IC module and cellular phone

• US 7,558,110 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Katayama, Kunihiro, Mochizuki, Yoshinori, Ukeda, Masaharu, Mizushima, Nagamasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Pho M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WENDLER, ERIC J
• Application Number:
  US11/740,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20070253251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 365/185.04, 365/185.01, 340/5.6, 361/728, 361/737, 705/41, 398/115, 235/462.46, 235/492, 235/380
• US Class Current: 365/185.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/072 the record carrier comprising a plurality of 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: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"

Abstract

In a SIM card having a flash memory chip, a memory controller chip, and contact/contactless card interfaces, the memory controller chip has a function of executing user authentication of a host equipment, executes processing of data transmitted through the contactless IC card interface (executing reading or writing of data to the flash memory chip) using power supplied from the host equipment to the contact IC card interface, and executes initialization of the flash memory chip between activation of the host equipment and completion of user authentication instructed by the host equipment.

Claims

1. An IC module comprising:

a non-volatile memory chip;

a controller chip for controlling the non-volatile memory chip;

an interface for contact communication; and

an interface for contactless communication,

wherein the controller chip can authenticate a user of a host equipment,

wherein the controller chip executes a processing of data transmitted through the interface for contactless communication using power supplied from the host equipment to the interface for contact communication,

wherein the processing of data includes an operation of reading the data from the non-volatile memory chip by the controller chip and an operation of writing the data in the non-volatile memory chip by the controller chip, and

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip between an activation of the host equipment and a completion of the authentication of the user indicated by the host equipment.

2. The IC module according to claim 1,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from start of power supplying from the host equipment to the interface for contact communication.

3. The IC module according to claim 1,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from inputting of a reset signal from the host equipment to the interface for contact communication.

4. The IC module according to claim 1,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from inputting of a command requesting execution of the authentication of a user from the host equipment to the interface for contact communication.

5. The IC module according to claim 1,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from inputting of a command executing the authentication of a user from the host equipment to the interface for contact communication.

6. The IC module according to claim 2,

wherein the controller chip saves an execution result of the initialization of the non-volatile memory chip in an internal non-volatile memory in the controller chip, and when the initialization is executed again, the controller chip bypasses access to the non-volatile memory chip by referring to the execution result saved in the internal non-volatile memory.

7. The IC module according to claims 2,

wherein the initialization includes at least one of confirmation of number of memory chips, read of memory validating data, read of a correction program, read of memory card characteristic information, read of an alternative address table for a defective sector, and read of a multiplexing sector address information.

8. A cellular phone including an IC module, an antenna, and a power source,

wherein the IC module includes a non-volatile memory chip, a controller chip for controlling the non-volatile memory chip, an interface for contact communication, and an interface for contactless communication,

wherein the controller chip can authenticate a user of the cellular phone,

wherein the controller chip executes processing of data transmitted from the antenna through the interface for contactless communication using power supplied from the power source of the cellular phone to the interface for contact communication,

wherein the processing of data includes an operation of reading the data from the non-volatile memory chip by the controller chip or an operation of writing the data in the non-volatile memory chip by the controller chip, and

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip between an activation of the cellular phone and a completion of the authentication of the user indicated by the cellular phone.

9. The cellular phone according to claim 8,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from start of power supplying from the cellular phone to the interface for contact communication.

10. The cellular phone according to claim 8,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from inputting of a reset signal from the cellular phone to the interface for contact communication.

11. The cellular phone according to claim 8,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from inputting of a command requesting execution of the authentication of a user from the cellular phone to the interface for contact communication.

12. The cellular phone according to claim 8,

wherein the controller chip executes initialization of the non-volatile memory chip within a predetermined time elapsing from inputting of a command executing the authentication of a user from the cellular phone to the interface for contact communication.

13. The cellular phone according to claim 9,

wherein the controller chip saves an execution result of the initialization of the non-volatile memory chip in an internal non-volatile memory in the controller chip, and when the initialization is executed again, the controller chip bypasses access to the non-volatile memory chip by referring to the execution result saved in the internal non-volatile memory.

