WO2007108628A1

WO2007108628A1 - Smart universal serial bus storage and soft smart card system and method of providing service using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2007108628A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/001333
Authority: WO
Inventors: Song Min Jin
Original assignee: Bizet Inc.
Priority date: 2006-03-22
Filing date: 2007-03-19
Publication date: 2007-09-27
Also published as: KR100720374B1

Abstract

Disclosed are a smart USB storage, and a soft smart card system using the same and a method of providing service using the same. The soft smart card system includes a user terminal to which a smart card system realized as software is loaded, and a smart USB storage communicating with the user terminal to load the smart card system to the user terminal, and storing smart data generated according to operation of the smart card system.

Description

SMART UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS STORAGE AND SOFT

SMART CARD SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING

SERVICE USING THE SAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a smart universal serial bus (USB) storage and a soft smart card system and a method of providing service using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a smart USB storage, a soft smart card system and a method of providing service using the same, capable of realizing storing function, operation function and security function of a smart chip through a software and storing smart data produced by the realized software and the soft smart card system.

[2]

Background Art

[3] A smart card is an IC chip having a microprocessor, an operating system, a security module, a memory and so forth. The smart card has storing function, operation function and security function, and it is widely used for information record, royalty management, identification for a membership card, electronic cash such as a transportation card, credit card and electronic account, in various fields of finance, communication, education, administration and transportation.

[4] Such a smart card can be variously classified according to applications thereof, and it can be classified into a contact card, a contactless card and a combi card according to the method of reading the data.

[5] The contact smart card is activated when a contact point of the smart card comes in contact with a contact point of an interface. The contactless smart card has a computing element and a memory element, which are necessary for information processing function, identical to those of the contact smart card, but the power for operating the smart card is supplied through a RF(radio frequency) antenna and an inductive coupling is used for the communication with the interface. The combi card is a smart card which supports functions of both the contact and the contactless smart cards, and the representative combi card includes a contact/contactless part which is shared for enabling contact and contactless functions in a single chip.

[6] In the early stage, the smart card is widely used as a transportation card, which is one type of prepayment electronic cash. Such prepayment transportation card is a contactless card having a form of a plastic card in which a contactless smart card and an RF antenna are embedded. The prepayment transportation card is a smart card in which the money is charged in the card by paying the money in advance at a charging station, and every time the transportation is used by accessing the card to a card reader, the transportation fee is deducted from the stored money. Thus, the prepayment transportation card is inconvenient because the user must visit the charging station to charge the money. Since then, the contactless transportation card is integrated with the credit card such that the payment can be made afterward on credit, same as the case of paying the charge of goods, without charging the transportation fee separately. Such credit card integrated with the transportation card includes the contactless smart card and the RF antenna embedded in the plastic credit card.

[7] However, the cost of designing and manufacturing the IC in the smart card is high as compared with other alternate technologies, so the measurement of reducing the cost caused by designing and manufacturing hardware is necessary. Accordingly, the development of applied technologies relative to the smart card is progressing, but the studies on this are insufficient. Particularly, as accidents regarding certification and security have frequently occurred in the country recently, the smart card technology, which is easy to use and is capable of providing safe security relative to the software security, is required.

[8]

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[9] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a smart USB (universal serial bus) storage, a soft smart card system using the same and a method of providing service using the same, in which a reader, which reads the smart card system, and a smart card operating system are implemented as software and stored in the USB storage, thereby realizing the certification and security function of the smart card on the device provided with a USB common interface.

[10] Another object of the present invention is to provide a smart USB storage, a soft smart card system using the same and a method of providing service using the same, in which a hardware smart card system is implemented as software and stored in a USB storage, thereby reducing the cost of designing and manufacturing hardware.

[H]

Technical Solution

[12] In order to accomplish the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a soft smart card system comprising: a user terminal to which a smart card system realized as software is loaded; and a smart USB storage communicating with the user terminal to load the smart card system to the user terminal, and storing smart data generated according to operation of the smart card system.

[13] The user terminal includes a smart card resource manager generating commands for operating the smart card system; a RAM for loading the smart card system; a device driver checking a connection of the smart USB storage; and a virtual smart card reader identifying the smart USB storage as a smart card.

[14] The soft smart card system further comprises a terminal operating system including the smart card resource manager and controlling the RAM, the device driver and the virtual smart card reader.

[15] The smart data have an ISO-7816 standard.

[16] The smart USB storage includes a connector for connecting with the user terminal; a memory for storing the smart card system and the smart data; and a controller for accessing the memory.

