Abstract:
A device for protecting one or more credit or charge cards from radio frequency scanning is disclosed. The device comprises a planar element sized for fitting within a card slot of a personal carrying accessory, wherein the planar element is composed of an uncharged, conductive material and wherein the planar element inhibits the transmission of radio frequency signals.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority to provisional patent application 61/501,755 titled “Scanner Resistant Device for RFID Cards” and filed Jun. 28, 2011 and provisional patent application 61/507,598 titled “Scanner Resistant Device for RFID Cards” and filed Jul. 14, 2011. The subject matter of provisional patent application 61/501,755 and provisional patent application 61/507,598 is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of electronic commerce, and more particularly relates to the field of RFID cards used in electronic commerce. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that uses radio waves to transfer data from an electronic tag, called an RFID tag or label, attached to an object, through a reader for the purpose of identifying and tracking the object. RFID technology has been used for many applications, including key entry cards, passports, road toll fee payments, identification cards, and cash transaction cards, such as credit and charge cards. RFID technology typically includes embedding a card or device with a microchip that stores certain information, such as passwords, identifiers, personal information or records of user transactions. The technology has become so popular, that many credit card issuers have started using RFID technology as a replacement for traditional magnetic strip credit cards. 
     Passive RFID tags (those without a battery) can be read if passed within close enough proximity to an RFID reader or scanner. It is not necessary to “show” the tag to the reader or scanner device, as with a bar code. In other words it does not require line of sight to “see” an RFID tag, the tag can be read inside a wallet, purse, case, carton, box or other container, and unlike barcodes, RFID tags can be read hundreds at a time. Some RFID tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader. 
     RFID technology, however, has come with drawbacks. The private information stored on RFID cards are easier targets for potential identity thieves and “electronic pickpockets.” A potential identity thief or electronic pickpocket can use an RFID scanner to read the private information stored on an RFID card, even when it is stored in a wallet, purse or pocket. The potential thief needs only to hold a handheld RFID scanner in close proximity to the wallet or purse in order to read the private information contained in the RFID card. This has caused concern in the financial and security industries. 
     Consequently, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above, and particularly for a more efficient way of protecting the data on RFID cards. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a device for protecting one or more credit or charge cards from radio frequency scanning is disclosed. The device comprises a planar element sized for fitting within a card slot of a personal carrying accessory, wherein the planar element is composed of an uncharged, conductive material and wherein the planar element inhibits the transmission of radio frequency signals. 
     In another embodiment, method for preventing radio frequency scanning of a card is disclosed. The method includes placing a first planar element within a first card slot of a personal carrying case such that the first planar element is located substantially on a front side of the card, wherein the planar element is sized for fitting within a card slot of the personal carrying accessory, wherein the planar element is composed of an uncharged, conductive material and wherein the planar element inhibits the transmission of radio frequency signals and placing a second planar element within a second card slot of the personal carrying case such that the second planar element is located substantially on a rear side of the card, and wherein the second planar element shares the same characteristics of the first planar element. 
     In another embodiment, system for preventing radio frequency scanning of a card is disclosed. The system includes a personal carrying case comprising a plurality of card slots for inserting cards; a card including information that may be scanned via a radio frequency scanner; a first planar element located within a first card slot of the personal carrying case such that the first planar element is located substantially on a front side of the card, wherein the planar element is sized for fitting within a card slot of the personal carrying accessory, wherein the planar element is composed of an uncharged, conductive material and wherein the planar element inhibits the transmission of radio frequency signals; and a second planar element located within a second card slot of the personal carrying case such that the second planar element is located substantially on a rear side of the card, and wherein the second planar element shares the same characteristics of the first planar element. 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and also the advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a system that provides a scanner resistant device or devices for RFID cards, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of a spatial configuration for using the scanner resistant device or devices for RFID cards, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of two spatial configurations for using the scanner resistant device or devices for RFID cards, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a first wallet in which the scanner resistant device or devices for RFID cards may be used, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of a second wallet in which the scanner resistant device or devices for RFID cards may be used, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an illustration showing the various layers of the scanner resistant device comprising an interior metal layer laminated on both sides with a separate plastic layer, wherein at least one plastic layer shows printed information on an outward facing side, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an illustration showing the method of placing multiple scanner resistant cards in a personal carrying case, so as to inhibit RFID scanning of RFID cards in the personal carrying case, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention solves the problems with the prior art by providing a small, inexpensive and lightweight device that prevents surreptitious scanning of RFID cards and that can be placed within an existing personal carrying case, such as a wallet, purse, handbag, holder or other type of carrying device. RFID cards that may be protected include credit cards, charge cards, identification cards, security tokens, pass cards, entry cards, passports, badges, etc. The present invention is advantageous since it allows for the use of existing personal carrying cases and does not require the purchase of new carrying cases that prevent scanning. The present is further advantageous since it is manufactured from lightweight, durable material that remains effective for extended periods of time. 
