Smart Card Interface for Secure Contactless Application Execution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing contactless short-range communication systems face challenges in securely executing applications outside the smart card, leading to potential security breaches and conflicts when accessing the communication interface, as they may not maintain the high security level of the smart card and can be vulnerable to malicious applications.

Innovation Solution

A device and method that allow contactless applications to be executed in a processor outside the smart card while maintaining exclusive access to the communication module through an interface provided by the smart card, ensuring the high security level and preventing conflicts by managing access within the smart card.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If contactless applications are executed in a processor outside the smart card, then application development ease and resource conservation are improved, but security level and conflict management complexity worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication development easeVSAvoidsecurity level
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The smart card interface acts as an intermediary between the external processor and the contactless communication module. Applications executed outside the smart card must access the communication module through the smart card's interface, which mediates all interactions and enforces security policies, thus maintaining security while allowing external execution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system separates the security functions (hosted in the smart card) from the application execution functions (can be in external processor). This segmentation allows applications to run outside the smart card for development ease while the smart card maintains security control through its interface and access management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If contactless applications are executed in a processor outside the smart card, then resource consumption of the smart card is reduced, but access conflict and security vulnerability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmart card resource consumptionVSAvoidaccess conflict and security vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The smart card interface serves as a controlled intermediary that manages all access requests from external applications to the contactless communication module. It implements access control mechanisms that prevent conflicts and security vulnerabilities while allowing resource-efficient external execution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The interface implements feedback mechanisms to monitor and control access to the contactless communication module. It can detect potential conflicts or security issues and respond by managing access permissions, thus preventing harmful effects while enabling external application execution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2445170B1Device and method for contactless short range communication
Publication Date: 2014.10.08 VODAFONE HOLDING GMBH
  • EP2445170B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (101) for contactless short range communication. The device (101) comprises a contactless communication module (103) enabled for contactless short range communication with an external target (102) and a smart card being connected to the contactless communication module (103). The device (101) further comprises a processor (109) outside the smart card, the processor (109) being adapted to execute at least one contactless application. The smart card provides an interface used by the contactless application to access functions of the contactless communication module (103) via the smart card. The invention further relates to a smart card for use in the device and to a method for contactless short range communication.