Patent ID: 7886974

Claim:
A contactless smartcard interface system for use with hardware processing equipment, the hardware processing equipment including an RF antenna configured to enable communication with one or more presented contactless smartcards and a contactless smartcard terminal configured to manage peripheral hardware components, the contactless smartcard interface system including a universal smartcard module, the universal smartcard module being configured to be provided between the RF antenna and the contactless smartcard terminal and being further configured to communicate with presented contactless smartcards, the universal smartcard module including a plurality of interface modules, each of the plurality of interface modules being associated with a specific supported contactless smartcard type and differing from others of the plurality of interface modules in a language used to interface with their specific contactless smartcard type, the universal smartcard module being configured, on receipt of a communication from a contactless smartcard via the RF antenna, to determine a correct interface module with which to conduct subsequent communications with that contactless smartcard and to use that interface module for that subsequent communication.