FR2923309A1 - Contact or contactless communication object e.g. contact or contactless credit card, reading device for contactless terminal, has microcontroller to control device for assuring contactless communication between terminal and contact object - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a communication interface (19b) cooperated with a communication interface of a contact communication object. A clock (18) synchronizes actions of the device. A microcontroller (15) e.g. ATmega169P type microcontroller, controls the device for displaying information or parameter of a transaction between a contactless terminal and a contactless communication object on a display screen (11) i.e. LCD, or for realizing contact communication between the device and the contact object and assuring contactless communication between the terminal and the contact object. An independent claim is also included for a contactless communication object comprising a signal processing unit.

Description

Device for reading portable communication objects without contact or with contact. The present invention relates to the field of devices for reading portable objects for contactless or contactless communication. It is preferably provided to use a contact communicating card or contactless contact card, of a credit card format, to cooperate with the reading device. Currently, contactless or contactless communication objects, such as contactless or contactless microcircuit cards, are widely used. These objects are used in particular as means of personal identification or means of payment or proof of subscription to prepaid services. These portable communication objects are able to memorize sensitive information or information giving access to services. Reading of the communication objects is done by appropriate reading devices. The reading of contactless communication objects, for example contactless cards, is done by communication terminals able to read necessary information relating to the nature of the use of the object, this information stored in the object without contact being communicated by the non-contact object by radio waves to the contactless terminal. These types of reading devices are used, for example, to control access to the subway. The user simply passes his contactless card near a terminal to activate the card that communicates to the terminal information necessary to certify the validity of a subscription. The use of this type of communicating card without contact with a contactless terminal makes it possible, for example, to save time and ease of use for the user, and in the example mentioned above, a fluidity of passage to the validators subways. But, during their passage to these terminals, users have no way to know, in a discrete and secure manner, a parameter or information of the transaction between the card and the terminal, for example, an amount of one transaction. Moreover, even if these terminals have the ability to display information from the transaction between the contactless card and the terminal, these terminals are static and are not intended to be portable and specific to each user and carrier of the map.

The reading of contact communication objects, for example contact cards, is carried out by means of various reading devices. Currently, there are a plurality of contact communication object reading devices, microcircuit card type equipped with a communication interface adapted to cooperate with a communication interface of the reading device. But these technologies are not able to establish a communication between a contact card and a contactless terminal. The present invention aims to overcome one or more disadvantages of the prior art by providing a portable reading device, low cost and easy to use for a user either with portable communication objects without contact or with objects portable communication with contact. To achieve this purpose, the portable communication object reading device without contact or portable contact communication object capable of storing sensitive information or giving access to services, is characterized in that it comprises a housing capable of receiving either the contactless communication object or the contact communication object, provided with a display screen and a keyboard and the reading device comprises inside said housing, means 25 supply, radio frequency signal reception means from a contactless communication terminal and radiofrequency signal transmission to the contactless communication terminal, means for processing signals received or transmitted by the reception means and transmission, a communication interface adapted to cooperate with a communication interface of the communication object with contact, a clock to synchronize all the actions of the reading device and a microcontroller capable of controlling the reading device either to display on the screen information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal and the contactless communication object or to carry out a communication with contact between the reading device and the contact communication object and ensuring contactless communication between the contactless communication terminal and the contact communication object. According to another particularity, the reading device comprises a scrambling signal generator to be transmitted by the transmission means of the reading device for scrambling the communications between the contactless communication terminal and the contactless communication object and the non-contact communication objects. Interrupt means for enabling or disabling interference. According to another particularity, the processing means are in communication with the reception and transmission means of the reading device and with the microcontroller of the reading device and comprise a demodulation circuit of the reader. radio frequency signals received by the reception means of the reading device, a modulation circuit of the signals emitted by the transmission means of the reading device, a decoding circuit of the signals received by the reception means of the reading device and demodulated by said demodulation circuit. According to another feature, the power supply means of the reading device are either autonomous or radiofrequency waves transmitted by the contactless communication terminal or both with substitution of the autonomous power supply when the reading device is in the zone. range of the contactless communication terminal. According to another particularity, the radiofrequency signal reception and transmission means are an antenna connected to the microcontroller by the processing means of the reading device. In another feature, the keyboard is connected to an interface 30 for managing and synchronizing the data exchanges between the keyboard and the microcontroller of the reading device and the display screen is controlled by the microcontroller of the reading device.

According to another particularity, the communication interface of the reading device comprises ports intended to manage and synchronize the data exchanges between the communication interface and the microcontroller of the reading device.

Another object is achieved by proposing a use of the device for reading a contactless communication object inserted in the housing or attached to the housing of the reading device and disposed in a range of a contactless communication terminal, the non-contact communication terminal communicating with the contactless communication object according to a given transmission protocol and the non-contact communication object storing sensitive information or giving access to services, characterized in that the radio frequency signals emitted by the contactless communication terminal are continuously intercepted by receiving means of the reading device after an action of a user is on a key of a keyboard of the reading device, then processed by a demodulation circuit of the reading device of the reading device. in order for the microcontroller to display a parameter or information on a display screen of the device read as soon as the transaction is confirmed by the contactless communication terminal. According to another particular feature, the action on a key of the keyboard of the reading device is processed by the microcontroller of the reading device which sends to the reception and transmission means of the reading device a signal for deactivating the interference of the communication. between the contactless communication object and the contactless communication terminal for initiating an interception procedure by the communication reading device between the contactless communication object and the contactless communication terminal. According to another particularity, the radiofrequency signals emitted by the contactless communication terminal and intercepted by the reception means of the reading device are demodulated into digital signals by the demodulation circuit of the processing means of the reading device, and then upon confirmation. of the transaction by the contactless communication terminal, decoded by a decoding circuit of the processing means of the reading device for the microcontroller of the reading device to extract, demodulated and decoded radiofrequency signals, a parameter or information of the transaction to display and command the display of the parameter or information of the transaction on the display screen of the reading device or stores, together with information representative of the date and time of the transaction, the parameter or the information of the transaction in the memory of the microcontroller of the device of reading so that the parameter or information of the transaction is displayed later on the display screen of the reading device.

