Accessory interface system

• US 9,021,563 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Ying, Wen-Ping, Chang, Chih-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Darren B
• Application Number:
  US13/733,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20140189821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The accessory is capable of connecting to a host device, which is physically separated from the accessory. The accessory includes a first communication module and a contactless module. The first communication module is used to wirelessly coupled to the host device, and receive a first credential from the host device. The contactless module is coupled to the first communication module. The contactless module includes a controller, a first security element, an antenna, and a storage unit. The controller receives the credential from the first communication module. The first security element is coupled to the controller for receiving and storing the first credential. The antenna is coupled to the controller to wirelessly communicate with a first reader for a first application by using the stored first credential. The storage unit stores at least one first transaction record generated during the first application is operating.

Claims

1. An accessory capable of connecting to a mobile host device, which is physically separated from the accessory, comprising:

a communication module configured to wirelessly coupled to the mobile host device and receive a first credential from the mobile host device when the accessory is wirelessly connected to the mobile host device;

a first processing unit coupled to the communication module; and

a contactless module comprising;

a controller coupled to the communication module and the first processing unit for receiving the first credential from the communication module;

a first security element coupled to the controller for storing the first credential; and

an antenna coupled to the controller;

wherein, when the communication module is connected to the mobile host device, the first processing unit is configured to process a first radio communication software stack to transfer the received first credential from the communication module to the controller and when the communication module is disconnected from the mobile host device, the contactless module configured to wirelessly transmit information associated with the stored first credential to a first reader for a first activity.

2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the antenna wirelessly transmits information associated with the stored first credential to the first reader after the communication module is disconnect to the mobile host device.

3. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the communication module is further configured to receive a second credential from the mobile host device, and the first security element is further configured to store the second credential and the antenna is further configured to wirelessly transmit information associated with the stored second credential to a second reader for a second activity.

4. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the communication module is further configured to receive a second credential from the mobile host device, and the contactless module further comprises a second security element coupled to the controller for storing the second credential, and the antenna is further configured to wirelessly transmit the stored second credential for a second activity to a second reader.

5. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the contactless module further comprises a first storage unit coupled to the controller and the controller receives a record related to the first activity from the first reader and stores the record to the first storage unit.

6. The accessory according to claim 1, further comprising the first processing unit coupled to the communication module and the controller and a second storage unit coupled to the first processing unit.

7. The accessory according to claim 6, wherein the contactless module further comprises a first host interface coupled with the controller for communicating between the controller and the communication module and the first processing unit.

8. The accessory according to claim 6, further comprising a sensor coupled with the first processing unit.

9. The accessory according to claim 8, wherein the first processing unit receives a sensing signal sensed by the sensor and transmits to the controller by processing the first radio communication software stack and the antenna transmits the sensing signal to the first reader.

10. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein when the communication module is externally disconnected from the mobile host device, the controller receives a record from the first reader and transmits the record related to the first activity to the first processing unit and the first processing unit stores the record in the second storage unit by processing the first radio communication software stack.

11. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the first radio communication software stack comprises a first communication application programming interface for controlling with the controller and a first host controller interface layer to control the communication module.

12. The accessory according to claim 11, wherein the controller is a near field communication controller and the first radio communication software stack is a near field communication software stack and the first communication application programming interface is a near field communication application programming interface.

13. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the communication module is a wireless communication module for connecting to the mobile host device.

14. A system comprising:

an accessory comprising a first communication module configured to receive a first credential and a contactless module, which comprises a controller coupled to the first communication module for receiving the first credential from the first communication module, a first security element coupled to the controller for storing the first credential, a first processing unit is coupled to the first communication module and the controller and an antenna coupled to the controller configured to wirelessly transmit information associated with the stored first credential to a first reader for a first activity; and

a mobile host device, physically separated from the accessory, comprising a second processing unit, a third storage unit coupled to the second process unit for storing the first credential, and a second communication module, which is coupled to the second processing unit for wirelessly transmitting the first credential to the first communication module when the accessory is wirelessly connected to the mobile host device, and a baseband module coupled to the second processing unit

