Adapter for contact and contactless smart cards
View Patent ↗A portable adapter for using a contact smart card with a contactless smart card reader and a contactless smart card with a contact smart card reader. The adaptor is provided with a casing that is configured to engage a contact smart card or a contactless smart card, and is provided with an exterior portion that physically cooperates via a contact pad with a contact smart card reader. The adapter is provided with an interface passing signals between a contactless smart card and a contact smart card reader, and an interface for passing signals between a contact smart card and a contactless smart card reader.
1. A method for communicating between a contact smart card and a contactless smart card reader, the method comprising:
receiving, at a portable adaptor, an electrical signal from the contact smart card when the contact smart card is removably engaged with the portable adaptor, the portable adaptor comprising means adapted for interfacing a contactless smart card with a contact smart card reader and means adapted for interfacing the contact smart card with the contactless smart card reader;
converting, by the portable adaptor, the electrical signal received from the contact smart card to an electromagnetic signal; and
transmitting, to the contactless smart card reader, the electromagnetic signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising amplifying a level of the electrical signal received from the contact smart card prior to converting the electrical signal.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising amplifying a level of the electromagnetic signal to be transmitted to the contactless smart card reader prior to transmitting the electromagnetic signal to the contactless smart card reader.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the contactless smart card reader, a further electromagnetic signal;
converting, by the portable adaptor, the further electromagnetic signal received from the contactless smart card reader to a further electrical signal; and
transmitting, to the contact smart card, the further electrical signal.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising amplifying a level of the further electromagnetic signal received from the contactless smart card reader prior to converting the further electromagnetic signal.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising amplifying a level of the further electrical signal to be transmitted to the contact smart card prior to transmitting the further electrical signal to the contact smart card.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portable adaptor further comprises a casing having an interior and an exterior, the interior of the casing being configured to removably engage the contact smart card or the contactless smart card, the exterior of the casing being configured to physically cooperate with the contact smart card reader.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the contact smart card reader, a further electrical signal;
converting, by the portable adaptor, the further electrical signal received from the contact smart card reader to a further electromagnetic signal; and
transmitting, to the contactless smart card, the further electromagnetic signal.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising amplifying a level of the further electrical signal prior to converting the further electrical signal.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising amplifying a level of the further electromagnetic signal prior to transmitting the further electromagnetic signal to the contactless smart card.
11. A method for communicating between a contactless smart card and a contact smart card reader, the method comprising:
receiving, at a portable adaptor, an electromagnetic signal from the contactless smart card when the contactless smart card is removably engaged with the portable adaptor, the portable adaptor comprising means adapted for interfacing a contactless smart card with a contact smart card reader and means adapted for interfacing the contact smart card with the contactless smart card reader;
converting, by the portable adaptor, the electromagnetic signal received from the contactless smart card to an electrical signal; and
transmitting, to the contact smart card reader, the electrical signal.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising amplifying a level of the electromagnetic signal received from the contactless smart card prior to converting the electromagnetic signal.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising amplifying a level of the electrical signal to be transmitted to the contact smart card reader prior to transmitting the electrical signal to the contact smart card reader.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the portable adaptor further comprises a casing having an interior and an exterior, the interior of the casing being configured to removably engage the contact smart card or the contactless smart card, the exterior of the casing being configured to physically cooperate with the contact smart card reader.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the exterior of the casing is engaged with the contact smart card reader during the act of transmitting.
16. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for communicating between a contact smart card and a contactless smart card reader, the method comprising:
receiving, at a portable adaptor, an electrical signal from the contact smart card when the contact smart card is removably engaged with the portable adaptor, the portable adaptor comprising means adapted for interfacing a contactless smart card with a contact smart card reader and means adapted for interfacing the contact smart card with the contactless smart card reader;
converting, by the portable adaptor, the electrical signal received from the contact smart card to an electromagnetic signal; and
transmitting, to the contactless smart card reader, the electromagnetic signal.
17. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for communicating between a contactless smart card and a contact smart card reader, the method comprising:
receiving, at a portable adaptor, an electromagnetic signal from the contactless smart card when the contactless smart card is removably engaged with the portable adaptor, the portable adaptor comprising means adapted for interfacing a contactless smart card with a contact smart card reader and means adapted for interfacing the contact smart card with the contactless smart card reader;
converting, by the portable adaptor, the electromagnetic signal received from the contactless smart card to an electrical signal; and
transmitting, to the contact smart card reader, the electrical signal.
18. A portable adapter for using a contact smart card with a contactless smart card reader and for using a contactless smart card with a contact smart card reader, the portable adaptor comprising:
means adapted for interfacing the contactless smart card with the contact smart card reader; and
means adapted for interfacing the contact smart card with the contactless smart card reader.
19. A system for communicating with a contact smart card, the system comprising:
a contactless smart card reader; and
a portable adaptor comprising means adapted for interfacing a contactless smart card with a contact smart card reader and means adapted for interfacing the contact smart card with the contactless smart card reader.
20. A system for communicating with a contactless smart card, the system comprising:
a contact smart card reader; and
a portable adaptor comprising means adapted for interfacing the contactless smart card with the contact smart card reader and means adapted for interfacing a contact smart card with a contactless smart card reader.