Abstract:
A near field communication (NFC) device, an authentication system using the NFC device and an authentication method thereof are provided. The NFC device includes a RFID tag, a loop antenna, a flexible fabric packaging material and an EMI shielding material. The device can be easily adhered to objects including most handsets for mobile phone services. By adopting the authentication system and the authentication method, the device can be paired with a typical mobile phone and used to authenticate the user, thereby enabling mobile payment and mobile banking activities using mobile phones.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 99131053, filed Sep. 14, 2010. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates generally to an authentication system employing near field communication (NFC) techniques, and more particularly to a NFC device, an authentication system using the NFC device, and an authentication method thereof. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Currency and monetary transaction systems for small payments in situations such as purchasing public transportation fares, tickets for movies or other spectacles, or drinks and magazines at a store are very inconvenient and clumsy for the consumer. The inconveniences may be due to the consumer not carrying enough change to purchase the needed product, or that the consumer requires exchange of a large bill to complete the transaction. However, after the storekeeper exchanges the large bill, the consumer is left with coins and bills of smaller value. As a result, the consumer often feels inconvenienced carrying and managing change when using bills and coins to make small purchases. 
         [0006]    In light of the foregoing, transaction systems using contactless cards have gradually replaced the cash and coin transaction systems, thereby reducing the inconveniences of carrying and managing change for the user. As an example, contactless cards based on radio frequency identification (RFID) techniques have replaced cash in many places to become a popular method of payment and monetary transaction, due to the ease of operation and the gradual maturity of the related techniques. However, in order to record the added or deducted monetary value on a same contactless card, many RFID based contactless card payment methods write and store transaction data directly into the RFID tag in the card. This method of recording monetary value on the RFID tag lacks a third party as the independent authority for authenticating the transaction. Moreover, from a security standpoint, this method also poses a security risk which can inflict financial losses for the contactless card holders or the goods and services providers. 
         [0007]    In addition, as mobile communication devices (e.g., cell phones) become popular, RFID tags are starting to be combined with these mobile communication devices to serve as another method to pay for small transactions. However, this method of payment cannot be used on regular cell phones without NFC capabilities. For RFID tags to be applicable in most of the mobile communication devices, NFC specifications must be built in the cell phone (e.g., the Nokia NFC cell phone). Moreover, due to the negative effects (e.g., magnetic interference and electromagnetic interference) on the RFID tags caused by the internal circuitry, battery, and antenna of the mobile communication device, this type of RFID tags is likely to fail to operate or generate unanticipated errors and result in unsuccessful transactions. Therefore, it is vitally important to improve the security problem and the unreliable operation of the RFID tagging technique used in the contactless monetary transactions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Accordingly, the invention provides a near field communication (NFC) device, an authentication system using the NFC device, and an authentication method thereof capable of implementing a highly secure, reliable, and convenient authentication mechanism and a transaction method based the authentication mechanism. 
         [0009]    From one perspective, the invention provides a NFC device which only stores the user identification (ID) and is not required to calculate or record the transaction amount of the transaction activity. From another perspective, the invention provides an integrated NFC device, in which the aforementioned NFC device is integrated with a communication device. However, any information exchange between the NFC device and the communication device is not necessary. Moreover, an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield is provided between the NFC device and the communication device, so as to effectively prevent the electromagnetic interference and magnetic interference from the circuit and components in the communication device from impacting the NFC device, and thereby ensure the reliability of the authentication process and the transaction process. From another perspective, the invention provides an authentication system using the NFC device or the integrated NFC device, and an authentication method thereof The authentication system obtains the user ID in the NFC device at a near end of the NFC device, and sends the user ID to a certification authority center located at a remote end of the Internet for authentication. Moreover, another application server may be used to calculate and record the amount of the transaction activity, so as to ensure the security of the authentication process and the transaction process. 
