Composite IC card

• US 6,585,166 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazuki, Yoshigi, Hiroshi, Oonishi, Tadashi, Ookawa, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US10/018,803
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 235/441, 235/380, 235/382, 235/375, 235/487, 235/492, 340/825, 375/326
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface

Abstract

An IC card capable of preventing the occurrence of an abnormal state of coupling and thereby preventing malfunction of IC is provided. The IC card is provided with a coupling detecting means for detecting a contact coupling and a non-contact coupling and is also provided with a communication cut-off means which, when there are supplied electric power and a signal for inducing the other coupling during communication by one coupling, cuts off communication so that communication is performed by neither of the couplings.

Claims

1. An IC (Integrated Circuit) card which has a semiconductor integrated circuit integrating an internal circuit for communication with an external device, an antenna and a connector, and is capable of supply of electric power and transmission and reception of signals with the external device by either a contact coupling using the connector or a non-contact coupling using the antenna, the IC card comprising:

coupling detecting means for detecting a contact coupling and a non-contact coupling, and

communication cut-off means for cutting off the communication so that the communication is not performed on either of the couplings when there are supplied electric power or a signal for inducing the other coupling during communication on one coupling.

2. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the coupling detecting means is constituted by a circuit which detects a supply voltage.

3. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the coupling detecting means is constituted by a clock detector which detects a clock signal supplied.

4. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the communication cut-off means is constituted by a circuit which, upon detection of one coupling, cuts off the transmission and reception of signals for the other coupling.

5. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein the communication cut-off means includes means for delaying cutting-off the communication, when memory of an information processor provided in the internal circuit is being written, until end of the writing.

6. The IC card according to claim 4, wherein the communication cut-off means includes means for resetting an information processor provided in the internal circuit simultaneously with cutting-off the communication.

7. The IC card according to claim 5, wherein the communication cut-off means further includes means for resetting the information processor in the internal circuit simultaneously with cutting-off the communication.

8. An IC (Integrated Circuit) card which has a semiconductor integrated circuit integrating an internal circuit for communication with an external device, an antenna and a connector, and is capable of supply of electric power and transmission and reception of signals with the external device by either a contact coupling using the connector or a non-contact coupling using the antenna, the IC card comprising:

a first detector for detecting the supply of either electric power or a signal inducing the contact coupling,

a second detector for detecting the supply of either electric power or a signal inducing the non-contact coupling,

a first gate circuit which performs disconnection of signals transmitted and received through the connector in accordance with an output signal provided from the second detector, and

a second gate circuit which performs disconnection of signals transmitted and received through the antenna in accordance with an output signal provided from the first detector,

wherein the first detector operates irrespective of whether the second detector is in operation or not, and the second detector operates irrespective of whether the first detector is in operation or not.

9. The IC card according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second detectors is a circuit which detects a supply voltage.

10. The IC card according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second detectors is a circuit which detects a clock signal supplied.

11. The IC card according to claim 8, wherein a logic circuit is connected between the first detector and the second gate circuit and also between the second detector and the first gate circuit, the logic circuit delaying the disconnection of the signals, when memory of an information processor provided in the internal circuit is being written, until end of the writing.

12. The IC card according to claim 8, further including a circuit which inputs output signals from the first and second detectors respectively to reset an information processor provided in the internal circuit.

13. The IC card according to claim 11, further including a circuit which inputs an output signal from the logic circuit to reset the information processor in the internal circuit.

14. The IC card according to claim 8, further comprising a logic circuit which delays the disconnection of the signals, when memory of an information processor provided in the internal circuit is being written, until end of the writing.