Mobile device with near field communication module and secure chip

• US 20070235539A1
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sevanto, Jarkko, Saarisalo, Mikko, Raisanen, Jukka-Pekka
• Application Number:
  US11/398,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20070235539A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1025 Identification of user by a PIN code

Abstract

A mobile device provided with a secure chip and a short-range wireless RF communication module, which can be used for contactless transactions with external short-range wireless RF communication devices, for example at a point of sales. The mobile device is provided with user selectable activity levels of the secure chip to reduce security risks/concerns associated with such a terminal. The user selectable activity levels may include levels in which the secure chip is deactivated by default, and only temporarily activated upon user confirmation or the entry of a password or PIN.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a user interface with input means and output means;

a short-range wireless RF communication module for wireless communication with an external short-range wireless RF communication device when said device is brought in proximity of said external short-range wireless RF communication device;

a secure chip; and

a processor controlling the operation of the device including the activation and deactivation of said secure chip,

said processor being configured to activate and/or deactivate said secure chip in accordance with a plurality of user selected activation levels.

2. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said user selected activation levels include at least one activation level in which said processor keeps the secure chip inactive by default.

3. A mobile device according to claim 2, wherein the processor prompts the user to allow temporary activation of said secure chip upon said short-range wireless RF communication module detecting a proximate external short-range wireless RF communication device in said at least one said user selected activation level.

4. A mobile device according to claim 3, wherein said processor temporarily activates the secure chip in said at least one user selected activation level upon the entry of a password by the user via said input means.

5. A mobile device according to claim 3, wherein said processor temporarily activates the secure chip in said at least one user selected activation level upon confirmation by the user via said input means.

6. A mobile device according to claim 3, wherein said secure chip and said short-range wireless RF communication module are used for carrying out a transaction, and said transaction is completed when the user brings the mobile device again into the proximity of said external short-range wireless RF communication device.

7. A mobile device according to claim 3, wherein said secure chip and said short-range wireless RF communication module are used for carrying out transactions, and said processor deactivates said secure chip in said at least one user selectable activation level when a predetermined or user selected number of transactions has been completed and/or when the mobile device is no longer in the proximity of said external short-range wireless RF communication device.

8. A mobile device according to claim 3, wherein said processor deactivates said secure chip in said at least one user selectable activation level after a predetermined or user selected timeout following the activation of the secure chip.

9. A mobile device according to claim 3, wherein said output means comprise light emitting indications and/or a display and/or a speaker and/or a vibrator, and wherein said input means include keys and/or slides and/or rotators and/or a microphone and/or a touch screen.

10. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the input means and the output means in interaction with the processor form a user interface.

11. A mobile device according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to enable the user to change said user selectable activation levels via the user interface.

12. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to indicate the current user selected activation level for the activation of the secure chip via said output means.

13. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said short-range wireless RF communication module and said secure chip can be active when the device is powered-off.

14. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of user selectable activation levels include a level in which said processor keeps said secure chip active until the user decides to change the user selectable activation level for the activation of the secure chip.

15. A method for controlling the activation of a secure chip in a mobile device that is provided with a user interface, a secure chip and a short-range wireless RF communication module comprising:

keeping said secure chip inactive as default;

detecting the presence of an external short-range wireless RF communication device in the proximity of the mobile device; and

prompting the user via the user interface to allow the secure chip to be temporarily activated upon detecting an external short-range wireless RF communication device in the proximity of the mobile device.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the user is required to enter a password for allowing the temporary activation of said secure chip.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the user is required to confirm the activation prompt for allowing the temporary activation of said secure chip.

18. A method according to claim 15, further comprising carrying out a transaction through the secure chip and said short-range wireless RF communication module when the secure chip has been activated and the mobile device is in the proximity of said external short-range wireless RF communication device.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising deactivating said secure chip when a predetermined or user selected number of transactions has been completed and/or when the mobile device is moved out of the proximity of said external short-range wireless RF communication device after a transaction has been completed.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein said processor deactivates said secure chip after a timeout with a predetermined or user selected length following the activation of the secure chip.

21. A method according to claim 15, wherein said user interface comprises light emitting indications and/or a display and/or a speaker, and/or keys and/or slides and/or rotators and/or a microphone and/or a touch screen.

22. A method according to claim 15, further comprising enabling the user to change the activation level of the secure chip via the user interface.

23. A method according to claim 15, further comprising indicating the current activation state of the secure chip via said user interface.

24. A method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of the mobile device and the activation and deactivation of said secure chip is performed by a processor in said mobile device.

25. A method according to claim 15, wherein said processor is configured to activate and/or deactivate said secure chip in accordance with a plurality of user selected activation levels.

26. A computer program product comprising program code stored on a computer readable medium or downloadable from a server for carrying out the method of claim 15, when said computer program product is run on a mobile device.