       FIG. 1  is an illustration of a system that provides scanner resistant devices  102 ,  104  for RFID cards  110 ,  112  and  114 , according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  is a side view, which shows scanner resistant devices  102 ,  104  surrounding RFID cards  110 ,  112  and  114 , so as to prevent the scanner  100  from scanning the data present in the RFID cards  110 ,  112  and  114  due to the conductive material of scanner resistant devices  102 ,  104 . 
     Each of the devices  102 ,  104 , also called a “blocker device,” prevents the transmission of radio frequency signals through its surface. Each blocker device may be composed of an uncharged, conductive material, such as a dielectric metal or metal alloy. Alternative materials for each blocker device include aluminum, steel, iron, tin, copper, chromium, nickel, brass and stainless steel. In another alternative, the blocker devices are composed of a metallic foil material layer, such as aluminum foil, that is laminated or covered on both sides with a layer of plastic material, such as PVC or ABS plastic. A laminate is a material that can be constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together. The process of creating a laminate is lamination, which in common parlance refers to the placing of something between layers of plastic and gluing them with heat and/or pressure, usually with an adhesive. The laminating process may be pouch lamination or heated roll lamination. In one embodiment of the present invention, each blocker device includes printed information, such as advertising, logos, artwork, promotional materials or contact information, on at least one of its surfaces. 
     In one embodiment, each blocker device is manufactured using a stamping process. Stamping includes a variety of sheet-metal forming manufacturing processes, such as punching using a machine press or stamping press, blanking, embossing, bending, flanging, and coining. This could be a single stage operation where every stroke of the press produce the desired form on the sheet metal part, or could occur through a series of stages. The process is usually carried out on sheet metal, but can also be used on other materials, such as polystyrene. 
     The scanner  100  utilizes radio frequency signals to send and receive data to and from RFID cards during the scanning process. When those signals cannot be transmitted to or from the RFID cards  110 ,  112  and  114 , the RFID cards cannot be scanned. The mechanism that prevents transmission of radio frequency signals through the material of the blocker devices  102 ,  104  is Gauss&#39; law, which mandates that a conducting sphere does not allow electrical fields to be propagated into or out of the sphere. Surrounding, or partially surrounding, the RFID cards  110 ,  112  and  114  with the conducting material of the blocker devices  102 ,  104  has the same or similar effect as surrounding the RFID cards with a conducting sphere, i.e., radio frequency signals cannot be transmitted through the blocker devices, thereby preventing scanning of the RFID cards by a scanner  100 . 
     Preferably, the size of each blocker device  102 ,  104  is substantially the size of a credit card, which is substantially 3 and ⅜ inch, by 2 and ⅛ inch by 0.02 inch. Preferably, the size of each blocker device  102 ,  104  is substantially a size that allows for insertion into a card slot or pocket, such as the pockets  402  found in wallet  400  (see  FIG. 4 ) and pockets  502 ,  504  found in wallet  500  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of a spatial configuration for using the blocker devices  102 ,  104  for RFID cards  110 ,  112  and  114 , according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a frontal view, which shows the blocker devices  102 ,  104  in front of and behind the RFID cards  110 ,  112  and  114 , so as to prevent scanning of the RFID cards by a scanner  100 . Note that although the figures show two blocker devices in front of and behind a stack of two or three RFID cards, the present invention supports the use of only one blocker device, three blocker devices or any number of blocker devices to prevent the scanning of one, two or more RFID cards. 
