Abstract: A secured token comprises a token body and an antenna coupled to an integrated circuit. The outer surface of the token body has a non-recessed metallic region, such as an outer metal ring, which is disposed such that a metallic sound is generated when the secured token strikingly engages a metal object. The antenna and the integrated circuit are substantially disposed within the token body. The secured token advantageously makes a jingling sound similar to that of coins when a payout is made to a player, and has mechanical strength for protecting an electronic circuit placed in the secured token.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to games machines provided with electronic payment mechanisms. The conventional payment mechanism is replaced by a payment mechanism operating by means of tokens that are secured by contract-free detection and the machine is furthermore provided with a second payment mechanism operating by means of a chip card. Switching means make it possible to change over from the token-operated payment mechanism to the chip-card operated payment mechanism when a card such as this is inserted into the corresponding payment mechanism. This device makes it possible to increase the efficiency of the games machines.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a contact-free card comprising a card body and an electronic module having an integrated circuit chip connected to an antenna, a frame is deposited on a lower thermoplastic sheet demarcating the edges of a cavity; the electronic module is positioned at the bottom of the cavity; this cavity is filled with a polymerizable resin; and the frame and the resin-filled cavity are covered with an upper thermoplastic sheet to which slight pressure is applied. The resin polymerizes, and the card is cut out within the frame.

Abstract: An interface is made for a device for the exploitation of electrical signals between a receiver of this device and a device for the exploitation of these signals. The interface is capable of sending, alternatively, signals received by the receiver to an external circuit and signals delivered by the external circuit to the exploitation circuit. It is shown that this approach can be used to resolve problems of the scrambling and unscrambling of audio-visual signals.

Abstract: Methods enabling the use of an office printer connected to a microcomputer in order to print legitimate postal marks. It uses a cartridge of special fonts in which there are stored the franking marks according to the standards laid down for the printer. A known security component is provided, on the one hand to protect access to the memory contained in the cartridge and, on the other hand, to perform the computation, for each printing of a franking mark, of a security mark that contains encrypted information elements that are readable by the postal authority, enabling the franking mark to be authenticated. It provides for the elimination of specific franking machines and limits the handling operations to the handling of a small-sized cartridge.

Abstract: To simplify the manufacture of terminals for the use of chip cards, the system is designed so as to place a minimum set of instructions in these terminals and to transfer the storage of complementary instructions pertaining to uses of greater complexity and/or pertaining to the chip card into the chip card. To bring about the performance of these complementary instructions, an address designating an instruction of a complementary set is stored in a reserved memory of the chip card. The microprocessor of the chip card is furthermore provided with a microprogram enforcing the performance of an instruction thus designated as soon as it is detected that the reserved memory has been designated by an instruction of an elementary set of instructions of this microprocessor. It is shown that it is possible, in this way, to simplify and rationalize the manufacture of very powerful terminals.

Abstract: A smart card and method of locking a smart card to block the operation of at least one protected program stored in a read-only memory or ROM of the smart card, the smart card incorporating a central processor, the ROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory or EPROM and a random access memory or RAM, the method comprising the steps of: entering a logic lock in the EPROM, making multiple copies of the logic lock in the EPROM, and carrying out a logic OR on the logic lock and the multiple copies in order to block the performance of the protected program upon the detection of either (a) the logic lock or (b) at least one of the multiple copies.

Abstract: A chip card comprises a chip card body, a chip, and a connector. The connector has a metal contact which is electrically connected to the chip for communicating electrical signals. The metal contact includes a main layer which is free of etched information elements, and a coating layer which has information elements etched therein. In one improvement, the information elements are laser-etched. In another improvement, the information elements are also marked on the chip card body and are stored in the chip. The present invention advantageously helps protect against the fraudulent interchanging of the chip card micromodule, including the chip and the connector.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hybrid chip card comprises the steps of providing a card body; forming a cavity in the card body; mounting the electronic module in the cavity of the card body; and connecting an antenna to the electronic module. The cavity opens out on a face of the card body and is adapted for receiving an electronic module. The electronic module includes an integrated circuit chip. The mounting step further includes the step of exposing a plurality of contact pads of the electronic module on the outer surface of the card. The plurality of contact pads permit contact communication between the electronic module and the chip card reader, and the antenna permits contact-free communication between the electronic module and the chip card reader. The hybrid chip card thus manufactured is capable of both contact and contact-free communication with a chip card reader.

