MXPA00011070A - Smart card personalization in a multistation environment - Google Patents

Abstract

A smart card personalization system provides an interface to smart card personalization stations and to external computing or data resources which normally are not available directly to personalization station. A card issuer management system prepares card objects and assigns a unique card object identifier. A smart card personalization server receives the card objects from the card issuer management system. A smart card personalization controller receives the unique card object identifiers and routes the card object identifiers to waiting personalization stations. The personalization stations use the card object identifier to request data and services from the smart card personalization server in order to personalize the smart card. The services provided by the smart card personalization server includes data services, security services and support services. The smart card personalization server supports multiple active personalization station sessions.

Description

PERSONALIZATION OF INTELLIGENT CARD IN A MULTISTATION ATMOSPHERE Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to data storage devices and more specifically to the control of smart card personalization in a multi-station environment.

Background of the Invention Growing numbers of organizations that issue transaction cards to their users, customers or employees require that the cards be customized to meet the requirements of their particular service or application. These organizations also want the cards to contain information about the cardholder. Existing transaction cards encode such data in a magnetic stripe on the back of the card although the amount of data that can be contained in a magnetic stripe is limited. A new type of transaction cards embeds a microprocessor chip in the plastic of the card to further increase the card's data storage capacity. Additionally, the sophisticated card applications specific to the card issuer may be executed in certain varieties of the microcircuits, and the microcircuits may also contain a type of operating system. Transaction cards with embedded microcircuits are referred to in the industry as portable programmed data carriers, more commonly called "smart cards". The microcircuit on a smart card is generally programmed with the initialization and / or personalization data at the same time that the surface of the card is embedded and / or printed. The initialization data comprises three main types of information: application data, security data and printed data. Application data are common for all cards for a given card application and include an application program code and variables. The security data prevent fraudulent use of the card and are usually provided in the form of a "secure password". The printed data, such as the logo, bar, code and various types of numerical information are placed on the surface of the card. Some or all of the data can be embedded in the surface. The optical technology can also be used to form part of or be the entire surface of the card in a storage medium with accessible data by means of an appropriate optical reader. Smart cards are also programmed with specific information for an individual cardholder through a process called "personalization". The personalization information for a smart card is similar to the personalization information currently contained in non-smart cards, such as the cardholder's name, account number, expiration date of the card and a photograph. Due to the increased storage capacity, the microcircuit in a smart card can contain additional data beyond the basic information about the standard transaction card including a graphic representation of the individual signature, the data that define the types of service to which The cardholder is authorized and the account limits for those services. Current systems for executing initialization and / or personalization of the smart card include a controller or a personal computer that is connected to a personalization station. All the smart card programming data required for the customization process is sent from the controller - or personal computer to the personalization station which programs the smart card. An application that runs in the personalization station controls the programming of the smart card. Many current personalization stations have a limited capacity to handle the increasingly sophisticated personalization process as the size and functionality of smart card computer microcircuits increase. Such limitations include memory, the processing capacity and the size of the temporary memory of personalization stations. In addition, personalization stations may require access to external resources that provide security services or access to card data. External resources, particularly security services are costly infrastructures to repeat to each personalization station. Also, the communication between the personalization station and the external resource is limited by the speed of the communication link between them. In addition, the development environment available for personalization stations is often unique and lacks development tools. Therefore, there is a need for a personalization system that overcomes the limitations on memory capacity and processing flexibility of the current personalization stations. There is also a need for a personalization system that can share external resources among multiple personalization stations.

Brief Description of the Invention The disadvantages identified above as well as other inconveniences are solved by the present invention, which will be better understood by reading and studying the following specification. The invention is a computerized system for controlling the programming of portable programmed data carriers through a plurality of personalization stations. The system includes a personalization server interface for acquiring the services of one or more resources, transferring card information to one of the personalization stations and controlling the programming of the portable programmed data bearer. The system also includes a personalization station interface for receiving the card information from the personalization server interface and for programming the portable programmed data bearer. The invention also discloses a method for controlling the programming of the portable programmed data carriers in a system which has a plurality of programming stations. The method includes receiving one or more object cards from a card issuer management system. The object cards consist of information to program portable programmed data carriers. The method also includes receiving a programming request from the programming station and using the object card to control the programming station as the programming station programs the portable programmed data carrier. Alternatively, the disclosed invention is a computerized system that includes means for receiving one or more object cards from a card issuer management system. The computerized system also includes means for receiving a programming request from the programming station and means for using the object card to control the programming station as the programming station programs the portable programmed data carrier. The smart card personalization system uses a data structure comprising a data field representing an object card containing information for programming a portable programmed data carrier and an additional programmed data field containing a unique object card identifier for Identify the object card. Therefore, the smart card personalization system of the present invention shares external resources among multiple personalization stations. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by reading the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a block diagram representing one embodiment of a smart card issuance process incorporating a smart card personalization server of the present invention. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the input and output connections for the intelligent personalization server mode shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a mode of the smart card personalization software of the present invention. Figure 4 is a high-level flow chart of a software mode that implements the functions of the smart card personalization server.

