MXPA00009243A - Method and device for selecting a reconfigurable communications protocol between an ic card and a terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a method and device for selecting a communications protocol between an integrated circuit card and a terminal. The terminal supports at least two communications protocols, with one of the at least two communications protocols being a preferred communications protocol. The terminal transmits a reset to the integrated circuit card and receives an answer-to-reset from the integrated circuit card indicative of a first communications protocol. The terminal determines whether the first communications protocol matches the preferred communications protocol. If the first communications protocol does not match the preferred communications protocol, the terminal transmits another reset to the integrated circuit card and receives another answer-to-reset from the integrated circuit card indicatives of a second communications protocol. According to another aspect of the invention, the integrated circuit card has a processing unit and a memory coupled to the processing unit, the memory having stored therein a plurality of answers-to-reset, where each of the plurality of answers-to-reset is indicative of a communications protocol. The integrated circuit card transmits one of the plurality of answers-to-reset responsive to a reset and transmits another one of the plurality of answers-to-reset responsive to a subsequent reset.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE TO SELECT A COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOL WITH IGÜRABLE BETWEEN A CARD IC AND A TERMINAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and a device for selecting a reconfigurable communication protocol between an integrated circuit ("IC") card and a terminal.

The interoperability of integrated circuit cards and terminals and migration from existing integrated circuit card standards to the new integrated circuit card standards are concerns in the integrated circuit card industry. With regard to achieving the interoperability of integrated circuit cards and integrated circuit card interconnection devices, the international organization for standardization (ISO), in conjunction with the international electrotechnical commission (IEC) has promulgated a series of standards which refer to integrated circuit cards, specifically ISO / IEC 7816 part 10. The problem with the standards of the international organization for international electrotechnical standardization / commission is that they are very broad and specify a range of functionality which is practical to implement in its entirety. Due to the wide scope of the standards of the international organization for international electrotechnical standardization / commission, the specifications that cover the specifications have been developed and published. • integrated circuit cards that have been compiled within the limits of the standards of the international standardization organization / international electrotechnical commission to meet the specific needs of certain industries. These specifications can be incompatible with each other and therefore, integrated circuit cards that support a particular standard may not • operate on terminals that support a different standard. Therefore, despite the promulgation of the rules of the international electrotechnical commission / international organization of the standardization, the interoperability of integrated circuit cards and terminals remains a concern in the integrated circuit card industry.

Migration to the 20 new integrated circuit card standards is also a concern. By changing the requirements of the industry and being developed over time integrated circuit card standards, migration to new standards can be problematic. Currently, migration from an existing standard to a new standard within a region requires re-determination of the region, for example, before integrated circuit cards and applications compatible with the new integrated circuit card standard are issued and distributed within the region, existing terminals in the region must be replaced in whole or in part with terminals that support the new standard. This scheme of • Migration is inefficient, however, because there may be a significant delay associated with the re-terminalization of a region.

Therefore, there is a need and a method of a device to allow interoperability of several integrated circuit cards and terminals to allow the • Efficient migration from an existing integrated circuit card standard to a new integrated circuit card standard without requiring the re-distribution of terminals in a region.

SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for enabling interoperability of terminals and integrated circuit cards. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for allowing efficient migration from an existing integrated circuit card standard to a new integrated circuit card standard.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for selecting a communication protocol between an integrated circuit card and a terminal, the terminal being able to communicate using • less two communication protocols with one of the at least two communication protocols being a preferred communications protocol. The method includes the steps of (a) transmitting a reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card; (b) receive an answer for readjustment by the terminal from the integrated circuit card indicative of a A first communications protocol; (c) determining whether the first communications protocol is home to the preferred communications protocol; (d) transmit, if the first communications protocol does not match the communications protocol Preferred, another reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card; and (e) receiving another response to reset by the terminal from the integrated reset card indicative of a second communications protocol.

Preferably, the reset in step (a) is a cold reset and the reset in step (d) is a warm reset. In addition, the method may additionally include the steps of: determining whether the second communications protocol is home to any of at least two communications protocols supported by the terminal; and abort communications between the terminal and the integrated circuit card if the second communications protocol does not match any of at least two communications protocols supported by the terminal.

