Abstract: An IC card includes a first visible layer including a natural material having a unique visual pattern. A storage device is configured to store a digital reference image of the unique visual pattern to be visually compared with the unique visual pattern for authentication. An authentication method based on the IC card is also provided.

Abstract: A device for assigning a geographical position to a picture may include a photo camera module for taking the picture, a satellite positioning system receiver module for identifying geographical coordinates when the picture is taken, and a cryptographic module to sign the picture and the corresponding geographical coordinates. The device may store the signed picture and the corresponding geographical coordinates as certified geographical position of the picture.

Abstract: An IC Card may include electronic components to receive a power supply and a main clock signal by a reader device. The power supply may be provided to a subset of the electronic components during a main clock stop status wherein the main clock signal is suspended for avoiding a maximum power consumption threshold. The IC Card may also include a low precision clock included in the subset of electronic components for measuring time in the main clock stop status.

Abstract: A method is for implementing a wireless personal communication protocol between an integrated circuit (IC) card and a reader device. The IC card is hosted in and in communication with a handset through a corresponding handset-IC card communication protocol. The method includes the handset transmitting an Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) command to the IC card, according to the handset-IC card communication protocol, the IC card detecting an association between the APDU command and an applet stored inside the IC card, the IC card executing the APDU command, and the IC card executing the applet if an association between the APDU command and the applet is detected. The IC card detects data associated to a wireless personal communication with the reader device after the processing of the APDU command.

Abstract: A communication method is between a handset device having a slot hosting a first IC card, and a second IC card. The method uses a plurality of commands based on a handset device-IC card interface and intended to drive a communication between the first IC card and the handset device. The method may include providing a second device, including a slot for hosting the second IC card, providing the first IC card and the second IC card with a wireless personal interface supporting a wireless communication, and inserting the second IC card inside the slot. A communication between the handset device and the second IC card is driven by forwarding a command received by the first IC card on the handset device/IC card interface to the wireless personal interface.

Abstract: The approach is for protecting a solid state memory including a microprocessor. The microprocessor controls the requests for access to the physical blocks of the memory and transfers one or more requested files from a requesting device only subsequently to a comparison of a predetermined sequence of requests for access to the physical blocks. The predetermined sequence of requests for access to physical blocks corresponds to a predetermined sequence of requests for access to file(s) of the memory that can be selected by the device. If the sequence of requests for access does not occur, the microprocessor does not transfer the data requested or transfers them in a non readable format, for example in cryptographic form.

Abstract: The method is for protecting the digital contents of a solid state memory including a microprocessor. A microprocessor inserts at least an interruption during a copy or a reading of the digital contents and proceeds with the copy or reading only subsequently to a verification of a PIN. In particular, the verification provides control that the PIN is inserted manually. Also, a solid state memory includes a microprocessor programmed for inserting at least an interruption in a copy or reading of digital contents of the memory, for verifying a PIN, and for proceeding with the copy or the reading, if the PIN is inserted correctly.

Abstract: A method may be for controlling communication between a UICC, a handset including the UICC, and an external device associated with an external application running outside the handset. The method may include switching on the UICC by the handset, executing a first initialization procedure by the handset to establish a first communication session between the handset and the UICC, establishing a second communication session between the UICC and the external device, and executing a second initialization procedure between the external device and the UICC. The method may include retrieving an attribute of the handset by the UICC after completing the first initialization procedure, retrieving an attribute of the external device via the handset by the UICC after the completing the second initialization procedure, and comparing the attribute of the handset with the attribute of the external device to distinguish the second communication session from the first communication session.

Abstract: An IC Card comprises a first device, including a first processor and a first memory unit, to communicate with a handset, and a second device. The second device includes a second processor and a second memory unit, to communicate via a wireless communication with an electronic apparatus external to the handset, the second device providing predetermined services. Each predetermined service is programmed to receive a wireless message from a respective electronic apparatus, to execute a predetermined elaboration, and to return a result to the respective electronic apparatus. The second memory unit stores a plurality of additional programs for executing additional elaborations, each program being associated to one of the predetermined services. The second device has a run-time environment for executing the additional programs when the corresponding predetermined services receives the wireless message.