Description of the Modalities In the following detailed description of the modalities reference is made to the accompanying drawings which are part of it and in which the specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced are shown in illustration form. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to allow those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be used and logical and electrical structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description therefore, should not be considered in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. The initial digits of the reference numbers appearing in the figures usually correspond to the figure number, except that identical components that appear in multiple figures are identified by the same reference numbers. The system of the present invention utilizes a personalization server to control smart card personalization in an environment having a plurality of personalization stations. The personalization server provides an interface for a plurality of card personalization stations and for external computing or data resources that are not normally available directly to the card personalization stations or that are not efficient in terms of cost for reproduction at each card personalization station. The detailed description of the invention is divided into four sections. The first section provides a general review of one embodiment of a system for issuing smart cards incorporating a smart card personalization server of the present invention. The second section describes the functional specifications for the software components of the illustrative mode of the smart card personalization system. The third section illustrates an exemplary communication sequence between the personalization station interface software and the personalization server software for a smart card personalization process. The fourth section is a conclusion that includes a summary of the advantages of the present invention. General Review of the Smart Card Personalization System. Figure 1 illustrates component of a smart card issuance process that incorporates an embodiment of the smart card personalization server of the present invention. The smart card personalization server 100 receives object cards from a card issuing management system 150. A smart card personalization controller 120 receives, from the card issuing operation system 150, an object card identifier for each one of the objects cards that pass to the smart card personalization server 100.

The smart card personalization controller 120 routes each of the object card identifiers to one of a plurality of personalization stations 130. Each personalization station 130 uses the object card identifier to request data and services from the same. smart card personalization server 100 in order to personalize a smart card 160. The card issuer management system 150 handles cardholder data and determines the type of card to be issued, the card applications to embed in the card. card and what personalization equipment to use to issue the card to a particular cardholder. The smart card personalization server 100 is illustrated in Figure 1 as a computer running a customization server software as described below. The customization server software runs under an operating system such as Unix, Windows 95 ©, or Windows NT ©, and on an industry standard station and / or personal computing hardware. As described below, the smart card personalization server 100 provides an interface for the card personalization stations 130 and for the calculation or external data resources 180.

The server 100 controls the card printers, the recording devices and the integrated or aggregated smart card interface devices collectively represented in Figure 1 as a plurality of personalization stations 130. The personalization stations 130 also represent such devices as printers / high volume card recorders, low volume card printer / recorder, automatic relay machines (ATMs), point of sale terminals, automatic pavilions, personal computers, network computers and online telecommunication devices. The physical connection between the devices and the smart card personalization server 100 varies according to the manufacturer and the model of the device. Common industrial standard connections include RS232 serial connections, SCSI (Small Computer System lnterface), Ethernet, and TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic) serial connections. In addition, some devices require a collector connection for internal use. The connections between the smart card personalization server 100 and the card management system 150 and the stations 130 can also be implemented from standard local area networks, wide area networks, dedicated telephone lines or other remote communication infrastructure used for transfer data. The alternate conditions will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of the invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the smart card personalization system illustrating the logical input and output connections for the smart card personalization server 100. The cardholder data 202 accessed and maintained by the issuing organization. The card contains information about each individual cardholder, such as name, account number, expiration date of the card and applicable services. The card issuer handling system 150 assembles the necessary data for each card personalization job. The data for each card can be stored in an object card data storage, such as a database, with which the object card 208 is accessible by a unique object card identifier. A job can be, for example, a logical grouping of similar object cards. The object cards 208 contain, for example but without limitation, data and commands for magnetic stripe encoding, recording, printing, packaging and smart card personalization. An example card is shown below. Object Card EMB = "123456789", "Your name", "1/1/1999" ENC =% B123456789? Y / Name? 01011999 ?; 123456789 = 010119999 PIC = www.photos.com/Your Yard SCRD = this_unique_card_object_identifier The sample card starts with a recording instruction "EMB" followed by the corresponding cardholder data to be filled in the card. The second line in the exemplary card shown above is an "ENC" coding instruction followed by the corresponding data being the corresponding cardholder data to be recorded in the magnetic strip of the card. The third line on the card object of the example is an instruction to print an image on the card "PIC" followed by the location of the cardholder's photograph.

