Inhibiting unauthorised contactless reading of contactless readable object

Abstract

A jamming device for inhibiting unauthorised contactless reading of a contactless readable object is disclosed. In one embodiment, the jamming device includes: an antenna for receiving an interrogation signal from a reader device; a touch sensitive interface; and a circuit electrically connected to the antenna and the touch sensitive interface, wherein the circuit is configured to: operate in a first mode to generate and emit a jamming signal, via the antenna, in response to receiving the interrogation signal whilst the touch sensitive interface fails to indicate a touch event; and operate in a second mode whilst the touch sensitive interface indicates a touch event, wherein the jamming signal is not emitted via the antenna in response to receiving the interrogation signal whilst operating in the second mode. A card carrying object, system and method is also disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A jamming device for inhibiting unauthorised activity being performed by a Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled object, wherein the jamming device includes:
 an antenna for receiving a wireless signal from a device attempting to request unauthorised activity to be performed by the NFC enabled object;   a touch sensitive interface which is separate to the antenna; and   a circuit operatively connected to the antenna and the touch sensitive interface, wherein the circuit is configured to:   operate in a first mode to generate and emit a jamming signal, via the antenna, in response to receiving the wireless signal whilst the touch sensitive interface fails to indicate a touch event, wherein the circuit includes an integrated circuit configured to:   generate or retrieve jamming data in response to the antenna receiving the wireless signal; and   modulate the jamming data with the wireless signal for generating the jamming signal; and   operate in a second mode whilst the touch sensitive interface indicates a touch event, wherein the jamming signal is not emitted via the antenna in response to receiving the wireless signal whilst operating in the second mode.   
     
     
         2 . The jamming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuit generates the jamming signal to be indicative of random data. 
     
     
         3 . The jamming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is a board which provides the circuit, the antenna and the touch sensitive interface. 
     
     
         4 . The jamming device according to  claim 3 , wherein the antenna is provided on a first face of the board and the touch sensitive interface is provided on a second face of the board. 
     
     
         5 . The jamming device according to  claim 4 , wherein the touch sensitive interface is located at an edge section of the first face of the board and a majority of the antenna is located at an edge section of the second face of the board. 
     
     
         6 . The jamming device according to  claim 3 , wherein the jamming device includes at least one cover for covering at least part of the circuit on the board. 
     
     
         7 . The jamming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the jamming device is a passively powered device. 
     
     
         8 . The jamming device according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one cover does not cover a majority of the antenna provided on the board, wherein the majority of the antenna loops about a periphery of the at least one cover. 
     
     
         9 . The jamming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuit includes an integrated circuit configured to:
 generate or retrieve jamming data in response to the antenna receiving the wireless signal; and   modulate the jamming data with the wireless signal for generating the jamming signal.   
     
     
         10 . The jamming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuit includes one or more visual indicators which are controllable by the integrated circuit to indicate at least one of:
 the circuit operating in the second mode; and   the circuit detecting the wireless signal whilst operating in the first mode.   
     
     
         11 . The jamming device according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more indicators include a second mode indicator controllable by the integrated circuit for indicating whether the circuit is operating in the second mode. 
     
     
         12 . The jamming device according to  claim 11 , wherein the one or more indicators include a jamming indicator controllable by the integrated circuit for indicating transmission of the jamming signal. 
     
     
         13 . The jamming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive interface is one of:
 a capacitive sensing interface; and   a resistive sensing interface.   
     
     
         14 . The jamming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the jamming device has a body having a planar shaped profile having a first face providing the antenna and a second face opposing the first face providing the touch sensitive interface, wherein respective footprints of the antenna and the touch sensitive interface at least partially overlap.