Integrated circuit

Details Integrated circuit Integrated circuit

1998-02-19

2000-03-07

Pan, Daniel H.

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory

Storage accessing and control

Control technique

711152, 711151, 39550047, G06F 944, G06F 9455

Patent

active

060353805

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a single chip integrated circuit having processing means arranged to process instructions.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable data carrying devices having non-volatile storage configured to store secure data are known. An international standard has been developed relating to devices of this type having a size and configuration substantially similar of that of conventional credit cards. In addition to non-volatile storage, cards of this type may also be provided with a processing facility and in this configuration they have become generally known as "smart cards".
Data stored on smart cards may be used to represent many entities and cards of this type have become particularly popular for the storage of money tokens, where data held on the cards represents negotiable money as a replacement for negotiable notes and coinage. Money transactions using the card may be effected by the use of suitable terminal equipment, for example located beside a conventional cash register. A transaction involves reducing a data value on the card, and increasing a data value at a remote location, via the terminal. Cards may hold data values representing a finite amount of money. Transactions may also involve incrementing a money token on the card, while reducing a money token at a remote location, thereby increasing the amount of money represented on the card.
An IC card including a processor, a first memory for storing a system programme and a second memory for storing an application programme is disclosed in European patent publication No 0356257. A third memory is provided for storing data process by the processor and an input.backslash.output unit is provided for effecting input and output operations of programmes and data Device includes a programmes stop section for stopping the programme being executed on the processor at a specified address and a data output section for supplying the input.backslash.output unit with either one of a content of a register in the processor and the content of an area of an address of at least one of the first, second or third memories and the programme running on the processor is stopped.
Equipment may also be provided to transfer money directly from one card to another. Money transactions involve reducing a data count on one card while effecting a similar data increment on a cooperating card. Thus, in this way, the data held on both cards subsequent to a transaction taking place is consistent with a particular sum of money being transferred from one to the other.
A variety of financial transactions may therefore be effected by the use of smart cards, and over a variety of terminal equipment from a diverse range of shopping outlets and financial service providers. It is essential that an extremely high level of security is provided during such transactions, in order to avoid the possibility of electronic counterfeiting or other mischief.
A high security IC card is disclosed in European patent publication No 0636998. The IC card has a read only memory for storing an operation command and re-loadable memory for storing a plurality of control commands. A selecting unit selects control commands stored in the read only memory and one of the control commands stored in the re-loadable memory. The control unit for driving the IC card in accordance with the selected control commands is provided and the card provides high security such that it is capable of holding confidentiality of various commands. The card can be realised in a form which is adaptable to various application systems used for the IC card without re-writing the date in the read only memory and can provide high general versatility.
This requirement for high security places a limitation on the functionality of a smart card. In order for approval of its use by a financial institutions or a governing authority, the operations of the smart card must be shown to conform to a number of established highly secure protocols. Smart card functionality is therefore restricted at the time of manufacture in orde

REFERENCES:
patent: 4875156 (1989-10-01), Tanagawa et al.
patent: 4983816 (1991-01-01), Iijima
patent: 5081675 (1992-01-01), Kittirutsunetorn

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