WO2007096366A1

WO2007096366A1 - Removable multiple-access electronic device and corresponding external communication device

Info

Publication number: WO2007096366A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/051630
Authority: WO
Inventors: Max De Groot; Dominique Le Droumaguet
Original assignee: Gemplus
Priority date: 2006-02-20
Filing date: 2007-02-20
Publication date: 2007-08-30
Also published as: FR2897704A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a removable electronic device (10) for communicating with a first external device (16) via a first interface (11A) and a second external device (17) via a second communication interface (12A) by a radio frequency link (14), the electronic device comprising applicative means (132) including at least one application capable of being interpreted and initiated via the second interface (12A), means (134) for selecting a mode to access the applicative means and selecting an access, according to a first selecting position either via the second interface (12A) or via the first interface (11A). According to the invention, means (15) for controlling the device (10) are connected to the first interface, for communicating at least one data with the first external device, and to the applicative means via a connecting interface (19A), the control means being capable of managing and accessing a data communicated by the first external device and/or by the applicative means, and capable of detecting an activating data derived from the firs external device via the first interface, and based on the detection of the activating data, of sending, via the connecting interface, to the applicative means, an activating signal generating a switching of the selecting means towards a second selecting position.

Description

Title of the invention

Multiple access removable electronic device and corresponding external communication device

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to the general field of removable electronic devices able to communicate with, on the one hand, a first external communication device via at least one first communication interface and, on the other hand, a second external communication device via at least one second communication interface via a radio frequency link.

The use of a communication interface by a radiofrequency link, also called contactless interface, in the field of smart cards, as removable electronic devices, is particularly interesting, in an access validation application of a person at a particular place or service, such as a transport service.

Such a technology, called non-contact technology, has the advantage of not requiring mechanical processing of a transport ticket in paper form or transport ticket for a transport application. Indeed, with the contactless technology, a carrier of a smart card presents the smart card comprising at least one interpretable and launchable application via the second communication interface by the radio frequency link, in front of the antenna of a contactless validation machine (also called a contactless reader) and a transaction, for example the validation of the right of access or the renewal of the right of access, takes place without any mechanical action within the validation machine, in particular, to train the transport ticket. During such a transaction, data and functions residing in the smart card are exploited by the validation machine via the contactless interface.

The mechanical machines that are distributors, ticket cancellations, validators, tourniquets, important source of mechanical failure, can then be replaced by non-contact access validation devices. The adoption of a so-called "contactless" technology makes it possible, by eliminating any mechanical processing within such access validation machines, to significantly reduce the cost of their maintenance and therefore their operating cost.

Furthermore, since "contactless" transactions are faster than those using means requiring physical contact to drive the transport ticket, the access flow can increase and the traffic of smart card carriers can be increased. thus optimized.

It is known to integrate a contactless technology in a smart card having another access technology, such as a technology with electrical contacts. In the transport application, this makes it possible to integrate at least one secure access to a right to borrow means of transport, such as the metro, in particular avoiding a withdrawal of the smart card before the end of the relative transaction. the right of access.

To do this, such a smart card can, for example, be performed using a component as described in US Patent 5,206,495, the component can no longer operate in contactless technology when it is powered via a contact interface and vice versa.

Thus, the smart card, generally called "combi chip" (for "combi-chip" in English), operates only in an exclusive access mode, either in a contactless access mode or in a mode of access. access to contact.

For this purpose, the component comprises: two external access interfaces, including at least one contactless interface and another interface, for the communication of data, - application means connected to means for selecting an access mode to the application means. The selection means selects, as a function of the presence of an activation signal, exclusively, a single access via the contactless interface or another access via via another interface for communicating at least one data item to the application means.

The activated access mode is then a function of the origin of the activation signal detected on one of the two communication interfaces.

More exactly, if the activation signal comes from the contactless interface, the contactless access mode via the contactless interface is activated, if the activation signal comes from the other interface, the other mode access via the other interface is enabled. Generally, the activated access mode depends on the presence of a power signal on the corresponding interface.

However, in case of conflict, that is to say if the two communication interfaces are "connected" at the same time, only one of the two access modes to the component is privileged and therefore prioritized over other mode of access.

According to a first example, in the event of a conflict, the access mode other than the contactless access mode is selected, in a fixed manner, according to a first selection position of the selection means.

