Multiple secure elements in mobile electronic device with near field communication capability

• US 8,712,407 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Cope, Warren B., Paczkowski, Lyle W., Parsel, William Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US13/440,980
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/426.1, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/557, 455/558
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• 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: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• 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

A method of managing data communication network inventory is provided. The method comprises analyzing a plurality of separate data stores, the data stores comprising information about trouble tickets, change requests, and scheduled maintenance, where the analysis is conducted with reference to network inventory items. An integrated data store structured according to network inventory items is built, comprising trouble ticket information, change request information, and scheduled maintenance associated with the network inventory items, where the network inventory items comprise one or more port interfaces. A selection of a network inventory item is received. Filtered information is retrieved from the integrated data store summarizing the trouble ticket information, the change request information, and the scheduled maintenance related to the selected network inventory item. The filtered information is transmitted.

Claims

1. A system on a mobile phone for selecting between a plurality of secure elements concurrently present on the mobile phone, wherein the selected secure element is used for wireless payment, comprising:

a first virtual processor;

an application stored in the first virtual processor;

a second virtual processor comprising a secure partition;

a trusted security zone located in the secure partition of the second virtual processor, wherein the trusted security zone runs a separate operating system that is not accessible to the mobile device users;

a near field communication transceiver;

the plurality of secure elements; and

a switching application stored in the trusted security zone, wherein the switching application controls one or more hardware switches coupling the near field communication transceiver to one or more respective secure elements, wherein the switching application automatically selects which of the one or more respective secure elements to couple to the near field communication transceiver based on pre-defined selection rules comprising one of location and last account accessed, and wherein the selection is made prior to a wireless link being established between the near field communication transceiver and an external near field communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first virtual processor and the second virtual processor execute in a time-sliced fashion.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the trusted security zone utilizes security extensions implemented in Advanced Reduced Instruction Set Computer Machine (ARM) architecture.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of secure elements comprises memory cards, subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, and embedded chips.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the application stored in the first virtual processor is one of an electronic wallet application, a ticketing application, or a secure identification application.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the near field communication transceiver is coupled to the selected secure element via the Single Wire Protocol (SWP).

7. A method of secure element selection for wireless payment and access control of a mobile device, comprising:

controlling, by a switching application in a trusted security zone, one or more hardware switches coupling a near field communication transceiver to one or more respective secure elements of the plurality of secure elements, wherein the switching application automatically selects which of the one or more respective secure elements to couple to the near field communication transceiver based on pre-defined selection rules comprising one of location and last account accessed, and wherein the trusted security zone runs a separate operating system that is not accessible to the mobile device users; and

establishing a wireless link between the near field communication transceiver in the mobile device and an external near field communication device, wherein the wireless link enables communication between the selected secure element and the external near field communication device, and wherein the wireless link is established after the switching application selects which of the one or more respective secure elements to couple to the near field communication transceiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the selected secure element contains credentials used for payments, authentication, and other mobile financial services.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the switching application is stored in the trusted security zone and is installed by the mobile device vendor or manufacturer.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the near field communication transceiver is coupled to the selected secure element via the Single Wire Protocol (SWP).

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined selection rules are transparent to the near field communication and secure element components.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined selection rules do not impede the near field communication security chain.

13. A method of secure element selection for wireless payment and access control, comprising:

inserting a removable card comprising a secure element into a slot in a mobile device, wherein the secure element is comprised in a plurality of secure elements associated with the mobile device;

automatically selecting the secure element on the removable card for use by an application requiring a secure element, wherein the selection is performed by a switching application stored in a trusted security zone on the mobile device, wherein the switching application automatically selects the secure element from the plurality of secure elements based on pre-defined selection rules comprising one of location and last account accessed, and wherein the trusted security zone runs a separate operating system that is not accessible to the mobile device users;

controlling, by the switching application, one or more hardware switches coupling a near field communication transceiver to one or more respective secure elements of the plurality of secure elements;

coupling the near field communication transceiver to the secure element on the removable card based on the automatic selection of the secure element on the removable card; and

establishing a wireless link between the near field communication transceiver in the mobile device and an external near field communication device, wherein the wireless link enables communication between the selected secure element on the removable card and the external near field communication device, and wherein the wireless link is established after the switching application selects which of the one or more respective secure elements to couple to the near field communication transceiver.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the removable card is a memory card that comprises the secure element.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the removable card is a subscriber identity module (SIM) card that comprises the secure element.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the secure element on the removable card contains credentials which may be used for payments, authentication, and other mobile financial services.