IC card and communication system using IC card

• US 6,556,843 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okumura, Seiya
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, SHEILA B
• Application Number:
  US09/703,660
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/575, 455/557, 455/226.1, 375/222, 375/220, 375/219, 379/93.05
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

There are provided an IC card and a communication system, wherein the IC card is enabled to be connected with a different infrastructure. The communication system using the IC card comprises a PC (20) provided with an IC card-inlet slot, an IC card unit (10), and an external communication apparatus (30) connected with the IC card unit (10); wherein the card is provided therein with a radio portion (12) and a radio controlling portion (13) for performing data communication, an interface (18) to be connected with the external communication apparatus (30) for enabling data communication with infrastructure (2), a memory (17) for storing data of each infrastructure to be periodically renewed, and a card controlling portion (16) for selecting an infrastructure on the basis of data of the infrastructure stored in the memory (17) for executing data communication between the infrastructure thus selected and the PC (20).

Claims

1. An IC card comprising:

radiocommunication means for performing radiocommunication with a first infrastructure;

an interface to be connected with an external communication apparatus for performing radiocommunication with a second infrastructure which differs from said first infrastructure;

memory means for storing data distinguishing said first infrastructure from said second infrastructure;

controlling means for selecting, in accordance with a command from a data processor, one of the first and second infrastructures based at least upon the data distinguishing the infrastructures stored in said memory means, and for controlling communication between said data processor and the infrastructure which has been selected;

wherein said IC card to be connected with the external communication apparatus through said interface, and communication between said IC card and said second infrastructure is carried out via said external communication apparatus; and

means for, when said first infrastructure has been requested in the command but data cannot be received from the requested first infrastructure, switching to communication with the second infrastructure even though the first infrastructure and not the second infrastructure had been requested in the command.

2. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means is constructed such that the memory means is enabled to store, as a data of the infrastructure, the data of field strength periodically transmitted from each infrastructure;

and

based on the data of the infrastructure, the controlling means functions to control the radiocommunication means and the interface to be connected with an external communication apparatus.

3. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means is constructed such that when a user designates a communication with an infrastructure which is incapable of performing the communication, the communication is automatically switched to another infrastructure which can be communicated with.

4. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means is constructed such that when the connection between the interface to be connected with an external communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus is recognized from the data from the second infrastructure, the communication is automatically switched to a controlling system wherein the communication is to be executed using said external communication apparatus.

5. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein said controlling means is constructed such that once the communication has been switched to a controlling system wherein the communication is to be executed using said external communication apparatus, the transmission to the second infrastructure is automatically executed.

6. A communication system comprising;

an IC card provided with radiocommunication means for performing a radiocommunication with a first infrastructure;

a data processor provided with an interface adapted to be connected with the IC card, thereby enabling the data processor to input a command of initiating the data communication as well as a command related to a designation of infrastructure to be employed to the IC card connected with the interface; and

an external communication apparatus which is adapted to be connected with the IC card, thus enabling it to be communicated with a second infrastructure differing from the first infrastructure;

wherein the IC card is that of claim 1.

7. An IC card comprising:

an antenna and radio controller for communicating with a first infrastructure;

an interface to be connected with an external communication apparatus, the external communication apparatus for communicating with a second infrastructure which differs from said first infrastructure;

a memory for storing data distinguishing said first infrastructure from said second infrastructure;

wherein the data in the memory distinguishing the infrastructure from one another enables one of the infrastructures to be selected in accordance with a received command that includes an infrastructure request; and

a controller for, when said first infrastructure has been requested in the command but data cannot be received therefrom, switching to communication with the second infrastructure even though the first infrastructure and not the second infrastructure had been requested in the command.