Multi-mode smart card, system and associated methods

• US 6,883,715 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Holdings Corporation (Schlumberger NV), STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Holdings Corporation (Schlumberger NV), STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Leydier, Robert Antoine, Pomet, Alain Christophe, Fruhauf, Serge F.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/686,327
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/441, 235/487, 235/486, 235/493, 235/380, 235/383, 235/385, 235/384, 235/382, 235/382.5, 705/1, 710/2, 710/72, 710/104, 710/105
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0707 the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation G06K19/0702 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07733 the record carrier containing at least one further contact interface not conform ISO-7816

Abstract

A multi-mode IC is provided for operating in a first mode such as an ISO mode in accordance with International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) protocol, and a second, non-ISO mode, such as a USB mode in accordance with Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. The multi-mode IC is preferably in a smart card and includes a microprocessor and an external interface. The external interface comprises a voltage supply pad, a ground pad, a first set of pads for the first mode, and 2 second set of pads for the second mode. The first set of pads preferably include a reset pad, a clock pad and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol, and may also include a variable supply voltage pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol. The IC further includes a mode configuration circuit for detecting a mode condition on one pad of the first set of pads, and configuring the IC in the ISO mode or the non-ISO mode depending on the result. Once the IC is configured in a particular mode, it will operate in only that mode until the next power-on reset sequence.

Claims

1. A multi-mode integrated circuit (IC) for operating in an ISO mode in accordance with International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) protocol, and a non-ISO mode in accordance with a non-ISO protocol, the multi-mode IC comprising:

a processor;

an external interface connected to the processor and comprising

a voltage supply pad,

a ground pad,

a first set of pads in accordance with the ISO 1816 protocol, and

a second set of pads in accordance with the non-ISO protocol; and

a mode configuration circuit for configuring the multi-mode IC in one of the ISO mode and the non-ISO mode based upon a signal on one pad of the first set of pads.

2. A multi-mode IC according to claim 1 wherein the mode configuration circuit configures the multi-mode IC to operate in one of the ISO and non-ISO modes while disabling the other of the ISO and non-ISO modes.

3. A multi-mode IC according to claim 2 wherein the first set of pads is disabled when the multi-mode IC is configured in the non-ISO mode, and the second met of pads is disabled when the multi-mode IC is configured in the ISO mode.

4. A multi-mode IC according to claim 1 wherein the mode configuration circuit comprises:

a mode detector connected to the one pad of the first set of pads; and

a latching circuit connected to the processor and receiving an output from the mode detector.

5. A multi-mode IC according to claim 4 further comprising a control register connected to the latching circuit for storing a mode configuration indicator.

6. A multi-mode IC according to claim 4 further comprising a voltage detector connected to the voltage supply pad to detect a voltage supply of one of the ISO and non-ISO modes.

7. A multi-mode IC according to claim 4 wherein the non-ISO mode comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) mode, and the second set of pads includes D-plus and D-minus pads in accordance with the USB protocol;

and further comprising a USB cable detector connected to the D-plus and D-minus pads.

8. A multi-mode IC according to claim 4 wherein the first set of pads includes a clock pad, a reset pad, and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol.

9. A multi-mode IC according to claim 4 wherein the first set of pads includes a clock pad, a reset pad, a variable supply voltage pad, and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol;

and wherein the mode detector comprises a pull-up resistor connected to the one pad, of the first set of pads.

25. A multi-mode smart card system according to claim 1B wherein the first set of pads includes a clock pad, a reset pad, a variable supply voltage pad, and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol;

and wherein the mode detector comprises a pull-up resistor connected to the one pad of the first set of pads.

10. A multi-mode smart card for operating in an ISO mode in accordance with International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) protocol, and a non-ISO mode in accordance with a non-ISO protocol, the multi-mode smart card comprising:

a card body; and

a multi-mode integrated circuit (IC) carried by the card body and comprising

an external interface including

a voltage supply pad,

a ground pad,

a first set of pads in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol, and

a second set of pads in accordance with the non-ISO protocol, and

a mode configuration circuit for configuring the multi-mode IC in one of the ISO mode and the non-ISO mode and comprising

a mode detector connected to one pad of the first set of pads, and

a latching circuit connected to the mode detector.

11. A multi-mode smart card according to claim 10 further comprising a control register connected to the latching circuit for storing a mode configuration indicator.

12. A multi-mode smart card according to claim 10 further comprising a voltage detector connected to the voltage supply pad to detect a voltage supply of one of the ISO and non-ISO modes.

13. A multi-mode smart card according to claim 10 wherein the non-ISO mode comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) mode, and the second set of pads includes D-plus and D-minus pads in accordance with the USB protocol;

and further comprising a USB cable detector connected to the D-plus and D-minus pads.

