Patent ID: 7237719

Claim:
An apparatus for a smart card, the apparatus comprising: an access interface including an antenna and a wired interface; a mode detection circuit coupled to the access interface to detect a wireless communication mode and at least one wired communication mode to the smart card, the mode detection circuit including a wireless detection circuit and a wired detection circuit; a switching block coupled to the mode detection circuit to send a set of mode operation signals based on a type of mode detected by the mode detection circuit; and a controller coupled to the switching block and the mode detection circuit to enable operation of the smart card in a first wireless communication mode or in a first at least one wired communication mode based on the set of mode operation signals, and to subsequently enable simultaneous operation of the smart card in: both the first wireless communication mode and in a second at least one wired communication mode, or both the first at least one wired communication mode and in a second wireless communication mode.