Method of communicating between different electronic entities
AssigneeOberthur Technologies
InventorGilles Dumortier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of communicating between at least two electronic entities (121, 122, 123), involves a communication management unit (10) which uses a command/response protocol in order to communicate with the electronic entities (121, 122, 123). At least one of the aforementioned electronic entities (121, 122) communicates with the communication management unit (10) using wireless technology. The communication method includes a step consisting in saving a list of electronic entities in the communication management unit (10). The method can be used for microcircuit cards.
Claims17
A method of communicating between at least two electronic entities having contactless communication means, said method comprising:
- using a communication management unit to control at least part of a process of communication between said electronic entities, said communication management unit (LPU) employing a command-response protocol using said contactless communication means to communicate with said electronic entities upon said electronic entities being within a radius of action of said communication management unit;
- storing in said communication management unit a list of said electronic entities that are within the radius of action of said communication management unit;
- and
- querying each of the electronic entities to determine if any of the electronic entities has a message to be sent to an other of said electronic entities;
- and
- for each electronic entity of said list,
- sending an interrogation message from said communication management unit to the electronic entity, in order to determine if the electronic entity has a message to be sent to another of said electronic entities,
- a determination being positive upon receiving, in response to the interrogation message, said message to be sent to said other electronic entity, otherwise said determination being negative,
- where, in the case of a positive determination, storing a received message in a mailbox of said communication management unit that is assigned to said electronic entity or to said other electronic entity, and
- where in the case of a negative determination, if no acknowledgment from the electronic entity is received in response to the interrogation message thereby showing that the electronic entity is no longer within said radius of action, removing the electronic entity from said list of electronic entities,
- wherein, when said list includes a new electronic entity, a mailbox is created in the communication management unit, said mailbox being adapted to receive and store messages sent to or by said new electronic entity.
A communication system, comprising:
- at least two electronic entities having contactless communication;
- and
- further comprising:
- employing a command-response protocol to communicate with said electronic entities using said contactless communication upon said electronic entities being within a radius of action of said communication management unit, said communication management unit having stored therein a list of said electronic entities that are within the radius of action of a communication management unit,
- wherein at least one of said electronic entities communicates with said communication management unit using said contactless communication,
- wherein said communication management unit is configured to, for each electronic entity of said list,
- send an interrogation message to the electronic entity in order to determine if the electronic entity has a message to be sent to another of said electronic entities,
- a determination being positive upon receiving, in response to the interrogation message, said message to be sent to said other electronic entity, otherwise said determination being negative,
- where, in the case of a positive determination, the communication management unit stores a received message in a mailbox of said communication management unit that is assigned to said electronic entity or to said other electronic entity, and
- where in the case of a negative determination, if no acknowledgment from the electronic entity is received in response to the interrogation message thereby showing that the electronic entity is no longer within said radius of action, the communication management unit removes the electronic entity from said list of electronic entities,
- and when said list includes a new electronic entity that is configured to exchange messages with at least one of the electronic entities, creating a new mailbox, said new mailbox configured to receive and store messages sent to or by said new electronic entity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.