IC card and an identification system thereof

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An IC card having an IC circuit, which comprises:

first memory means for storing at least a plurality of personal data of a card holder;

second memory means for storing production master key (PMK) data preset at a first stage and used for checking validity of a card holder when an IC card is transferred from the first stage to a second stage, and for storing initialization personal identificaton number (IPIN) data used for checking validity of a card holder when an IC card is transferred from the second stage to a third stage;

third memory means for storing at least personal identification (PIN) data set by a card holder at the third stage for checking validity of the card holder when a future transaction is performed by the card holder by using the IC card;

interface means for controlling data which is output from the IC card and data which is input to the IC card to be compared with the data stored in at least said second and third memory means;

comparing means for comparing a PMK data input to the IC card via said interface means for checking validity of the card holder at the second stage when the IC card is transferred from the first stage to the second stage with the PMK data stored in said second memory means, and for comparing an IPIN data input to the IC card via the interface means for checking validity of a card holder when the IC card is transferred from the second stage to the card holder at the third stage with the IPIN data stored in said second memory means; and

means for permitting reading and/or writing at least one of said first to third memory means in accordance with a coincidence signal obtained from said comparing means.

2. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said IC circuit includes designating means for designating as data compared with the external data any one of data stored in said second and third memory means.

3. An IC card according to claim 2, wherein said designating means designates the PMK data in said second memory means in an initial state, and said IC circuit includes means for allowing primary account number (PAN) data representing card issuance at the second stage to be written into said first memory means when said comparing means detects a coincidence between the external data and the PMK data stored in said second memory means, and means for changing designation by said designating means to designation of the IPIN data.

4. An IC card according to claim 3, wherein said IC circuit includes means for allowing any PIN data selected by the card holder to be written into said third memory means when said comparing means detects a coincidence between the external data and the IPIN data stored in said second memory, and means for changing designation by said designating means to designation of the PIN data.

5. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said first memory means stores different types of card authentication (CA) data in units of IC cards.

6. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said IC circuit includes counting means for counting the number of succeeding noncoincidence signals from said comparing means, and means for inhibiting data read/write operation of said first, second and third memory means and invalidating a corresponding IC card when a count of said counting means has reached a predetermined number.

7. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said IC circuit includes means for decrypting externally supplied encrypted data.

8. An IC card according to claim 7, wherein said first memory means stores private key (PRK) data representing a key for decryption.

9. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first, second and third memory means comprises an EP-ROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory).

10. An IC card identification system comprising:

an IC card incorporating an IC circuit including a memory for storing a plurality of secret data, the plurality of secret data including at least production master key (PMK) data preset at a first stage and initialization personal identification number (IPIN) data;

printout means for confidentially printing out the PMK data at the first stage on a first sealed sheet, said IC card and the first sealed sheet being delivered to a card holder at a second stage;

means for identifying the PMK data obtained by entering the PMK data printed on said first sealed sheet with the PMK data stored in said memory of said IC card;

means for storing primary account number (PAN) data in said IC card upon detection of a coincidence between the entered PMK data and the PMK data stored in said memory and for printing out the IPIN data read out from said memory on a second sealed sheet, said IC card and the second sealed sheet being delivered to a card holder at a third stage;

means for identifying IPIN data entered by the IPIN data printed on said second sealed sheet with the IPIN data stored in said memory of said IC card; and

means for storing personal identification number (PIN) data which is arbitrarily selected by the card holder in the IC circuit upon detection of a coincidence between the entered IPIN data and the IPIN data stored in said memory.

11. A system according to claim 10, further including means for invalidating issuance of said IC card when the coincidence between the entered PMK data and the PMK data stored in said memory or between the entered IPIN data and the IPIN data stored in said memory is not established.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the PMK data and the IPIN data which are stored in said memory is generated by using outputs from a random number generator.

13. A system according to claim 10, further including a terminal which is installed at a point of sales (POS) and which includes means for inputting said PIN data by a card holder to identify said IC card presented by the card holder.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said IC card includes means for reading PIN data input by the card holder through said terminal, said IC card including comparing means for comparing read PIN data with the pin data stored therein.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said IC card includes means for transferring identification result data obtained by comparison in said IC card to said terminal, and said terminal includes means for producing an alarm in accordance with the identification result data transferred thereto.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein said PIN data comparing means includes retry executing means for retrying comparison operations a predetermined number of times.

17. An IC card identification system comprising:

an IC card incorporating an IC circuit including a memory for storing card authentication (CA) data preset by a manufacturer and given such that different CA data are assigned in units of IC cards;

a host computer for reading out the different CA data from the respective IC cards and storing all the CA data in a data base; and

a terminal, connected to said host computer through a data transmission means, for identifying a presented IC card,

said terminal having readout means for reading out the CA data from the presented IC card, means for encrypting predetermined transaction message data in accordance with the CA data from the presented IC card, and means for transmitting encrypted predetermined transaction message data to said host computer, and said host computer having means for decrypting the encrypted transaction message data by using the CA data stored in the data base, means for discriminating whether or not the decrypted transaction message data is the predetermined transaction message data in said terminal, and means for transmitting a discriminated result to said terminal.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said terminal includes means for transmitting designation data for designating the CA data stored in the data base in said host computer prior to transmission of the encrypted transaction message data, and said host computer includes means for designating the CA data in the data base in accordance with the designation data.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein said memory of said IC card and the data base of said host computer store pairs of different CA data and corresponding primary account number (PAN) data.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the predetermined transaction message data comprises PAN data stored in the IC card, and said host computer includes means for reading out the PAN data which is compared with the CA data used for decryption of the predetermined transmission message data and means for discriminating a coincidence between the PAN data and the decrypted transaction message data.

21. A system according to claim 17, wherein encryption and decryption by the CA data is based on a DES (Data Encryption Standard).

22. A system according to claim 17, wherein said terminal includes means for discriminating the discrimination result sent from said host computer, and means for producing an alarm in accordance with a discrimination by said discriminating means.

23. A system according to claim 17, wherein said transmitting means in said host computer includes means for sending data obtained by encrypting the CA data in accordance with discrimination result data.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the encryption by the CA data is based on a DES (Data Encryption Standard).

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein said terminal includes means for decrypting the encrypted data from said terminal by using the CA data read out from said IC card.

26. A system according to claim 23, wherein said terminal includes means for discriminating the predetermined result sent from said host computer, and means for producing an alarm indication in accordance with a discrimination by said discriminating means.

27. An IC card identification system comprising:

an IC card incorporating an IC circuit including a memory for storing first key data; and

a terminal for storing second key data and for identifying an IC card presented by a card holder, the second key data being different from the first key data but having a correlation with the first key data in a one-to-one correspondence in accordance with a predetermined function,

said terminal having means for encrypting predetermined test message data in accordance with the second key data and means for transmitting encrypted test message data to said IC card,

said IC card having means for receiving the encrypted test message data and decrypting the message data by the first key data stored therein and means for transmitting decrypted test message data to said terminal, and

said terminal further including means for comparing the decrypted test message data from said IC card with a predetermined self test message, and means for producing an alarm of a comparison result.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the first key data comprises different key data in units of issuers issuing corresponding IC cards, the first key data being identical for each issuer.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein said terminal has means for storing second key data corresponding to the different PRK data in units of issuers, and means for designating only one second key data corresponding to an IC card presented by the card holder.

30. A system according to claim 27, wherein the predetermined function comprises one-way functions which depend on an encryption scheme based on an RSA-algorithm.

31. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said first stage occurs at a manufacturer of said card, said second stage occurs at an issuer of said card, and said third stage occurs by the card holder to whom the card has been issued.

32. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein said comparing means compares PIN data which is input to the IC card via the interface means for checking the card holder with the PIN data stored in said third memory means.

