Smart card reader
First Claim
1. A smart card reader comprising:
- a card reader part for receiving a smart card detachably connectable to it and for communicating information between the smart card reader and the smart card, and a short-range communications part coupled to said card reader part for communicating information using a RF wireless method between the smart card reader and a wireless communications terminal external to it, said short-range communications part comprising a processing unit for controlling the short-range communications part, wherein (i) said processing unit comprised in the short-range communications part is configured to control, in addition to the operation of the short-range communications part, also the operation of the card reader part, (ii) the smart card reader is configured to communicate with the wireless communications terminal and the smart card by using a set of protocol layers comprising at least an application layer and a transmission layer, and wherein (iii) said short-range communications part is configured to receive an application layer level command from the wireless communications terminal and (iv) said processing unit is configured to convert the application layer level command into a transmission layer level command for a transfer to be performed to the smart card, and to transfer said converted transmission layer command via the card reader part to the smart card.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The subject of the invention is a smart card reader (31) comprising a card reader part for receiving a detachable smart card (11) connected to it and for communicating information between the smart card reader (31) and the smart card (11). In addition, the smart card reader (31) comprises a short-range communications part (32) connected to said card reader part for communicating information using a RF wireless method between the smart card reader (31) and a wireless communications terminal (8) external to it; said short-range communications part (32) comprising a processing unit (MCU) for controlling the short-range communications part. Said processing unit (MCU) contained in the short-range communications part (32) is arranged to control the operations of the card reader part in addition to the operations of the short-range communications part (32). In addition, the subject of the invention covers a method and a system.
164 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A smart card reader comprising:
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a card reader part for receiving a smart card detachably connectable to it and for communicating information between the smart card reader and the smart card, and a short-range communications part coupled to said card reader part for communicating information using a RF wireless method between the smart card reader and a wireless communications terminal external to it, said short-range communications part comprising a processing unit for controlling the short-range communications part, wherein (i) said processing unit comprised in the short-range communications part is configured to control, in addition to the operation of the short-range communications part, also the operation of the card reader part, (ii) the smart card reader is configured to communicate with the wireless communications terminal and the smart card by using a set of protocol layers comprising at least an application layer and a transmission layer, and wherein (iii) said short-range communications part is configured to receive an application layer level command from the wireless communications terminal and (iv) said processing unit is configured to convert the application layer level command into a transmission layer level command for a transfer to be performed to the smart card, and to transfer said converted transmission layer command via the card reader part to the smart card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A smart card reader comprising:
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a card reader part for receiving a smart card detachably connectable to it and for communicating information between the smart card reader and the smart card, and a short-range communications part coupled to said card reader part for communicating information using a RF wireless method between the smart card reader and a wireless communications terminal external to it, said short-range communications part comprising a processing unit for controlling the short-range communications part, wherein said processing unit comprised in the short-range communications part is arranged to control, in addition to the operation of the short-range communications part, also the operation of the card reader part. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A smart card reader comprising:
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a card reader part for receiving a smart card detachably connectable to it and for communicating information between the smart card reader and the smart card, and a short-range communications part coupled to said card reader part for communicating information using a RF wireless method between the smart card reader and a wireless communications terminal external to it, said short-range communications part comprising;
a RF integrated circuit for transmitting and receiving a RF signal, and a baseband integrated circuit coupled to the RF integrated circuit for processing baseband signals, said baseband integrated circuit comprising a processing unit arranged to control the operations of the RF integrated circuit in addition to processing baseband signals, thus essentially controlling the operation of the whole short-range communications part, wherein said processing unit comprised in the baseband integrated circuit is arranged to control, in addition to the operation of the short-range communications part, also the operation of the card reader part.
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13. A system comprising a wireless communications terminal and a smart card reader, said wireless communications terminal comprising a short-range transceiver and said smart card reader comprising:
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a card reader part for receiving a smart card detachably connectable to it and for communicating information between the smart card reader and the smart card, and a short-range communications part coupled to said card reader part for communicating information using a RF wireless method between the smart card reader and a short-range transceiver of the wireless communications terminal, said short-range communications part of the smart card reader comprising a processing unit for controlling the short-range communications part, wherein said processing unit comprised in the short-range communications part of the smart card reader is arranged to control, in addition to the operation of the short-range communications part, also the operation of the card reader part of the smart card reader.
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14. A method for communicating information in a system comprising a wireless communications terminal and a smart card reader located externally to it, connected via a short-range wireless RF connection, said smart card reader being adapted to receive a smart card detachably connectable to it, said method comprising:
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the wireless communications terminal, smart card reader, and smart card implementing a set of protocol layers comprising at least an application layer and a transmission layer;
communicating between the wireless communications terminal, the smart card reader, and the smart card according to said protocol layers in such a way that the method comprises;
generating an application layer level command in the wireless communications terminal;
transmitting the application layer level command from the wireless communications terminal to the smart card reader over a short-range wireless connection, receiving the application layer level command at the smart card reader, converting, in the smart card reader, the application layer level command into a transmission layer level command for a transfer to be performed to the smart card, transferring said converted transmission layer level command from the smart card reader to the smart card. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification