Browser Extension for Smart Card Access Without Middleware
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment of smart cards in web-based environments is hindered by the need for middleware installation on host computers, which is impractical due to privilege issues and update requirements, and web browsers expose different interfaces, making it difficult for web applications to access smart card functionality.
Innovation Solution
A web-browser extension provides an interface between web applications and the smart card resource manager, allowing communication through a script module that loads card-specific drivers on demand, enabling web applications to interact with smart cards without requiring middleware installation or updates, and providing a unified interface across different web browsers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If middleware is installed on host computer to enable smart card access, then smart card functionality is available, but system complexity increases and installation becomes impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the smart card access functionality from the host computer environment and relocates it to the web browser environment. The smart card resource manager and communication interface are implemented as browser extensions or web-based components, eliminating the need for host computer middleware installation while maintaining reliable smart card access through web application integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a web browser-based intermediary layer that mediates between web applications and smart cards. This browser-based resource manager acts as a mediator, providing the necessary communication interface without requiring installation on the host computer, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and installation complexity.
2Reliability
If middleware is installed on host computer for smart card access, then smart card functionality is available, but update requirements create deployment difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the smart card resource manager from the host computer operating system and relocates it to the web browser environment. Updates to the smart card access functionality can now be deployed through standard web application updates without requiring user action or administrative privileges, dramatically improving ease of operation for updates while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If different web browsers are used to access smart cards, then user choice is maintained, but interface incompatibility arises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal web-based interface that functions across all major web browsers. By using standard web technologies and browser extension APIs that are widely supported, the system achieves multi-browser compatibility without requiring separate implementations, thus maintaining adaptability while avoiding the complexity of multiple interface versions.
4Reliability
If web applications are made browser-specific to access smart cards, then interface compatibility is ensured, but application portability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal web-based smart card access interface that works across all major web browsers through standard browser extension mechanisms. This allows web applications to maintain full portability and adaptability while ensuring reliable interface compatibility through standardized browser APIs and web technologies.
Data Source
AI summary
A client-side application extension executable on a host computer from within a web-browser having the capability of executing at least one web-browser add-on to provide a user access to a smart card, connected to the host computer having a smart card resource manager, via the web-browser. The web-browser extension has instructions to direct the central processing unit to access data on the smart card via a web-browser and platform independent interface module and a web-browser and platform dependent wrapper module connected to the web-browser and platform independent interface module and to the smart card resource manager having a function processing module operable to receive a call to the at least one function for accessing data on the smart card and for transforming the function call into a corresponding call to the smart card resource manager.