Data communications system, information processing terminal, IC card, reader/writer, and program

• US 7,891,544 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FeliCa Networks, Inc (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: FeliCa Networks, Inc (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ota, Toyokazu, Nakatsugawa, Yasumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/756,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20080067249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 340/500, 340/502, 340/505, 340/539.1, 340/540, 340/3.3, 340/3.31, 340/825.7, 455/8, 455/11.1, 455/15, 455/73, 455/513, 455/95
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0709 the source being an interrogation field
• 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 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a data communications system configured to execute data communication between three parties of a reader/writer, an integrated circuit card wirelessly communicable with the reader/writer in a non-contact manner, and an information processing terminal connected to the intergraded circuit card via a wired interface, the data communications system including: the reader/writer having a read/write wireless control block; the integrated circuit card having an integrated circuit card wireless control block; and the information processing terminal having a request acceptance block, a data storage block, and a data transmission block.

Claims

1. A data communications system configured to execute data communication between three parties of a reader/writer, an integrated circuit card wirelessly communicable with said reader/writer in a non-contact manner, and an information processing terminal connected to said integrated circuit card via a wired interface, said data communications system comprising:

said reader/writer having

a read/write wireless control block configured to output a signal carrier and control wireless communication with said integrated circuit card;

said integrated circuit card having

an integrated circuit card wireless control block configured to start and control wireless communication with said reader/writer in accordance with detection of said signal carrier outputted from said read/write wireless control block; and

said information processing terminal having

a request acceptance block configured to accept a data transfer request from a user,

a data storage block configured to store data, and

a data transmission block, connected to said integrated circuit card wireless control block via a wired interface, configured to transmit a data transfer request signal and data in said data storage block to said integrated circuit card wireless control block in response to a data transfer request from said request acceptance block;

wherein,

upon reception of a data transfer request signal and data from said data transmission block, said integrated circuit card wireless control block switches a communication mode of said integrated circuit card wireless control block to a continuous communication mode in which data can be continuously transmitted or received and transmits said data transfer request signal and said data to said read/write wireless control block without waiting for a command from said read/write wireless control block; and

said read/write wireless control block switches said communication mode to said continuous communication mode by use of said data transfer request signal from said integrated circuit card wireless control block as a trigger and receives said data from said integrated circuit card wireless control block.

2. An information processing terminal connectible with an integrated circuit card by a wired interface, comprising:

a request acceptance block configured to accept a data transfer request from a user;

a data storage block configured to store data; and

a data transmission block configured to transmit a data transmission request signal and data stored in said data storage to said integrated circuit card via said wired interface in response to said data transfer request from said request acceptance block.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data transmission block receives said data transfer request from said request acceptance block and, after synchronizing with said integrated circuit card, transmits said data transfer request signal and said data stored in said data storage to said integrated circuit card.

4. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed by a processor, causes an information processing terminal to perform a method of operation, said information processing terminal being connectible with an integrated circuit card via a wired interface and having a request acceptance block for accepting a data transfer request from a user and a data storage for storing data, the method of operation comprising:

transmitting a data transfer request signal and data stored in said data storage to said integrated circuit card via said wired interface in response to said data transfer request from said request acceptance block.

5. An integrated circuit card wirelessly communicable with a reader/writer in a noncontact manner and connectible with an information processing terminal via a wired interface, said integrated circuit card comprising:

an integrated circuit wireless control block configured to start and control wireless communication with said reader/writer in response to detection of a signal carrier outputted from said reader/writer and, upon reception of a data transfer request signal and data from said information processing terminal, switch a communication mode of said integrated circuit card to a continuous communication mode in which data can be continuously transmitted or received, thereby transmitting said data transfer request signal and said data to said reader/writer without waiting for a command from said reader/writer.

6. The integrated circuit card according to claim 5, further comprising:

a status display block configured to display whether data is being transmitted from said integrated circuit wireless control block to said reader/writer.

7. The integrated circuit card according to claim 5, wherein electromagnetic wave energy is received from said reader/writer, and the integrated circuit card operates on the received electromagnetic wave energy.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed by a processor, causes an integrated circuit card wirelessly communicable with a reader/writer in a noncontact manner and connectible with an information processing terminal via a wired interface to perform a method of operation, the method of operation comprising:

starting and controlling wireless communication with said reader/writer in accordance with detection of a signal carrier outputted from said reader/writer and,

upon reception of a data transfer request signal and data from said information processing terminal, switching a communication mode of said integrated circuit card to a continuous communication mode in which data can be continuously transmitted or received, thereby transmitting said data transfer request signal and said data to said reader/writer without waiting for a command from said reader/writer.

9. A reader/writer communicable with an integrated circuit card in a noncontact manner, comprising:

a read/write wireless control block configured to output a signal carrier to control wireless communication with said integrated circuit card, and, once the integrated circuit card receives a data transfer request signal from an information processing terminal and switches to a continuous communication mode in which data can be continuously transmitted or received, switch a communication mode of said read/write wireless control block to the continuous communication mode and receive data from the integrated circuit card.

10. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed by a processor, causes a reader/writer wirelessly communicable with an integrated circuit card in a noncontact manner to perform a method of operation, the method of operation comprising:

outputting a signal carrier to control wireless communication with said integrated circuit card, and, once the integrated circuit card receives a data transfer request signal from an information processing terminal and switches to a continuous communication mode in which data can be continuously transmitted or received, switching a communication mode of said reader/writer to the continuous communication mode and receiving data from the integrated circuit card.