The fourth line on the sample card is a smart card portion of the "SCRD" object card. The. smart card portion of the object card 208 consists of the unique object card identifier. The card issuer management system 150 passes the card 208 to the smart card personalization server 100. The smart card personalization server 100 expects the personalization data to be in the particular format. Because the object card 208 is in the format defined by the card issuer which often differs from the formats expected by the server 100, the object card 208 is translated by the server 100 when necessary. A method of translating the subject card is described in the North American Patent Application Series No. 08 / 755,459 entitled "System and Apparatus for Smart Card Personalization", filed on November 22, 1996. The smart card personalization server 100 provides a interface for external security services 204 and additional data sources 206 as necessary to execute the personalization work of the smart card. The software program for the smart card personalization server 100 can be coupled to the data sources 206 through the standard data query commands that provide access to the data stored in the data sources. The communication protocols between the software program for the smart card personalization server 100 and the external security services 204 and the data sources 206 vary depending on the underlying data management system or the security system employed. The smart card personalization server 100 also provides an interface for each of the card personalization stations 130. The smart card personalization controller 120 passes an object card identifier to one of the personalization stations 130 on hold. The personalization station 130 presents the object card identifier to the server 100 in order to initiate access to the data services, security services or support services necessary to complement the personalization of the smart card. Upon receipt of the object card identifier from the personalization station 130, the smart card personalization server 100 translates the object card indicated by the object card identifier. The object card translation by the smart card personalization server '00 results in a sequence of commands and / or data which is passed to the personalization station 130. The personalization station 130 passes the commands and data received from the server 100 directly to the smart card 160. An example process demonstrating how the server 100 controls the programming of the actual card is described below. Specification of the Personalization Software. The Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a mode of the smart card personalization server 100 of Figure 2. The system of the present invention uses the personalization server 100 to control personalization of the smart card in an environment having a plurality of personalization stations 130 coupled to the personalization server 100. The personalization server 100 provides an interface for the personalization stations of card 130 and the resources of external accounting or calculation., 206 as shown in Figure 2. An application running on the card issuer management system 150 prepares an object card 303 and assigns an object card identifier for each object. The information regarding the object cards is achieved in an object card database 302 until the personalization server 100 is called to personalize a smart card. The personalization environment of the present invention comprises two complementary software components. The first is the software in personalization station interface 304 that runs in a processor of the personalization station 130. The second is a personalization server software 305 that runs in a processor on the personalization server 100 which processes the object cards and uses the local and external resources. An initialization process 306 initiates a customization job by initializing the personalization server 100 and optionally sending data, such as magnetic stripe or recording data, to the personalization station 130. The personalization server software 305 serves to multi-card personalization processes 308. Each card personalization process 308 represents a personalization job occurring in one of the personalization stations 130. Each card personalization process 308 is logically linked to one of the personalization stations 130. The personalization station interface software 304 presents the unique object card identifier to the personalization server software 305 to initiate access to the services available through the server software 305. The personalization server software 305 obtains all the work information ne and the data elements that will be used in the personalization of the smart card. The personalization station interface software 304 executes the card personalization using the services available to it through the personalization server software 305 as required until the personalization is complete. Upon termination of the work, the personalization station interface software 304 is notified by the server software 305 of the termination. The services provided by the server software 305 include data services 312, security services 310, and support services 314. Data services 312 execute the data acquisition for each customization job and include any commonly available means of data access. The data services 312 retrieve the data archived in the object card database 302 in the card issuer and administrator system 150 as well as the additional external data sources as shown in Figure 2. The data may be in the form of files, databases or data structures for example. The security services 310 interface with a variety of different external sources that provide security functions. Security features provided by external sources include any commonly available means of securing information or limiting access to smart card microcircuits until a required security condition is met. An example of the required security function uses one or more 'secure keys' that are programmed into the microcircuit to avoid fraudulent use of the card.The appropriate secure key data is obtained by the smart card personalization software 305 from the registers of secure key maintained by the card issuer or an external security source and then transferred to the personalization station interface software 304. Security services 310 also provide security features that can be used, for example, to ensure integrity and the confidentiality of the data during the transmission of data to and from the personalization station 130. The support services 314 perform processing tasks that in previous systems were performed through the personalization station 130 or were not able to be performed due to the limitations of personalization stations. Support includes any commonly used functions that can be shared between processes such as data conversions and validations, for example. An exemplary support service 314 is the data validation processing of the year 2000. An additional example of a support service 314 is by formatting a string of ten digits of numbers representing a telephone number so that the area code is in p. 