The method may also include the steps of: determining whether the second communications protocol is home to the first communications protocol; if the second communications protocol matches the first communications protocol, determine whether the second communications protocol is home to any of at least two communications protocols supported by the terminal; and abort communications between the terminal and the integrated circuit card if the second communications protocol is home to any of at least two communications protocols supported by the terminal. If the second communications protocol does not match the first communication protocol, the method may include the step of determining whether the second communications protocol is home to the preferred communications protocol.

Preferably, the method further includes the steps of repeatedly transmitting a reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card and receiving a reset response by the terminal from the integrated circuit card until the majority of the current response to readjustment is the same that the response to the previous readjustment or is indicative of the preferred communications protocol. Furthermore, it is preferred that the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol be complacent, but with different subgames of the same communication protocol standard.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for transmitting a response to readjustment by an integrated circuit card, an integrated circuit card has a processing unit and a memory coupled to the processing unit, to the memory having stored there a plurality of adjustment responses, each ^ fc of the plurality of responses to readjustment being indicative of a communications protocol. The method includes: (a) transmitting one of the plurality of readjustment responses that respond to a readjustment; and (b) transmit another of the plurality of responses to readjustment in response to a subsequent readjustment.

Preferably, the plurality of readjustment responses include a first response to the indicative readjustment of & a first communications protocol operable in a first geographical region and a second response to the indicative readjustment of a second communications protocol operable in a second geographic region. The second geographic region being greater than the first geographic region. Then, step (a) of the method may include transmitting the first response to readjustment in response to a cold reset; and step (b) of the method may include transmitting the second response to readjustment in response to a warm reset.

The memory of the integrated circuit card • may include a pointer stored there whose value is associated with one of a plurality of responses to readjustment. In that case, step (b) of the method may include: increasing the response to the pointer to a readjustment; and transmit the response to the readjust associated with the pointer increased in response to the reset. The incremental step may include increasing the response to the pointer to readjust only if the • pointer is less than the number of a plurality of responses to readjustment. The method may also include initializing the pointer to a predetermined value in response to a readjustment cold.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a terminal is provided for communication with an integrated circuit card. The terminal includes a unit processing; a memory unit coupled to the processing unit, the memory has stored there representative values of at least two communication protocols with one of the at least two communication protocols being a preferred communications protocol; means for transmit a first reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card; means for receiving a first response to readjustment from the integrated circuit card in response to the first readjustment and indicative of a first communication protocol; means for determining whether the first communications protocol is home to the preferred communications protocol, • a second reset with the terminal to the integrated circuit card; and means for receiving a second response to readjustment from the integrated circuit card in response to the second reset and indicative of a second communication protocol. 10 According to yet another aspect of this • invention, an integrated circuit card is provided. The integrated circuit card includes: (a) a processing unit; (b) a memory coupled to the unit processing, the stored memory there a plurality of responses to readjustment, each of the plurality of responses to readjustment being indicative of a communications protocol; (c) means for transmitting one of the plurality of responses to the reset in response to a readjustment; and (d) means to transmit another of the plurality of responses to readjustment in response to a subsequent readjustment.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for migrating from a first The communication protocol to a second communication protocol in a system includes a plurality of determinable integrated circuit cards and a plurality, which are capable of communicating with each other through only the first communications protocol. The method includes the step of issuing one or more integrated circuit cards that • both support the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol. The method may also include the step of replacing one or more of the terminals capable of communicating only through the first communication protocol with one or more of the terminals capable of communicating through the second communications protocol.

• BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the example embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of an integrated circuit card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure lb is an isometric view of a terminal in which the integrated circuit card of the figure can be used. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the integrated circuit of an integrated circuit card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a memory map of a preferred embodiment of the integrated circuit of Figure 2.

Figures 4a and 4b are flow charts of a communication protocol selection routine for executing a terminal according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5a and 5b are flow charts of a communication protocol selection routine for execution on a terminal according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a flow diagram of a reset response transmission pod (ATR) for execution on an integrated circuit card according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention; Y Figure 7 is a flow diagram of a reset response transmission routine for execution on an integrated circuit card according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Through the figures of the drawings, the same reference numerals or characters are used to denote the same components or characteristics of the invention.

• DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to communications between an integrated circuit card 100 which is illustrated in FIG. 1a and a terminal 150 which is illustrated in FIG. As used in that description and the appended claims, the term "terminal will be used • to generally describe devices with which an integrated circuit card can communicate.

