WO2001041087A1

WO2001041087A1 - Method for initialising and/or personalising chip cards and a corresponding device

Info

Publication number: WO2001041087A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/003189
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernhard Konze; Hans-Gerd Gross
Original assignee: Orga Kartensysteme Gmbh
Priority date: 1999-12-04
Filing date: 2000-09-14
Publication date: 2001-06-07
Also published as: DE19958559A1; AU7771400A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for initialising and/or personalising chip cards (4) and to a corresponding device for initialising and/or personalising the same. The invention aims to increase the throughput of known initialisation and/or personalisation devices. To this end, the initialisation data (9b) is saved to a memory (9) in the initialisation and/or personalisation system (3), at least for the duration of the initialisation of identical cards in a quantity of cards (10), instead of said initialisation data being repeatedly transmitted card by card by a host computer (2) to an initialisation and/or personalisation system (3).

Description

Method for initializing and / or personalizing chip cards and a corresponding device

The invention relates to a method for initializing and / or personalizing chip cards and a corresponding device for initializing and / or personalizing them.

Chip cards with microprocessors are used in particular where high security requirements are placed on the chip card system in question. Such systems are, in particular, mobile radio systems, payment systems with bank cards, pay-TV systems, access control systems and the like. Chip cards for such applications are distinguished in particular by the fact that the chip present in the chip card, such as keys and algorithms, stores personal data

Identification number (PIN) and the data assigned to the later user of the chip card, such as a mobile phone number, an account number or the like. , having.

Furthermore, data are typically stored in such chip cards, on the basis of which it can be determined whether the system communicating with the chip card in question has access is entitled to the data and / or programs and / or routines stored in the chip card (authentication check). Processor cards, such as those used for the operation of mobile radio terminals in mobile radio networks, are personal chip cards with a so-called "Subscriber Identity Module" (SIM card). Such a SIM card is provided with a central processing unit (CPU) and a ROM (Read Only Memory), the operating system or the sequence control for the CPU being stored in the ROM. Furthermore, the processor card has a non-volatile, rewritable (programmable) memory (EEPROM, Electrical Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a volatile working memory, a so-called RAM memory (random access memory).

After the implementation of a microprocessor chip in a card body, the card is usually fed to a system of an initialization and / or personalization device located at the location of the card and initialized and personalized before being delivered to the later user assigned to the card. For initialization and personalization, the system contacts the chip card by means of a contacting unit, so that data can be exchanged between the initialization and / or personalization system via the contacts 5 of the chip card and the chip of the card. As part of the initialization, each card with the same functionality, e.g. B. a chip card for a specific service provider and / or for a specific mobile network, mostly provided with the same initialization data. The term initialization data should not only be understood to mean data, but in particular also commands, routines, test programs, application programs and the like, which serve to initialize the chip card concerned or to initialize chip cards for the production of chip cards with the same functionality.

In conventional methods for initialization and personalization, a data record is created in the host computer of the initialization and personalization device for each chip card to be initialized and personalized, which has initialization and personalization data. After the chip card to be initialized and personalized is in electrical connection with a contacting unit of the initialization and personalization system, the initialization and personalization data intended for the relevant card are sent from the host computer via a computer network or bidirectional data connections to the initialization and / or personalization system transmitted, the function of which with regard to the transmitted data consists only in the transmission of the data received from the host computer via a contacting unit to the chip of the chip card.

The object of the present invention is, in particular, to provide a method for initializing and / or personalizing portable data carriers, such as, in particular, chip cards, and in particular those with a processor chip, and a corresponding device which permits rapid initialization and / or personalization. The object of the present invention is achieved by the measures specified in the independent patent claims. Advantageous developments of the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention are listed in the relevant dependent patent claims.

An essential aspect of the invention is to provide a known initialization and / or personalization system with a memory in which the initialization data for the production of several chip cards are stored with the same functionality.

To increase the throughput of known initialization and / or personalization devices, it is proposed not to repeatedly transfer the initialization data card by card from a host computer to the initialization and / or personalization system, but rather the initialization data in the memory (9) of the initialization and / or To save the personalization system at least for the duration of the initialization of identical cards of a set of cards.