Abstract: A method for separating an event-driven application in an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a smart-card, and the application resident in the smart-card may be separated in at least two modules: a central module and one or more complementary modules. The method includes managing the interaction between the modules by a framework of the smart-card, and generating new set of events by the framework at the end of execution of the central module. In this manner, the central module can be developed early in production and in any set of programming languages. It can access any card resources and even in an architecture dependent way.

Abstract: A method is for implementing a wireless personal communication protocol between an integrated circuit (IC) card and a reader device. The IC card is hosted in and in communication with a handset through a corresponding handset-IC card communication protocol. The method includes the handset transmitting an Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) command to the IC card, according to the handset-IC card communication protocol, the IC card detecting an association between the APDU command and an applet stored inside the IC card, the IC card executing the APDU command, and the IC card executing the applet if an association between the APDU command and the applet is detected. The IC card detects data associated to a wireless personal communication with the reader device after the processing of the APDU command.

Abstract: A method for generating at least one portion of a data display layout on a display of a device equipped with at least one smart card may include generating a code sequence to define at least one portion of the data display layout and to store the code sequence in the at least one smart card. Each code of the code sequence may have a first portion including a first numerical code, and a second portion including a second numerical code. The first numerical code may correspond to a coded primitive action suitable to produce at least one part of the display layout. The second numerical code may correspond to a coded item of data correlated with a respective primitive action. The method may further include processing the code sequence to generate, on the device display at least one part of the display layout with the items of data in predefined positions of the layout.

Abstract: A communication method is between a handset device having a slot hosting a first IC card, and a second IC card. The method uses a plurality of commands based on a handset device-IC card interface and intended to drive a communication between the first IC card and the handset device. The method may include providing a second device, including a slot for hosting the second IC card, providing the first IC card and the second IC card with a wireless personal interface supporting a wireless communication, and inserting the second IC card inside the slot. A communication between the handset device and the second IC card is driven by forwarding a command received by the first IC card on the handset device/IC card interface to the wireless personal interface.

Abstract: An IC Card comprises a first device, including a first processor and a first memory unit, to communicate with a handset, and a second device. The second device includes a second processor and a second memory unit, to communicate via a wireless communication with an electronic apparatus external to the handset, the second device providing predetermined services. Each predetermined service is programmed to receive a wireless message from a respective electronic apparatus, to execute a predetermined elaboration, and to return a result to the respective electronic apparatus. The second memory unit stores a plurality of additional programs for executing additional elaborations, each program being associated to one of the predetermined services. The second device has a run-time environment for executing the additional programs when the corresponding predetermined services receives the wireless message.

Abstract: An IC Card may include electronic components to receive a power supply and a main clock signal by a reader device. The power supply may be provided to a subset of the electronic components during a main clock stop status wherein the main clock signal is suspended for avoiding a maximum power consumption threshold. The IC Card may also include a low precision clock included in the subset of electronic components for measuring time in the main clock stop status.

Abstract: A virtual machine or hardware processor for an IC-card portable electronic device includes a non-volatile memory unit, a remote decryption unit, and associated objects for storing an executable program in an encrypted format in the non-volatile memory. The IC-card stores a licence key to encrypt and decrypt the executable program through an IC-card interface. The IC-card interface extracts and encrypts the operands of the plain executable program into encrypted operands so as to not limit performance. The remote decryption unit detects if an instruction contains encrypted operands, and queries a decryption to the IC-card interface. The IC-card interface decrypts the encrypted operands and re-encrypts the just decrypted operands into obscured operands through a dynamic obscuration key.

Abstract: A method is to access data stored in a first structured format inside a memory unit of an IC Card. The first structured format may be accessed by a first electronic device including the IC Card. The method may include mapping the first structured format into a second structured format including a plurality of entries, the second structured format being readable by a second electronic device unable to read the first structured format. The method may also include serving at least one query of information about one or more of the plurality of entries, and defining an access control list for associating a list of clients to corresponding access rights to the plurality of entries. The method may further include providing a detector for allowing/not allowing a client of the list of clients to access the plurality of entries through the query of information.

Abstract: A method for separating an event-driven application in an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a smart-card, and the application resident in the smart-card may be separated in at least two modules: a central module and one or more complementary modules. The method includes managing the interaction between the modules by a framework of the smart-card, and generating new set of events by the framework at the end of execution of the central module. In this manner, the central module can be developed early in production and in any set of programming languages. It can access any card resources and even in an architecture dependent way.