Abstract: A memory or PC-cards serve as a large capacity mass memory for replicating floppy disks and other exchangeable magnetic supports. In order to improve these cards, there is added a microprocessor (MPC) with the direct wiring of the operational bus (BD2) of said microprocessor to the card memory (MEM). In this way, the card contains performable programs previously loaded by the computer (PC). Thus, the cards microprocessor functions not only with an internal set program memory, but also with performable programs loaded into the card by the computer. These programs can be modified as needed (provided that the user clearance procedures are respected).

Abstract: Method of communication between a processing unit associated with an applications program and portable information carriers of different types. It consists in adding a communications layer between the applications program and the carriers, so as to only one communications protocol in the applications program to access the carriers, whatever may be their type.

Abstract: Portable chip-card readers enabling a remote link to be set up with a central processing unit. It consists in providing, in a pack, for at least two different types, radiofrequency or infrared for example, of communication with the central processing unit. These communications means are selected from the chip card or for detecting signals of the central processing unit, or from both together. An activation circuit is used, if necessary, to activate the reader only on the detection of these signals. It enables the use of a signal reader for different applications, such as permission for entry or the payment of highway toll fees.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to chip cards and their functioning. When a chip card goes from a first state (A) to a second state (B), functions that were available in the first state are prohibited. To enable the analysis of the malfunctions of the card during a stage of qualification by the testing of an application under real-life experimental conditions, these functions need to be retrieved when a card suffers a malfunction. The invention proposes the placing, in the card, of two state indicators, the first indicator prohibiting the functions that are unnecessary for the step B and the second indicator checking the possibility of making the card return to the step A to retrieve the prohibited functions. The card reader may give the card a command for a return to the state A. This command is verified by the card. If the indicator is in a state that permits the return and if the command is correct, the first indicator is reset in the state corresponding to A. If not, the command is rejected.

Abstract: In chip cards comprising non-volatile electrically erasable and programmable memories, to avoid the risks due to an ageing of the EEPROM memories, there is provided a procedure for the automatic refreshing of the contents of certain zones of the memory. The refreshing can take place at predetermined time intervals or at the end of a predetermined number of uses or routinely, whenever the card is powered, when the refresh operation relates to only one part of a zone, the address of this part being obtained by means of a random generator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for generating digital signatures from portable apparatuses (A1, A2, . . . Ai . . . An) of the microprocessor-based card type, including means for computation, communication and retention of data, which means comprise at least one electrically programmable non-volatile memory, consisting in preparing enciphered data constituting coupons and loading these coupons into the non-volatile memories so as later to use these coupons in order to sign a message sent by a verifier device. According to the process, the preparation of the coupons is carried out by a certified central authority B or by the card itself.

Abstract: The invention concerns automatic systems for printing both sides of cards in black and white and in color. It comprises a black-and-white printing machine next to a color printing machine, each machine incorporating a thermal printing head, in front of which travel simultaneously a ribbon holding colorants to be deposited and the card to be printed, and at least one card-reversing device placed before or after a machine. The invention can be used for bank card printers.

Abstract: A contact-free card and a method for the manufacture of such a card. The card comprises a card body, an electronic module having an integrated chip card and two contact zones, and an antenna connected to the contact zones of said module by two contact terminals, wherein said module furthermore has contact pads connected to said chip for a contact-using operation of said card. Said method has a step according to which a layer of the card body is negative-molded on the antenna and a cavity is made in the card body, revealing said contact terminals of the antenna, followed by a step according to which the electronic module is mounted in the cavity of the card body. The invention can be applied to the manufacture of contact-free cards, which may or may not be combined and designed, for example, for remote cash type of operations.

Abstract: A method for securing access to detachable cards of the mass storage or I/O type using a password to encipher the address of the configuration register placed in the descriptor of the card, which descriptor is stored in a non-volatile memory of the card. The method prevents a computer from configuring the card unless a correct password is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a data-processing system for the acquisition of software programs by a microcomputer. The system comprises, for this purpose, a data base service center in which application software programs are stored and a removable electronic memory carrier containing rights of access, to be introduced into a drive of the microcomputer to enable the remote-loading, into the microcomputer, of software programs for which the carrier contains the corresponding rights of access, this same carrier being capable of containing the rights to run the remote-loaded software. The disclosed device can be applied to portable microcomputers.