Method and system for using a microcircuit card in a plurality of applications
First Claim
1. A method of using a microcircuit card in a plurality of applications, the method comprising the steps of:
- taking the card (24) as initially configured for a first application and coupling it with a terminal (14);
executing a special transaction to reconfigure the software of the card for a target application so that the card as reconfigured in this way emulates a card specific to the target application; and
executing a transaction of the target application;
which method is characterized by the card, with the exception of its non-volatile memory, being subjected to a general reset to zero on each change of configuration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The method comprises the steps of: coupling the card (24) as initially configured for the default application, with a terminal (14) of the default application, executing a special transaction for reconfiguring the software of the card for the target application so that the card as reconfigured in this way emulates a card specific to the target application; coupling the card as reconfigured in this way with a terminal (18) of the target application; and executing a transaction of the target application. Subsequently, the card as reconfigured for the target application can be coupled with a terminal of the default application, and another special transaction can be executed to return the card to its software configuration for the default application. In particular, the default application can be a SIM card application for GSM radiotelephony, and the target application can be a token-carrier type application.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of using a microcircuit card in a plurality of applications, the method comprising the steps of:
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taking the card (24) as initially configured for a first application and coupling it with a terminal (14);
executing a special transaction to reconfigure the software of the card for a target application so that the card as reconfigured in this way emulates a card specific to the target application; and
executing a transaction of the target application;
which method is characterized by the card, with the exception of its non-volatile memory, being subjected to a general reset to zero on each change of configuration.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
the card as reconfigured for the target application is coupled with a terminal of the default application; and
another special transaction is executed serving to return to the software configuration for the default application.
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4. The method of claim 1, in which the first application is a SIM card application for GSM radiotelephony.
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5. The method of claim 4, in which the target application is a token-carrier type application.
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6. The method of claim 1, in which the first application is a bank card application.
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7. The method of claim 6, in which the target application is a SIM card application for GSM radiotelephony and/or a token-carrier type application.
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8. The method of claim 6, in which the first application is an electronic purse type application and the target application is a bank card type application enabling the electronic purse to be refilled.
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9. The method of claim 1, in which the card includes read/write memory, and the general reset includes erasing said read/write memory.
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10. The method of claim 1, in which the general reset is performed by applying a signal on a special command line.
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11. The method of claim 1, in which the general reset is performed by closing an addressing gate of the memory.
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12. The method of claim 1, in which the general reset is performed by executing a specific sequence of instructions, in particular instructions of the card'"'"'s operating system, the instructions of applications software stored in the card, or indeed the instructions of the microcode of the card'"'"'s processor.
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13. The method of claim 1, in which the card has a non-volatile memory (158, 314) subdivided into distinct zones (162, 164;
- 162, 164, 168, 170) usable respectively for each of the applications exclusively, the configuration of the card for any one of the applications forcing addressing onto the zone corresponding to the configured application until the card is reset.
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14. The method of claim 13, in which the non-volatile memory further includes a single common zone (160) that is addressable in a plurality of configurations of the card, and receiving parameters to be transferred between successive applications corresponding to said configurations.
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15. A system for using a microcircuit card in a plurality of applications, the system comprising:
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microcircuit cards (14) comprising;
means (68) enabling a first application to be executed;
means (66) enabling a target application to be executed; and
switch means (70-92) enabling said card to be reconfigured on command either as a first application card or as a target application card;
terminals (14) suitable for executing a transaction of the first application; and
terminals (18) suitable for executing a transaction of the target application;
at least some of said terminals being suitable for executing a special transaction suitable for applying a reconfiguration command to the card to reconfigure it for the target application so that the card when reconfigured in this way emulates a card specific to the target application; the system being characterized in that the switch means (70-92) in each card include means suitable, on each change of configuration, for imposing a general reset to zero on the card, with the exception of its non-volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification