Connecting apparatus, and information processing apparatus

• US 6,002,605 A
• Filed: 02/26/1998
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yajima, Toshio, Iwasaki, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, TRONG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/030,856
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 365/51, 365/52, 365/63, 235/380
• US Class Current: 365/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0034 the connector being capable of simultaneously receiving a plurality of cards in the same insertion slot
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0043 the plurality of cards being cards of different formats, e.g. SD card and memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0073 having multiple insertion slots, the respective slots suited for the same or different card form factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0086 the connector comprising a circuit for steering the operations of the card connector
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• 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: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts

Abstract

A connecting apparatus, which can be used in combination with a plurality of IC, cards. The connecting apparatus holds an inserted smart card (first IC card) having a first flat type connecting terminal on a first face thereof and holds a memory card (second IC card) having a second flat type connecting terminal on a first face thereof and smaller than the first IC card. The connecting apparatus comprises a first connecting device having a slot into which the smart card is inserted and a connecting electrode which is so formed as to contact the flat type connecting terminal when the smart card is inserted into the slot; a second connecting device having a slot into which the memory card is inserted and a connecting electrode which is so formed as to contact the flat type connecting terminal when the memory card is inserted into the slot. The second connecting device is formed at a side, of the first connecting device, in which the connecting electrode of the first connecting device is formed such that a region in which the connecting electrode is formed is exposed.

Claims

1. A connecting apparatus for connecting a first IC card and a second IC card, comprising;

a first connecting means for connecting the first IC card, the first IC card having a first face, a first flat type connecting terminal on the first face, and the first connecting means having a first slot for holding the first IC card, and first connecting electrodes contact with the first flat type terminal when the first IC card is inserted to the first slot; and

a second connecting means for connecting the second IC card, the second IC card having a first face, a second flat type connecting terminal on the first face, and the second IC card is smaller than the first IC card, and the second connecting means having a second slot for holding the second IC card, and second connecting electrodes contact with the second flat type terminal when the second IC card is inserted to the second slot.

2. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second connecting meant is formed on the first connecting means so as to expose a region of the first electrodes is formed.

3. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first connecting electrodes and the second connecting electrodes are formed on same sides of respective slots.

4. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot are formed so that a inserting direction of the first IC card and a inserting direction of the second IC card are substantially the same.

5. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein an opening of the first slot and an opening of the second slot are substantially flushed.

6. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot are formed so that the first IC card and the second IC card are overlapped and so that two ends of respective IC cards are coincided.

7. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first IC card is in accordance with ISO7810, and an area of the second IC card is not more than an area of the first IC card.

8. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the IC card having a CPU and the second IC card is a memory card.

9. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second IC card has a thickness in accordance with ISO7810.

10. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second IC card is in accordance with JEDEC MO-186.

11. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second IC card having at least a serial access type memory element connected with the second flat type connecting terminals.

12. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein the serial access type memory element is a NAND type flash memory or a AND type flash memory.

13. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 11 further comprising an interface means connected with the first connecting electrode and the second connecting electrode, the interface means drives the first IC card and the second IC card in parallel.

14. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the interface means is formed on the exposed region of the first connecting means where the first connecting electrode of the first connecting means is formed, and the interface means is formed adjacent to the second connecting means.

15. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the interface means has at least a CPU.

16. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the interface means has means for decoding and encoding of data inputted to and outputted from the first IC card or the second IC card.

17. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a connector for connecting an external circuit with the first connecting electrode and the a second connecting electrode.

18. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein the connector is a two-piece type connector.

19. A connecting apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein the connector is an edge-type connector.

20. An information processing apparatus driveing an first IC card having a first flat type connecting terminal on a first face and a second IC card having a second flat type connecting terminal on a first face, and the second IC card is smaller than the first IC card, wherein, the information processing apparatus comprising an interface means for driving the first IC card through the first flat type connecting terminal and driving the second IC card through the second flat type connecting terminal in parallel.

21. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the interface means has at least a CPU.

22. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the interface means has means for decoding and encoding of data inputted to and outputted from a first IC card or a second IC card.

23. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the first IC card has means for decoding or encoding data inputted to and outputted from the first IC card or the second IC card, and the interface means having means for decoding and encoding of data inputted to and outputted from the first IC card or the second IC card.

24. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claims 20, wherein the first IC card has means for DES-decoding and DES-coding data inputted to and outputted from the first IC card or the second IC card;

and the interface means has means for RSA-decoding and RSA-coding data inputted to and outputted from the first IC card or the second IC card.

25. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the interface means has a waveform shaping circuit of a signal which is inputted to and outputted from the first IC card or the second IC card.

26. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein the waveform shaping circuit is a Schmidt trigger circuit.

27. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a casing;

a substrate accommodated in the casing and having a central processing unit mounted on the substrate;

connecting means having a first slot to which a first IC card is inserted, the first IC card having a first flat type connecting terminal, a second slot to which a second IC card is inserted, the second IC card having a second flat type connecting terminal, a first connecting electrode formed so as to contact to the first flat type connecting terminal, and a second connecting electrode formed so as to contact to the second flat type connecting terminal;

interface means for controlling signals in parallel which are transmitted between the central processing unit with the first IC card and the second IC card, the interface means is formed on the substrate; and

at least a wiring for connecting the interface means with the first connecting electrode and the second connecting electrode.

28. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the interface means has a CPU.

29. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the interface means has means for decoding and encoding of data inputted to and outputted from the first IC card or the second IC card.

30. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein a power supply terminal or a ground terminal of the first connecting electrode and the second connecting electrode is connected with the interface means through a common connection wiring.

31. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the interface means is mounted on the substrate and has a waveform shaping circuit.

32. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 31, wherein the waveform shaping circuit is a Schmidt trigger circuit.

33. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a connecting means having a slot for receiving an IC card having a flat type connecting terminal, and the connecting means having a connecting electrode for contacting to the flat type connecting terminal; and

interface means for accessing to the IC card through the connecting electrode and the flat type connecting terminal;

wherein the interface means has a counter means for counting the number of times of a contact between the connecting electrode and the flat type connecting terminal; and

a means for comparing a predetermined value indicating the number of times of the contact between the connecting electrode and the flat type connecting terminal with a counted value and stopping an access to the IC card when the counted value has reached the predetermined value.

34. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein the connecting electrode of the connecting means is exchangeably formed;

and a means for resetting a value counted by the counter when the connecting electrode is exchanged is provided.

35. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein the connecting electrode of the connecting means is so formed that the connecting electrode has a means for discriminating an unused state and a used state from each other;

and a counted value counted by the counter is reset only when the connecting electrode in the unused state is exchanged.

36. An information processing apparatus which holds an inserted IC card having a first flat type connecting terminal on a first face, and an inserted second IC card having a second flat type connecting terminal on a first face, the second IC card is smaller than the first IC card, comprising:

a first connecting means having a slot to which the first IC card is inserted and a first connecting electrode which is so formed as to contact the first flat type connecting terminal when the first IC card is inserted into the first slot; and

a second connecting means having a slot into which the second IC card is inserted and a second connecting electrode which is so formed as to contact the second flat type connecting terminal when the second IC card is inserted into the second slot.