The integrated circuit card 100 of the figure looks similar to a conventional credit card, but also includes an integrated circuit 122 there and the electrical contacts 124 for communication between the integrated circuit board 100 and the terminal 150. The norm of the organization international for standardization / international electrotechnical commission 7816-2 includes power assignments, readjustment, clock, input / output and earth signals for electrical contacts 124.

The integrated circuit card 100 can be used as a credit card, as a debit card and as an electronic cash card (a card containing a monetary value that can be transferred when the • 5 card holders make purchases). As shown in Figure 1, in a manner similar to the conventional credit card, the front side of the integrated circuit card 100 preferably contains the name of the cardholder. 112, the account number of the holder of the card 114, the date to which the card is valid 16 and the logo 118 of the ? k financial company whose services are used by the cardholder (for example, MasterCard®).

As shown in figure lb, terminal 150 may include a card reader 152, a keyboard 154 and a display 156. The keyboard 154 and the display 156 allow the user of the integrated circuit card 100 to interact with the terminal 150. The text 254 allows the user to select a transaction, insert an identification number staff ("PIN") and enter the transaction information. Screen 156 allows the user to receive information messages and promotes data entry. By way of example, a terminal may comprise a card reader in communication or incorporated in a point-of-sale device, an ATM, a computer and / or a telephone. The figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the closed circuit 122 of the integrated circuit card 100. The integrated circuit 122 includes a processing unit 210, a memory unit 220, a logic controller 230, a timer 240, the input / output ports 250, the • 5 security circuit 260 and a co-processor 260. The control logic 230 provides, in conjunction with the processing unit 210, the control necessary to handle communications between the memory unit 220 and the input / output ports 250 The timer 240 provides a signal of time reference for the processing unit 210 and the logic control logic 230. The security circuit 260 preferably provides fusible links connecting the input / output ports 250 with the internal circuit for the test during manufacturing. The meltable links are burned after completion of the test to limit subsequent access to sensitive circuit areas. The co-processor 270 provides the ability to perform complex computations in real time, such as those required by cryptographic algorithms. The memory unit 220 may include different types of memory such as volatile and non-volatile memory and programmable read-only memory. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the memory unit 220 may include a read-only memory (ROM) 222, a programmable, electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM) 224, and a random access memory (RAM) 226.

Figure 3 shows a memory map of the • memory unit 220 according to a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the memory unit 220 stores a unique integrated circuit card information there such as the cryptographic keys and a personal card identification number 230. The keys cryptographic 220 can be of any of the well-known type of cryptographic keys, such as private keys • of public-key pairs, which are used for the integrated circuit's authenticity of the data stored in the integrated circuit card. The identification number card personnel 330 can be used to close and open access to the integrated circuit card. Preferably, the secret cryptographic keys 220 and the personal identification number of the card 330 are stored in the secure area of the random memory or the programmable read-only memory. electrically erasable which is either not accessible or has very limited access from the outside of the integrated circuit card.

The memory unit 220 also stores the operation system 300 of the integrated circuit card 100. The operation system 300 loads and executes the integrated circuit card applications and provides a handling of file and other basic card services to the integrated circuit card applications. The operation system 300 also handles transmission of an ATR in • response to a readjustment signal. Preferably, the operating system 300 is stored in a secure area to the random memory.

In addition to the basic services provided by the operation system, the memory unit 220 may also include one or more integrated circuit card applications • 240. For example, if the integrated circuit card is to be used as an electronic cash card, the Mondex ™ Purse application from Mondex International Limited could be included on the integrated circuit card, which charges an electronic value of a certain currency on the integrated circuit card, in addition, if the integrated circuit card is to be used as a credit card, the credit application of MasterCard® from Mastercard® International Incorporated can be included in the integrated circuit card. Preferably, the operation system 300 of the integrated circuit card 100 must support multiple applications 340. An example of such an operating system is the MULTOS ™ operating system from Mondex International Limited. An integrated circuit card application may include both the program and the associated information records, which are typically stored in electrically erasable, programmable read-only memory. The application program may be written either in the native programming code of the processing unit 210 or it may be written in a higher level language which must be translated before being executed in the processing unit 210. An example of such a higher-level language for use in integrated circuit cards is the executable language MULTOS ™ (MEL). Advantageously, by using a higher-level language such as the executable language MULTOS ™, an application program is able to run on multiple appliance platforms without any need for a script.

Because integrated circuit cards have virtually a limited memory capacity due to the size and cost constraints of memory placement on integrated circuit cards, an integrated circuit card may also have the primitives 310 stored in the memory at random, which are subroutines that are carried out frequently using functions or procedures such as mathematical functions. The primitives 310 are usually written in the native language of the processing unit 210 so that they can be executed very quickly.

