Contactless Smart Card Service Switching Without Buttons or Batteries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing contactless smart cards with multiple services require user interaction or physical components like buttons and batteries, which are costly and environmentally unfriendly, and lack efficient service selection mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A contactless smart card with a contactless sensor and manager that automatically activates services based on a predefined list, using electromagnetic field detection and a non-volatile memory to store activation states, allowing service selection without external terminals or batteries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a multi-application smart card is used to store multiple services, then the number of physical cards is reduced, but the user faces difficulty in selecting the desired service at the right moment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of servicesVSAvoidservice selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining a list of services in a predetermined activation order within the smart card. When the card is presented to a terminal, the system automatically cycles through and activates services in the pre-established sequence without requiring user intervention for selection, thus resolving the contradiction between having multiple services and ease of selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If an applicative terminal with a custom selection application is used to allow service selection, then service selection is enabled, but the terminal must include additional software and hardware components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice selectionVSAvoidterminal components

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional approach by moving the service selection logic from the terminal to the smart card itself. Instead of the terminal providing a user interface and application for service selection, the smart card autonomously manages service activation based on a predefined list, eliminating the need for custom terminal software and hardware components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If physical components like buttons and battery are embedded in the card for service selection, then service selection capability is provided, but the card becomes costly and environmentally unfriendly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice selectionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system (physical buttons and battery) with an electronic/software-based solution. Service selection is achieved through a contactless manager and sensor that detect terminal presence and automatically activate services from a predefined list, eliminating the need for mechanical components and reducing manufacturing costs and environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of operation

If a battery is embedded in the card to power physical components, then service selection functionality is achieved, but the card requires recycling and reprocessing due to limited battery lifespan

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice selectionVSAvoidcard lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the battery from the smart card system. Service selection and management are achieved through contactless communication and automatic service activation based on terminal detection, eliminating the need for a battery and associated recycling requirements, thereby extending the card's operational lifespan and improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables seamless service selection and activation without external terminals or batteries, reducing costs and environmental impact while maintaining compatibility with existing contactless systems.

Implementation Method 1

The smart card comprises a contactless sensor able to detect the appearance of an electromagnetic field generated by another contactless apparatus

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic field detection: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4668158A1Method for managing multiple services in a contactless smart card

Publication Date: 2025.12.24 THALES DIS FRANCE SA

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Figure 2~3

AI summary

The invention is a method for managing a contactless smart card (10) able to provide two or more services. Each of the services can be either in an activated state or in a deactivated state. The smart card comprises a list (13) specifying an order of activation of the services. The said smart card comprises a contactless sensor able to detect an appearance of an electromagnetic field generated by a contactless apparatus. A contactless manager embedded in the smart card both deactivates the service previously activated and activates the next service from the list each time the contactless sensor detects the appearance of the electromagnetic field during a preset duration.