Integrated circuit card comprising files classified in a tree structure

• US 6,216,204 B1
• Filed: 01/08/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER SYSTEMES
• Inventors: Thiriet, Fabien
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hiep T.
• Application Number:
  US09/147,491
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/115, 711/173, 235/380, 235/492, 707/205, 707/1
• US Class Current: 711/115
• 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 20/3576 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

An IC card includes card including a memory containing files classified in a tree structure of various levels, each file having an associated access path. Each file is physically located in the memory independently of its location in the virtual tree structure, and contains information specifying the full access path associated with the file.

Claims

1. An IC card including a memory containing files classified in a tree structure of various levels, each file

having an associated access path determining a position of said file in said structure irrespective of a physical location of said file in said memory, and

containing information specifying the full access path giving the exact position of said file in said tree structure.

2. The IC card of claim 1, wherein each file contains information specifying the level of its location in the tree structure.