MX2008007267A - Smart card - Google Patents

Abstract

A smart card is disclosed and it includes a processor;a first interface for use in communication with a terminal;a second interface for use in communication with another smart card;and RST generation device for generating a RST signal for the another smart card.

Description

SMART CARD Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a smart card and, more particularly, to a smart card in a dual card system, for use with a terminal, such as an automatic vending machine (ATM) or a card reader at the point of sale (POS), or with a communications terminal, that is, a mobile phone.

Background of the Invention In the past, a magnetic card was used as a bank card or credit card. In a magnetic card system, personal identification data are stored in the magnetic card, to identify the owner of the magnetic card, which is known as a password, and the coincidence between the electromagnetically read password is verified from the magnetic card loaded in a magnetic card. card reader, and a password manually entered by the card owner, to determine if the card user is the valid owner of the card. However, the magnetic card has the following problems: First, the password registered on the magnetic card can be read by a simple hardware and, in such a way, it can be easily obtained by an unauthorized person. Second, the password must be known only by the owner. However, a hardware is necessary to write the password and a person preparing the card is aware of the password. Third, the security protection for an ATM or a credit card reader is not perfect, nor is the prevention of leaks with respect to the password perfect. However, the password can not be changed by the owner, and the card is used even after another person has come to know the password. To solve the above problems, U.S. Patent No. 4,758,718, entitled High Securi ty and IC Card wi th an Upda teable Pa ssword (High Security IC Card with an updateable password) of Fujisaki and co-inventors, discloses an IC card having a microprocessor and a memory. In Figure 1, the number 10 indicates an IC card used as a means of identification to identify a person; the number 11 indicates a microprocessor to control the registration and update of the password data; the number 12 indicates a communication interface for connection to a terminal device; the number 13 indicates a keyboard to enter the password data; the number 14 indicates a display device, such as an LCD to display the password data; the number 15 indicates a memory that has areas for storing the data necessary for the registration and updating of the password; the number 16 indicates a memory area for password, in memory 15; having the area for password 16 bits; the number 17 indicates an area to store the number of times in which there has not been coincidence with the password that is in memory 15; the number 18 indicates an area to store the data representing a type and the attributes of the IC 10 card, and the number 19 indicates a battery. The memory 15 has "a registration area for password, in which updating data is stored to update the password registered in the registration area." The password is entered by means of a keyboard operation, and the microprocessor controls the registration of the password and registers the password entered in the password registration area When the registered password is to be changed, the number of times there has been an error in entering the password registered in the microprocessor is checked, based on the data previously set in the update area for password.If the number of times that there has been an error is less than a predetermined number, the registration area as well as the password update area are released and a new registration is allowed password entered, in the registration area. Currently, IC cards, that is, so-called "smart cards" are used in numerous applications, such as payment at a point of sale (known as "bank cards"), public telephones, payment for parking, toll payment , mobile phones (for example, SIM cards), health services, public transport, or electronic purses. Each of these applications is associated with a specific card: a bank card, a telephone card, a parking card, a SIM card for GSM telephony, etc. One of the problems encountered in the daily use of this variety of cards is that one of the cards may not be available when it will be used, regardless of whether it was left at home, if the credit has been exceeded or if it has expired. Additionally, the administration and carrying of various cards is inconvenient. Therefore, there is a great need for so-called "multiple application cards". For example, U.S. Patent No. 6,325,293, entitled "Method and Sys tem for Using", "My Computer Circuit in Pl ura li y of Appli ca tions" (Method and system for using a microcircuit card in a plurality of applications), Moreno, describes a microcircuit card that includes a device that activates a default application to be executed; a device that activates a card application to be executed, a switching device that activates the card to be configured by a command, either as a default application card or as a desired application card. Figure 2 shows the organization and general sequence of operations of the method to obtain it. As shown in Figure 2, the subscription made by a customer 20, from the radiotelephone operator 21 operating the user's radio-telephone 22, includes not only the radio-telephone service in general, but also a special service , for example, parking payment; where the amount will be included as a specific item in the monthly list of telephone consumption that you will receive from operator 21 (billing represented by 23). After parking a vehicle near a parking meter machine 24, of the electronic "pay and display" type, programmed to accept payment from prepaid cards, issued by city 25, the driver could determine that a credit card is not available. parking that you can use, or that the card is sold out or is not valid. To carry out the payment required by the machine, the user is then connected to a "parking" command on the radio telephone, for example, by pressing a button 26, or selecting an option on a menu that gives optional services offered by the telephone operator. This command makes the SIM card 27 of the radio telephone "reconfigured" as a parking card. The user then removes the card 27 from the radio telephone and inserts it (arrow 28) into the machine 24 that perceives the card as if it were a parking card, and then the card is operated and debited as such. The user then reinsertes the card 27 (arrow 29) in the telephone radio 22, where it is read by the telephone radio that automatically reconfigures it for the GSM function. While such multiple application cards are technically feasible, in practice they are very difficult to implement, as evidenced by the numerous attempts to initiate the use since the invention of the IC card itself. With the widespread use of smart cards in the Mobile phone industry, such as SIM for GSM, USIM for CDMA, RUIM for CDMA2000 and PIM for the PHS network, a wide variety of applications has been developed using smart cards that reside in mobile phones (SIM / USIM / RUIM / PIM , hereinafter referred to as UICC, universal cards with integrated circuit) that provide security services. The operators of mobile telephones guarantee the security of the use of the mobile telephony service authenticating the keys stored in the smart cards that the operators issue to the subscribers. In addition, mobile operators also provide special services, such as mobile banking services, mobile warehouse purchasing service, storing the keys provided by banks or other service providers, in SIM cards. The keys are manipulated by means of an application interface developed by SIM Tool Kit (STK), which also resides in the SIM card itself. When WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) telephones were available, the WIM (wireless identity module) was also developed by the sellers of the SIM card, to guarantee the security of WAP by storing the certificate and the PKI algorithm in the SIM itself ( SWIM card) or another independent WIM card, which can be inserted into another slot in the mobile phone. The keyboard and display screen of the mobile phone provide the inserted smart card with a large user interface, and the mobile nature of remote access to service providers further achieves the goal of service mobility. In order to obtain service mobility, service providers such as banks, credit card issuers, card issuers, certificate issuers and brokers are willing to cooperate with the telephony operator mobile phone to issue enhanced SIM cards so that they provide services that fit within their professions. However, the provisioning and management of SIM capacity and functionalities are under the control of mobile telephony operators; therefore, it forms a closed system where only the parties that are in agreement are allowed to participate. Additionally, the relationship between service providers and mobile telephony operators is one of mutual distrust, and both have similar agendas on security control and payment methods. This becomes a major obstacle to the development of mobile security services. In the world of mobile telecommunications, another emerging demand, based on the smart card, is called "multiple SIM ownership", which indicates the tendency for a single mobile phone user to keep more than one SIM card, which can be issued by different mobile telephony operators. The trend has its origin in the following reasons: • have separate accounts for personal and business use; • have separate SIMs from mobile phone operators from different countries, when traveling, to save the charge of roammg rights. • keep SIMs separate for different service plans, such as calls in daytime and off peak hours. • keep SIMs separate for different promotional rate packages, to save costs. A special mobile phone, with a double chip or with a double slot capability, used to solve the problems mentioned above, by providing an additional chip slot in the mobile phone, in order for the service provider or another mobile operator issue your own smart card or keep your own secret keys in the SIM. However, special telephones are usually expensive and are not well accepted by the user, thus forming a fragmented market in which service providers can enter. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a smart card that can rectify those drawbacks of the prior art and solve the indicated problems.

