Automata based storage and execution of application logic in smart card like devices

• US 20080155239A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Chaturvedi, Namit, Chowdhury, Atish Datta, Ganesh, Arul, Balasubramanian, Meenakshi
• Application Number:
  US11/545,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155239A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 712/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7842 on one IC chip (single chip microcontrollers)

Abstract

A small intelligent device has a memory that stores a finite state automaton, an input/output interface that receives an input and provides an output, and a processor. The processor is arranged to receive the input and to traverse the finite state automaton stored in the memory in order to supply the output to the input/output interface. The automaton may be an embodiment of context sensitive and context independent rules that are enforced by the automaton execution logic.

Claims

1. A small intelligent device comprising:

a memory storing a finite state automaton;

an input/output interface that receives an input and provides an output;

a processor, wherein the processor is arranged to receive the input and to traverse the finite state automaton stored in the memory in order to supply the output to the input/output interface.

2. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton stored by the memory comprises a Binary Decision Diagram.

3. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton stored by the memory comprises an execution logic that drives the processor to process the input in order to supply the output to the input/output interface.

4. The small intelligent device of claim 3 wherein the finite state automaton embodies context sensitive as well as context independent rules.

5. The small intelligent device of claim 4 wherein the rules are fully captured by the finite state automaton and executed by the execution logic.

6. The small intelligent device of claim 3 wherein the finite state automaton stored by the memory further comprises a Binary Decision Diagram that is traversed by the processor in response to execution of the execution logic and in response to the input.

7. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the small intelligent device comprises a smart card.

8. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the small intelligent device comprises a SIM card.

9. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the small intelligent device comprises a cell phone.

10. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the small intelligent device comprises a Java-powered smart button.

11. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the input/output interface is arranged to communicate with an input/output interface of a reader.

12. The small intelligent device of claim 11 wherein the reader comprises a memory, a two-way communication interface with the small intelligent device, and input-output interfaces.

13. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton stored by the memory comprises a switching circuit representation.

14. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton stored by the memory comprises a transition matrix.

15. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton stored by the memory comprises an adjacency list.

16. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton is configured to enable facility management such as physical access control.

17. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton is configured to enable logical access control.

18. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton is configured to automate an assembly line.

19. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton is configured to enable supply chain management.

20. The small intelligent device of claim 1 wherein the finite state automaton is configured to enable asset management.

21. A method of programming a small intelligent device comprising:

populating a memory of the small intelligent device with a data structure of a finite state automaton;

initializing the finite state automaton to an initial state, wherein the finite state automaton is of a type that transitions from the initial state to a next state in response to an input and the data structure that stores the finite state automaton.

22. A system comprising:

a small intelligent device having a device memory, a device communication input/output interface including two-way communication channels, and a processor, wherein the device memory stores a data structure of a finite state automaton; and

,

a reader device that has a memory, a two-way communication interface with the small intelligent device, and an input-output interface, wherein the reader memory stores an execution logic of the finite state automaton;

wherein the device communication interface and the reader communication interface are arranged to interact so as to execute the finite state automaton.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the data structure of the finite state automaton is in the form of a Binary Decision Diagram.