Abstract: A device for secure access to digital media contents, the device comprising an access means for accessing digital media contents from a data source and a reader for authenticating a user, the authentication being performed by checking some authentication data. An internal communication path between the access means and the reader is not directly accessible from outside the device.

Abstract: A device for secure access to digital media contents, the device comprising an access means for accessing digital media contents from a data source and a reader for authenticating a user, the authentication being performed by checking some authentication data. An internal communication path between the access means and the reader is not directly accessible from outside the device.

Abstract: A chip card reader is disclosed having a plug-in-socket, an insertion slot for a chip card, and a housing according to a PCMCIA format. The housing includes a base plate and a cover plate extending between the plug-in socket and the insertion slot. The base plate and the cover plate include a plastic part and a metallic part and the metallic part of the base plate is directly welded to the metallic part of the cover plate.

Abstract: An access system includes an access terminal and a control panel. The access terminal is accessible to a user and capable of reading an authentication and/or identification information provided by the user. The control panel is located in a secure area remote from the input device and capable of initiating a security relevant operation. The access system further comprises an interface unit between the control panel and the access terminal. The control panel and the access terminal are physically connected with each other through the interface unit. The physical connection includes a given cabling. The interface unit has the functionality of automatically establishing one of a plurality of predefined data transfer modes depending on determined characteristics regarding the given cabling.

Abstract: In a conditional access network a provider distributes valuable contents such as digital TV over the network and end-users are allowed to access such valuable contents in function of individual access rights defined by a user license. The valuable contents are made available to the end-users by way of a plurality of different conditional access systems, each end-user is provided with a generic conditional access component having a basic functionality common to all conditional access systems, and particular conditional access systems are selectively enabled on each conditional access component subject to a successful verification of a corresponding license.

Abstract: A conditional access system for multimedia data is disclosed that offers acceptable security at drastically reduced requirements on hardware performance. A selectively encrypted transport stream is formed from a clear transport stream by detecting particular data packets within the clear transport stream, removing and encrypting the particular data packets with an event encryption key, and inserting the encrypted data packets into the remaining clear transport stream at insertion positions corresponding to the original positions of the particular data packets in the clear transport stream. For specific embodiments that include decryption circuitry inside a user smart card, the level of security of such system is even higher than that of conventional ones.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for executing applications that involve secure transactions and or conditional access to valuable contents and/or services. The device includes an integrated circuit that has a central processing unit, an internal memory, input/output connections for external memory and connection ports for an external interface circuit incorporated on a single chip. The internal memory includes a secured memory area accessible to the central processing unit only. The secret memory area contains a secret encryption key used for encryption of sensitive data stored in the extenal memory. Preferably, the chip includes a random number generator. A hash value is obtained from a random number generated by the random number generator, the random number with its hash value are encrypted with the secret key, and the encrypted random number with its hash value are stored in the external memory. As a result, the device has a chip that is uniquely paired with the external memory.

Abstract: The interface device between a semiconductor storage medium (18) for multimedia contents and a television standard video port comprises a PCMCIA slot (14) and a card reader (16) in a PCMCIA card format which is connectable therewith. A video graphics control unit (42) is connected to a video overlay interface (40) arranged between the PCMCIA slot (14) and the graphics control unit. A RAM memory (44) is allocated to the video graphics control unit (42). A digital-to-analog encoder (50) is arranged between an output of the video graphics control unit (42) and the SCART format television standard video port. The card reader is configured for the particular data format of the semiconductor storage medium (18) and transfers the data read out of the semiconductor storage medium (18) to the video overlay interface (40) in a data format suitable for the latter.

Abstract: A chip card reader comprises a housing according to a PCMCIA format. The housing includes a base plate (12) and a cover plate (14) extending between a plug-in socket (32) and an insertion slot for a chip card (38). The base plate (12) and the cover plate (14) are each made of a plastic part (20) and a metallic part and are assembled by interconnecting the metallic parts of both plates (12, 14).

Abstract: The invention relates to a card reader for chip cards which comprises a housing of the PCMCIA type. Said housing comprises a multi-contact strip (16) on the front end thereof, and has an insertion slot for the chip card on the rear end of the housing. Said insertion slot is formed between a base plate (14) and a cover plate (12) which is parallel thereto. The base plate (14) extends beyond the cover plate (12) at the rear end of the housing.

Abstract: An interface device for chip cards in standardized credit card format has a flat housing in likewise standardized PCMCIA format and is intended for insertion into a corresponding accommodation slot (30). The housing has a plug-in socket (12) at its front end and, extending from its rear end, an accommodation channel (32) for a chip card (18). The breadth of the housing in its edge region (A) adjoining the plug-in socket (12) is the same as that of the standardized chip card format. In order to avoid that any parts project outwardly from the accommodation slot (30) and yet to ensure a lateral guidance of the chip card (18), the housing, in its condition fully inserted in the accommodation slot (30), does not or not essentially protrude therefrom. The accommodation channel (32) terminates before the edge region (A) of the housing adjoining the plug-in socket (12).

Abstract: In a mobile chip card reading module (20) with a channel (5) for accommodating a chip card (10) in which is arranged a reading head for reading the chip card (10), a front area (230), a rear area (220) which is shorter than the front area (230), a vertical pressing spring (2) arranged in the rear area (220), by which the chip card (10) when inserted into the reading module (20) is pressed towards a side wall of the channel (5), and by which the position of the inserted chip card (10) is fixed within the reading module (20), it has been made possible to make the chip card reading module even smaller and lighter in that the front area (230) of the chip card reading module (20) can be inserted into the accommodation channel (330) of a sleeve (300), which in its rear area (310), which is provided with a guide for the insertion of the chip card, has a collar (311) which fits snugly against the front edge of the rear area (220) of the chip card reading module, that the collar (311) in the inserted state of the chip