Patenting the on/off electrical switch in 2002

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () bsf-llc com>]

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p
=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220030132301%22.PGNR
.&OS=DN/20030132301&RS=DN/20030132301>
&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=
%2220030132301%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20030132301&RS=DN/20030132301
 
Manually operated switch for enabling and disabling an RFID card 


Abstract

A radio operated data card whose outer jacket forms a sealed protected
housing for internal electrical components, including an RFID integrated
circuit which incorporates data storage and a radio frequency transceiver,
an on card antenna, and manually operated, normally open electrical switch
contacts connected between the on-card electronic circuitry and the antenna.
The open switch contacts normally disable the card, protecting the data on
the card from being surreptitiously read until the switch contacts are
intentionally closed by the cardholder to enable data transfer to occur. The
cardholder may activate the card by applying external pressure to the
surface of the card at a predetermined position, closing the switch contacts
which open again automatically when pressure is removed. A tactile indicia
on the surface of the card allows the cardholder to determine by touch where
the card should be pressed to enable data transfers to occur. In an
alternate embodiment, a mating key in the possession of the cardholder may
be brought into proximity with the card to close the normally open switch to
permit information to be read from the card. 

  _____  

Inventors:       Selker, Edwin Joseph; (Arlington, MA)  
Correspondence Name and Address:        
    CHARLES G. CALL

    68 HORSE POND ROAD

    WEST YARMOUTH

    MA

    02673-2516

    US


Assignee Name and Adress:        Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge
MA

        
Serial No.:     334572  
Series Code:    10      
Filed:  December 31, 2002       

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