Near field communication apparatus and method for supporting security modules

• US 9,129,282 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Cheon, Sung-Rock, Jeon, Jae-Sic, Kwon, O-Hyon, Lee, Joo-Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Branske, Hilary
• Application Number:
  US13/468,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20120220229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 713/172, 713/185, 713/159, 726/9, 726/5, 726/16, 726/17, 380/270, 380/247, 380/249, 380/250, 380/287, 380/52, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.4, 340/10.42, 340/10.5, 340/10.51, 307/151, 379/433.09, 370465-467, 710300-304, 710105-106
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• 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: H04L 69/03 Protocol definition or specification protocol conformance testing H04L1/244
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a terminal comprising: a socket configured to receive a security module; an NFC (Near Field Communication) unit configured to communicate with an external reader or another terminal; and a protocol identifying unit configured to supply a voltage to the security module and to identify whether the security module supports a first protocol by transmitting a signal for using the first protocol through a first contact of the security module and receiving from the security module a first information associated with a protocol supported by the security module, wherein the terminal additionally receives a second information associated with the protocol supported by the security module through a second contact of the security module, and wherein the NFC unit receives a information from the security module through the first contact based on the first protocol identified by the protocol identifying unit, and transmits the received information to the external reader or another terminal.

Claims

1. A terminal, comprising:

a socket configured to receive a security module;

an NFC (Near Field Communication) unit configured to communicate with an external reader or another terminal; and

a protocol identifying unit configured to

supply a voltage to the security module, and

identify whether the security module supports a first protocol by transmitting a signal for using the first protocol through a first contact of the security module and receiving from the security module a first information associated with a protocol supported by the security module, the first protocol being a signal processing scheme for exchanging data between the NFC unit and the security module,

wherein the terminal is additionally configured to receive a second information associated with the protocol supported by the security module through a second contact of the security module, the second contact being different from the first contact, and

wherein the NFC unit is configured to

receive an information from the security module through the first contact based on the first protocol when the protocol identifying unit determines that the security module supports the first protocol, and

transmit the received information to the external reader or another terminal.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the protocol identifying unit is configured to determine that the security module supports the first protocol upon receiving the first information within a time period after transmitting the signal.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first contact is configured to support a second protocol which is different from the first protocol.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the signal is encoded by a Miller code.

5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the NFC unit, upon receiving an authentication information request from the external reader, is configured to transmit the authentication information request to the security module through the first contact and receive an authentication information from the security module, based on the first protocol.

6. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the protocol identifying unit is configured to identify whether the security module supports the second protocol by transmitting a signal for using the second protocol through the first contact and receiving from the security module an information associated with the protocol supported by the security module.

7. A communication method, comprising:

supplying a prescribed voltage to a security module;

identifying whether the security module supports a first protocol by transmitting a signal for using the first protocol through a first contact of the security module and receiving from the security module a first information associated with a protocol supported by the security module, the first protocol being a signal processing scheme for exchanging data between an NFC (Near Field Communication) unit and the security module;

receiving a second information associated with the protocol supported by the security module through a second contact of the security module, the second contact being different from the first contact;

receiving an information from the security module through the first contact based on the first protocol when the security module supports the first protocol; and

transmitting the received information through the NFC unit to an external reader or another terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the security module is determined to support the first protocol upon receiving the first information within a time period after transmitting the signal for using the first protocol.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first contact is configured to support a second protocol which is different from the first protocol.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal is encoded by a Miller code.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving an authentication information request from the external reader; and

transmitting the authentication information request to the security module through the first contact and receiving an authentication information stored in the security module, based on the first protocol.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising;

checking whether the security module supports the second protocol by transmitting a signal for use of the second protocol through the first contact and receiving from the security module an information associated with the protocol supported by the security module.