According to another particularity, the microcontroller of the reading device manages the maintenance of the dialogue between the contactless communication terminal and the contactless communication object by extension of the time request to a clock of the reading device when the communication object without contact has not replied yet. According to another feature, the reading device is powered by the radio frequency waves emitted by the contactless communication terminal when the reading device and the contactless communication object are arranged in the range of the contactless communication terminal. . Another object is achieved by proposing a use of the device for reading a contact communication object inserted into the housing or attached to the housing of the reading device so that a communication interface of the reading device is superimposed on a communication interface of the contact communication object, the reading device and its contact communication object being arranged in a contact area of a contactless communication terminal and the contact communication object storing information sensitive or giving access to services, characterized in that a radiofrequency signal transmitted by the contactless communication terminal is received by the reception means of the reading device and then processed by the demodulation circuit of the reading device so that that the microcontroller of the reading device responds to the communication terminal without contact by emitting a signal response by the transmission means of the reading device to the contactless communication terminal after reading the data stored in the contact communication object by means of the communication interface of the reading device and then processing the data read by the microprocessor of the reading device by means of a specific program stored in the memory of the microcontroller of the reading device. According to another feature, the radiofrequency signal transmitted by the contactless communication terminal and received by the reception means of the reading device is demodulated into a digital signal by the demodulation circuit of the reading device processing means and the signal the response of the transmission means of the reading device is previously modulated by the modulation circuit of the processing means 15 of the reading device. According to another feature, the reading device is powered by the radio frequency waves emitted by the contactless communication terminal when the reading device and the contact communication object are arranged in the range of the communication terminal 20 without contact. The present invention aims to overcome one or more disadvantages of the prior art by providing a portable contactless communication object, low cost and easy to use to display on a screen of the contactless communication object information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal and the contactless communication object and scrambling the communication between the contactless terminal and the contactless communication object. To achieve this purpose, the object of contactless communication storing sensitive information or giving access to services, is characterized in that it comprises a display screen and a keyboard, power supply means, means for receiving radio frequency signals from a contactless communication terminal and radiofrequency signal transmission to the contactless communication terminal, means for processing the signals received or transmitted by the reception and transmission means, a clock for synchronizing all the actions of the contactless communication object and a microcontroller capable of controlling the contactless communication object to display on the screen information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal and the communication object without contact. According to another feature, the contactless communication object comprises a scrambling signal generator to be emitted by the transmission means o of the contactless communication object for scrambling the communications between the contactless communication terminal and the contactless communication object. non-contact communication object and interrupt means for enabling or disabling the scrambling. According to another particularity, the processing means are in communication with the means for receiving and transmitting the contactless communication object on the one hand and on the other hand with the microcontroller of the communication object without contact and comprise a demodulation circuit of the radio frequency signals received by the receiving means of the contactless communication object, a modulation circuit 20 of the signals emitted by the transmission means of the contactless communication object, a circuit decoding the signals received by the receiving means of the contactless communication object and demodulated by said demodulation circuit. According to another particularity, the supply means of the contactless communication object are either autonomous or radiofrequency waves emitted by the contactless communication terminal or both with substitution of the autonomous power supply when the object of Contactless communication is within the range of the contactless communication terminal. According to another feature, the means for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals are an antenna connected to the microcontroller by the means for processing the contactless communication object.