A further important aspect of the invention consists in not creating a data record for each portable data carrier to be initialized and / or personalized, such as in particular a SIM card, in the host computer of the initialization and / or personalization device. According to the invention, a single data record is preferably created for a set of cards in the host computer, which contains initialization data for all to be initialized

Data carriers with the same functionality in mind, and Has personalization data for all data carriers to be personalized.

The data carriers or chip cards, which are intended to have the same functionality, are usually inserted into the same magazine, fed to the initialization and / or personalization system and initialized and personalized in sequence. If a further card magazine with a second set of cards is now fed to the initialization and / or personalization system, the cards of the second set of cards being intended for a different functionality, then in a preferred embodiment of the invention those which are suitable for each card of the second set of cards in the second magazine Initialization data as well as the personalization data from

Host computers are transferred to the memory of the initialization and / or personalization system and stored in the initialization and / or personalization system. This is preferably done again for all chip cards of the second set of cards.

With the procedure according to the invention, it is possible for the initialization and / or personalization system according to the invention and thus the initialization and / or personalization device, all of them

Initialize and / or personalize chip cards of the card set or magazine without the need for a data transfer between the host computer and the initialization and / or personalization system between the processing of successive chip cards with the same functionality. In particular, if a large number of initialization and / or personalization systems is provided in the initialization and / or personalization device, the data exchange with the host computer required for initialization and / or personalization can be drastically reduced and waiting times of the respective initialization and / or personalization system as a result of a successive data transfer Card are avoided. Instead, the transfer of data takes place in a "package" that preferably initializes and / or personalizes all chip cards present in the magazine in question.

A preferred development of the invention consists, in addition to the initialization data, which can preferably be used repeatedly for all chip cards of the card set or the chip cards in the same magazine, also preferably all personalization data for the chip cards of the card set or the magazine together with the initialization data from the host -Computer to transfer into the relevant initialization and / or personalization system and save it there in a memory.

A record for each magazine or for each set of cards is therefore preferably generated in the host computer, which has the initialization and / or personalization data necessary for initializing and / or personalizing a set of cards from chip cards with the same functionality. The initialization data therefore do not have to be repeatedly transmitted in a known manner from the host computer to the initialization and / or personalization system for each chip card to be initialized. This is particularly important because the chip cards are becoming increasingly complex and their storage capacity increases, which means that ever larger amounts of data have to be transmitted from the host computer in order to program their function or their functions and to test them.

In the case of chip cards capable of toolkits in particular, it is important to have methods and initialization and / or personalization devices available which enable a high throughput of initialized and / or personalized chip cards. Toolkit-compatible chip cards with high storage capacity are later able, for example, to exchange data bidirectionally via mobile radio terminals or even "download" application programs from a service provider, a mobile radio network or another data network.

It is understood that the solutions of the invention are not limited to the initialization and / or personalization of

Microprocessor cards are limited, but can also be successfully used for the initialization and / or personalization of other portable data carriers. This applies in particular if the throughput is unsatisfactory because the data exchange between the initialization and / or personalization system concerned and the host computer concerned is too slow. In addition to processor cards, the portable data carriers can also be other chip cards, such as, for example, Sneich cards and the like, or else magnetic stripe cards. Examples of memory cards are telephone cards and health insurance cards. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings, the same or equivalent parts being provided with the same reference numerals. Show it:

1 shows a known initialization and / or personalization device;

Fig. 2 shows the initialization and / or

Personalization system of FIG. 1 in more detail, as far as that for the

Understanding of the invention is useful;

3 shows the initialization and / or personalization system according to the invention, insofar as this is useful for understanding the invention.

The initialization and / or person shown in simplified form in FIG. 1? lization device 1 has a host computer 2, an initialization and / or personalization system 3 and chip cards to be initialized and personalized, of which only a single chip card 4 is shown in FIG. 1.

In the illustrated in Fig. 1 conventional initialization and personalization of the chip card 4 and the specific chip card A, the host computer 2 transmits via a bidirectional data link 6 is first initialization data to the initialization and / or Personalisierun ^gs system 3. The initialization data are unchanged via a contact unit (not shown), which establishes a data connection with the chip (not shown) of the chip card 4 via the contact areas of the chip card 4, forwarded unchanged from the initialization and / or personalization system 3 to the chip of chip card A for initialization of the chip or chip card. This is indicated in FIG. 2 by the bidirectional data connection 8.

