JP2000187709A - Simulator and simulation system for ic card terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the development period of an IC card terminal equipment by making it possible to switch appearance and an application program to be executed. SOLUTION: A virtual device definition storing means 107 stores one or more of virtual device definition information 106 defining the appearance design or the like of an IC card terminal equipment and a virtual device control means 104 selectively reads out virtual device definition information 106 from those stored information 106 and displays the selectively read information 106 on a display device 108. A device control simulation means 103 simulates the practical operation of various devices.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a technique of a simulator for simulating an IC card terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Cards used for credit cards, cash cards and the like have been shifting from magnetic cards to IC cards having a large storage capacity. As a result, the range of services and applications that can be realized using the card is expanded, and
There is also a demand for multi-product production of C card terminals corresponding to each service and application.

In the development of these IC card terminals,
First, device specifications such as functions and performances are determined, and after designing components and circuits based on the specifications, a prototype is created. Next, using the prototype, evaluation of device specifications, operation confirmation of an application program running on the device, and the like are performed, and if necessary, creation of a prototype based on the corrected device specifications is repeated. Finally, a completed (product) version of the IC card terminal device is created based on the final device specifications.

[0004] Here, the creation of a prototype required for evaluation and operation check of an application program is generally not completed in a short period of time, and the creation of a prototype in accordance with a change in device specifications is usually repeated several times. And hinder short-term production. Further, as described above, since there is a demand for multi-product production, there is a situation in which the development period that can be spent on creating individual prototypes must be shortened.

To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-52143 describes
In the publication “Simulator and simulation method of information processing device”, instead of creating an actual prototype,
A technique using a simulator is presented. In this technique, the appearance of a virtual device is displayed on a display screen of a simulator, and the virtual device is simulated as actually operating based on an external input. Hereinafter, a supplementary description will be given with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows a front view 201, a side view 202, and an example of an IC card terminal device to be developed.
A bottom view 203 is shown. A display screen 204 and a plurality of operation buttons 206 are provided on the front view 201, and various messages 205 are displayed on the display screen 204. An IC card insertion unit 207 is installed in the bottom view 203, and inserts an IC card to be processed by the IC card terminal device.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a device configuration of a simulator realized by the prior art. Mainly, a computer 301 such as a personal computer and a display device 30
2. Keyboard 303 and mouse 30 as input devices
4 and an IC card input / output device 305.

FIG. 4 shows a display screen 4 of the display device 302.
01 shows the display content. The display screen 401 displays the appearance 402 of the virtual device, and further includes a virtual display screen 403 corresponding to the display screen 204 of the actual IC card terminal device, and the actual operation buttons 206.
A virtual operation button 404 corresponding to is displayed. The operator moves the pointer display 405 on the display screen 401 using the keyboard 303 and the mouse 304, and instructs the virtual operation buttons 404 and the like. Based on this instruction, the message on the virtual display screen 403 can be changed in the same manner as the actual IC card terminal device. Control of the IC card inserted into the IC card insertion section 207 of the actual IC card terminal device can be performed by the IC card input / output device 305 of the simulator instead.

According to the above-described prior art, the virtual device operating on the simulator is described as a computer program, and therefore can be easily created in a shorter time than when an actual prototype is created.

[0010]

There are the following two problems to be solved by the present invention.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a simulator for realizing short-term development of an IC card terminal device having a different appearance.

With the spread of IC cards, a certain kind of I
For a C card, a plurality of types of IC card terminal devices are required. For example, when an electronic money card common to different stores is realized by an IC card, at each store,
It is thought that there will be a demand to install an IC card terminal device having a unique design and additional functions while supporting the same electronic money card.

In this case, although the basic functional parts for accessing the IC card are almost the same, it is necessary to develop an IC card terminal device having a different appearance.

Further, in the development of an IC card terminal, it is convenient if a prototype design and evaluation of a plurality of design plans can be easily performed without first determining an appearance design.

With respect to such a situation, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
In the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent No. -52143, the virtual IC card terminal device operated by the simulator is configured integrally from the appearance to the internal functions. Individual simulators had to be created, leaving room for efficiency.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a simulator for realizing a short-term development of an IC card terminal device capable of mounting a plurality of application programs.

In order to enhance the functions of the IC card, a plurality of application programs can be stored in the IC card, and an arithmetic unit for controlling the application programs is provided. Accordingly, it has become necessary for the IC card terminal device to store and control a plurality of application programs corresponding to individual application programs in the IC card. For example, for an IC card having a credit card function and a prepaid card function, an application program for operating a credit card and an application program for operating a prepaid card are also required on the IC card terminal device side.