According to a second example, in the event of a conflict, the contactless access mode is selected, in a fixed manner, according to a first selection position of the selection means.

Such a smart card, as a removable electronic device, has, however, the disadvantage of being used, in case of conflict, according to the non-priority access mode with respect to the priority access mode selected. Such a conflict situation occurs when the removable electronic device is accessible simultaneously, both in a contactless access mode from an external communication device provided with a communication interface by a radio frequency link and, according to a another access mode, from another external communication device provided with another communication interface.

Such a disadvantage is particularly troublesome in the case where the removable electronic device is intended to be permanently inserted in a host device, as another external device. communication communicating with the removable electronic device via the other interface.

It is, in fact, then impossible for the user of the host device to be able to use the other access mode than the one selected as a priority.

Consequently, the user is forced to be able to access the removable electronic device only, via the priority access mode selected, in a fixed manner.

Thus, in a conflict situation, the user can not access an interpretable and launchable application according to the non-priority access mode.

Object and summary of the invention

The main object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages explained above.

The invention relates to a removable electronic device capable of communicating with, on the one hand, a first external communication device via at least one first communication interface, and, on the other hand, a second external device. communication device, via at least one second communication interface by a radio frequency link, the electronic device comprising application means, the application means comprising at least one interpretable and executable application via the second communication interface by the radiofrequency link, means for selecting an access mode to the application means, the selection means being connected to the application means and selecting an access according to a first selection position:

or via the second communication interface via the radio frequency link; or via the first communication interface, to communicate at least one piece of data to the application means.

According to the invention, control means of the removable electronic device are connected to the first communication interface, for communicating at least one data element with the first external communication device, and the application means via a link interface, the control means are able to manage and access at least one data communicated by the first external communication device and / or by application means, and the control means are able to detect at least one activation data from the first external communication device via the first communication interface and, depending on the detection of said at least one data item, activation, to send, via the link interface, to the application means, at least one activation signal, said at least one activation signal generating a switching of the selection means from the first selection position to a second selection position, the second selection position being distinct from the first selection position. The expression "a tilting of the selection means from the first selection position to a second selection position distinct from the first selection position" is understood to mean:

or a switch of the selection means from the access mode to the application means via the second communication interface by the radio frequency link to the access mode to the application means via the first communication interface ;

or a switchover of the selection means from the access mode to the application means via the first communication interface to the access mode to the application means via the second communication interface via the radio frequency link .

In other words, using the invention, in a conflict situation, namely when the two communication interfaces are "connected", the selection means can switch, according to the first example presented above, of a selection position relative to an access mode other than the contactless access mode, to the other selection position of the selection means, and therefore that relating to the contactless access mode. Conversely, according to the second example presented above, when the two communication interfaces are "connected", the selection means can switch from a selection position relative to the access mode without contact, to the other selection position of the selection means, so that relating to the contact access mode. It is understood that the invention therefore provides access to an interpretable application and launchable according to the non-priority access mode to the application means.

It should be noted that, in relation to the known technical solution of the patent document US Pat. No. 5,206,495, in the field of smart cards, it is the activation signal, following the detection of an activation data item, which allows the switch from the priority access mode to the application means to the non-priority access mode.

Thus, it is an interposition of control means, via a link interface, between the first communication interface and the application means, which allows at least partial "switching" of a

(de) data (s) between the external world and the internal world to the removable electronic device, and more particularly to the application means.

Such an interposition of control means therefore makes it possible to successively access, after switching of the selection means, to the application means, according to at least two access modes, such as a contactless access mode and at least one other access mode.

With such a removable electronic device, particularly in the field of smart cards, the use of the activation signal can then make it possible to switch from the contactless access mode to the contact access mode to the application means when a first external communication device, such as a portable electronic device that can, for example, receive the removable electronic device, cooperates with the removable electronic device.

According to a particular characteristic, access to the application means via the first communication interface is effected via the link interface.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the access to the application means is carried out at least in part via a communication interface provided with electrical contacts and directly connected to the application means.

Advantageously, the activation data is detected by the control means by means of at least one characteristic chosen from a characteristic format of a datum, a characteristic content of a datum, and a characteristic address of a datum.

