System and method for performing transactions and an intelligent device therefor

• US 6,145,739 A
• Filed: 10/24/1997
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellect Australia Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Intellect Australia Pty Limited
• Inventors: Bertina, Johannes Marinus George, Oliver, Quentin Rees
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL GUNYOUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/957,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/382, 235/492, 235/451, 902/2, 902/76
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• 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 20/3415 Cards acting autonomously as pay-media
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system for enabling a service user to perform one or more transactions with the same or different service providers, while providing a high level of security for the performance of the transactions both with respect to the service provider and the service user, using an intelligent device. The system includes an intelligent device including a microcomputer having an input/output communication port, and microcomputer store including nonvolatile memory and random access memory. An interface device is associated with a memory for storing data and a coupler via which communications may be effected with the intelligent device. The store is arranged such that one part thereof has an operating system which can be run for performing basic functions of the device, the operating system being programmed in native code of the microcomputer. The random access memory is provided for use by the microcomputer when performing a function under the control of the operating system and for storing data received from or ready for transmission via the communication port. The interface device includes a program module within the memory including one or more instructions forming part of a prescribed instruction set discrete from the native code. The operating system includes a program interpreter for interpreting and executing the program module when the microcomputer is under the control of the operating system to perform a transaction in accordance with the instructions of the prescribed instructions set comprising the program module.

Claims

1. A system for effecting a transaction comprising:

(i) a processing device including a microcomputer having an input/output communication port, and process device memory including nonvolatile memory and random access memory; and

(ii) an interface device associated with a memory for storing data and a coupler via which communications may be effected with said processing device;

said processing device memory being arranged such that one part thereof has an operating system which can be run for performing basic functions of the processing device, said operating system being programmed in native code of said microcomputer;

said random access memory being provided for use by said microcomputer when performing a function under control of the operating system and for storing data received from or ready for transmission via said communication port; and

said interface device including one or more program modules stored within said associated memory, said program module comprising one or more program module instructions which are not in said native code;

wherein said processing device memory includes a program interpreter for interpreting and executing such program module(s) when the microcomputer is under control of said operating system to effect a transaction in accordance with said program module instruction(s) not in said native code.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing device memory also includes a command executor for receiving a command, performing a prescribed function in respect of said command, and providing a result or status to the command, when the microcomputer is under the control of said operating system.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said program module is loaded into said random access memory via said communication port when said microcomputer is operating said command executor in response to a prescribed command received and executed thereby, said program module containing instructions for subsequent execution by said program interpreter.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said program module is loaded into a third part of said processing device memory via said communication port when said microcomputer is operating said command executor in response to a prescribed command received and executed thereby, said program module containing instructions for execution by said program interpreter.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing device memory is arranged such that a second part thereof is adapted to sotre data files having different access restriction levels thereto;

and

said program module is programmed with one or more said instructions, not in native code of said microcomputer, which are particularly adapted to enabl working with prescribed data files within said second part of said processing device memory when said microcomputer is under control of said program interpreter and interpreting and executing said one or more instructions;

and wherein said one or more instructions have restriction access control functions to limit access to said data files.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said program module is programmed with one or more said instructions, not in native code of said microcomputer, which are particularly adapted to enable performance of control functions solely in accordance with said program module instructions not in said microcomputer native code, and with peripherals of the processing device.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said program module is encrypted and said processing device memory includes a data encryption and decryption program for execution by said microcomputer to decrypt said program module in accordance with a prescribed algorithm.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said program modules are loaded sequentially into said random access memory and chained together to extend the capability of the system.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating system is mask programmed in said native code.

8. An intelligent device for performing a transaction with an interface device associated with a memory for storing data and with a coupler via which communications may be effected with the intellingent device, the intelligent device comprising:

a microcomputer having an input/output communication port and memory, said microcomputer memory including;

(i) nonvolatile memory;

(ii) an operating system which can be run for performing basic functions of the intelligent device, said operating system being programmed in native code of said microcomputer;

(iii) a program interpreter for interpreting and executing one or more instructions which are part of a prescribed instructions set discrete from said native code and which are included in a program module transmitted to said intelligent device for performing a transaction; and

(iv) random access memory provided for use by said microcomputer when performing a function under control of operating system and for storing data received from or ready for transmission via said communication port.

9. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said microcomputer memory includes a command executor for receiving a command, performing a prescribed function in respect of said command, and providing a reault or status in response to the command, when the microcomputer is under control of said operating system.

10. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said microcomputer memory is arranged such that a second part thereof is adapted to store data files having different access restriction levels thereto;

said program module is programmed with one or more said instructions not in said microcomputer native code which are particularly adapted to enable working wiht prescribed data files within said second part of said microcomputer memory when said microcomputer is interpreting and executing said one or more instructions under control of said program interpreter; and

wherein said one or more instructions have restriction control functions to limit access to said data files.

11. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said data files each comprise records whereby different records within a file can have different access restrictions levels thereto.

12. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said data files and records each comprise a header for specifying an access restriction level.

13. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said access restriction level header comprises a password.

15. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said program module is programmed with one or more said instructions not in said microcomputer native code, which are particularly adapted to enable performance of control functions solely in accordance with said non-native instructions and peripherals of the intelligent device.

16. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said program module is loaded into a third part of said microcomputer memory via the coupler of the interface device and said communication port for execution by said program interpreter.

17. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said program module is encrypted and said microcomputer memory includes a data encryption and decryption program for the execution by said microcomputer to decrypt said program module in accordance with a prescribed algorithm.

19. An intelligent device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said program modules are encrypted and said microcomputer memory includes a data encryption and decryption program for execution by said microcomputer to decrypt said program modules in block chaining mode in accordance with a prescribed algorithm.

20. A system for performing a transaction comprising:

(i) an intelligent device including a microcomputer having a store; and

(ii) an interface device remote of said intelligent device, associated with a memory for storing data and with a coupler via which communications may be effected with said intelligent device;

said store being arranged such that one part thereof has an operating system programmed in native code of sid micrcomputer and executable by said microcomputer to perform basic functions of the device;

said interface device including at least one program module stored within said memory, said program module comprising one or more instructions forming part of a prescribed instruction set different from said native code of said microcomputer;

wherein said store includes an interpreter program for the microcomputer to run, whereby to execute said program module from said interface device to perform a transaction; and

wherein said intelligent device is controlled to interpret and execute said instruction(s) of said prescribed instruction set only when said microcomputer is under the control of said interpreter.

21. An intelligent computing device for performing a transaction with an interface device remote of the computing device, the interface being associated with a memory for storing data and a coupler via which communications may be effected with the computing device, the computing device comprising:

a microcomputer having a store;

wherein;

(i) said store is arranged such that one part thereof has an operating system for said microcomputer to run for performing basic functions of the device, said operating system being programmed in native code of said microcomputer;

(ii) said store includes a program interpreter executable by the microcomputer whereby to interpret and execute instructions in a program module from said interface device to perform a transaction; and

(iii) said program module instructions include one or more instructions which are part of a prescribed instruction set discrete from said native code; and

said microcomputer is controlled to interpret and execute said program module instruction(s) of said prescribed instruction set only when said microcomputer is under the control of said program interpreter.

22. A method for performing one or more transactional interchanges of information between a service user and one or more service providers each having a service provider transaction interchange, while maintaining secure storage of the information communicated from each of said service providers to said service user, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an intelligent device for facilitating the transactional interchanges of the service user, the intelligent device having;

a processor,

an input/output communication facility coupleable with the service provider transaction interchange, and

storage containing an operating system programmed in native code of the processor, the processor executing the operating system to perform basic functions of the intelligent device including communicating with the service provider transaction interchange;

coupling the input/output communication facility provider transaction interchange;

transmitting one or more program modules from the service provider transaction interchange to the intelligent device in response to a command from the operating system and storing said one or more program modules in said storage, each program module having a prescribed instruction set different from said native code; and

executing by the processor under control of the operating system through a program interpreter of the operating system, the prescribed instruction set of a program module to perform a transaction between the intelligent device and the service provider transaction interchange.

23. A method for performing one or more transactional interchanges as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

said storage is arranged such that a second part thereof is adapted to store data files having different access restriction levels thereto;

said program module is programmed with one or more said instructions from the prescribed instructions set of said program module, which are particularly adapted to enable working with prescribed data files within said second part of said storage when said microcomputer is interpreting and executing said one or more instructions under control of said program interpreter; and

wherein said one or more instructions have access restriction control functions to limit access to said data files.

24. A method for performing one or more transactional interchanges as claimed in claim 23, wherein said data files each comprising records whereby different records within a file can have different access restriction levels thereto.

27. A method for performing one or more transactional interchanges as claimed in claim 23, wherein said data files have headers providing for different access restriction levels applicable to different program modules and wherein said instructions decode the header of a said prescribed data file before accessing it to determine whether it is accessible.

25. A method for performing one or more transactional interchanges as claimed in calim 24, wherein said data files and records each comprise a header for specifying an access restriciton level.

26. A method for performing one or more transactional interchanges as claimed in calim 25, wherein said access restriciton level header comprises a password.

28. In a system for effecting transactional interchanges of data between a service user and one or more service providers each having a service provider transaction interchange, an intelligent device for facilitating the transactional interchanges while maintaining secure storage of the data communicated to the intelligent device, the intelligent device comprising:

storage in which is stored an operating system programmed in native code of an intelligent device processor, the operating system controlling basic functions of the intelligent device including communicating with service provider transaction interchanges;

input/output communication facilities coupled to the service provider transaction interchange for receiving one or more program modules transmitted from the service provider transaction interchange to the intelligent device in response to a command from the operating system, each program module having a prescribed instruction set discrete from said native code, and for storing said one or more program modules in said storage means; and

the intelligent device processor for executing a prescribed instruction set of a program module through a program interpreter under control of the operating system to perform a transaction between the intelligent device and the service provider transaction interchange.