Here, in the invention disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-52143, since one application is configured integrally from the external appearance to the internal functions, the same application is actually used. However, even an application operating on the IC card terminal device has to create an individual simulator, and there is room for improvement in efficiency.

As described above, the present invention solves two problems that arise when applying the conventional technology to the development of an IC card terminal device in a situation where IC cards have become popular and sophisticated.

[0020]

In order to achieve the above object, a simulator and a simulation system for an IC card terminal according to the present invention provide the following means. In a simulator that simulates an IC card terminal device, the simulator includes a display device, an input device, an IC card input / output device that exchanges data with an IC card, and operations of various devices included in the IC card terminal device. A device control simulation unit that simulates using the device; an application storage unit that stores one or more application programs that operate using various devices included in the IC card terminal; and an application storage unit that stores the application program in the application storage unit. Application management means for selectively starting and ending an application program, display data necessary for displaying the external appearance of the IC card terminal device on the display device, and
Virtual device definition storage means for storing at least one virtual device definition information comprising operation identification data unique to each operation portion such as a button provided in the IC card terminal device; and virtual device definition information stored in the virtual device definition means. The virtual device definition information is selectively read, and based on the display data included in the read virtual device definition information, the external appearance of the information processing device is displayed on the display device. A virtual device control unit that determines a correspondence between included operation identification data and input data received by the input device, and controls the application management unit and the device control simulation unit based on the determination result.

Here, it is desirable that the application management means displays a menu for selecting an application program to be started. In addition, it is desirable that the application management means displays a menu for selecting an application program to be started. Further, it is desirable that the operation identification data included in the virtual definition information is the same as the input identification data such as a key code generated when a button is pressed in the IC card terminal device. Further, the device control simulation means stores data read from the IC card in advance, and instead of reading data from the IC card via the IC card input / output device, the device control simulation means stores the data stored in advance in the IC card. You may read it.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the simulator of the IC card terminal device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an application storage unit 102 for storing one or more application programs 101 for an IC card terminal device, and operations of various devices of the IC card terminal,
Display device 108, input device 109, IC card input / output device 110, and other peripheral devices 1
Device control simulation means 103 for performing simulation using
Virtual device control means 104 for detecting input at the input device 109, IC card input / output device 110, and other peripheral devices, and displaying the external appearance of a virtual IC card terminal device on the display device 108.
An application management unit 105 for selectively starting and ending the application program 101 in the application storage unit 102 based on a signal from the virtual device control unit 104, and a virtual device control unit 1
04 is a virtual IC displayed on the display device 108
It comprises virtual information definition storage means 107 for storing at least one virtual device definition information 106 for defining the external appearance of the card terminal device and the associated virtual operation buttons.

Here, the application storage means 10
2. Device control simulation means 103, virtual device control means 1
04 and the virtual device definition storage means 107 are implemented by hardware having a computing device such as a personal computer and a storage device, and a program operating on the hardware. The display device 108 is a CRT or a liquid crystal panel, and the input device is a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, or the like. Here, the virtual IC card terminal device displayed on the display device 108 is actually
Display device 1 such as a touch panel integrated with a liquid crystal panel to facilitate simulation
08 and the input device 109 are desirably structurally integrated.

The IC card input / output device 110
Are IC card readers and writers, etc., and may have a structure included in a hardware portion including the device control simulation means 103, or may be remotely connected via a communication line. The other peripheral devices 111 are display devices 108, input devices 109, and IC card input / output devices 110 that cannot be simulated.
For example, when the original IC card terminal device has a communication function, a communication control device such as a modem is used as the other peripheral device 111, and a printer is used for the printing function.

The application program 101
Is a program that operates on the IC card terminal device,
A desired function is realized by using a display device, an input device, an IC card input / output device, and the like provided in the IC card terminal device.

The virtual device definition information 106 is a set of partial display data and attached data constituting the external appearance of the IC card terminal device displayed on the display device 108, as shown in FIG. 10 (a). With structure. Each of the partial display data includes a display start X coordinate 1001 and a display Y coordinate 10
02, a width 1003 of the image, a height 1004 of the image, a storage location 1005 of the image 1 and a storage location 1006 of the image 2 indicating an actual storage location of the image data, and operation identification data 1007. Here, the storage location 1006 of the image 2 and the operation identification data 1007 are not necessary for all display data, but are data set for display data of an operation portion such as a button.

For example, as shown in FIG.
The display data serving as the basis of the external appearance of the card terminal device has data such as image 1008 as image 1, storage destination 1006 of image 2 and operation identification data 1007.
Is not set. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10C, display data corresponding to an operation button has an image 1009 and an image 1010 when pressed, and operation identification data 1007 is also set. The operation identification data is an input code of a button generated in the virtual IC card terminal device as identification information when the operator designates an operation button displayed by the display data with a pointing device.