Brief description of the invention This paragraph summarizes and compiles some aspects of the present invention; other aspects will be described in the paragraphs that come later. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar provisions, included within the spirit and scope of the claims that come at the end. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a smart card includes a processor; a first interface for use in communication with a terminal; a second interface for use in communication with another smart card; and RST generation means to generate an RST signal for another smart card. Preferably, the processor additionally includes a buffer for receiving and storing an ATR signal (response to reset) from the other smart card. Preferably, the processor further includes ATR generating means for generating an ATR signal. Preferably, the processor additionally includes means generating PTS (protocol type selection) on request, to generate a PTS request signal for another smart card. Preferably, the processor further includes PTS response generating means for generating a PTS response signal for the terminal. Preferably, the processor further includes PTS determining means for determining whether the PTS request signal is acceptable for both the terminal and another smart card. Preferably the processor includes a clock regulator to provide a clock frequency for another smart card. More advantageously, the processor additionally includes means determining APU (data unit for the application protocol) to determine if an APDU command signal, issued from the terminal, is associated with the smart card or with another smart card. More advantageously, the processor additionally includes control APDU generating means for generating a command APDU signal for another smart card. More advantageously, the processor additionally includes a buffer for receiving and storing an APDU response signal from another smart card. More advantageously, the processor further includes APDU response generating means for generating a response APDU signal for the terminal. More advantageously, the smart card is provided with an antenna to communicate with a terminal without contacts. More advantageously, the smart card comprises a SIM card (suscpptor identity module), a USIM card (universal subscriber identity module), a UIM card (user identity module) and a RUIM card (user identity module). removable). More advantageously, the smart card consists of a credit card, a debit card and an ATM card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, after reviewing the detailed description which follows and the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram which shows a conventional IC card. Figure 2 is a diagram showing various devices and players according to another conventional method. Figure 3 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a smart card, in a dual card system, for use with a transaction terminal according to the present invention. Figure 4 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a smart card in a dual card system, for use with a communication terminal in accordance with the present invention; and Figures 5A and 5B are flow charts showing a method of transaction through the use of a dual card system, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the preferred modality The present invention describes a smart card, in a dual card system, and a method for using it; and the objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, after reviewing the following detailed description. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the following modalities. The first embodiment Reference is made to Figure 3. It illustrates a block diagram of a first embodiment of a smart card in a dual card system, for use with a transaction terminal according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the dual card system for use with the transaction terminal 30 consists of a first card 32 and a second card 31. The first card 32 has a first memory 321 for storing first identification information, for use in a desired transaction, with a transaction terminal 30. The second card 31 includes a processor 310, a RST generating device 314b, a second memory 311, a third memory 312, a fourth memory 313, and a clock controller 34a. The second memory 311 stores second identification information for use in a desired transaction with the transaction terminal 30. The third memory 312 stores information related to the transaction. The fourth memory 313 stores first personal information that is not secured by the first card 32. The clock controller 34a receives a clock signal from the transaction terminal 30, through the CLK 34 line and provides another clock signal to the clock. first card 32, through the line CLK 37. The clock signal provided by the clock controller 34a may be the same or different from that provided by the transaction terminal 30. Meanwhile, the first card 32 is installed with a first operating system, and the second card 31 is installed with a second operating system. The second card 31 can act as both a smart card and a card reader, simultaneously, in order to control the first card 32. The second card 31 is coupled to the transaction terminal 30 by means of three lines: the RST line 33; the CLK 34 line and the input / output (I / O) port 35, lines that are naturally additional to a VCC power line and a GND ground line. Additionally, the transaction terminal 30 is a smart card reader of a portable device or a fixed terminal, such as ATM or POS. Additionally, the first card 32 is coupled to the second card 31 through three lines: the line RST 36, the line CLK 37 and the port 1/0 38, as shown. Actually, the second card 31 is provided with two 1/0 ports: the I / O port 35 and the I / O port 38, to communicate with the transaction terminal 30 and with the first card 32, respectively. Incidentally, the second card 31 is able to accept the different communication protocols of the I / O port 35 and the I / O port 38. According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the second card 31 is also capable of emitting application protocol data unit (APDU) commands through the I / O port 38 to the first card 32, and the second card 31 provides clock signals to the first card 32, through the CLK 27 line. other words, the second card 31 acts both as a smart card and as a smart card reader, by controlling the first card 32. In general, a smart card sends an ATR (response to reset) through port I / Or to a card reader, after a VCC supply voltage, a CLK clock signal and a RST reset signal have been applied. The data sequence and data elements of the ATR are defined and described in detail in ISO / IEC 7816-3. The basic ATR format is shown in table 1.

