Wireless communication device providing a contactless interface for a smart card reader

• US 20040065734A1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Piikivi, Lauri
• Granted Patent: US 6,776,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A wireless terminal (30) including a smart card application host (34), such as a contact smart card or the terminal MCU or a terminal security component, and including a terminal interface (32), and also including a smart card router (33) that enables RF communication with a contactless card reader (35) in for example a ticketing system (31), even though the smart card application host (34) does not contain a contactless interface. The smart card router (33) includes an RF antenna (33c), separate from and external to the smart card application host (34), and also a modulator/demodulator (33b), and also includes a card access module and router (33a) for routing communication traffic (R_in) arriving via the RF antenna (33c) to either the smart card application host (34) or to the terminal interface (32), based on information included in the arriving communication traffic (R_in).

Claims

1. A wireless terminal (30) having a terminal interface (32), characterized in that the wireless terminal (30) includes a smart card application host (34) and also a smart card router (33), the smart card router (33) responsive to radiofrequency (RF) communication signal (RF in air) issuing from a contactless smart card reader (35), for demodulating the RF communication signal (RF in air) and providing either a demodulated communication traffic signal (S_in) routed to the smart card application host (34) or a demodulated communication traffic signal (U_in) routed to the terminal interface (32), the routing determined based on information conveyed by the RF communication signal (RF in air).

2. A wireless terminal as in claim 1, wherein the smart card application host (34) is selected from the group consisting of a contact smart card, a microcontroller residing in the wireless terminal (30), and a security component of the wireless terminal (30).

3. A wireless terminal (30) as in claim 1, further characterized in that the smart card router (33) is also responsive to unmodulated communication traffic (S_out) provided by the smart card application host (34) and is responsive to unmodulated communication traffic (u_out) provided by the terminal interface (32), and in response to either provides a modulated communication traffic signal (RF in air) for transmission to the contactless smart card reader (35).

4. A wireless terminal (30) as in claim 3, wherein the smart card router (32) comprises a card access module and router (33a), a modulator/demodulator (33b), an RF antenna (33c), and a card reader chip (33d), wherein the card access module and router (33a) is coupled to the smart card application host (34) via the card reader chip (33d) and is coupled to the terminal interface (32) and is also coupled to the RF antenna (33c) via the modulator/demodulator (33b), the RF antenna (33c) in turn being radiatively coupled to the ticketing system (31).

5. A wireless terminal (30) as in claim 1, further characterized in that the smart card router (33) provides logical channels (Ch1 Ch2) for communication with different applications (34-1 34-2) hosted by the smart card application host (34).

6. A wireless terminal (30) as in claim 1, further characterized in that in starting communications with the contactless smart card reader (35), the wireless terminal (30) reports RF parameter messages in a format understandable to the contactless smart card reader (35) so as to enable the communications.

7. The wireless terminal (30) as in claim 6, wherein the RF parameters so reported indicate proprietary capabilities of the smart card application host (34).

8. The wireless terminal (30) as in claim 6, wherein the RF parameters are derived from data provided by an answer-to-reset message issued by the smart card application host (34).

9. A method for use by a wireless terminal (30) in communicating with a contactless smart card reader (35), the wireless terminal including a smart card application host (34) hosting at least one smart card application (34-134-2), the method characterized by:

a step (61) of receiving from the contactless smart card reader (35) a radiofrequency (RF) communication signal pertinent to the at least one smart card application;

a step (62) of examining the received communication signal to determine where to route it, including possibly routing the communication signal to the at least one smart card application (34-1 34-2) or to a terminal interface (32) of the wireless terminal (30) or to an RF antenna (33c) for radiative transmission to a system (31a 31b) related to the at least one smart card application; and

a step (63) of routing the communication signal to the destination so determined.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the smart card application host (34) is selected from the group consisting of a contact smart card, a microcontroller residing in the wireless terminal (30), and a security component of the wireless terminal (30).

11. A method as in claim 9, further characterized in that in routing the communication signal, logical channels (Ch1 Ch2) are used for communication with different applications (34-1 34-2) hosted by the smart card application host (34).

12. A method as in claim 9, further characterized in that in starting communications with the contactless smart card reader (35), the wireless terminal (30) reports RF parameter messages in a format understandable to the contactless smart card reader (35) so as to enable the communications.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the RF parameters so reported indicate proprietary capabilities of the smart card application host (34).

14. A method as in claim 12, wherein the RF parameters are derived from data provided by an answer-to-reset message issued by the smart card application host (34).