A portable terminal apparatus for an IC card for supplying a power source voltage in a predetermined timing

Abstract: An apparatus for performing processing on an integrated circuit medium includes a mechanism (1) for performing transfer to and from the integrated circuit medium held therein and a controller (11) adapted to supply a power supply voltage to the integrated circuit medium after a predetermined condition has been satisfied with the integrated circuit medium set in the apparatus and to stop the supply of the power supply voltage when predetermined processing is completed on the integrated circuit medium.

Description: The present invention relates to a portable terminal apparatus for an IC card which can selectively read out various transaction data and amount data from the IC card for use as a credit card and electronic money and display them. Recently, IC cards serving as a hand-held storage medium and including an IC chip having a nonvolatile memory and control element, such as a CPU (central processing unit) for controlling associated component parts have been utilized in various sectors of industry. This type of IC card, such as a credit card and electronic money, proves very useful if various kinds of transaction data, amount data, etc., stored therein can be read out if necessary and displayed. U.S. Patent No. 5,146,068 describes an IC card which has a timer circuit that shuts off the IC card within a predetermined time interval is used with a terminal which resets the timer circuit in the IC card in response to any terminal operations. This prevents the IC card from shutting itself off during the terminal operations. Recently, in order to achieve such an object of the present invention, a portable terminal apparatus for an IC card has been developed, such as the one described in U.S. Patent No. 5,247,164, which can be carried at all times with the user. The portable terminal apparatus is formed so as to have a card-like configuration. The apparatus includes a keyboard, liquid crystal display unit and battery for its own use and for a power supply to the IC card. With the IC card inserted, it selectively reads out the various transaction data and amount data, in accordance with a key operation on its keyboard and displays them. In such portable terminal apparatus, an internal circuit has conventionally been operated with a signal voltage supplied to the IC card. Further, in the case where key matching is to be done, password data for key matching is input to the apparatus after the IC card has been duly activated. In the case where the data is read out of the IC card, first the IC card is activated and corresponding data is read out and displayed. Until the display is finished, the IC card is kept ON and deactivated after the finishing of the display. Since, therefore, the IC card is supplied with an electric current during its activation, the efficiency of a dissipation current is poor. In the case where an error is generated at a time of reading the data out of the IC card, a corresponding error message is displayed and then deactivated. For this reason, until the display is finished the IC card stays activated and, during the activation, electric current flows through the IC card. As a result, the efficiency of the dissipation current is poor. In order for the conventional portable terminal apparatus to be made compact in size and low in cost, it is necessary to reduce the size and capacity of a battery serving as a power supply. However, there is a limit that the operation voltage of an associated internal circuit is made equal to that of the IC card. Further, with the IC card activated, a power supply voltage is kept to be supplied to the IC card. In the case where the password data is input from an outside, if either a wait is made for the password data to be input or no data is input to the apparatus, dissipation current continues to flow over a predetermined time period. For this reason, the dissipation current becomes very great and the life of the battery, that is, a power supply, becomes shortened. That is, the longer the access time of the IC card, the shorter the battery life. It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal apparatus for an IC card which can make a dissipation current small as a whole and prolong the life of a battery serving as a power supply. This object is achieved by the invention of claim 1. A further development of the invention is recited in claim 2. In the arrangement of the present invention, a power supply voltage is not supplied to the IC card, unlike U.S. Patent No. 5,247,164, throughout the period, in which the portable terminal apparatus is set in the IC card, and is supplied to the IC card only during a period in which the power supply voltage is required for data processing to be performed by the portable terminal apparatus on the IC card. In other words, the conventional apparatus is adapted to automatically supply the power supply voltage to the IC card in response to the detection of the setting of the IC card in the apparatus and, therefore, the power supply voltage continued to be supplied over a prolonged time period in which the power supply voltage is no longer necessary. According to the present invention, the power supply voltage is supplied only during a time period in which it is truly required at a time of, for example, reading or writing