Abstract: A multi-mode IC is provided for operating in a first mode such as an ISO mode in accordance with International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) protocol, and a second, non-ISO mode, such as a USB mode in accordance with Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. The multi-mode IC is preferably in a smart card and includes a microprocessor and an external interface. The external interface comprises a voltage supply pad, a ground pad, a first set of pads for the first mode, and 2 second set of pads for the second mode. The first set of pads preferably include a reset pad, a clock pad and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol, and may also include a variable supply voltage pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol. The IC further includes a mode configuration circuit for detecting a mode condition on one pad of the first set of pads, and configuring the IC in the ISO mode or the non-ISO mode depending on the result.

Abstract: A smart card authentication framework may include a card application applet (CAA), an authentication policy applet (APA), and an authentication technology applet (ATA). The CAA may provide a protected service for a user. The APA may provide an authentication-technology-independent user validation service for the CAA. The ATA may provide a technology-specific authentication service. In one embodiment, the CAA provides a first external interface, the ATA provides a second external interface and a first internal interface, and the APA provides a second internal interface. The ATA may receive a host request for user authentication via the second external interface, and the ATA may process the authentication request without participation by the CAA. The CAA may communicate with the APA via the first internal interface to determine whether the user is currently validated. If so, the CAA may provide the protected service for the host via the first external interface.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for detecting successful transfers between a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port and a USB smart card and generating a signal that provides an indication of the USB transaction activity. This USB transaction activity signal is modulated according to the USB transaction activity and drives a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in a preferred embodiment of the invention. A counter internal to the USB smart card scales the transaction activity signal such that it is perceptible to the user. Because the current through the LED depends upon the USB transaction activity, the brightness of the LED varies according to the USB transaction activity. The LED may be driven from a current mirror sink or source, or a current switch sink or source.

Abstract: A multi-application smart card has a persistent storage unit. The persistent storage unit stores data and/or information that indicates which application is to be run the next time the smart card is inserted into a terminal. The persistent storage unit may indicate the same application, a different user-selected application, or an application-selection application is to be run next. Alternatively, the persistent storage unit may indicate the next application on a predefined list as the application to be run next. An application-selection terminal allows a user to manually select the user-selected application. The terminal may initiate communication with the smart card by sending a special, predefined signal to the smart card.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for communicating with a host. In one embodiment, a smart card has an IC with voltage conditioning circuitry and a pull-up resistor. The smart card, when inserted in a smart card reader coupled to the host, is capable of signaling the host over a bus using the pull-up resistor selectively coupled to a voltage output of the voltage conditioning circuitry and a first output of the smart card. The voltage conditioning circuitry output is selectively coupled to the first output through the resistor, responsive to the device being powered by the bus but not transmitting. This tends to pull up the first output to the voltage level of the voltage source, which makes the smart card capable of being properly detected by the host upon the bus being driven by a host. Selectively disconnecting the pull-up resistor while the smart card is transmitting or receiving results in a more balanced differential output signal.

Abstract: A dual-mode IC is provided for operating in first mode such as an ISO mode in accordance with International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) protocol, and a second, non-ISO mode, such as a USB mode in accordance with Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. The dual-mode IC is preferably in a smart card and includes a microprocessor, a switching block, and an external interface. The external interface includes a voltage supply pad, a reference voltage pad, a reset pad, a clock pad and an input/output pad in accordance with the ISO 7816 protocol, and a D-plus pad and D-minus pad in accordance with the USB protocol. The IC further includes a mode configuration circuit for detecting a USB mode condition on at least one of the D-plus and D-minus pads, and configuring the IC in the ISO mode or the USB mode depending on the result. Once the IC is configured in a particular mode, it will operate in only that mode until the next power-on reset sequence.

Abstract: A method and device is disclosed for generating a local clock signal CLK1X (172) from Universal Synchronous Bus downstream-received differential signals DM and DP carrying the downstream received bit-serial signal. The method and device does not require the use of a crystal or resonator. Counters (312, 310, 305, 301) are used to determine a number of periods of a free-running high frequency clock signal (164) contained within in a known number of bit periods of the downstream received bit-serial signal (146). The counter values are divided by the known number of bit periods of the received bit-serial signal (146) to determine a bit period of the received bit-serial signal (146). The local clock signal (172) may be phase-locked with the received bit serial signal (146). The local clock period is updated on an ongoing manner by downstream known received traffic.

Abstract: A smart card comprises a microcontroller, a memory unit, a storage unit, and a communications unit. The smart card may be connected to a terminal, which is in turn may be connected to a host computer and/or a network. The smart card is configured to initiate communications with the terminal, which enables the smart card to control the terminal, host computer, or network and to access the resources connected to the terminal, host computer, or network. A communications protocol defines the commands that the smart card can send and allows the smart card to communicate using asynchronous or logical asynchronous communication.

Abstract: Smart (integrated circuit) card supervisory control and data acquisition. Industrial processes may be controlled by one or more smart cards. Signals may be received from an industrial process by the smart card, the signals may be processed by the smart card, and control signals may be sent from the smart card to the industrial process in response to the processed signals. The smart card may provide security/tamper resistance for proprietary information associated with the industrial process. Control of the industrial process may be distributed among one or more smart cards at particular process points to receive sensed process parameters and to send control signals to implement process actions.