Mobile device, chip card and method of communication

• US 6,859,650 B1
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom Mobile AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Ritter, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/445,825
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/419, 455/435, 455/432, 455/406, 455/550, 455/551, 455/411, 380/266, 235/486, 235/492, 235/380, 439/500, 702/186
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity 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: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• 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: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile apparatus includes a removable SIM chip card having data-processing means intended among other things for storing identification data of a subscriber in a GSM mobile radio network. The mobile apparatus has additionally at least one wireless interface integrated in the housing. The interface may be infrared or inductive. By means of this interface, the SIM card can communicate directly, without making use of the mobile radio network, with an outside device in both directions. The chip card contains additionally a communication controller to encrypt data and transmit them via the interface. The contactless interface may preferably be fed independently of the mobile apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a chip card comprising;

data processing means which make possible the storage of data containing at least identification data of a subscriber of a telecommunication network;

electrical contacts on the surface of the chip card which make possible the exchange of data between the processing means and a mobile apparatus into which the chip card can be removably inserted;

a communication controller for controlling the direct exchange of data via a contactless interface integrated into the mobile apparatus between the chip card and, relative to the mobile apparatus, an outside device without making use of the mobile radio network during the data exchange; and

a power storage for providing power to the communication controller when a battery of the mobile apparatus is exhausted or when the mobile apparatus is switched off.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication controller can activate a serial data transmission via the contactless interface.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising encryption means in order to make possible the transmission of encrypted data via the contactless interface.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising signing means in order to make possible the transmission of signed data via the contactless interface.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein one or more private and public electronic keys are stored in a memory area of the card, by means of which keys the chip card can access secured applications through the telecommunications network.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein one or more private and public electronic keys are stored in a memory area of the card, by means of which keys the chip card can access secured, relative to the said mobile apparatus, outside devices through the contactless interface.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising program means in order to make possible transparent data transmission between the contactless interface and the telecommunication network.

8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication controller and the data processing means comprise a Java interpreter for executing instructions in the JAVA language.

9. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication controller, the contactless interface, and the power storage are arranged to form an RFID transponder and wherein the outside device is an RFID transceiver.

10. A chip card comprising:

a data processing unit configured to store data containing at least identification data of a subscriber of a telecommunication network;

electrical contacts on the surface of the chip card configured to exchange data between the data processing unit and a mobile apparatus into which the chip card can be removably inserted;

a communication controller configured to control the direct exchange of data via a contactless interface integrated into the mobile apparatus between the chip card and, relative to the mobile apparatus, an outside device without making use of the mobile radio network during the data exchange; and

a power storage configured to provide power to the communication controller, the power storage configured to be inductively charged by the outside device.

11. The chip card according to claim 10, wherein the communication controller, the contactless interface, and the power storage are arranged to form an RFID transponder and wherein the outside device is an RFID transceiver.

12. The chip card according to claim 10, wherein the communication controller can activate a serial data transmission via the contactless interface.

13. The chip card according to claim 10, further comprising an encryption unit configured to transmit encrypted data via the contactless interface.

14. The chip card according to claim 10, further comprising a signing unit configured to transmit signed data via the contactless interface.

15. The chip card according to claim 10, wherein one or more private and public electronic keys are stored in a memory area of the card, by means of which keys the chip card can access secured applications through the telecommunications network.

16. The chip card according to claim 10, wherein one or more private and public electronic keys are stored in a memory area of the card, by means of which keys the chip card can access secured, relative to the said mobile apparatus, outside devices through the contactless interface.

17. The chip card according to claim 10, further comprising a program unit configured to transparently transmit data between the contactless interface and the telecommunication network.

18. The chip card according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the communication controller and the data processing unit comprise a Java interpreter configured to execute instructions in the JAVA language.