         [0010]    According to an embodiment of the invention, a NFC device is provided. The NFC device includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a loop antenna, a flexible fabric wrapping material, and an EMI shield. The RFID tag is adapted for storing a user ID. The loop antenna is connected to the RFID tag, and when the NFC device is near a NFC reader device, the user ID is sent to the NFC reader device from the loop antenna. The EMI shield is disposed at a side of the NFC device, and the EMI shield is adapted for preventing electromagnetic interference and magnetic interference around the side. Moreover, the flexible fabric wrapping material completely wraps the RFID tag, the loop antenna, and the EMI shield. 
         [0011]    In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanying figures are described in detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic view illustrating a NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic view illustrating another NFC device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1C  is a lateral view of a NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of an integrated NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  is a stacked schematic view illustrating an assembled unit of an integrated NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3B  is a stacked schematic view illustrating another assembled unit of an integrated NFC device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an authentication system data flow according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an authentication system using a NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an authentication method using a NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of another authentication method using a NFC device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of another authentication method using a NFC device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic view illustrating a near field communication (NFC) device  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 1A , the NFC device  10  (hereinafter referred to as the device  10 ) includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag  110 , a loop antenna  120 , an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield  130 , and a flexible fabric wrapping material  140 . The loop antenna  120  is connected to the RFID  110  but is isolated from the EMI shield  130 . The flexible fabric wrapping material  140  is depicted schematically in  FIG. 1A  only, and the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  is used for packing the device  10  and providing a protective layer to completely wrap the RFID tag  110 , the loop antenna  120 , and the EMI shield  130  within. Moreover, the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  may be transparent, translucent, or opaque. In addition to the protective function, the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  may also correspond with a specific three dimensional (3-D) exterior pattern or a 2-D pattern to serve as a marketing advertisement or as decoration. Furthermore, the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  may have an elastic variation within a suitable degree (e.g., 15 degree curve) without cracking. In addition, a side of the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  has a suitable adhesiveness for adhering the device  10  on any electronic device or mobile communication device without damaging the outer shell thereof The electronic device includes a cell phone, a smartphone, a flat panel computer, and a notebook computer. 
         [0025]    In the present embodiment, the RFID tag  110  stores a user identification (ID), and the loop antenna  120  receives a RF signal and sends a RF signal. Accordingly, when an external NFC reader device provides a suitable RF signal to the device  10 , the loop antenna  120  obtains sufficient energy to reflect a RF signal and sends the user ID to the external NFC reader device. 
         [0026]    In the present embodiment, the device  10  is a NFC readable device. The loop antenna  120  in  FIG. 1A  has an approximate circular shape.  FIG. 1B  is a schematic view according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1B  includes similar components (e.g., a RFID tag  160 , a loop antenna  170 , a EMI shield  180 , and the flexible fabric wrapping material  140 ), but the loop antenna  170  has an approximate rectangular shape. However, the invention is not limited to the geometric shape of the aforementioned loop antenna, and in other embodiments, the loop antenna can have other shapes. Moreover, as long as the entire loop antenna  120  is completely wrapped, the flexible fabric wrapping material protecting the loop antenna may also take any arbitrary shape. 
         [0027]    The device  10  proposed by the invention is suitable for (or adapted for) combinations of loop antenna  120  of any shape and RFID tag  110  of any type, as long as the combinations can implement the functions of the NFC readable device or the NFC readable/writable device. In most of the applicable situations, the information stored in the RFID tag  110  can be obtained by only a RFID reader device providing a suitable RF signal to the device  10 , and therefore the device  10  does not need to have a function for writing information to the RFID tag  110 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 1C  is a lateral view of a device  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Referring to both  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in the device  10 , the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  (e.g., the Stickkey anti-slip adhesive strip from LianYa Information Co.) completely wraps the RFID tag  110 , the loop antenna  120 , and the EMI shield  130  within. The EMI shield  130  can be an adhesive glue (e.g., the Shieldokit Conductive Adhesive Glue 3980 from Australian Holland Shielding Systems BV) coated on a side of the RFID  110  and the loop antenna  120 , or an entire strip of EMI shielding tape (e.g., the Electrically Conductive Adhesive Transfer Tape 9703 from 3M or the EMI Woven Fabric KW-6 from Beijing Koolon Fiber Tech Co.) adapted for isolating nearby electronic devices, or isolating the negative effects (including magnetic and electromagnetic interference) on the loop antenna  120  caused by the internal components and circuit modules of the mobile communication device. The shielding frequency bands of the EMI shield  130  can be the frequency bands typically operated in RFID techniques, such as 125 kHZ, 134.2 kHz, 13.56 MHz, 130 MHz, 868-956 MHz, and 2.45 GHz. 
