Device having automatic process for upgrading the performance of mobile systems

• US 5,896,507 A
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemplus International SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemplus International SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Martineau, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US08/941,446
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.46, 395/200.42, 395/899, 395/200.31, 395/561, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 257/679, 902/26
• US Class Current: 709/216
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• 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 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• 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: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

To simplify the manufacture of terminals for the use of chip cards, the system is designed so as to place a minimum set of instructions in these terminals and to transfer the storage of complementary instructions pertaining to uses of greater complexity and/or pertaining to the chip card into the chip card. To bring about the performance of these complementary instructions, an address designating an instruction of a complementary set is stored in a reserved memory of the chip card. The microprocessor of the chip card is furthermore provided with a microprogram enforcing the performance of an instruction thus designated as soon as it is detected that the reserved memory has been designated by an instruction of an elementary set of instructions of this microprocessor. It is shown that it is possible, in this way, to simplify and rationalize the manufacture of very powerful terminals.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

A. a service center;

B. a communication interface disposed between the service center and an electronic chip, the communication interface including a microprocessor and a program memory provided with a first limited set of instructions for communication with the electronic chip; and

C. the electronic chip, mounted on a chip support and including

1. a microprocessor,

2. a program memory provided with a second limited set of instructions which correspond to the first limited set of instructions,

3. means for writing, in a reserved memory zone during a user session using the first and second limited sets of instructions, the characteristics of a different instruction, the different instruction being different than those of the second limited set of instructions, and

4. an automatic execute system, the automatic execute system executing the different instruction during the user session after the characteristics are written in the reserved memory zone.

2. A communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the communication interface is a portable telephone;

wherein the electronic chip in combination with the chip support form a chip card which is used to gain access to the portable telephone;

wherein the service center includes a first radio frequency modem;

wherein the communication interface includes a second radio frequency modem, the first and second radio frequency modems cooperating to form a radio frequency modem link; and

wherein the characteristics of the different instruction are transmitted from the service center to the electronic chip by way of the radio-frequency modem link and the communication interface.

3. A communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the program memory of the electronic chip is provided with a complementary set of instructions;

and

wherein the characteristics relate to an address of an instruction from the complementary set of instructions, the address being in the program memory of the electronic chip.

4. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the automatic execute system includes

a first microprogram, stored in the program memory of the electronic chip, which tests whether a received instruction belongs to the second limited set of instructions, the first microprogram being linked to an execution command for the received instruction;

and

a second microprogram, stored in the program memory of the electronic chip and connected in series with the first microprogram, which tests for a designation of the reserved memory zone by the received instruction, linked to an execution command for the different instruction.

5. A communication system according to claim 1 wherein the automatic execute system includes a microprogram, stored in the program memory of the electronic chip, which tests for a designation of the reserved memory zone, linked to an execution command for the different instruction.

6. A communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the program memory of the electronic chip is provided with a complementary set of instructions;

wherein the characteristics relate to an address of an instruction from the complementary set of instructions, the address being in the program memory of the electronic chip; and

wherein the automatic execute system includes the following microprograms, stored in the program memory of the electronic chip,

a first microprogram which tests whether a received instruction belongs to the second limited set of instructions, the first microprogram being linked to an execution command for the received instruction,

a second microprogram which tests for a designation of the reserved memory zone by the received instruction, the second microprogram being connected in series with the first microprogram and being linked to the execution command for the different instruction, and

a third microprogram which executes the instruction from the complementary set of instructions, the address of which is stored in the reserved memory zone.

7. A communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the program memory of the electronic chip is provided with a complementary set of instructions;

wherein the characteristics relate to an address of an instruction from the complementary set of instructions, the address being in the program memory of the electronic chip; and

wherein the automatic execute system includes the following microprograms, stored in the program memory of the electronic chip,

a first microprogram which tests for a designation of the reserved memory zone, linked to an execution command for the different instruction,

a second microprogram which executes the instruction from the complementary set of instructions, the address of which is stored in the reserved memory zone.

8. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the reserved memory zone of the electronic chip is formed of electrically erasable programmable read only memory.

9. A communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the reserved memory zone has a field for storing a piece of information which makes it possible to ascertain that, after the different instruction is executed, the execution is to be followed by execution of an additional different instruction;

and

wherein the automatic execute system includes a test for verifying the value of the field.

10. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor of the communication interface also executes the different instruction.