Figures 4a and 4b are flow charts of the communication protocol selection routine for execution on a terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is presumed that the terminal is • capable of supporting at least two communication protocols and one of the communication protocols is a preferred protocol.

For example the preferred protocol of the terminal can be a protocol compatible with EMV'96 integrated circuit card specifications for payment systems, which was developed by MasterCard International Incorporated in conjunction with certain other companies in the payment systems industry to improve interoperability of payment systems. integrated circuit cards and terminals through competitive payment systems. EMV'96 integrated circuit card specifications for payment systems was published in June 1996, and is generally compatible with the standards of the International Organization for Standardization / Commission International Electrotechnical 7816. The non-preferred protocol supported by the terminal may be a communications protocol that was used prior to the publication of EMV'96 integrated credit card specifications for payment systems. 25 The routine in Figures 4a and 4b uses the characteristics of "warm readjustment" defined in the standard of the International Organization for Standardization / International Electrotechnical Commission 7816-3 and in Part I of EMV • 5 Integrated Circuit Card for the Description of Payment Systems. In these documents, a cold reset is defined as a readjustment after the activation of the electrical contacts of an integrated circuit card (after the initial application of the power and of the clock signals to the contacts), 10 and a warm reset is defined as a readjustment after a cold reset mk while energy and clock signals are still applied to the integrated circuit card.

In step 402 of figure 4a, after a integrated circuit card has been inserted into the terminal and the electrical contacts of the integrated circuit card have been activated, the terminal transmits a cold reset to the integrated circuit card. After the transmission of the cold reset, the terminal receives a "response to readjustment" (ATR) sent by the integrated circuit card in step 404. As defined by the Organization's standard International for Standardization / International Commission Electrotécnica 7816-3, the response to readjustment is a string of bits on the input / output line containing information in relation to the communication protocol supported by the integrated circuit card, such as the protocol type, the bit rate of the protocol, and other protocol timing parameters. The response to the readjustment required by the EMV specifications is a subset of the responses to the readjustments allowed by the standards of the Organization • International Standardization / International Electrotechnical Commission 7816. In step 406, the terminal determines whether the response to readjustment was received correctly by checking the parity and other error detection bits included in the response to readjustment. If the response to readjustment was not correctly received communication with the integrated circuit card fc is aborted in step 408, the variable comm_seleccionar (which indicates a call routine if a communication protocol has been successfully selected for communication with the IC card) is set in "failed" in step 410 and the routine comes out.

If the response to the reset was received correctly, the terminal immediately determines if the response to the reset indicates the preferred communications protocol in the step 412. If the preferred communication protocol is indicated, in step 414, the comm_params communication variables are set to the communications parameters contained in the response to the reset (in this case, the communication parameters of the communications protocol preferred), the variable comm_select is set to "success" and the routine exits.

Returning to Figure 4b, if the preferred communications protocol is not indicated by the response to readjustment, a warm reset is issued by the terminal in step 418. After the warm reset is issued, the • The terminal receives a second response to readjustment from the integrated circuit card in step 420. The terminal determines in step 422 whether the second response to the readjustment was -corrected correctly by checking the parity and other bits of error correction in the second response to readjustment. If the response to the reset was not received correctly, the communication between the terminal and the integrated circuit card is aborted in step 432, the variable comm_select is set to "failed" in step 434, and the routine goes out .

If the response to the reset was received correctly, the terminal determines whether the response to the reset indicates any of the communications protocols supported by the terminal in step 424. If the communication protocol indicated by the response to the reset is supported by the terminal, the comm_params variables are set to the communications parameters contained in the response to the reset in step 426, the variable comm_select is set to "success" in step 428, and the routine exits. Otherwise, communications with the integrated circuit card are aborted in At step 430, the comm_select variable is set to "failed" in step 432 and the routine exits.

The communication protocol selection routine of Figures 4a and 4b allows a terminal to operate correctly with the EMV compliance cards, the pre-EMV cards (assuming the terminal supports the pre-EMV communications protocol) and the IC cards that isolate both the EMV and pre-EMV communications protocols.