         [0029]    For example, when the device  10  adheres the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  to an outer shell of a cell phone, due to the magnetic interference or the EMI respectively generated by the battery, antenna, power management circuit module, or the digital circuit module, the loop antenna  120  is unlikely to function normally. Therefore, when the EMI shield  130  of the device  10  is disposed nearer the outer shell of the cell phone, a shielding effect of a specific direction is provided (i.e., a direction toward the cell phone). Thus, the loop antenna  120  at another side away from the EMI shield  130  (also facing a side away from the cell phone) can operate normally. Accordingly, the combination of the RFID tag  110 , the loop antenna  120 , the EMI shield  130 , and the flexible fabric wrapping material  140  depicted in  FIG. 1C  can effectively alleviate the problem of the loop antenna  120  being easily affected by the magnetic and electromagnetic interference from nearby electronic devices. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of an integrated NFC device  20  according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The integrated NFC device  20  (hereinafter referred to as the integrated device  20 ) is formed by a normal mobile communication device  200  (e.g., a cell phone) and a device  10 . The device  10  is adhered to an upper side surface of the outer shell of the mobile communication device  200 , such as an opposite side relative to the screen, or a same side relative to the location of the battery. The mobile communication device  200  includes a processor  211 , a memory module  212 , a communication module  213 , an input unit  214 , an output unit  215 , and a NFC device  10  (hereinafter abbreviated as the device  10 ). 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the communication module  213  can be a wireless communication module adapted for establishing a link with a wireless access point device or a wireless base station to connect to the Internet. The communication module  213  includes a communication interface, an antenna, a RF circuit, a communication protocol unit, and a baseband circuit, etc. Moreover, in other embodiments, the communication module  213  may further include a subscriber identity module (or an identity module). The memory module  212  is coupled to the communication module  213 , and adapted for storing the operating system, the firmware, the software, the drivers software, the application programs, and any program codes, data, or databases executable by the processor. The input unit  214  is coupled to the memory module  212 , and adapted for receiving an input command from a subscriber. The input unit  214  may include a keypad, an input detection unit of a touch screen, or a microphone. The output unit  215  is coupled to the memory module  212 , and adapted for outputting images or sounds, and the output unit  215  may include a screen or a speaker. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the processor  211  is coupled to the memory module  212 , the communication module  213 , the input unit  214 , and the output unit  215 . The processor  211  is adapted for controlling or coordinating the memory module  212 , the communication module  213 , the input unit  214 , and the output unit  215 . Moreover, the processor  211  executes the operating system, the firmware, the software, the drivers software, the application programs, or any program codes executable by the processor. However, the mobile communication device  200  does not need to exchange information with the device  10 . 