Next, each means will be described.

The virtual device definition storage means 107 stores one or more pieces of the above-described virtual definition information 106, and selects the virtual definition information 106 to be used in the simulator from the stored virtual definition information 106. This selection can be determined by an instruction from the virtual device control means 104 described later, or can be selected by the operator. In the latter case, as an example, as shown in FIG. 13, the selection menu 1 is displayed on the screen 1301 of the display device.
Display 302. The selection menu 1302 contains the virtual device definition information 1 stored in the virtual device definition storage unit 107.
It is composed of options 1303 and 1304 corresponding to 06, a button 1305 for indicating an instruction to confirm the selection, and a button 1306 for indicating an instruction to cancel the selection operation. The option 1303 is highlighted by black and white reversal to indicate that it is currently selected.

The operator designates one of the options 1303 and 1304 with the pointer 1307 of the pointing device, and designates the button 1305 indicating the confirmation instruction, so that the virtual device definition information 106 used in the simulator is designated.
Can be selected. This virtual device definition information 106
By the selection processing, for example, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the appearance of the virtual IC card terminal device displayed on the display screen 1201 of the display device is changed to 1202 and 1212.
03 can be easily switched.

The device control simulating means 103 is provided with the original IC
Various devices included in the card terminal device are simulated by devices included in the simulator of the present invention. By the device control simulation means 103, the application program 101 can operate in the same manner as on an actual IC card terminal device. Taking the IC card terminal device shown in FIG. 2 as an example, the display output on the display screen 204 is simulated by, for example, the display output on the display screen portion 403 in the virtual IC card terminal device shown in FIG. I do.

Similarly, the operation button 2 shown in FIG.
The operation of pressing the button 06 simulates, for example, the virtual button 404 shown in FIG. 4 by an instruction operation using the pointer 405 linked with the pointing device. Also, the IC shown in FIG.
The process of accessing the IC card inserted into the card insertion unit 207 is simulated by, for example, the process of accessing the IC card inserted into the IC card input / output device 305 shown in FIG.

FIG. 8A shows a processing flow concerning simulation of display output. In step 801, parameters relating to display output are set to the display device 1 of the simulator.
08 so as to match. For example, the display coordinates are
Unlike an actual IC card terminal device, a virtual display screen 4
It is necessary to convert the coordinates to relative coordinates with respect to 03, and a coordinate transformation is required to correct the difference in the scale ratio and the aspect ratio of the screen. In step 802, a signal for display output is transmitted to the display device 108 based on the converted coordinate information.

FIG. 8B shows a processing flow concerning simulation of button operation. As described above, the button operation of the operator is input by, for example, instructing a virtual operation button with a pointing device, and this input is performed through the virtual device control unit 104 described later through the device control simulation. The means 103 is notified. Step 803
Reads the input coordinates of the operator from the virtual device control means 104. In step 804, it is determined which operation button has been operated based on the read input coordinates and the display coordinates and size of each operation button described with reference to FIG. If there is no corresponding operation button, step 80
At 5, the process is terminated. If there is a corresponding operation button in Step 805, Step 8
Proceed to 06. In step 806, operation identification data accompanying the display data of the corresponding button is notified to the application program requesting input. Here, the operation identification data is the operation identification data 1007 described as a component of the virtual device definition information in FIG.

FIG. 9A shows a processing flow concerning simulation of access processing to an IC card. Step 9
In step 01, control data for the IC card input / output device 110 is generated. FIG. 9 shows an example of the control data.
As shown in (b), the one composed of the control type 905 and the transfer data 906 to the IC card is used. IC
Examples of the processing for accessing the card include checking the insertion state of the IC card and transferring data to and from the IC card. These differences are distinguished by the control type 905.

In the case of checking the insertion state of the IC card, the transfer data 906 to the IC card is not set because it is unnecessary. For data transfer with IC card, IC
The transfer data 906 to the card includes the international standard ISO
Command data to the IC card and the like based on the protocol specified in 7816 are set. In step 902, the control data is transmitted to the IC card input / output device 110. Next, in step 903, I
The response data from the C card input / output device 110 is read.

As the response data to the check of the inserted state of the IC card, data composed of an error code 907 and a card inserted state 908 as shown in FIG. 9C is used. As the error code 907, whether the control of the IC card input / output device 110 itself has succeeded or failed, and an error number indicating the cause of the failure, etc. are used. The card insertion state 908 indicates whether the card is in the insertion state,
Data such as numbers indicating the difference between the non-inserted state and the non-inserted state is used.