- Figure 6 illustrates a preferred operating system routine for transmitting a response to readjustment through an integrated circuit card that supports the Jft multiple communications protocols. The integrated circuit card stores both a response to "local" readjustment (a response to valid readjustment in a limited geographic region) and a response to "global" readjustment (a response to readjustment). valid in a geographical region greater than that associated with the ^ response to local readjustment). An example of a response to the pre-EMV reset (which is valid only in a certain country) may be the response to local readjustment, and the response to the EMV reset (which is valid in several countries) may be the answer to global readjustment. It is presumed that the integrated circuit card is designed to be able to distinguish between a cold reset and a warm reset. It is within the capacity of those with an ordinary skill in art to design an integrated circuit card that is capable of distinguishing between a cold reset and a warm reset.

In step 602, the integrated circuit card determines whether the readjustment it has received is a cold reset. If the readjustment is a cold reset, in step 604 the integrated circuit card transmits the response to the local reset (for example a response to the pre-EMV reset). If the readjustment is not a cold reset (for example this is a warm reset), the integrated circuit card transmits the response to the reset -global (for example a response to the EMV reset) in step 606. 10 J Table 1 shows a matrix of the operation of several terminals and integrated circuit cards. In Table 1, the X and Y protocols refer to the pre-EMV communications protocols, which are valid in the mutually exclusive regions X and Y respectively. In addition, terminals T3 and T4 in table 1 implement the communication selection routine of FIGS. 4a and 4b, and the integrated circuit board ICC3 implements the transmission response response to the reset of FIG. 6. Advantageously, the use of the integrated circuit cards and the terminals according to the present invention allow the interoperability of the integrated circuit cards and the terminals. As shown in Table 1, the ICC3 integrated circuit card operates correctly in all the terminals of Table 1. In addition, it will be noted that terminal T3 operates correctly with all integrated circuit cards of Table 1. In addition, it will be noted that when the ICC3 integrated circuit card is inserted into terminal T3, terminal T3 selects the preferred EMV protocol, instead of the • pre-EMV protocol (even though both terminals T3 and the ICC3 integrated circuit card support the pre-EMV protocol).

- In addition, the use of integrated circuit cards and terminals according to the present invention advantageously allow efficient migration of a protocol "A pre-EMV to the EMV protocol To migrate to the EMV protocol in a region, the ICC3 type integrated circuit cards can be distributed in the region.These cards will operate with existing pre-EMV terminals (such as Tl) and therefore, a network terminalization of the region is not necessary before the distribution of these cards. After the distribution of the ICC3 type integrated circuit cards, compatible terminals of EMV (either type T2 or type T3 terminals) can be added within the region or replaced by existing terminals. ICC3 type IC cards will operate with both the existing pre-EMV terminals and the new EMV-compatible terminals. In addition, pre-EMV integrated circuit cards (such as ICC1) will operate on both the pre-EMV terminals and the T3-type terminals. A smooth and easy transition from pre-EMV protocol to the EMV protocol is therefore possible.

Table 1: Interoperability of several terminals of several terminals and integrated circuit cards According to another preferred embodiment of the In the invention, a terminal can support more than one pre-EMV protocol. Figures 5a and 5b are flow diagrams of a routine 1 of communications protocol selection similar to the routine of Figures 4a and 4b, but generalized to the case where the terminal supports more than two protocols. Like in the Incorporation of Figures 4a and 4b, it is presumed that one or more of the communication protocols supported by the terminal is a preferred one. For example, the terminal can support a communications protocol that complies with EMV and multiple pre-EMV communications protocols and, the protocol of • Communications that comply with EMV can be the preferred communications protocol.

- In step 502 of figure 5a, after an integrated circuit card has been inserted in the terminal and the electrical contacts of the integrated circuit card have been activated, the terminal transmits a cold reset to the integrated circuit card. After transmission of the cold reset, the terminal receives a response to the adjustment sent by the integrated circuit card in step 504. In step 506, the The terminal determines whether the response to readjustment was received correctly by the parity check and other error detection bits included in the response to readjustment. If the response to the reset was not correctly received, communication with the integrated circuit card is aborted in In step 508, the variable comm_select is set to failed in step 510 and the routine exits.

If the response to the reset was received correctly, the terminal determines whether the response to the reset indicates the preferred communications protocol in step 512. If the response to the reset indicates the preferred communications protocol, the comm_params communication variables are set to the communication parameters contained in the response to the reset (in this case, the parameters of communications of the preferred communication protocol) in step 514, the • variable comm_select is set for "success" in step 516, and the routine exits.

