KR20060000110U - / USB Hub device which is attached or deteched several USB Devices having a combi smart chip and a RF antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a USB hub device with a contact / contactless smart chip having a terminal and a mechanism structure for continuously coupling the standardized USB device 200. The device 100 according to the present invention has a smart card control chip 112 connected to a USB hub chip 111 and a contact / contactless smart chip 113 having a contact and a contactless function to a smart card control chip and a contactless function. It is a USB hub device having a structure including a terminal for connecting to the RF antenna 115 and the standardized USB device 200. In addition, the standardized USB device 200 which is coupled to receive the power and USB terminal from the device 100 is characterized in that it has a structure that can be continuously combined.

Auto run, contact / contactless smart chip, USB smart card control chip, USB hub, USB terminal, memory control chip, RF antenna, card reader, smart chip, combi chip, prepaid electronic money, postpaid electronic money, RF reader, SIM card socket , SIM card, high speed switching element

Description

USB hub device which is attached or deteched several USB devices having a combi smart chip and a RF antenna}

1 is an external view of a USB hub device according to the present invention

Figure 2 is an external view of a standardized USB device coupled to the USB hub device according to the present invention

Figure 3 is a protective cover case which is finally coupled to the USB hub device or USB device according to the present invention

Figure 4 is a combination of the USB hub device and the USB device according to the present invention

Figure 5 is a combination of a USB hub device and three USB devices and a protective cover case according to the present invention

Figure 6 is a block diagram of the internal structure of the USB hub device of the present invention

Figure 7 is a block diagram of a USB flash memory device coupled to the USB hub device of the present invention

8 is a block diagram of the components of the USB hub device and USB device of the present invention for selecting the USB terminal in a circuit manner.

Figure 9 is a coupling diagram between the components of the USB hub device and the USB device of the present invention for selecting the USB terminal in a circuit manner

10 is a block diagram of the components of the USB hub device and USB device of the present invention for mechanically selecting the USB terminal.

Figure 11 is a coupling diagram between the components of the USB hub device and the USB device of the present invention to select the USB terminal in a mechanical manner

Fig. 12 is a block diagram of a USB flash memory control device supporting the structure of the USB hub device and the USB device of the present invention for mechanically coupling the USB terminal.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: USB hub device with contact / contactless smart chip

110: USB connector,

120a, 120b.120c: USB connectors for connecting USB devices

121: USB device selection terminal

122: USB device power supply terminal

111: USB hub chip, 112: USB smart card control chip

113: contact / contactless smart card chip, 114: RF matching circuit

115: RF antenna

141: USB push rod

200: USB device combined with the USB hub device 100

221: USB selection terminal delivery terminal

222: USB power supply terminal delivery terminal

220a, 220b, 220c: USB terminal transfer terminal

231: USB selection terminal

232: USB power supply terminal

230a, 230b, 230c: USB terminal

210a, 210b, 210c: high speed switching element

201: Flash memory control chip supporting auto run function

202: flash memory chip

251a, 251b, 251c: USB terminal selection rod

260a, 260b, 260c: mechanical switch

300: protective cover case

(Technology)

The present invention relates to a USB (USB) Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub device equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip, and more particularly, by attaching a contact / contactless smart chip to the USB hub device, A USB hub device equipped with a smart chip that can be used for contactless use (for example, RF traffic approval) and can also be used for various contact uses of the smart chip (for example, internet payment or traffic charging). will be. In particular, this device has a structure that can remove several USB devices, and the contact / contactless smart chip that can secure security and internet payment for the combined USB device by using electronic money embedded in the contact / contactless smart chip. It relates to a built-in USB hub device and a USB device attached to the device.

(Background)

USB is the center of Intel Corporation for the purpose of facilitating the connection of existing personal computers (PCs) and peripheral devices, and to cope with the multimedia environment in the future. Microsoft, Compaq, Japan Electric (NEC) is a standard for general purpose serial buses. In addition, USB Hub is a hardware that acts as a medium for connecting up to 127 peripheral devices to one PC according to USB standard. It handles data and power classification.

