Patent Abstract:
Provided is a secure digital memory card for extension of function, including: a flash memory installed in a host device and storing data generated by the host device; a controller controlling an access interface to the flash memory; a radio frequency circuit performing functions of a contactless integrated circuit card and a contactless integrated circuit card reader through a wireless interface control of the controller; an antenna unit connected to the radio frequency circuit to perform a function of a transmission and reception antenna; and a contact integrated circuit card adapter performing the function of the contact integrated circuit card reader through a wire interface control of the controller.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0089166, filed on Nov. 4, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.  
         [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an secure digital (SD) memory card for extension of function, and more particularly, to an SD memory card for extension of function, the SD memory card having functions of a contactless integrated circuit (IC) card and a contactless and/or contact IC card reader so as to be utilized in various application fields such as a traffic card, an access control, or the like based on its compact size, fast reading velocity, and large capacity.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     A contactless IC card includes a radio frequency (RF) module for processing an analog signal, a signal processing module for processing a contactless protocol and a digital interface signal, a central processing unit (CPU), a memory (a random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM), and the like.  
         [0006]     The contactless IC card is classified into a contactless (closes coupling) IC card (CICC) and a remote coupling IC card which is classified into a proximity IC card (PICC), a vicinity IC card (VICC), and an RF IC card.  
         [0007]     The CICC is standardized in ISO-10536. The PICC is standardized in ISO/IEC-14443, and the VICC is standardized in ISO-/IEC-15693. The CICC obtains a power source through capacitive coupling, and the remote coupling IC card obtains a power source through inductive coupling.  
         [0008]     The contactless IC card does not to be inserted into a card reader and into an exact card position. Thus, the contactless IC card can be easily designed and manufactured. Also, a terminal can be firmly and inexpensively manufactured. Thus, maintenance cost can be reduced. In addition, the contactless IC card does not include a mechanical contact surface and thus is robust to static electricity, chemical damage, moisture, pollution, dust, friction, or the like. Thus, the contactless IC card can be used for a long period of time. Since a direct access to the contactless IC card is impossible, contents cannot be interpreted and thus cannot be forged.  
         [0009]     Application fields of the contactless IC card include electronic cash, a traffic card, access control, fractional currency, and the like. In other words, the contactless IC card is used in a mobile phone, a physical distribution system, a vehicle control and a livestock identification card according to a system to which the contactless IC card is applied.  
         [0010]     In a contactless and/or contact card reader, a contactless IC card reader supports physical characteristics and protocols (for an RF power source, a signal connection, initialization, and anti-collision) of a contactless IC card and communicates information to the contactless IC card by wireless.  
         [0011]     The contactless card reader is classified into a simple card reader for simple communication between the contactless IC card and a system and a complex card reader performing an application without being linked to the system.  
         [0012]     The simple card reader must satisfy ISO/IEC 14443 Types A and B and provides functions of a Type A and B compatible module, a CPU used for control, a memory storing programs and data, a key pad and a display used for a user, supporting of a hardware module such as a communication port for communication with an external source and applications, downloading of programs, and anti-collision.  
         [0013]     The complex card reader is used for an EFT-POS, a Pay TV, a CD-ATM, a mobile terminal, and so on and provides applications through wire communication with a contact IC card.  
         [0014]     The contact IC card reader for using the contact IC card satisfies ISO/IEC 7816 protocols and has similar functions to those of a contactless IC card reader except a wireless communication function.  
         [0015]     An SD memory card is a kind of standard of a new compact SD memory card announced by the joint of Matsushita, SunDisk, and Toshiba in 2000 and includes a plurality of flash memories and one microprocessor chip manufactured by silicon semiconductor technology. The SD memory card is compact, light, and has fast storage and reading velocities and large capacity, and thus widely applied to computer peripheral devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, digital workermans, or the like.  
