Smart card control of terminal and network resources

• US 20010000814A1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Published: 05/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axalto S A
• Original Assignee: Axalto S A
• Inventors: Guthery, Scott B., Montgomery, Michael A., Castel, Bertrand du
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/10
• 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: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• 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 smart card comprises a microcontroller, a memory unit, a storage unit, and a communications unit. The smart card may be connected to a terminal, which is in turn may be connected to a host computer and/or a network. The smart card is configured to initiate communications with the terminal, which enables the smart card to control the terminal, host computer, or network and to access the resources connected to the terminal, host computer, or network. A communications protocol defines the commands that the smart card can send and allows the smart card to communicate using asynchronous or logical asynchronous communication.

Claims

1. A smart card system, comprising:

a terminal; and

a smart card connected to the terminal and configured to initiate communication with the terminal.

2. The smart card system of

claim 1

, further comprising a communications protocol that enables asynchronous communications between the smart card and the terminal.

3. The smart card system of

claim 2

, further comprising a communications protocol that enables logical asynchronous communication between the smart card and the terminal.

4. The smart card system of

claim 1

, wherein the smart card accesses terminal resources connected to the terminal.

5. The smart card system of

claim 1

, wherein the terminal is connected to a host computer.

6. The smart card system of

claim 5

, wherein the smart card accesses host computer resources connected to the host computer.

7. The smart card system of

claim 1

, wherein the terminal is connected to a network.

8. The smart card system of

claim 7

, wherein the smart card accesses network resources connected to the network.

9. The smart card system of

claim 1

, further comprising a means for establishing communication between the smart card and the terminal.

10. The smart card system of

claim 9

, wherein the means for establishing communication includes means for establishing full-duplex communication.

12. The smart card of

claim 1

, further comprising a storage unit having a program stored therein.

13. The smart card of

claim 12

, wherein the microcontroller executes the program stored in the storage unit.

14. The smart card of

claim 13

, further comprising a memory unit, wherein the microcontroller temporarily stores the program in the memory unit.

11. A smart card, comprising;

a communications circuit; and

a microcontroller connected to the communications circuit and configured to initiate communication with a terminal to which the smart card is connected.

15. The smart card of

claim 11

, wherein the terminal has terminal resources connected thereto and the microcontroller accesses the terminal resources.

16. The smart card of

claim 11

, wherein the terminal is connected to a host computer.

17. The smart card of

claim 16

, wherein the host computer has host computer resources connected thereto and the microcontroller accesses the host computer resources.

18. The smart card of

claim 11

, wherein the terminal is connected to a network.

19. The smart card of

claim 18

, wherein the network has network resources connected thereto and the microcontroller accesses the network resources.

20. A method of operating a smart card, comprising;

transmitting a command from the smart card to the terminal;

waiting for a response from the terminal; and

receiving the response from the terminal.

21. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the smart card initiates communication with the terminal.

22. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising a communications protocol that includes

a class field,

an instruction field,

a first parameter field,

a second parameter field, and

a data field.

23. The method of

claim 22

, wherein the communications protocol is ISO 7816 compatible.

24. The method of

claim 20

, wherein transmitting the command and receiving the response occur asynchronously.

25. The method of

claim 20

, wherein transmitting the command and receiving the response occur logically asynchronously.

26. The method of

claim 20

, wherein transmitting the command and receiving the response occur in full-duplex.

27. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising re-transmitting the command if no response is received from the terminal within a predefined time period.

28. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising requesting a list of available services from the terminal.

29. The method of

claim 28

, wherein the command is selected from the list of available services.

30. A method of debugging a smart card, comprising:

executing a diagnostic portion of a program stored on the smart card;

receiving a result from the smart card; and

comparing the result to an expected result.

31. The method of

claim 30

, further comprising displaying the result on a display.