data. According to the present invention, it is possible to lower the dissipation power involved. The object of the invention is also achieved by the method of claim 3. In the data processing method of the present invention, the power supply voltage is supplied to the IC card, only after the password data input to the portable terminal apparatus is decided as being true, instead of supplying the power supply voltage to the IC card immediately upon insertion of the IC card into the apparatus as in the prior art. Since dissipation current is not generated in the IC card during the password deciding processing of the portable terminal apparatus at which it is not necessary to supply the power supply voltage to the IC card, it is possible to provide a data processing method capable of reducing the dissipation current involved. Further, it is possible, according to the present invention, to supply a power supply voltage only during a time period required for data processing to be performed and stop it during the rest of the time period. It is, thus, possible to reduce the dissipation current even in this case. This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing an outer appearance of a portable terminal apparatus and an IC card therefor according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram diagrammatically showing an arrangement of the portable terminal apparatus for the IC card; FIG. 3 is a block diagram diagrammatically showing an arrangement of the IC card; FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a voltage conversion circuit; FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining a readout operation of data from the IC card; and FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of writing data to the IC card. The embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a portable terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and an associated IC card shown as an outer appearance. That is, the portable terminal apparatus 1 is so formed as to have a card-like configuration. The apparatus has, at one surface side, a display means 2 for displaying various data as well as a keyboard 3 serving as an input means for inputting password data and other data. A card insertion inlet 4 is provided on one side face of the portable terminal apparatus to allow the IC card 5 to be inserted and set therein. The IC card 5 has a contact section 6 provided at a predetermined place on its one surface and adapted to be electrically connected to an interface section of the portable terminal apparatus 1. FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the portable terminal apparatus 1 diagrammatically. That is, a controller 11 is comprised of, mainly, a CPU and adapted to effect general control. To the controller 11 are connected a ROM (read only memory) 12 for storing a control program, etc., a RAM (random access memory) 13 serving as a memory means for use in a work memory, a display drive circuit 14 for effecting the drive control of the display section 2, an IC card drive voltage conversion circuit 15, and a keyboard 3. An IC card interface (I/F) section 16 and a battery 17 are connected to the voltage conversion circuit 15, the interface section 16 serving as an interface means for signal transfer to and from the IC card via the contact section 6, the battery serving as a power source. As the battery 17 use is made of, for example, a 3 volt battery as the power source. FIG. 3 is a view diagrammatically showing the arrangement of the IC card 5. That is, the IC card 5 is comprised of the contact section 6 and an IC chip 21. The IC chip 21 comprises a CPU 22 serving as a control device, a ROM 23 for storing a control program of the CPU 22, a RAM 24 serving as a work memory, an EEPROM 25 serving as a nonvolatile memory for data storage, and so on. FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of a voltage conversion circuit 15. The voltage conversion circuit 15 comprises a converter 31 and four IC versions of buffer circuits 32, 33, 34 and 35 and uses five control signals and a power source voltage input from the power source 17. That is, a CNT signal is constituted by a control signal for converting, for example, +3V to +5V and is supplied to the converter 31. Through the application of the CNT signal, the converter 31 converts a power source voltage (+3V) from the power source 17 to +5V. The converted voltage is supplied as a VCC signal (power source voltage) from the IC card I/F section 16 to the IC card 5. A CNT-RST signal corresponds to a +3V level reset signal from the controller 11 and is converted to a +5V level by the buffer circuit 32 connected to a +5V line 36 leading to the output terminal of the converter 31. The converted voltage level is passed through the IC card I/F section 16 and serves as a RST signal (a reset signal) to the IC card 5. A CNT-CLK signal corresponds to a +3V level clock signal from the control section 11 and is converted to a +5V level by a buffer circuit 33 connected to a +5V line 36 leading to the output terminal of the converter 31. The converted voltage passes through the IC card I/F section 16 and serves as a CLK signal (clock signal) to the IC card 5. A CNT-IO-IN signal corresponds to a signal obtained by converting a 5V level I/O signal (data signal) which comes from the I/C card 5 through the I/C card I/F section 16 to a +3V level signal by means of the buffer circuit 34 connected to a +3V line 37 coming from the battery 17. The CNT-IO-IN signal is input to the control section 11. A CNT-IO-OUT signal corresponds to a +3V level data signal from the control section 11. This signal is converted to a +5V level by a buffer circuit 35 connected to the +5V line 36 leading to the output terminal of the converter 31 and serves as an I/O signal (data signal) to the I/C card 5 via the I/C card I/F section 16. In the arrangement above, the data read operation from the I/C card 5 will be explained below with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. 