         [0033]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are stacked schematic views illustrating assembled units of the integrated device  20  when the device  10  is adhered to the mobile communication device  200  in the integrated device  20 . 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 3A , when the device  10  is adhered to an outer side of the back cover (or the outer shell) of the mobile communication device  200 , an adhesive material unit  210  nearest the mobile communication device  200  is adhered to the outer side of the back cover (or the outer shell) of the mobile communication device  200  (e.g., a cell phone). In sequence, the EMI shield  130 , the loop antenna  120 , an assembled unit  220  of the RFID tag  110 , and a decorative wrapping unit  140  (e.g., the flexible fabric wrapping material  140 ) form the rest of the assembled unit of the integrated device  20 . 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 3B , when the device  10  is adhered to an inner side of the back cover (or the outer shell) of the mobile communication device  200 , the adhesive material unit  210  nearest the outer shell of the mobile communication device  200  is adhered to the inner side of the outer shell (or the inner side of the battery cover) of the mobile communication device  200 . In sequence, the loop antenna  120 , the assembled unit  220  of the RFID tag  110 , the EMI shield  130 , and the decorative wrapping unit  140  form the rest of the assembled unit of the integrated device  20 . Moreover, when the device  10  is adhered to the inner side of the mobile communication device  200 , the total thickness of the assembled unit of the device  10  can be controlled within a predefined space of the battery cover or inside the shell of the mobile communication device  200 , such as 1 millimeter. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an authentication system data flow  40  according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The authentication system data flow  40  includes the following process. First, a RFID reader device  322  at a front end obtains a user ID of a NFC device  320  (the device  10  or the integrated device  20 ). The RFID reader device  322  sends the user ID and the related data (e.g., the related data of the store and products where the RFID reader device  322  resides or the transaction amount) of the RFID reader device  322  to a certification authority center  340  at a back end through the Internet  360 . After the certification authority center  340  completes authentication of the user and the store, the user ID or the user related data and the transaction data are sent to an application server  350  at the back end. After the application server  350  and an application terminal  324  of the store at the front end complete an information exchange related to the transaction service, the authentication process and the subsequent transaction services are completed. The authentication system using the NFC device and the authentication data flow have been described in the foregoing passages. In the following passages, the major components and their corresponding functions of an integrated NFC device formed by the NFC device and a mobile communication device are described. 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an authentication system  30  using a NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the authentication system  30  includes at least a NFC device  320  (hereinafter referred to as the device  320  which is a NFC device  10  or an integrated NFC device  20  with a mobile communication device (e.g., by adhering the device  10  to the outer side of the outer shell of the mobile communication device)), at least a RFID reader device  322 , and at least an application terminal  324 . Moreover, the authentication system  30  further includes at least a certification authority center  340 , at least an application server  350 , and the Internet  360 . The application server  350  connects to the certification authority center  340  and other units through the Internet  360 . 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, the certification authority center  340  is an independent authentication server which may be configured at a credit card issuing agency, such as an authentication server from VISA. The certification authority center  340  may also be a network information center from each country or region, such as an authentication server from Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC). The certification authority center  340  may also be a unit within a telecom operator with credible independent authentication. The certification authority center  340  may also have functionalities for authentication, authorization, and accounting. The RFID reader device  322  and the application terminal  324  are configured at the front end customer contact points of the stores or service providers which provide goods and services. The application server  350  is the back end server of the service provider. The application server  350  may provide corresponding services to a plurality of RFID reader devices  312  and  322 , application servers  314  and  324 , and stores or customer contact points providing the services or products. Another application server  352  provides different services to the RFID reader device  332 , the application terminal  334 , and stores or customer contact points providing the services or products. The NFC devices  310 ,  320 , and  330  are used for identity authentication of the customers of the products or services. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the device  320 , the RFID reader device  322 , and the application terminal  324  are respectively connected to the Internet  360 . The device  320  stores a user ID in a RFID tag therein, and when the device  320  is near the RFID reader device  322 , the RFID reader device  322  obtains the user ID. As in the previously mentioned passages describing  FIG. 4 , the RFID reader device  322  sends the user ID to the certification authority center  340 . The authentication process and the subsequent transaction activity are performed according to the user ID. It is assumed here that the transaction activity involves a user purchasing a product (e.g., purchasing a beverage) or a service (e.g., purchasing a train ticket or using the device  320  to deduct fare for riding mass transportation) at a store or a transaction location which has installed the RFID reader device  322 . Moreover, the RFID reader device  322  is coupled to the application terminal  324 , and the application terminal  324  is coupled to the certification authority center  340  for sending the user ID and the transaction or service data to the certification authority center  340  in order to perform a user authentication action (or a user identity authentication action) and a store authentication action. After the authentication action is completed, the subsequent transaction and service data (e.g., the product serial numbers, service content, deduction amount, or the store identity) are obtained from a data exchange with the application server  350  corresponding to the type of the application terminal  324  and the current transaction. 