       FIG. 3  is an illustration of two spatial configurations  302 ,  304  for using the scanner resistant device or devices  102 ,  104  for RFID cards  110 ,  112 , according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  shows configuration  302  which shows a set of rectangular cards stacked together and lying on their longest side, wherein the height of the cards is staggered one behind the other. Blocker device  104  is placed at the front of the stack while blocker device  102  is placed at the rear of the stack. In between blocker devices  102 ,  104  are RFID cards  110 ,  112 . The placement of the RFID cards between the blocker devices prevents scanning of the information on the RFID cards. 
     The configuration  302  represents the relative position of the cards  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  when used in a wallet such as wallet  400  (see  FIG. 4 ) wherein the cards  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  are placed in pockets  402  of the wallet. Note that pockets  402  comprise card slots that allow rectangular cards to be inserted lying on their longest side, wherein the height of the cards in the pockets  402  is staggered one behind the other to allow for easy access by the user. Additionally, the configuration  302  represents the relative position of the cards  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  when used in a wallet such as wallet  500  (see  FIG. 5 ) wherein the cards  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  are placed in pockets  502  of the wallet. Note that pockets  502  also comprise card slots that allow rectangular cards to be inserted lying on their longest side, wherein the height of the cards in the pockets  502  is staggered one behind the other to allow for easy access by the user. 
       FIG. 3  shows configuration  304  which shows a set of rectangular cards stacked together and standing on their shortest side, wherein the height of the cards is staggered one behind the other. Blocker device  104  is placed at the front of the stack while blocker device  102  is placed at the rear of the stack. In between blocker devices  102 ,  104  are RFID cards  110 ,  112 . The placement of the RFID cards between the blocker devices prevents scanning of the information on the RFID cards. The configuration  304  represents the relative position of the cards  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  when used in a wallet such as wallet  500  (see  FIG. 5 ) wherein the cards  102 ,  104 ,  110 ,  112  are placed in pockets  504  of the wallet. Note that pockets  504  comprise card slots that allow rectangular cards to be inserted standing on their shortest side, wherein the height of the cards in the pockets  504  is staggered one behind the other to allow for easy access by the user. 
     Experimental results from testing of the present invention are hereby provided. Testing occurred in August 2011 on a blocker device substantially the size of a credit card, i.e., 3 and ⅜ inch, by 2 and ⅛ inch by 0.02 inch. A commercially available RFID scanner operating at 13.56 MHz was used at a distance of 50 mm from the blocker device. In each test, a different configuration of blocker devices together with RFID cards in a wallet was used (see  FIG. 3 ). All of the following configurations resulted in no reading of any data from any of the RFID cards in the configuration: 1) a single blocker device in front of a single RFID card in a set of pockets similar to pockets  402  in a wallet similar to wallet  400  (see  FIG. 4 ); 2) a configuration similar to configuration  304 , wherein blocker devices were placed on either end of a stack of cards including one or two RFID cards in a set of pockets similar to pockets  504  in a wallet similar to wallet  500  (see  FIG. 5 ); 3) a configuration similar to configuration  302 , wherein blocker devices were placed on either end of a stack of cards include one or two RFID cards in a set of pockets similar to pockets  402  in a wallet similar to wallet  400  (see  FIG. 4 ); 4) a configuration similar to configuration  304 , wherein blocker devices were placed on either end of a stack of cards including one or two RFID cards, and wherein a third blocker device was inserted in the middle of the pack of cards, wherein the entire set of blocker devices and RFID cards was placed in a set of pockets similar to pockets  504  in a wallet similar to wallet  500 . 
     Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments. Furthermore, it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.