Card access system supporting multiple cards and card readers

• US 6,360,952 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark Sarno
• Original Assignee: Digital Privacy Incorporated
• Inventors: Kimlinger, Thomas J., Kimlinger, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/087,032
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 235/235, 235/492, 235/487, 235/486, 235/382, 235/493, 235/441, 705/35-44
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00

Abstract

A card access system providing support for multiple card readers and cards. The system providing a common programming interface for applications to perform a generic card access instruction set. The system automatically interpreting and translating the generic card access instruction set into native commands for a particular card reader and a particular card. The cards including integrated circuit or “smart” cards.

Claims

1. A computerized smart card access system, comprising:

a card reader software module programmed to support smart card accesses between an application and a selected card reader of a plurality of diverse card readers, the card reader software module programmed upon receiving an instruction identifying the selected card reader.

2. The smart card access system of claim 1, wherein the instruction includes a port identifier for identifying a port communicating with the selected card reader.

3. The smart card access system of claim 1, further comprising a smart card module.

4. The smart card access system of claim 3, wherein the smart card module is programmed to identify a selected smart card of a plurality of smart cards.

5. The smart card access system of claim 3, wherein the smart card module comprises a file access interface providing a common set of file access commands.