DeviceFidelity Inc. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted its Near Field Communication mobile device accessory patent. U.S. Patent No. 7,941,197 covers an approach for bringing secure NFC functionality to mobile devices such as the iPhone.
The patent describes a framework for mobile devices to be enabled with NFC and Secure Element functionality through an accessory that connects to the device’s expansion port. The design enables NFC applications and use cases to be accessible on the mobile device such as mobile wallet, mobile point-of-sale, tag reading and peer-to-peer transactions.
This approach enables the use of an embedded or a removable Secure Element. The form factor of the mobile device NFC accessory can be a dongle, a partial cover, or a protective case similar to DeviceFidelity’s In2Pay iCaisse. The user can access all features of the mobile device, including syncing and charging, with the accessory connected.
DeviceFidelity continues its availability of certified NFC mobile devices with implementations at financial institutions, payment networks and mobile carriers. ![[end]](/resources/bullet/nfcnews-4.gif)