As response data to data transfer with the IC card, as shown in FIG. 9D, data composed of an error code 907 and response data 909 from the IC card is used. As the response data from the IC card, response data from the IC card based on the protocol specified in the international standard ISO7816 is used. Finally, in step 904, the response content obtained in step 903 is notified to the application program that has requested access processing to the IC card.

As another method of simulating the access processing to the IC card, the data shown in FIG. 14 may be stored in the device control simulation means 103 in advance. This data is the command data 14 to be transmitted to the IC card.
01 and the corresponding response data 1402 assumed to be received from the IC card.

From this data, certain command data 14
By reading the response data 1402 for 01, it is possible to simulate an access process to the IC card without accessing the actual IC card.

As described above, it is desirable that these command data and response data are based on the protocol specified in the international standard ISO7816.

The application storage means 102 includes an IC
One or more application programs 101 operating on the card terminal device are stored. Each application 101
The present invention realizes each desired function by using various devices of the IC card terminal device. Here, as an example of the application 101, a process of transferring data input by a button to an IC card will be described with reference to a process flow of FIG.

In step 1101, a message prompting insertion of an IC card is displayed. In the simulator of the present invention, a message display request is issued to the device control simulating means 103 so that the virtual IC shown in FIG.
A message is displayed on the display screen 403 of the card terminal device. In step 1102, the state of insertion of the IC card is checked.

In the simulator of the present invention, a check instruction of the insertion state of the IC card is issued to the device control simulating means 103 so that the IC card input / output device 30
5 to transmit control data and receive response data. As described above, the inserted state of the IC card is stored in the response data.

If it is determined in step 1103 that the IC card has not been inserted, the processing from step 1102 is repeated. In step 1103, the IC
If it is determined that a card is inserted, a message prompting data input is output in step 1104. In the simulator of the present invention, step 1
The same simulation operation as in the case of 101 is performed.

In step 1105, a button input by the operator is accepted. In the simulator of the present invention, the operation button 404 of the virtual IC card terminal device shown in FIG.
, The content of the button input is detected.
In step 1106, the content of the button input is displayed for confirmation to the operator. In the simulator of the present invention, a simulation operation similar to the case of step 1101 is performed.

In step 1107, the input data is transferred to the IC card, and a response indicating whether or not the processing has succeeded is detected. In the simulator of the present invention, a simulation operation similar to step 1102 is performed. Step 110
If it is determined in step 8 that the data transfer to the IC card is successful, a message indicating the success of the process is displayed in step 1109.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 1108 that the processing has failed, a message indicating the processing failure is displayed in step 1110. The message output in these steps 1109 and 1110 is performed by the same simulation operation as in step 1101 in the present invention.

The application management means 105 receives a request from the virtual device control means 104 described later,
The application 101 stored in the application storage unit 102 is executed and terminated. FIG. 6 shows a processing flow. In step 601, the virtual device control means 1
04 from the application program 101
In step 602, a selection menu 706 shown in FIG. 7 is displayed to allow the operator to select an application program to be executed.

The selection menu 706 includes options 707 and 708 corresponding to the application 101 stored in the application program storage means 102, a button 709 for indicating an instruction to confirm the selection operation, and a button 710 for indicating an instruction to cancel the selection operation. Be composed. The option 707 is highlighted by black-and-white inversion to indicate that the option is currently selected.

The operator designates one of the options 707 and 708 with the pointer 711 of the pointing device, and designates the button 709 indicating the confirmation instruction, whereby the application program 10 executed by the simulator is executed.
1 can be selected. In step 603,
The selected application program 101 is executed.

If it is determined in step 601 that the request from the virtual device control means 104 is for terminating the application program, in step 604, the execution of the predetermined application program is terminated.

The virtual device control means 104 is a main process in the simulator of the present invention, and is executed first. FIG. 5 shows an example of a processing flow of the virtual device control means 104. In step 501, the virtual device definition information 10
Read out 6. Here, as described above, the process of selecting the virtual device definition information 106 in the virtual device definition storage unit 107 is performed.

In step 502, the external appearance of the IC card terminal device is displayed on the display device 108 based on the read virtual device definition information 106. FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen display according to the present invention.
1, an application start request button 701, an application end request button 703, and a simulator end request button 70 in addition to the external appearance 705 of the IC card terminal device.
4 is desirably displayed.

