Patent ID: 8056804

Claim:
A contactless type integrated circuit card reader/writer apparatus that carries out contactless communication with a contactless type integrated circuit card, the contactless type integrated circuit card not having a built-in power source and receiving a supply of power from a power storage section in a portable terminal in which the contactless type integrated circuit card is mounted, the contactless type integrated circuit card reader/writer apparatus comprising: a contactless communication section that sends and receives information to and from the contactless type integrated circuit card by the contactless communication; a contactless charging section that supplies the power to the power storage section in the portable terminal in a contactless manner; a detection section that detects a state of the contactless communication; and a control section that controls switching between the contactless communication section and the contactless charging section based on a detection result in the detection section to select between sending and receiving the information by the contactless communication, and supplying the power in the contactless manner, wherein, when the contactless communication with the contactless type integrated circuit card using the contactless communication section is not possible, the control section controls the contactless charging section to charge the power storage section in the portable terminal and then controls the contactless communication section again to carry out the contactless communication.