Patent Abstract:
A message processing arrangement includes an arrangement for receiving a message, identifying a message format, and decoding a command of the received message on the basis of the message format identified, and then processing the message in accordance with the decoded command.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a portable electronic apparatus such as an IC card which receives externally transmitted messages and executes various processes in accordance with commands contained in the received messages, and a message processing method. 
     IC cards are expected to come into wide use in the future. With this expectation, various proposals have been made concerning IC cards. In general, important data demanding high security, e.g., a password, is often stored in an IC card. In rewriting such important data demanding high security, as techniques of protecting the important data against interception or tampering by a third party, for example, the following are known: a technique of encrypting the data string of the important data; and a technique of adding auxiliary data for a validity check to the important data. 
     The above techniques are defined by commands. One IC card can use only one type of message format. Assume that the execution of the technique of encrypting data strings or the technique of adding auxiliary data is defined by a command in a given IC card. In this IC card, therefore, even when the data is to be rewritten into data with low security, the technique of encrypting data strings or the technique of adding auxiliary data is used. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and has as its object to provide a portable electronic apparatus and message processing method which can decode a plurality of message formats. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a portable electronic apparatus comprising reception means for receiving a message, identification means for identifying a message format of the message received by the reception means, and processing means for decoding a command of the message received by the reception means on the basis of the message format identification result obtained by the identification means, and performing processing in accordance with the decoded command. 
     In addition, according to the present invention, there is provided a message processing method comprising the first step of receiving a message, the second step of identifying a message format of the message received in the first step, and the third step of decoding a command of the message received in the first step on the basis of the message format identification result obtained in the second step, and performing processing in accordance with the decoded command. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of an IC card processing system for processing an IC card; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the functions of the IC card; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of the IC card; 
     FIG. 4 is a view for explaining several message formats transmitted to the IC card through an external device (card reader/writer); and 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining message processing in the IC card. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the views of the accompanying drawing. In this case, a portable electronic apparatus of the present invention is applied to an IC card. 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of an IC card processing system for processing an IC card. As shown in FIG. 1, the IC card processing system is comprised of an IC card  11 , card reader/writer  12 , terminal  13 , keyboard  14 , display (CRT display)  15 , printer  16 , and the like. That is, this IC card processing system allows the IC card  11  to be connected to the terminal  13  through the card reader/writer  12 , and the keyboard  14 , display  15 , and printer  16  are connected to the terminal  13 . 
     The functions of the IC card  11  will be briefly described next with reference to FIG.  2 . As shown in FIG. 2, the functions of the IC card  11  are implemented by a read/write section (R/W)  21 , encryption/decryption section  22 , password setting/collation section  23 , and supervisor section  24 . The read/write section (R/W)  21 , encryption/decryption section  22 , and password setting/collation section  23  serve to implement the basic function. The supervisor section  24  supervises the basic function and serves to decode and execute a function code or function with data, which is input through the card reader/writer  12 . 
     To perform these functions, the IC card  11  has an arrangement like the one shown in FIG.  3 . The IC card  11  is comprised of a control section  31 , data memory  32 , program memory  33 , RAM  34 , contact section  35 , and the like. The program memory  33  is a mask ROM in which various programs are stored. The data memory  32  is an EEPROM, which is used to store various data. 
     Various message formats sent to the IC card  11  through an external device (card reader/writer  12 ) will be described next with reference to FIG.  4 . The IC card  11  (control section  31 ) decodes the functions designated by the command header fields of all message formats  1  to  4  shown in FIG.  4 . 
     Message format  1  is a format having a command header field and data field. In general, this message format  1  is transmitted from an external device (card reader/writer  12 ). 
     Message format  2  is a format having a command header field and encrypted data field. Upon reception of message format  2 , the IC card  11  decrypts the encrypted data field contained in message format  2  and converts (reconstructs) it into message format  1 . Decryption is performed by the encryption/decryption section  22 . 
     Message format  3  is a format having a command header field, data field, and auxiliary data field for guaranteeing the data field. Upon reception of message format  3 , the IC card  11  performs a validity check on the data field by using the auxiliary data field contained in message format  3 . Upon determining that the data field is valid, the IC card  11  deletes the auxiliary data field and converts (reconstructs) message format  3  into message format  1 . 
     Message format  4  is a format having a command header field, encrypted data field, and auxiliary data field for guaranteeing the encrypted data field. Upon reception of message format  4 , the IC card  11  performs a validity check on the encrypted data field by using the auxiliary data field contained in message format  4 . Upon determining that the data field is valid, the IC card  11  deletes the auxiliary data field, decrypts the encrypted data field, and converts (reconstructs) the message into message format  1 . 
     Data processing in the IC card  11  will be described next with reference to the flow chart of FIG.  5 . 
     STEP 1: The IC card  11  receives a message transmitted from an external device (card reader/writer  12 ) through the contact section  35 . 
     STEP 2: The control section  31  identifies a specific one of message formats  1  to  4  in FIG. 4 which is permitted by a work file for the received message. If the received message is permitted, the flow advances to STEP 4. Otherwise, the flow advances to STEP 3. 
     STEP 3: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  outputs a response indicating “format is not permitted” to the external device. 
     STEP 4: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  checks whether the message format of the received message is message format  1 . If the message format of the received message is message format  1 , the flow advances to STEP 15. Otherwise, the flow advances to STEP 5. 
     STEP 5: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  checks whether the message format of the received message is message format  2 . If the message format of the received message is message format  2 , the flow advances to STEP 11. Otherwise, the flow advances to STEP 6. 
     STEP 6: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  checks whether verification data (e.g., an encryption key) for verifying the auxiliary data field is set. If the verification data is set, the flow advances to STEP 8. Otherwise, the flow advances to STEP 7. 
     STEP 7: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  outputs a response indicating “no verification data” to the external device. 
     STEP 8: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  verifies the data field or encrypted data field by using the auxiliary data. If the control section  31  determines that the data field or encrypted data field is valid, the flow advances to STEP 10. Otherwise, the flow advances to STEP 9. 
     STEP 9: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  outputs a response indicating “verification failure” to the external device. 
     STEP 10: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  checks whether the message format of the received message is message format  4 . If the message format of the received message is message format  4 , the flow advances to STEP 11. Otherwise, the flow advances to STEP 14. 
     STEP 11: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  checks whether decryption data (e.g., a decryption key) for decrypting the encrypted data field of the received message is set. If the decryption data is set, the flow advances to STEP 13. Otherwise, the flow advances to STEP 12. 
     STEP 12: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  outputs a response indicating “no decryption data for decrypting encrypted data field” to the external device. 
     STEP 13: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  decrypts the encrypted data field by using the decryption data. 
     STEP 14: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  converts (reconstructs) the message format of the received message into a format of “command header field+data field” which is identical to message format  1 . 
     STEP 15: The control section  31  of the IC card  11  decodes the command header field and executes processing in accordance with each command. 
     As has been described above, according to the present invention, a portable electronic apparatus and message processing method which can use a plurality of message formats can be provided. This makes it possible to apply a format with high safety to data with high security and apply a format with low safety to data with low security. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8