Embedded World: Freescale and INSIDE Secure revolutionise the prepaid meter

The reference design, based on the Freescale Kinetis MK30 microcontroller, is said to provide the first nfc based, prepaid meter with the ability to securely reload energy credit balances. Utilities in many countries require a sophisticated payment infrastructure to facilitate the utility payment process while preventing fraud. According to Freescale and INSIDE, secure prepaid meters, such as this reference design, address this need by adding sophisticated smart card security mechanisms that have been proven in the banking industry. Products based on this reference design are protected from fraud because they employ a VaultICTM security module and nfc technology to safely load energy credits from a smart card or an nfc enabled phone. "The global need for prepaid metering solutions and robust security is rapidly increasing, especially in emerging markets," said Bruno Baylac, director of Freescale's Metering, Medical and Connectivity Solutions business. "By partnering with INSIDE Secure we are not only bringing advanced security features but also innovative contactless technology, enabling the design of simple, tough mechanical meters that are virtually tamper proof." "In many parts of the world, prepaid electricity meters offer the best solution for controlling energy distribution, but providing adequate security to prevent fraud has always presented challenges," added Christian Fleutelot, general manager of the Vault-IC SAS business unit and executive vice president for digital security at INSIDE Secure. "Through our collaboration with Freescale, we have been able to combine our leading security and connectivity solutions to protect prepaid meters while providing a more convenient way to load energy credits and deliver valuable usage information to utilities." The reference design features INSIDE's VaultIC 460 and NFC (MicroRead 3.4) chipset. The VaultIC 460 security module provides comprehensive security functions such as mutual authentication, verification and generation of certificates, encryption/decryption and managing secure storage of cryptographic keys. It is FIPS140-2 Level 3 ready. NFC connectivity is implemented using the MicroRead controller and Open NFC protocol stack. The system is powered by the Freescale MK30X256 32bit mcu (built on the ARM CortexTM-M4 core), which operates up to 100MHz with 1.25DMIPS/MHz. The firmware is based on Freescale's MQX real time operating system. The built in segment lcd controller displays all standard metering values at the push of a button. Freescale is exhibiting at Embedded World in Hall 4A / 4A-309.