A hardware wallet and its processing method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a hardware wallet and its processing method, relating to the technical field of digital assets. A specific embodiment of the hardware wallet includes: an SE security unit, a main control unit, and a power management module; wherein, the SE security unit is connected to an antenna for near-field communication; in the shutdown state, the SE security unit and the antenna work independently, and the antenna performs near-field communication with a terminal device; the SE security unit controls the power management module to turn on and off under specific conditions; the main control unit is connected to the SE security unit; the power management module supplies power to the main control unit. The hardware wallet of the embodiments of the present invention not only ensures the security of large-value transactions and the portability of small-value transactions, but also reduces the power consumption and extends the standby time of the hardware wallet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of digital assets, and particularly relates to a hardware wallet and a processing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] The hardware wallet stores the private key of the user's digital currency and is generally in an offline state; only when in use, it realizes connection with the application software of terminal devices such as mobile phones and PCs through USB, Bluetooth or QR code, etc., so as to complete functions such as transaction signature and receipt.

[0003] At present, these methods can effectively prevent tampering and attacks by hackers and illegal personnel in terms of security; however, this device generally contains a rechargeable battery, and frequent operation of the hardware wallet has relatively high requirements for battery power. If the device is powered on every time a transaction is made, the battery power of the hardware wallet will be consumed, and a larger battery may be required to increase the charging interval to improve the user experience, which directly leads to an overly large device size.

[0004] Moreover, for users, each use requires operations such as Bluetooth pairing, USB connection, and power-on, which is rather cumbersome for users with a high usage frequency. Although there are also card-type hardware wallets on the market that communicate with mobile phones through NFC and have relatively simple operations, for large-value transactions, it is impossible to display information and perform user confirmation operations on the hardware wallet, and the security of assets is also difficult to guarantee. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a hardware wallet and a processing method thereof, which are used to solve the technical problem of large power consumption caused by powering on the existing hardware wallet every time it is used.

[0006] The present invention provides a hardware wallet, which includes an SE security unit, a main control unit, and a power management module; wherein, the SE security unit is connected to an antenna for near-field communication; in the shutdown state, the SE security unit and the antenna work independently, and the antenna conducts near-field communication with the terminal device; the SE security unit controls the power management module to turn on and off under specific conditions; the main control unit is connected to the SE security unit; the power management module supplies power to the main control unit.

[0007] Preferably, it further includes a USB interface, the USB interface is connected to the main control unit, and in response to the USB interface entering the working state, the power management module is automatically turned on.

[0008] Preferably, it further includes a Bluetooth module and a key module; the Bluetooth module and the key module are connected to the main control unit; the key module is also connected to the power management module, and the key module controls the power management module to turn on and off; in response to the power management module being turned on, the Bluetooth module is turned on.

[0009] Preferably, in response to the master control unit detecting that the time during which the master control unit remains in an idle state exceeds a threshold value, the master control unit controls the power management module to be turned off.

[0010] The present invention further provides a processing method for a hardware wallet, including: establishing a near-field communication connection with a terminal device in response to receiving a near-field communication signal; receiving transaction information of the terminal device; decrypting and parsing the transaction information by an SE security unit to obtain processed transaction information, where the processed transaction information includes a transaction amount; determining whether the transaction amount is less than a transaction amount threshold built in the SE security unit; if the transaction amount is not less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit automatically triggers the power management module to be turned on, and the power management module supplies power to the master control unit and the display unit; the SE security unit sends the processed transaction information to the master control unit, and the master control unit drives the display unit to display the transaction information for confirmation; in response to receiving a confirmation or cancellation message, the master control unit sends a processing result to the SE security unit; the SE security unit sends the processing result to the terminal device by means of near-field communication.

[0011] Preferably, if the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit signs the transaction information and sends the signature result to the terminal device.

[0012] Preferably, it further includes: in response to the USB interface entering a working state, the power management module is automatically turned on, and a USB connection is established with the terminal device.