         [0016]     However, since the conventional SD memory card includes a plurality of flash memories and one microprocessor, the conventional SD memory card does not include wire and wireless interfaces performing functions of the above-described contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC card reader and a control function. In order to include the functions of wire and wireless interfaces, the conventional SD memory card must include a controller chip for controlling the contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC card reader and three or four controller chips for controlling an SD memory card interface and be controlled by each microprocessor. Thus, the conventional SD memory card is disadvantageous in terms of the installation of components.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     The present invention provides an SD memory card for extension of function, the SD memory card having functions of a contactless IC card (ISO 14443 Types A and B), a contactless IC card reader (Types A and B), and a contact IC card reader so as to provide a combination of the functions of the contactless IC card and the contactless IC card reader, and a controller for controlling the contactless IC card, the contactless and/or contact IC card reader, an SD memory card interface, and an access to a memory using one microprocessor.  
         [0018]     The present invention also provides an SD memory card supporting a security mechanism such as an access control for restricting an access to files stored in a flash memory, encoding and decoding of the files, authentication of the files, or the like.  
         [0019]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a secure digital memory card for extension of function, including: a flash memory installed in a host device and storing data generated by the host device; a controller controlling an access interface to the flash memory; a radio frequency circuit performing functions of a contactless integrated circuit card and a contactless integrated circuit card reader through a wireless interface control of the controller; an antenna unit connected to the radio frequency circuit to perform a function of a transmission and reception antenna; and a contact integrated circuit card adapter performing the function of the contact integrated circuit card reader through a wire interface control of the controller.  
         [0020]     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a secure digital memory card for extension of function, including: a flash memory installed in a host device and storing data generated by the host device; a controller controlling an access control to the flash memory; a radio frequency circuit performing functions of a contactless integrated circuit card and a contactless integrated circuit card reader through a wireless interface control of the controller; a first antenna connected to the radio frequency circuit and performing a function of a transmission and reception antenna; and an antenna connector connected to a second antenna installed outside the secure digital memory card and connected to the radio frequency circuit to perform a function of a reader transmission and reception antenna.  
         [0021]     According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a secure digital memory card for extension of function, including: a flash memory installed in a host device and storing data generated by the host device; a first controller controlling an access interface to the flash memory; a contact integrated circuit card adapter performing a function of a contact integrated circuit card reader through a wire interface control of the first controller; and a connector connected to an extension module performing functions of a contactless integrated circuit card and a contactless integrated circuit card reader and installed outside the secure digital memory card. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an SD memory card for extension of function according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an RF circuit shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a card module shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a reader module shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an antenna unit shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an SD memory card for extension of function according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of an SD memory card for extension of function according to still another embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]     Hereinafter, an SD memory card for extension of function according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.  
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an SD memory card for extension of function according to an embodiment of the present invention. An SD memory card  100  has wire and wireless interface functions and performs wire and wireless communications using communication protocols of a contactless IC card and a contactless and/or contact IC card reader.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the SD memory card  100  includes an antenna unit  110 , an RF circuit  120 , a controller  130 , a flash memory  140 , and a contact IC card adapter  150 .  
         [0033]     The RF circuit  120  is a wireless connection module for performing functions of a contactless IC card and a contactless IC card reader and connected to the controller  130 .  
         [0034]     The antenna unit  110  includes a signal transmission and reception antenna connected to the RF circuit  120  so that the RF circuit  120  performs a function thereof.  
         [0035]     The controller  130  includes an SD card interface  131 , a memory interface  132 , a microprocessor (uP(RISC))  133 , an encoding module  134 , a RAM  135 , a ROM  136 , a peripheral module  137 , and a link interface  138 .  
         [0036]     The SD card interface  131  is connected to signal pines DAT 0  through DAT 3 , GND, VDD, and CLK so as to be connected to a host device (for example, a laptop computer, a PDA, a mobile phone, a device with an SD memory card adapter, or the like) in which the SD memory card  100  is mounted.  
         [0037]     The memory interface  132  is connected to the flash memory  140 .  
         [0038]     The encoding module  134  performs an encoding algorithm function for performing security functions such as encoding, decoding, and authentication for protecting data stored in a memory.  
         [0039]     The RAM  135  performs a function of a work buffer memory used in the execution of a program.  
