Self-Configuring Portable Electronic Device for Parallel Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for configuring portable electronic devices, such as smart cards, are inefficient due to time-consuming processes like flash memory testing and asymmetric key generation, which can block production lines and require expensive personalization machines with limited parallelism.
Innovation Solution
A portable electronic device configured to automatically start and complete configuration tasks, including flash memory testing and key pair generation, using power supply means like ISO 7816 contacts or contact-less antennas, with an application that runs once and notifies completion, allowing for self-configuration without external communication, and a manufacturing equipment that supplies power to multiple devices simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional personalization machines are used to configure portable electronic devices, then configuration can be performed with external communication and security checks, but the equipment cost is very high and manufacturing speed is limited due to poor parallelism
Solution Approach 1:
The portable electronic device performs self-configuration by automatically executing configuration instructions received via power supply lines without requiring external communication capabilities. The device configures itself using resources already available during the power-up process, eliminating the need for complex personalization machines with multiple communication protocols and security check mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply lines are utilized for dual purposes: providing electrical power to the device and simultaneously transmitting configuration instructions. This multi-functionality allows the same physical infrastructure to serve both power delivery and data transmission needs, simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Reliability
If flash memory testing is performed extensively to ensure full functionality, then memory reliability is improved, but production time increases significantly (3 to 6 minutes per card)
Solution Approach 1:
Configuration instructions including flash memory testing procedures are prepared and transmitted in advance via the power supply lines during the power-up process. The device executes these pre-prepared instructions automatically without requiring extended testing time during production, as the configuration phase is integrated into the initial power-up sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration process is executed rapidly during the power-up phase by automatically running pre-configured instructions. This approach rushes through the configuration and basic testing processes in a condensed timeframe, avoiding the need for extended separate testing phases that would slow down production.
3Reliability
If asymmetric cryptography key pairs are generated during configuration to ensure security, then security is improved, but configuration time increases due to the complexity of key generation
Solution Approach 1:
Security configuration including asymmetric cryptography key pair generation is initiated automatically during the power-up process through executed configuration instructions. By performing security setup preliminarily during device initialization rather than during subsequent operational phases, the overall configuration time is reduced while maintaining security requirements.
4Productivity
If multiple devices are configured in parallel to increase productivity, then manufacturing speed is improved, but expensive personalization machines with limited parallelism (32 to 64 cards) are required
Solution Approach 1:
Each portable electronic device configures itself independently by automatically executing configuration instructions received through power supply lines. This self-service capability allows any number of devices to be configured in parallel simultaneously without requiring a personalization machine with complex communication and control systems, thereby enabling unlimited parallelism at lower cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration intelligence is extracted from the external personalization machine and embedded within each portable electronic device itself. By taking out the configuration execution capability from the central machine and placing it in individual devices, the system eliminates the bottleneck of limited parallelism inherent in traditional personalization machines.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a portable electronic device (SC, TK) comprising electric input means (VCC, GND, ANT) for receiving electric power from an external power supply. The portable electronic device (SC, TK) comprises an application, the application being set to be triggered when power is supplied to said electric input means (VCC, GND, ANT), and to not communicate with entities external to the portable electronic device (SC, TK), or to only notify such entities of an event. The application is further set to configure the portable electronic device (SC, TK), and to be successfully executable at most once. The invention also relate to a manufacturing equipment (M) for configuring a portable electronic device (SC, TK) and to a method for configuring a portable electronic device (SC, TK).