5. In the arrangement above, if data is to be read out from the I/C card 5, confirmation is made as to whether or not the I/C card 5 is inserted via the card insertion inlet and set in the apparatus (S1). Then password data (for example, a personal identification number) is input from the keyboard 3 for key matching. The controller 11 decides whether or not the password is duly entered in the apparatus (S3). If YES, the controller 11 commands the activation of the IC card 5 (S5). The activation operation is carried out as follows. That is, by the enabling of a CNT signal, a VCC signal (power source voltage) of +5V is supplied to the IC card 5, while, at the same time, by the enabling of a CNT-CLK signal, a CLK signal is supplied to the IC card 5. Further, a CNT-RST signal is changed from an ON state to an OFF state. By a CNT-IO-IN signal, the controller circuit 11 receives an initial response data from the IC card 5. If the initial response data is duly received from the IC card 5, the controller 11 sends a key matching command to the IC card 5 by the previously input password (S7). By doing so, the key matching processing (the matching of the password data) is effected in the IC card 5. If any error occurs in the key matching processing (S9), the controller 11 commands the deactivation of the IC card 5 (S19). The deactivation operation is carried out as follows. That is, the CNT-RST signal is turned ON and the CNT-CLK signal is turned OFF and, further, the CNT signal is turned OFF. The controller 11 commands a message showing a password error to be displayed on a display unit 2 (S21). If the key matching processing is duly ended (S9), the controller 11 commands the execution of a data readout to the IC card (S11). Given data is read from the EEPROM 25 of the IC card 5 (S13) and stored in a RAM 13. Thereafter, even with the IC card in the inserted state, the controller 11 commands the deactivation of the IC card 5 as set out above (S15). Then the controller 11 commands the display, on the display unit 2, of the readout data stored from the IC card 5 into the RAM 13 (S17). There is sometimes the case where a plurality of data are read out of the IC card 5 and temporarily stored in the RAM 13 and, by a select operation at the keyboard 3, desired data is selected from the RAM 13 and displayed on the display unit 2. There is also the case where, by a predetermined key operation at the keyboard 3, calculation is performed, on the data of the RAM 13, based on a specific algorithm and a result of computation is displayed on the display unit 2. If an error occurs in the read processing (S13), the controller 11 commands the deactivation of the IC card 5 (S23). The controller 11 enables the display, on the display unit 2, of a message showing a data readout error (S25). As set out above, according to the embodiment, since, even at a time of normal data reading operation, the readout data is displayed at the ending of the deactivation of the IC card, a time of access to the IC card becomes minimal. Thus the lifetime of the battery serving as the power source becomes prolonged. With reference to the flow chart as shown in FIG. 6, explanation will be given about the operation of writing data from the IC card 5 in the arrangement as set out above. In the case where data is to be written into the IC card 5, confirmation is made as to whether or not the IC card 5 is inserted through the card insertion inlet and set in the apparatus (S31). First, a password (such as a personal identification number) is input from the keyboard 3 to the apparatus for key matching (S32). If the controller 11 decides the password as being duly input to the apparatus (S33), the controller 11 enables the activation of the IC card 5 (S35). The activation of the IC card is effected as follows. That is, by turning a CNT signal ON, a VCC (power source voltage) of +5V is supplied to the IC card 5 and, through the turning ON of a CNT-CLK signal, a CLK signal is supplied from the IC card 5 to the apparatus and, further, a CNT-RST signal is changed from an ON state to an OFF state. By a CNT-IO-IN signal, the controller 11 receives an initial response data from the IC card 5. If the initial response data is duly received from the IC card 5, the controller 11 executes a key matching command to the IC card 5 by the initially input password data (S37). By doing so, the key matching processing (the matching of the password data) is performed in the IC card 5. If an error is generated in the key matching processing (S39), the controller 11 enables the deactivation of the IC card 5 (S49). The deactivation operation is carried out as follows. That is, the CNT-RST signal is turned ON, the CNT-CLK signal is turned OFF and the CNT signal is turned OFF. The controller 11 enables the display, on