         [0040]     The ROM  136  stores execution programs such as a program for controlling protocols of the contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC card reader, a program for controlling the SD card interface  131 , a program for controlling the encoding module  134 , and the like.  
         [0041]     The peripheral module  137  is used to perform and extend a function of the microprocessor  133  via a timer, a random number generator, or the like.  
         [0042]     The link interface  138  links the RF circuit  120  and the contact IC card adapter  150  to the controller  130 .  
         [0043]     The microprocessor  133  executes the execution programs stored in the ROM  136  and controls higher protocols than the protocols of the contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC card reader, the SD card interface  131 , and a memory access to the flash memory  140 . The microprocessor  133  controls the components of the controller  130  and controls the RF circuit  120  and the contact IC card adapter  150  via the link interface  138 .  
         [0044]     The flash memory  140  may be a flash ROM or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) used for an SD memory card and includes a system area, a project area, and a general user area.  
         [0045]     The contact IC card adapter  150  is a wire connection module providing a wire physical contact point for using the contact IC card and connected to the controller  130 .  
         [0046]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the RF circuit  120  shown in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the RF circuit  120  includes a card module  200  performing the function of the contactless IC card and a reader module  220  performing the function of the contactless IC card reader. The card module  200  will be described with reference to  FIG. 3 , and the reader module  220  will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 .  
         [0047]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the card module  200  shown in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the card module  200  includes an amplifier  300  amplifying a signal input from an external apparatus via the antenna unit  110 , a clock generator  310  receiving an output of the amplifier  300  to generate a card clock, a first card demodulator  320  (performing the function of the ISO/IEC 14443 Type A) and a second card demodulator  330  (performing the function of the ISO/IEC 14443 Type B) receiving the output of the amplifier  300  to extract card input data.  
         [0048]     The card module  200  further includes first and second card modulators  350  and  360  (respectively performing the functions of ISO/IEC 14443 Type A and B) modulating card transmission data input from the controller  130  to convert the card transmission data into an output signal to be output to the external apparatus.  
         [0049]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the card module  200  includes the first and second card demodulators  320  and  330  and the first and second modulators  350  and  360  so as to constitute the SD memory card  100  including the contactless IC card satisfying the ISO/IEC 14443 Types A and B.  
         [0050]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the reader module  220  shown in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the reader module  220  includes an oscillator  400  generating a reader clock, a transmitter  420  converting reader transmission data into the output signal to transmit the output signal, and a receiver  440  receiving a reader input signal to convert the reader input signal into reader reception data.  
         [0051]     The transmitter  420  includes first and second reader modulators  422  and  424  (performing the functions of the ISO/IEC 14443 Types A and B) modulating the reader transmission data input from the controller  130  and an output circuit  426  converting a reader modulation signal output from the first and second modulators  422  and  424  into the output signal and transmitting the output signal to the external apparatus.  
         [0052]     The receiver  440  includes a band pass filter (BPF)  442  filtering and outputting only a signal in a predetermined band, of signals input from the external apparatus via the antenna unit  110  and outputting the filtered signal, an amplifier  444  amplifying the band signal output from the BPF  442 , and first and second reader demodulators  446  and  448  (respectively performing the functions of the ISO/IEC 14443 Types A and B) demodulating the signal amplified by the amplifier  444  to generate the reader reception data and outputting the reader reception data to the controller  130 .  
         [0053]     As shown in  FIG. 4  the reader module  220  includes the first and second modulators  422  and  424  and the first and second demodulators  446  and  448  so as to constitute the SD memory card  100  performing the function of the contactless IC card reader satisfying the ISO/IEC 14443 Types A and B.  
         [0054]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the antenna unit  110  shown in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , the antenna unit  110  includes first and second antennas  500  and  520  so as to support the functions of the contactless IC card and the contactless IC card reader.  
         [0055]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the antenna unit  110  includes the first and second antennas  500  and  520  to constitute the SD memory card  100  having the functions of the contactless IC card and the contactless IC card reader satisfying the ISO/IEC 14443 Types A and B.  
