Systems and methods for dual reader emulation

Abstract

Systems and methods for emulating credentials are disclosed. In some cases, the systems include an access credential reader and an access credential writer. The access credential reader is communicably coupled to the access credential writer. The access credential reader is operable to receive information from an access credential, and to transfer at least a portion of the information to the access credential writer. The access credential writer is operable to transfer at least the portion of the information to an emulation access credential.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for access credential emulation, the system comprising:
 an access credential reader,   an access credential writer, wherein the access credential writer is communicably coupled with the access credential reader;   wherein the access credential reader is operable to receive information from an access credential, and wherein the access credential reader is operable to transfer at least a portion of the information to the access credential writer; and   wherein the access credential writer is operable to transfer at least the portion of the information to an emulation access credential.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the access credential reader is deployed local to an access point. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information is transferred from the access credential to the access credential reader via a wireless interface. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the emulation access credential is selected from a group consisting of: a smart card, a cell phone, and a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the access credential reader is operable to communicate with an access control panel via a communication port, and wherein the access credential reader is communicably coupled with the access credential writer via the communication port. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the emulation access credential receives information from the access credential writer via a wireless interface. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the emulation access credential is communicably coupled to the access credential writer via an interface selected from the group consisting of: a magnetic stripe interface, a radio frequency interface, an optical interface, and a wired interface. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the access credential is a smart card and the emulation access credential is a cell phone, wherein the smart card is communicably coupled to the access credential reader via a wireless interface, and wherein the cell phone is communicably coupled to the access control module via a radio frequency interface. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information from the a access credential is received at a first carrier frequency, and wherein at least the portion of the information is provided to the emulation access credential at a second carrier frequency. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information from the access credential is a bit stream, and wherein at least the portion of the information provided to the emulation access credential is the bit stream. 
     
     
         11 . A method for credential emulation, the method comprising:
 providing a first transaction device and a second transaction device;   receiving information from a first credential at the first transaction device;   providing at least a portion of the information to the second transaction device; and   providing at least the portion of the information from the second transaction device to a second credential.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first transaction device is operable to communicate with an access control panel via a communication interface, and wherein the method further comprises:
 terminating communication between the first transaction device and the access control panel; and   connecting the second transaction device to the communication interface.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the transaction device is selected from a group consisting of: a point of sale device and an access control device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first credential is selected from a group consisting of: a smart card, a magnetic stripe card, a cell phone and a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second credential is selected from a group consisting of: a smart card, a magnetic stripe card, a cell phone and a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first credential is communicably coupled to the first transaction device via an interface selected from the group consisting of: a magnetic stripe interface, a radio frequency interface, an optical interface, and a wired interface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein receiving the information by the first transaction device from the first credential is done at a first carrier frequency, and wherein providing at least the portion of the information from the second transaction device to the second credential is done at a second carrier frequency. 
     
     
         18 . A transaction credential emulation system, the system comprising:
 a transaction control module, wherein the transaction control module is deployed at a transaction point, and wherein the transaction control module is operable to receive data from a first transaction credential; and   an emulation module, wherein the emulation module is communicably coupled to the transaction control module, wherein the emulation control module is operable to receive at least a portion of the data from the first transaction credential, and wherein the emulation control module is operable to write at least the portion of the data from the first transaction credential to a second transaction credential.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the first transaction credential is selected from a group consisting of: a magnetic stripe card, and a radio frequency card. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the second transaction credential is selected from a group consisting of: a cell phone and a personal digital assistant.