RFID technology. Since an RFID system transmits digital data through a radio frequency channel, such that there is no specified direction to be obeyed as the RFID reader reads the contactless card, and the contactless card can be read even if it is stored in one's pocket or wallet. Therefore, installing the card reading device 10 on a mobile device with a wireless network, a store can provide financial service in large-scale amusement parks or scenic spots, which increases convenience and saves trading time.
As to operations of the present invention, please refer to
In
Therefore, the present invention discloses a card reading device having both the contact and contactless card reading functions, so as to perform mobile financial service, increase convenience, and save trading time.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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095117121 | May 2006 | TW | national |