Method for speeding up the detection and the activation of the communication interface between a terminal and a UICC

• US 8,408,474 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Dong, Olivier
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LINH V
• Application Number:
  US12/444,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20100035651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/441, 235/440, 235/380, 235/451
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

The invention relates to A method for speeding up the detection and the activation of the communication protocol used between a terminal (2) and a UICC (4) supporting at least one High Speed protocol (HSP).

The method according to the invention is characterized by providing the terminal (2) with information about the High Speed Protocol supported by said UICC (4) through the current interface prior to the communication with said UICC (4) through a HSP interface.

Claims

1. A Method for speeding up the detection and the activation of the communication protocol used between a terminal and a UICC (Universal-Mobile-Telecommunication-System Integrated Circuit Card) supporting at least one High Speed protocol (HSP), said method characterized by providing the terminal with information about the High Speed Protocol supported by said UICC through the current interface prior to the communication with said UICC through a HSP interface;

wherein the detection of the HSP between the terminal and the UICC comprises;

the terminal sends to the UICC a Reset signal through the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) interface,

in response to said Reset Signal, the UICC sends to the terminal an ATR (Answer To Reset), including information about the HSP supported by the UICC, and

the information about the HSP supported by said UICC is transmitted to the terminal within bytes of the ATR unused under ISO/IEC 7816.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein prior to any application selection, the terminal reads the information about the HSP supported by said UICC from a new dedicated Elementary File EFHSP previously defined in the UICC.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said EFHSP is located under the Master File (MF) in the UICC.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein said ATR comprises at least:

indication whether a HSP is supported or not by the UICC,

indication of the voltage class supported by the UICC;

indication of the speed mode supported by the UICC;

indication of the power consumption class of said UICC;

indication of the HSP contact allocation;

indication of the contact-less interface contact allocation;

indication of the supported services.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein said new dedicated Elementary File EFHSP comprises at least:

indication of the voltage class supported by the UICC;

indication of the speed mode supported by the UICC;

indication of the power consumption class of said UICC;

indication of the HSP contact allocation;

indication of the contact-less interface contact allocation;

indication of the supported services;

indication of any other HSP parameters.

6. Terminal associated with a UICC (Universal-Mobile-Telecommunication-System Integrated Circuit Card), comprising a first detecting unit which detects whether the UICC supports an HSP (High Speed Protocol) interface or not,

wherein detection of the HSP between the terminal and the UICC comprises:

the terminal sends to the UICC a Reset signal through the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) interface,

in response to said Reset Signal, the terminal receives from the UICC an ATR (Answer To Reset), including information about the HSP supported by the UICC, and

the information about the HSP supported by said UICC is transmitted to the terminal within bytes of the ATR unused under ISO/IEC 7816.

7. Terminal according to claim 6, comprising a second detecting unit which detects the contacts allocated to the HSP interface and the contact-less interface supported by the UICC.

8. UICC (Universal-Mobile-Telecommunication-System Integrated Circuit Card) supporting at least one HSP (High Speed Protocol) interface associated with mobile equipment, wherein it comprises an ATR (Answer To Reset) which includes information about said HSP;

wherein detection of the HSP between the mobile equipment and the UICC comprises;

the mobile equipment sends to the UICC a Reset signal through the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) interface,

in response to said Reset Signal, the UICC sends to the mobile equipment the ATR, including information about the HSP supported by the UICC, and

the information about the HSP supported by said UICC is transmitted to the terminal within bytes of the ATR unused under ISO/IEC 7816.

9. Terminal associated with a UICC (Universal-Mobile-Telecommunication-System Integrated Circuit Card), comprising a first detecting unit which detects whether the UICC supports an HSP (High Speed Protocol) interface or not,

wherein detection of the HSP between the terminal and the UICC comprises:

the terminal sends to the UICC a Reset signal through the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) interface,

in response to said Reset Signal, the terminal receives from the UICC an ATR (Answer To Reset), including information about the HSP supported by the UICC, and

the information about the HSP supported by said UICC is transmitted to the terminal within bytes of the ATR unused under ISO/IEC 7816.