Method for operating a portable data carrier configured for executing reloadable functional programs

• US 7,117,012 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security GmBH (Giesecke & Devrient GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
• Inventors: Merck, Martin, Frey, Thomas, Stocker, Thomas, Weiss, Dieter, Kolbeck, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/926,792
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/559, 455/558, 235/492, 902/26, 713/172
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• 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 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A method is proposed for operating a portable data carrier designed for executing reloadable function programs. According to the method the data carrier initially has installed thereon a loader interface which allows the reloading of load applications which in turn permit the loading of function programs. Each load application has allotted thereto an invariable assigned address space. To support the management of an assigned address space, badges are produced for application programs to be reloaded, said badges containing information about the size of the memory space required for the application program. Address space in the memory device is allotted to application programs to be reloaded in accordance with the size information provided on the badges. A data carrier suitable for carrying out said method is further disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for operating a data carrier equipped with a communication device, a memory device and a program execution unit for executing function programs contained in the memory device, comprising the steps:

installing a function program in the memory device of the data carrier for realizing a loader interface which in turn makes it possible to reload function programs each realizing a load application,

providing a free memory space available for the loader interface in the memory device,

reloading at least one load application via the communication device into the memory device, said reloading being controlled by the loader interface, and the load application being allotted a part of the free memory space as an assigned address space;

wherein the loader interface transfers the management of an assigned address space completely to a load application after the load application is assigned to the assigned address space, such that the loader interface has no further influence on or access to the assigned address space; and

wherein the load application is configured to load at least one application program into said assigned address space.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising the following further step:

reloading at least one application program via the communication device by the program execution unit under the control of the load application into the assigned address space allotted thereto.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the loader interface provides control over an assigned address space allotted to a load application to the load application.

4. A data carrier comprising

a memory device for receiving function and application programs,

a program execution unit for executing function programs contained in the memory device,

a communication device,

a loader interface comprising a function program for loading at least one load application, which permits the reloading of a further application program, into the memory device via the communication device,

the loader interface having associated therewith in the memory device a free memory space for receiving at least one load application;

wherein the loader interface transfers the management of an assigned address space completely to a load application after the load application is assigned to the assigned address space, such that the loader interface has no further influence on or access to the assigned address space.

5. The data carrier according to claim 4, including a load application received in the memory device that controls a part of the free memory space associated with the loader interface, independently of the loader interface.

6. The data carrier according to claim 4, wherein the load applications are designed to link application programs to be reloaded with application and function programs already present on the data carrier, during loading.

7. The data carrier according to claim 6, wherein a load application comprises limitations which prohibit the linking of an application program to be newly loaded with one already present.

8. A method for operating a data carrier having a memory device for receiving function and application programs, a program execution unit for executing function and application programs contained in the memory device, and a communication device, comprising the steps:

equipping the data carrier with a function program comprising a loader interface for reloading application programs into the memory device,

equipping the data carrier with a management device for assigning address spaces in the memory device to reloaded application programs,

providing the application program to be reloaded with badges containing information about the size of the memory space required for the application program,

evaluating the badge during reloading of an application program, and

assigning to the application program an address space in the memory device coordinated with the determined size information;

wherein the loader interface transfers the management of an assigned address space completely to a load application after the load application is assigned to the assigned address space, such that the loader interface has no further influence on or access to the assigned address space.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the badge furthermore contains information designating the application program.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the badge furthermore contains a signature for providing the authenticity of the application program.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the badges are issued by the issuer of the data carrier.

12. A data carrier comprising a memory device for receiving function and application programs, a program execution unit for executing function programs contained in the memory device, a communication device, and a loader interface comprising a function program, for reloading at least one application program into the memory device via the communication device, the loader interface having means for checking a badge of an application program to be loaded, and assigning memory space in the memory device to an application program to be loaded in accordance with size information contained on the badge;

wherein the loader interface transfers the management of an assigned address space completely to a load application after the load application is assigned to the assigned address space, such that the loader interface has no further influence on or access to the assigned address space.