Smart chip is an IC chip equipped with a microprocessor, operating system, security module, memory, etc. and is used in many fields such as transportation, finance, education, communication, administration, electronic money, information recording, loyalty management, identity verification, electronic bank account, etc. It is now widely used as a means. Smart chips are classified into contact chips, contactless chips, and combi chips (contact / contactless smart chips), depending on how the data is read. Smart chip refers to a form in which smart chip contacts are activated by the contact of the smart chip with the contact point of the interface device. In the non-contact smart chip, power is required for the operation of the smart chip through the RF antenna, and communication is performed in an electromagnetic induction manner. CombiChip is a smart chip that supports both contact and contactless functions. Recently, an additional USB terminal is formed to connect the smart chip to other devices such as a computer. The USB terminal may also be used to connect an external device with the smart chip. In the early days, smart chips were widely used as transportation cards, one of prepaid electronic money. This prepaid transportation card is a non-contact card type with a non-contact smart chip and RF antenna. The card is charged at the charging station in advance and charged to the card. It is inconvenient to visit the charging station in order to charge the smart card of the way that the corresponding transportation fare is reduced from the stored amount. Since then, the transportation card has been combined with a credit card that can be paid by credit without recharging the transportation fare. This kind of built-in transportation card is a combination of a contactless smart chip and RF antenna in the credit card. As the applications of mobile communication terminals (mobile phones) and smart chips have been expanded, smart chips have been used in the form of being mounted on mobile communication terminals. An example of applying a smart chip to a mobile communication terminal is a mobile phone equipped with a contactless smart chip and an RF antenna to pay for a transportation fee. As another application example, a combi chip including both contact and contactless devices is mounted on a mobile phone to mount a prepaid traffic card function on a contactless portion, and the amount of a transportation card by mobile communication through contact with a mobile communication terminal of a contact portion. There is a mobile phone that can charge. In addition, in order to solve the inconvenience of charging the prepaid smart chip, a technology that can charge a transportation card through the Internet by connecting a charging module to the computer has been proposed. These smart chips are equipped with various solutions such as certificate, credit information, prepaid payment, membership, and membership depending on their purpose.

Many applications running on a computer must go through the installation process, which requires that the program be installed in order to run the program. This installation is done once on the user's computer and no further installation is required. However, on a computer that does not have an application running by the user, the user has a CD ROM or a specific storage medium for installing the application. I have a problem to go to. In order to solve the above problems, a technology called an auto run is widely used as an application program execution method that can execute an application program stored in a removable storage device without an installation process. For example, in the case of an Internet phone (eg VOIP), the user is simply configured to install a drive and an application and automatically execute the drive simply by inserting the device into the USB terminal.

The object of the present invention is to provide a standardized structure for combining USB devices with various functions to a personal USB hub device equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip capable of communicating with an Internet-enabled computer, thereby allowing the user to carry a variety of USB devices. It is possible to provide various additional functions through mutual cooperation with the combined USB device and electronic money embedded in contact / contactless smart chip. Examples of various additional functions include the development of a USB flash memory device which provides an autorun function that can be combined with the device of the present invention, and the electronic money company embedded in the smart chip of the device of the present invention in a certain area of the developed flash memory. After inserting the associated autorun program, if you connect the device of the present invention to the USB socket of the PC, the program is automatically executed by autorun, and the payment of the run program is performed with the electronic money company of the device. This can be an example. In this way, the device combines a flash memory device with autorun function with a personal USB hub device equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip to drive and programs necessary for operation, and affiliated with affiliated electronic money companies, affiliated transportation card companies and affiliated advertising companies. The program can be loaded to enable automatic execution. Therefore, it is possible to further increase the utilization of personal USB devices equipped with existing contact / contactless smart chips.

According to the present invention, there is provided a USB hub device having a structure in which a contact / contactless smart chip and an RF antenna (loop antenna) are built in and various types of standardized USB devices can be combined.

The USB hub device according to the present invention is a device capable of inputting / outputting data by connecting to a computer capable of internet, and has a contact / contactless smart chip having contact and contactless functions, and a contactless function of the smart chip connected to the smart chip. It includes an RF antenna for execution, terminals for coupling to various functional USB devices, and a USB hub chip for connecting each USB device.

Preferably, the non-contact function of the contact / contactless smart chip includes a traffic card function, and is connected to a management server of the electronic money company, under the control of the management server, the electronic payment on the Internet is charged with the amount of the transportation card function. Can be done.

Hereinafter, a USB hub device with a contact / contactless smart chip according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are merely illustrative descriptions according to the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

1 is an example of a USB hub device incorporating an exemplary contact / contactless smart chip according to the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, the external appearance of the USB hub device 100 with a contact / contactless smart chip according to the present invention is a USB connector 110 for connecting to a PC, a terminal for connecting to a standardized USB device 200 Fields 121, 122, 120a, 120b, and 120c. USB connector 110 is preferably a structure that can be folded from top to bottom.

