Mobile terminal having smart card coupled with RFID tag and method for performing RFID function in such mobile terminal

• US 7,374,100 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Yong-Han, Jei, Dae-Gunn
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trail; Allyson N
• Application Number:
  US10/970,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20050116050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/379, 235/375, 705/14, 705/2, 705/44, 705/21, 711/163, 702/104, 375/242
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• 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 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• 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: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal equipped with a smart card coupled with an RFID tag and a method for performing an RFID function in the mobile terminal. The smart card includes a user information processing section for storing user information and generating a user information signal including user information, an RFID information processing section for storing RFID data and generating an RFID signal including the RFID data, and a main calculating section connected to the user information processing section in order to control a generation and a transmission of the user information signal and connected to the RFID information processing section order to command a generation and a transmission of the RFID signal. When the RFID tag detects an approach of an RFID interrogator, the RFID tag requests a CPU of the smart card to perform the RFID function. Thus, the CPU of the smart card transmits a mode transition signal to a processor of the mobile terminal in order to indicate a mode transition into an RFID mode. Then, the RFID function is carried out.

Claims

1. A smart card mounted on a single SIM card comprising:

a user information processing section for storing user information and generating a user information signal including user information;

an RFID information processing section for storing RFID data and generating an RFID signal including the RFID data; and

a main calculating section connected to the user information processing section in order to control generation and transmission of the user information signal, and connected to the RFID information processing section in order to command generation and transmission of the RFID signal.

2. The smart card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user information processing section includes a user information memory section for storing user information and a user program memory section including a program for generating the user information signal.

3. The smart card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RFID information processing section includes an RFID information memory section for storing RFID information and an RFID function section for generating the RFID signal.

4. The smart card as claimed in claim 3, wherein the RFID function section includes an RFID CODEC section and an RFID modulation section.

5. The smart card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user information processing section includes a user information memory section for storing user information and a user program memory section for storing a program generating a signal having the user information, and the RFID information processing section includes an RFID information memory section for storing RFID information and an RFID function section for generating the RFID signal.

6. The smart card as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user information memory section includes the RFID information memory section.

7. The smart card as claimed in claim 6, wherein the user program memory section includes the RFID function section.

8. The smart card as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of external pins, including a power pin, a clock pin, and a data input/output pin.

9. The smart card as claimed in claim 8, wherein one of the plurality of external pins is connected to an RFID antenna.

10. The smart card as claimed in claim 9, wherein the main calculating section transmits the RFID signal to the RFID antenna connected to the smart card.

11. The smart card as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an interrupt section which is connected to the main calculating section and which provides to the main calculating section an interrupt signal to indicate an RFID mode.

12. The smart card as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a clock generator for providing RFID clocks to the RFID information processing section.

13. The smart card as claimed in claim 12, wherein the main calculating section generates a control signal for controlling the clock generator.

14. The smart card as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a clock generator for providing RFID clocks to the main calculating section.

15. A mobile terminal comprising:

a smart card mounted on a single SIM card that includes a user information processing section for generating a user information signal including user information and installed in the mobile terminal for storing user information, the smart card including an RFID tag;

a main calculating section connected to the user information processing section in order to control generation and transmission of the user information signal, and connected to the RFID information processing section in order to command generation and transmission of the RFID signal; and

a processor in communication with the smart card so as to grant or reject an RFID function of the smart card.

16. A method for performing an RFID function in a mobile terminal equipped with a smart card mounted on a single SIM card and having an RFID tag, the method comprising:

detecting an approach of an RFID interrogator by using the RFID tag;

requesting a CPU of the smart card to perform the RFID function by utilizing the RFID tag;

transmitting a mode transition signal to a processor of the mobile terminal by using the CPU of the smart card to indicate a mode transition into an RFID mode; and

performing the RFID function by using the smart card after transmitting the mode transition signal.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mode transition signal includes a flag representing an execution of the RFID function.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a step of transmitting a response signal from the mobile terminal to the smart card in response to the mode transition signal.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the response signal includes information representing a grant of the RFID function.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the response signal includes information representing a rejection of the RFID function.