Secure NFC apparatus and method for supporting various security modules

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a secure Near Field Communication (NFC) apparatus and method for supporting various security modules. The NFC apparatus includes an NFC unit, a protocol conversion unit and a security module. The NFC unit transmits information corresponding to a first signal based on a first protocol via non-contact NFC and generates a second signal based on the first protocol from information received via non-contact NFC. The protocol conversion unit converts a signal based on a second protocol into a first signal based on the first protocol and converts the second signal based on the first protocol into a signal based on the second protocol. The security module receives and outputs signals based on the second protocol.

1 . A secure Near Field Communication (NFC) apparatus, comprising: 
 an NFC unit for transmitting information corresponding to a first signal based on a first protocol via non-contact NFC and generating a second signal based on the first protocol from information received via non-contact NFC;    a protocol conversion unit for converting a signal based on a second protocol into a first signal based on the first protocol and converting the second signal based on the first protocol into a signal based on the second protocol; and    a security module for receiving and outputting signals based on the second protocol.    
     
     
         2 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first protocol is a protocol based on a SignalIn-SignalOut-Connection (S2C) interface.  
     
     
         3 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the security module is a non-contact smart card core chip.  
     
     
         4 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the security module outputs authentication information in response to an input signal based on the second protocol.  
     
     
         5 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the authentication information is a user Identification (ID) for identification of a user or an amount of charged money for use of a service.  
     
     
         6 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the security module performs authentication in response to an input signal based on the second protocol, and stores personal information included in the input signal if the authentication is successful.  
     
     
         7 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the secure NFC apparatus is mounted in a mobile communication terminal; and    the input signal based on the second protocol is a signal generated from information that is received via non-contact NFC with another mobile communication terminal equipped with another secure NFC apparatus.    
     
     
         8 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the personal information is an electronic name card, a photo, a moving image or a telephone directory, which is managed in a security module of the second mobile communication terminal.  
     
     
         9 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol conversion unit comprises: 
 a code conversion unit for bypassing an input signal based on the first protocol, and converting an input signal based on the second protocol into a signal based on the first protocol and outputting the converted signal;    a signal type conversion unit for converting the bypassed signal, which is received from the code conversion unit, into an analog signal and outputting the converted analog signal, and converting an analog input signal based on the second protocol into a digital signal and outputting the converted digital signal to the code conversion unit as an input signal based on the second protocol; and    a waveform shaping unit for converting a size of the analog signal output from the signal type conversion unit and transferring the converted analog signal to the security module, and converting a size of the analog signal based on the second protocol, which is output from the security module, and outputting the converted analog signal to the signal type conversion unit.    
     
     
         10 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the signal based on the first protocol is a Miller-coded signal and the signal based on the second protocol is a Manchester-coded signal.  
     
     
         11 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the waveform shaping unit performs waveform shaping so that a size of the signal transferred to the security module is greater than that of the signal transferred to the signal type conversion unit.  
     
     
         12 . The secure NFC apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the waveform shaping unit comprises: 
 a diode connected between a first terminal, which is connected to the signal type conversion unit, and a first node;    a first resistor connected between the first terminal, which is connected to the signal type conversion unit, and a ground;    a first capacitor connected between the first terminal, which is connected to the signal type conversion unit, and the ground;    a second resistor connected between a second terminal, which is connected to the signal type conversion unit, and a first terminal, which is connected to the security module;    a second capacitor connected between the first node and the first terminal, which is connected to the security module; and    a third capacitor connected between a first terminal, which is connected to the security module, and a ground;    wherein the ground is connected as a second terminal of the security module.    
     
     
         13 . A protocol converter for NFC, comprising: 
 a code conversion unit for bypassing an input signal based on a first protocol, and converting an input signal based on a second protocol into a signal based on the first protocol and outputting the converted signal;    a signal type conversion unit for converting the bypassed signal, which is received from the code conversion unit, into an analog signal and outputting the converted analog signal, and converting an analog input signal based on the second protocol into a digital signal and outputting the converted digital signal to the code conversion unit as an input signal based on the second protocol; and    a waveform shaping unit for converting a size of the analog signal output from the signal type conversion unit and transferring the converted analog signal to the external module, and converting a size of the analog signal based on the second protocol, which is output from the external module, and outputting the converted analog signal to the signal type conversion unit as the analog input signal based on the second protocol.    
     
     
         14 . The protocol converter of  claim 13 , wherein the waveform shaping unit performs waveform shaping so that a size of the signal transferred to the external module is greater than that of the signal transferred to the signal type conversion unit.  
     
     
         15 . A secure NFC method using an NFC processor for performing interfacing for non-contact NFC and a non-contact smart card core chip for managing authentication information, comprising the steps of: 
 the NFC processor generating a signal based on a first protocol from information received via the non-contact NFC;    converting the signal based on the first protocol into a signal based on a second protocol;    inputting the signal based on the second protocol to the non-contact smart card core chip;    the non-contact smart card core chip outputting the signal based on the second protocol;    converting the signal based on the second protocol into a signal based on the first protocol; and    the NFC processor transmitting information corresponding to the signal based on the first protocol via the non-contact NFC.    
     
     
         16 . The secure NFC method of  claim 15 , wherein the first protocol is a protocol based on an S2C interface.  
     
     
         17 . The secure NFC method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of outputting authentication information from the non-contact smart card core chip in response to an input signal according to the second protocol.  
     
     
         18 . The secure NFC method of  claim 17 , wherein the authentication information is a user ID for identification of a user or an amount of charged money for use of a service.  
     
     
         19 . The secure NFC method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of: 
 the non-contact smart card core chip performing authentication in response to an input signal based on the second protocol; and    the non-contact smart card core chip storing personal information included in the input signal if the authentication is successful.    
     
     
         20 . The secure NFC method of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 the NFC processor is mounted in a mobile communication terminal; and    the signal based on the second protocol, which is input to the non-contact smart card core chip, is a signal generated from the information received via non-contact NFC with another mobile communication terminal equipped with another NFC processor.    
     
     
         21 . The secure method of  claim 19 , wherein the personal information is an electronic name card, a photo, a moving image or a telephone directory that is managed in a non-contact smart card core chip of the second mobile communication terminal.