Wireless bidirectional communications between a mobile device and associated secure element

• US 8,559,987 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blaze Mobile, Inc. (iWin, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Blaze Mobile, Inc. (iWin, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fisher, Michelle
• Primary Examiner(s): KELLEY, STEVEN SHAUN
• Application Number:
  US12/948,717
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/466, 455/552.1, 455/556.1, 235/380, 340/5.4, 340/5.41, 705/41, 705/64
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

In some embodiments, a system includes a mobile communication device and a secure element physically coupled to the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device includes a first wireless transceiver, first processor, and first memory. The secure element includes a second wireless transceiver, second processor, and second memory. The mobile communication device is configured to transmit data via the first wireless transceiver to the secure element in packets, using a packet protocol. The secure element is configured to transmit data via the second wireless transceiver to the mobile communication device in messages, using a messaging protocol distinct from the packet protocol.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a mobile communication device and a secure element physically coupled to the mobile communication device, wherein:

the mobile communication device comprises a first wireless transceiver, a first processor, and a first memory;

the secure element comprises a second wireless transceiver, a second processor, and a second memory;

the mobile communication device is configured to address packets to a serial number of the secure element and transmit point of sale (POS) transaction data via the first wireless transceiver to the secure element in the packets using a TCP/IP packet protocol; and

the secure element is configured to address messages to a phone number of the mobile communication device and transmit data via the second wireless transceiver to the mobile communication device in the messages using an SMS messaging protocol; and

wherein the secure element is configured to use power received from a POS device to transmit the messages to the mobile communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the secure element is adhesively attached to the mobile communication device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the secure element is configured to detect the availability of a carrier network and to transmit the messages using the carrier network in response to detecting availability of the carrier network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the second memory of the secure element comprises a memory element to store an identifier associated with the secure element; and

the packets comprise a destination address corresponding to the identifier.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the secure element comprises an NFC chip, the NFC chip comprising the second wireless transceiver, second processor, and second memory; and

the identifier comprises a serial number of the NFC chip.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first memory of the mobile communication device stores an application that, when executed by the first processor, generates the packets and transmits the packets via the first transceiver; and

the second memory of the secure element stores an application that, when executed by the second processor, generates the messages and transmits the messages via the second transceiver.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the first memory is configured to store data to be transmitted to the secure element in the packets and data received from the secure element in the messages; and

the second memory is configured to store data to be transmitted to the mobile communication device in the messages and data received from the mobile communication device in the packets.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device further comprises:

a first port to receive, from a cellular service provider, messages compatible with the messaging protocol; and

a second port, distinct from the first port, to receive the messages from the secure element.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device further comprises:

a first port to receive, from a cellular service provider, messages compatible with the messaging protocol and to receive the messages from the secure element.

10. A method of communicating between a mobile communication device and a secure element physically coupled to the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a first wireless transceiver, a first processor, and a first memory, and wherein the secure element comprises a second wireless transceiver, a second processor, and a second memory, the method comprising:

addressing packets to a serial number of the secure element;

wirelessly transmitting the packets including point of sale (POS) transaction data from the mobile communication device, via the first wireless transceiver, to the secure element using a TCP/IP packet protocol;

addressing messages to a phone number of the mobile communication device and wirelessly transmitting the messages from the secure element, via the second wireless transceiver, to the mobile communication device using an SMS messaging protocol; and

wherein the secure element is configured to use power received from a POS device to transmit the messages to the mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the packet comprises a payload comprising a phone number of the mobile communication device;

the message provides a confirmation that the secure element received the packet; and

wirelessly transmitting the message comprises addressing the message to the phone number.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a first character of the message is an identifier corresponding to the secure element.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the packet comprises a payload;

the method further comprises executing an application on the second processor of the secure element to process data in the payload; and

the message provides a confirmation that the application has processed the data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the second memory of the secure element stores an e-commerce application; and

the packet comprises a payload comprising a command to disable the e-commerce application.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the message provides a receipt from an e-commerce transaction.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the message provides transaction data associated with an e-commerce transaction.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the packet comprises a payload comprising an electronic coupon; and

the message provides an indication of redemption of the electronic coupon.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the secure element is adhesively attached to the mobile communication device.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing an identifier associated with the secure element in a memory element of the second memory of the secure element, wherein the packet comprises a destination address corresponding to the identifier.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the secure element comprises an NFC chip, the NFC chip comprising the second wireless transceiver, second processor, and second memory; and

the identifier comprises a serial number of the NFC chip.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the identifier comprises a private IP address assigned to the secure element.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing an identifier associated with the second wireless transceiver of the secure element in a memory element of the second memory of the secure element, wherein the packet comprises a destination address corresponding to the identifier.

23. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

at a first port of the mobile communication device, receiving messages compatible with the messaging protocol from a cellular service provider; and

at a second port of the mobile communication device, receiving the message transmitted from the secure element using the messaging protocol, wherein the second port is distinct from the first port.