Communications Devices Comprising NFC Communicators

• US 20130344807A1
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Innovision Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Keen, Ian, HUOMO, Heikki, Borrett, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A communications device configured to couple with a near field RF communicator, in near field range, to enable communication of data by modulation of a magnetic field. The communications device also including a secure element, having a plurality of memory areas with differing levels of access, configured to provide secure data storage for transaction data, wherein the levels of access are differentiated by a degree to which the plurality of memory areas are programmable, writable and modifiable. Further, the communications device includes a controller configured to read the transaction data from the at least one secure element, and to cause a modulator to modulate the RF signal in accordance with transaction data read from the secure element so as to communicate the read transaction data to the near field RF communicator as proof of the transaction to enable an action related to the transaction to be carried out.

Claims

1. A communications device, the device comprising:

an NFC communicator configured to couple with a near field RF communicator, in near field range, to enable communication of data between the communicators by modulation of a magnetic field;

a modulator configured to modulate an RF signal in accordance with data to be communicated by the NFC communicator;

at least one secure element, having a plurality of memory areas with differing levels of access, configured to provide secure data storage for transaction data relating to a transaction, wherein the levels of access are differentiated by a degree to which the plurality of memory areas are programmable, writable and modifiable; and

a controller configured to control operation of the NFC communicator, to read the transaction data from the at least one secure element, and to cause the modulator to modulate the RF signal in accordance with transaction data read from the at least one secure element so as to communicate the read transaction data to the near field RF communicator as proof of the transaction to enable an action related to the transaction to be carried out.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one secure element is at least one of separate from the NFC communicator, insertable into the device, removable from the device, connectable to the device, and couplable to the device.

3. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a communicator configured to communicate other than by near field RF communication.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one secure element is further configured to write data to a selected memory area of the plurality of memory areas in dependence upon at least one of a route of supply and an identity of a supplier.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein a memory area of the plurality of memory areas is readable by a user but not amendable by the user, and wherein another memory area of the plurality of memory areas is unreadable by the user.

6. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile telecommunications communicator configured to communicate via a mobile telecommunications network.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the NFC communicator is separate from the at least one secure element and the device further comprises a mobile telecommunications communicator configured to communicate via a mobile telecommunications network, wherein the controller comprises a mobile telecommunications controller configured to control the mobile telecommunications communicator and to cooperate with the NFC communicator, the mobile telecommunications controller being configured to read the transaction data from the at least one secure element and to cause the NFC communicator to modulate the RF signal in accordance with the transaction data read from the at least one secure element.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one secure element is at least one of configured to have an operating system and at least one applications platform, at least partly pre-programmed, and at least partly programmable by the controller.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to obtain, by communication with another device, at least one of operating software, at least one applications platform for a particular type of transaction data, and transaction data for storage by the at least one secure element.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate with another device by at least one of a mobile telecommunications network and near field communication to obtain at least one of operating software, at least one applications platform for a particular type of transaction data, and transaction data for the at least one secure element.

11. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a selector configured to select a secure element from the at least one secure element, and an applications platform from amongst a plurality of applications platforms.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the selector is a user-controllable selector.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to send a wait signal to another near field RF communicator while the controller is awaiting data from the at least one secure element, requested by the other near field RF communicator.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one secure element comprises at least one of a SIM card, a USIM card, a WIM card, a SWIM card, an SD card and a SMC card.

15. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transaction data comprises at least one of payment data, product data, purchase data, ticket data, permit data, pass data, booking data, and reservation data.

16. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a display element, and wherein the controller is further configured to enable a user to view of at least some of the data stored on the at least one secure element via the display element.

17. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to enable deletion of data from the at least one secure element by a user.

18. A method of supplying at least one of transaction data and product data to a secure element, comprising:

coupling an NFC communicator with a near field RF communicator, in near field range;

modulating a magnetic field to enable communication of data between the communicators;

securely storing at least one of the transaction data and the product data on the secure element, wherein the secure element includes a plurality of memory areas with differing levels of access, and wherein the levels of access are differentiated by a degree to which the plurality of memory areas are programmable, writable and modifiable;

reading at least one of the transaction data and the product data from the secure element; and

modulating the RF signal in accordance with the data read from the secure element so as to communicate the read data to the near field RF communicator.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising securely storing at least one of secure software, secure data, a Java applet and a midlet on the secure element.

20. A communications device, the device comprising:

NFC communication means for coupling with a near field RF communication means, in near field range, to enable communication of data between the communication means by modulation of a magnetic field;

modulation means for modulating an RF signal in accordance with data to be communicated by the near field communicator;

secure element means for providing secure data storage for transaction data relating to a transaction, wherein the secure element means include differing levels of access that are differentiated by a degree to which the secure element means are programmable, writable and modifiable; and

control means for controlling operation of the NFC communication means, for reading transaction data from the secure element means and for causing the modulation means to modulate the RF signal in accordance with transaction data read from the secure element means so as to communicate the read transaction data to the near field RF communication means as proof of the transaction to enable an action related to the transaction to be carried out.