--- If the preferred communications protocol is not indicated by the response to readjustment, a variable n is set to the value "2" in step 518. Returning to FIG. 5b, the terminal ß then issues a warm reset in step 520. After the warm reset is issued, the terminal receives another response to the reset (ATR, ,) of the integrated circuit card in step 522. The terminal determines in step 524 whether the response 1 readjustment was received correctly by checking the parity and other error correction bits in the response to readjustment. If the response to the reset was not received correctly, the communication between the terminal and the ^ * fc integrated circuit card is aborted in step 526, the The variable comm_select is set to "failed" in step 528, and the routine exits.

If the response to the reset was received correctly, the terminal determines whether the response to the reset Current (ATR is the same as the response to the previously received reset (ATR ^) in step 530. If the two responses to the reset are the same, the terminal determines whether the communications protocol syndicated by the response to the current reset (ATRn) is supported by the terminal in step 532. If the < * communication protocol indicated by the response to readjustment The current 5 is supported by the terminal, the comm_params variables are set to the communications parameters contained in the response to the reset in step 536, the variable comm_select is - Go to "success" in step 538 and the routine comes out. Otherwise, if the communication protocol indicated by the response to current reset is not supported by the terminal, the | communications with the integrated circuit card is aborted in step 526, the variable comm_select is set to "failed" in step 528 and the routine exits.

^ If the response to the current reset (ATR is not the same as the response to the previously received reset (ATR ^,), the terminal determines whether the response to the current reset indicates the preferred communications protocol in step 534. If the Jfc preferred communications protocol is indicated, the variables comm_params are set to the communications parameters contained in the response to the current reset in step 536, the variable comm_select is set to "success" in step 538 and the routine exits. Otherwise, variable n is incremented by 1 in step 540, and routine goes to warm reset step 520.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit card can support more than two communication protocols. Figure 7 is a flow chart of the steps of a response routine to the • readjustment for an integrated circuit card that supports more than two protocols. In figure 7, it is presumed that the integrated circuit card has stored there: (1) a non-volatile memory, a pmax value corresponding to the number of protocols supported by the integrated circuit card; (2) in a memory not volatile, a set of responses to readjustment (ATRX to ATp ^ that ^ B correspond to the set of protocols supported by the integrated circuit card; and (3) in any volatile or non-volatile memory, a variable pointer p whose value is associated with one of the responses to readjustment in the response set to readjustments stored. It is also presumed for the embodiment of Figure 7 that 1 integrated circuit card has been designed to be able to distinguish between cold reset and warm reset.

In step 702, the integrated circuit card determines whether a readjustment has been received as a cold reset, if so, the integrated circuit card initializes the variable pointer p to the value "1" in step 704 and transmits the first response to readjustment (ATRi) in its response to readjustment may be in step 710. If the readjustment is not a cold reset (for example it is a warm reset) the integrated circuit card determines whether the variable pointer p is equal to pmax in step 706. If p equals pmax , the integrated circuit card transmits A Rp in step 710. If p is not equal to pmax, the integrated circuit card first increments the pointer variable p by one in step 708 and then transmits ATR ,, in step 710 .

Advantageously the use of the terminals including the communication protocol selection routine of agreement to the present invention and the use of the integrated circuit cards including a responsive readout transmission routine according to the present invention provides a broad range of interoperability of terminals and integrated circuit cards and allows efficient migration from a existing integrated circuit card standard to a new integrated circuit card standard.

Even though the present invention has been described "k with reference to certain preferred embodiments, several Modifications, alterations and substitutions will be known or obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims. for example, even when preferred embodiments have been discussed in relation to the EMV protocol, the present invention is not limited to this and applies to any protocol of communications or standard. # to. •

Claims (31)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A method for selecting a communications protocol between an integrated circuit card and a 5 terminal, the terminal is capable of communication using at least two communication protocols, with at least one of the two communication protocols being a preferred communications protocol, the method comprises: 10 (a) transmitting a reset via the terminal fc to the integrated circuit card; (b) receiving a response to reset by the terminal from the integrated circuit card indicative of a 15 first communications protocol; i .. (c) determine whether the first communications protocol is home to the preferred communications protocol; 20 (d) transmit, if the first communication protocol does not match the preferred communication protocol, another reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card; and (e) receiving another adjustment response by the terminal from the integrated circuit card indicative of a second communication protocol.

