Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
  • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
  • G06K19/072—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips the record carrier comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
  • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
  • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
  • G06K19/077—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
  • G06K19/07743—External electrical contacts

Definitions

• the invention relates to an improved smart card and in particular, but not limited to, a smart card with a parallel data interface.
• the invention also relates to a reader/writer for reading or writing information to such a smart card and to an electronic book for use with such an improved smart card.
• Conventional smart cards such as those conforming to International Standard ISO 7816, are used for secure data storage but are limited in the amount of data that can be stored on the smart card.
• integrated circuits within a smart card should be located under contact areas on the surface of the smart card.
• the interface of conventional smart cards, such as those conforming to the ISO standard are limited with respect to the speed with which information can be read from that smart card.
• smart cards have been tested for use in biometric systems in which individuals are issued with a smart card containing personal information about that individual. For example, medical records, fingerprint records and other personal details.
• personal information about that individual For example, medical records, fingerprint records and other personal details.
• the use of smart cards for this purpose has been unsuccessful to date, because the storage capacity of the smart cards has been too small.
• the present invention also relates to electronic books for use with smart cards and some background information about electronic books is now given.
• Electronic books comprising a memory for storing text and graphical information and a display screen for displaying this information are known, for example as described in WO/9722065.
• This document discloses a portable, hand-held reading device which incorporates a removable machine-readable storage medium such as a smart card or PCMCIA card (also known as a PC card).
• PCMCIA card also known as a PC card
• PCMCIA cards also known as a PC card
• Smart cards are less expensive to produce than PCMCIA cards and are simpler and often less bulky.
• conventional smart cards do not contain enough memory to store a typical book. For example, a book may take up 4 Mb of memory whilst a conventional smart card only contains between about 256 bytes to 8 k bytes of data storage capacity.
• conventional smart card readers (such as those designed to conform to the smart card interface standard ISO 7816) are limited with respect to the speed in which data from the smart card can be read. That is, even if a smart card were able to store a whole book, it would not be possible to read this information quickly enough from the smart card using a conventional smart card reader.
• CD ROM readers and hologram readers involve light sources or lasers and these are also difficult to maintain and operate in a portable display device like an electronic book.
• Another option is to use an electronic book which contains its own memory and where information for the book contents is downloaded from a Personal Computer (PC) or the Internet (for example, see US 5761485).
• PC Personal Computer
• the Internet for example, see US 5761485.
• a smart card comprising:
• (IV) interface means comprising a serial data interface and at least one parallel data interface arranged such that in use, data stored in said integrated circuits may be accessed via said parallel data interface.
• said integrated circuits are positioned below said contact means. This allows the improved smart card to conform with the ISO 7816 requirement that the integrated circuits be positioned below the contact pads.
• a smart card reader suitable for reading data from a smart card comprising a serial and a parallel data interface, said smart card reader comprising:
• An electrical contact means adapted to provide an electrical contact with said smart card in use; and (ii) interface means adapted to accept data from said serial data interface and said parallel data interface in use.
• the invention also encompasses an electronic book containing such a smart card reader and an electronic book comprising a removable smart card storage means wherein the smart card is as described above.
• the invention further encompasses a portable hand-held audio player comprising a smart card reader where the smart card reader is as described above.
• Figure 1 is a plan view of an improved smart card.
• Figure 2 is a general schematic diagram indicating the electrical connections of an improved smart card interface.
• Figure 3a is a plan view of an improved smart card which has two interfaces.
• Figure 3b is a side view of the improved smart card of figure 3a.
• Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an improved smart card interface.
• Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an improved smart card interface with octagonal ground planes.
• Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an improved smart card interface with circular ground planes.
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of an electronic book for use with an improved smart card.
• Figure 8 is a schematic illustration of the functional blocks of electronics comprised with the electronic book of Figure 7.
• Embodiments of the present invention are described below by way of example only. These examples represent the best ways of putting the invention into practice that are currently known to the Applicant although they are not the only ways in which this could be achieved.
• FIG 1 is a plan view of an improved smart card 101 which comprises a sheet of supporting material 102 such as a thermoplastics card within which integrated circuits are embedded (not shown).
• the improved smart card 101 has a contact means 103 which comprises two contact areas or pads 104, 105. These contact areas also represent the interface means.
• the integrated circuits are located only under the contact areas or pads. By including two contact areas or pads 104, 105 the available area under which integrated circuits can be located is increased. Additional integrated circuits are provided as compared with an ISO 7816 smart card, in order to increase the memory capacity available.
• One of the contact areas 104 comprises a serial data interface such as those conforming to the ISO 7816 standard.