'arén thesis. The 305 customization server software operates on a computer system that includes one or more high-speed processors, a data communication capability compatible with the target personalization stations, access to external sources such as security or file servers and a multi-task operation system. The smart card personalization processes 308, identified as components of the personalization server software 305, use their own virtual memory and share sources as appropriate through the link or other common techniques well known to those skilled in the art. In summary, the personalization server software moves the processing tasks for the initialization and personalization of the smart cards from the personalization station to the personalization server. The personalization station interfaces with the software that is responsible for servicing the individual commands from the personalization server software. The Personalization Software Communication Process. Figure 4 illustrates the communication sequence between the interface software 304 of the personalization station and the personalization server software 305 in order to complete the personalization of a smart card. The process of personalizing the smart card begins at step 402 when the personalization station interface software 304 receives a unique card object identifier from the smart card personalization controller as shown in FIGS. In step 404, the interface software 304 of the personalization station requires the commands and data necessary to customize the card by passing the card object identifier through the server software. Upon receipt of the card object identifier, the server software 305 begins a customization session with the interface software 304 of the personalization station in step 406. Based on the object card identifier, the server software 305 operates and sends the unique data and commands for the card being customized to the personalization station interface software 304 in step 408. The data and commands are retrieved locally from the smart card personalization server or from data sources additional external as shown in Figure 2 including, for example, the card issuer handling system 150. In one embodiment, the personalization station interface software 304 is inactive in step 410 until it receives the commands and data from the personalization server software 305. Upon receipt of the commands and data, the station interface software customization 304 passes the commands and data directly to the smart card and returns the data and / or status signals to the server software 305 as an acknowledgment in step 412. An example of the data returned by the station interface software Customization 304 is a unique serial number for the card and a random number. The data in such a case can be used as part of a function provided by a security service such as an authentication algorithm. In step 414, the server software 305 processes the status and / or data signals returned by the personalization station interface software 304. For example, in step 408 the server software 305 sends a "select" command . The personalization station interface software 304 is inactive in step 410 until it receives the "select" command from the server. In step 412, the personalization station interface software 304 passes the "select" command on the smart card and returns a status signal as an acknowledgment to the server software 305. After receiving recognition in step 414, the server software 305 sends a "write" command and the data associated with the personalization station interface software 304 in step 408. The personalization station interface software 304 is inactive in step 410 until it receives the "write" command from the server software 305. In step 412, the personalization station passes the "select" command over the smart card and returns a status signal as an acknowledgment to the server software 305. The cycle from step 408 to step 410 to step 412 to step 414 continues until the customization is complete. Upon termination of the personalization of the smart card, the server software 305 sends a "full format" command to the personalization station interface software 304 in step 416. The personalization station interface software 304 is inactive in step 418 until the "full format" command is received from the server software 305. In the server stage 420 the personalization station interface software 304 sends a "full format" command acknowledgment to the server software 305 and the smart card. The customization process is completed in step 422 when the server software 305 receives the acknowledgment. Conclusion. In summary, the system of the present invention utilizes a personalization server for controlling smart card personalization in an environment having a plurality of personalization stations. The personalization server provides an interface for a plurality of card personalization stations and for external data or calculation resources that are not normally available directly to card personalization stations or that are not cost effective for reproduction in each card personalization station. The customization server downloads the processing of the initialization tasks and personalization of the smart cards from the personalization station to the personalization server. The personalization station is responsible for servicing the individual commands from the personalization server. An advantage of the present invention is that the personalization server can support multiple active personalization station sessions. An additional advantage is that the programming logic required in the personalization station is reduced to the handling of data transfer. Other mechanisms for controlling the smart card personalization process will be evident to those with experience in the art. It is understood that the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many other modalities will be evident to those with experience in the art when reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, together with the full scope equivalents to which such claims are authorized.