2. The method as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the readjustment in step (a) is a cold reset and the reset in step (d) is a warm readjustment.

3. The method as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of: • determine whether the second communications protocol is home to any of at least two communications protocols supported by the terminal; Y 15 abort communications between the terminal and the integrated circuit card if the second communications protocol does not match any of at least two communication protocols supported by the terminal.

4. The method as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: determine if the second 25 communications protocol is home to the first communications protocol; if the second communications protocol is home to the first communications protocol, and determining whether the second communications protocol is home to any of at least two communication protocols supported by the terminal; Y - abort communications between the terminal and the integrated circuit card if the second communication protocol does not match any of at least two communication protocols supported by the terminal.

5. The method as claimed in clause 4, characterized in that it comprises the step of, if the second communications protocol does not match the first communication protocol, to determine whether the second communications protocol matches the preferred communications protocol.

6. The method as claimed in clause 5, further characterized in that it comprises the steps of repeatedly allowing a reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card and receiving a response to reset by the terminal from the integrated circuit card until most of the response to the current reset is the same as the response to the previous reset or is indicative of the preferred communications protocol.

7. The method as claimed in • clause 6, characterized in that the first communications protocol and the second communications protocol are compliant with a communications protocol standard but with -different subgames of this one.

8. A method for transmitting a response to a j? K reset by means of an integrated circuit card has a processing unit of a memory coupled to the processing unit, the memory has stored there a priority of responses to readjustment, each of the plurality of responses 15 to readjustment is indicative of a communications protocol, the method includes: (a) transmitting one of the plurality of responses to the readjustment in response to a readjustment; and (b) transmitting another of the plurality of responses to the readjustment in responses to the subsequent readjustment.

9. The method as claimed in 25 clause 8, characterized in that the plurality of responses to readjustment includes a first response to the indicative readjustment of a first communication protocol operable in a first geographic region and a second response to the indicative fit with a second communication protocol operable in a second region geographical area, the second geographical region is • than the first geographical region.

10. The method as claimed in clause 9, characterized in that step (a) comprises transmitting the first response to readjustment in response to a cold reset; and wherein step (b) comprises transmitting the J second adjustment response in response to a warm reset.

,. L 11. The method as claimed in clause 8, characterized in that the memory of the integrated circuit card comprises a pointer stored there whose value is associated with one of the plurality of responses to readjustment and wherein the step ( b) comprises: increase the pointer in response to a readjustment; Y transmit the response to the reset associated with the incremented pointer that responds to readjustment. 25

12. The method as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that the increment step comprises increasing the pointer response to a readjustment only if the pointer is smaller than the number of plurality of responses to the pointer. 5 readjustment.

13. The method as claimed in the clause 11, further characterized in that it comprises the step of initializing the pointer to a predetermined value in response 10 to a cold setting.

14. The method as claimed in clause 18, characterized in that the communication protocols associated with the plurality of responses to the 15 readjustments are each compliant with a communication protocol standard but with different subgames of this one.

15. A communication terminal with an integrated circuit card comprising: a processing unit; a memory unit coupled to the processing unit, the memory has stored there values that 25 represent at least two communication protocols with one of the at least two communication protocols being a preferred communications protocol; means to transmit a first readjustment by the • terminal to the integrated circuit card; means for receiving a first response to the -set from the integrated circuit card in response to the first reset and indicative of a first communication protocol; • means for determining whether the first communications protocol is home to the first home communications protocol with the preferred communications protocol; Means for transmitting, if the first communications protocol matches the first preferred communication protocol, the second reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card; and means for receiving a second response to readjustment from the integrated circuit card in response to the second reset and indicative of the second communication protocol. 25

16. The terminal as claimed in clause 15, characterized in that the first readjustment is a cold readjustment and the second readjustment is a warm readjustment.

17. The terminal as claimed in clause 15, characterized in that it comprises: - means for determining whether the second communications protocol is home to any of at least two communications protocols supported by the terminal; Y means for aborting communications between the germinal and the integrated circuit card if the communications protocol does not match any of at least two communications protocols supported by the terminal.

18. The terminal as claimed in clause 15, characterized in that it also comprises: means for determining whether the second communication protocol is home to the first communications protocol; means for determining whether the second communications protocol matches the first communications protocol, if the second communications protocol matches any of at least two communication protocols supported by the terminal; Y - means to abort communications between the • terminal and integrated circuit card if the second communications protocol does not match any of the two communications protocols supported by the terminal.

