Systems and methods for hybrid hardware authentication

Abstract

A method for hybrid hardware authentication includes at a first electronic system having a capacitive touch sensor, detecting a capacitive hardware interaction between the hybrid hardware tool and the capacitive touch sensor; generating capacitive identification data based on the detected capacitive hardware interaction; at a second electronic system communicatively coupled to the first electronic system, detecting a short-range wireless interaction between the hybrid hardware tool and the second electronic system; generating wireless identification data based on the detected short-range wireless interaction; and at a third electronic system communicatively coupled to the first and second electronic systems, performing a first action based on a combination of the wireless identification data and the capacitive identification data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hybrid hardware tool for authenticating with a radiofrequency sensor and a capacitive sensor, the hybrid hardware tool comprising:
 a capacitively interactive module, comprising
 a conductive capacitive contact structure comprising a surface; wherein the surface of the conductive capacitive contact structure comprises a set of conductive capacitive contacts; 
 a first dielectric substrate, coupled to the capacitive contact area; wherein the dielectric substrate provides electrical isolation between each one of the set of conductive capacitive contacts; 
 a current coupler, electrically coupled to the set of conductive capacitive contacts; wherein proximity of the set of conductive capacitive contacts to the capacitive sensor results in a detected change of capacitance at the capacitive sensor when the current coupler is electrically coupled to a current sink or current source during operation of the hybrid hardware tool; 
   a radiofrequency identification module, mechanically coupled to the capacitively interactive module, comprising
 an integrated circuit; and 
 an antenna, electrically coupled to the integrated circuit; wherein proximity of the antenna to the radiofrequency sensor enables the transmission of data between the radiofrequency identification module and the radiofrequency sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hybrid hardware tool of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna comprises the set of conductive capacitive contacts of the capacitively interactive module; wherein the antenna is configured to be detected as a set of points of capacitive contact by the capacitive sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The hybrid hardware tool of  claim 2 , additionally comprising a switch, electrically and mechanically coupled to the antenna and the current coupler; wherein the switch is operable between an on state and an off state; wherein the on state electrically couples the antenna and the current coupler, and the off state electrically isolates the antenna and the current coupler. 
     
     
         4 . The hybrid hardware tool of  claim 1 , wherein the radiofrequency identification module comprises a second substrate and a current passthrough; the first substrate is removably coupled to the second substrate; and the current coupler is electrically coupled to the capacitive contact area of the capacitively interactive module through the current passthrough. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid hardware tool of  claim 4 , wherein the current passthrough is coupled to the integrated circuit of the radiofrequency identification module. 
     
     
         6 . A method for hybrid hardware authentication using a hybrid hardware tool, comprising:
 at a first electronic system having a capacitive touch sensor, detecting a capacitive hardware interaction between the hybrid hardware tool and the capacitive touch sensor;   generating capacitive identification data based on the detected capacitive hardware interaction;   at a second electronic system communicatively coupled to the first electronic system, detecting a short-range wireless interaction between the hybrid hardware tool and the second electronic system;   generating wireless identification data based on the detected short-range wireless interaction;   at a third electronic system communicatively coupled to the first and second electronic systems, performing a first action based on a combination of the wireless identification data and the capacitive identification data.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless identification data is classification data; wherein classification data comprises a categorical description of the hybrid hardware tool; wherein the capacitive identification data is uniquely identifying data; and wherein uniquely identifying data comprises a unique identifier of the hybrid hardware tool. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein performing the first action comprises performing the first action based on a comparison of the wireless identification data to the capacitive identification data and a verification that they are identical. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising prompting a user to initiate a capacitive hardware interaction at the first electronic system based on the wireless identification data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the wireless identification data comprises location data, further comprising prompting the user to initiate the capacitive hardware interaction at the second electronic system based on the location data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising performing a second action based on the wireless identification data, and performing a third action based on the capacitive identification data. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second action is performed at the first electronic system, and the third action is performed at the second electronic system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein detecting a capacitive hardware interaction comprises:
 detecting, on a capacitive touch sensor of the second electronic system, a set of points of capacitive contact from the hybrid hardware tool;   computing, from the set of points, a set of parametric descriptors;   creating a processed set of parametric descriptors based on the set of parametric descriptors and characteristics of the capacitive touch sensor; and   generating a comparison of the processed set of parametric descriptors and a set of known parametric descriptors.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising detecting a time sequence of capacitive hardware interactions. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising performing the first action based on a further combination of pre-linked data with the combination of the wireless identification data and the capacitive identification data; wherein the pre-linked data is stored on at least one of the first, second, and third electronic systems prior to the short-range wireless interaction and the capacitive hardware interaction; wherein the pre-linked data comprises at least one of user account data, interaction history data, and environmental data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the performed action is permitting access to the third electronic system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising generating a record at the second electronic system based on at least one of the capacitive identification data and the short-range wireless interaction data, and transmitting the record to at least one of the hybrid hardware tool, the first electronic system, and the third electronic system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising storing the record at the hybrid hardware tool; wherein performing the action further comprises performing the action based on the record in combination with at least one of the short-range wireless interaction data and the capacitive hardware interaction data. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first, second, and third electronic systems are all subsystems of a fourth electronic system, wherein the fourth electronic system is a videogame console. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein detecting the short-range wireless interaction comprises detecting the proximity of the hybrid hardware tool to at least one of the first, second, and third electronic systems.