33. A method for producing an IC card having a memory means therein which is accessible by a card holder for reading and/or writing operations on said IC card, comprising the steps of:

storing at least a plurality of personal data of a card holder;

storing production master key (PMK) data preset at a first stage and used for checking validity of a card holder when an IC card is transferred from the first stage to a second stage;

storing initialization personal identification number (IPIN) data used for checking validity of a card holder when an IC card is transferred from the second stage to a third stage;

storing at least a personal identification number (PIN) data set by a card holder at the third stage for checking validity of the card holder when a future transaction is performed by the card holder by using the IC card;

controlling data output from the IC card and data input to the IC card for comparison with data stored in said memory means;

comparing a PMK data input to the IC card for checking the validity of the card holder at the second stage when the IC card is transferred from the first stage to the second stage with the PMK data stored in said memory means;

comparing IPIN data input to the IC card for checking validity of a card holder when the IC card is transferred from the second stage to the card holder at the third stage with the IPIN data stored in said memory means; and

permitting reading from and/or writing into said memory means in accordance with a coincidence signal obtained from said comparison step.

34. A method for providing an IC card identification comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory carried on said IC card a plurality of secret data, the plurality of secret data including at least production master key (PMK) preset at a first stage and initialization personal identification number (IPIN) data;

printing out the PMK data in the memory on a first sealed sheet at the first stage;

delivering the IC card and the first sealed sheet to a card holder at a second stage;

identifying the PMK data obtained by entering the PMK data printed on the first sealed sheet with the PMK data stored in the memory of said IC card;

storing primary account number (PAN) data in the memory upon detection of a coincidence between the entered PMK data and the PMK data stored in said memory and for printing out the IPIN data read out from said memory onto a second sealed sheet;

delivering the IC card and said second sealed sheet to a card holder at a third stage;

identifying IPIN data entered by the IPIN data printed on said second sealed sheet with the IPIN data stored in said memory of said IC card; and

storing personal identification number (PIN) data which is arbitrarily selected by the card holder in the memory upon detection of a coincidence between the entered IPIN data and the IPIN data stored in said memory.

35. A method for providing an IC card identification, comprising the steps of:

incorporating an IC circuit including a memory into an IC card for storing card authentication (CA) data preset by a manufacturer and given such that different CA data are assigned in units of IC cards;

reading out the different CA data from the respective IC cards and storing all the CA data in a data base in a host computer;

reading out the CA data from the presented IC card with a terminal having readout means;

encrypting a predetermined transaction message data in accordance with the CA data from the presented IC card;

transmitting encrypted predetermined transaction message data to said host computer;

decrypting with said host computer the encrypted transaction message data by using the CA data stored in the data base;

discriminating whether or not the decrypted transaction message data is the predetermined transaction message date in said terminal; and

transmitting a discriminated result to the terminal.

36. A method for providing an IC card identification, comrpising the steps of:

incorporating into an IC card an IC circuit including a memory for storing first key data;

storing the second key data in a terminal;

identifying an IC card presented by a card holder to said terminal;

setting the second key data to be different from the first key data but having a correlation with the first key data in a one-to-one correspondence in accordance with a predetermined function;

encrypting predetermined test message data in accordance with the second key data and transmitting encrypted test message data to the IC card;

receiving the encrypted test message and decrypting the message data by the first key data stored therein, and transmitting decrypted test message data to said terminal; and

comparing the decrypted test message data from said IC card with a predetermined self test message; and

producing an alarm of a comparison result.

37. An IC card according to claim 31, wherein the IPIN data is preset together with the PMK at the first stage in said second memory means.

38. An IC card identification system according to claim 10, wherein the IPIN data is preset in the memory of the IC card.

39. An IC card identification system according to claim 10, wherein said first stage is manufacturing of the IC card by a manufacturer, said second stage is issuing of the IC card by an issuer, and said third stage is possessing of the IC card by the customer.

40. A system according to claim 27, wherein said first key data is an issuer's private key (PRK) data, and said second key data is an issuer's public key data.

41. A system according to claim 27, wherein said terminal further includes means for preventing the first key data from being read out of said terminal.

