System, device, and method of transmitting a plurality of credentials via near-field communication

Abstract

A novel system and methodology for conducting financial and other transactions using a wireless device. Credentials may be selectively issued by issuers such as credit card companies, banks, and merchants to consumers permitting the specific consumer to conduct a transaction according to the authorization given as reflected by the credential or set of credentials. The preferred mechanism for controlling and distributing credentials according to the present invention is through one or more publicly accessible networks such as the Internet wherein the system design and operating characteristics are in conformance with the standards and other specific requirements of the chosen network or set of networks. Credentials are ultimately supplied to a handheld device such as a mobile telephone via a wireless network. The user holding the credential may then use the handheld device to conduct the authorized transaction or set of transactions via, for example, a short range wireless link with a point-of-sale terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system to transmit a plurality of credentials via near-field communication (NFC), the system comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) reader including an NFC antenna to transmit at least one reader key associated with at least one of the plurality of credentials; and   a mobile device including an NFC antenna to receive the at least one reader key from the RF reader to allow the at least one of the plurality of credentials to be selected and transmitted to the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within an RF range of the NFC antenna of the RF reader.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected at least one of the plurality of credentials include at least two of the plurality of credentials that are stored within the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two of the plurality of credentials are transmitted from the mobile device to the RF reader during a single NFC communication session. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each of the at least two of the plurality of credentials corresponds to a plurality of reader keys, wherein the at least two of the plurality of credentials are transmitted in a single NFC communication session from the mobile device to the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within the RF range of the NFC antenna of the RF reader. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of credentials includes data corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a stored value card account, an automated teller machine card account, a bank account, a payment token card account, a membership card account, a loyalty card account, an access card account, an identification card account, a driver's license, an e-ticket, a pass, a coupon, and a certificate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device further comprises:
 a database to store associations between the at least one reader key and the at least one of the plurality of credentials.   
     
     
         7 . A mobile device to communicate with a radio frequency (RF) reader via near-field communication (NFC), the mobile device comprising:
 an NFC module including a NFC antenna, the NFC module configured to receive at least one reader key from the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within a RF range of a NFC antenna of the RF reader;   a storage unit to store a plurality of credentials and a plurality of reader keys; and   a processor to select at least one credential from the plurality of credentials that are associated with the at least one reader key to be transmitted to the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within an RF range of an NFC antenna of the RF reader.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile device of  claim 7  wherein the storage unit comprises a secure memory module to store the plurality of credentials and the plurality of reader keys, the secure memory being tamper-resistant memory. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile device of  claim 7 , wherein the selected at least one credential includes at least two of the plurality of credentials that are stored within the mobile device. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two of the plurality of credentials are transmitted from the mobile device to the RF reader during a single NFC communication session. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile device of  claim 9 , wherein each of the at least two of the plurality of credentials corresponds to a plurality of reader keys that are transmitted simultaneously from the mobile device to the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within the RF range of the NFC antenna of the RF reader. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile device of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of credentials includes data corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a stored value card account, an automated teller machine card account, a bank account, a payment token card account, a membership card account, a loyalty card account, an access card account, an identification card account, a driver's license, an e-ticket, a pass, a coupon, and a certificate. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a database to store associations between the at least one reader key and the at least one of the plurality of credentials.   
     
     
         14 . A radio frequency (RF) reader to communicate with a mobile device via near-field communication (NFC), the RF reader comprising:
 a storage unit to store at least one reader key associated with at least one of a plurality of credentials; and   a NFC module including a NFC antenna, the NFC module configured to transmit the at least one reader key to the mobile device to allow the mobile device to select the at least one of the plurality of credentials to be transmitted to the RF reader when an RF antenna of the mobile device is within an RF range of an NFC antenna of the RF reader, and receive at least one of the plurality of credentials corresponding to the at least one reader key transmitted to the mobile device.   
     
     
         15 . The RF reader of  claim 14 , wherein the selected at least one credential includes at least two of the plurality of credentials that are stored within the mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . The RF reader of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two of the plurality of credentials are transmitted from the mobile device to the RF reader during a single NFC communication session. 
     
     
         17 . The RF reader of  claim 15 , wherein each of the at least two of the plurality of credentials corresponds to a plurality of reader keys, the at least two of the plurality of credentials are transmitted in a single NFC communication session between the mobile device and the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within the RF range of the NFC antenna of the RF reader. 
     
     
         18 . The RF reader of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of credentials includes data corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a stored value card account, an automated teller machine card account, a bank account, a payment token card account, a membership card account, a loyalty card account, an access card account, an identification card account, a driver's license, an e-ticket, a pass, a coupon, and a certificate. 
     
     
         19 . A method of transmitting a plurality of credentials via near-field communication (NFC), the method comprising:
 transmitting at least one reader key associated with at least one of the plurality of credentials from a radio frequency (RF) reader to a mobile device;   selecting the at least one of the plurality of credentials; and   transmitting the at least one of the plurality of credentials to the RF reader when an NFC antenna of the mobile device is within an RF range of an NFC antenna of the RF reader.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the selected at least one of the plurality of credentials include at least two of the plurality of credentials that are stored within the mobile device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least two of the plurality of credentials are transmitted from the mobile device to the RF reader during a single NFC communication session. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein each of the at least two of the plurality of credentials corresponds to a plurality of reader keys that are transmitted in a single NFC communication session between the mobile device to the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within the RF range of the NFC antenna of the RF reader. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of credentials includes data corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a stored value card account, an automated teller machine card account, a bank account, a payment token card account, a membership card account, a loyalty card account, an access card account, an identification card account, a driver's license, an e-ticket, a pass, a coupon, and a certificate. 
     
     
         24 . A system to transmit a plurality of credentials via near-field communication (NFC), the system comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) reader including an NFC antenna to transmit at least one reader key associated with the plurality of credentials; and   a mobile device including an NFC antenna to receive the at least one reader key from the RF reader to allow at least two of the plurality of credentials to be selected and transmitted to the RF reader when the mobile device's NFC antenna is within an RF range of the NFC antenna of the RF reader.