IC card including multiple connectors providing memory write production

• US 5,436,862 A
• Filed: 03/22/1994
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Sanemitsu, Yoshikado
• Primary Examiner(s): Popek, Joseph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NIRANJAN, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US08/215,693
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 365/226, 365/189.01, 365/218, 365/195, 235/492, 235/380, 235/379
• US Class Current: 365/189.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/22 Safety or protection circuits preventing unauthorised or accidental access to memory cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/24 Memory cell safety or protection circuits, e.g. arrangements for preventing inadvertent reading or writing; Status cells; Test cells

Abstract

An IC card for preventing undesirable writing and falsification of data, the IC card including a second connector for connecting a writing control signal line required to write data disposed on a second side of the IC card body opposite the first side of the IC card body on which a first connector is disposed. When the IC card is connected to the system only through the first connector, writing of data cannot be performed. When data is written, a writing control signal line is directly connected to a data writing control signal line of the second connector by a connection cable.

Claims

1. An IC card detachably connectable to a system, said IC card comprising:

an IC card body having

(a) an internal circuit including a nonvolatile semiconductor memory requiring a plurality of input signals for writing data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory;

(b) a card case accommodating said internal circuit;

(c) a first connector disposed on a first side of said card case connectable to said system to connect data, address, and control signals; and

(d) a second connector disposed on a second side of said card case different from said first side for connecting some of the signals required to write data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory to said nonvolatile semiconductor memory; and

detachable writing signal external connection means separate from said IC card body for establishing a connection between said system and second connector and connecting some of the signals required to write data and supplied from said system to said second connector to write into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

4. The IC card of claim 1 wherein the first and second connectors are both electrical connectors.

2. An IC card detachably connectable to a system, said IC card comprising:

an IC card body having

(a) an internal circuit including a nonvolatile semiconductor memory requiring a plurality of input signals for writing data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory;

(b) a card case accommodating said internal circuit;

(c) a first connector disposed on a first side of said card case connectable to said system to connect various signals; and

(d) a second connector disposed on a second side of said card case different from said first side for connecting some of the signals required to write data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory to said nonvolatile semiconductor memory; and

(e) internal signal connection means for directly connecting some of the signals from said first connector and supplied from said system and required to write data to said second connector; and

a detachable signal connector separate from said IC card body for connection to said second connector to write data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory to connect the signal transferred from the internal signal connection means to said nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

5. The IC card of claim 2 wherein the first and second connectors are both electrical connectors.

3. An IC card detachably connectable to a system, said IC card comprising:

an IC card body having

(a) an internal circuit including a nonvolatile semiconductor memory requiring a plurality of input signals for writing data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory;

(b) a card case accommodating said internal circuit;

(c) a first connector disposed on a first side of said card case connectable to said system to connect various signals; and

(d) a second connector disposed on a second side of said card case different from said first side for connecting some of the signals required to write data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory to said nonvolatile semiconductor memory; and

(e) signal conversion/connection means for, in said internal circuit, converting some of the signals transmitted through said first connector and supplied from said system required to write data and supplied to said second connector as a converted signal; and

a detachable writing signal inversely-converting/connecting connector separate from said IC card body and connectable to said second connector to write data into said nonvolatile semiconductor memory for inversely converting the converted signal transferred from said writing signal conversion/connection means and for connecting the inversely converted signal to said nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

6. The IC card of claim 3 wherein the first and second connectors are both electrical connectors.