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 IC chip configured for incorporation into a portable communication terminal apparatus wherein a program control unit resides outside the IC chip but within the portable communication terminal apparatus, the IC chip comprising:
 a wireless communication unit configured to:
 transmit, via non-contact data transmission and reception, electromagnetic wave communication to an external reader/writer, and 
 receive, via the non-contact data transmission and reception, the electromagnetic wave communication from the external reader/writer; 
   an analog signal processing unit configured to:
 process, by a carrier wave detection unit in the analog signal processing unit when the wireless communication unit receives the electromagnetic wave communication, the electromagnetic wave communication in a manner that permits the carrier wave detection unit to detect a carrier wave detection signal in the electromagnetic wave communication, and 
 output, when the analog signal processing unit detects a carrier wave detection signal, the carrier wave detection signal; 
   an interface unit configured to:
 establish, through a wired interface when the IC chip is incorporated into the portable communication terminal apparatus, a connection to the program control unit, 
   a digital control unit configure to:
 process, when the digital control unit receives the carrier wave detection signal from the analog signal processing unit, the carrier wave detection signal to obtain an internal state of the IC chip, 
 output, to the program control unit, the internal state of the IC chip, 
 control, according to an access request from the program control unit through the interface unit, access to the memory, and 
 control, according to an access request from the external reader/writer, access to memory. 
   
     
     
       13. An IC chip according to claim 12, wherein the interface unit is configured to send, to the program control unit, the internal state of the IC chip. 
     
     
       14. An IC chip according to claim 12, wherein the digital control unit configure to is configured to send, to the program control unit via a dedicated communication path and not via the interface unit, the internal state of the IC chip. 
     
     
       15. An IC chip according to claim 12, wherein the wireless communication unit comprises an antenna. 
     
     
       16. An IC chip according to claim 15, wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to vary, according to a response signal to a query signal from the external reader/writer, a load across the antenna. 
     
     
       17. An IC chip according to claim 16, wherein variance of the load across the antenna causes an appearance of an amplitude-modulated signal in a receiving circuit of the external reader/writer.