Integrated Circuit Device That Includes A Secure Element And A Wireless Component For Transmitting Protected Data Over A Local Point-To-Point Wireless Communication Connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016239232-A1
Application number	US-201615042051-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 11, 2016
Priority date	Nov 1, 2000
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An integrated circuit device that includes a wireless component and a secure element is herein disclosed and enabled. The integrated circuit device includes a protected memory area for storing protected data that is implemented to be not accessible by a user, but is accessible by a memory controller included in the integrated circuit device. The memory controller accesses the protected data with a combination of security operations that may include authentication, cryptography, decryption, and encryption. The integrated circuit device further includes a wireless interface for establishing a local point-to-point radio connection with wireless computing devices or readers for transmitting the protected data that is encrypted. The integrated circuit device functions as a security key by requiring the presence of the integrated circuit device when using the protected data. The wireless integrated circuit device can be included in, or embodied, as any wireless communication device, such as a smart card.

First claim

1 . An integrated circuit memory device that is a wireless communication device for transmitting protected data stored in the integrated circuit memory device, the integrated circuit memory device comprising:
a wireless interface that includes a radio component for establishing a local point-to-point wireless communication connection with a wireless computing device, the local point-to-point wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection; a memory controller; a memory component; a protected memory area in the memory component storing protected data that is implemented to be not accessible by a user of the integrated circuit memory device, but is implemented to be accessible by the memory controller, the protected data includes data or software, individually or in any combination; an internal memory area in the memory component storing program that is implemented to be not accessible by the user, but is implemented to be accessible and executable by the memory controller to support at least part of the functionalities of the memory controller; wherein the integrated circuit memory device is configured for:
establishing, by the integrated circuit memory device, a local point-to-point wireless communication connection between the integrated circuit memory device and the wireless computing device, the local point-to-point wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection;
activating, by the integrated circuit memory device, at least part of operations of the integrated circuit memory device subsequent to establishing the local point-to-point wireless communication connection that is a radio communication connection;
managing, by the memory controller, at least part of the interaction between the integrated circuit memory device and the wireless computing device;
providing, by the integrated circuit memory device to the wireless computing device, identification associated with a device interface description;
accessing, by the memory controller, the protected data stored in the protected memory area;
operating, by the memory controller, at least part of an authentication algorithm that includes cryptography techniques for accessing the protected data stored in the protected memory area;
operating, by the memory controller, at least part of a decryption operation on the accessed protected data;
operating, by the memory controller, at least part of an encryption operation on the decrypted protected data for wireless transmission; and
wireless transmitting the encrypted protected data from the integrated circuit memory device over the local point-to-point wireless communication connection to the wireless computing device,
wherein the integrated circuit memory device function as a security key with the presence of the integrated circuit memory device for wireless transmitting the encrypted protected data.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit memory device includes security for preventing cloning or piracy of the protected data for distribution and use, the security of the protected data is safeguarded, at least partly, by the combination of storing the protected data in the protected memory area of the integrated circuit memory device, the cryptography techniques, the decryption operation, the encryption operation, and the wireless transmission over the local point-to-point wireless communication connection.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit memory device is included in, or embodied as, a smart card, a dongle, a USB memory device, or a wireless communication device, individually or in any combination.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit memory device is further configured for discovering the wireless computing device for establishing a local point-to-point wireless communication connection.

5 . The device of claim 1 in which the wireless computing device is at least a reader.

6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a structural interface for connecting the integrated circuit memory device to a reader, a docket, a socket, or a port of a computing device, and the integrated circuit memory device is further configured for transmitting the protected data from the integrated circuit memory device over the structural interface and via a structural connection to the computing device.

7 . A security method for transmitting protected data stored in an integrated circuit memory device, the integrated circuit memory device having:
a wireless interface that includes a radio component for establishing a local point-to-point wireless communication connection with a wireless computing device, the local point-to-point wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection, a memory controller, a memory component, a protected memory area in the memory component storing protected data that is implemented to be not accessible by a user of the integrated circuit memory device, but is implemented to be accessible by the memory controller, the protected data includes data or software executable, individually or in any combination, and an internal memory area in the memory component storing program that is implemented to be not accessible by the user, but is implemented to be accessible and executable by the memory controller to support at least part of the functionalities of the memory controller; the method comprising:
establishing, by the integrated circuit memory device, a local point-to-point wireless communication connection between the integrated circuit memory device and the wireless computing device, the local point-to-point wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection;
activating, by the integrated circuit memory device, at least part of operations of the integrated circuit memory device subsequent to establishing the local point-to-point wireless communication connection that is a radio communication connection;
providing, by the integrated circuit memory device to the wireless computing device, identification associated with a device interface description;
accessing, by the memory controller, the protected data stored in the protected memory area;
operating, by the memory controller, at least part of a decryption operation on the accessed protected data;
operating, by the memory controller, at least part of an encryption operation on the decrypted protected data for wireless transmission; and
wireless transmitting the encrypted protected data from the integrated circuit memory device over the local point-to-point wireless communication connection to the wireless computing device,
wherein the integrated circuit memory device functions as a security key by requiring the presence of the integrated circuit memory device for wireless transmitting the encrypted protected data, and the security of the protected data is safeguarded at least by the storing of the protected data in the protected memory area of the integrated circuit memory device, by the encryption operation, and by the wireless transmission over the local point-to-point wireless communication connection.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising operating, by the memory controller, at least part of an authentication algorithm that includes cryptography techniques for accessing the protected data stored in the protected memory area.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the security of the protected data includes preventing cloning or piracy of the protected data, and the security is safeguarded at least by the storing of the protected data in the protected memory area of the integrated circuit memory device, by the cryptography techniques, by the decryption operation, by the encryption operation, and

Assignees

• Flexiworld Tech Inc

Inventors

• Chang William Ho
• Viswanathan Vinaynathan

Classifications

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• G06F3/0656

  Data buffering arrangements · CPC title

• G06F2213/3814

  Wireless link with a computer system port · CPC title

• G06F3/0679

  Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP] · CPC title