         [0040]    In the present embodiment, after the certification authority center  340  completes the user authentication action, the subsequent processing may be performed according to whether current transaction activity requires name records or does not require name records (corresponding to the transaction activity being performed anonymous). 
         [0041]    When current transaction requires name records, the certification authority center  340  sends a user related data (corresponding to the user ID) to the application server  350 . Next, the application server  350  may use the user related data and a deduction amount to perform an account deduction action for the user, and to refresh an account balance (corresponding to the user ID) of the user. When current transaction does not require name records (i.e., the transaction activity is performed anonymous), the certification authority center  340  only returns an authentication success message (not including the user identity related data) and the transaction data to the application server  350 . Thereafter, according to the user ID, the application server  350  refreshes the account balance corresponding to the user ID. When necessary, the application server  350  may interact with the corresponding application terminal  324  and the store or customer contact points, so as to achieve transaction or service functions. 
         [0042]    In the present embodiment, the process flow of the account deduction action may be applicable to the account add value action, in which the application server  350  refreshes the account balance after the value is added according to the user ID. However, it should be noted that, from the beginning to the end of the transaction, the device  320  may not store any data on the numerical transaction amount. More specifically, the RFID tag of the device  320  may not store any data on the transaction amount. Accordingly, the security risk of writing data into the device  320  can be prevented, and the safety of the entire transaction is ensured. Moreover, before the account deduction action or the add value action, application server  350  may also remind the user of the related account deduction or add value status. For example, the application server  350  may warn the user of an impending account deduction by notifying the cell phone of the user with sending an email or a short message. When the device  10  is adhered to the outer shell of the mobile communication device, the user may receive a real-time confirmation on the screen of the mobile communication device. Moreover, in other embodiments of the invention, before the account deduction action or the account add value action, the application server  350  may prompt the user to provide a password to further obtain the real-time transaction confirmation by sending an email or a short message to the cell phone of the user, or by using a program on the cell phone (e.g., a smartphone) of the user. 
         [0043]    The application server may also be a function unit only. In another embodiment of the invention, the application server  354  depicted in  FIG. 5  is directly built-in the certification authority center  340 , but has the same functionalities as the application servers  350  or  352 , such as accepting the authentication data from the certification authority center  340  and interacting with the application terminal to complete the transaction or service, which are similar to the certification authority center  340  directly interacting with the application terminal to complete the transaction or service. 
         [0044]    The application server may also be a function unit only. In another embodiment of the invention, the application server and the application terminal have overlapping applicability but with the same functionalities as the application servers  350  or  352 , such as accepting the authentication data from the certification authority center  340  and interacting with the application terminal to complete the transaction or service, which are similar to the application terminal directly completing the transaction or service after the application terminal directly accepts the authentication data from the certification authority center  340 . 