2 is an illustration of a standardized USB device 200 coupled to a USB hub device 100 in which a contact / contactless smart chip is built according to the present invention. 2, the appearance of the standardized USB device 200 according to the present invention is a terminal 231, 232, 230a, 230b, for connecting to the USB hub device 100 or another standardized USB device 200, 230c) and terminals 221, 222, 220a, 220b, and 220c for connecting to other standardized USB device 200.

3 is a kind of protective cover case 300 which combines the USB hub device 100 and the standardized USB device 200 with a built-in contact / non-contact smart chip according to the present invention.

4 shows a combination of a USB hub device 100 and a standardized USB device 200 in which a contact / contactless smart chip is installed according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a USB hub device 100 in which a contact / contactless smart chip is built, three standardized USB devices 200, and a protective cover case 300 according to the present invention.

The internal structure of the USB hub device 100 with a contact / contactless smart chip according to the present invention is connected to a USB hub chip 111 and a standardized USB device 200 connected to the USB connector 110 as shown in FIG. USB terminals 121, 122, 120a, 120b, and 120c, contact / contactless smart chips 113 having contact and contactless functions and smart card control chips 112 for controlling contact functions of the smart chip. It is composed of a matching circuit section 114 and the RF antenna 115 for performing the contactless function of the smart chip.

The contact / contactless smart chip 113 has various solutions required for the contact function of the contact part and the contactless function of the contactless part, for example, a certificate, a credit card, a prepaid transportation card or a postpaid method, depending on its use. Various solutions (applets) can be mounted for application to electronic money, membership cards, electronic bankbooks, such as transportation cards.

The RF antenna 115 of the present invention is a conventional RF antenna which is connected to the contact / contactless smart chip 113 to enable a contactless function (for example, a traffic card). As is widely known, an RF reader (for example, a traffic approval) The terminal generates an induced electromotive force when approaching the terminal, and transmits data related to a payment function such as a traffic fee between the contact / contactless smart chip 113 and the RF reader. The RF antenna 113 is connected to two terminals of a contact / contactless smart chip. When the contact terminal of the contact / contactless smart chip 113 is connected to the USB smart card control chip 112 and the USB connector 110 is connected to the USB port of the Internet-enabled computer, the data stored in the smart chip 113 is transferred through the computer. It is possible to update and control the data within the allowable range. In addition, the contactless part and the RF antenna 115 may be operated according to the solution mounted on the contactless part of the smart chip 113 while not connected to the computer, thereby providing contactless functions such as a prepaid transportation card, a postpaid transportation card, and a membership card. Can be done.

The present invention is distinguished from conventional USB devices equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip, which has terminals for coupling with various types of standardized USB devices 200, and the combined standardized USB devices 200 are contacted. Various services can be performed in connection with the contact function of the contactless smart chip 113.

The internal structure of the flash memory USB device of the standardized USB device 200 coupled to the USB hub device 100 with a contact / contactless smart chip according to the present invention is first supplied from the USB hub device 100 as shown in FIG. Three USB terminals 230a, 230b, and 230c, and one of them, the high speed switching elements 210a, 210b and 210c for connecting to the flash memory controller 201, and the USB selection terminal for selecting the high speed switching elements. 231, a USB power supply terminal 232 for supplying power to the standardized USB device 200, a flash memory controller 201 and a flash memory 202 for flash memory, and a standardized USB device coupled to the rear end. It consists of signal transmission terminals 221, 220a, 220b, 220c, 222 for sending the signal of the front terminal to the rear end for (200).

When combining the USB hub device 100 and the standardized USB device 200 according to the present invention, the USB device 200 should be used by selecting one of three USB terminals. A circuit method for the USB device 200 to recognize its coupling position is as follows.

As shown in FIG. 8, the selection terminal 121 of the USB hub device 100 is electrically connected due to a VCC pull-up. The first combined USB device 200 is connected to the 231a terminal of the USB selection terminal 231 and the corresponding terminal is connected to the flash memory controller 201 by the 230a USB terminal of the three USB terminals by turning on the high speed switching device 210a. The 231a terminal of the first combined USB terminal 200 is connected to the 221a terminal to be connected to the 231b terminal of the USB selection terminal 231 of the USB device 200 to be coupled next. In this manner, the USB device 200 coupled to the USB hub device 100 may automatically select a USB terminal according to its order. 9 illustrates how the USB selection terminal is determined when three USB devices 200 are combined.

Most USB memory devices today are USB2.0 High Speed, operating at 480Mbps. Therefore, in the case of the above-described circuit type USB selection terminal determination method, a high speed switching device is required, and the suitable type of USB switching device is FSUSB20, developed by Fairchild Semiconductor, for example. However, the method of selecting a USB terminal as a circuit method has a disadvantage in that it costs slightly more than the mechanical method described later.

