IC card reading/writing apparatus and method for allowing use of multiple vendors

• US 6,678,753 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PEIKARI, BEHZAD
• Application Number:
  US09/661,391
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/382, 710/16, 710/11, 710/13, 365/52, 711/1, 711/2
• US Class Current: 710/16
• 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: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An IC card includes a card body, a memory section buried inside the card body and adapted to store data information and control information, and an interface section. The interface section inputs the data information to be stored in the memory section and outputs the data information stored in the memory section. The interface section also outputs the control information stored in the memory section. The memory section stores control information including card maker identification information to be reported to the outside. Therefore, it becomes possible to automatically identify the maker of each IC card, so that the IC card, the IC card reading/writing apparatus, etc., can be procured from multiple vendors when an IC card system is constructed.

Claims

1. An IC card reading/writing apparatus having an IC card reading/writing control section, which controls the reading and/or writing of data from and/or into an IC card, said IC card reading/writing control section comprising:

a storage section storing control information, which includes apparatus maker identification information identifying the apparatus maker of the IC card reading/writing apparatus itself for notification to a host computer outside of said IC card reading/writing apparatus to cause the host computer to designate a protocol corresponding to the apparatus maker identified by the apparatus maker identification information; and

a card maker identification information transfer section receiving card maker identification information identifying an IC card manufacturer itself and contained in an answer-to-reset signal from a given IC card, and transferring the received card maker identification information from the given IC card to the host computer to cause the host computer to designate a protocol that is adapted to a direct communication between the given IC card and the host computer via said IC card reading/writing apparatus, and corresponding to the IC card manufacturer identified by the transferred card maker identification information.

2. The IC card reading/writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said IC card reading/writing control section receives from the host computer, control information used to control the reading and/or writing of data from and/or into the IC card.

3. The IC card reading/writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said IC card reading/writing control section further comprises:

an application section used to control the reading and/or writing of data from and/or into the IC card.