Method and device for managing information exchange between a main element, for example a NFC controller, and a set of at least two auxiliary elements
AssigneesSTMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsThierry Meziache, Pierre Rizzo, Alexandre Charles, Juergen Boehler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device, including a main element (ME) and a set of at least two auxiliary elements (SEi), said main element including a master SWP interface (MINT), each auxiliary element including a slave SWP interface (SLINTi) connected to said master SWP interface of said NFC element through a controllably switchable SWP link (LK) and management means (PRMprocessor, CTLM, AMGi) configured to control said SWP link switching for selectively activating at once only one slave SWP interface on said SWP link.
Claims20
A circuit, comprising:
- a main processor configured to transmit a low-power mode indicator designating an operation of the circuit in a low-power operating mode;
- a first universal integrated circuit card (UICC);
- a near field communication controller (NFC) controller coupled to the first UICC, the NFC controller configured to:
- receive the low-power mode indicator from the main processor, and
- transmit the low-power mode indicator to a second UICC coupled to the NFC controller;
- and
- the second UICC configured to receive the low-power mode indicator, the second UICC comprising:
- an auxiliary memory configured to store a configuration indicator corresponding to the low-power operating mode of the circuit;
- and
- an auxiliary processor configured to retrieve the configuration indicator from the auxiliary memory in response to receiving the low-power mode indicator from the NFC controller, and wherein the UICC is powered by the NFC controller in the low-power operating mode.
A method, comprising:
- transmitting, by a main processor of a circuit, a low-power mode indicator to a near field communication (NFC) controller of the circuit, the low-power mode indicator designating an operation of the circuit in a low-power operating mode;
- transmitting, by the NFC controller, the low-power mode indicator to a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) of the circuit;
- retrieving, by an auxiliary processor of the UICC, a configuration indicator from an auxiliary memory of the UICC, the retrieving in response to receiving the low-power mode indicator from the NFC controller;
- and
- communicating, by the UICC with the NFC controller, in the low-power operating mode, wherein the UICC is powered by the NFC controller in the low-power operating mode.
A wireless device, comprising:
- an antenna configured to exchange a near field communication (NFC) with an external contactless device;
- a main processor configured to transmit a low-power mode indicator designating an operation of the wireless device in a low-power operating mode;
- a near field communication controller (NFC) controller configured to transmit the low-power mode indicator from the NFC controller to a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) coupled to the NFC controller;
- the UICC, comprising:
- an auxiliary memory configured to store a configuration indicator corresponding to the low-power operating mode of the wireless device;
- and
- an auxiliary processor configured to retrieve the configuration indicator from the auxiliary memory in response to receiving the low-power mode indicator from the NFC controller, and to communicate with the NFC controller in the low-power operating mode wherein the UICC is powered by the NFC controller in the low-power operating mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.