Remote smartcard terminal link

• US 6,237,849 B1
• Filed: 05/11/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keycorp Services Pty Ltd. (Nordic Cultural & Educational Foundation)
• Original Assignee: KeyCorp
• Inventors: Achelles, Peter, Cooper, Dean Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/011,593
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/380
• 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 system and device allowing for an inexpensive smartcard terminal is disclosed, particularly where more than one scheme is required to be supported. Remote terminals 20 receive smartcards 10 and establish a communication link 30 with a base station. Each remote terminal uses a scheme independent application 24 to interface with the smartcard 10—the base terminal includes the necessary terminal applications 43-45, a scheme selector 40, and establishes links to host systems 80-82. This arrangement allows for reduced complexity and cost in the remote terminals, while allowing for multiple and/or complex applications to be supported.

Claims

1. A system for performing a transaction using a smartcard, said smartcard including an application allowing transactions with at least one transaction scheme, said system comprising:

at least one remote terminal device, each said remote terminal device including means for interfacing to a smartcard;

a scheme independent terminal application, and communications means for communicating with a base terminal, said base terminal including a plurality of smartcard terminal applications for different transaction schemes; and

means for selecting one of said smartcard terminal applications corresponding to an available transaction scheme for any given smartcard;

whereby upon a smartcard being inserted into the remote terminal, a corresponding terminal application is selected and a transaction conducted between the terminal application and the smartcard as if the smartcard were directly interfaced to the base terminal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the communications means is wireless.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said base terminal further comprises host communication means for connecting each terminal application to a corresponding remotely located host.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the transaction is a financial transaction.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the remote terminal includes input keys and display means.

6. A system for performing a transaction using a smartcard, said smartcard including an application allowing transactions with at least one transaction scheme, said system including at least one remote terminal device, each said remote terminal device including means for interfacing to a smartcard, and communications means for communicating with a base terminal, said base terminal including a plurality of smartcard transaction applications corresponding to an available transaction scheme for a given smartcard, the arrangement being such that a transaction occurs between the smartcard and the base terminal as if the smartcard were directly interfaced to the base terminal.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the communications means is wireless.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein said base terminal further comprises host communication means for connecting each terminal application to a corresponding remotely located host.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the transaction is a financial transaction.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein the remote terminal includes input keys and display means.

11. A remote terminal device for a smartcard transaction processing system, said system including a plurality of smartcards, each smartcard including applications allowing transactions with at least one transaction scheme, and a base terminal including transaction applications corresponding to at least one of the transaction schemes incorporated in said smartcards,

wherein said terminal device including means for interfacing to a smart card, a scheme independent terminal application, and communications means for communicating with the base terminal, said remote terminal device being adapted to communicate with said smartcard and said base terminal so as to facilitate a transaction between the smartcard and the base terminal as if the smartcard were directly interfaced to the base terminal.

12. A remote terminal device according to claim 11, wherein the terminal device is adapted to communicate with a smartcard via an ISO 7816 interface.

13. A remote terminal device according to claim 11, wherein the terminal device is adapted to communicate with said base station via a wireless connection.

14. A remote terminal device according to claim 11, wherein said remote terminal device includes input keys and display means.

15. A remote terminal device according to claim 12, wherein said remote terminal device includes input keys and display means.

16. A remote terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said remote terminal device includes input keys and display means.