Wireless tamper detection

1 . A payment device comprising:

a housing;

at least one ultra-wideband (UWB) radio disposed within the housing;

wherein the UWB radio is configured to transmit at least one reference signal and measure at least one reflected reference signal from an environment outside the housing to generate a reference signature of the environment outside the housing,

wherein the UWB radio is configured to transmit at least one sample signal and measure at least one reflected sample signal from the environment outside the housing to generate a sample signature of the environment outside the housing, and

wherein a difference between the sample signature and the reference signature above a predetermined value indicates a tamper condition.

2 . The payment device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a printed circuit board (PCB) board and wherein the UWB radio is located on the PCB board.

3 . The payment device of claim 2 , wherein the PCB board includes or is electrically connected to a card reader assembly.

4 . The payment device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one UWB radio includes a plurality of antennas.

5 . The payment device of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a first end and a second end and wherein the UWB radio is positioned closer to the second end of the housing than the first end of the housing.

6 . The payment device of claim 1 , wherein the reference signature includes a measurement of at least one of: a magnitude of the reflected reference signal, a phase difference between the reference signal and the reflected reference signal; and a time-of-flight of the reference signal and/or the reflected reference signal.

7 . The payment device of claim 6 , wherein the measurement of the reference signature includes measurements obtained from at least two channels.

8 . The payment device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one reference signal includes a plurality of reference signals and the reference signature includes measurements across a plurality of reflected reference signals corresponding with the plurality of reference signals.

9 . The payment device of claim 1 , wherein the sample signature includes a plurality of sample signatures and wherein the plurality of sample signatures are compared to the reference signature to indicate the tamper condition.

10 . The payment device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is a percentage deviation between one or more values from within the reference signature and one or more values from within the sample signature, and wherein the percentage deviation is greater than 2%.

11 . A method of detecting a tamper condition, the method comprising:

generating, via an ultra-wideband (UWB) radio disposed within a housing of a payment device, a reference signal of the payment device within an environment;

receiving, via the UWB radio, at least one reflected reference signal from the environment outside the housing;

generating a reference signature of the environment outside the housing from the at least one reflected reference signal;

generating, via the UWB radio, at least one sample signal;

receiving, via the UWB radio, at least one reflected sample signal;

generating at least one sample signature of the environment outside the housing from the at least one reflected sample signal;

comparing the at least one sample signature to the reference signature; and

determining a tamper condition when the at least one sample signature differs from the reference signature above a predetermined value.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the housing of the payment device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and wherein the UWB radio is located on the PCB board.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the PCB board includes or is electrically connected to a card reader assembly.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the UWB radio includes a plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of antennas include a first antenna and a second antenna, and wherein the first antenna is a first receiver and a first transmitter and the second antenna is a second receiver.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the housing has a first end and a second end and wherein the UWB radio is positioned closer to the second end of the housing than the first end of the housing.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of generating the reference signature from the at least one reflected reference signal further comprises:

measuring at least one of: a magnitude of the at least one reflected reference signal, a phase difference between the reference signal and the reflected reference signal; and a time-of flight of the reference signal and/or the reflected reference signal.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of measuring includes taking measurements obtained from at least two channels.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one reference signal includes a plurality of reference signals and the reference signature includes measurements across a plurality of reflected reference signals corresponding with the plurality of reference signals.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one sample signature includes a plurality of sample signatures and wherein the plurality of sample signatures are compared to the at least one reference signature to indicate the tamper condition.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined value is a percentage deviation between one or more values from within the reference signature and one or more values from within the sample signature, and wherein the percentage deviation is greater than 2%.