In the method of selecting a mechanical USB terminal, as shown in FIG. 10, when the USB hub device 100 has a USB selection rod 141 having a spring, the USB device 200 is combined to select a USB terminal of the USB device 200. One of the rods 251a, 251b, and 251c is selected and pushed out. At this time, the USB device 100 that is first coupled to the USB hub device 100 has a 251a selection rod of the USB selection rods, and the next USB device 200 that is coupled to the 251b selection rod, and the USB device 200 that is finally combined ) Will push the 251c selection rod. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a USB push rod being pushed in order when three USB devices 200 are coupled to the USB hub device 100.

Fig. 12 shows the overall structure for the mechanical switches 260a, 260b and 260c to select one of the corresponding USB terminals and connect it to the flash memory controller 201 by the USB selection rods 251a, 251b and 251c. .

Automatically perform USB flash memory devices with the limitations of conventional USB drive devices equipped with contact / contactless smart chips, such as installation of applications related to drives and electronic money and other additional services. A program for embedding the autorun function can be mounted.

The present invention described above can be combined with a standardized USB device of various functions, and can be connected to the combined USB device and the contact / contactless smart chip embedded in the device of the present invention, and also a contactless RF transaction through RF antenna. USB hub device with contact / contactless smart chip.

The present invention can provide a differentiated service using this by providing a structure that can easily insert a standardized USB memory device with an autorun function. For example, the customer can use the USB hub device with the contact / contactless smart chip of the present invention to provide traffic payment and authentication and various smart card supplementary services, as well as the USB memory device with the built-in autorun function. By combining, you can automatically execute various additional services such as automatic installation of drives, automatic execution of payment services of affiliated electronic money companies, automatic execution of service programs for affiliated online shopping mall companies, automatic execution of affiliated messenger programs, and automatic screen save function. Can provide extended memory for customers.

This design makes it possible to configure a variety of standardized USB devices as separate independent products, so that it is possible to select a product that suits the economical potential and taste of the customer, and the electronic money service is mounted on the contact / contactless smart chip, and the autorun function is built-in. The standardized USB memory device can be equipped with an electronic money company alliance service to implement various types of services according to each company's policy, and the electronic money company provides payment methods and autoruns to each company that supplies standardized USB devices. Advertising revenue can be used to expand the pricing of standardized USB devices.

The design of the present invention can be used as a USB hub device equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip alone, and the standardized USB device is combined according to the customer's needs, and the product size can be variably adjusted according to the customer's needs. The USB device has a structure that is automatically recognized by the USB selection terminal without any setting, thereby minimizing customer inconvenience.

Claims (5)

In the USB hub device 100 equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip connected to a computer capable of internet, the device having a contact / contactless smart chip 113 and a smart card control chip 112 having contact and contactless functions. As an RF antenna 115 is inserted to perform a contactless function as; The device 100 has a USB terminal 120a, 120b, and 120c connected to the standardized USB device 200, a power supply terminal 122, and a USB selection terminal 121 to recognize the standardized USB device 200. USB hub device equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip 113 equipped with a USB hub chip (111). The USB hub device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the contact / contactless smart chip of the USB hub device (100) equipped with the contact / contactless smart chip is dealt with a SIM card socket, and the contact / contactless SIM card is mounted in the socket. Among the standardized USB devices 200 coupled to the USB hub device 100 equipped with a contact / contactless smart chip, the USB selection terminal 231, the USB selection terminal delivery terminal 221, and the USB terminals 230a, 230b and 230c. , USB device delivery terminal (220a, 220b, 220c), the power supply terminal 232, the USB device 200 having a structure having a power supply terminal transmission terminal 222. In order to automatically recognize the combined order of the standardized USB device 200, as shown in FIG. 8, when the high signal is electrically input to the selection terminal 121 of the USB hub device 100, the selection terminal of the USB device 200 ( One of the selection terminals of 231 is determined, and the high speed switching device connected to the selection terminal is turned on to use one of the USB terminals 230 therein, and the USB selection terminal 231 for the next USB device 200 to be coupled. ) Is a method for automatically combining sequence recognition of a USB device having a structure for transmitting a signal to a USB selection terminal transfer terminal (221). The method of claim 4, wherein the automatic device sequence recognition method is determined by the USB selection rod 141 and the USB terminal selection rods 251a, 251b, and 251c of the USB hub device 100 as shown in FIG. A method of automatically combining sequence recognition of a mechanical USB device having a structure of selecting a USB terminal by turning on corresponding instrument switches (260a, 260b, 260c) by a selected USB terminal selection rod.

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