42. A method for identifying an IC card, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing production master key (PMK) data in a memory means of the IC card at a first stage to check the validity of a card holder, and then delivering the IC card to a second stage;

(b) comparing, in said IC card at the second stage, the PMK data stored in said memory means with PMK data input to said IC card, and delivering the IC card to a third stage when the compared PMK data stored in the card and input to the card are identical; and

(c) comparing, in said IC card at a third stage, initialization personal identification number (IPIN) data stored in the IC card with IPIN data which is input to said IC card, and storing personal identification (PIN) data in the memory means of the IC card when the compared IPIN data stored in the card and input to it are identical.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the step (a) further includes:

confidentially printing the PMK data stored in said memory means on a first sealed sheet, and

delivering the IC card and the first sealed sheet to the second stage.

44. A method according to claim 43, wherein step (b) further includes:

confidentially printing the IPIN data stored in said memory means on a second sealed sheet, and

delivering the IC card and the second sealed sheet to the third stage.

45. A method according to claim 42, wherein in step (a) the IPIN data is stored together with PMK data in said memory means.

46. An IC card system comprising:

an IC card; and

a terminal provided at a manufacturer for communicating with the IC card, said terminal including means for generating a signal to start a test on an internal circuit of the IC card,

said IC card including testing means having a testing program for testing the internal circuit of the IC card and being responsive to the signal from said terminal for starting the test.

47. An IC card system according to claim 46, wherein said IC card includes an initializing means for initializing said internal circuit, and the internal circuit of the initialized IC card is tested by said testing means when said signal is supplied from said terminal to said IC card.

48. A system according to claim 47, wherein said terminal comprises control means for confirming that said testing means detects no abnormal test results with respect to an internal circuit, and identification data for checking the validity of an issuer is input through said terminal and is then stored in said IC card when said testing means detects no abnormal conditions of the internal circuit of said IC card.

49. A system according to claim 48, wherein said identification data is PMK data.

50. A system according to claim 48, wherein said terminal further includes means for printing the PMK data.

51. An IC card system comprising:

an IC card having an IC circuit; and

a terminal for transmitting data to said IC card and/or a host compoter and receiving data from said IC card and/or the host computer;

said terminal including memory means for storing a flag representing whether said terminal is set in a first mode or a second mode, whereby the terminal communicates with the host computer when said flag is set in the first mode, and is inhibited from communicating with the host computer when said flag is set in the second mode;

said IC card further including means for checking authenticity of at least one of said IC card and said terminal, and wherein after at least one of said IC card and terminal is found to be authentic, the data stored in said memory means is checked to confirm whether data should be transmitted between said IC card and said terminal in the first mode or the second mode.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an IC card incorporating an IC circuit in a card, and an IC card identification system for identifying various IC card states wherein the IC card is supplied to a card holder or a customer through an issuer such as a manufacturer or a bank and the card holder goes shopping in a store.

A conventional magnetic card has a magnetic coating which is formed on the surface thereof and on which a key code or a confidential number, an account number and so on are magnetically recorded. The magnetic contents such as the key code are known to at least bank personnel since the holder as a user must submit his key code to the bank. In addition, a magnetic record can be relatively easily accessed. Because of this, the private key code of the magnetic card cannot be kept secret.

In place of such a magnetic card, an IC card incorporating an IC has been recently proposed that disables easy reading of recorded contents. However, there are many opportunities for unfair practice on such an IC card. It is very difficult to prevent such unfair practice in a construction of a conventional IC card and its identification system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to prevent theft or forgery of an IC card during dispatch of an IC card from a manufacturer to an IC card issuer and from the issuer to the holder, to provide an IC card which cannot be subject to unfair practice when it is used, and an IC card identification system.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an IC card comprising an IC circuit which includes:

first memory means for storing a plurality of secret data;

second memory means for storing production master key (PMK) data preset by a manufacturer and used for checking validity of an issuer, and initialization personal identification number (IPIN) data used for checking validity of a card holder;

third memory means for storing personal identification number (PIN) data preset by the card holder and used for checking validity of the holder;

interface means for controlling input/output data with respect to the IC card;