Consequently, it is not in particular a simple detection of the presence, for example, of a supply signal via the first communication interface at the level of the removable electronic device, but of at least one characteristic specific to the activation data, to perform the switch from the contactless access mode to the other access mode or vice versa to the application means.

It is clear that the chosen feature may also include a combination of the above or other features.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control means are able to detect at least one deactivation data item from the first external communication device via the first communication interface and, depending on the detection of the deactivation data, to interrupt the sending of the activation signal, the interruption of the sending of the activation signal generating a switching of the selection means from the second selection position to the first selection position.

With such a removable electronic device, the use of the deactivation data makes it possible to re-switch, or by performing a switchover of the selection means:

or from the access mode to the application means via the first communication interface to the access mode to the application means via the second communication interface via the radio frequency link;

or from the access mode to the application means via the second communication interface via the radio frequency link to the access mode to the application means via the first communication interface. In this way, the user is completely cleared of the selected access mode possibly with priority, and can return to the previously selected access mode.

Such a characteristic of the invention makes it possible to ensure a character of reversibility. In other words, it is possible to switch from the contactless access mode to the application means to the other access mode and vice versa without requiring other actions, such as a manipulation of the removable electronic device vis- to the first external communication device. In an advantageous implementation of the invention, the control means are, in addition, connected to storage means.

Thus, the control means then simultaneously have access to:

storage means;

- the application means; and - via the first communication interface to the first external communication device.

Consequently, a user can benefit from access to an application relating to the contactless technology, such as a transport application, in parallel with the access to data stored in the storage means, for example data relating to to one or more photos or video.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control means manage and access at least one piece of data stored or stored in the storage means. Thus, control means can address in particular a non-volatile memory card, such as for example an SD memory card (acronym for "Secure Digital" as a registered trademark), MMC (acronym for "Multi-Media Card" in as registered trademark), "Compact Flash" (as a registered trademark) or "Memory Stick USB" (as a registered trademark, "USB" being the acronym for "Universal Serial Bus" for universal serial bus in French language ), can integrate access to a contactless technology.

In general, the cost of a non-volatile memory card is, at present, much greater than that of a combi chip (or "combi"). chip "in English). Also, such a preferred embodiment of the invention makes it possible to integrate, at a lower cost, in addition to the storage of data accessible via the first communication interface, a contactless access mode to an application that can be interpreted and launched by the user. intermediate of the corresponding communication interface.

In this way, when the application means are accessible according to the contactless access mode for example following the sending of a deactivation data item, then, in parallel and simultaneously, the first external communication device can access, via the control means, to the memory itself via the first communication interface and the second external communication device can access, via the second communication interface, the data relating to the application means.

In the access validation application, in the field of smart cards, the memory card then includes, for example, a tariff product pre-loaded in the memory. The card can also advantageously be sold with additional information such as photos, videos, pre-recorded music or a public transport network plan.

According to particular features of the invention, said at least one activation signal comprises a supply signal for the application means and / or a sequencing signal for the application means and / or a restart signal for the application means.

Thus, the activation of the application means takes place according to the presence or absence of at least one signal.

It is clear that when several signals must be present, the order with which such signals are received by the application means can import.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the first communication interface is selected for a predetermined duration. In this way, such a selection of the non-priority access mode with a predetermined duration makes it possible to eliminate any external intervention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the application means are included in a component dedicated to an application for controlling access to means of transport, such as the metro, the bus, the train and / or the airplane .

Advantageously, the selection means are also included in such a component. The invention also relates to an external communication device for communicating with the removable electronic device as mentioned above. The external communication device comprises a host device in which the removable electronic device is able to be inserted. Such a host device may, for example, be a mobile phone, a personal computer or a personal digital assistant (or "PDA" for "Personal Digital Assistant" in English).

According to the invention, the host device is provided with means for generating an activation signal that can be activated by its user.

In this way, it is not the only mode of access then selected which is required regardless of the will of the wearer of the removable electronic device but it is, at the initiative of the wearer, that the switch from the mode of access. selected access to the other access mode can be operated. In this way, the user can leave the selected access mode (possibly preselected or priority) and switch to another access mode.

Preferably, the host device is also provided with means for generating a deactivation signal operable by its user.

