System and method of distributed communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12323797-B2
Application number	US-202217709635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2022
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A system and method to facilitate synchronized operation and/or distributed operation of one or more aspects of a secure element of a first device in a communication system, such as an NFC capable communication system of the device, that communicates with a mobile device (e.g., a portable device or smartphone).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication system comprising:
a first device including:
a secure element (SE) including secure element data;
a first device controller communicatively coupled to said secure element, said first device controller configured to communicate secure element information pertaining to said secure element, said secure element information including at least one of a) a data packet generated by or provided to said secure element and b) at least a portion of said secure element data of said secure element;
a second device being remote from said first device, said second device communicatively coupled to said first device, said second device including:
a second device controller configured to communicate said secure element information with said first device controller, said second device controller operable to provide a second device secure element interface based on said secure element information, said second device secure element interface being a remote interface to said secure element of said first device;
a second device antenna configured to transmit communications to a mobile device and to receive communications from the mobile device;
said second device controller configured to receive, from the mobile device, a mobile device data packet for said second device secure element interface;

a third device being remote from said first and second devices, said third device communicatively coupled to said first device, said third device including:
a third device controller configured to communicate said secure element information with said first device controller, said third device controller operable to provide a third device secure element interface based on said secure element information, said third device secure element interface being a remote interface to said secure element of said first device;
a third device antenna configured to transmit and receive communications from the mobile device; and
said third device controller configured to receive, from the mobile device, a mobile device data packet for said third device secure element interface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said second device controller is operable to obtain a lock with respect to said secure element of said first device, wherein said second device secure element interface is operable as said secure element of said first device, and wherein said third device secure element interface is substantially prevented via said lock from operating as said secure element of said first device until after said second device controller releases said lock.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said lock is obtained with respect to a secure element applet of said secure element, such that another secure element applet of said secure element remains unlocked relative to said lock.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said secure element information received by said second device controller is a distributed version of a secure element applet of said secure element, wherein said second device secure element interface is said distributed version of said secure element applet of said secure element.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein, after or while the mobile device interacts with said distributed version of said secure element applet via said second device secure element interface, said second device controller provides secure element information, to said first device controller, pertaining to a state change with respect to said secure element relating to interactions between the mobile device and said second device secure element interface.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said secure element information is at least one of received by said second device controller and transmitted to said first device controller, wherein said secure element information pertains to said data packet generated by or provided to said secure element, wherein said second device secure element interface relays the mobile device data packet to said secure element via said first and second device controllers to operate as said secure element.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said first device includes:
a first device antenna configured to transmit communications to the mobile device and to receive communications from the mobile device; and
said first device controller configured to receive, from the mobile device, a mobile device data packet for said secure element.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said first device controller is operable to provide a distributed interface to content of said secure element.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said first device controller and said second device controller are operable to establish a secure communication connection, wherein said secure element information is transmitted via said secure communication connection.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said second device includes a distributed version of said secure element, and wherein said distributed version of said secure element forms said second device secure element interface, and wherein said distributed version provides a copy of said secure element of said first device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein memory associated with said secure element is distributed over multiple devices, such that memory associated with a secure element applet of said secure element is decentralized.

12. A method of communicating, the method comprising:
communicating secure element information pertaining to a secure element (SE) of a first device, wherein the secure element information includes at least one of a) a data packet generated by or provided to the secure element and b) at least a portion of secure element data of the secure element;
communicating, in a second device, the secure element information with the first device;
providing, in the second device that is remote from the first device, a second device secure element interface that is based on the secure element information communicated with the first device;
transmitting communications between the second device and a mobile device;
receiving, in the second device, communications transmitted from the mobile device that includes information for the second device secure element interface;
communicating, in a third device, the secure element information with the first device;
providing, in the third device that is remote from the first device, a third device secure element interface that is based on the secure element information communicated with the first device;
transmitting communications between the third device and the mobile device; and
receiving, in the third device, communications transmitted from the mobile device that includes information for the third device secure element interface.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising:
obtaining a lock with respect to the secure element of the first device;
operating the second device secure element interface as the secure element of the first device; and
substantially preventing the third device secure element interface of the third device from operating as the secure element of the first device until after the lock is released.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein:
communicating the secure element information in the second device with the first device includes the second device receiving the secure element information in accordance with a distributed version of a secure element applet of the secure element; and
conducting, via the second device secure element interface, communications in accordance with the distributed version of the secure element applet of the secure element.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising, after or while the mobile dev

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc
• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Smith Eric J
• Cooper Kyle

Classifications

• H04W12/082

  using revocation of authorisation · CPC title

• H04W12/08 Primary

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W12/40 Primary

  Security arrangements using identity modules · CPC title