Patents Portfolio

U.S. Patent: 10,359,957

Patent Title

Integrated circuit device that includes a secure element and a wireless component for transmitting protected data over short range wireless point-to-point communications

Meta Information

Issued Date: July 23, 2019
Inventor: William Ho Chang et al
External Links: UPSTO, Google Patents

Technical Fields

Smart Phone / Tablet, Digital Wallet / Payment

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 cryptography, decryption, or encryption. The integrated circuit device further includes a wireless interface for establishing a short range wireless point-to-point communication with wireless computing devices or readers for transmitting the protected data that is encrypted. The integrated circuit device functions as a security key requiring the presence of the integrated circuit device when accessing and using the protected data. The wireless integrated circuit device can be included in, or embodied as, any wireless communication device, such as a smart phone.

Sample Claim

1. An integrated circuit memory device that is a wireless 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 short range wireless communication connection with a wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection, the wireless computing device being a distinct device from the integrated circuit memory device;
a memory controller;
a memory component;
a protected memory section, in the memory component, storing the protected data that is implemented to be not accessible by a user of the integrated circuit memory device at the protected memory section, but is implemented to be accessible by the memory controller, the protected data includes data or software, individually or in any combination;
wherein the integrated circuit memory device is configured for:
establishing, via the wireless interface of the integrated circuit memory device, a short range wireless communication connection between the integrated circuit memory device and the wireless computing device, the short range wireless communication connection being a radio communication connection;
providing, by the integrated circuit memory device to the wireless computing device, information for identifying itself to the wireless computing device via the established short range wireless communication connection;
accessing, by the memory controller, the protected data stored in the protected memory section, the access of the protected data by the memory controller includes an authentication mechanism having a cryptographic algorithm implemented by the memory controller for accessing the protected data stored in the protected memory section; and
wirelessly transmitting, via the wireless interface, at least part of the protected data accessed by the memory controller, from the integrated circuit memory device and over the short range wireless communication connection, to the wireless computing device.