comprising means for comparing external data supplied through said interface means with the data stored in said second or third memory means;

inhibiting means for inhibiting an access of said first memory means in accordance with a noncoincidence signal from said comparing means; and

permitting means for permitting the access of said first memory means in response to a coincidence signal from said comparing means.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided:

an IC card incorporating an IC circuit including a memory for storing a plurality of secret data preset by a manufacturer, the plurality of secret data including at least production master key (PMK) data and initialization personal identification number (IPIN) data;

printout means for printing out the PMK data by the manufacturer in a strictly secret state on a first sealed sheet, the PMK data being stored in said IC card;

means for separately delivering said IC card and the first sealed sheet to an issuer;

means for identifying the PMK data obtained by entering the PMK data printed on said first sealed sheet with the PMK data stored in said memory of said IC card;

means for storing primary account number (PAN) data in said IC card upon detection of a coincidence between the entered PMK data and the PMK data stored in said memory and for printing out the IPIN data read out from said memory on a second sealed sheet;

means for separately delivering said IC card and said second sheet to a card holder;

means for identifying IPIN data entered by the IPIN data printed on said second sealed sheet with the IPIN data stored in said memory of said IC card; and

means for storing personal identification number (PIN) data which is arbitrarily selected by the card holder in the IC circuit upon detection of a coincidence between the entered IPIN data and the IPIN data stored in said memory.

According to further aspect of this invention, there is provided:

an IC card incorporating an IC circuit including a memory for storing card authentication (CA) data preset by a manufacturer and given such that different CA data are assigned in units of IC cards;

a host computer for reading out the different CA data from the respective IC cards and storing all the CA data in a data base; and

a terminal, connected to said host computer through a public circuit, for identifying a presented IC card,

said terminal having readout means for reading out the CA data from the presented IC card, means for encrypting predetermined transaction message data in accordance with the CA data from the presented IC card, and means for transmitting encrypted predetermined transaction message data to said host computer, and said host computer having means for decrypting the encrypted transaction message data by using the CA data stored in the data base, means for discriminating whether or not the decrypted transaction message data is the predetermined transaction message data in said terminal, and means for transmitting a discriminated result to said terminal.

According to still further aspect of this invention, there is provided:

an IC card incorporating an IC circuit including a memory for storing issuer's private key (PRK) data preset by a manufacturer in a secret manner; and

a terminal for storing issuer's public key data preset by the manufacturer in a secret manner and for identifying an IC card presented by a card holder, the issuer's public key data being different from the PRK data but having a correlation with the PRK data in a one-to-one correspondence in accordance with a predetermined function known by only the manufacturer, and

said terminal having means for encrypting predetermined test message data in accordance with the public key data and means for transmitting encrypted test message data to said IC card,

said IC card having means for receiving the encrypted test message data and decrypting the message data by the private key data stored therein and means for transmitting decrypted test message data to said terminal, and

said terminal further including means for comparing the decrypted test message data from said IC card with a predetermined self test message, and means for producing an alarm of a comparison result.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows card identification steps for an IC card to be supplied from a manufacturer to a holder through an issuer;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a POS (point of sales) terminal;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an IC circuit incorporated in an IC card;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the POS terminal shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining an operation performed in the IC card manufactured by the manufacturer before the IC card is sent to an issuer;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining an operation performed in the IC card before the IC card is issued from the issuer to the holder;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining an operation performed in the IC card before the holder himself issues the IC card sent from the issuer;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining an identification operation in the IC card when the IC card is used;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining an identification operation of the IC card at the POS terminal;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining an on-line identification operation of the IC card at the POS terminal;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart for explaining an on-line identification operation of an IC card at a host computer;

FIG. 12 shows a ROM table for storing data representing correspondence between a public key code stored in the POS terminal and the issuer code; and