According to another particularity, the keyboard is connected to an interface for managing and synchronizing the data exchanges between the keyboard and the microcontroller of the contactless communication object and the display screen is controlled by the microcontroller of the object of communication without contact. Another purpose is achieved by proposing a use of the contactless communication object storing sensitive information or giving access to services and disposed within a range of a contactless communication terminal communicating with the object of ~ o contactless communication according to a given transmission protocol, characterized in that the radio frequency signals emitted by the contactless communication terminal are intercepted continuously by means of receiving the contactless communication object after a user action on a key of a keyboard of the non-contact communication object, then processed by a demodulation circuit of the contactless communication object so that the microcontroller of the contactless communication object displays a parameter or information on a display screen of the contactless communication object upon confirmation of the transaction by the communication terminal contactless. According to another feature, the action on a key of the keyboard of the contactless communication object is processed by the microcontroller of the contactless communication object which sends to the reception and transmission means of the object of contactless communication a signal for deactivating the interference of the communication between the contactless communication object and the contactless communication terminal for initiating an interception procedure by the contactless communication object of the communication between the object contactless communication and contactless communication terminal. According to another particularity, the radiofrequency signals emitted by the contactless communication terminal and intercepted by the receiving means of the contactless communication object are demodulated into digital signals by the demodulation circuit of the object processing means. contactless communication, then upon confirmation of the transaction by the contactless communication terminal, decoded by a decoding circuit of the contactless communication object processing means for the microcontroller of the contactless communication object extracted , demodulated and decoded radio frequency signals, a parameter or information of the transaction to be displayed and controls the display of the parameter or information of the transaction on the display screen of the communication object without contact or memorizes together with information representative of the date and time of the transaction, the parameter or the i nformation of the transaction in the memory of the microcontroller of the contactless communication object so that the parameter or information of the transaction is displayed later on the display screen of the contactless communication object. According to another particularity, the microcontroller of the contactless communication object manages the maintenance of the dialogue between the contactless communication terminal and the contactless communication object by extension of the time request to a clock of the communication object. contactless when the contactless communication object has not yet responded. According to another feature, the contactless communication object is powered by the radio frequency waves transmitted by the contactless communication terminal when the contactless communication object is disposed in the range of the contactless communication terminal. The invention will be better understood and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the following description which will be made with reference to the appended figures given by way of non-limiting examples in which: Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the reading device; Fig. 2 is a front view of the reader housing in which a non-contact communication object is illustrated, illustrated in Fig. 2a and illustrated in Fig. 2b; i0 - Figure 3 shows a view of the front face of a contactless communication object, illustrated in Figure 3a and with contact illustrated in Figure 3b; FIG. 4 shows a view of the front face of the housing of the reading device coupled to a non-contact communication object, illustrated in FIG. 4a and with contact, illustrated in FIG. 4b; FIG. 5a shows the reading device used to scramble a communication between a contactless communication object and a communication terminal and FIG. 5b shows the deactivation of the interference; FIG. 6 represents a mode of use of the device for reading a non-contact communication object illustrated in FIG. 3a communicating with a contactless terminal; FIG. 7 represents a mode of use of the reading device 15 of a contact communication object communicating with a contactless terminal; FIG. 8 represents a block diagram of a contactless communication object for displaying on a screen of the contactless communication object information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal and the object. contactless communication and scrambling the communication between the contactless terminal and the contactless communication object; FIG. 9 represents a use of the non-contact communication object illustrated in FIG. 8. The invention will now be described with reference to the previously mentioned figures. The device (1) for reading portable objects (2a, 2b), illustrated in FIG. 1, comprises a housing (10) made, for example, of rigid synthetic material, of parallelepipedal shape, and provided with a slot (13). ) capable of receiving either a portable non-contact communication object (2a) or a portable contact communication object (2b). The slot (13) opens on one of the small size sides (10b) of the housing (10) which is of dimension at least equal to the dimensions of the communication part without contact or with contact of the communication object. without contact (2a) or with contact (2b). In another embodiment, the housing (10) of the reading device (1) is provided with a notch on a large planar face of the reading device (1) so that the communication object without contact (2a) or contact (2b) is inserted into this slot and thus attached to the housing (10) of the reading device (1). A keyboard (12) is integrated on another large planar face (10a) of the housing (10) and is connected to an interface constituted, for example, by a matrix of ports, for managing and synchronizing the data exchanges. between the keyboard (12) and a microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1). A display screen (11) is disposed on the other large planar face (10a) of the housing (10) of the reading device (1). This display screen (11), for example of the LCD segment type, is capable of displaying at least one piece of information or parameter of a transaction occurring during a contactless communication between the contactless communication object (2a) and a contactless communication terminal (3), the information or parameter of the transaction being readable by the user of the reading device (1). The display screen (11) is controlled by the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1). The reading device (1) is used either with a portable non-contact communication object (2a) or with a portable contact communication object (2b) inserted in the slot (13) of the reading device (1) or attached to the housing (10) of the reading device (1). These portable communication objects (2a, 2b) with or without contact are capable of storing sensitive information or information giving access to services. The contactless communication object (2a), illustrated in FIG. 3a, is in a nonlimiting manner a standard credit card format contactless card and comprises, for example, a memory space (21) comprising the sensitive information or providing access to services in communication with a power supply and processing circuit (22). The supply and processing circuit (22) is connected to communication and power supply means by radio waves, comprising for example an antenna (23). The contactless card (2a) used by the reading device (1), in the example shown, is in accordance with the ISO 14443 standard defined by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Commission on Electrotechnics. This ISO 14443 standard defines, more particularly, the operation of contactless cards. The contact communication object (2b), illustrated in FIG. 3b, is in a nonlimiting manner a contact card, of credit card format, and comprises, in a manner not shown, various electronic means such as a microprocessor and a memory comprising the sensitive information or giving access to services. A communication interface (24) is provided at a specific location on the contact communication object (2b) and is in the form of electrical contacts generally including metal tracks connected to the electronic means of the contact communication object. (2b) and flush with the surface of the contact communication object (2b). These conductive tracks are terminated by studs (240) intended to communicate with a terminal block with a needle or contact pad (19a) of the reading device (1). The contact card (2b) used by the reading device (1), in the example shown, complies with the ISO 7816 standard defined by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Commission on Electrotechnics. This ISO 7816 standard is subdivided into four parts, the first part specifying the physical characteristics of the smart card, the second part defining the position and the pin assignment of the contacts of the smart card, the third part defining the electrical levels and the timing diagrams. low level that govern the dialogue with smart cards, and the fourth part defining the various basic commands of smart cards.