• the other contact area 105 comprises a parallel data interface as described below. It is also possible to use more than one parallel data interface by positioning extra parallel data interfaces on the support surface 102 around serial data interface 104.
• Figure 2 shows example electrical connections within each contact area 104,
• Each contact area 104, 105 comprises a ground connection a, b, and these are connected to one another. For this reason it is advantageous to position the contact areas 104, 105 next to one another, but this is not essential.
• Figure 3a is a plan view of a smart card which has one interface means 301 positioned at one end of the support sheet and another interface means 302 positioned at the other end of the support sheet. Also, the interface means 301 , 302 are on opposite sides of the support sheet as shown in Figure 3b.
• the improved smart card described herein augments the 'Smart' interface as in ISO 7816.
• the improved smart card enables parallel data transfers between a Credit Card sized (86mm x 54mm) standard card and a host reader. This increases data transfer through the interface by at least eight times the speed of existing serial interfaces (such as those conforming to ISO 7816 standard), for the same clock speed at the interface.
• the improved smart card gives a sampling rate at one byte instead of the conventional one bit per clock serial data transfers of smart cards conforming to ISO 7816 standard. This enables the improved Smart Card to carry out more complex assignments and broadens the generic use of the improved smart card as an information source.
• the improved smart card also contains increased storage capacity as compared with the 256 bytes to 8k bytes (typical) of data storage capacity normally available in a Smart Card. This enables the improved smart card to act as a replacement for text books, catalogues containing pictures, audio tapes, CD ROMs, PCMCIA memory cards, floppy disks, camera cards and other optical, magnetic, and electronic media for data storage.
• the improved smart card When the storage capacity within the improved smart card is increased it is particularly advantageous to reduce data transfer times between the Smart Card and host reader. This is achieved using a parallel interface which enables a faster data transfer rate to be accomplished using the existing serial clock rate. If required, a higher clock rate can also be used which further increases the data transfer rate. In this case, the ISO 7816 protocol clock speeds may not be met, but this is acceptable for non ISO applications.
• the improved smart card has similar external dimensions as a conventional Smart Card and utilizes the contact pad protocols of the ISO 7816 standard to position the serial port interface. In addition an adjacent interconnected contact pad is provided to allow transmission of parallel information.
• the serial data interface consists of an ISO 7816 eight pin interface and the parallel data interface comprises a further eight pin interface.
• the resulting interface means consists of sixteen pins in total, and occupies an area of double the width of the normal ISO 7816 interface.
• a ground connection at pin 5 (see Figure 2) of the serial data interface is extended across via the centre of the serial data interface contact area 104 to the centre of the parallel data interface contact area 105. Detection of a ground connection at the centre of the parallel data interface contact are 105 distinguishes the improved smart card, from a normal ISO 7816 interface. This does not affect the integrity of the ISO 7816 interface connections.
• the new eight pins (9 to 16 in Figure 2) comprising the parallel data interface are connected to the data bus of memory circuits (integrated circuits) internal to the Smart Card.
• the data can be transferred one byte (eight bits) at a time compared to the one bit at a time over the serial connection at pin 7 (see figure 2) of the normal ISO 7816 interface.
• the data transfer in both cases is synchronous with the data clock, which is present at pin 3 (see figure 2) of the normal ISO 7816 interface.
• the interface means 103 transfers data at eight times the serial clock rate.
• user-data transfer is at a much greater rate than the normal ISO 7816 standard allows, and the integrity of the ISO 7816 standard is not compromised.
• the existing ISO 7816 standard pin numberings and functions of the normal interface are retained in the serial data interface.
• the additional pins of the parallel data interface are numbered 9 through to 16, and correspond to data bits 1 through to 8 of the data bus connections (i.e. an eight-bit wide data bus).
• pin 9 of the Second Part is adjacent to pin 4 of the First Part
• pin 13 of the Second Part is adjacent to pin 8 of the First Part. (See Figure 2).
• the serial data interface can be arranged to provide a means of authentication. That is, on use of the improved smart card, a smart card reader first communicates with the smart card via the serial data interface and checks security details stored in that smart card (for example a personal identification number). Then, once authentication is successfully completed, data on the smart card can be accessed via the parallel data interface. Similarly, new data can be written to the smart card via the parallel data interface.
• Figure 1 shows the position and proportions of the interface means 103 relative to the Smart Card 101.
• the position of the serial data interface for example an IS07816 standard interface 104 is shown in Figure 1. Adjacent to this, and maintaining the same contact separation as the contacts of the serial data interface 104, is the parallel interface 105.
