Patent ID: 7594603

Claim:
A system of detecting biometric and non-biometric smart card devices, comprising: a smart card host; and a smart card device reader operably connected to the host and adapted to receive one of either a biometric or non-biometric smart card device, wherein a biometric smart card device includes a biometric circuit and the non-biometric smart card device does not include a biometric circuit, said smart card device reader including a reader circuit that generates power to preselected contacts of a smart card device received therein and communicates therewith, and operable for receiving an Answer to Reset signal and analyzing the Answer to Reset signal to determine if a data code is present indicative that the smart card device is a biometric smart card device to determine whether the received smart card device comprises a biometric smart card device or non-biometric smart card device, wherein if the smart card device is determined to be a biometric smart card device, said smart card reader is operable for applying power used for smart card device operation to a first contact of the biometric smart card device and applying power used by the biometric circuit of the biometric smart card device to a second contact, and if the smart card device is determined to be a non-biometric smart card device, applying power only to the first contact.