Back to results
US 12,586,071 B2Granted
Cryptocurrency management systems and methods with wireless activation
AssigneeBlock, Inc.
InventorMatthew H. Maibach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryptocurrency management device (CMD) may be used to perform various cryptocurrency management functions, such as storage of cryptocurrency, user authentication, and initiation or processing of a transaction for transferring cryptocurrency. To conserve the power resources of the CMD, components of the CMD may be transitioned to a sleep state for extended periods of time. Such components may be automatically activated by a user touching the CMD or bringing a wireless communication device within range of the CMD. The circuitry of the CMD that triggers the activation are capable of continuously monitoring for such inputs over extended periods of time without consuming significant amounts of power, thereby conserving the power resources of the CMD.
Claims20
A cryptocurrency management device, comprising:
- a fingerprint sensor having a transparent surface through which an image of a fingerprint is captured by the fingerprint sensor, wherein the fingerprint sensor has a conductive bezel positioned around the transparent surface, and wherein a change in capacitance initiates a transition from a sleep state to an awake state of the cryptocurrency management device;
- at least one processor configured to store at least one private key for use in generating an authenticating signature for a multi-signature address of a cryptocurrency network and perform operations for managing cryptocurrency associated with the multi-signature address, including authorization of at least one transaction for transferring the cryptocurrency, the at least one processor configured to authenticate a user based on the image of the fingerprint captured by the fingerprint sensor, wherein a power consumption by the at least one processor exceeds a threshold while the at least one processor is in the awake state, and wherein the power consumption by the at least one processor is less than the threshold but greater than zero while the at least one processor is in the sleep state;
- circuitry electrically coupled to the conductive bezel and the at least one processor, the circuitry configured to detect the change in capacitance of the conductive bezel indicative of a touch by the user, the circuitry further configured to transmit an activation signal for activating the at least one processor in response to detection of the change in capacitance, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transition from the sleep state to the awake state in response to the activation signal;
- and
- a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store an indication of receipt of the activation signal.
2 more elements
A cryptocurrency management device, comprising:
- a fingerprint sensor having a transparent surface through which an image of a fingerprint is captured by the fingerprint sensor, wherein the fingerprint sensor has a conductive bezel positioned around the transparent surface, and wherein a change in capacitance initiates a transition from a sleep state to an awake state of the cryptocurrency management device;
- at least one processor configured to authenticate a user based on the image of the fingerprint captured by the fingerprint sensor, wherein a power consumption by the at least one processor exceeds a threshold while the at least one processor is in the awake state, and wherein the power consumption by the at least one processor is less than the threshold but greater than zero while the at least one processor is in the sleep state;
- circuitry electrically coupled to the conductive bezel and the at least one processor, the circuitry configured to detect the change in capacitance of the conductive bezel indicative of a touch by the user, the circuitry further configured to transmit an activation signal for activating the at least one processor in response to detection of the change in capacitance, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transition from the sleep state to the awake state in response to the activation signal;
- and
- a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the non- transitory computer-readable storage medium while in the awake state and after receipt of the activation signal.
2 more elements
A method of waking a cryptocurrency management device, comprising:
- receiving a touch of a user by a conductive bezel of a fingerprint sensor of the cryptocurrency management device, wherein the cryptocurrency management device is in a sleep state;
- detecting a change in capacitance of the conductive bezel by circuitry electrically coupled to the conductive bezel and at least one processor of the cryptocurrency management device, wherein the change in capacitance initiates a transition from the sleep state to an awake state of the cryptocurrency management device, wherein a power consumption by the at least one processor exceeds a threshold while the at least one processor is in the awake state, and wherein the power consumption by the at least one processor is less than the threshold but greater than zero while the at least one processor is in the sleep state;
- transmitting, by the circuitry, an activation signal to the at least one processor in response to detecting the change in capacitance;
- transitioning the at least one processor from the sleep state to the awake state in response to the activation signal;
- and
- storing, in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor, an indication of receipt of the activation signal.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.