NFC Emulation System for Secure Toy Data Access

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing toy emulation systems lack secure and efficient methods for virtualizing physical toys, particularly in ensuring secure data transmission and access, and do not facilitate easy acquisition and transportation of toys across different locations.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a secure NFC emulation system using a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) or a separate secure smart card chip, with Host Card Emulation (HCE) mode, enables secure data storage and access, allowing users to emulate toys on their mobile devices, purchase virtual toys, and print them physically using a 3D printer, while ensuring secure data transmission and easy access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If physical toys are transported across different locations, then users can access and play with toys at various places, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of toy accessVSAvoidtime for toy transportation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the physical toy in the form of an NFC tag containing toy-identifying data. This digital replica can be instantly accessed and transported without physical movement, resolving the contradiction between ease of access and time consumption for toy transportation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of physically transporting toys with an electronic/NFC-based system. The NFC tag emulates the physical toy's identity, allowing instant digital transmission and access substitution for physical transport, thereby eliminating transportation time while maintaining ease of access

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If NFC emulation mode is implemented for toy identification, then toy data access is simplified, but security concerns arise from unauthorized access to toy-identifying data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of toy data accessVSAvoidsecurity of toy data

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the NFC system into two distinct parts: the NFC tag (emulation layer) containing toy-identifying data, and the secure element (security layer) that protects the data. This segmentation allows easy data access through the tag while maintaining security through the separate secure element that controls authentication and data protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The secure element acts as an intermediary between the NFC tag and external readers. It mediates all data access requests, verifying permissions and controlling the flow of toy-identifying data, thereby enabling easy access while maintaining security through this intermediate security layer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10943208B2Methods and apparatus to emulate a toy

Publication Date: 2021.03.09 AT&T MOBILITY II LLC

AI summary

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to emulate a toy are disclosed. An example server includes a processor and memory including machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including requesting a confirmation code in response to a request to download model data associated with a toy, and if the confirmation code is valid, (1) providing the model data to a mobile communication device, and (2) transmitting toy-identifying data associated with the toy to a secure storage of the mobile communication device which provided the valid code.