External device for mobile communication terminal and NFC method using the same

• US 20070155430A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Joo-Sik, Kwon, O-Hyon, Jeon, Jae-Sic, Cheon, Sung-Rock
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an external device for a mobile communication terminal, which enables non-contact NFC with the outside through a Near Field Communication (NFC) unit, and an NFC method using the external device. The external device for a mobile communication terminal includes a serial communication unit, an NFC unit, a smart card unit and an antenna. The serial communication unit is connected to a mobile communication terminal body through a connector. The NFC unit communicates with the mobile communication terminal body through the serial communication unit and communicates with the outside via non-contact NFC. The smart card unit communicates with the NFC unit. The antenna is configured such that the NFC unit transmits/receives signals via non-contact NFC through the antenna.

Claims

1. An external device for a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a serial communication unit connected to a mobile communication terminal body through a connector;

a Near Field Communication (NFC) unit for communicating with the mobile communication terminal body through the serial communication unit and communicating with an outside via non-contact NFC;

a smart card unit for communicating with the NFC unit; and

an antenna configured such that the NFC unit transmits/receives signals via non-contact NFC through the antenna.

2. The external device of claim 1, further comprising a Universal Serial Bus (USB) communication unit for allowing the external device to serve as a USB slave and communicate with a USB host device via a USB interface.

3. The external device of claim 1, further comprising a protocol matching unit for performing protocol conversion between the NFC unit and the smart card unit.

4. The external device of claim 1, further comprising non-volatile memory used as a portable storage space.

5. The external device of claim 4, wherein the non-volatile memory is NAND flash memory.

6. The external device of claim 1, wherein:

the smart card unit includes a smart card module having an additional storage device; and

the communication between the NFC unit and the smart card unit is performed via S2C protocol.

7. The external device of claim 1, wherein the smart card unit comprises a plug-in socket into which a smart card module is inserted.

8. The external device of claim 7, wherein the protocol matching unit performs protocol conversion between a first protocol used for communication with the NFC unit and a second protocol used for communication with the smart card unit depending on a type of smart card module inserted into the plug-in socket.

9. The external device of claim 8, wherein the first protocol is SigIn-SigOut-Connection (S2C) protocol and the second protocol is either International Standards Organization (ISO) 7816 protocol or ISO 14443 protocol.

10. The external device of claim 8, wherein the protocol matching unit comprises:

a selection unit for selectively bypassing signals based on the S2C protocol, which are input to and output from the NFC unit, to the smart card module, or outputting the signals as signals for protocol conversion; and

a protocol conversion unit for performing protocol conversion so that the signals based on the S2C protocol for protocol conversion, which are output from the selection unit, and signals which are input to and output from the smart card unit, are compatible with each other.

11. The external device of claim 6, wherein the smart card module outputs user information for user identification, authorized certificate information, copyright information or information about an amount of charged money for use of a service in response to input signals.

12. The external device of claim 1, wherein the serial communication unit communicates with the mobile communication terminal body via RS-232 protocol.

13. The external device of claim 7, wherein the smart card module outputs user information for user identification, authorized certificate information, copyright information or information about an amount of charged money for use of a service in response to input signals.

14. A USB adapter for an external device for a mobile communication terminal, the USB adapter comprising:

a socket configured such that a connector of the external device for the mobile communication terminal, which communicates with an outside via non-contact NFC, is connected through the socket;

a USB connector connected to a USB host device and configured to transmit/receive USB signals; and

a signal relay unit for relaying signals between the external device and the USB host device between the socket and the USB connector.

15. An NFC method, comprising the steps of:

an external device for a mobile communication terminal detecting a connection of a mobile communication terminal body through a connector;

an NFC unit within the external device communicating with the mobile communication terminal body via a serial communication protocol;

the NFC unit communicating with an outside by transmitting/receiving signals through an antenna within the external device via non-contact NFC; and

a smart card unit communicating with the NFC unit.

16. The NFC method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

the external device detecting a connection of a USB host device; and

the external device serving as a USB slave and communicating with the USB host device.

17. The NFC method of claim 15, wherein the step of the NFC unit communicating with the mobile communication terminal body comprises the step of the external device and the mobile communication terminal body performing serial communication via RS-232 protocol.

18. The NFC method of claim 15, further comprising the step of performing protocol conversion between the NFC unit and the smart card unit.

19. The NFC method of claim 18, wherein the step of performing protocol conversion comprises the step of performing protocol conversion between a first protocol used for communication with the NFC unit and a second protocol used for communication with the smart card unit depending on a type of smart card module inserted into the smart card unit.