Processing method and system of data management for IC card

Abstract

A method and a system wherein IC card information can be changed in either of two ways is provided. The information stored in an IC card can be changed independently of the information that a center facility maintains, and then the corresponding IC card information maintained by the center facility is updated to reflect the changes made in the IC card. Alternatively, the IC card information maintained in the center facility is changed, and then the corresponding information in the IC card is updated to reflect those changes.

1 - 18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . A method of changing an integrated circuit (IC) card-holder's information in an IC card system including a center apparatus and an IC card having stored therein card-holder's information including a plurality of information items, the method comprising: 
 providing a storage area in the IC card for storing change-allowance-information, wherein a change request for changing information stored in the IC card is rejected if the change-allowance-information indicates a change is in progress, but is processed if the change-allowance-information indicates no change is in progress;    receiving a new change request for changing content of at least one of the information items;    if the change-allowance-information indicates no change is in progress: 
 changing the change-allowance-information to indicate a change is in progress; and  
 storing in the IC card the changed content for the at least one of the information items in accordance with the new change request.  
   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the change in progress corresponds to a condition wherein a previous change request is being processed by the IC card system, and the no change is in progress corresponds to a condition wherein one of (1) the processing of a previous change request has been completed by the IC card system and (2) no previous change request has been made.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 transmitting the changed content to the center apparatus;    updating in the center apparatus at least one of the information items corresponding to the information item with new content; and    changing the change-allowance-information in the card-holder's IC card to indicate no change is in progress.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein changing is performed when the new change request is made through an apparatus other than the center apparatus.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the change-allowance-information changed to indicate a change is in progress is reset to indicate no change is in progress.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the card-holder's information stored in the IC card includes at least one changeable information item and at least one non-changeable information item.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising: 
 prior to changing, receiving identification information from a requester of the change request to determine if the change request is made by an authorized party;    comparing the identification information with identification information stored in the IC card as an non-changeable information item;    if no match is found, rejecting the change request; and    if a match is found, allowing the new content to be stored in the IC card, wherein the at least one information item is stored in the IC card.    
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the receiving and storing act comprises maintaining the present content of the at least one information items.  
   
   
       27 . A method of changing an integrated circuit (IC) card-holder's information in an IC card system including a center apparatus and an IC card having stored card-holder information, the card-holder information including a plurality of information items, wherein new content for changing at least one of the information items is received and stored in the IC card, the method comprising the steps, executed by the center apparatus, of: 
 receiving card-holder's information from the IC card;    comparing the received card-holder's information with corresponding card-holder's information maintained in the center apparatus;    if no match is found, comparing pre-change card-holder information in the IC card with the corresponding card-holder information maintained in the center apparatus, and if a match is found: 
 updating the card-holder information maintained in the center apparatus with information; and  
 transmitting the information to the IC card indicative of completing revising the card-holder's information in the center apparatus.