Loading internal applications on a smartcard

• US 20060214005A1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Dariel, Dani, Agami, Mishael
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Portable smartcard devices, methods of executing program code using smartcard devices, and computer readable storage media including instructions for smartcard devices are provided. According to some embodiments, the presently disclosed smartcard device includes an interface for presenting smartcard functionality to a host system and for receiving a program execution command from the host system, non-volatile memory, executable memory, a copying mechanism such as an internal copying mechanism for copying program code from the non-volatile memory to the executable memory, and a program execution mechanism for executing the program code. Appropriate interfaces include but are not limited to ISO 7816 compatible interfaces, USB interfaces, and MMC interfaces. In some embodiments, the smartcard functionality includes SIM functionality and/or USIM functionality. Optionally, execution of the program code commences when only a portion of the copied executable code resides in the executable memory. A method of delivering pre-loaded protected executable code to smartcard users is disclosed.

Claims

1. ) A portable smartcard device for executing program code upon receipt of a command from a host system, the smartcard device comprising:

a) at least one interface for presenting smartcard functionality to the host system and for receiving the command from the host system;

b) a non-volatile memory for storing the program code before program execution;

c) an executable memory for storing at least a portion of the program code during program execution; and

d) an internal copying mechanism for copying said at least a portion of the program code to said executable memory.

2. ) The smartcard device of claim 1 wherein said non-volatile memory includes non-executable memory.

3. ) The smartcard device of claim 1 further comprising:

e) an internal data bus, wherein said copying mechanism is operative to effect said copying only through said internal data bus.

4. ) The smartcard device of claim 1 further comprising:

e) a program execution mechanism for executing said copied portion of the program code.

5. ) The smartcard device of claim 1 wherein said smartcard functionality includes SIM functionality.

6. ) The smartcard device of claim 1 wherein said smartcard functionality includes USIM functionality.

7. ) The smartcard device of claim 1 wherein said smartcard device has a plurality of said interfaces, a first said interface is a ISO 7816 compatible interface, a second said interface is other than a ISO 7816 compatible interface, and said command is received through said second interface.

8. ) The smartcard device of claim 7 wherein said second interface is a USB interface.

9. ) The smartcard device of claim 7 wherein said second interface is a MMC interface.

10. ) The smartcard device of claim 1 wherein said smartcard device has a plurality of said interfaces, a first said interface is a ISO 7816 compatible interface, a second said interface is other than a ISO 7816 compatible interface, and said command is received through said first interface.

11. ) A portable smartcard device for executing program code upon receipt of a command from a host system, the smartcard device comprising:

a) at least one interface for presenting smartcard functionality to the host system and for receiving the command from the host system;

b) a non-volatile memory for storing the program code before program execution;

c) an executable memory for storing at least a portion of the program code during program execution;

d) a copying mechanism for effecting a copying of said at least a portion of the program code to said executable memory; and

e) a program execution mechanism for commencing execution of said copied portion of the program code when only a first subportion of said copied portion resides in said executable memory.

12. ) The portable smartcard device of claim 11 further comprising:

f) an internal data bus, wherein said copying mechanism is operative to effect said copying only through said internal data bus.

13. ) The portable smartcard device of claim 11 wherein said copying includes an external copying through the host system.

14. ) The smartcard device of claim 11 further comprising:

f) a paging mechanism for paging at least a second subportion of said copied portion of the program code from said non-volatile memory to said executable memory during said executing.

15. ) A method of executing program code the method comprising:

a) including within a smartcard device an internal copying mechanism;

b) using said internal copying mechanism, copying at least a portion of the program code from non-volatile memory of said smartcard device to executable memory of said smartcard device; and

c) upon receipt of an execution command through an interface of said smartcard device, executing said copied portion of the program code.

16. ) The method of claim 15 wherein said copying includes copying from non-executable memory of said smartcard device.

17. ) The method of claim 15 wherein said copying is effected using only an internal data bus of said smartcard device.

18. ) The method of claim 15 wherein said smartcard device includes SIM functionality.

19. ) The method of claim 15 wherein said smartcard device includes USIM functionality.

20. ) The method of claim 15 wherein said command is received through an ISO 7816 compatible interface.

21. ) The method of claim 15 wherein said command is received through an interface other than an ISO 7816 compatible interface.

22. ) The method of claim 21 wherein said command is received through a USB interface.

23. ) The method of claim 21 wherein said command is received through a MMC interface.

24. ) A method of delivering pre-loaded protected executable code, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing to at least one smartcard user a respective smartcard device having the pre-loaded protected executable code stored in non-volatile memory and a copying mechanism for copying the pre-loaded protected executable code;

b) after said providing, receiving from each said smartcard user valid user authentication credentials and an execution command through an interface of said respective smartcard device;

c) using said copying mechanism of said respective smartcard device, copying at least a portion of the pre-loaded protected executable code from said non-volatile memory of said respective smartcard device to executable memory of said respective smartcard device; and

d) using said respective smartcard device, executing said portion of the program code.

25. ) The method of claim 24 wherein for at least one said respective smartcard device said copying includes only copying through an internal data bus.

26. ) The method of claim 24 wherein for at least one said respective smartcard device at least one of said user authentication credentials and said execution command is received via a host device, and said copying includes external copying through said host device.

27. ) A method of executing program code comprising:

a) including within a smartcard device a copying mechanism;

b) using said copying mechanism copying at least a portion of the program code from non-volatile memory of said smartcard device to executable memory of said smartcard device; and

c) upon receipt of an execution command through an interface of said smartcard device, commencing execution of said portion of the program code when only a first subportion of said portion resides in said executable memory.

28. ) The method of claim 27 wherein said copying includes only copying through an internal data bus of said smartcard device.

29. ) The method of claim 27 wherein said execution command is received from a host device, and said copying includes external copying through said host device.

30. ) The method of claim 27 wherein said executing includes paging at least a second subportion of said portion of the program code from said non-volatile memory to said executable memory during said executing.

31. ) A computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied in said computer readable storage medium, said computer readable code for

a) receiving a command to execute program code stored in a non-volatile memory of a smartcard device;

b) internally copying at least a portion of said executable program code from said non-volatile memory of said smartcard device to executable memory of said smartcard device; and

c) executing by said smartcard device said portion of said program code.

32. ) A computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied in said computer readable storage medium, said computer readable code for

a) receiving a command to execute program code stored in a non-volatile memory of a smartcard device;

b) copying at least a portion of said executable program code from said non-volatile memory of said smartcard device to executable memory of said smartcard device; and

c) commencing executing by said smartcard device of said portion of said program code when only a subportion of said portion resides in said executable memory.