Integrated circuit device that includes a secure element and a wireless component for transmitting protected data over short range wireless point-to-point communications

• US 10,359,957 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Viswanathan, Vinaynathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeudy, Josnel
• Application Number:
  US15/042,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20160239232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0656 Data buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic

Abstract

An integrated circuit device that includes a wireless component and a secure element is herein disclosed and enabled. The integrated circuit device includes a protected memory area for storing protected data that is implemented to be not accessible by a user, but is accessible by a memory controller included in the integrated circuit device. The memory controller accesses the protected data with a combination of security operations that may include cryptography, decryption, or encryption. The integrated circuit device further includes a wireless interface for establishing a short range wireless point-to-point communication with wireless computing devices or readers for transmitting the protected data that is encrypted. The integrated circuit device functions as a security key requiring the presence of the integrated circuit device when accessing and using the protected data. The wireless integrated circuit device can be included in, or embodied as, any wireless communication device, such as a smart phone.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit memory device that is a wireless device for transmitting protected data stored in the integrated circuit memory device, the integrated circuit memory device comprising:

a wireless interface, that includes a radio component, for establishing a short range wireless communication connection with a wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection, the wireless computing device being a distinct device from the integrated circuit memory device;

a memory controller;

a memory component;

a protected memory section, in the memory component, storing the protected data that is implemented to be not accessible by a user of the integrated circuit memory device at the protected memory section, but is implemented to be accessible by the memory controller, the protected data includes data or software, individually or in any combination;

wherein the integrated circuit memory device is configured for;

establishing, via the wireless interface of the integrated circuit memory device, a short range wireless communication connection between the integrated circuit memory device and the wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection;

providing, by the integrated circuit memory device to the wireless computing device, information for identifying itself to the wireless computing device via the established short range wireless communication connection;

accessing, by the memory controller, the protected data stored in the protected memory section, the access of the protected data by the memory controller includes an authentication mechanism having a cryptographic algorithm implemented by the memory controller for accessing the protected data stored in the protected memory section; and

wirelessly transmitting, via the wireless interface, at least part of the protected data accessed by the memory controller, from the integrated circuit memory device and over the short range wireless communication connection, to the wireless computing device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit memory device is further configured for:

operating, by the memory controller, at least part of an encryption operation on the protected data for wireless transmission; and

wirelessly transmitting, via the wireless interface, at least part of the encrypted protected data by the memory controller, from the integrated circuit memory device and over the short range wireless communication connection, to the wireless computing device;

wherein the integrated circuit memory device functions as a security key by requiring presence of the integrated circuit memory device for the wireless transmitting of the at least part of the encrypted protected data.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit memory device is included in, or embodied as, a smart card, or a dongle, or a USB memory device, or a wireless communication device, individually or in any combination.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the integrated circuit memory device is further configured for wirelessly discovering the wireless computing device for establishing the short range wireless communication connection.

5. The device of claim 1 in which the integrated circuit memory device is included in a smart phone.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a structural interface for connecting the integrated circuit memory device to a reader, or a docket, or a socket, or a port of a computing device, and the integrated circuit memory device is further configured for transmitting the protected data from the integrated circuit memory device, over the structural interface and via a structural connection, to the wireless computing device.

7. A security method for transmitting protected data stored in an integrated circuit memory device, the integrated circuit memory device having:

a wireless interface that includes a radio component for establishing a short range wireless communication connection with a wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection,

a memory controller,

a memory component,

a protected memory area, in the memory component, storing the protected data that is implemented to be accessible by the memory controller by operating an authentication mechanism, the protected data includes data or software executable, individually or in any combination, and

an internal memory area, in the memory component, storing a program that is implemented to be not accessible by a user of the integrated circuit memory device, but is implemented to be accessible and executable by the memory controller to support, at least part of, functionalities of the memory controller, the security method comprising;

establishing, via the wireless interface of the integrated circuit memory device, a short range wireless communication connection between the integrated circuit memory device and the wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection;

providing, by the integrated circuit memory device to the wireless computing device, at least identification information associated with the integrated circuit memory device;

accessing, by the memory controller, the protected data stored in the protected memory area, the accessing of the protected data includes the memory controller operating the authentication mechanism that includes, at least in part, one or more cryptography algorithms;