wherein, when the first communication module is connected to the mobile host device, the first processing unit is configured to process a first radio communication software stack to transfer the received first credential from the first communication module to the controller and when the first communication module is disconnected from the mobile host device, the contactless module configured to wirelessly transmit information associated with the stored first credential to a first reader for a first activity.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the first communication module is further configured to receive a second credential from the mobile host device, and the first security element is further configured to store the second credential and the antenna is further configured to wirelessly transmit the received second credential for a second activity to a second reader.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the first communication module is further configured to receive a second credential from the mobile host device, and the contactless module further comprises a second security element coupled to the controller for storing the second credential, and the antenna is configured to wirelessly transmit information associated with the stored second credential to a second reader for a second activity;

and wherein the mobile host device further comprises a baseband module coupled to the second processing unit and configured to wirelessly receive the first credential from a first server and to wirelessly receive the second credential from a second server.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the contactless module further comprises a first storage unit coupled to the controller and the controller receives a record related to the first activity from the first reader and stores the record to the first storage unit.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein the accessory further comprises the first processing unit coupled to the first communication module and the controller and a second storage unit coupled to the first processing unit.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the first processing unit is configured to run the first radio communication software stack to communicate with the controller and the first communication module and the second processing unit is configured to processing a second radio communication software stack to communicate with the controller and the second communication module.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the first radio communication software stack comprises a first communication application programming interface for communicate with the controller and a first host controller interface layer for controlling the first communication module and the second radio communication software stack comprises an application programming interface, a second communication application programming interface for communicating with the controller and a second host controller interface layer for controlling the second communication module.

21. The accessory according to claim 20, wherein the controller is a near field communication controller and the first radio communication software stack is a first near field communication software stack and the first communication application programming interface is a first near field communication application programming interface and the second radio communication software stack is a second near field communication software stack and the second communication application programming interface is a second near field communication application programming interface.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the second processing unit processing a first application to manage the first credential stored in the first security element by processing the second radio software stack.

23. The system according to claim 19, wherein the contactless module further comprise a first host interface coupled with the controller for communicating between the controller and the first communication module and the first processing unit.

24. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a sensor coupled with the first processing unit.

25. The system according to claim 14, wherein when the first communication module is coupled with the second communication module, the controller receives a record from the first reader and transmits the record related to the first activity to the second communication module by using the first communication module and the second processing unit receives the record from the second communication module and stores the record in the third storage unit.

26. The system according to claim 18, wherein when the communication module is disconnected from the mobile host device, the controller receives a record from the first reader and transmits the record related to the first activity to the first processing unit and the first processing unit stores the record in the second storage unit by processing the first radio communication software stack.

27. The system according to claim 14, wherein the communication module is a wireless communication module for connecting to the mobile host device.

28. The system according to claim 14, wherein the host device further comprises a baseband module coupled to the second processing unit and configured to wirelessly receive the first credential from a first server.

29. A method for transmitting information between an accessory, which has a security element, and a host device, which is physically separated from the accessory, comprising:

activating a first radio communication software stack by the mobile host device;

establishing a secure channel between an application of the mobile host device and the security element by using the first radio communication software stack;

wirelessly transmitting a credential from the mobile host device to the accessory via the first radio communication software stack,

storing the credential in the security element; and

wirelessly transmitting information associated with the stored credential from the accessory to a reader when the accessory is disconnected from the mobile host device.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein transmitting the credential stored in the security element to the reader includes receiving an identification information from a reader, selecting the credential from the security element which corresponding to the identification information.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein transmitting the credential stored in the security element to the reader includes receiving a data from the reader, storing the data in the accessory.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein storing the data in the accessory includes processing the first radio communication software stack in the accessory to store data in the accessory, transmitting the stored data to the mobile host device from the accessory by processing a second radio communication software stack.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein transmitting the credential stored in the security element to the reader includes receiving a data from the reader, transmitting the data to the host device from the accessory.

34. The method of claim 29 further comprising coupling the host device with a server, receiving the credential from a server, verifying the first credential with the server.