14. A multi-mode smart card according to claim 10 wherein the mode configuration circuit configures the multi-mode IC to operate in one of the ISO and non-ISO modes while disabling the other of the ISO and non-ISO modes.

15. A multi-mode smart card according to claim 14 wherein the first set of pads is disabled when the multi-mode IC is configured in the non-ISO mode, tad the second set of pads is disabled when the multi-mode IC is configured in the ISO mode.

16. A multi-mode smart card according to claim 10 wherein the first set of pads includes a clock pad, a reset pad, and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol.

17. A multi-mode smart card according to claim 10 wherein the first set of lads includes a clock pad, a reset pad, a variable supply voltage pad, and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO7816 protocol;

and wherein the mode detector comprises a pull-up resistor connected to the one pad of the first set of pads.

20. A multi-mode smart card system according to claim 16 wherein the mode configuration circuit further comprises a voltage detector connected to the voltage supply pad to detect a voltage supply of one of the ISO and non-ISO modes.

24. A multi-mode smart card system according to claim 16 wherein the first set of pads includes a clock pad, a reset pad, ant an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol.

18. A multi-mode smart card system for operating in an ISO mode in accordance with International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) protocol, and a non-ISO mode in accordance with a non-ISO protocol, the multi-mode smart card system comprising:

a multi-mode smart card comprising

an external interface including

a voltage supply pad,

a ground pad,

a first set of pads in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol, and

a second set of pads in accordance with the non-ISO protocol, and

a mode configuration circuit for configuring the multi-mode smart card inone of the ISO mode and the non-ISO mode and comprising

a mode detector connected to one pad of the first set of pads, and

a latching circuit connected to the mode detector; and

a non-ISO-compliant smart card reader for reading the multi-mode smart card including

a smart card interface having a plurality of contacts for respectively mating with the voltage supply pad, the ground pad, and the second set of pads in accordance with the non-ISO protocol, and

a mode indication circuit for connection to the one pad of the first set of pads for providing a non-ISO mode indication signal to the mode detector of the mode configuration circuit.

19. A multi-mode smart card system according to claim 18 wherein the mode configuration circuit further comprises a control register connected to the latching circuit for storing a mode configuration indicator.

21. A multi-mode smart card system according to claim 18 wherein the non-ISO mode comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) mode, and the second set of pads includes D-plus and D-minus pads in accordance with the USB protocol.

22. A multi-mode smart card system according to claim 18 wherein the mode configuration circuit configures the multi-mode IC to operate in one of the ISO and non-ISO modes while disabling the other of the ISO and non-ISO modes.

23. A multi-mode smart card system according to claim 22 wherein the first set of pads is disabled when the multi-mode IC is configured in the non-ISO mode, and the second set of pads is disabled when the multi-mode IC is configured in the ISO mode.

26. A method of operating a multi-mode integrated circuit (IC) in an ISO mode in accordance with International Standards organization 7816 (ISO 7816) protocol, and a non-ISO mode in accordance with a non-190 protocol, the multi-mode IC including an external interface having a voltage supply pad, a ground pad, a first set of pads in accordance with the ISO protocol, and a second set of pads in accordance with the non-ISO protocol, the method comprising:

detecting whether one of an ISO-mode condition and a non-ISO-mode condition exists on one pad of the first set of pads;

configuring the multi-mode IC in the ISO mode and disabling the second set of pads when the ISO-mode condition is detected; and

configuring the multi-mode IC in the non-ISO mode and disabling the first set of pads when the non-ISO-mode condition is detected.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein detecting whether one of the ISO-mode condition and the non-ISO-mode condition exists on the one pad of the first set of pads comprises detecting whether one of the ISO-mode condition and the non-ISO-mode condition exists during a power-on-reset of the multi-mode IC.

28. A method according to claim 26 further comprising verifying the non-ISO mode, when the non-ISO-mode condition is detected, by detecting a non-ISO-mode voltage on the voltage supply pad.

29. A method according to claim 26 wherein the first set of pads comprises a reset pad, a clock pad and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein detecting whether the ISO-mode or non-ISO-mode condition exists comprises detecting if a signal from one of an ISO-compliant interface and a non-ISO-compliant interface is present on the clock pad.

31. A method according to claim 26 wherein the first set of pads includes a clock pad, a reset pad, a variable supply voltage pad, and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol.

32. A method according to claim 26 wherein the non-180 protocol comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol.

33. A method according to claim 26 further comprising storing a mode configuration indicator for indicating whether the multi-mode IC is configured in the ISO or non-ISO mode.