         [0045]    In another embodiment of the invention, the authentication system  30  may include a NFC device  310  (not connected to the Internet  360 ), an application terminal  314 , and a RFID reader device  312  (directly connected to the application terminal  314 ). The NFC device  310 , the application terminal  314 , and the RFID reader device  312  respectively have functionalities similar to the device  320 , the application terminal  324 , and the RFID reader device  322 . Moreover, in another embodiment, the authentication system  30  may include a NFC device  330  and an application terminal  334  (integrated with a RFID reader device  332 ). Similarly, the NFC device  330 , the RFID reader device  332 , and the application terminal  334  respectively have functionalities similar to the device  320 , the RFID reader device  322 , and the application terminal  324 . Moreover, the authentication system  30  may include other application servers corresponding to different services, such as an application server  352 . Furthermore, a plurality of application terminals may correspond to a same application server. For example, the RFID reader device  312  and the application terminal  314  correspond to the application server  350 , the RFID reader device  322  and the application terminal  324  also correspond to the application server  350 , and the RFID reader device  332  and the application terminal  334  correspond to the application server  352 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an authentication method  60  using a NFC device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The authentication method  60  is an authentication method that does not record names. Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , the authentication method  60  begins with a Step S 602 , in which the RFID reader device  322  obtains a user ID of the RFID tag in the device  320  (Step S 602 ). The application terminal  324  obtains the user ID from the RFID reader device  322 , and sends the user ID and a service system data (including a store ID code of the store where the RFID reader device  322  is located and the identity related data of the application terminal  324 ) to the certification authority center  340  to perform a user authentication action and a store authentication action (Step S 604 ). After the certification authority center  340  completes the user authentication and the store authentication, an authentication success message, the user ID (or the user authentication data), and the service system data are sent to the application server  350  (Step S 606 ). Moreover, the application server  350  and the application terminal  324  process, refresh, or record the transaction amount or the service data. In addition, in other embodiments, after the certification authority center  340  completes the user authentication action, user authentication data may be sent to the application terminal  324 , in which the application terminal  324  process, refresh, or record a transaction amount and a service data. The service data includes the amount to deduct for the current transaction. The application server  350  and the application terminal  324  process, update, or record the transaction amount or the service data (Step S 608 ). The application server  350  completes processing the transaction and service, and records the deduction amount, for example. Thereafter, the user is notified (Step S 610 ) and the authentication method  60  ends. 
         [0047]    It should be noted that in other embodiments, for the Step S 610 , the output unit  215  of the device  320  can display a transaction confirmation message to the user by the application server  350  sending a message, a short message, or an email to the device  320 . Alternatively, in other embodiments, for the Step S 610 , the transaction confirmation message can be displayed for the user by the application server  350  sending the transaction success message to device  320  or the application terminal  324 . For example, the RFID reader device  322  can be configured at the entrance and exit of a train station. When the user enters using a contactless card swipe method, the RFID reader device  322  has a display screen or a sound output device to notify the user of the transaction success and the deduction amount of the this transaction, or the remaining balance after the transaction. Moreover, the authentication method  60  may also be used in an add value mechanism. As long as the deduction amount in the Steps S 608 -S 610  is replaced with the added amount, adding value to the account corresponding to the user ID in the device  320  can be implemented. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the authentication method  60  may be adapted for only the device  320 . In other words, the user has not adhered the device  320  on any electronic or communication device, and the transaction proceeds by placing only the device  320  near the NFC reader device  220 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of another authentication method  70  using a NFC device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. The authentication method  70  is an authentication method that does not record names. Referring to  FIGS. 4-7 , the Steps S 702 -S 706  in the authentication method  70  of  FIG. 7  are similar to the Steps S 602 -S 606  in the authentication method  60 , and therefore further elaboration is omitted here. In a Step S 708  of the authentication method  70 , the store and the user are notified to confirm the transaction by the processing of the application server  350  and the application terminal  324 . The store may be notified by configuring a screen or a sound output device at the application terminal  324  or the RFID reader device  322  to notify the store or the customer service point whether to complete the transaction. Alternatively, the confirmation by the store on the transaction may be completed by the application terminal  324  or the input device of the RFID reader device  322 , for example, with a keypad input device for inputting a personal password. In a Step S 710 , after the application server  350  confirms this transaction, the transaction amount or the service data are refreshed or recorded. 
