Abstract: A process for manufacturing a hybrid card, and a hybrid card which functions as a smart card with flush contacts and/or produces acoustic signals which can be transmitted by telephone. The card includes a first sheet that has on one of its surfaces an interconnection pattern and electronic components, and through the body of the first sheet perforations for a double faced micro module (10). A second sheet is on an opposite face of the card. An intermediate sheet is between the other two sheets and has cut-outs (210, 215) in which are housed electronic components affixed to the first sheet, and has metal coatings (260) for making electrical connection to the micro module (10) and also to the interconnection pattern (110) on the first sheet (100).

Abstract: The invention concerns data transfer carried out by a communication network. It concerns in particular a method for safe data transfer by a communication network, between a first entity consisting of a chip card and a second entity, which consists in the preliminary production of an electronic signature for proving the initialisation of the transfer, this signature being stored in at least a memory zone of the chip card, then, when the data transfer is completed, in erasing this signature. The invention is applicable to electronic purses.

Abstract: Card reader for game machine with a memory (42) which contains a minimum credit value and receives the credit value available from a card. At each stage of the game, the available credit value varies. The available credit value is compared, on each transaction, with the minimum value. When the available credit value is less than the minimum value, a circuit (47) triggers seizure of the card. A reader of this type can operate by performing all transactions in a memory within the reader, only reading the card memory when the card is inserted into the reader and updating it when the card is ejected.

Abstract: Method of bonding a polyurethane surface to a polyvinyl chloride or other polymer substrate containing surface moisture, particularly useful for making chip cards. A resin comprising a polyol and a diisocyanate is placed on the substrate, followed by pressing, in the presence of a tertiary amine catalyst able simultaneously to catalyze the reaction of the polyol with the diisocyanate to form a polyurethane network and the reaction of the surface moisture with the diisocyanate to convert water molecules into polyurea.

Abstract: Method for attaching a polyurethane (PU) surface to a polyvinyl chloride or other polymer surface, particularly useful for making smart cards. A plasticizer compatible with both the PU and the polymer is placed between the surface of the polymer and the surface of a bicomponent PU precursor resin, and pressure is applied to incorporate the plasticizer in the polymer surface and in the polyurethane as it forms.

Abstract: The invention relates to exchangeable memory or PC-cards having several integrated circuits for personal computers.These memory or PC-cards serve as a large capacity mass memory for replacing floppy disks and other exchangeable magnetic supports. In order to improve the possibilities of these cards, it is proposed that to them be added a microprocessor (MPC) and the direct wiring of the operational bus (BD2) of said microprocessor to the card memory (MEM). In this way, a card is obtained which contains in direct form performable programs previously loaded by the computer (PC) in which has been inserted the card. Thus, the microprocessor functions not only with an internal set program memory, but also with performable programs loaded into the card by the computer and which can therefore be modified at random (provided that the user clearance procedures are respected).

Abstract: A thermal printing method using a printing head (6, 20) with a plurality of resistive points (P.sub.i) activated by the pulses of a supply voltage (Va) that fluctuates (.DELTA.V) depending on the number (N) of simultaneously activated resistive points (P.sub.i). The activation of the resistive points (P.sub.i) is controlled by a control signal (STRB) with a duration determined so that the energy (e) delivered to the resistive points (P.sub.i) by each pulse is unaffected by the fluctuations (.DELTA.V) of the supply voltage (Va). The control signal (STRB) includes a first pulse (STRA) with a fixed, predetermined duration (To), followed by a second pulse (STRA+) with a variable duration (t), the duration (t) of the second pulse (STRA+) being determined during the duration (To) of the first pulse (STRA) depending on the actual value (V) of the supply voltage (Va).

Abstract: Information collection system for card readers having a planar part (1) that can be plugged into a card reader and possesses an ISO type connector (10) for a serial transmission of information, a part (2) having a PCMCIA format connector (20) permitting a parallel transmission of information, and a part (3) having circuits making it possible to store the data received in serial form and retransmit it in parallel form on the PCMCIA connector.

