EP0292248A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Data processing system
Assignee: The General Electric Company PLC
•
Filing: 1988-05-18
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-05-18
Abstract
Abstract The memory area within an electronic token of the 'smart card' type comprising a processor (4), memory (7, 8, 9) and input/output means (5) is divided into an execute only region and a non-volatile read/write region. A method of loading an applications program is described in which the program is loaded into a portion of the read/write region by software methods and in which the application program may be altered if the use of the card alters.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony Francis Steiner
- 👤 Richard Edmonds
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:39
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/445; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/355; G06Q20/3552; G06Q20/3555; G06Q20/357; G06Q20/3576; G06Q20/35765
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of loading software into a portable electronic token (1) of the type comprising processing means (4), memory means (7,8,9) and input/output means (5) and adapted for interaction with a read/write terminal (2), wherein the memory means comprises an execute only or Read only memory region (7) and a non-volatile read/write region (8,9), which method comprises operatively coupling the token and terminal, interchanging messages, under control of an operating system stored in the execute or Read only region, between the token and terminal to check whether the token and terminal are authorised, and, only if authorisation is established; loading a program code adapted to form an application program into a portion of the read/write memory region and establishing a partition between the loaded application program and the remainder of the read/write memory region, thus leaving the remainder of the read/write region free for data storage.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of loading software into a portable electronic token (1) of the type comprising processing means (4), memory means (7,8,9) and input/output means (5) and adapted for interaction with a read/write terminal (2), wherein the memory means comprises an execute only or Read only memory region (7) and a non-volatile read/write region (8,9), which method comprises operatively coupling the token and terminal, interchanging messages, under control of an operating system stored in the execute or Read only region, between the token and terminal to check whether the token and terminal are authorised, and, only if authorisation is established; loading a program code adapted to form an application program into a portion of the read/write memory region and establishing a partition between the loaded application program and the remainder of the read/write memory region, thus leaving the remainder of the read/write region free for data storage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein control of the token is subsequently passed to the application program after appropriate authorisation is established.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the token is adapted to interact with the terminal by inductive coupling and such coupling is used to load the applications software.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
45 words
A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the execute only memory region includes software adapted to alter the software or hardware of the token after an applications program has been loaded such that the applications program cannot be removed or altered.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
An electronic system comprising a portable electronic token (1) comprising processing means (4), memory means (7,8,9) and input/output means (5) and a read/write terminal (2) for interacting with the token, wherein the memory means comprises an execute only or Read only memory region (7) and a non-volatile read/write memory region (8,9) and wherein applications software is stored in a variable size portion (8) of the read/write region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
An electronic system comprising a portable electronic token (1) comprising processing means (4), memory means (7,8,9) and input/output means (5) and a read/write terminal (2) for interacting with the token, wherein the memory means comprises an execute only or Read only memory region (7) and a non-volatile read/write memory region (8,9) and wherein applications software is stored in a variable size portion (8) of the read/write region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the read/write region is an E² PROM.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the read/write region is a battery-backed ROM.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.