Table 1 The data elements of the ATR and their meanings, in accordance with ISO / IEC 7816-3 Data Element Description TS Initial character TO Character format TAI, TB1, TC1, TD1, ... Interface characters TI, T2, ..., TK Historical characters TCK Test character The first two bytes, designated TS and TO define various transfer parameters fundamentals, and the presence of subsequent bytes. The interface characters specify the special transfer parameters for the protocol, which are important for the following data transfers. Historical characters describe the extent of the basic functions of the smart card. The check character, which is a proving sum of the previous bytes, can optionally be sent as the last byte of the ART, depending on the transmission protocol. In addition, this ART data sequence is always sent with a divider value and contains various data relevant to the transmission protocol and to the card. As is known, the smart card shows various data transfer parameters in the ATR interface characters, such as transmission protocol and character timeout. Additionally, if a terminal wishes to modify one or more of these parameters, a protocol type selection (PTS) must be made before the actual execution of the protocol. The terminal can use this to modify certain protocol parameters, as long as the card allows it. In the present invention, with reference to Figures 3 and 5, the processor 310 of the second card 31 includes a controller 318, an ATR generating device 319, a PTS determining device 315a, a PTS request generating device 315b, a PTS response generator device 315c, a command APDU determining device 316a, a command APDU generating device 316b, and a response APDU generating device 317. In a transaction, a transaction terminal 30 determines whether a first card 32 exists after being turned on (steps S500 and S501). If there is no first card 32 in a transaction system, then the transaction terminal 30 will perform a default transaction with the second card 31 (step S502). Additionally, the default transaction can also be a contactless communication with another terminal, through an antenna provided on the second card 31. In that case, the communication is made by means of a radio communication. On the other hand, if a first card 32 exists, then the transaction terminal 30 will perform on a dual card system. In a dual card system, the signals to be sent to the first card 32 will go through the second card 31. In other words, the transaction terminal 30 does not communicate directly with the first card 32. That is, the second card 31 is a subsidiary of the transaction terminal 30, but also a master for the first card 32. Therefore, the reset signals (RST2) issued from the transaction terminal 30, are sent directly to the second card 31 only, regardless of whether the transaction is related to the first card 32 or the second card 31. Once the second card receives RST2, the RST generator device 314b will generate a reset signal (RST1) for the first card 32 (He passed S503). After receiving RST1, the first card 32 responds with a response signal to the reset (ATR1) to the buffer 318 (for example, a buffer in which the first one to enter is the first one to exit (FIFO, for the English expression Firs t -In Firs t -Out) of the second card 31 (step S504). After receiving ATR1 from the first card 32, the generator device 319 ATR of the second card 31 generates another reset response signal (ATR2 ') to the transaction terminal 30 (step S505). Generally speaking, a reset response signal must occur between 400 and 40,000 clock cycles after the transaction terminal 30 issues a reset signal. With a clock speed of 3.5712 MHz, this corresponds to a range of 112 μs to 11.20 ms; while at 4.9152 MHz, the interval is 81.38 μs to 8.14 ms. If the transaction terminal 30 does not receive the ATR within this range, it repeats the activation sequence several times (usually up to three times) to try to detect an ATR. If all these attempts fail, the terminal assumes that the card is missing and responds accordingly. However, if ATR1 is sent to the second card 31 after the second card 31 receives RST2 from the transaction terminal 30, as mentioned above, then it would be difficult for the ATR1 to respond within the time. Therefore, to solve this problem, the RST generation device 314b of the second card 31 is programmed to spontaneously generate a reset signal (RST1) to the first card 32, once the second card 31 is connected, independently of receipt of RST2 from the transaction terminal 30. That is, the RST generation device 314b does not necessarily wait until RST2 is sent from the transaction terminal 30, before sending RST1 to the first card 32, to avoid delayed response to the transaction terminal 30. Accordingly, the second card 31 preserves the ATR1 sent from the first card 32 in the buffer 318, until RST2 is received. This way you can immediately send ATR1 after RST2 is issued. After the transaction terminal 30 receives an ATR signal from the ATR generating device 319, the terminal continuously sends a request signal (PTS1) from PTS (protocol type selection) to the second card 31, to effect the negotiation of PTS (step S506). Then the PTS request generating device 315b of the second card 31 will generate a PTS request signal (PTS2) to the first card 32. In response to PTS2, the first card 32 sends a PTS response signal (PTS3) of return to the second card 31. Accordingly, the PTS determination device 315a of the second card 31 determines whether the protocol indicated by the first PTS request signal issued from the transaction terminal 30 is capable of being carried out by both the first card 32 as per the second card 31, according to PTS3 sent from the first card 31. Next the PTS response generating device 315 of the second card 31 will send another PTS response signal (PTS4) to the terminal 30 of transaction. This sequence will continue until the indicated protocol of the transaction terminal 30 is accepted, between the transaction terminal 30 and the second card 31, and between the second card 31 and the first card 32. Once the indicated protocol is found, the Transaction terminal 30 will send a command APDU signal (c-APDUl) to the control APDU determining device 316a of the second card 31 (step S507), requesting a transaction. After receiving c-APDUl, the command APDU determining device 316a determines whether c-APDUl requests a default transaction or a sought transaction (step S508). If the c-APDUl issued from the transaction terminal 30 requests a desired or desired transaction, the control APDU generation device 316b of the second card 31 will generate a command APDU signal (c-APDU2) to the first card 32 ( step S-509) and then perform the desired or searched transaction (step S510). The first card 32 will send a response APDU (r-APDUl) to the buffer 318 of the second card 31, after the desired transaction is performed (step S511). After receiving r-APDUl from the first card 32, the response APDU generator 317 of the second card 32 generates another response APDU signal (r-APDU2) to the transaction terminal 30, indicating that it has completed the desired transaction ( step S512). In this embodiment of the present invention the information related to the transaction is re-escrowed by means of the processor 310, when the transaction request issued from the first card is approved, by the transaction terminal 30, based on the identification information. first or second. For example, the information related to the transaction may be an equilibrium for a debit card value, and the processor 310 may increase / decrease the balance when the transaction is made. Additionally, the second card 31 can detect the existence of the first card 32 by calculating the response time of ATR1 from the first card 32, when the dual portfolio system is inserted in a transaction terminal; alternatively, the second card 31 can provide a user interface, such as a SIM application tool kit menu of the SIM card for the user to configure the presence of the first card, if the dual card system is inserted in a SIM card. mobile phone. For example, a POS (point of sale) card that stores values is considered as the second card 31 of the present invention, and an ATM card, which stores a bank account, is considered as the first card 32. Both cards have functions originals In the present invention, the POS card can be considered as a master card, which is also a card reader, and is capable of reading the ATM card in a transaction terminal. In that way, a user can remit money from the bancapa account stored on the ATM card to the electronic purse of the POS card, through the transaction terminal, according to the present invention. In the case of the dual card system in a mobile phone, the SIM card is considered as the second card, and a POS card is considered as the first card of the present invention; a user can recharge money to the electronic purse of the POS card by means of a brief terminal message on the mobile phone, from the bank, in response to a brief message originated on the user's mobile phone, in order to "upload" the POS card. In this case, the cell phone is considered as the terminal. Accordingly, the present invention provides a dual card system for use with two different transaction terminals, to facilitate transaction information in practice.