Abstract: Microprocessor-based cards use application programs contained in a non-volatile user memory (MU), under the control of an operating system in a read-only memory (MSYS). To provide flexibility and security of access to the various memory zones without using a specific rigidly fixed circuitry, it is proposed that the memory access instructions of the application programs (PG1, PG2, PG3) should be interpreted and not performed directly. The interpreter is in the read-only memory (MSYS) or in the user memory and it carries out an access instruction as follows: it explores a reserved zone (ZR) of the user memory to find out if the requested access (access for reading, writing or performance) is cleared for the requested address. It performs the instruction only if the clearance is present. The reserved zone (ZR) which contains these clearances is updated during the writing, in the user memory, of a new application program. The updating can be done only by the operating system.

Abstract: Method of public key cryptography based on the discrete logarithm that makes use of the computation of the variable r=g.sup.k modp where p is a prime number called a modulus, the exponent k is a random number usually with a length of N bits and g is an integer called a base, wherein an entity E carries out operations of authentication and/or of signature, including exchanges of signals with another entity in which this variable comes into play.

Abstract: A system for loading an applet and its associated use rights into a smart card having other applets with associated use rights with values that change as the application is used is provided that stores, remotely from said smart card, an applet and use rights with a predetermined initial value, associated with the applet, and has a smart card having a processing unit, and a memory unit, the memory unit being connected to the processing unit and storing a second application having use rights. The smart card may be connected to said remote storage means, and the application, having use rights with a predetermined value, may be loaded from said remote storage means into said smart card.

Abstract: The invention provides a prepaid smart card to be used in a wireless telephone network, and methods for prepaying for wireless telephone services, as well as systems for operating a wireless telephone network with prepaid smart cards. The cards, methods and systems permit the use of wireless telephones anonymously, and/or the payment by a user without having a subscription. The invention requires minimal changes to the existing wireless telephone and wireless telephone network, yet provides security against abuse or fraudulent use of the telephone system. Additionally, promotional material may be provided with the prepayments, and persons may prepay into a subscriber's telephone.

Abstract: Processes for generating digital signatures for electronic messages. Modifying signature-generating algorithms, such as DSAs (Digital Signature Algorithms), in order to enable smart cards with reduced calculation and storage resources to produce digital signatures with a high degree of security in spite of their reduced resources. The signature-checking terminal sends a random number a and measures the time taken by the card to send back a signal s using this random number. If the time is greater than a given duration, the signature is rejected even if the check of its authenticity is positive. In addition, part of the signature (the part which does not use the secret card key but only the public algorithm parameters) is precalculated and stored in the card in the form of signature portions produced by a compression function such that they are short. Only the second part of the signature has to be calculated by the card.

Abstract: A smart card has a repository having a first data element and a value added function. The card further has an operating system having a data element access function for sequencing to said repository and a microprocessor for executing said data element and said value added function in accordance with said access function.

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: The invention relates to exchangeable memory or PC-cards with several integrated circuits for personal computers. These PC-cards are used as a large capacity mass memory for replacing floppy disks and other exchangeable magnetic supports. To protect the content of these PC-cards against unauthorized use, the invention proposes the incorporation into the card (CC) of a specific security integrated circuit chip (MPS), which performs a clearance function for access to the memory chips (MEM). A microcontroller (MPC) also placed in the card comnunicates with the computer and with the security circuit. It makes the security chip validate a confidential code introduced from the computer, whilst also supplying memory chip control signals as a function of the validation result.

Abstract: A secured system of remote participation in interactive games with verification of the chronology of events relies on the counting, by a secured microprocessor (for example a microcircuit card), of consecutive periods of time of which the first one (Tr12) is initialized by a cryptographically secured message sent by the transmitter and the last one (Tr25) is ended by a connection of the games machine to the central computer of the transmitter for the forwarding thereto of the answer.

Abstract: Non-volatile memory cards in which the writing mechanisms are controlled by a microprocessor.To improve the coherence of the data elements recorded in the non-volatile memory files, the invention proposes to provide for a possibility of grouped control of several write operations (addition, updating or elimination of recordings). The successive operations are performed by the recording, in a non-volatile transaction space (TS), of the data elements corresponding to the state of the memory before each operation (especially former chainings (A7/16) of chained recordings). Then, a command for the comprehensive validation of the N operations, or on the contrary a command for comprehensive invalidation, is carried out, a validation or invalidation of individual operations being not permitted.