Method of providing IC card service, card terminal, and IC card

• US 6,976,635 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mishina, Yusuke, Ashizawa, Minoru, Ohki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Franklin, Jamara A.
• Application Number:
  US09/791,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20020134843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/492, 235379-382, 705/17, 705/41
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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: 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

There have been some problems in the conventional IC card such as a card holder has to memorize his PIN, the set of conditions for the combination of IC cards has been impossible, a self-governing body has been unable to issue a resident cart for the utilization of public facilities to a resident in the neighboring self-governing body.

In the present invention, an attribute-information storage means for an associated-IC-card application is provided in a first IC card for storing attribute information of the IC-card application of a second IC card, and the list of selectable IC-card applications is displayed based on the reliance relation predicated on attribute information and the selection by users can be accepted. Owing to the present invention the following can be realized: the memorization of one'"'"'s PIN is not needed, in the point service in the shopping district, points can be doubled by a certain combination condition of IC cards, the issue of an IC card by a self-governing body is made possible on condition that a resident has his resident card issued by the neighboring self-governing body, and it is made possible to electronically process the administration entries which require a plurality of documents to be attached.

Claims

1. A method of providing IC-card service comprising:

obtaining information of applications stored in a first IC card, and attribute information which designates an application in association with each of said applications stored in said first IC card;

obtaining information of applications stored in other IC cards;

analyzing a reliance relation between said applications stored in said first IC card and the other IC cards by collating said attribute information;

deciding a combination of applications stored in said first IC card and the other IC cards according to said analysis; and

executing each application stored in said first and the other IC cards of the combination for providing service.

2. A method of providing IC-card service according to claim 1, further comprising:

synthesizing a list of said applications stored in said one IC card and the other IC card from said attribute information.

3. A method of providing IC-card service according to claim 1,

wherein each of said attribute information designates said plurality of applications.

4. A method of providing IC-card service according to claim 1,

wherein said attribute information is variable.

5. A method of providing IC-card service according to claim 1,

wherein said attribute information further designates a confirmation type which describes a confirmation method.

6. A method of providing IC-card service according to claim 5, further comprising:

confirming availability of each application of said combination if confirmation type is available.

7. A method of providing IC-card service according to claim 5, further comprising:

producing a random number in said first IC card;

sending said random number to the other IC cards;

producing a certificate by the use of the random numbers;

sending said certificate to said first IC card; and

confirming the validity of the certificate inside said first IC card.

8. A method of providing IC-card service according to claim further comprising:

requesting a user to input a personal identification number; and

verifying the personal identification number that is input.

9. An IC-card terminal comprising:

a card connection member which connects to a plurality of IC cards electrically or electromagnetically;

a reader for reading information of applications stored in a first IC card and other IC cards, and attribute information which designates an application in association with each of said applications stored in said first IC card;

means for analyzing a reliance relation between said applications stored in said first IC card and the other IC cards by collating said attribute information;

means for deciding a combination of applications of said first IC card and other IC cards according to said analysis; and

means for executing each application of said first and other IC cards of the combination for providing service.

10. An IC-card terminal according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for synthesizing a list of said applications stored in said one IC card and the other IC cards from said attribute information.

11. An IC-card terminal according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display displaying said applications of executable combination.

12. An IC-card terminal according to claim 9,

wherein each of said attribute information designates said plurality of applications.

13. An IC-card terminal according to claim 9,

wherein said attribute information is variable.

14. An IC-card terminal according to claim 9,

wherein said attribute information further designates a confirmation type describing a confirmation method.

15. An IC-card terminal according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for confirming availability of each application of said combination if confirmation type is available.

16. An IC card comprising:

means for storing applications and attribute information which designates applications in association with each of said applications;

means for obtaining information of applications stored in other IC cards; and

means for synthesizing a list of said applications stored in said IC card and the other IC cards from said attribute information.

17. An IC according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for analyzing a reliance relation between said applications stored in said IC card and the other IC cards by collating said attribute information; and

means for deciding a combination of applications of said IC card and the other IC cards according to said analysis.

18. An IC card according to claim 16,

wherein said attribute information is at least one of a public key of an IC-card application, a name of an IC-card application, an ID of an IC-card application, a name of a manufacturer of an IC-card application, an ID of a manufacturer of an IC-card application, a name of an issuer of an IC-card application, and an ID of an issuer of an IC-card application.

19. An IC card according to claim 16,

wherein each of said attribute information designates said plurality of applications.

20. An IC card according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for confirming availability of each application of said combination if confirmation type is available.