FR2944123A1 - Smartcard e.g. global system for mobile communication subscriber identity module card, for use in portable telephone, has register memorizing explicit information representing absence or presence of component in card - Google Patents

Abstract

The card e.g. subscriber identity module card (100), has a microcontroller (110) for authenticating and identifying a subscriber near a telecommunication network. The microcontroller secures communication between the card and the network. The microcontroller includes a register (121), which memorizes explicit information representing absence or presence of a component i.e. accelerometer (140), in the card. A communication unit i.e. input/output interface (130), communicates with a reader of the card to send a response message comprising the information to the reader. An independent claim is also included for a method for configuration of a reader of a smart card.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is in the field of microcircuit cards and more particularly in that of microcircuit cards for mobile phones. It applies in particular to SIM, 3G U-SIM and CDMA R-UIM GSM cards. In a known manner, such microcircuit cards are subscription cards to the GSM, 3G, CDMA mobile telecommunication network.

These cards include a microcontroller whose main function is to authenticate and identify the subscriber (or more generally the subscriber) to the telecommunications network, and secure communication with the network, typically by setting implementation of cryptographic algorithms.

Recently we have known microcircuit cards for mobile phones that incorporate, in addition to the aforementioned microcontroller, a second component. The document EP 1 710 600 describes in particular a SIM card incorporating a GPS receiver separate from the main microcontroller of this SIM card. In known manner, these microcircuit cards have the characteristic of being removable, which means that they can easily be removed from a mobile phone to be installed in another mobile phone.

Therefore, it is common, that the software applications installed on a mobile phone, can not fully benefit from the additional component (s) incorporated in such a microcircuit card.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback. Consequently, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a microcircuit card comprising a microcontroller capable of authenticating and identifying the identity of a subscriber with a telecommunications network and of securing communications between the microcircuit card and said microcontroller. network, this microcontroller comprising a register which stores an explicit information representative of the presence or absence of a component in this microcircuit card. According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a microcircuit card reader comprising means for obtaining, from this microcircuit card, explicit information representative of the presence or absence of a component in this microcircuit card.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for configuring a reader of a microcircuit card, this method comprising a step of obtaining an explicit information representative of the presence or absence of a component. in said microcircuit card.

Thus, according to the invention, the card communicates to the reader an explicit information of the absence or the presence of a component in the card. This means in particular that when the card does not have this component, the reader is clearly informed so that the software applications that can use this component can be configured accordingly. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the explicit information representative of the presence or absence of a component is stored in a non-volatile memory of the card, for example in a rewritable non-volatile memory or memory dead.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the microcircuit card is a microcircuit card for a mobile phone, for example a SIM card, U-SIM card, or R-UIM card, and the aforementioned reader is a mobile phone.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the microcircuit card spontaneously communicates the aforementioned information to the reader. In another variant embodiment of the invention, the microcircuit card comprises means of communication with a reader of this card able to send the reader a response message containing this information. In a particular embodiment, the response message comprising information representative of the presence or absence of a particular component in the card, is the ANSWER TO RESET response, compliant with the ISO 7816 standard, this response being sent by the microcircuit card after switching on the card. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the microcircuit card sends the presence or absence information to the reader upon receipt of a first command received from the reader. This first command can be the TERMINAL PROFILE command compliant with the ETSI TS 102 223 standard, such a command being normally provided to enable the reader to transmit his profile to the microcircuit card. In known manner, some microcircuit cards for mobile phones include a standard file EF_SUME, defined by ETSI standard SCP 100.221, stored at the root of the file system of a rewritable non-volatile memory EEPROM card, such a file comprising AID descriptors of software applications that can be executed by the microcontroller of the card. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the register storing the information representative of the presence or absence of a component in the microcircuit card is a register of the EF_SUME file. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the microcircuit card comprises, in addition to the presence information of a component, a static characteristic of this component. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the microcircuit card spontaneously sends these static characteristics to the reader of the card. In a variant, the communication means of the card are able to: receive a second command from the reader of the card; and - sending to this reader a second response message comprising at least one static characteristic of this component.

In a general manner, the first and second commands, as well as the first and second responses, may comply with the ISO 7816 standard. In a particular embodiment, these commands may be confused.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the microcircuit card reader comprises means for downloading or setting up a software application according to the information representative of the presence or absence of a particular component on the card. microcircuit, and if necessary depending on the static characteristics of this component. The invention thus addresses the problem posed, since it enables a mobile phone to automatically detect, that is to say without user intervention, the components incorporated in a microcircuit card, and to download and / or configure software applications based on the actual capabilities of the microcircuit card.

