Third-Party Wallet Credential Management Through OS-Mediated NFC Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing digital credentials across multiple third-party applications on a single mobile device can lead to conflicts and inefficiencies, particularly in transactions, due to lack of seamless integration and access to hardware resources.

Innovation Solution

An operating system framework that prioritizes and manages third-party digital wallet applications, ensuring secure and efficient transmission of credentials by configuring NFC controllers based on default app settings, handling conflicts, and providing isolated sandbox environments for data security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple third-party digital wallet applications are installed on a mobile device, then users have more choices and flexibility in credential management, but conflicts and inefficiencies occur during transactions due to lack of seamless integration and access to hardware resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecredential management flexibilityVSAvoidtransaction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The operating system framework acts as an intermediary between multiple third-party digital wallet applications and the NFC controller. It receives requests from any installed wallet application, manages them through a standardized interface, and routes transactions to the appropriate default application, ensuring seamless integration and efficient hardware resource access without conflicts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If third-party applications directly access hardware resources for credential transmission, then transaction speed improves, but security risks increase due to potential unauthorized access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecredential transmission speedVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The operating system framework serves as a secure intermediary that manages all access to the NFC controller. Third-party applications submit credential transmission requests through this framework, which then routes them to the default digital wallet application. This ensures fast credential transmission while maintaining security through centralized control and isolated sandbox environments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments credential management functions by separating third-party applications from direct hardware access. Each application operates in its own sandboxed environment, with the operating system framework managing the boundary and controlling all NFC controller interactions, thus enabling speed while preserving security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the operating system manages multiple digital wallet applications through a unified framework, then integration and security improve, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem integrationVSAvoidframework complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The operating system framework implements a universal interface that handles multiple digital wallet applications through a single standardized mechanism. This unified approach improves system integration and security while avoiding the complexity of separate management systems, as the same framework processes all wallet application requests consistently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If sandbox environments are implemented for each third-party application, then data security and isolation improve, but memory and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata isolationVSAvoidprocessing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements logical sandboxing through the operating system framework that isolates third-party applications without requiring separate physical environments for each app. This approach provides necessary data isolation and security while minimizing memory and processing overhead by using software-based separation rather than duplicating hardware resources

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4610911A1Third-party application-based credential management
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 APPLE INC
  • EP4610911A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4610911A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4610911A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of the subject technology include receiving, by an operating system process of an electronic device, a request to access a default digital wallet of the electronic device, determining, by the operating system process, whether a third-party digital wallet has been configured as the default digital wallet for the electronic device, and responsive to receiving the request to access the default digital wallet and to determining that the third-party digital wallet has been configured as the default digital wallet for the electronic device foregrounding the third-party digital wallet on a user interface of the electronic device and configuring, by the operating system process, an NFC controller of the electronic device to receive a credential from the third-party digital wallet for conducting a transaction.