Thus, the user of the host device can, on his own initiative, reversibly switch from the other access mode to the initially selected access mode (possibly predetermined or priority). Brief description of the drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the appended drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of this embodiment which is devoid of any limiting character, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a removable electronic device according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a particular embodiment of the control means of the removable electronic device of Figure 1.

Detailed description of an embodiment

FIG. 1 represents a removable electronic device 10 according to the invention. In the rest of this description, we consider a map

10 chip, as a removable electronic device that can access, in at least two accesses, two external communication devices. One access is contactless and the other is contact technology. It is clear, however, that the invention can be applied to any type of technology for the other mode of access.

The contactless technology assumes that communication interfaces involved on both sides of the smart card are adapted to communicate, in a contactless access mode, by a radio frequency link.

The contact technology assumes that communication interfaces involved on both sides of the smart card are adapted to communicate, according to another access mode called contact, via electrical contacts. The smart card 10 is housed within a portable telephone 16, as the first external communication device, while also being present within an electromagnetic field 14 generated by a reader 17 without contact, as a second external device Communication. The portable telephone 16 has an HB communication interface provided with electrical contacts.

The smart card 10 includes a first communication interface HA, intended to cooperate with the communication interface HB of the portable telephone 16, and a second communication interface 12A by an RF radio link, which enable it to communicate, respectively with the 16 mobile phone and 17 contactless reader.

The chip card 10 comprises a component 13 comprising a microprocessor 132. The microprocessor 132 comprises an internal memory, an arithmetic and logic unit, and application means. The application means comprise at least one application which can be interpreted and launched via the second communication interface 12A. The application allows the microprocessor 132, integrated with the component 13, to execute a secure operation on data stored in memory, in particular data specific to a transport transaction. The application means are connected to means 134 for selecting a single mode of access to the application means. The selection means 134 selects according to a first selection position, as a function of the reception of an activation signal, either an access via the second communication interface 12A or another access via the first contact communication interface of the smart card 10 for example according to the ISO standard (acronym for "International Standardization Organization" for international standardization organization in French) 7816, to communicate at least one piece of data to the application means. The activation signal is the supply VCC signal of the component 13. According to at least one other embodiment, the activation signal is the supply VCC signal, followed by a sequencing CLK signal itself. followed by a restart RST signal.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the first selection position occupied is that specific to the contactless access mode. The general principle of the invention is based on an addition of control means 15 within the smart card 10 which are able: - to detect at least one activation data from the mobile phone 16, and when the data of activation is detected, - to transmit, to the application means, an activation signal or activation signals, to pass from the selection position occupied by the selection means 134 to the other of the two selection positions.

In the example chosen, the selection means 134 switch, as indicated by the movement arrow at the selection means 134, from the first selection position specific to the contactless access mode to the second selection position. specific to the contact access mode.

Of course, according to another embodiment not shown, the first selection position is that relating to the contact access mode to the second selection position relative to the contactless access mode.

The component 13 is connected by a connection interface 19B adapted to cooperate with the connection interface 19A of the control means 15 of the smart card 10. The interfaces 19A-19B link, between the component

13 and the control means 15, advantageously, for the exchanged signals, correspond to the ISO 7816 standard. Similarly, the GND reference signal of the voltage supply coming from the contact communication interface HB 16 of the portable telephone 16 advantageously meets the ISO 7816 standard.

The control means 15 are connected, on the one hand, to the first contact communication interface HA 10 of the smart card 10, to communicate at least one data item with the mobile telephone 16, and on the other hand, to the means applications via a link interface 19A. The control means 15 manage and access at least one piece of data communicated by the portable telephone and / or by the application means integrated in the component 13.

The data communicated from the portable telephone to the application means therefore pass through the control means. Some signals such as the GND reference signal of the voltage supply is connected directly to the component 13.

The application means are included in a single component dedicated to an application for controlling access to means of transport, such as the metro, the bus and / or other (s). Advantageously, the selection means 134 are also included in such a component which can then be of the "combi chip" type as known from the prior art. Such a component then comprises a contact interface for the implementation of the connection interface 19B and a contactless interface 12A. The invention is particularly useful in this context since the insertion of control means according to the invention allow simultaneous use of the two interfaces.