In a particular embodiment, the various steps of the configuration method are determined by computer program instructions. Consequently, the invention also relates to a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented in a microcircuit card reader or more generally in a computer, this program comprising adapted instructions implementing the steps of a configuration method as described above.

This program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other form desirable shape.

The invention also relates to a computer-readable information medium, comprising instructions of a computer program as mentioned above. The information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a diskette (floppy disc) or a disk hard. On the other hand, the information medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The program according to the invention can be downloaded in particular on an Internet type network. Alternatively, the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment having no limiting character. In the figures: FIGS. 1A and 1B show a microcircuit card according to a particular embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 represents a microcircuit card reader according to a particular embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 3 represents, in flowchart form, the main steps of a configuration method according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT FIG. 1A represents a microcircuit card 100 according to the invention.

In the embodiment described here, it is a SIM card according to ISO 7816. It comprises an input / output interface 130 and a microcontroller 110. These elements are connected by a bus. The microcontroller 110 performs the traditional functions of microcontrollers of microcircuit cards for mobile phones; it is particularly adapted to verify the identity of a subscriber to a mobile telephone network. According to the invention, the microcontroller 110 comprises a set of registers 121, each being representative of the presence or absence of a specific component in the card.

In the embodiment described here, these registers 121 are the registers of a rewritable non-volatile memory 120 of the EEPROM type. In the embodiment described here, this non-volatile rewritable memory 120 EEPROM comprises five registers representative of the presence or absence of: a GPS receiver; an accelerometer (MEMS); - a battery (BAT); a component (WL) comprising wireless communication means, for example of the Blutooth, WiFi, NFC or USB type; and a second microcontroller, for example adapted to implement a biometric verification application or a banking application compliant with the EMV standard.

In the embodiment described here, the microcircuit card 100 has none of these components and each of the registers 121 has the value "0". It will be noted that in the example of FIG. 1A, the microcircuit card 100 does not contain any specific means for communicating this information to a reader of the card, such reader being able to interrogate the memory 120 to obtain each of this information. . In the case of FIG. 1B, the microcircuit card 100 comprises, in addition to the microcontroller 110, a component 140 constituted, in the example described here, by an accelerometer.

Therefore, according to the invention, the rewritable non-volatile memory 110, incorporated in the microcircuit card 100, comprises a register 121 representative of the fact that this card comprises an accelerometer. It is found, in fact, that the register 121 associated with the MEMS accelerometer has the value "1" representative of this presence.

In the embodiment described here, the memory 120 further comprises a register 122 in which are stored static characteristics of this accelerometer. In the example described here, the static characteristics indicate that the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer and that its latency time is 100 ms. In the embodiment described here, the microcontroller 110 also comprises a software application 111, able to receive and process a command from the reader 1000 and to read the registers 121 of the memory 120, to obtain the presence information and the characteristics static of a 140 component of the card and communicate them to a 1000 reader of that card. In the embodiment described here, the microcontroller 110 also comprises a software application 112, for example in ROM, for controlling the accelerometer 140. FIG. 2 shows a reader 1000 according to a particular embodiment. of the invention. This is a mobile phone. This telephone comprises a controller 200 connected by a bus 20 to a screen 400, to a rewritable non-volatile memory 300 of the EEPROM type and to a SIM card 100 according to the invention. In the exemplary embodiment described here, the rewritable non-volatile memory 300 comprises a software application 310 enabling the user, via the human machine interface of his telephone, to download a game 2100 by interrogating a download server 2000 via the mobile phone network. Referring to Figure 3, we will describe a method, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, for configuring the mobile phone 1000 of Figure 2.

In the embodiment described here, this method is implemented by a computer program stored in the rewritable non-volatile memory 300 of the phone 1000. We will assume that during a step E5, a user of the mobile phone 1000 launches the software application 310 to download a game. This step is followed by a step E8 during which the processor 200 sends, to the SIM card 100, a first APDU1 APDU (Application Protocol Data Unit) command, conforming to the standard ISO 7816, to determine whether or not the SIM card 100 has an accelerometer. Upon receipt of this command, the microcontroller 110 of the SIM card 100 sends, to the reader 1000, an APDU2 response message having the value "0" or "1" of the register 121 associated with the MEMS accelerometer.

