Non-volatile memory sub-system integrated with security for storing near field transactions

• US 8,190,885 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Spansion LLC (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Obereiner, Willy, Werner, Jeremy Isaac Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Michael S
• Application Number:
  US11/614,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 713/156
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0844 with user authentication or key authentication, e.g. ElGamal, MTI, MQV-Menezes-Qu-Vanstone protocol or Diffie-Hellman protocols using implicitly-certified keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

An architecture is presented that facilitates maintaining a log of near field transactions in a memory module that includes security functionalities and near field communication (NFC) capabilities. The memory module comprises non-volatile memory that stores security software and a security processor that accesses the security software from the nonvolatile memory and performs security functions based on the security software stored. The non-volatile memory is divided into partitions by the security processor. NFC radio frequency (RF) communication capabilities are integrated into the memory module such that the memory module directly interfaces to an external NFC antenna. This facilitates NFC communications within the secure environment of the memory module. Further, the memory module stores data related to near field transactions so that this data can be subsequently reviewed and exported in an appropriate format.

Claims

1. A memory module, with integrated security functionality, configured to provide a secure environment for near field communication (NFC) transactions, comprising:

a non-volatile memory configured to store security software and data related to NFC transactions;

a security processor configured to execute security functions based on the security software stored in the non-volatile memory, to establish the secure environment and a secure line of communication in which to control storage and retrieval of the data related to NFC transactions stored in the non-volatile memory, and to create a plurality of partitions in the non-volatile memory, wherein each partition in the plurality of partitions is accessed exclusively via the security processor; and

a NFC component configured to implement a NFC wireless protocol to enable the memory module to participate in a NFC transaction, wherein the NFC component stores NFC transaction log data associated with the NFC transaction in the non-volatile memory via the security processor,

wherein the non-volatile memory, the security processor, and the NFC component are integrated, as an integrated group or circuits, within the memory module.

2. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the NFC transaction includes at least one of a payment via a device that includes the memory module, an interaction with a sensor observing an operation on a product, or an access request to a secured location.

3. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the security software includes at least one of password authentication software, shared key authentication software, public key infrastructure software, integrity check software, encryption software, decryption software, anti-virus software, or anti-spyware software.

4. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the NFC component communicates with a NFC antenna external to the memory module to conduct the NFC transaction.

5. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the NFC component comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) component configured to read data from and write data to a RFID tag.

6. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the NFC component is directly integrated into the security processor.

7. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the security processor further comprises:

a processing unit configured to execute at least one of the security software stored in the non-volatile memory, code stored in a ROM, or code stored in a RAM;

a host interface configured to communicate with the NFC component to receive the NEC transaction log data; and

a memory interface configured to communicate with the non-volatile memory to transmit data to be stored and to retrieve data stored in the non-volatile memory,

wherein the processing unit manages the host interface and the memory interface to provide a secure line of communication between the NFC component and the non-volatile memory.

8. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the security processor is further configured to individually assign permissions to partitions in the plurality of partitions.

9. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of partitions includes partitions having varying sizes.

10. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the NFC transaction log data are stored in a partition of the plurality of partitions.

11. The memory module of claim 10, wherein the security processor enforces access rights associated with the partition, such that the NFC transaction log data are stored to the partition when the security processor authenticates an originator of the data.

12. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the security processor is further configured to authenticate an external entity that attempts access to the NFC transaction log data stored in the non-volatile memory.

13. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the security processor is further configured to retrieve the NFC transaction log data from the non-volatile memory and to provide the NFC transaction log data to an authorized entity.

14. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the NFC transaction log data comprises a digital receipt of the NFC transaction, wherein the digital receipt includes at least one of a product purchased, a vendor of the product, or a mode of payment.

15. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the security processor is further configured to securely control the NFC transaction.

16. A method for storing data related to a NFC transaction, comprising:

initiating, with a NFC component, a NFC transaction with an entity;

authenticating the entity with a security processor;

partitioning a non-volatile memory into a plurality of partitions;

collecting data related to the NFC transaction; and

logging the data related to the NFC transaction to a the non-volatile memory via the security processor,

wherein the NFC component, the security processor, and the non-volatile memory are integrated into a stand-alone memory module, and

wherein each partition in the plurality of partitions is created and accessed exclusively via the security processor.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating a report that includes the data related to the NFC transaction.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising establishing a secure communication channel between the entity and the non-volatile memory via the NFC component and the security processor.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

assigning access permissions to each partition in the plurality of partitions.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the NFC transaction includes at least one of a payment via a device that includes the memory module, an interaction with a sensor observing an operation on a product, or an access request to a secured location.

21. A system for aggregating and storing data in a RFID tag, comprising:

a RFID tag comprising;

a memory module that includes a non-volatile memory configured to store security software, a security processor configured to execute security functions based on the security software stored in the non-volatile memory and to create a plurality of partitions in the non-volatile memory accessed exclusively via the security processor, wherein the security functions facilitate secure storage and retrieval of information stored in the non-volatile memory, and a NEC component configured to implement a NFC wireless protocol to enable the RFID tag to read data from an external entity and transmit data to the external entity; and

a plurality of sensors, integrated on the RFID tag, configured to generate

data related to environmental conditions of the RFID tag,

wherein the data related to environmental conditions of the RFID tag is stored in the non-volatile memory of the memory module, the security processor authenticates the external entity, and the NFC component transmits the data related to environmental conditions of the RFID tag to the external entity when authenticated.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, or a motion sensor.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the security processor is further configured to aggregate the data related to environmental conditions of the RFID tag and to generate a summary report.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the RFID tag is affixed to a product.