When these buttons are not displayed on the screen, it is desirable that the corresponding input operation can be performed directly from the input device 109. In step 503, an input event from the input device 109 is detected. In step 504, the detected input event is transmitted to the external device 705 of the virtual IC card terminal device.
When it is determined that the pointing operation is the pointing operation from step 9, input information such as input coordinates is notified to the device control simulation means 103 in step 505. Then step 5
The process from 03 is repeated.

As described above, the device control simulation means 103 converts the input coordinates into operation identification data of the corresponding operation button, and notifies the application program 101 of the input coordinates. If it is determined in step 504 that the detected input event is not a pointing operation on the appearance 705 of the virtual IC card terminal device, the process proceeds to step 506.

In step 506, the detected input event is transmitted to the application start request button 70 in FIG.
If it is determined that the input operation is a pointing operation to the application end request button 703 or an equivalent input from the input device 109, the process proceeds to step 507.

In step 507, based on the detected input event, the application management means 105
A request to start the application program or a request to end the application program is notified, and the processing from step 503 is repeated. The operation of the application management unit 105 receiving these notifications is as described above.

If it is determined in step 506 that the detected input event is not related to the notification to the application management means 105, step 508 is executed.
Proceed to. In step 508, the detected input event is sent to the simulator end request button 70 in FIG.
4 pointing operation or input device 1
If the input is determined to be equivalent from step 09, the process proceeds to step 509, and the execution of the simulator according to the present invention ends. If the detected input event does not correspond to any of the above, the processing from step 303 is repeated.

[0061]

According to the prior art simulator of the IC card terminal device, the appearance of the IC card terminal to be displayed and the application to be executed are fixed, and it is necessary to create a separate simulator. And the application program to be executed can be switched, and the development period of the IC card terminal device can be shortened.

In particular, with the expansion of the use of IC cards,
In the development of multiple types of IC card terminal devices and the development of IC card terminal devices compatible with a plurality of applications, there is an effect of shortening the period.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an IC card terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of the external appearance of the IC card terminal device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a device configuration of a simulator.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen display example of a simulator.

FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart of the virtual device control means.

FIG. 6 is a processing flowchart of an application management unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen display example (part 1) according to the present invention.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are flowcharts for explaining a device control simulation means (part 1).

9 (a) and (b), (c) and (d) are a flowchart and an explanatory diagram for explaining a device control simulation means (2).

FIGS. 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating examples of virtual device definition information.

FIG. 11 is a processing flowchart of an application program.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams showing examples of screen display according to the present invention (part 2).

FIG. 13 is a view showing a screen display example (part 3) according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of a device control simulation means (part 3).

[Explanation of symbols]

101 application program, 102 application program storage means, 103 device control simulation means, 104 virtual device control means, 105 application management means, 106 virtual information definition information, 10
7 virtual device definition storage means 108 display device 1
09: input device, 110: IC card input / output device, 111: other peripheral devices.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A simulator for simulating an IC card terminal device, comprising: a display device, an input device, an IC card input / output device for transmitting and receiving data to and from an IC card, and operations of various devices provided in the IC card terminal device. Device control simulation means for simulating using devices provided in the simulator; application storage means for storing one or more application programs operating using various devices provided in the IC card terminal device; Selectively start application programs stored in the storage means,
Application management means to be terminated, display data necessary for displaying the external appearance of the IC card terminal device on the display device, and operation identification data unique to each operation portion such as buttons provided in the IC card terminal device. Virtual device definition information configured to store one or more virtual device definition information, and the virtual device definition information stored in the virtual device definition device are selectively read and included in the read virtual device definition information. Based on the display data, the appearance of the information processing device is displayed on the display device, and the operation identification data included in the read virtual device definition information,
An IC card terminal comprising: a virtual device control unit that determines a correspondence relationship between input data received by the input device and controls the application management unit and the device control simulation unit based on the determination result. Equipment simulator. 2. A method for simulating an IC card terminal device, wherein the application management means according to claim 1 comprises:
A method of simulating an IC card terminal device, wherein a menu for selecting an application program to be started is displayed. 3. A method for simulating an IC card terminal device, wherein the virtual device control means according to claim 1 displays a menu for selecting virtual definition information to be read from the virtual device definition storage means. A simulation method for an IC card terminal device. 4. A key code for simulating an IC card terminal device, wherein the operation identification data included in the virtual definition information according to claim 1 is generated when a button is pressed on the IC card terminal device. A simulation method for an IC card terminal device, which is the same as input identification data such as 5. A method for simulating an IC card terminal device, wherein the device control simulation means according to claim 1 is an IC card terminal device.
An IC card terminal for storing data to be read from a card in advance and reading the previously stored data instead of reading data from an IC card via an IC card input / output device. Simulate method of the device.