This APDU2 response is received by the reader 1000 during a step E10. Alternatively, the microcircuit card may communicate the value of the register 121 to the reader 1000 in an ATR (Answer to Reset) response message at the time of power-up. In the embodiment described here, the telephone 1000 20 considers, during a step E15, that the SIM card 100 comprises an accelerometer if the value received in the step E10 is "1". If the phone 1000 considers that the SIM card 100 does not include an accelerometer, it downloads, during a step E20, a game 2100 that can be implemented by the mobile phone 1000 does not include the functions offered by an accelerometer. On the contrary, if the mobile phone 1000 determines that the card 100 comprises an accelerometer, it downloads, during a step E25 a game 2100 which implements functions taking into account the results of an accelerometer.

In the embodiment described here, the processor 200 sends, during a step E30, a second APDU3 APDU command according to the ISO 7816 standard, to the card 100 to obtain the static characteristics of this accelerometer.

The processor 200 thus obtains, during a step E35, an APDU4 response indicating that the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer, with a latency time of 100 ms. The processor 200 then configures the game 2100 downloaded in step E40 according to these static characteristics.

Then, during a step E45, the game application 2100, implemented by the processor 200, opens a communication channel with the software application 112 for managing the accelerometer 140 on the SIM card. The processor 200 then periodically queries, ie every 100 milliseconds, the software application 112 for the history of the movements detected by the accelerometer 140 during this period of time. Those skilled in the art will understand that this duration of 100 milliseconds is a configuration data of the game corresponding to the static characteristics CS of the accelerometer 140. When the processor 200 detects the end of the game in step E60, it closes the channel with the software application 112 during a step E65.

Claims (9)

REVENDICATIONS1. A microcircuit card (100) comprising a microcontroller (110) adapted to authenticate and identify the identity of a subscriber (SIM, RUM) with a telecommunications network and to secure communications between said microcircuit card (100) and said network, said microcircuit card (100) being characterized in that said microcontroller (110) comprises a register (121) which stores explicit information representative of the presence or absence of a component (140) in said card with microcircuit (100). 2. Microcircuit card (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (111, 130) for communication with a reader (1000) of said microcircuit card (100) able to: - send, audit reader (1000), a first response message (ATR, APDU2) comprising said information. 3. Microcircuit card (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that said means (111, 130) for communication are able to send said first response message (APDU2) on receipt of a first command (APDU1) received from said reader (1000); and 4. Microcircuit card (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises said component (140) and in that said communication means (111, 130) are furthermore capable of: - receiving a second command ( APDU3) of said reader (1000); and 12 - sending, to said reader (1000), a second response message (APDU4) having at least one static characteristic (CS) of said component (140). 5. microcircuit card according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that at least one element selected from said first command (APDU1), said second command (APDU3), said first response (APDU2) and said second answer (APDU4) complies with the ISO 7816 standard. 6. Microcircuit card according to claim 2, characterized in that said first response (ATR) is the ANSWER TO RESET response, compliant with the ISO 7816 standard, this response being sent by said microcircuit card following the powering up of said map (100). 7. Microcircuit card according to claim 3, characterized in that said first command (APDU1) is the TERMINAL PROFILE command compliant with the ETSI TS 102 223 standard. 8. microcircuit card according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it stores an EF_SUME file defined by the ETSI SCP 100.221 standard and in that said register (121) is a register of said file. 25 9. Reader (1000) microcircuit card (100) characterized in that it comprises means (200) for obtaining, from said microcircuit card (100), explicit information representative of the presence or absence of a component (140) in said microcircuit card (100). 3010 reader (1000) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises means for downloading or parameterizing a software module (2100) according to said information. 11. A method of configuring a reader (1000) of a microcircuit card (100), this method comprising a step (ElO) for obtaining an explicit information representative of the presence or absence of a component (140) in said microcircuit card (100). 12. Configuration method according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises: - a step (E8) of sending a first command (APDU1) to said microcircuit card (100); and a step (ElO) of receiving a first response message (ATR, APDU2) comprising information representative of the presence or absence of a component (140) in said microcircuit card (100). 13. Configuration method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that it comprises a step (E20, E25) of downloading 20 a software application (2100) selected according to said information. 14. Configuration method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that it comprises: a step (E30) of sending a second command (APDU3) to said microcircuit card (100) ; a step (E35) for receiving a second response message (APDU4) comprising at least one static characteristic (CS) of said component (140); and a step (E40) of configuring a software application (2100) according to said static characteristic (CS).