14. The cellular phone according to claim 9,

wherein the initialization includes at least one of confirmation of number of memory chips, read of memory validating data, read of a correction program, read of memory card characteristic information, read of an alternative address table for a defective sector, and read of a multiplexing sector address information.

15. An IC module that can perform communication with a cellular phone having an antenna and a signal converter for contactless communication different from phone communication through the signal converter, comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

an authenticating unit for authenticating a subscriber of the cellular phone; and

a controller for controlling the non-volatile memory,

wherein the controller writes data demodulated from a signal received in the contactless communication by the signal converter in the non-volatile memory, and

wherein the controller reads data to be modulated to a transmission signal in the contactless communication by the signal converter from the non-volatile memory.

16. The IC module according to claim 15,

wherein the IC module is activated by power supplying from the cellular phone.

17. The IC module according to claim 16,

wherein the IC module executes initialization of the non-volatile memory corresponding to execution of an authenticating processing of the subscriber.

18. The IC module according to claim 17,

wherein the IC module sets a value indicating completion of the initialization in a register after execution of the initialization, and

wherein the IC module reads the value in the register and omits execution of the initialization at the contactless communication.

19. The IC module according to claim 17,

wherein the IC module stops power supplying to the non-volatile memory between completion of the initialization and start of the contactless communication.

20. The IC module according to claim 17,

wherein the initialization includes reading a plurality of logic addresses recorded in the non-volatile memory and preparing a table for converting the plurality of logic addresses to physical addresses corresponding thereto.

21. An IC module that can perform communication with a cellular phone having an antenna and a signal converter for contactless communication different from phone communication, and a short-range wireless communication unit through the signal converter, and that can be activated by power supplying from the cellular phone, comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

an authenticating unit for authenticating a subscriber of the cellular phone; and

a controller for controlling the non-volatile memory,

wherein the controller executes initialization of the non-volatile memory in response to detection of an apparatus that is a communication partner of the contactless communication by the short-range wireless communication unit,

wherein the controller writes data demodulated from a signal received at the contactless communication by the signal converter to the non-volatile memory, and

wherein the controller reads data to be modulated to a transmission signal at the contactless communication by the signal converter from the non-volatile memory.

22. The IC module according to claim 21,

wherein the IC module sets a value indicating completion of the initialization in a register after execution of the initialization, and

wherein the IC module reads the value in the register and omits execution of the initialization at the contactless communication.

23. The IC module according to claim 21,

wherein the IC module stops power supplying to the non-volatile memory between completion of the initialization and start of the contactless communication.

24. The IC module according to claim 21,

wherein the initialization includes reading a plurality of logic addresses recorded in the non-volatile memory and preparing a table for converting the plurality of logic addresses to physical addresses corresponding thereto.

25. An IC module that can perform communication with a cellular phone having an antenna and a signal converter for contactless communication different from phone communication, and a USB interface through the signal converter and the USB interface, and that can be activated by power supplying from the cellular phone, comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

an authenticating unit for authenticating a subscriber of the cellular phone; and

a controller for controlling the non-volatile memory,

wherein the controller executes initialization of the non-volatile memory in response to reception of a signal from the USB interface,

wherein the controller writes data demodulated from a signal received at the contactless communication by the signal converter to the non-volatile memory, and

wherein the controller reads data to be modulated to a transmission signal at the contactless communication by the signal converter from the non-volatile memory.

26. The IC module according to claim 25,

wherein the IC module sets a value indicating completion of the initialization in a register after execution of the initialization, and

wherein the IC module reads the value in the register and omits execution of the initialization at the contactless communication.

27. The IC module according to claim 25,

wherein the IC module stops power supplying to the non-volatile memory between completion of the initialization and start of the contactless communication.

28. The IC module according to claim 25,

wherein the initialization includes reading a plurality of logic addresses recorded in the non-volatile memory and preparing a table for converting the plurality of logic addresses to physical addresses corresponding thereto.