         [0049]    The user confirms is the transaction in the Step S 708 . By the application server  350  sending a message or a short message to the device  320 , or by using an application program installed in the device  320  in advance, the output unit  215  of the device  320  displays the notification of the transaction confirmation. Moreover, the user responds to the server  350  by selection on the keypad or the touch screen of the input unit  214 , and accordingly the transaction is completed. Furthermore, the application server  350  may dial to a phone number of the device  320  through a call center, so the user hears a voice notification, or the user may confirm the transaction with a customer representative from the call center over the telephone. Additionally, the authentication method  70  may also be adapted for only the device  320  and for an add value mechanism. As long as the deduction amount in the Steps S 708 -S 710  is replaced with the added amount, adding value to the account in the device  320 , or the account corresponding to the user ID in the device  320  can be implemented. 
         [0050]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of another authentication method  80  using a NFC device according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. The authentication method  80  is an authentication method that records names. Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  8 , the Steps S 802 -S 804  in the authentication method  80  of  FIG. 8  are similar to the Steps S 602 -S 604  in the authentication method  60 , and therefore further elaboration is omitted here. In a Step S 806  of the authentication method  80 , after the certification authority center  340  completes the user authentication and the store authentication, the certification authority center  340  sends an identity related data of the user, an authentication success message, and a service system data to the application server  350 . The application server  350  and the application terminal  324  process, update, or record the transaction amount or the service data (Step S 808 ). After the application server  350  completes processing the transaction and service and records the deduction amount, for example, the user is notified (Step S 810 ), and the authentication method  80  ends. The methods of notification and transaction confirmation may be similar to the Step S 708  of  FIG. 7 , and therefore further elaboration of the details thereof is omitted here. Moreover, in the Step S 810 , the authentication method  80  may be similar to the Step S 708  of  FIG. 7 , with the application server  350  sending a message to the device  320 , and the user responding to the application server  350  with a selection so the transaction is officially confirmed. 
         [0051]    By adopting the authentication system and authentication method proposed by exemplary embodiments of the invention, the user may interact with the servers (including databases) of the online stores on the Internet. Moreover, the online stores may provide the consumer with rich information services, including providing multimedia services to the NFC device  320  owned by the consumer during the transaction process. The consumer only needs to place the device  320  on the NFC device near the RFID reader device  322  to complete the payment action. After payment or balance deduction, the application server  350  may subsequently retrieve this amount of money through a credit card issuing agency, or the money can be retrieved by using a credit card bill or a telecommunication bill through a collaborating telecommunication company. The device  320  may not record any transaction amount data and only store the user ID. The transaction balance related data are recorded, calculated, and processed by the electronic transaction server. Accordingly, the circuit complexity and production costs of the device  320  can be drastically reduced, and thus the NFC device can find a wide applicability. Moreover, the authentication system and method may not be limited only to transaction activities, but are also applicable to any services requiring user authentication and user authorization. 
         [0052]    An application service provider of an application server located at a remote end of a network cloud, a store configured with a NFC reader device located at a near end of the cloud, and a user of a NFC device are three independent bodies. The application service provider may be a telecom operator or be any application service provider of interne service. For other more complex application services, an information processing system may be configured at the application server at the remote end of the network cloud, and an application client system on a network edge may be configured at the NFC reader device of the store at the near end of the cloud. Before establishing a service, the service content and flow of the application service are defined beforehand, and the application server, the NFC reader device, and the NFC device are notified. The application server, the NFC reader device, and the NFC device perform the required information exchange (i.e., dialogue) through the Internet (i.e., cloud), such as for a balance calculation action, a transaction deduction authorization, and a receipt issue action. 
         [0053]    In view of the foregoing, exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a NFC device, an authentication system using the NFC device, and an authentication method thereof The NFC device may be integrated with a communication device, but any information exchange between the NFC device and the communication device is not necessary. The authentication system obtains the user ID in the NFC device, and sends the user ID to a certification authority center located at a remote end of the Internet for authentication. Moreover, another application server may be used to calculate and record the amount of the transaction activity. Accordingly, the authentication system can achieve an authentication mechanism that is highly secure, reliable, and convenient, as well as a transaction method based on the authentication mechanism. 
         [0054]    Although the invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of the ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed descriptions.