         [0056]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an SD memory card for extension of function according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 6 , unlike the antenna unit  110  shown in  FIG. 1 ; an antenna unit shown in  FIG. 6  includes a second antenna  600  connected to an RF circuit  120  via a first antenna  160  built in an SD memory card  100  and an antenna connector  170  of the SD memory card  100  and installed outside the SD memory card  100 .  
         [0057]     The other elements shown in  FIG. 6  are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the elements shown in  FIG. 1 , and thus undescribed elements are as described with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 5 .  
         [0058]     In the present embodiment, the second antenna  600  is connected to the RF circuit  120  via the antenna connector  170 . Thus, a wireless communication capacity of the SD memory card  100  shown in  FIG. 6  can be further extended compared to the SD memory card  100  including two antennas as shown in  FIG. 1  (or  FIG. 5 ).  
         [0059]     Also, in a case where the SD memory card  100  wireless communicates with a device at a predetermined distance therefrom, the second antenna  600  can more improve transmission and reception efficiency of an electric wave than when the second antenna  600  is installed in the SD memory card  100 .  
         [0060]     However, the structure in which the second antenna  600  is installed outside the SD memory card  100  may not be easily handled. Thus, in a case where a host device including the SD memory card  100  shown in  FIG. 6  does not need the function of the contactless IC card reader, the second antenna  600  having a module structure may be separately used.  
         [0061]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of an SD memory card for extension of function according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 7 , an SD memory card  700  is separated from a contactless IC card and contactless card reader function extension module  750 .  
         [0062]     The SD memory card  700  operates as a general SD memory card and includes a first controller  730 , a flash memory card  720 , a contact IC card adapter  710 , and a connector  740  for connecting the SD memory card  700  to the contactless IC card and contactless card reader function extension module  750 . The flash memory  720  may be a ROM or EEPROM used for an SD memory card and include a system area, a project area, and a general user area.  
         [0063]     The contact IC card adapter  710  is a wire connection module providing a wire physical contact point for using the contact IC card and connected to the first controller  730 .  
         [0064]     The first controller  730  includes an SD card interface  731 , a memory interface  732 , a microprocessor (uP(RISC))  733 , a RAM  735 , a ROM  736 , a link interface  738 , and a contactless IC card and/or reader interface  739 .  
         [0065]     The SD card interface  731  is connected to signal pines DAT 0  through DAT 3 , GND, VDD, and CLK so as to be connected to a host device in which the SD memory card  700  is built.  
         [0066]     The memory interface  732  is connected to the flash memory  720 .  
         [0067]     The RAM  735  performs a function of a work buffer memory used in the execution of a program.  
         [0068]     The ROM  736  stores execution programs such as a program for controlling protocols of a contactless IC card and a contactless and/or contact IC card reader, a program for controlling the SD card interface  731 , and the like.  
         [0069]     The link interface  738  links the contact IC card adapter  710  to the first controller  730 .  
         [0070]     The microprocessor  733  executes the execution programs stored in the ROM  736  and controls higher protocols than the protocols of the contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC reader, the SD card interface  731 , and a memory access to the flash memory  720 . The microprocessor  733  controls the components of the first controller  730  and controls the contact IC card adapter  710  via the link interface  738 .  
         [0071]     The first controller  730  has the same function as the controller  130  shown in  FIG. 1  except that the first controller  730  includes the contactless IC card and/or reader interface  739  but does not include the encoding module  784  and a peripheral module  787 .  
         [0072]     The contactless IC card and/or reader interface  739  is connected to the contactless IC card and contactless IC card reader function extension module  750  via the connector  740 .  
         [0073]     The contactless IC card and contactless card reader function extension module  750  includes a first antenna  760 , an RF circuit  770 , and a second controller  780 .  
         [0074]     The RF circuit  770  is a wireless connection module performing the functions of the contactless IC card and contactless IC card reader and is connected to the second controller  780 .  
         [0075]     The first antenna  760  includes a signal transmission and reception antenna connected to the RF circuit  770  so that the RF circuit  770  performs a function thereof.  