[17] The memory includes at least one of an autorun area storing the smart card system automatically loaded to the user terminal, a smart area storing the smart data, a data area storing text, video and audio file data, and a preliminary area having an offset file system.

[18] The memory includes at least one of an autorun area identified as a virtual CD-

ROM by the user terminal, a smart area storing the smart data and a data area identified as a high capacity storage by the user terminal.

[19] The autorun area stores at least one of the smart card system, an autorun routine enabling the smart card system to be automatically loaded to the user terminal, a serial number of the smart USB storage, and detailed information about the smart USB storage.

[20] The smart card system includes a virtual smart card reader for identifying the smart

USB storage as a smart card; a human interface device filter driver filtering commands from the user terminal; a card operating system generating and storing the smart data according to the commands; a code module encoding the smart data; and a virtual file system virtually defining a file type to store the smart data in the smart USB storage.

[21] The soft smart card system further comprises an autorun routine for automatically executing the smart card system in the user terminal, and the code module includes a crypto MD.

[22] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a soft smart card service, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a smart USB storage, which includes a smart card system realized as software, to an user terminal; loading at least one of an autorun routine, which automatically loads the smart card system to the user terminal, and the smart card system to the user terminal; and storing smart data generated according to an operation of the smart card system in the smart USB storage. [23] The method further comprises a step of confirming a password for accessing the smart USB storage. [24] The loading step comprises the sub-steps of confirming whether the virtual smart card reader is installed; and installing the virtual smart card reader if the virtual smart card reader is not installed. [25] The storing step comprises the sub-steps of encoding the generated smart data by the code module; and storing the encoded smart data in the smart USB storage. [26] According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a smart

USB storage comprising: a connector for connecting with an external device; a memory for storing smart data generated according to a smart card system realized as software and an operation of the smart card system; and a controller for accessing the memory. [27]

Advantageous Effects

[28] As described above, according to a smart USB storage, a soft smart card system and a method of providing service using the same of the present invention, a smart card system and a reader, which reads in the smart card system are prepared as software and stored in an USB storage, thereby realizing the certification and security functions of the smart card on the device provided with a USB common interface.

[29] In addition, according to a smart USB storage, a soft smart card system and a method of providing service using the same of the present invention, a hardware smart card system can be prepared as software and stored in USB storage, thereby reducing the cost of designing and manufacturing hardware.

[30] Moreover, the preferable embodiments of the present invention are disclosed for the purpose of exemplification, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, variations and additions thereof can be made within the spirits and scope of the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the modifications and variations of the present invention are within the scope of appended claims.

[31]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[32] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a structure of a soft smart card system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[33] FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a smart USB storage shown in

FIG. 1;

[34] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating each section of a memory shown in FIG. 2;

[35] FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating each element included in an autorun file shown in FIG. 3;

[36] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the autorun file loaded to a user terminal;

[37] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for providing smart card service using the soft smart card system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[38] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating signal transmission between the soft smart card systems according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[39] FIG. 8 is a screen view illustrating an interface of a virtual smart card reader;

[40] FIG. 9 is a screen view illustrating an interface for installing the virtual smart card reader;

[41] FIG. 10 is a screen view illustrating an interface for confirming the user password;

[42] FIG. 11 is a screen view illustrating an interface for changing the user password; and

[43] FIGS. 12a and 12b are screen views illustrating an interface for generating and storing smart data regarding a security card.

[44]

Mode for the Invention

[45] The above mentioned objects, characteristics and advantages of the present inventi on will be apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings and following descriptions. Hereinafter, preferable embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[46] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a structure of a soft smart card system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[47] Referring to FIG. 1, the soft smart card system according to an embodiment of the present invention, includes a smart USB storage 200 having the smart card system realized as software, and a user terminal 10 which activates the smart card system stored in the smart USB storage 200 and processes smart data SM_Data to communicate. Preferably, the smart data SM_Data includes data needing security, such as a certificate or security card number. The smart data SM_Data is encoded and stored.

[48] As shown in FIG. 2, the smart USB storage 200 includes a USB connector 15, a smart USB controller 100 and a memory 210 storing the smart card system.

[49] The USB connector 15 is connected to an external device, such as a USB port provided in the user terminal 10 so as to serve as a communication path of the smart data SM_Data, and is connected directly to the body of the user terminal 10 or is connected to the body of the computer through an extension cable.

