Method and mobile terminal device including smartcard module and near field communications means

• US 8,005,426 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Huomo, Heikki, Lahteenmaki, Mia, Ramo, Kimmo, Immonen, Olli
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan; Yuwen
• Application Number:
  US11/817,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,360 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 235/441
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/354 Card activation or deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/208 Use of an ATM as a switch or hub
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• 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 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

According to the present invention, a method for controlling a mobile terminal device is provided, wherein said device comprises a smartcard module and a near field communication module. In a first operation a smartcard operation on said mobile terminal device is started which results in an activation or switching on of said smartcard module. The smartcard application may be started by a user or based on the location of said mobile terminal device. That is the case for instance if the mobile terminal device is located in the area of a point of sales terminal, the smartcard application will automatically starts. Further, time controlled starting of certain applications is conceivable. Then it may be determined if said started smartcard application is an application for performing data transactions with external entities and in case of an affirmative determination a connection between said smartcard module and said NFC-module will be activated.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

starting a smartcard application on an apparatus;

in response to said starting of said smartcard application, activating a smartcard module in said apparatus;

determining whether said started smartcard application is an external application for performing data transactions with external entities or said started smartcard application is an internal application for performing internal communications in said apparatus; and

switching a connection between said smartcard module and a near field communication module in said apparatus in case of an affirmative determination of said external application, whereby said near field communication module is configured for providing a wireless near field communications interface to said smartcard module for conducting wireless data transactions with an external entity, and switching a connection between said smartcard module and a central processing unit of said apparatus in case of no affirmative determination of said external application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

switching a connection between said smartcard module and a wide-area networking module in said apparatus in case of an affirmative determination of said external application via said wide-area networking module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating of said smartcard module is based on performing an authorization step for activating functionality of said smartcard module.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said authorization step is based on user input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said activated smartcard module is accessible only for a predefined time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating of said smartcard module is based on user input by means of a graphical user interface (GUI).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said connection between said smartcard module and said near field communication module is disabled if said smartcard application corresponds to an internal application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating of said smartcard module is automatically provided by means of a mobile terminal control unit (MCU).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said starting of said smartcard application is provided depending on an environment of said apparatus.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said data transactions are wireless data transactions with a second party, wherein said transactions are provided in a near field communication environment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein performing of said wireless data transactions further comprises receiving notification from said second party and sending acknowledgement data to said second party, both corresponding to a wireless data transmission.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least one digital receipt corresponding to each said wireless data transaction executed with said second party;

storing said at least one digital receipt in a storage;

collecting all digital receipts during a predetermined time period in said storage;

receiving an overall digital receipt from a service providing party, wherein said overall digital receipt is accumulated by said service providing party during said predetermined time period; and

comparing said collected digital receipts with said received overall digital receipt from a service providing party.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said digital receipt and said overall digital receipt comprise at least one of date and time information data, credit card balance data, shopping receipts in connection with a certain merchant or the like.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said comparing is provided for each transaction on a real time basis.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising forwarding said received overall digital receipt and said collected digital receipts to another entity.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating the smartcard module by means of a mobile terminal control unit coupled to the near field communication module in said apparatus, when said apparatus is proximate to a point of sale terminal.

17. A non-transitory computer program product, comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for execution by a processor;

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to start a smartcard application on an apparatus;

program code in said medium for enabling the processor in response to said starting of said smartcard application, to activate a smartcard module in said apparatus;

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to determine whether said started smartcard application is an external application for performing data transactions with external entities or said started smartcard application is an internal application for performing internal communications in said apparatus; and

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to switch a connection between said smartcard module and a near field communication module in said apparatus in case of an affirmative determination of said external application, whereby said near field communication module is configured for providing a wireless near field communications interface to said smartcard module for conducting wireless data transactions with an external entity, and switch a connection between said smartcard module and a central processing unit of said apparatus in case of no affirmative determination of said external application.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a smartcard module;

a near field communication module;

a central processing unit, coupled to the near field communication module, configured to start a smartcard application, resulting in activation of the smartcard module, said central processing unit further configured to determine whether said started smartcard application is an external application for performing data transactions with external entities or said started smartcard application is an internal application for performing internal communications in the apparatus; and

a switch coupled to the central processing unit, configured to switch a connection between said smartcard module and a near field communication module in the apparatus in case of an affirmative determination of said external application, whereby said near field communication module is configured to provide a wireless near field communications interface to said smartcard module for conducting wireless data transactions with an external entity, and to switch a connection between said smartcard module and a central processing unit of the apparatus in case of no affirmative determination of said external application.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said smartcard module is only accessible after user authentication and for a certain period of time.