In the case where the smart card 10 is a non-volatile memory card, the control means 15 are advantageously a memory controller connected to a non-volatile memory 18, according to the flash technology, via a communication interface HOA. contact. The HOA contact communication interface is coupled to a corresponding contact communication HOB interface associated with the memory 18.

When the contact communication interfaces 11A-11B are active, that is to say that the mobile telephone 16 requests the control means 15, when the smart card 10 is inserted into the portable telephone, then said host device , the GND / Vcc power supply of the smart card 10 and possibly the component 13 is carried out via the HA contact communication interface. It will be noted here that the component 13 is often supplied independently of the control means 15 because the voltage ranges used for supplying the control means 15 and supplying the component 13 are often different. In such a case, the power supply is supplied either via the control means 15 which includes a transformer adapted to supply a power supply suitable for the component 13, or, as represented in FIG. 1, the component 13 is itself connected by a part of its smart card interface to the first contact communication HA interface which then includes at least one input on which a reference GND signal is provided voltage supply suitable for component 13 from the portable telephone 16.

The component 13 is then powered and, as its operation is such that access to another interface is selected as soon as an activity is detected on the link interface 19A, the access to the smart card interface HA of contact communication via the interface

Link 19A is then selected.

In one embodiment, the contact link interface 19A for communicating with the application means is then selected for a predetermined duration and for example stored in an internal memory to the control means. The predetermined elapsed time interrupts the selection of the contact link interface 19A and therefore the selection means 134 switch to the first initial position, namely the contactless access mode according to the example chosen. The generic operation of the chip card thus obtained consists in allowing the exchange of CMD commands and DAT data between the smart card and the portable telephone.

In particular, a portable telephone 16 constitutes a host device and the smart card 10 is a smart card with a memory inserted in the host device.

In such operation, a supply VCC signal is provided only to the control means.

According to this generic operation, the portable telephone 16 sends the smartcard 10 CMD commands and DAT data generally for the management of the memory 18 preferably large capacity.

For example, these are memory write instructions followed by data such as a video clip or a picture, for example. Before switching over the selection of the means 134 for selecting the component 13, in position in the contact access mode as shown in FIG. 1, the user can then simultaneously access, in parallel, data specific to the contactless mode included in FIG. breast means 132 and application data stored in the memory 18.

In the flow of CMD commands and DAT data exchanged between the portable telephone 16 and the smart card 10 according to the invention via the contact communication interfaces 11A-11B, a certain number of CMD commands or DAT data recognizable as such are intended for the application means included in component 13.

Such data and commands can in particular be recognizable by their format, their content or by the blocks that are addressed. In particular, such data and commands can be recognized by a specific header.

For example, the data field of a CMD command written according to the protocol of the contact communication interfaces 11A-11B, for example an MMC protocol, contains activation data in the form of commands, for example in APDU format (acronym for the "Application Protocol Data Unit" for the ISO 7816-3-4 standard used for chip card components of the type of component 13. In this case, the content of the command according to the MMC protocol is recognizable. Similarly, the control means 15 are able to detect deactivation data from the portable telephone 16 via the contact communication interfaces 11A-11B and, depending on the detection of such deactivation data, to interrupt the transmission of the signal. as an activation signal. As a result, the interruption of the transmission of the feed signal generates a switchover of the selection means in the opposite direction of the preceding tilting, which then return to their initial position.

Preferably, it is the user of the portable telephone 16 who causes, by a voluntary action, such as, for example, the pressing of a dedicated button, the transmission of the activation data and possibly following a further press on the dedicated button or another button dedicated to deactivation, the emission of the deactivation data. The control means 15 are able to detect such activation data and then trigger an activation signal, in this instance a signal supplying the component 13 via the link interfaces 19A-19B.

According to FIG. 2, the control means 15 include means 1510 for analyzing the CMD commands and / or DAT data connected to means 152 for controlling the transmission of the activation signal controlling the control means 15 to achieve detecting and triggering the sending of the activation signal, schematized in FIG. 2, in particular by the actuation of a first switch 156 on the supply line Vcc. For this purpose, the means 1510 for analyzing the CMD commands and / or the DAT data detect the presence of the desired activation and deactivation data of the CMD commands and the DAT data transmitted via the communication interfaces 11A-11B. contact by the mobile phone 16. When the activation data are recognized and detected, the means 1510 for analyzing the CMD commands and / or the DAT data and possibly deactivating data generate a signal indicating the presence of the activation data item and possibly the deactivation data item. means 152 for controlling the transmission of the activation and deactivation signal.

