MEMORY CARD SUPPORTING NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION THROUGH SINGLE WIRE PROTOCOL

• US 20130062417A1
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoTrustid, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GOTrust Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Darren Tien-Chi, Cho, Cheng Ying, Li, Jeng Lung, Liu, Tzu Hsiu, Hui, Shiu Wing
• Granted Patent: US 8,381,996 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag

Abstract

A memory card supporting near field communication through single wire protocol includes a power management unit, an interface control unit, a data storage unit, a power protection unit and an intelligent unit. The power protection unit is interposed between the power management unit and a near field voltage source of the near field communication unit to prevent short-circuit induced by direct connection there between. Moreover, direct connection between the power management unit and the intelligent unit can also be prevented, which can protect against bursts of excessive voltages or currents that may damage the data in the intelligent unit. Additionally, the power protection unit can prevent power leakage from the power management unit and the near field voltage source, which solves the problem of improperly driving near field communication or insufficient power supply to the interface control unit or intelligent unit.

Claims

1. A memory card supporting near field communication through single wire protocol, the memory card being suitable for use with a near field communication device having a memory card connection port and a near field communication unit, the memory card comprising:

a power management unit connected with a memory card voltage source of the near field communication device to receive a voltage from the memory card connection port;

an interface control unit connected with the power management unit and a memory card data input/output interface, wherein the interface control unit is powered by the power management unit, inputs data from and output data to the memory card data input/output interface, and outputs an execute instruction;

a data storage unit, being a flash memory to store data, the data storage unit being connected with the interface control unit to receive the execute instruction for reading, writing and erasing data;

a power protection unit electrically connected with the power management unit and a near field voltage source of the near field communication unit, thereby preventing short-circuit induced by direct connection between the power management unit and the near field voltage source, and power leakage from the near field voltage source or the power management unit; and

an intelligent unit connected with the power protection unit and a single wire protocol input/output interface, the intelligent unit being powered by the power protection unit and connected with the near field communication unit through the single wire protocol, wherein the intelligent unit receives a signal from the external near field communication device, is connected with the interface control unit, receives an instruction from the memory card data input/output interface, is an encrypt/decrypt circuit, and encrypts and decrypts the instruction of inputting or reading data from the single wire protocol input/output interface or the data inputted to or read from the interface control unit to prevent transaction data from being stolen.

2. The memory card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the near field communication device comprises the memory card connection port and the near field communication unit, the memory card connection port comprises the memory card voltage source and the memory card data input/output interface, and the near field communication unit comprises the near field voltage source and the single wire protocol input/output interface.

3. The memory card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the near field communication device is a mobile phone, a camera, a multimedia player or a tablet computer.

4. The memory card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power management unit, the interface control unit and the power protection unit are respectively formed on three individual chips.

5. The memory card as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the power management unit, the interface control unit and the power protection unit are formed on a same chip.

6. The memory card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory card has a Micro-SD size format.