System and method for facilitating multiple applications on a smart card

• US 6,256,690 B1
• Filed: 11/29/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cryptech Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Carper, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US09/450,028
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710/101, 710/102, 710/129, 235/487, 235/492, 235/380, 235/382, 235/383, 713/200, 713/187
• US Class Current: 710/301
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating the operation of multiple applications on a smart card are disclosed. One application may call another application, or leave a message for it. Applications are initialized, de-initialized (fully or partially), and re-initialized to accomplish inter-application operability.

Claims

1. A smart card comprising a microprocessor and a memory,

the memory storing first and second applications, and further comprising:

a memory portion designated as a message box adapted to receive a message data object from at least the first application and adapted to communicate the message data object to at least the second application.

2. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the message data object comprises a digital signature authenticating the message data object.

3. The smart card of claim 2, wherein the memory further comprises a read/write memory containing the memory portion.

4. The smart card of claim 2, wherein the memory further comprises a RAM containing the memory portion.

5. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises a read/write memory;

and,

wherein the portion of memory designated as a message box is located in read/write memory, such that a message data object stored therein is persistent in memory.

6. The smart card of claim 5, wherein the read/write memory further comprises a file directory comprising an entry identifying the message data object.

7. A smart card comprising a microprocessor and a memory, the memory storing an operating system, and a plurality of applications, and further comprising:

a memory portion accessible by only the operating system containing an Init-List indicating which applications in the plurality of applications have been initialized during a session.

8. The smart card of claim 7, wherein the memory further comprises a read/write memory, and wherein the memory portion accessible by only the operating system is located in read/write memory, such that the Init-List stored therein is persistent in memory.

9. The smart card of claim 8, wherein the read/write memory further comprises a file directory comprising an entry identifying the Init-List.

10. A method of operating multiple applications on a smart card, the smart card comprising a microprocessor and a memory, the method comprising in a single session:

initializing a first application, such that a plurality of first application data objects are formed in memory;

partially de-initializing the first application, such that at least one of the plurality of first application data objects remains persistent in memory during the session; and

,

initializing a second application.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

de-initializing the second application; and

re-initializing the first application.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the memory comprises an Init-List indicating whether an application has been initialized during the session, and

wherein the step of initializing the first application comprises updating the Init-List to indicate that the first application has been initialized.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of re-initializing the first application is performed in relation to an indication by the Init-List.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the memory stores an operating system exclusively accessing the Init-List.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the memory comprises a read/write memory portion and a random access memory (RAM) portion, and wherein the step of initializing the first application comprises:

storing session persistent, first application data objects in memory;

forming non-persistent, first application data objects in memory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the session persistent, first application data objects are stored in either the read/write portion of memory or the RAM portion, and the non-persistent, first application data objects are stored in the RAM portion.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of partially de-initializing the first application comprises:

permitting memory allocated to the non-persistent, first application data objects to be overwritten during the step of initializing the second application.

18. A method of communicating a message from a first application to second application within a smart card, the method comprising:

initializing the first application;

creating and storing a message data object;

de-initializing the first application and calling the second application;

initializing the second application; and

collecting the message.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the smart card comprises a read/write memory and a RAM.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the message data object is stored in one of read/write memory or RAM.

21. The method of claim 20, where the message data object is stored in a message box portion of one of read/write memory or RAM.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the message data object comprises a digital signature authenticating the message data object.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the read/write memory comprises a message flag indicating the presence of a pending message;

and

wherein the step of initializing the second application comprises interrogating the message flag.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the read/write memory comprises a message box storing the message data object and a file directory storing a data record associated with the message data object.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data record associated with the message data object comprises an address vector indicating a location in read/write memory at which the message data object is stored.

26. A method of communicating a message between first and second applications stored in a smart card memory, the smart card memory comprising;

Read-Only-Memory (ROM), and non-volatile Read/Write (R/W) memory, and the method-comprising;

upon initializing the smart card at the beginning of a session, forming a file directory in R/W memory;

initializing the first application and creating a message data object by means of the first application;

storing the message data object in memory and creating a data file in the file directory identifying the message data object; and

,

creating a message indicator in R/W memory.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

de-initializing the first application, and initializing the second application;

upon detecting the message indicator in R/W memory, searching the file directory for the data file identifying the message data object.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the message indicator is created in a portion of R/W memory set aside for global variables.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the data file comprises a type field indicating the content of the data file as a message.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the data file comprises a type field indicating the content of the data file as a broadcast message.