The second embodiment Reference is made to Figure 4. It illustrates a block diagram of a second embodiment of a smart card in a dual card system, for use with a communication terminal in accordance with the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the dual card system for use with the communication terminal 40 consists of a first card 42 and a second card 41. The first card 42 has a first memory 421 for storing first identification information., which includes first personal information, first secret keys and first security function, for use in communication with a remote terminal 49, by means of the communication terminal 40. The second card 41 includes a processor 410, a second memory 411, a third memory 412 and a selector device 413. The second memory 411 stores second identification information including second personal information, second secret keys and second security function for use in communication with a remote terminal 49, by means of the communication terminal 40. The third memory 412 can store the first personal information that is not secured by the first card 32. The selector device 413 goes to determine a security function of the first card and the second card that will be made. The processor 410 does or does not perform the first card 42, based on whether the first card or the second card is selected by the selector device 413. In this mode, any of the first card 42 and the second card 41 could be a card SIM (subscriber identity module), a USIM card (universal suscpptor identity module), a UIM card (user identity module, and a RUIM card (removable user identity module), which are used for different systems When two SIM cards are considered as first card 42 and second card 41, respectively, the second SIM card could integrate the information of both SIM cards, such as two telephone directories.The selector device is normally presented by the equipment menu of SIM tools, which provides the user interface to select the SIM that will be used to register the mobile network. A dual-card is capable of integrating two SIM cards in a communication terminal, ie a mobile phone. In accordance with the present invention, a mobile telecommunications company could provide the service to its user to integrate an old SIM card from another company, with a new SIM card. The user could make a telephone call with two different identifications, selecting one of the two SIM cards, according to his own wish.

