Integrated circuit cards

Claim 2

An integrated circuit card incorporating an internal data memory (5) and a central processing unit (4) in communication with the internal memory for processing data in that memory, characterised in that the card also incorporates an auxiliary memory (11) provided at an external surface of the card, there being no data pathway within the card for the direct passage of data therein between on the one hand the said auxiliary memory and on the other hand the said central processing unit and internal memory.

Claim 3

An integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said internal memory (5) contains address data necessary to enable an external card acceptance device (20), when the card is positioned in a predetermined working relationship therewith, to access data in the said auxiliary memory (11).

Claim 4

An integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, in combination with an external card acceptance device (20), operative on the basis of address data read by the device from the said internal memory (5) to access data in the said auxiliary memory (11).

Claim 5

An IC card comprising: a processor contained therein and communicating with an external IC card acceptance means; an internal memory contained therein and cooperating with the processor and forming data files; an external memory mounted on a surface of a body of the IC card as one body; and an external memory access means, other than an inherent internal memory access means, formed by said processor, which external memory access means alone can access said external memory by way of said external IC card acceptance means.

Claim 6

An IC card comprising: a processor contained therein and communicating with an external IC card acceptance means; an internal memory contained therein and cooperating with the processor and forming data files; an external memory mounted on a surface of a body of the IC card as one body; and an external memory access means, other than an inherent internal memory access means, formed by said processor, which external memory access means alone can access said external memory by way of said external IC card acceptance means.

Claim 7

An IC card as set forth in claim 4, wherein said external memory access means is established by a program and said internal memory access means is also established by a program, and both programs are stored in a program ROM generally provided by said processor in the IC card.

Claim 8

An IC card as set forth in claim 5, wherein said internal memory is composed of first files allotted to said external memory and second files allotted to said internal memory, and the internal memory further includes a first directory for defining said first files and a second directory for defining said second files.

Claim 9

An IC card as set forth in claim 4, wherein said external memory has a larger memory capacity than that of said internal memory.

Claim 10

An IC card as set forth in claim 7, wherein said external memory is composed of an optical memory such as a laser memory and a CD-ROM.

Claim 11

An IC card as set forth in claim 6, wherein a first logical system constructed by both said processor and said external memory is isolated from a second logical system constructed by both said processor and said internal memory.

Claim 12

An IC card as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first logical system and said second logical system are isolated from each other, but can be logically connected by way of said external IC card acceptance means.

Claim 13

An IC card as set forth in claim 10, wherein only data managed by said processor is sent to said external memory.

Claim 14

An IC card as set forth in claim 11, wherein read and write operations for said external memory are carried out by using only addresses handled by said processor.

Claim 15

An IC card as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first files and said second files store user data related to an IC card owner.

Claim 16

An IC card as set forth in claim 13, wherein said first files further contains a password area used for an authentication check of said external memory by the own processor.

Claim 17

An IC card as set forth in claim 12, wherein an address holding means is employed and realized by the said internal memory and the address holding means specifies a new area in said second file with reference to a vacant area in said first directory.

Claim 18

An IC card as set forth in claim 15, wherein a cryptograph management information memory means is further employed and realized by said internal memory, and operates to encipher and decipher data to be communicated between said processor and said external memory.

Claim 19

An IC card as set forth in claim 16, wherein said IC card acceptance means is provided with a reader-writer for contact with both said processor and said internal memory and is provided with a reading and writing device for contact with said external memory.

Claim 20

An IC card as set forth in claim 17, wherein said IC card 10 having a security function and composed of said external memory, said address holding means for holding addresses of the files stored in the external memory, said cryptograph management information memory means for storing the cryptograph management information used for ciphering data and for deciphering the ciphered data, a write processing means, a first read processing means and a second read processing means, said write processing means starting operation upon receipt of a write command and the corresponding write data, enciphering the received write data with reference to the said cryptographic management information, searching the corresponding address of said external memory at which the enciphered write data is to be written with reference to said address holding means, and sending the enciphered write data and the corre­sponding address, as a response, said first read processing means starting operation upon receipt of a first read command and a corresponding file number of said file in the external memory, searching the corresponding read address specified by the given file number with reference to said address holding means and sending the read address as a response, said second read processing means starting operation upon receipt of a second read command and enciphered read data, deciphering the received enciphered read data with reference to said crypto­graphic management information, and sending the deciphered read data as a response.

Claim 21

19 . An IC card as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said external IC card acceptance means cooperates, when said processor is to perform a write operation, with said IC card, so that (I) a given write command and corre­sponding write data are input to the IC card, (II) enciphered write data and the corresponding address for writing in the external memory are obtained and output from the IC card, and (III) the thus enciphered write data is written in the external memory.

Claim 22

An IC card as set forth in claim18, wherein said external IC card acceptance means cooperates, when said processor is to perform a read operation, with said IC card, so that (I) a given first read command and corresponding file number are input to the IC card, (II) the corresponding read address for said external memory is searched by said address holding means and output from the IC card, (III) enciphered read data is obtained, by using the read address searched from the external memory, (IV) the enciphered read data from the external memory is sent to the IC card together with a second read command, and (V) deciphered read data is output from the IC card in response to the second read command.

Claim 23

An IC card as set forth in claim 6, wherein a memory history management part is further introduced into said internal memory, which memory history manage­ment area manages information to be stored in said external memory.

Claim 24

An IC card as set forth in claim 21, wherein said memory history management part is composed of, at least, a memory history directory formed in said first directory of said internal memory.

Claim 25

An IC card as set forth in claim 22, wherein a history record area is formed in said first files, which history record area cooperates with said memory history directory, both the memory history directory and the history record area being controlled by said processor.

Claim 26

An IC card as set forth in claim6 , wherein said internal memory is composed of a non-volatile memory, such as an electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

Claim 27

An IC card as set forth in claim 23, wherein a first logical system constructed by both said processor and said external memory is isolated from a second logical system constructed by both said processor and said internal memory including said memory history management part.

Claim 28

An IC card as set forth in claim 25, wherein said first logical system and said second logical system are isolated from each other, but can be logically connected by way of said external IC card acceptance means.

Claim 29

An IC card as set forth in claim 26, wherein only data managed by said processor is sent to said external memory.

Claim 30

An IC card as set forth in claim 27, wherein said history record area records at least a date on which a read or write operation was carried out from or to said external memory.

Claim 31

An IC card as set forth in claim 28, wherein said memory history directory holds an index of each history data in said history record area and the corresponding write data in said external memory.

Claim 32

An IC card as set forth in claim 29, wherein said write data to be indexed by said memory history directory is data such as a photograph of a face, a voice, a fingerprint, and a signature of the IC card user, and data which overflows from said internal memory due to a lack of a memory capacity thereof.