TECHNIQUES FOR SELECTING A PROXIMITY CARD OF A MOBILE DEVICE FOR ACCESS
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided that enable a mobile computing device to emulate multiple proximity cards. A portable computing device may store a plurality of identification numbers. The portable computing device may respond to a proximity card reader interrogation transmitted by a reader device by providing one or more of the stored identification numbers in response. In one implementation, the portable computing device may transmit the stored identification numbers in sequence, one or more times. Alternatively, the portable computing device may select one or more particular stored identification numbers to provide in response, based on a location or other attribute of the portable computing device. An applicable function may be enabled when an identification number provided by the portable computing device is determined as a match by the reader device.
1 . A portable computing device, comprising:
an antenna;
storage that stores a plurality of identification numbers; and
a processor configured to control modulation of an identification number of the plurality of identification numbers onto a carrier signal received by the antenna from a proximity card reader device.
2 . The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers based on at least one predetermined criteria.
3 . The portable computing device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one predetermined criteria includes a location of the portable computing device, and the portable computing device further comprises:
a location monitor configured to determine the location of the portable computing device;
the storage stores a plurality of geographic regions, each of the plurality of the identification numbers associated with one of the geographic regions;
the processor is configured to determine when the determined location of the portable computing device is in a geographic region of the plurality of geographic regions;
the processor is configured to select the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers associated with the geographic region in which the portable computing device is determined to be located; and
the processor is configured to control modulation of the selected identification number onto the carrier signal.
4 . The portable computing device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one predetermined criteria includes time;
the storage stores a plurality of time indications, each of the plurality of the identification numbers associated with at least one of the time indications;
the processor is configured to determine a time indication of the plurality time indications most closely associated with a current time;
the processor is configured to select the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers associated with the determined time indication; and
the processor is configured to control modulation of the selected identification number onto the carrier signal.
5 . The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to enable a user to select the identification number from the plurality of identification numbers.
6 . The portable computing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a carrier detection module configured to detect the carrier signal received by the antenna from the proximity card reader device; and
the processor is configured to control modulation of the plurality of identification numbers onto the carrier signal in series in response to the carrier detection module having detected the carrier signal.
7 . The portable computing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a screen lock module that enables a user of the portable computing device to unlock a screen of the portable computing device; and
the processor enables modulation of the identification number onto the carrier signal when the screen is unlocked.
8 . The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein a value of at least one identification number is changed according to a predetermined factor to enhance security.
9 . A method in a portable computing device, comprising:
receiving a carrier signal transmitted by a proximity card reader device at an antenna of the portable computing device;
accessing an identification number of a plurality of identification numbers stored in storage of the portable computing device; and
modulating the identification number onto the carrier signal.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
selecting the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers based on at least one predetermined criteria.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one predetermined criteria includes a location of the portable computing device, each of the plurality of the identification numbers is associated with a geographic region of a plurality of geographic regions, and the method further comprises:
determining the location of the portable computing device; and
determining when the determined location of the portable computing device is in a geographic region of the plurality of geographic regions;
said accessing comprising
selecting the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers associated with the geographic region in which the portable computing device is determined to be located; and
said modulating comprising
modulating the selected identification number onto the carrier signal.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one predetermined criteria includes time, the method further comprising:
storing a plurality of time indications, each of the plurality of the identification numbers associated with at least one of the time indications; and
determining a time indication of the plurality time indications most closely associated with a current time;
said accessing comprising
selecting the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers associated with the determined time indication; and
said modulating comprising
modulating the selected identification number onto the carrier signal.
13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
enabling a user to select the identification number from the plurality of identification numbers.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said modulating comprises:
modulating the plurality of identification numbers onto the carrier signal in series in response to said receiving the carrier signal.
15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
enabling a user of the portable computing device to unlock a screen of the portable computing device; and
enabling said modulating of the identification number onto the carrier signal when the screen is unlocked.
16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
changing a value of at least one identification number according to a predetermined factor to enhance security.
17 . A computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored in the computer readable storage medium that enable a processor to perform a method in a portable computing device, the method comprising:
receiving a carrier signal transmitted by a proximity card reader device at an antenna of the portable computing device;
accessing an identification number of a plurality of identification numbers stored in storage of the portable computing device;
receiving an indication that a user of the portable computing device has unlocked a screen of the portable computing device; and
modulating the identification number onto the carrier signal multiple times in response to receiving the carrier signal and receiving the indication.
18 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of the identification numbers is associated with a geographic region of a plurality of geographic regions, and the method further comprises:
determining the location of the portable computing device; and
determining when the determined location of the portable computing device is in a geographic region of the plurality of geographic regions;
said accessing comprising
selecting the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers associated with the geographic region in which the portable computing device is determined to be located; and
said modulating comprising
modulating the selected identification number onto the carrier signal.
19 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , the method further comprising:
storing a plurality of time indications, each of the plurality of the identification numbers associated with at least one of the time indications; and
determining a time indication of the plurality time indications most closely associated with a current time;
said accessing comprising
selecting the identification number of the plurality of identification numbers associated with the determined time indication; and
said modulating comprising
modulating the selected identification number onto the carrier signal.
20 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein said modulating comprises:
modulating the plurality of identification numbers onto the carrier signal in series in response to said receiving the carrier signal.