operating, by the memory controller, at least part of an encryption operation on the protected data, accessed by the memory controller, for wireless transmission; and

wirelessly transmitting, via the wireless interface, the encrypted protected data, from the integrated circuit memory device and over the short range wireless communication connection, to the wireless computing device,

wherein the integrated circuit memory device functions as a security key by requiring presence of the integrated circuit memory device for the wireless transmitting of the encrypted protected data, and security of the protected data is safeguarded at least by the storing of the protected data in the protected memory area of the integrated circuit memory device, by the encryption operation, and by the wireless transmission over the short range wireless communication connection.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising operating, by the memory controller, at least part of an authentication algorithm that includes cryptography techniques for accessing the protected data stored in the protected memory area.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the security of the protected data includes preventing cloning or piracy of the protected data, and the security is safeguarded at least by the storing of the protected data in the protected memory area of the integrated circuit memory device, by the one or more cryptography algorithms, by a decryption operation, by the encryption operation, and by the wireless transmission over the short range wireless communication connection.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the integrated circuit memory device is included in a smart phone.

11. The method of claim 7 in which the integrated circuit memory device is embodied as a smart card, and the wireless computing device is at least a reader.

12. The method of claim 7 in which the integrated circuit memory device functions as a security key by storing a program in the internal memory area that is implemented to be not accessible by the user, but is implemented to be accessible and executable by the memory controller, the program providing at least part of the operations of the memory controller that includes accessing the protected data stored in the protected memory area of the integrated circuit memory device.

13. The method of claim 7 in which the integrated circuit memory device further includes a structural interface for connecting the integrated circuit memory device to a reader, or a docket, or a socket, or a port of a computing device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the protected data, from the integrated circuit memory device, over the structural interface and via a structural connection, to the wireless computing device.

15. A wireless communication device that includes an integrated circuit memory device for storing protected data and a wireless component for wireless transmission, the wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless interface that includes a radio component for establishing a short range wireless communication connection with a wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection;

a memory controller;

a memory component included in the integrated circuit memory device;

a protected memory area, in the memory component, storing the protected data that is implemented to be not accessible by a user of the wireless communication device, but is implemented to be accessible by the memory controller, the protected data includes data or software executable, individually or in any combination; and

an internal memory area, in the memory component, storing a program that is implemented to be not accessible by the user, but is implemented to be accessible and executable by the memory controller to support at least part of functionalities of the memory controller;

wherein the wireless communication device is operable for;

establishing, by the wireless communication device and via the wireless interface, a short range wireless communication connection between the wireless communication device and the wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection;

activating, by the wireless communication device, at least part of operations of the wireless communication device subsequent to establishing the short range wireless communication connection that is a radio communication connection; and

executing, by the memory controller, the program stored store in the internal memory area, and the execution of the program, by the memory controller, manages to;

access, by the memory controller, the protected data stored in the protected memory area, the accessing of the protected data stored in the protected memory area includes an authentication mechanism that further includes at least one cryptographic algorithm;

encrypt, at least part of, the protected data, accessed by the memory controller, for wireless transmission; and

wirelessly transmit, via the wireless interface, the encrypted protected data from the wireless communication device and over the short range wireless communication connection, to the wireless computing device; and

wherein the wireless communication device-functions as a security key by requiring presence of the wireless communication device for short range wireless transmission of the encrypted protected data to the wireless computing device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication device is a smart phone.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein security of the protected data includes preventing cloning or piracy of the protected data, and wherein the security of the protected data is safeguarded, at least partly, by the storing of the protected data in the protected memory area of the wireless communication device, by at least one cryptographic algorithm, by the encryption operation, and by the wireless transmission of the encrypted protected data, using the wireless interface and over the short range wireless communication connection to the wireless computing device.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the integrated circuit memory device is included in, or embodied as, a smart card, or a dongle, or a USB memory device, or a wireless communication device, individually or in any combination.

19. The device of claim 15, further comprising a structural interface for connecting the wireless communication device to a reader, or a docket, or a socket, or a port of a computing device.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein operations of the wireless communication device is further operable for transmitting the protected data, from the wireless communication device, over the structural interface and via a structural connection, to the wireless computing device.