System and method for locking and unlocking an application in a smart card

• US 6,273,335 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sloan, Jerry F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US09/632,367
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 902/1, 902/2, 902/4, 902/26, 713/202, 705/41, 705/44
• US Class Current: 235/382
• 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 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Locking and unlocking an application in a smart card allows for automatic authenticity of a lock or unlock command without the need for a personal identification number (PIN). The smart card is locked and unlocked by using a smart card device that need not have a keypad. A lock command is sent from the device to the smart card. An application on the smart card is locked. The smart card sends identifying information, such as a password and a card identification number, to the device which is stored in a cache. To unlock, the smart card is inserted into the device and an unlock button is pressed. The smart card device reads the card identification number of the card and determines if the corresponding password for that card is present in the cache. If so, an unlock command is issued to the smart card along with the password.

Claims

1. A smart card device for unlocking an application in a smart card able to be inserted in said smart card device, said smart card device comprising:

a card reader arranged to read from and to write to said inserted smart card;

a memory coupled to said card reader, said memory including

a card identification number corresponding to said smart card, and

a password corresponding to said card identification number, said card identification number and said password having been stored in said memory when said smart card was previously inserted into said smart card device for the purpose of locking said application; and

a microprocessor coupled to said card reader, said microprocessor arranged to issue an unlock command along with said password to said smart card when said smart card provides identifying information matching said card identification number, whereby said smart card device is able to unlock said application in said smart card without entry of an unlocking password from a user.

2. The smart card device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a function button arranged to issue an unlock request to said microprocessor when activated.

3. The smart card device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a display for indicating a status of said smart card.

4. The smart card device as recited in claim 1 wherein said memory is a cache arranged to hold a plurality of card identification numbers and a corresponding plurality of passwords, whereby said smart card device may be used to unlock a plurality of applications.

5. The smart card device as recited in claim 4 wherein said microprocessor is further arranged to delete an oldest pair of corresponding card identification number and password when said cache is full.

6. The smart card device as recited in claim 1 wherein the smart card device is configured to unlock a plurality of applications that are contained within the smart card.

7. The smart card device as recited in claim 6 wherein the microprocessor is further arranged to issue an unlock command along with said password to said smart card in order to unlock a selected one of the plurality of applications.

8. A method of locking an application of a smart card using a smart card device, said method comprising:

receiving said smart card in said smart card device;

sending a lock command intended, for said application from said smart card device to said smart card without entry into said smart card device of a locking password by a user, such that said application becomes locked;

receiving identifying information including a password from said smart card; and

storing said received identifying information including said password in a memory of said smart card device, whereby said application of said smart card may not be used until said application is unlocked.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said identifying information includes a card identification number, whereby said card identification number may be used to find said password in said memory of said smart card device.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

receiving into said smart card device an unlock request without entry into said smart card device of an unlocking password by said user; and

sending said identifying information including said password from said memory of said smart card device to said smart card along with an unlock command, whereby said application of said smart card becomes unlocked and is available for use.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said memory is implemented as a stack and wherein said element of storing includes:

determining whether said memory is full; and

wherein when it is determined that said memory is full, deleting other identifying information related to an oldest transaction of said smart card device.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

determining whether said application of said smart card has already been locked; and

wherein when it is determined that said application is already locked, said identifying information is not stored in said memory of said smart card device, whereby unauthorized unlocking is inhibited.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the smart card contains a plurality of applications.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the sending of the lock command locks a selected one of the plurality of applications.

15. A method of unlocking an application of a smart card using a smart card device, said method comprising:

receiving said smart card in said smart card device;

receiving identifying information including a password from said smart card;

searching a memory of said smart card device for said identifying information, a copy of said identifying information and said password having been previously stored in said memory when said smart card was previously inserted into said smart card device for the purpose of locking said application; and

sending an unlock command intended for said application to said smart card from said smart card device without entry into said smart card device of an unlocking password by a user, whereby said application of said smart card is unlocked and available for use.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein said identifying information includes a card identification number, said method further comprising:

identifying said password in said memory of said smart card device that corresponds to said card identification number; and

sending said password to said smart card, whereby said smart card password is used by said smart card to verify that said unlock command from said smart card device is authorized.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein said memory is implemented as a cache and wherein said method further comprises:

matching said identifying information with a password in said cache; and

sending said password to said smart card along with said unlock command, whereby said password is used by said smart card to verify that said unlock command from said smart card device is authorized.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the smart card contains a plurality of applications.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein the sending of the unlock command unlocks a selected one of the plurality of applications.