Claims (35)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method of controlling the programming of portable programmable data carriers in a system having a plurality of personalization stations, the method comprising: receiving an object card from a card issuing operation system, wherein the card object consists of information for programming portable programmed data carriers; receive a programming request from one of the personalization stations; and use the object card to control the personalization station as the personalization station schedules the portable programmed data carrier.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising acquiring the data from a data source.
3. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the data source is the card issuing management system.
4. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising acquiring security services from a security source.
5. 5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing support services.
6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a programming request is received comprising: receiving an object card identifier; and associate the object card identifier with the object card.
7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising acquiring security services from a security source.
8. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising providing support services.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the reception of a programming request comprises: receiving an object card identifier; and associate the object card with the object card identifier.
10. 10. A computerized system for controlling the programming of portable programmed data carriers through a plurality of personalization stations, the system comprising: a personalization server interface for acquiring services from one or more resources, transferring card information to one of the personalization stations, and control the programming of portable programmed data carriers; and a personalization station interface for receiving the card information from the personalization server interface and for programming one of the portable programmed data carriers.
11. The computerized system according to claim 10, characterized in that the services acquired by the personalization server interface are data servers.
12. 12. The computerized system according to claim 10, characterized in that the services acquired by the personalization server interface are security services.
13. 13. The computerized system according to claim 10, characterized in that the services acquired by the personalization server interface are support services.
14. The computerized system according to claim 10, further comprising a controller for receiving an object card identifier and for routing the object card identifier to one of the personalization stations.
15. 15. A computerized system for controlling the programming of portable programmed data carriers through a plurality of personalization stations, the system comprising: means for receiving one or more object cards from a card issuing management system, wherein the object cards comprise information for programming of portable programmed data carriers; means for receiving a programming request from the personalization station; and means for using the object card to control the personalization station as the personalization station programs the portable programmed data carrier.
16. 16. The computerized system according to claim 15, which also comprises means for acquiring security services from a security source.
17. 17. The computerized system according to claim 15, further comprising means for acquiring data from a data source.
18. 18. The comploatized system according to claim 17, characterized in that the data source is the card issuing management system.
19. 19. The computerized system according to claim 15, further comprising means for providing support services.
20. 20. The computerized system according to claim 15, characterized in that the programming request comprises a unique identifier of the object card.
21. 21. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored therein to cause a computer to execute a program control method of portable programmed data carriers, the method comprising: receiving one or more object cards from a system of card issuing management, characterized in that the object cards consist of information for programming the portable programmed data carriers; receive a request for programming from one of the personalization stations; and use the object card to control the personalization station as the personalization station schedules the portable programmed data carrier.
22. 22. The computer readable medium according to claim 21, which also has computer executable instructions for acquiring security services from a security source.
23. 23. The computer-readable medium according to claim 21, further having computer executable instructions for acquiring data from a data source.
24. 24. The computer readable medium according to claim 23, characterized in that the data source is the card issuing management system.
25. 25. The computer readable medium according to claim 21, which further has computer executable instructions for providing support services.
26. 26. A computer readable medium having stored therein a data structure comprising: a first data field containing data representing an object card for orchestrating a portable programmed data carrier; and a second data field containing data representing a unique identifier of the object card to identify the object card represented by the first data field.
27. 27. A system for issuing portable programmed data carriers comprising: a plurality of object cards identified by a similar plurality of object card identifiers; a plurality of personalization stations for receiving the object card identifiers and for programming the portable programmed data carriers using the information contained in the object card identified by the object card identifier; a controller for providing each personalization station with the object card identifier; and a personalization server for controlling the programming of a portable scheduled data carrier in response to a request from one of the personalization stations, where the personalization server translates the object card into commands and data and transfers the commands and data to the personalization stations that make the request.
28. 28. The system according to claim 27, characterized in that the personalization server acquires the services of one or more resources in response to a request from one of the personalized stations.
29. 29. A method of programming a portable programmable data carrier in a system having a server and a personalization station, the method comprising: receiving, by the personalization station, an object card identifier; request, through the personalization station, from the server, the information to program portable programmed data carriers; and program through the personalization station the portable programmed data carrier under the control of the server.
30. 30. A method of programming control of portable programmed data carriers in a system having a server and a plurality of personalization stations, the method comprising: receiving, via the server, an object card from a management system card issuer, wherein the object card consists of information for programming portable programmed data carriers; receive, through the server, a request for programming from one of the personalization stations; and using, through the server, the object card to control the personalization station as the personalization station schedules the portable programmed data carrier.
31. 31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising acquiring data through the server from a data source.
32. 32. The method according to claim 31, the data source is the card issuer handling system.
33. 33. The method according to claim 30, further comprising acquiring security services through the server from a security source.
34. 34. The method according to claim 30, further comprising providing support services through the server.
35. 35. The method according to claim 30, wherein upon receipt, by the server, a schedule request comprises: receiving an object card identifier; and associate the card-card dentifier with the object card.