The reading device (1) cooperating either with a contactless communication object (2a) or with a contact communication object (2b) inserted into the slot (13) of the reading device (1) as illustrated in FIG. 2 or attached to the housing (10) of the reading device (1) as illustrated in FIG. 4 is arranged in a bearing zone (30) of a communication terminal (3) without contact, at the same time as the object of communication (2a, 2b), so as to establish a contactless communication with the contactless terminal (3). The bearing area (30) of the non-contact communication terminal (3) covers a radius of substantially 5 centimeters in which the communication between the communication object (2a, 2b) cooperating with the reading device (1) and the non-contact terminal (3) is possible.

The reading device (1) comprises autonomous power supply means (14), for example batteries, or radiofrequency power supply means emitted by the non-contact terminal (3) when the reading device (1) ) and the communication object (2a, 2b) are arranged, simultaneously, in the range (30) of the contactless terminal (3) or both with substitution of the autonomous power supply (14) when the reading (1) is within the range (30) of the non-contact communication terminal (3). Advantageously, the reading device (1) saves energy.

In addition, the reading device (1) comprises means for receiving and transmitting (16) radiofrequency wave type signals also called radio frequencies. These reception and transmission means (16) are, for example, an antenna made on the printed circuit of the reading device (1), and are connected to the microcontroller (15) via processing means (17) of the device. reading (1). This antenna has, without limitation, the same characteristics as the antenna (23) of the contactless communication object (2a) according to the ISO 14443 standard described above. The carrier frequency of the signal received or transmitted by the reading device (1) is, for example, a determined shortwave frequency of between 1Mhz and 30Mhz. The reading device (1) also comprises the processing means (17) of the signals received or transmitted in communication on the one hand with the means for receiving and transmitting (16) radiofrequency signals and on the other hand with the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1). The processing means (17) of the reading device (1) are comparable to those of the non-contact communication object (2a) according to the ISO 14443 standard described above. The processing means (17) of the reading device (1) comprise, in a nonlimiting manner, a demodulation circuit of the signals received by the reception means of the reading device (1), this demodulation circuit consisting either of operational amplifiers of transistors and a modulation circuit of the signals emitted by the transmission means of the reading device (1) corresponding to a resistive load 1s connected in series to a transistor, the resistive load being switched by means of the transistor. The signals emitted in amplitude displacement modulation called ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) of type B or of type A then received by the antenna of the reading device (1) are demodulated in amplitude of type A or of type B. The processing means (17) of the reading device (1) furthermore include, in a nonlimiting manner, a decoding circuit of the signals received by the reception means (16) of the reading device (1) and demodulated by the demodulation circuit of the reading device (1). These received and demodulated signals are decoded either by means of a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) for type B amplitude demodulation or by means of a known Miller method modified for type A amplitude demodulation. The reading device (1) also includes a clock (18) for synchronizing all the operations of the reading device (1), in particular the operations performed by the microprocessor (15), the means of treatment (17) and the needle terminal block or contact pad (19a) of the reading device (1). To generate the clock (18) of the reading device (1), the reading device (1) comprises either a phase-locked loop whose elements are based on digital elements also called PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) an electronic component using CMOS technology (Complementary Metal Oxide Semi Conductor). The microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) corresponds, in a nonlimiting manner, either to a microcontroller of the ATMEGA169P type which comprises 16K of flash memory and 1K of SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) and many peripherals is at one ATMEGA329P type io microcontroller which has 32K of flash memory and 2K of SRAM. The microcontroller (15) is able to control the reading device (1) or to display on the display screen (11) of the reading device (1) information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal (3) and the non-contact communication object (2a) is to provide contact communication between the reading device (1) and the contact communication object (2b) and to provide contactless communication between the terminal contactless communication device (3) and the contact communication object (2b). In addition, the reading device (1) comprises, in addition to the needle terminal block or contact pad (19a), a communication interface (19b) able to communicate with the communication interface (24) of the object of contact communication (2b). The communication interface (19b) of the reading device (1) comprises ports provided with protections, the protections being, in a non-limiting manner, an electronic circuit consisting of a resistor and a capacitor connected in series. The ports provided with protection of the communication interface (19b) of the reading device (1) are intended to manage and synchronize the data exchanges between the communication terminal (19a) of the reading device (1) and the microcontroller ( 15) of the reading device (1). In a nonlimiting manner, the communication means (19a, 19b) is a contact card connector. Advantageously, the reading device (1) according to the invention is of minimized size which can be portable, of low cost and usable both with a contactless communication object (2a) or with a contact communication object ( 2b).

With reference to FIGS. 5a, 5b and 6, we will now describe a use of the reading device (1) cooperating with a contactless communication object (2a).

The non-contact communication object (2a), for example a contactless card, is inserted in the slot (13) of the reading device (1) as illustrated in FIG. 2a or attached to the housing (10) of the reading device. (1) as shown in Figure 4a. The reading device (1) and its object

to contactless communication (2a) are arranged in the range (30) of a contactless communication terminal (3). An action on a key of the keyboard (12) of the reading device (1) by a user is processed by the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) which sends to the antenna of the reading device (1) a signal disabling the scrambling of the

15 communication between the communication object (2a) and the contactless terminal (3) to initiate an interception procedure by the reading device (1) of the communication between the communication object (2a) and the terminal without contact (3). Indeed, the reading device (1) according to the invention is capable of

Scrambling the communication between the contactless terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2a) so as to secure the non-contact communication object (2a) storing sensitive information or information giving access to services when it is in the bearing area (30) of the non-contact terminal (3).