19. The terminal as claimed in 10 clause 18, characterized in that it also comprises means for determining, if the second communications protocol does not match the first communications protocol, if the second communications protocol matches the preferred communications protocol.

20. The terminal as claimed in clause 19, further characterized in that it comprises means for repeatedly transmitting a reset by the terminal to the integrated circuit card and receiving a response to reset by the terminal from the integrated circuit card to that Most responses to the current readjustment are the same as a response to the previous readjustment or are indicative of a preferred communications protocol.

21. The terminal as claimed in 25 clause 20, characterized in that the first communications protocol and the communications protocol are compliant, but with different subgames, of a communications protocol standard.

22. An integrated circuit card that • includes: (a) a processing unit; (b) a memory coupled to the unit 10 processing, the memory has stored there a plurality of responses to the readjustment, each of the plurality to the answers • the non-dedicated readjustment of a communications protocol; (c) means for transmitting one of the plurality 15 responses to readjustment in response to a readjustment; (d) means for transmitting another of the plurality of responses to readjustment in response to a subsequent readjustment.

23. The integrated circuit card as claimed in clause 22, characterized in that the plurality of responses to readjustment includes a first response to the significant readjustment of a first communications protocol operable in a geographic region and a second one. 25 response to the indicative readjustment of a second communications protocol operable in a second geographic region. The second geographic region being greater than the first geographic region.

24. The integrated circuit card as such • is claimed in clause 23, characterized in that the means for transmitting one of the plurality of responses to readjustment comprises means for transmitting the first response to readjustment. -in response to a cold reset; and wherein the means for transmitting another of the plurality of responses to readjustment 10 comprises means for transmitting the second response to readjustment ati. in response to a warm reset.

25. The integrated circuit card as claimed in clause 22, characterized in that the memory 15 of the integrated circuit card comprises a pointer stored there whose value is associated with one of the plurality of responses to readjustment, and wherein the means to transmit another of the plurality of responses to readjustment include: twenty - . 20 -c means to increase the response to the pointer to a readjustment; Y means for transmitting the response to the reset associated with the pointer increased in response to a readjustment. 25

26. The integrated circuit card as claimed in clause 25, characterized in that the means for increasing comprises means for increasing the response to the pointer to a readjustment only if the pointer is smaller than the number of the plurality of responses to the readjustment.

27. The integrated circuit card as claimed in clause 25, characterized in that it comprises means for initializing the pointer to a predetermined value in response to a cold reset.

• 28. The integrated circuit card as claimed in clause 22, characterized in that the communication protocols associated with the plurality of 15 responses to readjustment are each compliant, but with different subgames, of a communications protocol standard. __ _

29. A system to allow interoperability 20 of the plurality of integrated circuit cards and a plurality of terminals each of the integrated circuit cards and each of the terminals being able to communicate with each other through one or more communication protocols, said system comprises: matrix of the operation of said integrated circuit cards and terminals, said matrix comprises a series of integrated circuit card communications protocols and a series of terminal support protocols and an indication of the interoperability of each series.

30. The system as claimed in clause 29, characterized in that said series of integrated circuit card communications protocols comprises three - Different communication protocols, each having a plurality of the subset of responses to the readjustment and said determined support protocol series 10 comprise four different support protocols. •

31. The method as claimed in clause 29, characterized in that it further comprises the step of replacing one or more of said communication terminals through said first communications protocol with only one or more terminals capable of communicating through said communications protocol. SUMMARY A method and a device for selecting a communication protocol between the integrated circuit card and a terminal is provided. The terminal supports at least two communication protocols with one of the at least two communication protocols being a preferred communications protocol. The terminal transmits a readjustment to the integrated circuit card and receives a response to readjustment from the integrated circuit card indicative of a first communication protocol. The terminal determines whether the first communications protocol matches the preferred communications protocol. If the first communications protocol matches the preferred communication protocol, the terminal transmits another reset to the integrated circuit card and receives another adjustment response from the integrated circuit card indicative of a second communication protocol. Therefore, according to another aspect of the invention, the integrated circuit card has a processing unit and a memory coupled to the processing unit, the memory has stored there a plurality of responses to the readjustment where each of the plurality of responses to readjustment is indicative of a communications protocol. The integrated circuit card transmits one of the plurality of responses to the readjustment in response to a readjustment and transmits another of the plurality of responses to the readjustment in response to a subsequent readjustment.