• serial and parallel data interfaces 104, 105 comprise the interface means 103.
• Figure 2 shows the electrical connections of the interface means 103.
• Pins 1 to 8 conform to the ISO7816 standard and have the same numbering and pin functions.
• Pins 9 to 16 correspond to the parallel data bits one to eight respectively.
• the existing 'ground' contact at pin 5 of the serial data interface 104 is extended through the physical centre of the serial data interface 104 - see figure 2, Pin 'a', to the physical centre of the parallel data interface - see figure 2, Pin 'b'.
• the contact pad areas 'a' and 'b' represent the minimum areas which must be available as 'ground ' connections to the centres of interfaces 104, 105.
• pin 5 of the existing IS07816 interface is electrically and mechanically connected to pins 'a' and 'b' of interfaces 104 and 105.
• the interface reader (not shown) makes an external 'ground' connection at pin 5, as in a conventional Smart Card reader. Detection of a 'ground' at pin 'a' only indicates a conventional Smart Card has been inserted into the reader. Detection of a 'ground' at pins 'a' and 'b' indicates a 'Parallel Interface' Card has been inserted.
• the smart card 101 conventionally is a flat planar rectangular surface, of nominal thickness 0.3mm to 1.00mm. In current usage the ISO standard requires the longitudinal axis to be inserted into a reader port.
• the electrical apparatus as described herein is not restricted to the convention and may be inserted into an appropriately engineered transverse axis port.
• Figure 3 shows various positions that interface means 103 may be located on the smart card 101. It is possible to position an interface means 103 at either or both ends of the card and on one or both sides or faces of the card. It is possible, with two opposing read heads, to read both sides of a card at the same time, or contiguously. The preferred positions are with one interface means 103 at each end of the card, on opposing sides. This requires only a single read head. Thus the card is inverted longitudinally to utilize the second interface.
• Figures 4, 5, & 6 show different physical implementations of the contact areas of the interface means 103.
• Figure 4 depicts an interface means 103 constructed in rectangular form, about a central rectangular 'ground' plane.
• Figure 5 depicts an interface constructed about octagonal centres of the 'ground' planes in the two contact areas 104, 105, using connector pins having angled edges.
• Figure 6 depicts an interface constructed about circular centres of the 'ground' planes in the two contact areas 104, 105, using connectors having curved edges.
• the improved smart card is constructed, for example, by bonding the integrated circuits to the back of the contact pads and epoxy bonding the integrated circuits into a milled out recess in the sheet of supporting material.
• An alternative method of construction may comprise a flexible PCB with memory and control circuits. Internal dies of integrated circuits are used and are attached direct to the flexible PCB. The whole PCB is then encapsulated between two outer layers of the smart card 717, thus providing protection for the PCB whilst allowing a limited degree of flexibility, as in known uses of smart cards, such as phone cards. Electrical contact pads are provided on the external surface of the smart card. This construction method enables more memory dies to be incorporated within the smart card to increase the memory capacity of the smart card.
• the electronic book 710 takes the form of a "smartbook" being intended to be used in a similar fashion to a paperback book, that is to enable the user to read a book such as a novel or guidebook.
• the electronic book 710 preferably has dimensions similar to those of a paperback book, e.g. 125mm by 200mm by 25mm, and may conveniently be provided in a folding wallet for ease of use.
• the electronic book 710 comprises a casing 711, and on its front face a display and input screen 712 , for example with a diagonal of 195mm.
• the casing 711 is preferably formed from one or more plastic moldings.
• the display and input screen 712 may be of any appropriate kind, for example known liquid crystal kind with backlight, and comprising touch sensitive input means.
• the resolution of the display screen 712 is sufficient for the display of text such that it is readily readable by the user.
• a horizontal resolution in accordance with existing VGA standards is appropriate.
• a vertical resolution of the same standard may be used, alternatively it may be 1 5/8 VGA standard in order to give an aspect ratio of 8 by 13, which corresponds to the layout of most conventional paperback books. This results in a screen resolution of 640 by 1040 pixels.
• the touch sensitive input means incorporated in the display and input screen 712 may comprise however many sensitive points are required to provide "softkeys" for control of the functions provided by the electronic book 710. In one example, no more than 1/16 horizontal and 1/26 vertical sensitive points are required.
• the electronic book 710 further comprises, provided within the casing 711, a printed circuit board (PCB) providing the necessary electronic circuitry, in the form of a microprocessor 713, memory 714 and interface means 715 to communicate between the display and input screen 12 and the other parts of the electronic circuitry.
