System and method for smart card personalization

• US 8,301,300 B2
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Not Applicable
• Original Assignee: Card Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Tushie, David R., Haeuser, William W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary D.
• Application Number:
  US09/416,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,767 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 257/679, 257/922, 235/380, 902 25- 27, 700213-233, 715744-747, 715/866, 270/1.02, 358 11- 19
• US Class Current: 700/233
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• 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: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]

Abstract

A smart card personalization system maintains a database containing card issuer data format templates, card applications, card operating system commands, and personalization equipment specifications and provides a centralized interface of inputs and outputs to a card issuing process which dynamically adjusts to changes in the issuing process to easily permit a card issuer to change data formats, card applications, card operating systems and/or personalization equipment in a card issuing process. The system interfaces to any card issuer management system, manages the transfer of cardholder data and card applications to the particular personalization equipment used, and maintains statistics for real-time and off-line inquiries to support critical management and reporting functions. Furthermore, the system works with a variety of security methodologies to prevent fraud.

Claims

1. A method in a personalization system of processing data for portable programmed data carriers, the method comprising:

acquiring personalization data for a cardholder in a first batch of portable programmed data carriers;

acquiring personalization equipment characteristics for a particular type of personalization equipment to issue the portable programmed data carriers for the first batch;

creating instructions for an internal script from the personalization data; and

translating the internal script into programming control commands for the particular type of personalization equipment in accordance with the personalization equipment characteristics,

if the first batch includes additional cardholders, then for each one of the additional cardholders in the first batch, repeating the actions of acquiring personalization data, creating instructions for the internal script, and translating the internal script; and

determining if further data is to be processed for a subsequent batch of portable programmed data carriers, and if further data is to be processed for the subsequent batch, then acquiring personalization equipment characteristics for one of a plurality of types of personalization equipment to issue the subsequent batch;

wherein the subsequent batch is different than the first batch.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring the programming control commands to the particular personalization equipment to issue the data carrier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the instructions comprises mapping the personalization data into a plurality of variables for the instructions.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising acquiring information for a card application, and wherein at least one of the plurality of variables holds data for the card application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal script specifies a sequence in which the programming control commands will be performed by the personalization equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal script includes instructions for a card operating system and further comprising:

acquiring programming control commands for a card operating system; and

translating the instructions for the card operating system into the programming control commands.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the internal script specifies a sequence in which the programming control commands will be executed by the card operating system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring a security function; and

adding the security function to the internal script.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions for the internal script are specified in a set of database records.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one of the plurality of types of personalization equipment to issue the subsequent batch is different than the particular type of personalization equipment to issue the first batch.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to cause a computer to perform a method of processing data for portable programmed data carriers, the method comprising:

acquiring personalization data for a cardholder in a first batch of portable programmed data carriers;

acquiring personalization equipment characteristics for a particular type of personalization equipment to issue the portable programmed data carriers for the first batch;

creating instructions for an internal script from the personalization data; and

translating the internal script into programming control commands for the particular type of personalization equipment in accordance with the personalization equipment characteristics,

if the first batch includes additional cardholders, then for each one of the additional cardholders in the first batch, repeating the actions of acquiring personalization data, creating instructions for the internal script, and translating the internal script; and

determining if further data is to be processed for a subsequent batch of portable programmed data carriers, and if further data is to be processed for the subsequent batch, then acquiring personalization equipment characteristics for one of a plurality of types of personalization equipment to issue the subsequent batch;

wherein the subsequent batch is different than the first batch.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

transferring the programming control commands to the particular personalization equipment to issue the data carrier.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein creating the instructions comprises mapping the personalization data into a plurality of variables for the instructions.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising acquiring information for a card application, and wherein at least one of the plurality of variables holds data for the card application.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the internal script specifies a sequence in which the programming control commands will be performed by the personalization equipment.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the internal script includes instructions for a card operating system and further comprising:

acquiring programming control commands for a card operating system; and

translating the instructions for the card operating system into the programming control commands.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the internal script specifies a sequence in which the programming control commands will be executed by the card operating system.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

acquiring a security function; and

adding the security function to the internal script.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions for the internal script are specified in a set of database records.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the one of the plurality of types of personalization equipment to issue the subsequent batch is different than the particular type of personalization equipment to issue the first batch.