In this case, selection means 156, 1512 and 158 then switch to the access mode via the link interfaces 19A-19B and an activation sequence of the component 13 is operated, for example in the order, the presence supply signal VCC, then the restart signal RST, and finally the sequencing signal CLK.

The control means 152 control the first switch 156 to close when signaling the presence of the activation data or to open in case of reporting the presence of the deactivation data or the end of a predetermined time depending on the chosen option.

The first switch 156 is powered by a transformer 154 transforming the voltage received on the electrical contact relative to the supply VCC signal from the portable telephone 16 and passes, in the closed position, when the activation data has been detected, the voltage thus transformed as a suitable supply VCC signal for the component 13 via the interface 19A link. Conversely, the first switch 156 goes into the open position when the restart control means 152 command it, namely when detecting the deactivation data or the end of the predetermined duration of the selection of the position. according to the contact access mode.

According to one variant, the transformer is located downstream (and not upstream) of the switch 156 itself directly connected to the electrical contact relative to the supply VCC signal from the portable telephone 16 and the transformer is connected at the output on the electrical contact relative to the VCC supply signal suitable for supplying the component 13 via the interface 19A link.

The first switch 156 is connected at the output to a second switch 158 also controlled by the control means 152 to be closed when the activation data is present with a desired delay with respect to the instant of closure of the first switch 156. , in order to generate a signal RST restarting in time on the electrical contact of the interface 19A corresponding link. In this way, the first 156 and second 158 switches are cascaded in that order. Conversely, the second switch 158 goes to the open position when the restart control means 152 command it to do so, namely when detecting the deactivation data or the end of the predetermined duration of the selection of the position. according to the contact access mode.

The control means 152 causes a third switch 1512 to close when signaling the presence of the activation data or to open in case of signaling the presence of the deactivation data or the end of a predetermined duration of the selection of the position according to the contact access mode.

The third switch 1512 is powered by an accelerator or a divider 1514 clock frequency, itself connected to a contact electrical signal corresponding to the sequencing CLK signal from the portable telephone 16, to transform the frequency of the sequencing signal CLK delivered by the portable telephone 16 to the desired frequency generated at the output of the accelerator or divider 1514 frequency. The third switch 1512 is connected at the output to the electrical contact of the link interface 19A corresponding to the sequencing signal CLK of the component 13. Thus, in the closed position, the third switch 1512 delivers the desired sequencing signal CLK when the data of activation has been detected. Conversely, the third switch 1512 switches to the open position when the restart control means 152 command it, ie when the deactivation data is detected or the end of the predetermined duration of the selection of the position according to the contact access mode.

According to a variant (not shown), the accelerator or clock frequency divider is located downstream (and not upstream) of the third switch 1512 itself connected directly to the electrical contact relative to the sequencing signal CLK from the portable telephone and the accelerator or clock frequency divider is connected at the output to the electrical contact relating to the timing signal CLK suitable for supplying the component 13 via the interface 19A link.

Such an activation sequence is in accordance with the ISO 7816 standard and comprises, in general, a restart signal RST, also called reset and the establishment of a CLK signal clock.

The means 1510 for analyzing the CMD commands and the DAT data are also output to data format transformation means 1516, for example according to the ISO 7816 standard. The data transformation means 1516 transform the data from the telephone 16 portable in data to be delivered in the appropriate data format expected by the component 13 via the 19A-19B connection interfaces on the electrical contact corresponding to the I / O signals, when the portable telephone 16 transmits data to the component 13.

Similarly, the data transformation means 1516 transform the data from the component 13 into data from delivering, via the CMD control analysis means 1510 and DAT data, to the appropriate data format expected by the portable telephone 16 via the contact communication interfaces 11A-11B on the electrical contacts corresponding to the control signals CMD and DAT of data, when the component 13 transmits data to the portable telephone 16.

An I / O exchange of data is performed to enable the realization of a functional transaction between the component 13 and the mobile phone 16. For example, it could be the update of a record of a right to a subscription to a transport service.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the control means 15 continue to supply the component 13 for a predefined period of time after receiving the last activation data in order to allow the realization of the functional transaction. In this case, in the application of transport, it may be a reloading of the right of validation, etc. During this period of time, the contactless mode via the contactless communication interface 12A is deactivated.

