IC chip and information processing terminal

Abstract

When an IC card is passed over an external card reading and writing apparatus, the IC card starts communication with the card reading and writing apparatus via a wireless interface, so that a change in the internal state of the IC card is reported to an external device via an external wired interface or a dedicated control signal line, thus allowing a specific application to be enabled on the external device or allowing a controller to be powered on and activated. Alternatively, the controller is powered off and deactivated. Accordingly, processing according to the communication state between the IC card and the card reading and writing apparatus or the internal state of the IC card can be smoothly initiated.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An IC chip configured for incorporation into a portable communication terminal apparatus, the IC chip comprising:
 a memory for storing information;   a wireless communication unit for receiving an electromagnetic wave from an external reader/writer;   an analog signal processing unit for processing the received electromagnetic wave, said analog signal processing unit including a carrier wave detection unit for detecting a carrier wave from the electromagnetic wave received by the wireless communication unit to output a carrier wave detection signal;   an interface unit configured for connection to a program control unit residing outside the IC chip but within the portable communication terminal apparatus, the connection to the program control unit being through a wired interface when the IC chip is incorporated into the portable communication terminal apparatus; and   a digital control unit for processing a signal outputted from the analog signal processing unit and controlling access to the memory according to an access request from the external reader/writer or an access request from the program control unit through the interface unit, wherein   said digital control unit notifies said program control unit of the portable communication terminal apparatus of an internal state of the IC chip, which said internal state changes according to the wireless communication with the external reader/writer, by the carrier wave detection signal detected.   
     
     
       2. An IC chip according to  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit varies a load across an antenna thereof according to a response signal to a query signal from the external reader/writer, so that a signal that appears in a receiving circuit of the external reader/writer is amplitude-modulated for communication. 
     
     
       3. An IC chip according to  claim 1 , wherein said notification of the internal state from said digital control unit, which is obtained from the carrier wave detection unit, is sent to the program control unit via the interface unit. 
     
     
       4. An IC chip according to  claim 1 , wherein said notification of the internal state from said digital control unit, which is obtained from the carrier wave detection unit, is sent to the program control unit via a dedicated communication path and not via the interface unit. 
     
     
       5. A portable communication terminal apparatus which is equipped with an IC chip for performing wireless communication with an external reader/writer, said portable communication terminal apparatus comprising:
 a program control unit for controlling the overall operation of the terminal; and   a power supply control unit for controlling power supply to the program control unit to be turned on or off,   wherein said IC chip comprises;
 a wireless communication unit for receiving an electromagnetic wave from said external reader/writer; 
 an analog signal processing unit for processing the received electromagnetic wave, said analog signal processing unit including a carrier wave detection unit for detecting a carrier wave from the electromagnetic wave received by the wireless communication unit to output a carrier wave detection signal; 
 an interface unit configured for connection to the program control unit, the program control unit residing outside the IC chip but within the portable communication terminal apparatus, the connection to the program control unit being through a wired interface; 
 a memory for storing information; and 
 a digital control unit for processing a signal outputted from the analog signal processing unit and controlling access to the memory according to an access request from the external reader/writer or an access request from the program control unit through the interface unit, wherein said digital control unit notifies said program control unit of the portable communication terminal apparatus of an internal state of the IC chip, which said internal state changes according to the wireless communication with the external reader/writer, by the carrier wave detection signal detected. 
   
     
     
       6. A portable communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the program control unit starts predetermined processing when the IC chip detects a carrier wave from the external reader/writer. 
     
     
       7. A portable communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the power supply control unit switches power supply to the control unit to be turned on or off according to whether or not the IC chip has detected a carrier wave from the external reader/writer. 
     
     
       8. A portable communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said notification of the internal state from said digital control unit to said program control unit, which is obtained from the carrier wave detection signal, is received from the IC chip via the interface unit. 
     
     
       9. A portable communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said notification of the internal state from said digital control unit to said program control unit, which is obtained from the carrier wave detection signal, is received from the IC chip via a dedicated communication path and not via the interface unit. 
     
     
       10. A portable communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a display unit for visually displaying information,
 wherein the report indicating whether or not the carrier wave has been detected, which is received from the IC chip, is displayed on the display unit for output.   
     
     
       11. A portable communication terminal apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a user input unit for inputting commands or data to the portable communication terminal apparatus. 
     
