IC card, portable electronic device, and reader/writer

A portable electronic device which performs contactless communication with an external device, the portable electronic device, comprising:

• a receiver operable to receive a first command transmitted from the external device in a passive mode;
• a determining processor operable to determine whether or not the first command is a switching request command to request switching a mode of the portable electronic device from the passive mode to an active mode;
• a switching processor operable to switch the mode of the portable electronic device from the passive mode to the active mode when the determining processor determines that the first command is the switching request command;
• an identification information acquiring processor operable to acquire identification information of another portable electronic device existing in the communicable range of the external device from the switching request command in the passive mode;
• a command generating processor operable to generate a second command including the identification information acquired by the identification information acquiring processor so as to make the other portable electronic device execute processing in the active mode;
• and
• a command transmitter operable to transmit the second command to the other portable electronic device in the active mode.

A reader/writer of an IC card, comprising:

• an initial response acquiring processor operable to transmit an initial response request command, and receive from a plurality of IC cards within a communicable range, initial responses including identification information of the respective IC cards;
• a selecting processor operable to select an IC card within the communicable range using the initial responses;
• a switching request command generating processor operable to generate a switching request command to request switching a mode of the IC card selected by the selecting processor from the passive mode to an active mode, wherein the IC card transmits a command and receives a response to the command transmitted in the active mode, wherein the IC card receives a command, performs a command processing corresponding to the command received and transmits a response to the command received in the active mode, and wherein the switching request command includes identification information of another IC card existing in a communicable range of the external device;
• an identification information adding processor operable to add the identification information of another IC card within the communicable range to the switching request command;
• and
• a transmitter operable to transmit the switching request command including the identification information of the other IC card within the communicable range to the IC card selected by the selecting processor.

A reader/writer of a portable electronic device, comprising:

• an initial response acquiring processor operable to transmit an initial response request command, and receive from a plurality of portable electronic devices within a communicable range, initial responses including identification information of the respective portable electronic devices;
• a selecting processor operable to select a portable electronic device within the communicable range using the initial response;
• a switching request command generating processor operable to generate a switching request command to request switching a mode of the portable electronic device selected by the selecting processor from the passive mode to an active mode, wherein the portable electronic device transmits a command and receive a response to the command transmitted in the active mode, wherein the portable electronic device receives a command, performs a command processing corresponding to the command received and transmits a response to the command received in the active mode, and wherein the switching request command includes identification information of another portable electronic device existing in a communicable range of the external device;
• an identification information adding processor operable to add the identification information of another portable electronic device within the communicable range to the switching request command;
• and
• a transmitter operable to transmit the switching request command including the identification information of the other portable electronic device within the communicable range to the portable electronic device selected by the selecting processor.