         [0076]     The second controller  780  controls the contactless IC card and the contactless IC card reader and includes a contactless IC card and/or reader interface  781 , a microprocessor  782 , the encoding module  784 , a RAM  785 , a ROM  786 , and the peripheral module  787 .  
         [0077]     The encoding module  784  performs an encoding algorithm function for performing security functions such as encoding, decoding, and authentication of data, and the like for protecting data stored in a memory.  
         [0078]     The peripheral module  787  is used to perform and extend a function of the microprocessor  783  using a timer, a random number generator, or the like.  
         [0079]     Here, the contactless IC card and/or reader interface  781  is connected to the SD memory card  700  via the connector  740 .  
         [0080]     The second controller  780  is connected to the RF circuit  770 . Here, the second controller  780  performs the same function as the first controller  730  except that the second controller  780  does not perform the functions of the contactless IC card and/or reader interface  781  and the flash memory  720  and thus will not be described in detail herein.  
         [0081]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the SD memory card  700  may be generally used an SD memory card device and may be connected to the contactless IC card and contactless card reader function extension module  750  including the second controller  780  performing the functions of the contactless IC card and contactless IC card reader, the RF circuit  770 , and the first antenna  760  so as to extend a communication interface function.  
         [0082]     As a result, components can be easily mounted in the SD memory card  700 . Also, the SD memory card  700  can be arbitrarily to the contactless IC card and contactless card reader function extension module  750  to add a wireless interface function thereto.  
         [0083]     In the embodiments described with reference to  FIGS. 1, 6 , and  7 , a method of setting a host device connected according to the wire and wireless interface functions will now be described.  
         [0084]     In a wire and wireless communication way of a contactless IC card and contactless and/or contact IC card reader, the contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC card reader may mainly communicate with a specific one of devices within a communication range. In this case, the contactless IC card and contactless and/or contact IC card reader requires information for specifying a counterpart device to be connected. For example, the contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC card reader registers their pin codes and a pin code of the specific device as set information in advance and communicates with the specific device based on the set information. The set information is stored in advance in a protection memory area of a flash memory.  
         [0085]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , in the case of the SC memory card  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , set information recorded in a protection memory area of the flash memory  140  may be read according to the controller  130  that may control wire and wireless interfaces and a memory interface. The contactless IC card and the contactless and/or contact IC card reader can communicate with a specific counterpart device using the set information.  
         [0086]     Only a specific host device having public key information can be accessed according to an authenticator of the SD memory card  100 . Such an access control is performed to realize protection technology via an authenticator installed in a host device corresponding to the SD memory card  100 . When data is read and written, the data is exchanged using encoding performed based on the public key information the host device and the SD memory card  100  commonly have. Thus, the access control is performed to prevent the data from being copied.  
         [0087]     Thus, as described above, the SD memory card  100  can be installed in an arbitrary host device so as to communicate with a pre-set connection counterpart according to the host device. The SD memory card  100  must be installed in a specific host device to change the connection counterpart or read set information.  
         [0088]     As described above, an SD memory card for extension of function according to the present invention can have wire and wireless interface functions. Thus, the SD memory card can be added to an information processor to be used for extension of function.  
         [0089]     Also, the SD memory card can easily protect information using encoding and decoding and authentication functions by providing convenience of the SD memory card and an encoding module.  
         [0090]     In addition, the SD memory card can include a combination of functions of a conventional contactless IC card and a conventional contactless and/or contact IC card reader. Thus, the SD memory card can be used in contactless IC card applications including a traffic card, access control, and the like.  
         [0091]     Moreover, the SD memory card can uses the contactless IC card reader and the contact IC card reader as one. Thus, production cost can be reduced, and the contactless IC card reader and the contact IC card reader can be conveniently used and simply manipulated.  
         [0092]     Furthermore, the SD memory card can include a multipurpose controller. Thus, the SD memory card can process information and include various applications such as functions of a storage memory, the contactless IC card and contactless and/or contact IC card reader, and the like. As a result, the SD memory card can be used as an application platform.  
         [0093]     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6