[0013] Preferably, the master control unit receives the transaction information of the terminal device through a USB or Bluetooth interface and forwards it to the SE security unit; the SE security unit decrypts and parses the transaction information to obtain processed transaction information, where the processed transaction information includes a transaction amount; the SE security unit determines whether the transaction amount is less than a transaction amount threshold built in the SE security unit; if the transaction amount is not less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit sends the processed transaction information to the master control unit; the master control unit drives the display unit to display the transaction information for confirmation; in response to receiving a confirmation or cancellation message, the master control unit sends the processing result to the terminal device through the USB or Bluetooth interface.

[0014] Preferably, if the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit signs the transaction information and sends it to the terminal device through the master control unit.

[0015] Preferably, it further includes: detecting the time during which the master control unit remains in an idle state; determining whether the time during which the master control unit remains in an idle state exceeds a threshold value; if so, controlling the power management module to be turned off. Description of the Drawings

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of the hardware wallet provided by the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a flowchart of the processing method of the hardware wallet provided by the present invention in the near - field communication mode;

[0019] Figure 3 It is a flowchart of the processing method of the hardware wallet provided by the present invention in the USB or Bluetooth mode;

[0020] Figure 4 It is a control circuit diagram of the hardware wallet provided by the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0021] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0022] Embodiment 1

[0023] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of the hardware wallet provided by the present invention. As Figure 1 shown, the hardware wallet includes a SE (Secure Element) security unit 110, a main control unit 120, a power management module 130, a key module 140, a display unit 150, an antenna 180, and also includes a USB interface 160 and / or a Bluetooth module 170.

[0024] The SE security unit 110 is connected to the antenna 180 for Near Field Communication (NFC). And the SE security unit 110 controls the power management module 130 to turn on and off under specific conditions. The SE security unit 110 stores the private key of the hardware wallet. In the shutdown state, the SE security unit 110 and the antenna 180 work independently, establish an NFC communication connection with terminal devices such as mobile phones through the antenna 180, and can realize services such as the creation and transaction of the hardware wallet without turning on the power management module 130, that is, can realize services such as the creation and transaction of the hardware wallet without the main control unit and the display unit. At the same time, the SE security unit 110 can control the power management module 130 to turn on and off under specific conditions. For details, see Embodiment 2.

[0025] The main control unit 120 is respectively connected to the SE security unit 110, the display unit 150, the key module 140, the USB interface 160, and the Bluetooth module 170. The display unit 150 receives the instruction of the main control unit 120 and displays the data in the instruction. The key module 140 includes at least one of the confirmation function, the cancellation function, and the power function. The confirmation function and the cancellation function are used to confirm or cancel the information displayed by the display unit in response to the control information of the main control unit. The power function is used to control the turning on and off of the power management module. The USB interface 160 and the Bluetooth module 170 are used to establish USB and Bluetooth communication connections with terminal devices such as mobile phones and PCs. In response to the USB interface 160 entering the working state, the power management module 130 is automatically turned on, so that the hardware wallet establishes a USB connection with the terminal device. In the case of a Bluetooth connection required, the user triggers the power management module 130 to turn on through the power key in the key module 140 to supply power to the Bluetooth module, and then connects to the terminal device through Bluetooth pairing. The power management module 130 supplies power to the main control unit 120 and the display unit 150, and also controls battery charging, performs power-on and power-off processing, etc. The power-on and power-off signals come from the key module 140 or the SE security unit 110.

[0026] As an embodiment, the main control unit and the SE security unit communicate through interfaces such as Inter-Integrated Circuit (IIC), Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART), and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI).

[0027] As an embodiment, the control circuit of the hardware wallet is as Figure 4As shown in the figure, the control circuit includes a VIN charging chip, a battery, an SE security unit, a low dropout regulator (LDO), a voltage detection circuit, a main control unit, an antenna (not shown in the figure), and a display unit (not shown in the figure). The LDO and the voltage detection circuit together constitute the above-mentioned power management module 130.