     
       12. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 program control circuitry configured to execute an operation of the information processing apparatus during activation of the program control circuitry but not during deactivation of the program control circuitry;   power supply control circuitry configured to control power supply to the program control circuitry to control the deactivation of the program control circuitry and to control the activation of the program control circuitry; and   an IC chip, the program control circuitry resides within the information processing apparatus but outside the IC chip,   wherein the IC chip includes:
 wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly receive a carrier wave from an external reader/writer, 
 processing circuitry configured to generate a carrier wave detection signal that indicates whether or not the processing circuitry has detected reception of the carrier wave by the wireless communication circuitry, 
 digital control circuitry configured to use the carrier wave detection signal to detect a change in a state of wireless communication with the external reader/writer, the digital control circuitry is configured to output a notification of the change, and 
 interface circuitry configured to electrically connect the IC chip through a wired interface to the program control circuitry, the program control circuitry is configured to receive the notification from the digital control circuitry via the interface circuitry, 
   wherein the power supply control circuitry is configured to switch the power supply to the program control circuitry according to whether or not the IC chip has detected the carrier wave.   
     
     
       13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the IC chip further comprises:
 storage configured to store information, the digital control circuitry is configured to control access to the storage according to a request.   
     
     
       14. An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the request is from the external reader/writer. 
     
     
       15. An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the request is from the program control circuitry through the interface circuitry. 
     
     
       16. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:
 user input circuitry configured to input commands or data to the information processing apparatus.   
     
     
       17. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:
 display circuitry configured to receive a report from the IC chip and visually display content.   
     
     
       18. An information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the report indicates whether or not the carrier wave is displayable on the display circuitry. 
     
     
       19. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the state of wireless communication is whether or not reception of the carrier wave has been detected by the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       20. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the power supply control circuitry is configured to control the activation of the program control circuitry when processing circuitry has detected reception of the carrier wave by the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       21. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the power supply control circuitry is configured to control the deactivation of the program control circuitry when processing circuitry has detected no reception of the carrier wave by the wireless communication circuitry. 
     
     
       22. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a notification of an internal state from the digital control circuitry to the program control circuitry is received from the IC chip via the external reader/writer. 
     
     
       23. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 program control circuitry configured to execute an operation of the information processing apparatus during activation of the program control circuitry but not during deactivation of the program control circuitry;   power supply control circuitry configured to control power supply to the program control circuitry to control the deactivation of the program control circuitry and to control the activation of the program control circuitry; and   an IC chip, the program control circuitry resides within the information processing apparatus but outside the IC chip,   wherein the IC chip includes:
 wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly receive a carrier wave from an external reader/writer, 
 processing circuitry configured to generate a carrier wave detection signal that indicates whether or not the processing circuitry has detected reception of the carrier wave by the wireless communication circuitry, 
 digital control circuitry configured to use the carrier wave detection signal to detect a change in a state of wireless communication with the external reader/writer, the digital control circuitry is configured to output a notification of the change, and 
 interface circuitry configured to electrically connect the IC chip through a wired interface to the program control circuitry, the program control circuitry is configured to receive the notification from the digital control circuitry via the interface circuitry, 
   wherein the power supply control circuitry is configured to control the activation of the program control circuitry when processing circuitry has detected reception of the carrier wave by the wireless communication circuitry.   
     
     
       24. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 program control circuitry configured to execute an operation of the information processing apparatus during activation of the program control circuitry but not during deactivation of the program control circuitry;   power supply control circuitry configured to control power supply to the program control circuitry to control the deactivation of the program control circuitry and to control the activation of the program control circuitry; and   an IC chip, the program control circuitry resides within the information processing apparatus but outside the IC chip,   wherein the IC chip includes:
 wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly receive a carrier wave from an external reader/writer, 
 processing circuitry configured to generate a carrier wave detection signal that indicates whether or not the processing circuitry has detected reception of the carrier wave by the wireless communication circuitry, 
 digital control circuitry configured to use the carrier wave detection signal to detect a change in a state of wireless communication with the external reader/writer, the digital control circuitry is configured to output a notification of the change, and 
 interface circuitry configured to electrically connect the IC chip through a wired interface to the program control circuitry, the program control circuitry is configured to receive the notification from the digital control circuitry via the interface circuitry, 
   wherein the power supply control circuitry is configured to control the deactivation of the program control circuitry when processing circuitry has detected no reception of the carrier wave by the wireless communication circuitry.