SECURE REMOVABLE CARD AND A MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20110014948A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology Incorporated (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yeh, Bing
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A removable card for use with a mobile wireless communication device has a processor and a non-volatile memory, connected to the processor. The removable card has electrical connections for connecting to a mobile wireless communicating device for use by a user to access a common carrier network to access a network of interconnected computer networks (“Internet”). The card comprises a processor and a non-volatile memory connected to the processor. The non-volatile memory has two portions: a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is accessible by the provider of the common carrier network with the processor restricting access thereto by the user. The second portion is accessible by the provider of the common carrier network and with the processor granting access thereto to the user for storing user data therein. Finally, the removable card has logic circuit for encoding the user data to produce encrypted user data, for storing in the second portion.

Claims

1. A removable card having electrical connections for connecting to a mobile wireless communicating device for use by a user to access a common carrier network to access a network of interconnected computer networks (“

Internet”

), comprising;

a processor;

a non-volatile memory connected to the processor, having two portions;

a first portion and a second portion wherein said first portion is accessible by the provider of the common carrier network with said processor restricting access thereto by the user, and wherein said second portion is accessible by the provider of the common carrier network and with said processor granting access thereto to the user for storing user data therein; and

logic circuit for encoding the user data to produce encrypted user data, wherein said encrypted data is stored in said second portion.

2. The removable card of claim 1 wherein the partitioning of said first portion and said second portion is alterable.

3. The removable card of claim 1 wherein the non-volatile memory has programming code stored therein configured to be processed by the processor and operable in one of two modes:

a first mode in which said card is connected to the device with the card storing information received wirelessly by the device from the Internet; and

a second mode in which said card is connected to a network portal device, which is connected to the Internet, with the card storing information received through the network portal device from the Internet.

4. The removable card of claim 3 wherein in said first mode said card storing information received wirelessly by the device through a wireless network having a wireless access device connected to the Internet, and wherein in said second mode said card is connected directly to the Internet through the network portal device.

5. The removable card of claim 1, wherein said logic circuit further comprises:

a volatile memory for storing a user supplied password, wherein said password is stored in said volatile memory only when power is supplied to said memory;

an encryption circuit for receiving the user supplied user data and the output of the volatile memory and for encrypting said user data with said password from said volatile memory to produce encrypted user data, and for storing said encrypted user data in said second portion; and

a decryption circuit for receiving encrypted user data stored in the second portion and the output of the volatile memory and for decrypting said encrypted user data with said password from said volatile memory to produce user data.

6. A mobile wireless communication device for use by a user to access a common carrier network to access a network of interconnected computer networks (“

Internet”

) comprising;

a transceiver for communicating wirelessly via a wireless common carrier network;

a first processor for controlling communication of the device to connect to the common carrier network;

a second processor;

a non-volatile memory connected to the second processor, having two portions;

a first portion and a second portion wherein said first portion is accessible by the provider of the common carrier network with said second processor restricting access thereto by the user, and wherein said second portion is accessible by the provider of the common carrier network and with said second processor granting access thereto to the user for storing user data therein; and

logic circuit for encoding the user data to produce encrypted user data for storing in said second portion.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said second processor, non-volatile memory, and logic circuit are contained in a removable card.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the partitioning of said first portion and said second portion is alterable.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the non-volatile memory has programming code stored therein configured to be processed by the second processor and operable in one of two modes:

a first mode in which said card is connected to the transceiver with the card storing information received wirelessly by the device from the Internet; and

a second mode in which said card is connected to a network portal device, which is connected to the Internet, with the card storing information received through the network portal device from the Internet.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein in said first mode said card storing information received wirelessly by the device through a wireless network having a wireless access device connected to the Internet, and wherein in said second mode said device is connected directly to the Internet through the network portal device.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein said logic circuit further comprises:

a volatile memory for storing a user supplied password, wherein said password is stored in said volatile memory only when power is supplied to said memory;

an encryption circuit for receiving the user supplied user data and the output of the volatile memory and for encrypting said user data with said password from said volatile memory to produce encrypted user data, and for storing said encrypted user data in said second portion; and

a decryption circuit for receiving encrypted user data stored in the second portion and the output of the volatile memory and for decrypting said encrypted user data with said password from said volatile memory to produce user data.