Method of transmitting information from a power efficient card to a mobile device

摘要

A method of transmitting information to a mobile device includes providing a read head with a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card, a power supply coupled to wake-up electronics and a microcontroller. The wake-up electronics are powered by a microphone bias of a mobile device.

主权项

1. A method of transmitting information to a mobile device, comprising:
powering wake-up electronics of a card reader by a microphone bias voltage signal of the mobile device, wherein the wake-up electronics are configured to transition a microcontroller into an active mode upon detection of a card swipe signal; reading a payment card using the card reader, the card reader comprising a read head configured for reading a magnetic stripe of the payment card; receiving a raw magnetic head signal at an analog to digital front-end of the card reader, the analog to digital front end coupled to the microcontroller and a power subsystem of the card reader configured to convert the microphone bias voltage signal into a system voltage signal that enables the analog to digital front-end to operate; converting, by the analog to digital front-end, the raw magnetic head signal into a processed digital signal that the microcontroller can interpret; and sending an output signal to the mobile device, the output signal based at least in part on contents of the raw magnetic head signal.