[50] The smart USB controller 100 controls access to the memory 210 under the control of the user terminal 10, when reading the data stored in the memory 210 or storing the generated smart data SM_Data in the memory 210. The smart USB controller 100 enables USB high-speed data communication between the user terminal 10 and the smart USB storage 200, and controls the overall operation of the smart USB storage 200. Meanwhile, the smart USB controller 100 supports the PIN function so as to process the procedure of inputting the personal user password when the user accesses a smart area of the memory 210 in the smart USB storage 200. The PIN can be stored in the preliminary area described hereinafter.

[51] The memory 210 is an area storing the user data, which includes the smart data

SM_Data, and a smart card system 222b, under the control of the smart USB controller 100. In general, the memory 210 includes the flash memory. As shown in FIG. 3, the memory 210 includes an autorun area 220, a data area 230, a preliminary area 240 and a smart area 250.

[52] The autorun area 220 has a CD-ROM file system, that is, a CDFS type file structure, and supports read-only file format, and has a characteristic of EEPROM so as to enable data writing according to a specific order. The file format of the autorun area 220 identifies virtual CD medium even though the CD is not actually inserted, and supports the function of auto executing the pre-designated program. The capacity of the autorun area 220 can be selectively designated according to the total capacity of the smart USB storage 200. The autorun area 220 can store an autorun file 222 for realizing the aforementioned autorun function, and a unique serial number 224 of the smart USB storage 200, and license information. The information stored in the autorun area 220 is not changed later. The autorun file 222 includes the smart card system 222b. As shown in FIG. 4, the autorun file 222 includes an autorun routine 222a and the smart card system 222b. The autorun routine 222a may include an Autorun. inf file name "SDU.exe" and the smart card system 222b includes a virtual smart card reader 202, a human interface device (HID) filter driver 204, a card operating system (COS) 206, a code module such as a crypto MD 208 and a virtual file system (VFS) 209. When the smart USB storage 200 is connected to the user terminal 10, the autorun file 222 is loaded to the user terminal 10 and activated. It will be described with reference to FIG. 5, hereinafter.

[53] The autorun routine 222a serves to load the smart card system 222b on the memory of the user terminal 10, at the moment when the smart USB storage 200 is connected to the user terminal 10, and detects the commands input for the smart card service using the user terminal 10 thereby transmitting the command to the smart card system 222b.

[54] The virtual smart card reader 202 is software replacement of hardware reader of the smart card, and it satisfies all standard sizes of the smart card. After the virtual smart card reader 202 is installed in the user terminal 10, when the smart USB storage 200 is connected, it enables the smart USB storage 200 to be identified as the smart card, and transmits the command transmitted from the user terminal 10 to a COS 206 through a HID filter driver 204.

[55] The HID filter driver 204 is a driver which filters various HID supporting the USB.

Thus, the HID filter driver 204 filters the commands transmitted to and from the COS 206, while residing on the memory of the user terminal 10.

[56] The COS 206 is an operating system which operates the smart card system 222b, and executes the commands inputted from the virtual smart card reader 202 through the HID filter driver 204. That is, the COS 206 records the smart data SM_Data regarding the information about the individual users on the smart area 250 under the control of the user terminal 10. Then, the COS 206 encodes the recorded smart data SM_Data using the crypto MD 208, thereby safely protecting the smart data SM_Data from hackers or viruses.

[57] The VFS 209 virtually defines the data type so as to maintain easy data communications while recording the smart data SM_Data on the smart area 250 or reading out the smart data SM_Data from the smart area 250. Even though the VFS 209 is not the data type for supporting a terminal operating system 11, which is employed by the smart area 250 at the user terminal 10, and the COS 206, it plays the role of defining virtual data type for reading and writing the smart data SM_Data on the smart area 250, regardless of such data type. Here, the terminal operating system 11 may include Windows-based system such as Windows 98, 2000, NT, XP, etc.

[58] The data area 230 is an area where general files such as video, audio and text files are read and written, and the file format is determined by taking the operating system of external device connected to the smart USB storage 200 into consideration. For example, when the operating system of the external device is Windows, a FAT -based or a NTFS file type can be applied. The data area 230 may have the capacity equal to the capacity of the smart USB storage 200 excluding the autorun area 220, the preliminary area 240 and the smart area 250.

[59] The preliminary area 240 is an area capable of reading and writing the data directly.

The preliminary area 240 enables the user to define the file system structure, and executes offset function such that specific data can be stored while having a specific sized memory. Thus, the preliminary area 240 has an offset file system.