The reading device (1) comprises a scrambling signal generator (not shown) to be transmitted by the transmission means (16) of the reading device (1) for scrambling the communications between the contactless communication terminal (3). ) and the contactless communication object (2a) and interrupt means (not shown) for enabling or disabling

30 jamming. The microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) is activated or deactivated by the interruption means comprising a switch, to allow or not the operation of the scrambling. The switch is for example positioned by a key of the keyboard (12) of the reading device (1) making or not an electrical contact. When the interruption means are placed in an activation position of the interference of the communication between the contactless terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2a), a radio frequency signal received by the reception means (16) ) of the reading device (1), triggers the supply of the reading device (1), by its power supply means. The microcontroller (15), powered by energy, comprises means for processing the received radio frequency signal to transmit a radiofrequency interference signal by transmission means (16) of the reading device (1). When the interruption means are placed in a position for deactivating the interference of the communication between the non-contact terminal (3) and the non-contact communication object (2a), the reading device (1) 15 no longer transmits radio frequency interference signal. The interference signal is emitted upon receipt of a radiofrequency signal transmitted by the non-contact terminal (3) when the interrupting means of the reading device (1) are in a jamming activation position. In a nonlimiting manner, when receiving a signal emitted by the contactless terminal (3), the scrambling signal is representative of information dependent or not information received. In a nonlimiting manner, the scrambling signal is representative of a random message, a sequence of 1, a sequence of 0 or a message resulting from the processing of the received message. The emission of the scrambling signal, controlled by the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1), is carried out, in a nonlimiting manner, as soon as the signal of the contactless communication terminal (3) is received or after a determined delay. The scrambling signal is thus repeated for each received signal transmitted by the contactless communication terminal (3). While a contactless communication object (2a) respects time slots of transmission or transmission waiting, the reading device (1) transmits a jamming signal as long as its means of supply provide energy. A contactless terminal (3), operating, for example, according to the ISO / IEC 14443 standard for example establishes a dialogue with a contactless communication object (2a) according to a determined transmission protocol in time slots, also called slots. The scrambling signal is emitted by the reading device (1) at the same time as the signal emitted by the contactless terminal (3), together with a signal emitted by the contactless communication object (2a) or in a normally unoccupied time slot. A normally unoccupied time slot is, for example, a transmission waiting time by the contactless communication object (2a), after reception of a signal emitted by the contactless terminal (3). Thus the message representative of a signal emitted by a contactless communication object (2a) is scrambled by the additional jamming signal. In addition, the transmission protocol used by the contactless terminal (3) becomes completely unusable. This type of protocol, which begins for example with an initialization step, remains blocked, in a nonlimiting manner, in the initialization step. Advantageously, the reading device (1) added to a functional communication system between a contactless terminal (3) and a contactless communication object (2a) makes it possible to produce a virtual wall between the terminal (3). , and the contactless communication object (2a), without modifying the structure of the existing communication system. A user thus prevents, by activating his reading device (1), an intrusion into the sensitive information or information giving access to services, stored in his contactless communication object (2a) as illustrated in FIG. 5a. To use its contactless communication object (2a), the user deactivates the jamming by pressing a key on the keyboard (12) of the reading device (1) as illustrated in FIG. 5b. Once the scrambling of the communication between the non-contact terminal (3) and the non-contact communication object (2a) is stopped, the communication or radio wave dialogue between the non-contact terminal (3) and the object of communication without contact (2a) is possible and is done according to the determined transmission protocol in time slots, also called slots. The transmission protocol between the contactless communication terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2a) is based on the transmission of standard APDU (Application Protocol Data Unit) type commands. A radiofrequency signal, emitted by a contactless terminal (3), covers its range (30) and distributes energy together with information. This radiofrequency signal is, for example, used by the contactless communication object (2a), partly for its power supply and partly for receiving and processing the information contained. This radiofrequency signal emitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) is also used to supply the reading device (1) via these radio wave power supply means or by substitution of the autonomous power supply (14) for the benefit of of the radio wave feed either by combining the two. The radiofrequency signal emitted by the contactless terminal (3) is, for example, transmitted with a first modulation frequency determined according to a first type of modulation determined. The signal emitted by the contactless communication object (2a) is for example transmitted with a second modulation frequency determined according to a second type of modulation determined. The reception means (16) of the reading device (1) continuously intercept the radiofrequency signals emitted by the contactless terminal (3) during the dialogue between the contactless terminal (3) and the communication object without contact (2a). The radio frequency signals received by the reading device (1) are demodulated by the demodulation circuit of the reading device (1) so as to obtain digital or binary signals which are then processed by the microcontroller (15) of the reading device. (1) by means of a specific application. The microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) manages, in a nonlimiting manner, the verification of the integrity of the digital signals received by the reception means (16) of the reading device (1), that is to say it verifies the conformity of these digital signals with respect to the signals sent by the contactless terminal (3) by means of a CRC code (Cyclic Redundancy Code) or by a parity check. Since the reading device (1) intercepts radiofrequency signals transmitted by the contactless terminal (3), the microcontroller (15) manages the transmission protocol between the contactless terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2a). ), the normalization of the Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) standard commands sent by the contactless terminal (3) and the return of the response of the contactless communication object (2a) to the contactless terminal (3). ) upon confirmation of the transaction by the contactless communication terminal (3). As soon as the transaction is confirmed by the contactless communication terminal (3), the microcontroller (15) controls the decoding of the appropriate digital signals to extract, from these lo decoded signals, the information or the parameter of the transaction to be displayed and controls the display of the information or the parameter of the transaction on the display screen (11) of the reading device (1). In a variant of use of the reading device (1), the decoded signals representative of an information or a parameter of the transaction 15 to be displayed on the display screen (11) of the reading device (1) are stored, together with information of the date and time of the transaction, in the memory of the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) to be displayed later on the display screen (11). ) of the reading device (1) by simple request of the user, for example pressing a key on the keyboard (12) of the reading device (1). The decoding of the digital signals is carried out by the decoding circuit of the processing means (17) of the reading device (1). The parameter or information is then read on the screen (11) of the reading device (1) by a user and carrier of the non-contact communication object (2a). It should be noted that the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) manages the maintenance of the dialogue between the contactless communication terminal (3) and the non-contact communication object (2a) by extension of the time request to the clock (18) of the reading device (1) when the contactless communication object (2a) has not yet responded. Advantageously, a user can easily and quickly know a parameter of the transaction, for example, an amount of the transaction between his contactless communication card and a contactless communication terminal (3) by simply pressing a key of the transaction. keyboard (12) of the reading device (1).