• PCB printed circuit board
• the electronic book 710 uses a relatively slow microprocessor, as the faster the processor the greater the power consumption, and therefore the shorter the battery life, and the greater the heat loss and therefore greater need for cooling perhaps necessitating fans.
• the memory 714 within the electronic book 710 comprises several different memory elements; a screen memory, a main data-storage memory and a main programmable memory.
• the screen memory will preferably comprise static RAM
• the main data-storage memory is conveniently flash memory in order that it retains the data therein without any requirement for power, hence retaining the memory even if the batteries are changed or they lose their charge.
• the main data-storage memory is sufficient for the storage of eight average length books, that is 32 Megabytes.
• the main programmable memory is conventional PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) form, and may be socket mounted for ease of replacement or upgrade. Alternatively, the main programmable memory may be flash memory.
• the casing 711 comprises a slot 716 for receipt of an improved smart card 717 bearing recorded data, and when in the slot 716 the smart card 717 makes connection with contacts provided on the PCB and hence connection to the interface means 715 for reading of the data stored thereon.
• the improved smart card 717 is preferably a smart card with a serial and a parallel data interface and an increased memory as described above.
• the electronic book comprises a smart card reader which is suitable for reading data from this improved type of smart card.
• the casing 711 also comprises a compartment adapted for receipt of one or more batteries as necessary to power the apparatus. Preferably separate batteries are provided to power the electronic circuitry and the backlight.
• the circuitry will preferably ensure that power is maintained to the screen memory whichever batteries are removed or lose charge, in order to retain a "last-screen-used" function.
• An on/off switch 718 is also provided.
• the electronic book 710 operates as follows. When a smart card 717 containing the contents of a book is introduced in to the slot 716 the data is read into one of eight software defined portions of the data-storage memory using a parallel data interface on the smart card 717 and the smart card reader in the electronic book. To minimize the time taken for the book to be available to the user the data is stored on the card in a specific order, which varies depending on the type of book.
• the apparatus is able to display the contents and first pages to aid selection.
• bookmarks are available to the user.
• the user On switch-on the user is offered a number of choices, such as, last page used, bookmarked page, or a set-up page offering other options such as changing book.
• Options of display font, and font size along with using the screen 712 in portrait or landscape mode may also be provided.
• the selected display mode is such that the whole page of text is not visible on the screen at one time then the ability to scroll the display horizontally and vertically is available.
• the smart cards 717 for use with the electronic book 710 are improved smart cards containing a parallel data interface. They may take one of two forms, either onetime-programmable or re-usable, as is now described.
• One-time-programmable smart cards 717 are passive storage devices comprising nonvolatile memory and controlled, once inserted into the electronic book 710, by the electronic book 10. The provide a cheap form of data storage with the cost of the smart card itself being a fraction of the selling prince of the smart card once programmed.
• the smart cards 717 may be sold pre-programmed or may be programmed at the point of sale. The latter option enables retailers to stock empty cards and program these on demand thus avoiding much waste, as currently occurs when books are recalled for pulping when sales have been poor. Once programmed the smart cards cannot be overwritten, but can be read a number of times, and as collected form a compact library.
• the second form of smart card is the re-usable form.
• This form has the same physical construction as the one-time programmable form and interfaces with the electronic book 710 in the same way as previously described.
• non-volatile memory flash memory, that is dies of re-writable integrated circuits is used.
• the re-usable smart card 717 is intended for ephemeral publications rather than for books. For example, for newspapers, magazines or other periodicals. The additional cost of this smart card is offset by its flexibility, as data may be written and rewritten to the same smart card a large number of times.
• a user of the electronic book 710 could have one or more smart cards and take them to be re-written each day in place of buying a physical newspaper, or each week or month instead of buying a physical magazine.
• an internet connection may be used to download the data to the smart card.
• the Electrical connections are: -
• Pin 1 - Vcc - typically +5 Volts.
• Pin 6 Vpp - Programming Voltage.
• Pin 7 I /O - Input / Output.
• Pin 16 Data Bit 8 - Parallel Data - Most Significant Bit - MSB.
• Pin 'a' Ground - Electrically and Mechanically Connected to Pin 5.
• Pin 'b' Ground - Electrically and Mechanically Connected to Pin 5.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (1)

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ID=26314309

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• 1999
  • 1999-09-03 WO PCT/GB1999/002922 patent/WO2000014677A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-09-03 GB GB9920922A patent/GB2341707B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-09-03 AU AU56400/99A patent/AU5640099A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-09-03 EP EP99943122A patent/EP1116174A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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