Patent ID: 6121544
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A means for shielding at least one contactless smartcard or RFID tag from external magnetic fields which can result in surreptitious, wireless communication between the contactless smartcard or RFID tag and a remote transceiver comprising:at least one sheet of magnetic shielding material shaped to substantially surround the at least one contactless smartcard or RFID tag and characterized by a high initial and maximum magnetic permeability, contiguous electrical conductivity of any two points on said at least one sheet of magnetic shielding material, and sufficient thickness to reduce the magnetic field strength inside of the space enclosed by said at least one sheet of magnetic shielding material below the threshold required to induce a sufficient amount of power in a microchip embedded in the contactless smartcard or RFID tag and result in wireless communication between the contactless smartcard or RFID tag and a remote transceiver not in physical contact with the contactless smartcard or RFID tag;a pair of plastic reinforcing shells which physically hold the at least one contactless smartcard or RFID tag temporarily and securely within the magnetic shielding material; andsaid at least one sheet of magnetic shielding material being formed into a U-shape with a plurality of capture tabs along the edges thereof, said plurality of capture tabs being sized to fit into a plurality of shield capture bosses in each plastic reinforcing shell, said pair of plastic reinforcing shells retaining said magnetic shielding material.