Advantageously, the reading device (1) cooperating with a contactless communication object (2a) makes it possible to display a piece of information.

or a parameter of the transaction in a discreet and safe way.

Referring to Figure 7, we will now describe a use

of the reading device (1) co-operating with an object of communication with

contact (2b). The contact communication object (2b), for example a contact card, storing sensitive information or giving access to services, is inserted into the slot (13) of the reading device (1), as illustrated in FIG. FIG. 2b, or attached to the housing (10) of the reading device (1), as illustrated in FIG. 4b, so that the communication interface

15 (19b) of the reading device (1) and the communication interface (24) of the contact communication object (2b) are superimposed. The reading device (1) and its contact communication object (2b) are arranged in the bearing area (30) of a contactless communication terminal (3). The contactless communication terminal (3) transmits a radio frequency signal

20 which is used by the reading device (1) partly for its power supply and partly for receiving and processing the information contained therein. This radiofrequency signal is received by the reception means of the reading device (1) and then demodulated as a digital signal to be processed by means of a processing program, for example a firmware implanted in the device.

25 memory of the microprocessor (15), by the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1). The communication interface (19b) of the reading device (1) superimposed on the communication interface (24) of the contact communication object (2b) reads the data of the contact communication object ( 2b). These data are also processed by

The microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) which executes the appropriate processing program stored in the memory of the microcontroller (15) to respond to the contactless terminal (3). In this way, the transmission means (16) of the reading device (1) send a radiofrequency response signal to the contactless terminal (3), this response signal being previously modulated by the modulation circuit of the reading device. (1). It should be noted that the dialogue between the reading device (1) in which is inserted a contact communication object (2b) and the contactless communication terminal (3) is carried out according to the determined transmission protocol using control commands. APDU (Application Protocol Data Unit) type. Advantageously, the reading device (1) cooperating with a lo contact communication object (2b) makes it easy to transform a contact dialogue into a contactless dialogue between a contact communication object (2b) and a contact terminal. contactless communication (3). Advantageously, the contact communication objects (2a) 15 can, thanks to the reading device (1), communicate with a contactless terminal (3). This contactless communication saves time for the user but also, for example, streamline the passage to metro validators. With reference to FIG. 8, the invention also proposes a contactless communication object storing sensitive information or giving access to services and comprising a display screen (11c) and a keyboard (12c), means for power supply means (16c) receiving radio frequency signals from a contactless communication terminal (3) and transmitting (16c) radiofrequency signals to the contactless communication terminal (3), means processing (17c) signals received or transmitted by the receiving and transmitting means (16c), a clock (18c) for synchronizing all the actions of the contactless communication object (2c) and a microcontroller (15c) adapted to control the contactless communication object (2c) to display on the screen (11c) information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2c) ).

The contactless communication object (2c) comprises a scrambling signal generator to be emitted by the transmitting means (16c) of the contactless communication object (2c) for scrambling the communications between the contactless communication terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2c) and interrupt means for enabling or disabling the scrambling. It should be noted that the constituent elements of said contactless communication object (2c) are similar to those described above for the reading device (1). In other words, the communication object to without contact (2c) integrates the functions of the reading device (1) cooperating with a contactless communication object (2a). The non-contact communication object (2c) storing sensitive information or giving access to services is also arranged in a range area (30) of a non-contact communication terminal (3) communicating with the communication object. without contact (2c) according to a determined transmission protocol. The use made by the contactless communication object (2c) is identical to the use made, described above, by the reading device (1) cooperating with a non-contact communication object (2a).

One of the advantages of the invention is that the reading device (1) cooperates with either a contactless communication object (2a) to display on the screen (11) of the reading device (1) information or a parameter of a transaction between a contactless communication terminal (3) and the non-contact communication object (2a) or with a contact communication object (2b) to enable the contact communication object (2b) to communicate with a contactless communication terminal (3). It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention allows embodiments in many other specific forms without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered by way of illustration, but may be modified within the scope defined by the scope of the appended claims, and the invention should not be limited to the details given above.