the display unit 2, of a message showing a password error (S51). If the key matching processing is duly ended (S39), the controller 11 executes data write command to the IC card 5 (S41) and, by doing so, given data input to the EEPROM 25 in the IC card 5 is written in the apparatus (S43). Even with the IC card set in the apparatus, the controller 11 executes the deactivation of the IC card 5 (S45). Then, the controller 11 enables the display, on the display unit 2, of the end of the write operation (S47). If any error occurs in the write processing (S43), the controller 11 enables the execution of the deactivate operation to the IC card 5 (S53). The controller 11 enables the display, on the display unit 2, of a message showing the data write error (S55). According to the embodiment as set out above, the battery (power source) is made lower in voltage involved and the operation voltage stays at a lower voltage (3V). As a whole, dissipation current can be lowered because a signal voltage for the IC card I/F is applied only to the case where it is necessary to achieve the conversion of the lower voltage by the voltage conversion circuit to a specific voltage (5V) for the IC card. Further, in the case where the key matching is effected for the IC card, a time taken for access to be gained to the IC card becomes minimal because the password data is input to the apparatus before the activation of the IC card. In consequence, the battery life as the power source becomes prolonged. In the case where any error is generated at a time of gaining access to the IC card, an error status is displayed after the deactivate operation of the IC card and the time for access to the IC card becomes minimal. Thus, the battery life becomes lengthened. Even at a time of normal data read operation, a readout data is displayed after the deactivate operation of the IC card has been ended. This also ensures a minimal access time for the IC card and prolonged battery life. Even in a write operation, the activate operation is performed after the setting of the password and the deactivate operation is performed after the ending of the write operation. This can minimize the dissipation of the power source (battery). According to the present invention, as set out more in detail, it is possible to provide a portable terminal apparatus for the IC card which can reduce the dissipation current as a whole and lengthen the battery life.

Claims: A portable terminal apparatus (1) for an IC card (5), comprising: an IC card insertion section (4); an inputting section (3) for inputting key data; means (15, 16, 17) for supplying a power source voltage to an IC card (5) inserted in the IC card insertion section; matching means (11, 16) for transmitting a key matching command with the inputted key data to the IC card to have key matching executed in the IC card; processing means (11) for reading data from and writing data to the IC card when the key matching has been carried out without errors; and means (2) for displaying the data read from the IC card by the processing means; characterized in that : the supplying means (15, 16, 17) is adapted to supply the power source voltage to the IC card (5) inserted in the IC card insertion section (4) only after the key data has been input by the inputting section (3); the apparatus comprises means (11) for stopping the power source voltage supply to the IC card when the key matching is not successfully completed or when the processing means (11) has completed processing data with the IC card; and the displaying means (2) is adapted to display the data read from the IC card after the stopping means (11) has stopped supplying the power source voltage to the IC card. The portable terminal apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supplying means comprises a battery (17) for generating a first voltage and a voltage conversion circuit (15) for increasing the first voltage generated by the battery to a second voltage, the second voltage being higher than the first voltage and being supplied to the IC card (5). A method for operating a system which includes a terminal apparatus (1) and an IC card (5), comprising: confirming (S1) that the IC card has been inserted in the terminal apparatus; confirming (S2) that key data has been input by an inputting sections (3) in the terminal apparatus after it has been confirmed that the IC card has been inserted in the terminal apparatus; supplying (S5) a power supply voltage to the IC card; transmitting (S7) a key matching command with the inputted key data to the IC card to have key matching executed in the IC card; reading (S11) data from or writing data to the IC card when the key matching has been carried out without errors; and displaying (S17) the data from the IC card; characterized in that : the power supply voltage is supplied to the IC card (5) only after it has been confirmed that the key data has been input; the power supply voltage to the IC card is stopped when an error has occurred in the key matching or when the step of reading data from or writing data to the IC card has been completed; and the data read from the IC card is displayed after the supply of the power source voltage to the IC card has been stopped.

Inventors: KURIYAMA RYOUICHI, KURIYAMA, RYOUICHI
Applicants: TOSHIBA KK, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G06F15
IPC codes: G06F15, G06K7, G06K17