[60] The smart area 250 stores the smart card system 222b, and similar to the preliminary area 240, is an area capable of reading and writing the data directly. The smart area 250 stores the data relating the smart card system 222b, when using the smart USB storage 200 as a smart card. The smart data SM_Data stored in the smart area 250 satisfies an ISO-7816 standard, which is the IO standard of the smart card. It is preferable that the smart area 250 has the capacity of 64KB or more. More preferably, the capacity of the smart area 250 is determined to have about 32MB in maximum when it is aggregated with the capacity of the preliminary area 240.

[61] As shown in FIG. 5, the user terminal 10 includes the smart card system 222b, which is loaded to a RAM 14 while being autoran from the smart USB storage 200, and a device driver 16 for identifying the connected smart USB storage 200, and the smart card resource manager 12 which can be included in the terminal operating system 11 such as the Windows, or communicate with the terminal operating system 11 and generate the command for controlling the identified smart USB storage 200.

[62] The RAM 14 includes the autorun routine 222a and the smart card system 222b, and it is a memory space to which the autorun file 222 is loaded. The smart card system 222b loaded to the RAM 14 provides the smart card service by following procedures. The autorun routine 222a receives the commands, such as APDU (application protocol data unit), transmitted from the smart card resource manager 12, and then transmits the commands to the COS 206 to execute the reading and writing of the smart data SM_Data, thereby providing the smart card service. The smart card system 222b loaded to the RAM 14 includes the virtual smart card reader 202, the HID filter driver 204, the COS 206, the crypto MD 208 and the VFS 209.

[63] The device driver 16 identifies the smart USB storage 200 connected through the external connecting device such as the USB port. At this time, the device driver 16 identifies each part of the smart USB storage 200 separately. That is, the device driver 16 identifies the autorun area 220, the data area 230 and the smart area 250 of the smart USB storage 200 as the CD-ROM, the high capacity storage, and the security area or the smart card, respectively.

[64] The smart card resource manager 12 is a PC/SC interface executing the identification of the smart card, and generates commands, such as generating, adding and deleting of the smart data SM_Data, under the control of the operating system. In other words, the smart card resource manager 12 transmits the commands for controlling the smart card system 222b to the smart card system 222b through the autorun routine 222a, and generates the necessary commands for operating the reading and writing of the smart data SM_Data on the smart area 250.

[65] Hereinafter, a method of providing the smart card service using the smart card system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

[66] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for providing smart card service using the soft smart card system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a view illustrating signal transmission between the soft smart card systems.

[67] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the method of providing service using the smart card system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the step of connecting the smart USB storage 200 with the user terminal 10 (SlOl).

[68] In step SlOl, the USB connector 15 in the smart USB storage 200 is connected to the port in the user terminal 10. Accordingly, the device driver 16 in the user terminal 10 identifies the data area 230, the autorun area 220 and the smart area 250 of the smart USB storage 200 as the high capacity storage, the virtual CD-ROM, and the security area or the smart card, respectively.

[69] Next, the autorun area 220 of the smart USB storage 200 is activated (S 102).

[70] In step S 102, the autorun routine 222a and the smart card system 222b, which are stored in the autorun area 220, are loaded to the RAM 14 of the user terminal 10. At this time, the smart card system 222b provides an interface, as shown in FIG. 8, in order to install elements which are necessary to provide the smart card service. Here, if the virtual smart card reader 202 is not installed in the user terminal 10, the interface for the installation is provided, as shown in FIG. 9, and if the virtual smart card reader 202 is already installed, the installation is omitted.

[71] Next, when the user terminal 10 accesses the smart area 250 (S 103), the input of the personal user password (hereinafter, referred to as PIN ) is identified (S 104).

[72] In step S 103, when the user terminal 10 tries to access the smart area 250, the interface for inputting the PIN is provided, as shown in FIG. 10. Here, the PIN can be changed depending on the desire of the user, as shown in FIG. 11. Here, when trying to use the smart USB storage 200 as the high capacity storage, no additional input of the PIN is executed (S 106).

[73] Next, the smart data SM_Data is generated and stored under the control of the smart card resource manager 12 (S 105).

[74] In step S 104, the certificate regarding the security or the security card numbers is inputted through the interface, as shown in FIGS. 12a and 12b, under the control of the user terminal 10. After that, when the confirmation button is clicked, the inputted data is encoded by the crypto MD 208, and then transformed into the smart data SM_Data, and stored in the smart area 250. When storing the smart data SM_Data in the smart area 250, the VFS 209 which virtually defines the data type is utilized.