[0028] The control principle is as follows:

[0029] External power supply mode: When powered by USB or a charger, the external power supply is connected to the Vin pin and the ON / OFF pin of the low dropout regulator (LDO) through diodes D1 and D2 respectively. The Vout pin of the LDO supplies power to the main control unit to power the entire hardware wallet.

[0030] Button startup mode (when Bluetooth is required): When the S1 button is pressed, the voltage detection circuit detects the battery voltage. The OUT pin of the voltage detection circuit outputs a high level, and triggers the LDO enable through diode D5; the battery is connected to the Vin pin of the LDO through diode D4, and the Vout of the LDO supplies power to the main control unit to power the entire hardware wallet; after the hardware wallet starts up, the main control unit controls the PWR to output a high level, locking the ON / OFF of the LDO at a high level to ensure normal power supply. A status detection module is set in the main control unit. When the main control unit continuously stays in the idle state for more than the threshold, the main control unit pulls down the PWR pin to control the hardware wallet to shut down.

[0031] SE security unit triggers startup and shutdown: When the SE security unit communicates with the terminal device through NFC, if startup display information is required or user confirmation is required, the PWRON of the SE security unit outputs a high level and triggers the LDO to be effective through diode D3. At this time, the battery is always connected to the Vin pin of the LDO through diode D4, and the Vout of the LDO supplies power to the main control unit to power the hardware wallet; after startup, the SE security unit provides startup information to the main control unit through the PWR flag. In response to receiving the PWR flag, the main control unit prohibits the PWR pin from outputting. After the SE security unit completes the interaction with the main control unit, the SE security unit pulls down the PWRON pin to control the hardware wallet to shut down.

[0032] Embodiment 2

[0033] The present invention also provides a processing method for a hardware wallet based on NFC connection. As Figure 2 shown, the processing method includes the following steps:

[0034] S210: In response to receiving an NFC signal, the SE security unit establishes a near-field communication connection with the terminal device. Specifically, the user can place the hardware wallet on the back of the mobile phone and connect and communicate with the APP on the terminal through the terminal device.

[0035] S220: The SE security unit receives the transaction information of the terminal device.

[0036] S230: The SE security unit decrypts and parses the transaction information to obtain the processed transaction information, and the processed transaction information includes the transaction amount.

[0037] S240: Determine whether the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold built in the SE security unit. If so, execute S250; otherwise, execute S260.

[0038] S250: The SE security unit signs the transaction information and sends the signature result to the terminal device via NFC to complete the transaction.

[0039] S260: The SE security unit automatically triggers the power management module to turn on, enabling the power management module to supply power to the main control unit and the display unit.

[0040] S270: The SE security unit sends the processed transaction information to the main control unit for processing. Specifically, the main control unit drives the display unit to display the transaction information for confirmation, and the user performs operations such as confirmation or cancellation through the key module; in response to receiving the confirmation or cancellation information, the main control unit sends the processing result to the SE security unit, and the SE security unit sends the processing result to the terminal device via NFC.

[0041] S280: After the communication between the SE security unit and the main control unit is completed, the SE security unit automatically controls the power management module to turn off to minimize power consumption.

[0042] In addition, if information confirmation is required or visual information needs to be obtained during the transaction process, the SE security unit automatically triggers the power management module to turn on, enabling the power management module to supply power to the main control unit and the display unit.

[0043] This embodiment also includes the creation process of a hardware wallet based on NFC connection. When creating a hardware wallet, the terminal device initializes the SE security unit via NFC. When the mnemonic needs to be displayed, the SE security unit automatically triggers the power management module to turn on and transfers the mnemonic information to the main control unit. The main control unit drives the display unit to display, and the user performs operations such as confirmation or cancellation through the keys. After the wallet creation is completed, the SE security unit controls the power management module to turn off to complete the creation of the hardware wallet.

