Secure element having multiple users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11074582-B2
Application number	US-201715709925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2017
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed relating to secure data storage. In various embodiments, a mobile device includes a wireless interface, a secure element, and a secure circuit. The secure element is configured to store confidential information associated with a plurality of users and to receive a request to communicate the confidential information associated with a particular one of the plurality of users. The secure element is further configured to communicate, via the wireless interface, the confidential information associated with the particular user in response to an authentication of the particular user. The secure circuit is configured to perform the authentication of the particular user. In some embodiments, the mobile device also includes a biosensor configured to collect biometric information from a user of the mobile device. In such an embodiment, the secure circuit is configured to store biometric information collected from the plurality of users by the biosensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device, comprising:
a wireless interface;
a secure processor circuit;
a secure element comprising a first processor and a first memory, wherein the first memory stores programs instructions that when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to perform the steps of:
storing in the first memory, confidential information associated with a plurality of users;
receiving a first request to communicate the confidential information associated with a first user of the plurality of users;
sending a request to perform an authentication of the first user to the secure processor circuit; and

the secure processor circuit comprising a second processor and a second memory, wherein the second memory stores program instructions that when executed by the second processor causes the second processor to perform the steps of:
authenticating the first user in response to the request from the secure element; and

the first memory further stores additional program instructions that when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to perform the steps of:
communicating via the wireless interface, the confidential information associated with the first user in response to the authenticating the first user.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a biosensor;
wherein the second memory stores additional program instructions that when executed by the second processor causes the second processor to perform the steps of:
collecting biometric information from the plurality of users using the biosensor;
storing the collected biometric information;
receiving a request to perform the authenticating of the first user, wherein the request identifies the first user; and

wherein the authenticating the first user in response to the request from the secure element further comprises:
receiving biometric information from the first user using the biosensor;
retrieving the biometric information of the first user from the stored biometric information of the plurality of users; and
comparing the retrieved biometric information of the first user with the received biometric information of the first user.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first memory stores additional program instructions that when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to perform, for each user of the plurality of users, the steps of:
storing a user applet in the secure element; and
storing in the user applet confidential information of the user;
instantiating an instance of a contactless registry service (CRS) applet; and
associating the instantiated instance of the CRS applet with the user.

4. The mobile device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a third processor; and
a third memory stores program instructions that when executed by the third processor causes the third processor to perform, for a second user of the plurality of users, the steps of:
receiving a second request to communicate confidential information associated with the second user;
selecting an instance of the CRS applet for the received second request; and

wherein the first memory stores additional program instructions that when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to perform, for the second user of the plurality of users, the steps of:
executing the instance of the CRS applet; and
sending a request to perform an authentication of the second user to the secure processor circuit using the executed instance of the CRS applet.

5. The mobile device of claim 3 , the first memory stores additional program instructions that when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to perform the steps of:
establishing a connection with the secure processor circuit, via the instantiated instance of the CRS applet, by using a key corresponding to the user; and
determining, based on a status of the connection, whether to communicate the confidential information of the user via the wireless interface.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first memory stores additional program instructions that when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to perform the steps of:
instantiating an instance of a contactless registry service (CRS) applet;
assigning the instantiated instance of the CRS applet to each user of the plurality of users;
wherein the sending the request to the secure processor circuit comprises:
sending a request, using the instantiated instance of the CSR applet, to the secure processor circuit to perform an authentication of the first user.

7. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the second memory stores additional program instructions that when executed by the second processor causes the second processor to perform the steps of:
sending an indication of the user authentication to the instantiated instance of the CRS applet of the secure element.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Sibert Herve
• Elrad Oren M
• Hauck Jerrold V
• Tackin Onur E
• Rosen Zachary A
• Lerch Matthias

Classifications

• G06F21/35

  communicating wirelessly · CPC title

• G06Q20/4014

  Identity check for transactions · CPC title

• H04W12/068

  using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications · CPC title

• G06Q20/3278

  RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices · CPC title

• G06F21/31

  User authentication · CPC title