PROCESSING MODULE OPERATING METHODS, PROCESSING MODULES, AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

• US 20090141896A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Inventors: Moore, Troy, McCown, Steven Harvey, Derr, Kurt W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic

Abstract

A processing module operating method includes using a processing module physically connected to a wireless communications device, requesting that the wireless communications device retrieve encrypted code from a web site and receiving the encrypted code from the wireless communications device. The wireless communications device is unable to decrypt the encrypted code. The method further includes using the processing module, decrypting the encrypted code, executing the decrypted code, and preventing the wireless communications device from accessing the decrypted code. Another processing module operating method includes using a processing module physically connected to a host device, executing an application within the processing module, allowing the application to exchange user interaction data communicated using a user interface of the host device with the host device, and allowing the application to use the host device as a communications device for exchanging information with a remote device distinct from the host device.

Claims

1. A processing module operating method comprising:

using a processing module physically connected to a wireless communications device, requesting that the wireless communications device retrieve encrypted code from a web site;

using the processing module, receiving the encrypted code from the wireless communications device, the wireless communications device being unable to decrypt the encrypted code;

using the processing module, decrypting the encrypted code;

using the processing module, executing the decrypted code; and

using the processing module, preventing the wireless communications device from accessing the decrypted code.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing module operates using power supplied by the wireless communications device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing module is unable to communicate with the web site without the wireless communications device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the processing module, generating data by executing the decrypted code;

using the processing module, storing the data in memory comprised by the processing module; and

using the processing module, preventing the wireless communications device from accessing the data stored in the memory.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

programming the processing module with encryption information used to decrypt the code with the processing module isolated from the wireless communications device; and

subsequent to the programming, connecting the processing module to the wireless communications device.

6. A processing module operating method comprising:

using a processing module physically connected to a host device, executing an application within the processing module;

using the processing module, first allowing the application to exchange user interaction data communicated using a user interface of the host device with the host device; and

using the processing module, second allowing the application to use the host device as a communications device for exchanging information with a remote device distinct from the host device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising using the processing module, preventing interaction other than the first and second allowing between the application and the host device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the user interaction data comprises data presented to a user via the user interface.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the host device is a cellular wireless communications device.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the information is encrypted, the host device is unable to decrypt the information, and the remote device is configured to decrypt the information.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the processing module comprises first memory and a first processor, the host device comprises different second memory and a different second processor, and the executing comprises executing the application using the first memory and the first processor but neither the second memory nor the second processor.

12. A processing module comprising:

memory;

a host device interface configured to be physically and electrically connected to a cellular wireless communications device; and

processing circuitry configured to decrypt encrypted code received from the cellular wireless communications device, to execute the decrypted code, to control storage of data in the memory responsive to the execution, and to prevent the cellular wireless communications device from accessing the data stored in the memory.

13. The module of claim 12 wherein the processing module further comprises a housing, the housing being different than a housing of the cellular wireless communications device and wherein the host device interface is configured to be removably connected to the cellular wireless communications device.

14. The module of claim 12 wherein the processing module operates using power supplied by the cellular wireless communications device.

15. The module of claim 12 wherein the processing module further comprises encryption information unknown to the cellular wireless communications device and wherein the processing circuitry uses the encryption information to decrypt the encrypted code.

16. A communications system comprising:

a processing module configured to receive encrypted code, to decrypt the encrypted code, and execute the decrypted code thereby generating data stored in the processing module; and

a host device directly physically and electrically connected to the processing module and configured to exchange user interaction data communicated using a user interface with the processing module, to forward first encrypted data received from the processing module to a distinct remote device, and to forward second encrypted data received from the distinct remote device to the processing module.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein:

the processing module comprises first processing circuitry, first memory, a first interface, and a first housing containing the first processing circuitry and first memory;

the host device comprises different second processing circuitry, different second memory, a different second interface, and a different second housing containing the second processing circuitry and the second memory;

the host device communicates with the processing module via the first and second interfaces; and

the processing module is configured to prevent the host device from accessing the data stored in the processing module.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein:

the user interface is configured to present information to a user and to receive information from the user;

the user interaction data comprises first user interaction data and second user interaction data; and

the host device is configured to receive the first user interaction data from the processing module, to present the first user interaction data to the user via the user interface, to receive the second user interaction data from the user interface, and to relay the second user interaction data to the processing module.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the processing module comprises a first operating system and the host device comprises a different second operating system independent from the first operating system.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the host device is a cellular wireless communications device configured to forward the first encrypted data to the distinct remote device via a wireless network and to receive the second encrypted data from the distinct remote device via the wireless network.

21. A communications system comprising:

a host device comprising first processing circuitry and a user interface; and

a processing module physically connected to the host device, the processing module comprising different second processing circuitry and a wireless transponder and configured to receive user input communicated using the user interface from the host device and to control an operation of the wireless transponder using the second processing circuitry in response to receiving the user input.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein:

the processing module is configured to enable or disable the wireless transponder responsive to the user input; and

the wireless transponder is configured to only communicate with a wireless interrogator when the wireless transponder is enabled, the wireless interrogator being separate from the host device.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein:

the processing module is configured to select one of a plurality of identifiers based on the user input; and

the wireless transponder is configured to transmit a wireless signal comprising the selected identifier in response to receiving a wireless interrogation signal.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the processing module comprises the plurality of identifiers and the processing module is configured to prevent the host device from accessing the plurality of identifiers.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein:

the host device comprises a cellular wireless communications device configured to communicate with a cellular wireless network;

the wireless transponder is configured to transmit a wireless signal comprising an identifier only in response to receiving a wireless interrogation signal separate from the cellular wireless network; and

the processing module is configured to prevent the host device from controlling the operation of the wireless transponder except to provide the user input communicated using the user interface.