The initialization data transmitted by the host computer 2 are therefore only passed through unchanged by the known initialization and / or personalization system 3; one speaks of a so-called transparent data connection. During the

Initialization and / or after initialization, the chip sends data back over the bidirectional data connections 7, 8 and 6 to the host computer 2 in order to indicate to the latter whether the initialization and / or checking of the chip and / or the programming of the chip was successful ,

After the initialization of the chip of the chip card 4 has been successfully completed, the host computer 2 transmits the personalization data intended for the chip card A to the chip card A via the bidirectional data connection 6, the bidirectional data connection 8 and the bidirectional data connection 7 The chip of chip card A is personalized to the personalization data transmitted to chip card A. During and / or after the personalization, the chip of the chip card A transmits data in the opposite direction via the bidirectional data connection 7, the bidirectional data connection 8 and the bidirectional data connection 6 to the host computer 2, in order to inform the host computer 2 of whether the personalization of the chip the chip card A was successful. Also when personalizing the chip of the smart card A, there is a transparent data exchange via the initialization and / or personalization system 3. The data from the host computer 2 to the smart card A and vice versa from the smart card A to the host computer 2 during initialization and personalization The transmitted data are thus passed through by the bidirectional data connection 8 or the initialization and / or personalization system 3 only without changing the data or.

After the initialization and personalization of the chip card A, the next chip card to be initialized and personalized (see the chip card denoted by "B" in FIG. 3) is fed to the contacting unit of the known initialization and / or personalization device 1 and in the same

Wise, but with different personalization data, initialized and personalized. That the host computer 2 again successively transmits the same initialization data as when the smart card A was initialized; however, it transmits other personalization data via the

Initialization and / or personalization system 3 and its bidirectional data connection 8, via the contacting unit and the bidirectional data connection 7 into the chip of the chip card B. After completion of the initialization and personalization of the chip cards A and B, chip cards are obtained which have the same functionality or the same function , but have different personalization data.

In particular when the host computer communicates with a large number of initialization and / or personalization systems (not shown) and for initialization and personalization has to transfer the necessary data, there are 2 waiting times during initialization and / or personalization if the host computer is overloaded.

In order to avoid or at least reduce waiting times and thus to increase the throughput of the known initialization and / or personalization device 1, an initialization and / or personalization system 3 is provided according to the invention as shown in FIG. 3, which has a data memory 9 or has a data buffer. The data memory 9 is preferably a volatile, programmable data memory, such as in particular a RAM memory and / or a magnetic data memory (not shown), such as a hard disk (not shown) and / or an optical data memory (not shown) and / or a magneto-optical data memory (not shown).

In contrast to the procedure with the known initialization and / or personalization device 1, it is provided that data records are created in the host computer, each of which is used for initializing and / or personalizing a set of cards 10 made of chip cards 4, which are labeled A, B in FIG , ..., X are to be created. Such a data record preferably has initialization data only once, on the basis of which all chip cards 4 of the card set 10 are initialized in the same way. It is understood that then all chip cards 4 of the card set 10 have the same functionality after their initialization.

It is also preferably provided that this data record is used for

Initialization and personalization of the set of cards 10, all for personalizing the chip cards 4 of the set of cards 10 necessary, different personalization data.

If a magazine (not shown) with chip cards 4 is fed to a card set 10 of the contacting unit (not shown), as indicated in FIG. 3, the host computer 2 transmits the data record for the chip cards to be initialized and personalized via the bidirectional data connection 6 4 of the magazine (in whole or in part in sequence) to the initialization and / or personalization system 3 shown in FIG. 3.

In contrast to the known method, the data to be transmitted from the host computer 2 to the initialization and / or personalization system 3 according to the invention are not transmitted card by card, but rather as a “packet” magazine for magazine or card quantity for card quantity. Depending on the specific circumstances, it can also be a data packet for a subset. The transmitted data are stored by the data memory 9 provided in the known initialization and / or personalization system in memory areas 9a, 9b and 9c. After the transmission of the “data packet” or part of the data for the initialization and personalization of all chip cards of the number of cards 10 in the relevant magazine, the host computer leaves the initialization and / or personalization system 3 according to the invention to initialize and / or personalize of chip cards with the number of cards 10.

