Method and system for facilitating memory and application management on a secured token

• US 8,215,563 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.), Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.), Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Levy, Philippe, Hammad, Ayman, Simcox, Virginia I., Sloan, Jerry, Gorden, Mary
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US12/967,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/441, 235/487, 235/488, 235/492, 705/64, 705/65, 705/66, 705/41, 713/159, 713/172, 707/101, 194/205, 361/373
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/77 in smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• 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 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• 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 system for facilitating memory and application management on a smartcard the system includes a client having a number of applications and a smartcard having specification logic allowing file structures and security and access conditions to be defined using a set of common commands. Each application has a corresponding group of data on the smartcard. An applet instance is created for each application and corresponding group of application data. At the time of instantiation, the specification logic allows an application to specify the file structure and/or to specify security and access conditions for its group of data. An application can utilize passcode and credential management so that a single passcode is used to access the smartcard regardless of whether the application utilizes the common commands to specify a file structure.

Claims

1. A secured token comprising:

an applet providing a set of common commands and operable to be instantiated to create a plurality of applet instances; and

specification logic allowing specification of file structures, security conditions, and access conditions for each applet instance in the plurality of applet instances.

2. The secured token of claim 1, wherein the secured token is a smartcard.

3. The secured token of claim 1, wherein the applet is a first applet, the secured token further comprising a second applet providing a second set of common commands, the second set of common commands including the first set of common commands and additional commands to provide additional services.

4. The secured token of claim 1, wherein an applet instance is associated with a subset of the set of common commands.

5. The secured token of claim 1, wherein the set of common commands includes a select command for selecting a desired applet instance, a retrieve command for retrieving information from a desired applet instance, a file read command for reading data from a desired file, a record read command for reading data from a desired record in a file, a file update command for updating data in a desired file, a record update command for updating a desired record, and a verify passcode command for verifying the passcode in order to access the secured token.

6. The secured token of claim 1, wherein the set of common commands includes a get status command for retrieving information detailing an internal status of the corresponding applet, and wherein the second set of commands includes a get status command for retrieving information detailing an internal status of the corresponding applet, an internal authenticate command for providing credential management services for incoming data, a change passcode command for modifying the passcode used for accessing the secured token, and an unblock passcode command for unblocking the passcode.

7. A method comprising:

providing an applet on a secured token, the applet providing a set of common commands; and

instantiating a plurality of applet instances, including a first applet instance for a first application, utilizing the set of commands, wherein the set of common commands specifies file structures, security conditions, and access conditions for each applet instance in the plurality of applet instant.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

providing the secured token, wherein the secured token is a smartcard.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the applet is a first applet, the secured token further comprising a second applet providing a second set of common commands, the second set of common commands including the first set of common commands and additional commands to provide additional services.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising utilizing at least one cryptographic service provided by the second set of common commands and utilizing a signature selected from the group consisting of DES-MAC and RSA signatures.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising using the first application in a client to interact with the first applet instance.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising protecting a communication with the secured token by secure messaging.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising using the secured token for financial transactions.

14. A method comprising:

communicating, using a client, with an applet on a secured token, the applet providing a set of common commands, wherein the secured token includes a plurality of applet instances, including a first applet instance for a first application of the client, the set of common commands specifying file structures, security conditions, and access conditions for each applet instance in the plurality of applet instant.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting, using the client, which commands in the set of common commands is available to the first applet instance.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

obtaining the secured token, wherein the secured token is a smartcard.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising protecting the communication with the secured token by secure messaging.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising conducting a financial transaction with the secured token.