[0044] The transaction amount threshold can be set by sending an instruction from the APP of the terminal device to the SE security unit or set in the menu of the hardware wallet.

[0045] This embodiment can implement functions such as small-amount transaction contactless payment and small-amount transaction password-free when the power is off. The power supply and the main control unit are only activated during large-amount transactions or when information confirmation or visual information acquisition is required, greatly reducing the power consumption of the hardware wallet while ensuring the asset security during large-amount transactions. Moreover, the NFC connection eliminates the cumbersome operations of Bluetooth pairing and USB connection, and the automatic power-on during large-amount transactions eliminates the need for manual power-on, making the use of the hardware wallet more convenient.

[0046] Embodiment 3

[0047] The present invention also provides a processing method for a hardware wallet based on USB or Bluetooth connection. After the hardware wallet is connected to the terminal device through USB or Bluetooth, as Figure 3 shown, the processing method includes the following steps:

[0048] S310: The main control unit receives the transaction information of the terminal device through the USB or Bluetooth interface and forwards it to the SE security unit.

[0049] S320: The SE security unit decrypts and parses the transaction information to obtain the processed transaction information, and the processed transaction information includes the transaction amount.

[0050] S330: The SE security unit determines whether the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold built in the SE security unit. If the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold, then S340 is executed; otherwise, S350 is executed.

[0051] S340: The SE security unit signs the transaction information and sends the signature result to the terminal device through the main control unit via the USB or Bluetooth interface.

[0052] S350: The SE security unit sends the processed transaction information to the main control unit for processing. Specifically, the main control unit drives the display unit to display the transaction information for confirmation, and the user performs operations such as confirmation or cancellation through the key module. In response to receiving the confirmation or cancellation information, the main control unit sends the processing result to the terminal device via USB or Bluetooth.

[0053] The transaction amount threshold can be set by sending an instruction from the terminal device to the SE security unit or set in the menu of the hardware wallet.

[0054] This embodiment also includes the creation process of a hardware wallet based on USB or Bluetooth connection. When creating the hardware wallet, the SE security unit is initialized through a terminal device (such as an APP). The main control unit receives the creation instruction from the terminal device via USB or Bluetooth, forwards the instruction to the SE security unit. After the SE security unit decrypts and parses the instruction, it returns the data to be displayed to the main control unit. The main control unit drives the display unit to display, and the user performs operations such as confirmation or cancellation. The main control unit returns the processing result to the terminal device via USB or Bluetooth.

[0055] Preferably, in this embodiment, after creating the hardware wallet and completing the transaction, it also includes detecting the state of the main control unit. Taking the completion of the transaction as an example, detecting the state of the main control unit includes the following steps:

[0056] S360: The main control unit detects the time that the main control unit continuously remains in the idle state.

[0057] S370: The main control unit determines whether the time that the main control unit continuously remains in the idle state exceeds the threshold.

[0058] If so, execute S380: The main control unit controls the power management module to shut down. Otherwise, return to S360.

[0059] In this embodiment, the USB interface can automatically start the power management module, eliminating the need for manual startup operation, which is convenient to use; and when the duration of the idle state exceeds the threshold, the hardware wallet will automatically shut down, saving power while ensuring the asset security during the transaction process and reducing the power consumption.

[0060] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0061] 1. In the present invention, the SE security unit and the main control unit are independently set. The SE security unit is the core processing chip for realizing transactions. Therefore, in the power-off state, the SE security unit can independently process small-amount quick payment and small-amount password-free transactions without the assistance of the main control unit, and only starts the power management module during large-amount transactions to provide information display and confirmation operations for users. Therefore, the hardware wallet of the present invention not only ensures the security of large-amount transactions and the portability of small-amount transactions, but also reduces the power consumption and extends the standby time of the hardware wallet.

[0062] 2. The present invention also includes a USB interface and / or a Bluetooth module, providing a channel for PC-side or other mobile terminal operations, and at the same time monitoring the usage state of the hardware wallet through the state detection module, turning off the power in time when idle, saving power and extending the standby time of the hardware wallet.