It is also conceivable to design the component 13 so that the activation signal is one of the elements of the activation sequence, in particular the reset signal or the clock signal. According to the invention, such an element is then managed by the control means 15 and triggered when activation data is detected in the CMD and DAT data stream received by the control means via the interfaces 11A-11. B communication with active contacts. In this case, the component 13 can remain powered independently of the power supply of the control means.

It is also conceivable, rather than sending an activation signal to the component 13 upon receipt of any command intended for these application means, to use a specific command sent by the mobile phone to request activation. component 13. Another specific command can also be used for deactivation of the application means. With such realization, the user of the host device more precisely controls the use of the application means.

According to another embodiment, the deactivation data comes from the application means themselves and therefore the component 13 having stored it for example in a memory internal to the microprocessor 132.

The embodiment explained above is not intended to reduce the scope of the invention, so it can be made many changes without departing from the scope thereof. In particular, it is noted that the sending of the activation signal can be triggered without the intervention of the user of the portable telephone. Indeed, it can be achieved via the mobile phone 16, for example, following the receipt of a message from a telecommunication network accessible from the mobile phone 16, via its own communication interface by a suitable radio frequency link.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the means 156, 158 and 1512 for selecting the control means 15 may have a shape different from that shown, and be made according to switches not in hardwired logic as shown in FIG. the form of software switches well known to those skilled in the art concerned.

Claims

1. Device (10) removable electronic and able to communicate with, firstly, a first device (16) external communication via at least a first interface (HA) communication, and, other a second external communication device (17) via at least one second radiofrequency link communication interface (12A), the electronic device (10) comprising: - means (132) applicative means, the application means (132) comprising at least one interpretable and executable application via the second interface (12A) for communication via the radio frequency link (14),

means (134) for selecting an access mode for the application means (132), the selection means (134) being connected to the means

(132) application and selecting an access, according to a first selection position:

- Or via the second interface (12A) communication by the link (14) radiofrequency; - Or via the first interface (HA) communication, to communicate at least one data application means (132), characterized in that means (15) for controlling the removable electronic device (10) are connected:

at the first communication interface (HA), for communicating at least one datum with the first external communication device (16), and

the application means (132) via a link interface (19A), in that the control means (15) are able to manage and access at least one data communicated by the first device (16). ) external communication and / or by means (132) applications, and in that the control means (15) are able to detect at least one activation data item from the first external communication device (16) via the first communication interface (HA) and, depending on the the detection of said at least one activation data, to send, via the link interface (19A), to the application means (132), at least one activation signal, said at least one signal of activating a tilting of the selection means (134) from the first selection position to a second selection position, the second selection position being distinct from the first selection position.

2. Device (10) removable electronic according to claim 1, characterized in that access to the means (132) application via the first interface (HA) communication is also effected via the link interface (19A).

3. Device (10) removable electronic according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the activation data is detected by the means (15) of control with at least one characteristic selected from a characteristic format data , a characteristic content of the data, a characteristic address of the data.

4. Device (10) removable electronic according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means (15) for control are capable of detecting at least one deactivation data from the first device (16) external communication by via the first communication interface (HA) and, depending on the detection of the deactivation data, to interrupt the sending of the activation signal, the interruption of the sending of the activation signal generating a switching the selection means (134) from the second selection position to the first selection position.

5. Device (10) removable electronic according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (15) for control are further connected to means (18) of storage.

6. Device (10) removable electronic according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (15) for control are further able to manage and access at least one data stored or stored in the means (18) of storage.

7. Device (10) removable electronic according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one activation signal comprises a signal (VCC) supply means (132) application and / or a signal (CLK ) of sequencing means (132) application and / or a signal (RST) restarting the means (132) applications.

8. Device (10) removable electronic according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first interface (HA) communication is selected for a predetermined time.

9. Device (10) removable electronic according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (132) applications are included in a component (13) dedicated to an access control application to transport means.

10. External communication device (16) adapted to communicate with the removable electronic device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the external communication device (16) comprises a host device in which the device (10) Removable electronic device is insertable, and in that the host device is provided with means for generating an activation signal operable by its user.