It is understood that the method according to the invention drastically reduces the load on the host computer 2 or the bidirectional data connections and thus the computer network of the known initialization and / or personalization device in an advantageous manner. The solutions according to the invention can thus effectively increase the throughput of a conventional initialization and / or personalization device.

Depending on the initialization and / or personalization method of the specific type of chip card to be personalized or the type of chip card to be personalized, it may be necessary and / or sensible to use some or all of the control and / or control functions that may be performed by the host computer 2 to be provided by a corresponding control and / or monitoring device in the initialization and / or personalization system according to the invention or in the initialization and / or personalization systems according to the invention. The host computer can thus be further relieved and the card throughput of an initialization and / or personalization device according to the invention can be increased again.

Reference symbol list:

1 initialization and / or personalization device

2 host computer 3 initialization and / or personalization system

4 chip card

5 contacts of the chip card

6 bidirectional data connection

7 bidirectional data connection 8 bidirectional data connection

9 storage device, e.g. B. semiconductor memory and / or hard disk

9a memory area

9b memory area 9c memory area

10 cards

Claims

claims

1. Method for initializing and / or personalizing chip cards with the following method steps:

- Transfer (6) of first initialization data and / or first personalization data for a first chip card (A) with a first functionality of a first set of cards (10) from a host computer (2) into the memory of an initialization and / or personalization system (3 ) marked by

- storing the first initialization data (9b) in the memory (9) for initializing a second chip card (B) with the first functionality, and

- An initialization of the second chip card (B) with the first initialization data.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the transmission (6) of further personalization data (9a) for further chip cards (B, ..., X) with the first functionality and their storage in the memory (9a) of the Initialization and / or personalization system (3) in addition to the first initialization and / or first personalization data (9a, 9b).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the transmission of at least one first test program (9c) from the host computer (2) in the memory (9) of the initialization and / or personalization system (3) and / or the storage of first test program in the memory.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized by a test of the function of the first chip card (A) and the further chip cards (B, ..., X) of the first set of cards (10) using the first test program (9c) and / or another Test program before and / or after their initialization and / or personalization.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by overwriting the first initialization and / or first personalization data and / or the others stored in the memory (9)

Personalization data and / or the test program or the test programs after completion of the initialization and / or personalization of the last chip card (X) of the first set of cards (10) by second initialization and / or second personalization data

Initialization and / or personalization of chip cards with a second functionality. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the storage of the initialization and / or personalization data (9a, 9b) and / or the test program (9c) or the test programs in a semiconductor memory (9) and / or on a hard disk the initialization and / or personalization system (3).

7. Initialization and / or personalization device (1) with a host computer (2) in which initialization and / or personalization data are stored, and an initialization and / or personalization system (3) for initialization and / or personalization of chip cards, thereby characterized in that in the initialization and / or personalization system (3) a memory (9) for storing first initialization data (9b) for the successive initialization of at least two chip cards (A, B, ..., X), each one having first functionality or the same functionality is provided.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the personalization data (9a) of at least two chip cards (A, B, ..., X) with the first functionality are stored in the memory (9).

9. Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that at least one test program (9c) for testing the function of the at least two chip cards (A, B, ..., X), each having a first functionality, is stored in the memory (9).

10. Device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by an overwrite device for overwriting the first initialization and / or first personalization data (9a, 9b) and / or the further personalization data and / or the test program (9c) or the test programs after completion the initialization and personalization of the last chip card (X) of the first set of cards (10) by means of second initialization and / or second personalization data for the initialization and / or personalization of chip cards with a second functionality.

11. Device according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by a semiconductor memory (9) and / or a hard disk for storing the initialization and / or personalization data (9a, 9b) and / or the test program (9c) or the test programs.

12. Device according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the chip card is a processor card.

13. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that the processor card is a SIM card, a UMTS card and / or a toolkit-capable chip card.