Patent ID: 6669096
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: G06K,G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
A smart card reader comprising:an input connector that interfaces with a smart card; a microcontroller; and a security component executing programs under the control of the microcontroller, the microcontroller having a normal operating mode in which the microcontroller executes a program contained in a read only memory of the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller also has a transparent operating mode that is automatically set upon receipt of a specific code on the input connector, and wherein the microcontroller receives from the input connector addressing instructions for memory areas and executes these instructions, interpreting them as instructions for access to memory areas of the security component, wherein the security component has an electrically programmable memory, and the transparent operating mode permits access to this memory in order to modify the content of areas which are not modifiable by the program executed in normal mode.