Claims (26)

1. Device for reading (1) a portable contactless communication object (2a) or a portable contact communication object (2b) capable of storing sensitive information or giving access to services, characterized in that it comprises a housing (10) able to receive either the non-contact communication object (2a) or the contact communication object (2b), provided with a display screen (11) and a keyboard ( 12) and the reading device (1) comprises inside said housing (10), power supply means, radio frequency signal receiving means (16) originating from a contactless communication terminal (3). and transmitting (16) radio frequency signals to the contactless communication terminal (3), means (17) for processing the signals received or transmitted by the receiving and transmitting means (16), an interface communication device (19b) adapted to cooperate with a communication interface (24) of the communication object contact arrangement (2b), a clock (18) for synchronizing all the actions of the reading device (1) and a microcontroller (15) adapted to control the reading device (1) or to display on the screen (11) an information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2a) or to make a contact communication between the reading device (1) and the communication object with contact (2b) and ensure contactless communication between the contactless communication terminal (3) and the contact communication object (2b). 2. Reading device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a scrambling signal generator to be transmitted by the transmission means (16) of the reading device (1) for scrambling the communications between the contactless communication terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2a) and interrupting means for enabling or disabling the interference. 30 Reading device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the processing means (17) are in communication with the reception and transmission means (16) of the reading device ( 1) and on the other hand, with the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) and comprise a circuit for demodulating the radio frequency signals received by the reception means (16) of the reading device (1), a circuit for modulation of the signals emitted by the transmission means (16) of the reading device (1), a decoding circuit of the signals received by the reception means (16) of the reading device (1) and demodulated by said circuit of io demodulation. 4. Reading device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the supply means of the reading device (1) are either autonomous (14) or radiofrequency waves transmitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) either both substituted for the autonomous power supply (14) when the reading device (1) is in the range (30) of the non-contact communication terminal (3). 5. Reading device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the means for receiving and transmitting (16) radiofrequency signals are an antenna connected to the microcontroller (15) by the processing means ( 17) of the reading device (1). 6. Reading device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the keyboard (12) is connected to an interface for managing and synchronizing the data exchange between the keyboard (12) and the microcontroller (15). ) of the reading device (1) and the display screen (11) is controlled by the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1). 7. Reading device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the communication interface (19b) of the reading device (1) comprises ports for managing and synchronizing the data exchange between the communication interface (19b) and the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1). 8. Use of the reading device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, a non-contact communication object (2a) inserted in the housing (10) or attached to the housing (10) of the reading device (1). and disposed in a bearing area (30) of a non-contact communication terminal (3), the non-contact communication terminal (3) communicating with the non-contact communication object (2a) according to a predetermined transmission protocol and the contactless communication object (2a) storing sensitive information or giving access to services, characterized in that the radio frequency signals transmitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) are continuously intercepted by receiving means ( 16) of the reading device (1) after an action of a user on a key of a keyboard (12) of the reading device (1), then processed by a demodulation circuit of the reading device (1) so as to that the microcontroller displays a parameter or information on a display screen (11) of the reading device (1) upon confirmation of the transaction by the contactless communication terminal (3). 9. Use of the reading device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the action on a key of the keyboard (12) of the reading device (1) is processed by the microcontroller (15) of the reading device ( 1) 20 which sends to the reception and transmission means (16) of the reading device (1) a signal for deactivating the interference of the communication between the non-contact communication object (2a) and the contactless communication terminal (3) to initiate an interception procedure by the reading device (1) of the communication between the contactless communication object (2a) and the contactless communication terminal (3). 10. Use of the reading device (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the radiofrequency signals emitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) and intercepted by the receiving means 30 (16) of the reading device (1) are demodulated into digital signals by the demodulation circuit of the processing means (17) of the read device (1), and then upon confirmation of the transaction by the contactless communication terminal (3), decoded by a decoding circuit processing means (17) of the reading device (1) for the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) to extract, demodulated and decoded radiofrequency signals, a parameter or information of the transaction to be displayed and to control the displaying the parameter or information of the transaction on the display screen (11) of the reading device (1) or memorizes, together with information representative of the date and time of the e the transaction, the parameter or ~ o the information of the transaction in the memory of the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1) so that the parameter or information of the transaction is displayed later on the display screen (11) of the reading device (1). 11. Use of the reading device (1) according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the microcontroller (15) of the reading device manages the maintenance of the dialogue between the contactless communication terminal (3) and the non-contact communication object (2a) by time request extension to a clock (18) of the reading device (1) when the contactless communication object (2a) has not yet responded. 20 12. Use of the reading device (1) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the reading device (1) is powered by the radio frequency waves transmitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) when the device of reading (1) and the non-contact communication object (2a) are arranged in the bearing area (30) of the contactless communication terminal (3). 13. Use of the reading device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, a contact communication object (2b) inserted in the housing (10) or attached to the housing (10) of the reading device (1). in such a way that a communication interface (19b) of the reading device (1) is superimposed on a communication interface (24) of the contact communication object (2b), the reading device (1) and its contact communication object (2b) being arranged in a bearing area (30) of a contactless communication terminal (3) and the contact communication object (2b) storing sensitive information or giving access to services, characterized in that a radiofrequency signal transmitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) is received by the reception means (16) of the reading device (1) and then processed by the demodulation circuit of the reading device ( 1) so that the microcontroller (15) of the device read interface (1) responds to the contactless communication terminal by transmitting a response signal from the transmission means (16) of the reading device (1) to the contactless communication terminal (3) after reading the data stored in the contact communication object (2b) by means of the communication interface (19b) of the reading device (1) and then processing the data read by the microprocessor (15) of the reading device (1) ) by means of a specific program stored in the memory of the microcontroller (15) of the reading device (1). 