Portable terminal having mounted IC chip, application area control method, and application area control program

• US 8,374,649 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US12/920,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/556.1, 379/433.09, 379/357.01, 379/357.02, 710/13
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1483 using an access-table, e.g. matrix or list
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/77 in smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption

Abstract

A portable terminal in which an application area in a contactless IC chip can be shared by a plurality of users. The portable terminal is provided with the IC chip that has a contactless communication function enabling use of a plurality of services. In addition, the portable terminal is provided with an application area information storage unit that stores application area information for associating users, application identifiers for identifying applications corresponding to services to be used, and plural application areas provided in the IC chip; and an application area control unit that puts into a useable state an application area of a user corresponding to the identification information in the IC chip, based on the application area information and the identification information for identifying the users, read from a loaded storage medium; wherein the plurality of services that use the contactless communication function can be used by each user.

Claims

1. A portable terminal comprising:

an IC chip having a contactless communication function enabling use of a plurality of services;

an application area information storage unit that stores application area information for associating users, application identifiers for identifying applications corresponding to services to be used, and plural application areas provided in an IC chip; and

an application area control unit that puts into a useable state an application area of a user corresponding to said identification information in said IC chip, based on said application area information and identification information read from a replaceable storage medium storing identification information for identifying users.

2. The portable terminal according to claim 1, further comprising an application area information recording unit that generates a new entry in said application area information storage unit, in a case where an application identifier is inputted from outside.

3. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said application area control unit records usability information indicating usability by a user specified by said identification information, in said application area.

4. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said application area control unit records the application identifier in question in an application area associated with said identification information, and makes invalid an application identifier of an application area associated with another user.

5. The portable terminal according to claim 3, wherein said application area control unit performs a writing operation to said application area, in a case where said storage medium is replaced.

6. The portable terminal according to claim 1, further comprising an encryption-decryption unit that encrypts an application identifier recorded in said application area information storage unit, or decrypts an application identifier that has been encrypted and recorded in an application area information storage unit.

7. The portable terminal according to claim 6, wherein a process of said encryption-decryption is performed using an encryption key stored in said replaceable storage medium.

8. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said replaceable storage medium is a Universal Subscriber Identity Module USIM, and a subscriber identifier recorded in a USIM is used as said identification information.

9. An application area control method of performing control of usage of a plurality of application areas provided in an IC chip of a portable terminal in which said IC chip, having a contactless communication function, is mounted, and which enables services using said contactless communication function, wherein said application area control method comprises:

storing application area information associating users, application identifiers for identifying applications corresponding to services to be used, and plural application areas provided in an IC chip, in an application area information storage unit provided in a portable terminal; and

in a case where a storage medium that stores identification information for identifying users is replaced, putting into a usable state an application area of a user corresponding to said identification information in said IC chip, based on said application area information and identification information read from said storage medium.

10. An application area control program that performs control of usage of a plurality of application areas provided in an IC chip of a portable terminal in which said IC chip, having a contactless communication function, is mounted, and which enables services using said contactless communication function, wherein said application area control program executes on a computer installed in said portable terminal:

a process, in a case where an application identifier is inputted from outside, of storing application area information for associating users, application identifiers for identifying applications corresponding to services to be used, and plural application areas provided in an IC chip, in an application area information storage unit provided in a portable terminal; and

a process, in a case where a storage medium that stores identification information for identifying users is replaced, of putting into a usable state an application area of a user corresponding to said identification information in said IC chip, based on said application area information and identification information read from said storage medium.