FIG. 13 is a representation schematically showing a data base configuration at the host computer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The overall system will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows the relationship between a manufacturer 1 for manufacturing an IC card, an issuer 2 such as a bank for issuing an IC card, and a card holder 3 who uses the IC card. The manufacturer 1 manufactures an IC card 11 which will be described in detail later. The manufacturer 1 manufactures the IC card 11 and writes a predetermined code on the IC card 11 using an IC card issuing machine 12. The IC card 11 incorporates an IC circuit to be described in detail later. A connector 11a is arranged on the upper surface of the IC card 11. When the IC card 11 is mounted in the IC card issuing machine 12, the IC card 11 is connected to an internal circuit of the IC card issuing machine 12 through the connector 11a. The IC card issuing machine 12 has a card insertion port 13, a keyboard 14, a display panel 15 and a printer 16. Various codes such as "CA", "IPIN", "PMK" are selectively written on the IC card 11 in accordance with input data entered by an operator at the keyboard 14. The code "CA" (Card Authenticator) comprises a random 64-bit code which can be used as the key for encryption/decryption. The code "IPIN" (Initialization Personal Identification Number) comprises a random 6-bit code which is used until a personal identification number (PIN) is used. The code "PMK" (Production Master Key Code) represents a random code assigned to each manufactured group. The code "PMK" is kept secret even within the manufacturing plant. The code "PMK" (Private Key Code) comprises a decryption code which has a relationship in one-to-one correspondence with the encryption code "Public Key Code" assigned to a POS terminal (to be described later). When a predetermined code is written by the IC card issuing machine 12 on the IC card 11, only the code "PMK" is printed by the printer 16 on a printing paper sheet 17. The manufacturer 1 separately seals the IC card 11 recorded with the predetermined code and the paper sheet 17 printed with the code "PMK". The IC card 11 and the paper sheet 17 are sent to the issuer 2. The issuer 2 loads the IC card 11 in an IC issuing machine 22 and reads the content of the code "PMK" on the paper sheet 17 sent from the manufacturer 1 and enters the content in the IC card issuing machine 22. Furthermore, the issuer 2 enters a code number "PAN" (Primary Account Number) for the IC card 11 in the IC card issuing machine 22. The code number is constituted by numerals. This may also be constituted by alpha-numeric characters. The IC card issuing machine 22 comprises a card insertion port 23, a keyboard 24, a display panel 25 and a printer 26 in the same manner as the IC issuing machine 12. When the IC card is entered to the IC card issuing machine 22, the code "PMK" written in the IC card 11 is compared with input data "PMK" entered at the keyboard 24 in the IC card. Only when a coincidence between the code "PMK" written in the IC card 11 and the input data "PMK" is established, is the account number "PAN" written in the IC card 11. The code "IPIN" is read out from the IC card 11 and is printed on a printing paper sheet 27. The IC card 11 written with the account number "PAN" and the paper sheet 27 printed with the "IPIN" are separately sealed and are sent to the card holder 3. When the card holder 3 receives the IC card 11 and the paper sheet 27 from the issuer 2, the card holder 3 goes to a card holder IC card issuing machine 32 which is installed on the issuer's premises. The card holder 3 then loads the IC card 11 into the IC card issuing machine 32, and the content of the code "IPIN" printed on the paper sheet 27 sent from the issuer 2 is read and entered in the IC card issuing machine 32. The card holder 3 enters any personal identification number "PIN". The IC card issuing machine 32 comprises a card insertion port 33, a keyboard 34, a display panel 35 and a printer 36 in the same manner as in the IC card issuing machine 22. When the IC card is put into the IC card issuing machine 32 the code "IPIN" stored in the IC card 11 is compared with the input data "IPIN" entered at the keyboard 24 in the IC card. Only when a coincidence is established, is the personal identification number "PIN" written in the IC card 11. In this manner, the IC card issuing procedures are completed, and this IC card is then ready for use.

FIG. 2 shows the outer appearance of a POS terminal 41 in which the IC card 11 is used. The POS terminal 41 comprises a card insertion port 42, a keyboard 43, a display panel 44 and the like. The keyboard 43 has numeric keys 46, an enter key 47 and a cancel key 48. The internal circuit of the