Claims

[1] A soft smart card system comprising: a user terminal to which a smart card system realized as software is loaded; and a smart USB storage communicating with the user terminal to load the smart card system to the user terminal, and storing smart data generated according to operation of the smart card system.

[2] The soft smart card system according to claim 1, wherein the user terminal includes: a smart card resource manager generating commands for operating the smart card system; a RAM for loading the smart card system; a device driver checking a connection of the smart USB storage; and a virtual smart card reader identifying the smart USB storage as a smart card.

[3] The soft smart card system according to claim 2, further comprising a terminal operating system including the smart card resource manager and controlling the

RAM, the device driver and the virtual smart card reader.

[4] The soft smart card system according to claim 1, wherein the smart data have an

ISO-7816 standard.

[5] The soft smart card system according to claim 1, wherein the smart USB storage includes: a connector for connecting with the user terminal; a memory for storing the smart card system and the smart data; and a controller for accessing the memory.

[6] The soft smart card system according to claim 5, wherein the memory includes at least one of an autorun area storing the smart card system automatically loaded to the user terminal, a smart area storing the smart data, a data area storing text, video and audio file data, and a preliminary area having an offset file system.

[7] The soft smart card system according to claim 5, wherein the memory includes at least one of an autorun area identified as a virtual CD-ROM by the user terminal, a smart area storing the smart data and a data area identified as a high capacity storage by the user terminal.

[8] The soft smart card system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the autorun area stores at least one of the smart card system, an autorun routine enabling the smart card system to be automatically loaded to the user terminal, a serial number of the smart USB storage, and detailed information about the smart USB storage.

[9] The soft smart card system according to claim 1, wherein the smart card system includes: a virtual smart card reader for identifying the smart USB storage as a smart card; a human interface device filter driver filtering commands from the user terminal; a card operating system generating and storing the smart data according to the commands; a code module encoding the smart data; and a virtual file system virtually defining a file type to store the smart data in the smart USB storage.

[10] The soft smart card system according to claim 1, further comprising an autorun routine for automatically executing the smart card system in the user terminal.

[11] A method of providing a soft smart card service, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a smart USB storage, which includes a smart card system realized as software, to an user terminal; loading at least one of an autorun routine, which automatically loads the smart card system to the user terminal, and the smart card system to the user terminal; and storing smart data generated according to an operation of the smart card system in the smart USB storage.

[12] The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of confirming a password for accessing the smart USB storage.

[13] The method according to claim 11, wherein the smart card system includes: a virtual smart card reader for identifying the smart USB storage as a smart card; a human interface device filter driver filtering commands from the user terminal; a card operating system generating and storing the smart data according to the commands; a code module encoding the smart data; and a virtual file system virtually defining a file type to store the smart data in the smart USB storage.

[14] The method according to claim 13, wherein the loading step comprises the sub- steps of: confirming whether the virtual smart card reader is installed; and installing the virtual smart card reader if the virtual smart card reader is not installed.

[15] The method according to claim 13, wherein the storing step comprises the sub- steps of: encoding the generated smart data by the code module; and storing the encoded smart data in the smart USB storage. [16] The method according to claim 13, wherein the code module includes a crypto

MD. [17] A smart USB storage comprising: a connector for connecting with an external device; a memory for storing smart data generated according to a smart card system realized as software and an operation of the smart card system; and a controller for accessing the memory. [18] The smart USB storage according to claim 17, wherein the memory includes at least one of an autorun area storing the smart card system, a smart area in which the smart data is stored, a data area storing text, video and audio file data, and a preliminary area having an offset file system. [19] The smart USB storage according to claim 17, wherein the memory includes at least one of an autorun area identified as a virtual CD-ROM, a smart area in which the smart data is stored, and a data area identified as a high capacity storage. [20] The smart USB storage according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the autorun area stores at least one of the smart card system, an autorun routine enabling the smart card system to be automatically loaded, a serial number of the smart USB storage, and detailed information about the smart USB storage. [21] The smart USB storage according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the smart area has a size of 64KB or more. [22] The smart USB storage according to claim 17, wherein the smart card system includes: a virtual smart card reader identifying the smart USB storage as a smart card; a human interface device filter driver filtering commands transmitted to the smart card system from an exterior; a card operating system generating and storing the smart data according to the commands; a code module encoding the smart data; and a virtual file system virtually defining a file type of the smart data to store the smart data in the smart USB storage. [23] The smart USB storage according to claim 22, wherein the code module includes a crypto MD. [24] The smart USB storage according to claim 17, wherein the smart data has an

ISO-7816 standard.