US 2,006,219,776 · Filed 2006-05-27
The Pocket RFID Reader That Talks to Your Car and Your Fingerprints
Imagine a device the size of your wallet that can read RFID tags (the invisible chips in smart cards), scan your fingerprint to prove who you are, and connect wirelessly to other devices. This patent covers a multi-interface RFID reader that's compact enough to carry but flexible enough to communicate with several different technologies at once.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a pocket-sized RFID reading device that combines multiple ways of talking to other electronics: a contactless interface for reading RFID chips, a biometric sensor (like a fingerprint scanner) for user identification, wireless connectivity options, slots for various memory cards and external storage, and mechanical contact interfaces. What's protected here is specifically the combination of these different communication methods packed into one handheld unit, plus the ability to read immobilizer electronics embedded in the device itself.
Why it matters
This patent addresses a real problem in automotive and security technology: the need for a single device that can authenticate users multiple ways and read different types of data storage without fumbling through multiple gadgets. By combining biometrics with RFID and wireless in one pocket-size reader, the patent covers a versatile tool that could work as a key fob, an access card reader, or a secure identification device. In automotive applications especially, this kind of multi-layered authentication becomes valuable for anti-theft systems and vehicle access control.
Real-world use
You might encounter this technology as a keyless car entry fob that not only reads RFID signals but also scans your fingerprint before unlocking the vehicle, adding an extra security layer beyond a traditional wireless key.
Original USPTO abstract
A pocket-size RFID reader apparatus having a contactless interface and a slot for insertion of a contactless smart card fob, and having a biometric sensor, thereby providing two levels of personalization. The apparatus may have a wireless interface; and a slot for insertion of a wireless SD I/O device. The apparatus may have a slot for insertion of an external memory device. The apparatus may have a mechanical connection (contact) interface. The apparatus may also have an RF interface for reading an electronic immobilizer within the apparatus.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,006,219,776
- Filing date
- 2006-05-27
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Dpd Patent Trust
- Inventor(s)
- FINN DAVID
- CPC class
- G06K17/0022
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