IC card which can set security level for every memory area

• US 4,734,568 A
• Filed: 07/30/1986
• Issued: 03/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toppan Moore Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Toppan Moore Company Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/891,876
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/35765 Access rights to memory zones
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1083 Counting of PIN attempts

Abstract

An IC card which can set a security level for every memory area. A plurality of memory areas for storing data in accordance with the kinds of data; a secret identification number area for storing a plurality of secret identification numbers; a security level memory area for storing the input condition of the input secret identification number consisting of at least one of the secret identification numbers so as to specify this input condition for each memory area; and means for allowing the relevant memory area to be accessed after confirming that the secret identification number or numbers according to a predetermined security level were input.

Claims

1. An IC card which can set a security level for each memory area, having at least a microprocessor and a memory, said memory comprising:

a plurality of memory areas for respectively storing data classified in accordance with kinds of data which can be written and read out from the outside;

a key code area for storing a plurality of key codes; and

security level memory means for storing a group of key code input conditions each consisting of at least one of said plurality of key codes in correspondence to each of said memory areas and each for accessing each of said plurality of memory areas; and

said microprocessor comprising means for accessing the relevant memory area to be accessed after comfirming that the key code or key codes specified by said key code input condition was/were input.

2. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said group of key code input conditions include at least the condition such that both of the two key codes coincide and the condition such that at least one of the two key codes coincides.

3. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said group of key code input conditions include the condition such that there is no need to input the key code.

4. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said security level memory means is provided in correspondence to each of said memory areas and set in an index area to specify the corresponding memory area.

5. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is further provided with:

means for counting the number of improper input times of said key code; and

means for inhibiting the operation of said access means when a count value of said counting means reaches a predetermined number.

6. An IC card according to claim 5, wherein said microprocessor is further provided with means for resetting the counting operation of the number of improper input times when a correct key code is input before the count value of said counting means reaches said predetermined number.

7. An IC card according to claim 5, wherein said microprocessor is further provided with means for releasing the inhibited state by said inhibiting means when two or more predetermined correct key codes are input.

8. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein the condition for writing and the condition for reading are set for the key code input condition corresponding to at least the one memory area.