[0063] 3. The present invention automatically starts the power under NFC and USB connections, eliminating the need for manual startup operation, which is convenient to use.

[0064] 4. In the present invention, the user can change the transaction amount threshold through the instructions of the terminal device or the menu on the hardware wallet, which can ensure the security of assets while improving the transaction convenience.

[0065] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art can make additional changes and modifications to these embodiments once they know the basic creative concept. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be construed as including the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the present invention. Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and variations to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalent technologies, the present invention is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A hardware wallet, characterized in that, It includes an SE security unit, a main control unit, and a power management module; the main control unit is connected to the SE security unit; the power management module supplies power to the main control unit; Among them, the SE security unit is connected to an antenna for near-field communication; in the state where the power management module is turned off, the SE security unit and the antenna work independently, and the antenna conducts near-field communication with the terminal device, and there is no need for the main control unit to implement the creation service or transaction service of the hardware wallet; The SE security unit controls the power management module to turn on under specific conditions and interacts with the main control unit to implement the creation service or transaction service of the hardware wallet; the specific conditions include at least one of the following: the transaction amount is not less than the preset transaction amount threshold, information confirmation is required, and visual information needs to be obtained.

2. The hardware wallet according to claim 1, wherein It also includes a USB interface, the USB interface is connected to the main control unit, and in response to the USB interface entering the working state, the power management module is automatically turned on.

3. The hardware wallet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a Bluetooth module and a key module; The Bluetooth module and the key module are connected to the main control unit; The key module is also connected to the power management module, and the key module controls the turning on and off of the power management module; In response to the power management module being turned on, the Bluetooth module is turned on.

4. The hardware wallet according to claim 3, wherein, In response to the main control unit detecting that the continuous idle time of the main control unit exceeds the threshold, the main control unit controls the power management module to turn off.

5. A processing method for a hardware wallet, characterized in that, It includes: In response to receiving a near-field communication signal, establish a near-field communication connection with the terminal device; Receive the transaction information of the terminal device; The SE security unit decrypts and analyzes the transaction information to obtain the processed transaction information, and the processed transaction information includes the transaction amount; Judge whether the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold built in the SE security unit; If the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit signs the transaction information and sends the signature result to the terminal device; If the transaction amount is not less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit automatically triggers the power management module to turn on, and the power management module supplies power to the main control unit and the display unit; The SE security unit sends the processed transaction information to the main control unit, and the main control unit drives the display unit to display the transaction information for confirmation; In response to receiving the confirmation or cancellation information, the main control unit sends the processing result to the SE security unit; The SE security unit sends the processing result to the terminal device by means of near-field communication.

6. The processing method of the hardware wallet according to claim 5, wherein It also includes: In response to the USB interface entering the working state, the power management module is automatically turned on to establish a USB connection with the terminal device.

7. The processing method of the hardware wallet according to claim 6, wherein, The main control unit receives the transaction information of the terminal device through the USB or Bluetooth interface and forwards it to the SE security unit; The SE security unit decrypts and analyzes the transaction information to obtain the processed transaction information, and the processed transaction information includes the transaction amount; The SE security unit determines whether the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold built in the SE security unit; If the transaction amount is not less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit sends the processed transaction information to the main control unit; The main control unit drives the display unit to display the transaction information for confirmation; In response to receiving the confirmation or cancellation information, the main control unit sends the processing result to the terminal device through the USB or Bluetooth interface.

8. The processing method of the hardware wallet according to claim 7, wherein If the transaction amount is less than the transaction amount threshold, the SE security unit signs the transaction information and sends it to the terminal device through the main control unit.

9. The processing method of the hardware wallet according to any one of claims 5-8, characterized in that, It further includes: Detecting the time that the main control unit continuously remains in the idle state; Judging whether the time that the main control unit continuously remains in the idle state exceeds the threshold; If so, controlling the power management module to turn off.

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