Smart card systems and methods utilizing multiple atr messages

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating communication between a smart card and a terminal, the method comprising receiving a first ATR message at a first time that is within a first predetermined clock cycles after a reset; waiting for a second ATR message indicative of a successful biometric authentication from the smart card; receiving the second ATR message at a second time that is within a second predetermined clock cycles after the first time; and exchanging transaction-related messages with the smart card.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method to facilitate communication between a smart card and a terminal comprising a physical processor, the method performed by the physical processor of the terminal, the method comprising:
 waiting, by the physical processor, for a first answer-to-reset (ATR) message from the smart card after a smart card reset;   receiving, by the physical processor, the first ATR message from the smart card at a first time within a first predetermined period of time following the smart card reset;   waiting, by the physical processor, for a second ATR message indicative of a successful biometric authentication from the smart card;   receiving, by the physical processor, the second ATR message indicative of the successful biometric authentication from the smart card at a second time within a second predetermined period of time following the first time; and   exchanging, by the physical processor, transaction-related messages with the smart card.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first ATR message comprises data items indicative of at least one of protocol format, type of smart card, or baud rate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disconnecting a communication link between the terminal and the smart card if the first ATR message is not received within the first predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disconnecting a communication link between the terminal and the smart card if the second ATR message is not received within the second predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the exchanging step is performed within a third predetermined period of time following the second time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a signal indicative of the smart card reset to the smart card. 
     
     
         7 . A method of facilitating communication between a smart card, and a terminal, the smart card comprising a biometric sensor and one or more processors, the method performed by the one or more processors of the smart card, the method comprising:
 sending, by the one or more processors, a first answer-to-reset (ATR) message to the terminal at a first time within a first predetermined period of time following a smart card reset;   performing, by the one or more processors, a biometric authentication of a user requesting a transaction, the biometric authentication being performed by comparing a stored biometric reference template to a biometric template generated from a biometric sample of the user obtained by the biometric sensor;   identifying, by the one or more processors, a successful biometric authentication when there is a match between the stored biometric reference template and the biometric template;   sending, by the one or more processors, a second ATR message indicative of the successful biometric authentication to the terminal a second time that is within a second predetermined period of time following the first time; and   exchanging, by the one or more processors, transaction-related messages with the terminal.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first ATR message comprises one or more data items indicative of at least one of protocol format, type of smart card, or baud rate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second ATR message comprises one or more data items indicating that the biometric authentication was successful. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the smart card generating a signal indicative of the smart card reset. 
     
     
         11 . A terminal for communicating with a smart card, the terminal comprising:
 a physical processor configured to:
 wait for a first answer-to-reset (ATR) message from the smart card after a smart card reset, 
 receive, from the smart card, the first ATR message at a first time that is within a first predetermined period of time following the smart card reset, 
 wait for a second ATR message indicative of a successful biometric authentication from the smart card; 
 receive, from the smart card, the second ATR message indicative of the successful biometric authentication at a second time that is within a second predetermined period of time following the first time, and 
 exchange transaction-related messages with the smart card. 
   
     
     
         12 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the terminal is compliant with an ISO standard. 
     
     
         13 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the first ATR message comprises data items indicative of at least one of protocol format, type of smart card, or baud rate. 
     
     
         14 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the terminal provides power to the smart card. 
     
     
         15 . The terminal of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to disable the power to the smart card if the first ATR message is not received within the first predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         16 . The terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to disable the power to the smart card if the second ATR message is not received within the second predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         17 . The terminal of  claim 13 , further comprising an interface configured to be coupled to the smart card, the interface including at least one input and output contact pad for exchanging messages with the smart card. 
     
     
         18 . A smart card comprising:
 a biometric sensor configured to obtain a first biometric sample of an authorized user, and   one or more processors coupled to the interface and the biometric module and configured to:
 send a first answer-to-reset (ATR) message to a terminal at a first time that is within a first predetermined period of time following a smart card reset, 
 perform a biometric authentication of a user requesting a transaction involving the smart card by comparing the stored biometric reference template to a biometric template generated based on a second biometric sample of the user requesting the transaction obtained by the biometric sensor, 
 responsive to there being a match between the stored biometric reference template and the biometric template, determine that the biometric authentication was successful, 
 send a second ATR message indicative of a successful biometric authentication to the terminal at a second time that is within a second predetermined period of time following the first time, 
 exchange transaction-related messages with the terminal. 
   
     
     
         19 . The smart card of  claim 18 , wherein the smart card is compliant with an ISO standard. 
     
     
         20 . The smart card of  claim 18 , wherein the first biometric sample and the second biometric sample are fingerprint images.