IC card

Abstract

A multifunction IC card (MFC) has compatibility with a multimedia card, an SD card, etc. in that connector terminals (# 1 through # 13 ) are disposed on a card substrate ( 1 ) in two rows in a zigzag fashion, and realizes multifunction facilities in that a memory card unit ( 3 ) and an SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card unit ( 4 ) are respectively exclusively connected and mounted to predetermined terminals of the connector terminals (# 1 through # 13 ). The memory card unit ( 3 ) and the SIM card unit ( 4 ) are respectively separately provided with areas for storing secrete codes for security. Thus, one IC card is capable of implementing multifunction facilities different in security level. Owing to the adoption of a plural-column layout corresponding to a form typified by the zigzag fashion in an array of the connector terminals, a relatively simple structure can be adopted in a card slot, wherein the amounts of protrusion of slot terminals in a card slot are alternately changed in association with a zigzag section, and the slot terminals are disposed in a row in parallel as a whole.

1 . An IC card comprising: 
 a first functional block and a second functional block each comprising a semiconductor integrated circuit; and    a plurality of connector terminals exposed,    wherein said plurality of connector terminals are disposed in plural rows in a zigzag fashion between columns adjacent to one another back and forth as viewed in an insertion direction of said IC card, and    wherein said connector terminals include a first connector terminal connected and dedicated to the first functional block, a second connector terminal connected and dedicated to the second functional block, and a third connector terminal sharing an operating power supply commonly to both the first functional block and the second functional block.    
     
     
         2 . An IC card comprising: 
 a first functional block and a second functional block each comprising a semiconductor integrated circuit; and    a plurality of connector terminals exposed,    wherein said plurality of connector terminals have an array of two columns formed back and forth as viewed in an IC card insertion direction, and an array of terminal-to-terminal areas between the connector terminals disposed in a first column, and terminal-to-terminal areas between the connector terminals disposed in a second column are shifted from each other in a column direction, and    wherein said connector terminals include a first connector terminal connected and dedicated to the first functional block, a second connector terminal connected and dedicated to the second functional block, and a third connector terminal sharing an operating power supply commonly to both the first functional block and the second functional block.    
     
     
         3 . An IC card comprising: 
 a first functional block and a second functional block each comprising a semiconductor integrated circuit; and    a plurality of connector terminals exposed,    wherein said plurality of connector terminals have an array of two columns formed back and forth as viewed in an IC card insertion direction, and a column-direction layout of the connector terminals disposed in a first column and a column-direction layout of the connector terminals disposed in a second column are shifted from each other in a column direction, and    wherein said connector terminals include a first connector terminal connected and dedicated to the first functional block, a second connector terminal connected and dedicated to the second functional block, and a third connector terminal sharing an operating power supply commonly to both the first functional block and the second functional block.    
     
     
         4 . The IC card according to  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the connector terminal at one end extending in a column direction of the connector terminals disposed in the second column extends to a position where said connector terminal adjoins, in a column direction, the connector terminal disposed in the first column and placed at one end extending in a column direction of the connector terminals thereof, and 
 wherein the connector terminal at the other end extending in a column direction of the connector terminals disposed in the second column extends to a position where said connector terminal adjoins, in a column direction, the connector terminal disposed in the first column and placed at the other end extending in a column direction of the connector terminals thereof.  
 
     
     
         5 . The IC card according to any of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the first functional block is a first memory card unit including an electrically rewritable first non-volatile memory, and a first controller which performs access control on the first non-volatile memory in accordance with instructions supplied from the first connector terminal and control on an interface with the outside via the first connector terminal, and 
 wherein the second functional block is a second memory card unit including an electrically rewritable second non-volatile memory, and a second controller which performs access control on the second non-volatile memory in accordance with instructions supplied from the second connector terminal and control on an interface with the outside via the second connector terminal.  
 
     
     
         6 . The IC card according to  claim 5 , wherein said first controller has a security function for encrypting data written into the first non-volatile memory and decrypting data read from the first non-volatile memory or effecting other encryption on the data, and 
 wherein the second controller has a security function for encrypting data written into the second non-volatile memory and decrypting data read from the second non-volatile memory or effecting other encryption on the data.    
     
     
         7 . The IC card according to  claim 5 , wherein the first connector terminal includes a clock terminal and a data terminal, the second connector terminal includes a clock terminal and a data terminal, and the third connector terminal includes a source voltage supply terminal and a ground voltage supply terminal, and 
 wherein the first memory card unit and the second memory card unit are configured as a parallel operable multibank memory unit.    
     
     
         8 . The IC card according to any of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the first functional block is a first data processing unit provided with a first non-volatile memory, and a first controller which performs access control on the first non-volatile memory and performs control on an interface with the outside via the first connector terminal, 
 wherein the second functional block is a second data processing unit provided with a second non-volatile memory, and a second controller which performs access control on the second non-volatile memory and performs control on an interface with the outside via the second connector terminal, and  
 wherein the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit respectively have areas for storing secrete codes for security, separately.  
 
     
     
         9 . The IC card according to  claim 8 , wherein the first data processing unit is configured such that a secrete code is written into a secrete code storage area at a non-volatile memory manufacturing stage, and the second data processing unit is configured such that a secrete code is written into a secrete code storage area at a manufacturing stage of the IC card.  
     
     
         10 . The IC card according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the first data processing unit functions as a memory card unit, and the second data processing unit functions as an SIM card unit brought into microcomputerization.  
     
     
         11 . The IC card according to  claim 10 , wherein the first controller has a security function for encrypting data written into the first non-volatile memory and decrypting data read from the first non-volatile memory or effecting other encryption on the data.  
     
     
         12 . The IC card according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the first connector terminal includes a clock terminal, data terminals of plural bits and a command terminal of one bit, the second connector terminal includes a clock terminal, a data terminal and a reset terminal, and the third connector terminal includes a source voltage supply terminal and a ground voltage supply terminal.  
     
     
         13 . The IC card according to  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the third connector terminal includes a connector terminal disposed in a first column and used for source voltage supply, and a connector terminal column corresponding to a second column is provided so as to have a terminal-to-terminal area at a position adjacent to the source voltage supply connector terminal.  
     
     
         14 . A mobile communication system comprising: 
 a card slot adapted to insert a multifunction card.    
     
     
         15 . A mobile communication system according to  claim 14 , 
 wherein the card slot includes: 
 first terminals,  
 second terminals, and  
 third terminals,  
   wherein the first and the third terminals are for a first function of the multifunction card, and    wherein the second and the third terminals are for a second function of the multifunction card.    
     
     
         16 . A mobile communication system according to  claim 15 , 
 wherein the first function of the multifunction card is a memory card function, and    wherein the second function of the multifunction card is a security card function.