Expanded Smart Card Interface for High Data Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard ISO 7816 smart cards with eight contact pins are inadequate for high-data-rate applications, particularly when performing decryption of audio/video transport streams, as they limit the amount of data that can be exchanged with the host device.
Innovation Solution
Enhanced smart cards with 16 pins, positioned in two sets of contact pads following the ISO 7816 and AFNOR standards, allowing for increased data exchange rates while maintaining compatibility with standard ISO 7816 devices, utilizing control circuitry to manage data exchange across both sets of pins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard ISO 7816 smart cards with eight contact pins are used, then compatibility with standard smart card readers is maintained, but data transfer rate and data exchange capacity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The contact pads are divided into two separate sets: a first set of eight contact pads arranged according to ISO 7816 standard for compatibility, and a second set of eight contact pads arranged according to AFNOR standard for enhanced data exchange. This segmentation allows the smart card to maintain backward compatibility while enabling higher data transfer rates through the additional contact pads.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the contact pad arrangement from a single set (ISO 7816) to two sets (ISO 7816 + AFNOR), effectively adding another dimension to the interface capability. This allows the smart card to operate in multiple modes: compatible mode using only the first set, and enhanced mode utilizing both sets for higher data exchange capacity.
2Productivity
If additional contact pads are added to increase data exchange capacity, then decryption of audio/video transport streams becomes feasible, but compatibility with standard ISO 7816 devices is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The smart card is designed with universal compatibility by incorporating both ISO 7816 and AFNOR contact pad arrangements. The control circuitry can selectively activate either the first set of contact pads for compatibility with standard devices, or both sets for enhanced data transfer, making the smart card universally applicable across different device types.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuitry dynamically selects which contact pad set to use based on the host device capabilities. During initialization, the smart card detects whether the host device supports AFNOR contact pads and automatically configures the appropriate interface mode, enabling seamless adaptation without user intervention.
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein is a smart card (208A) having a first set of contact pads (404) disposed on a first region of a first surface of the smart card and a second set of contact pads (406) disposed on a second region of the first surface. The first and second set of contact pads are configured to simultaneously electrically engage a socket of a host device and exchange data with the host device. The smart card also includes control circuitry (304) communicatively coupled to the first and second sets of contact pads and operable to control the exchange of data with the host device.