14. Use of the reading device (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the radiofrequency signal emitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) and received by the receiving means (16) of the reading device (1). is demodulated to a digital signal by the demodulation circuit of the processing means (17) of the reading device (1) and the response signal transmitted by the transmission means (16) of the reading device (1) is previously modulated by the modulation circuit of the processing means (17) of the reading device (1). 15. Use of the reading device (1) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the reading device (1) is powered by the radio-frequency waves emitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) when the reading (1) and the contact communication object (2a) are arranged in the bearing area (30) of the non-contact communication terminal (3). 16. Non-contact communication object (2c) storing sensitive information or giving access to services, characterized in that it comprises a display screen (11c) and a keyboard (12c), power supply means, means for receiving (16c) radio frequency signals from a contactless communication terminal (3) and transmitting (16c) radio frequency signals to the contactless communication terminal (3), processing means (17c ) signals received or transmitted by the reception and transmission means (16c), a clock (18c) for synchronizing all the actions of the contactless communication object (2c) lo and a microcontroller (15c) able to control the contactless communication object (2c) for displaying on the screen (11c) information or a parameter of a transaction between the contactless terminal (3) and the contactless communication object (2c). 17. Non-contact communication object (2c) according to claim 16, characterized in that it comprises a scrambling signal generator to be emitted by the transmission means (16c) of the contactless communication object (2c). ) to scramble communications between the non-contact communication terminal (3) and the non-contact communication object (2c) and interrupt means for enabling or disabling the interference. 20 18. Non-contact communication object (2c) according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the processing means (17c) are in communication on the one hand with the receiving and transmitting means (16c) of the non-contact communication object (2c) and secondly, with the microcontroller (15c) of the non-contact communication object (2c) and 25 comprise a demodulation circuit of the radio frequency signals received by the reception means (16c) of the non-contact communication object (2c), a modulation circuit of the signals emitted by the transmission means (16c) of the contactless communication object (2c), a decoding circuit of the signals received by the means receiving (16c) the contactless communication object (2c) and demodulated by said demodulation circuit. 19. Non-contact communication object (2c) according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the supply means of the contactless communication object (2c) are either autonomous (14c) or radiofrequency waves emitted by the contactless communication terminal 5 (3) is the two with substitution of the autonomous power supply (14c) when the non-contact communication object (2c) is in the range area (30) of the communication terminal without contact (3). 20. Non-contact communication object (2c) according to one of claims 16 to 19, characterized in that the means for receiving and transmitting (16c) radio frequency signals are an antenna connected to the microcontroller (15c) by means of processing (17c) of the contactless communication object (2c). Non-contact communication object (2c) according to one of claims 16 to 20, characterized in that the keyboard (12c) is connected to an interface for managing and synchronizing data exchanges between the keyboard (12c) and the microcontroller (15c) of the contactless communication object (2c) and the display screen (11c) is controlled by the microcontroller (15c) of the contactless communication object (2c). 22. Use of the contactless communication object (2c) according to one of claims 16 to 21, storing sensitive information or giving access to services and arranged in a range area (30) of a communication terminal. contactless contact (3) communicating with the contactless communication object (2c) according to a given transmission protocol, characterized in that the radio frequency signals emitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) are continuously intercepted by means receiving (16c) the contactless communication object (2c) after an action of a user on a key of a keyboard (12c) of the contactless communication object (2c), then processed by a circuit demodulating the contactless communication object (2c) so that the microcontroller (15c) of the contactless communication object (2c) displays a parameter or information on a display screen (11) the communication object san s contact (2c) as soon as the transaction is confirmed by the contactless communication terminal (3). 23. Use of the contactless communication object (2c) according to claim 22, characterized in that the action on a key of the keyboard (12c) of the contactless communication object (2c) is processed by the microcontroller (15c) of the non-contact communication object (2c) which sends to the reception and transmission means (16c) of the non-contact communication object (2c) a signal for deactivating the interference of the communication between the non-contact communication object (2c) and the non-contact communication terminal (3) for initiating an interception procedure by the contactless communication object (2c) of the communication between the contactless communication object (2c) ) and the contactless communication terminal (3). 24. Use of the non-contact communication object (2c) according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the radio frequency signals emitted by the contactless communication terminal (3) and intercepted by the receiving means (16c). of the contactless communication object (2c) are demodulated into digital signals by the demodulation circuit of the processing means (17c) of the contactless communication object (2c), then upon confirmation of the transaction by the terminal contactless communication system (3), decoded by a decoding circuit of the processing means (17c) of the contactless communication object (2c) so that the microcontroller (15c) of the contactless communication object (2c) extracts, demodulated and decoded radiofrequency signals, a parameter or information of the transaction to be displayed and controls the display of the parameter or the information of the transaction on the display screen (11c) of the object of communica contactless (2c) or stores, together with information representative of the date and time of the transaction, the parameter or information of the transaction in the memory 30 of the microcontroller (15c) of the object contactless communication device (2c) so that the transaction parameter or information is subsequently displayed on the display screen (11c) of the contactless communication object (2c). 25. Use of the contactless communication object (2c) according to one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the microcontroller (15c) of the contactless communication object (2c) manages the maintenance of the dialogue between the terminal contactless communication device (3) and the non-contact communication object (2a) by time request extension to a clock (18c) of the contactless communication object (2c) when the contactless communication object (2a) ) has not answered yet. to 26. Use of the non-contact communication object (2c) according to one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that the contactless communication object (2c) is powered by the radio frequency waves transmitted by the contactless communication terminal. (3) when the non-contact communication object (2a) is disposed in the bearing area (30) of the non-contact communication terminal (3).