20. A mobile terminal device, comprising:

a processor;

a smartcard module;

a Near Field Communication module;

a memory including executable instructions, the memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the processor, cause the mobile terminal device to perform at least the following;

start a smartcard application on said mobile terminal device;

activate said smartcard module in response to said starting of said smartcard application;

determine whether said started smartcard application is an external application for performing data transactions with external entities or said started smartcard application is an internal application for performing internal communications in said mobile terminal device; and

switch a connection between said smartcard module and said near field communication module in case of an affirmative determination of said external application, whereby said near field communication module is configured for providing a wireless near field communications interface to said smartcard module for conducting wireless data transactions with an external entity, and switch a connection between said smartcard module and a mobile controlling unit of said mobile terminal device in case of no affirmative determination of said external application.

21. The mobile terminal device of claim 20, wherein said smartcard module is only accessible after user authentication and for a certain period of time.

22. The mobile terminal device of claim 20, further comprising:

a wide-area networking module;

wherein the memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the processor, cause the mobile terminal device to further perform at least the following;

switch a connection between said smartcard module and said wide-area networking module in case of an affirmative determination of said external application via said wide-area networking module.

23. The mobile terminal device of claim 20, wherein-the memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the processor, cause the mobile terminal device to further perform at least the following:

obtain at least one digital receipt corresponding to each said wireless data transaction executed with said second party;

store said at least one digital receipt in a storage;

collect all digital receipts during a predetermined time period in said storage;

receive a overall digital receipt from a service providing party, wherein said overall digital receipt is accumulated by said service providing party during said predetermined time period; and

compare said collected digital receipts with said received overall digital receipt from a service providing party.

24. The mobile terminal device of claim 20, further comprising a clock module configured to control all time oriented events within said device.

25. The mobile terminal device of claim 20, further comprising a telecommunications module configured to connect to a cellular radio network for receiving the overall digital receipt from a service providing party.

26. The mobile terminal device of claim 20, further comprising a receipt storage embedded within said smartcard module, configured to store transaction related data.

27. Wireless data transaction system, comprising:

at least one mobile terminal device, comprising;

a smartcard module;

a Near Field Communication module;

a memory module;

means for starting a smartcard application on said mobile terminal device;

means for, in response to said starting of said smartcard application, activating of said smartcard module;

means for determining whether said started smartcard application is an external application for performing data transactions with external entities or said started smartcard application is an internal application for performing internal communications in said mobile terminal device;

means for switching a connection between said smartcard module and said near field communication module in said mobile terminal device in case of an affirmative determination of said external application, whereby said near field communication module is configured for providing a wireless near field communications interface to said smartcard module for conducting wireless data transactions with an external entity, and for switching a connection between said smartcard module and a mobile controlling unit of said mobile terminal device in case of no affirmative determination of said external application;

a mobile controlling unit interconnecting said smart card module, said near field communication module and said memory module, wherein said mobile controlling unit is adapted for controlling operation of said mobile device; and

a plurality of external entities;

wherein said mobile terminal devices provide bidirectional data transactions with said external entities.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

means for starting a smartcard application;

means for, in response to said starting of said smartcard application, activating a smartcard module in the apparatus;

means for determining whether said started smartcard application is an external application for performing data transactions with external entities or said started smartcard application is an internal application for performing internal communications in the apparatus; and

means for switching a connection between said smartcard module and a near field communication module in the apparatus in case of an affirmative determination of said external application, whereby said near field communication module is configured for providing a wireless near field communications interface to said smartcard module for conducting wireless data transactions with an external entity, and switching a connection between said smartcard module and a central processing unit of the apparatus in case of no affirmative determination of said external application.

29. A non-transitory computer program product representing instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to perform the steps comprising:

starting a smartcard application;

in response to said starting of said smartcard application, activating a smartcard module in said apparatus;

determining whether said started smartcard application is an external application for performing data transactions with external entities or said started smartcard application is an internal application for performing internal communications in said apparatus; and

switching a connection between said smartcard module and a near field communication module in said apparatus in case of an affirmative determination of said external application, whereby said near field communication module is configured for providing a wireless near field communications interface to said smartcard module for conducting wireless data transactions with an external entity, and switching a connection between said smartcard module and a central processing unit of said apparatus in case of no affirmative determination of said external application.