Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Reexamination Certificate
1994-11-29
2001-05-29
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
C235S492000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237848
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to data reading from a smart card.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
A smart card, otherwise known as an integrated circuit card, is a card carrying a microprocessor, memory, and an interface for electrical coupling to read/write devices. Preferably the memory is non-volatile, by which is meant memory which retains information in the absence of electrical power. Typically, memories used in smart cards are of the Electronic Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) type. Such cards may be used for many purposes, such as for carrying personal information, perhaps for example medical information or for personal identification purposes. Alternatively, such cards may be used as bank cards or payment cards. An application for smart cards to which the present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable is as electronic purses. Electronic purses hold value data which may be uploaded and downloaded by communication with a bank or other financial institution. Value may be exchanged between electronic purses which are coupled by a data link. Thus purchases may be made, using the value data as “electronic cash”. Smart cards can carry an appreciable amount of information in a secure manner. Data in the card may include fixed data set at manufacture, such as a card serial number or the like. However this fixed data is not of interest to users. The card is used to input, store and output variable data. Although some of this data may in practice not be changed after first being input, it is different from data fixed by the manufacturer of the card and is use-variable data. More usually, use-variable data is data changed regularly in the normal use of the card. Smart card use-variable data is read to and from the card serially via the contacts using an established protocol.
The read protocol as exemplified in ISO protocol 7816 which requires that when coupling is established between a reader and the card, the reader applies power and clock and reset signals to the card microprocessor. Then, an Answer to Reset (ATR) sequence of data bytes is transmitted from card to reader. Thereafter the card may be interrogated by the reader to transmit demanded use-variable data.
This requires a reader of relative sophistication and expense.
There is a requirement for an inexpensive reader to allow display or use of selected use-variable data from the card. The use-variable data to be read will vary from application to application. In a medical or diary card it may be the details of a next appointment; in a security card it may be a security code to gain access via a lock-release reader; and in an electronic purse it may be the value of the balance remaining. The present invention seeks to provide a system which allows the provision of an inexpensive smart card reader.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of reading data from a smart card, the smart card having a microprocessor and a memory holding use-variable data, the method consisting in coupling a reader to the card to establish a data transmission path between the reader and the card, accessing required use-variable data in said memory and incorporating said accessed data as part of an answer-to-reset signal transmitted from the card to the reader.
In this way data required to be read can be transmitted to the reader in the ATR sequence and the reader does not require the capacity for full protocol-regulated card interrogation as is conventional. The reader can thus be simple and inexpensive.
In the ISO standard 7816 the ATR sequence may include “historical bytes”. These are generally provided for the convenience of the card manufacturer to represent a card identifier for example. Preferably, in the present invention, at least some of the “historical bytes” of the ATR are used to convey the required data.
The reset signal is conveniently initiated in the reader automatically in response to coupling being made with a card, and the card automatically responds with the Answer to Reset sequence.
A modification envisaged is that the data included in the ATR sequence may be sequentially changed on each reading. Thus, for example, the data read from an electronic purse may alternate between the balance and details of the last transaction. If a third or other items of information are to be included the data read will step one step around the required sequence each time the card is applied to a reader. This may be accomplished by providing a sequence of data addresses in the EEPROM and arranging that each time the ATR sequence is sent an address pointer is stepped cyclically around the address sequence so that on the next reading data from the next address is sent in the ATR sequence.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a reader adapted to read data from a smart card in accordance with the above-described method, the reader comprising a battery, an interface arrangement for coupling to a smart card, and circuit means effective to interpret a specific part of any answer-to-reset signals received via the interface to derive use-variable data included therein.
The circuit means may be a dedicated integrated circuit incorporating, by virtue of its structure, logic appropriate for the interpretation of the answer-to-reset signals. Alternatively, the circuit means may comprise a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory including a program to control the microprocessor.
The reader may be incorporated in a small hand-held unit smaller than the smart card and a key-fob is envisaged, for example. A slot to accept a contact portion of the card is provided and need be large enough to accept only a side region or corner region of the card, for example.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a smart card adapted to have data read in accordance with the above-described method, the card having a microprocessor and a memory, a memory region holding use-variable data, and a memory region holding an operating program, the operating program being effective to include, in answer-to-reset signals generated by the card, specific use-variable data accessed from the memory.
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Le Thien M.
Mondex International Limited
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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