Although the invention has been described in terms of what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiments described. On the contrary, it is intended to cover several modifications and similar provisions, included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which are to be considered with the broadest interpretation, in order to cover all such modifications and similar structures.

Claims (14)

1. - A smart card, comprising: a processor; a first interface, to be used in communication with a terminal; a second interface for use in communication with another smart card; and RST generating means, to generate an RST signal for said other smart card.

2. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor further includes a buffer to receive and store an ATR signal (response to reset) from the other smart card.

3. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor additionally includes ATR generating means for generating an ATR signal.

4. - The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor further includes means generating PTS request (protocol type selection) to generate a PTS request signal for the other smart card.

5. - The smart card according to claim 4, wherein the processor further includes PTS response generating means for generating a PTS response signal for said terminal.

6. The smart card according to claim 4, wherein the processor further includes means for determining PTS to determine if the PTS request signal is acceptable by both the terminal and the other smart card.

7. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor additionally includes a clock regulator to provide a clock frequency for the other smart card.

8. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor further includes means for the determination of command APDU (application protocol data unit) to determine if a command APDU signal, issued from the terminal , is associated with the smart card or with the other smart card.

9. - The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor further includes means for the generation of command APDU to generate a command signal APDU for the other smart card.

10. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor further includes a buffer for receiving and storing an answering APDU signal from the other smart card.

11. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the processor further includes means for the generation of response APDU to generate a response signal APDU for the terminal.

12. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the smart card is provided with an antenna for communication with another terminal.

13. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the smart card comprises a SIM card (subscriber identity module, a USIM card (universal subscriber identity module), a UIM card (identity module of user), and a RUIM card (removable user identity module)

14. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the smart card comprises a credit card, a debit card and an ATM card.