System and method for a multi-application smart card which can facilitate a post-issuance download of an application onto the smart card

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A smart card comprising:

a card life cycle having a plurality of states;

a memory including an indication of which of said states said card life cycle is in; and

a card domain application including

an issuer key associated with the issuer of said smart card,

a function for managing said life cycle of said smart card, and

a function for tracking the status of said life cycle of said smart card, whereby said card domain application represents the interests of the issuer and manages said card life cycle.

2. A smart card as recited in claim 1 wherein said card domain application further includes:

a function for blocking said smart card.

3. A smart card as recited in claim 1 wherein said states of said card life cycle include masked, initialized, load secured and blocked.

4. A smart card as recited in claim 1 wherein said states of said card life cycle are in an irreversible sequence and wherein said states of said card life cycle place said smart card into an increasing level of security.

5. A smart card as recited in claim 1 wherein the contents of said memory determines the state of said card life cycle.

6. A method of blocking a smart card comprising:

detecting a problem with said smart card by an application of said smart card;

sending a card block request from said application to a card domain application of said smart card, said card domain application having the capability to block said smart card;

determining by said card domain application whether said card block request is valid; and

blocking said smart card by said card domain application, whereby said smart card is not operational for a user.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said card domain application includes an issuer key associated with the issuer of said smart card, whereby said card domain application represents the interests of the issuer.

8. A method of moving a smart card through a sequence of card life cycle states, said method comprising:

receiving said smart card in a masked state, said masked state indicating that components necessary for initialization are available on said smart card;

initializing said smart card using an initialization key;

placing said smart card into an initialized state;

loading an application onto said smart card post-issuance; and

placing said smart card into a load secured state, whereby said smart card passes through a number of said states of said card life cycle.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a card block request;

blocking said smart card; and

placing said smart card into a blocked state, whereby said smart card is not operational for a user.

10. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said card life cycle states are managed by a card domain application.

11. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said states of said card life cycle are in an irreversible sequence.

12. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said states of said card life cycle place said smart card into an increasing level of security.

13. A smart card comprising:

a first application having a sequence of life cycle states; and

a card domain application including

an issuer key associated with the issuer of said smart card,

a function for loading said application onto said smart card, said loading causing said first application to be placed into a loaded state,

a function for installing said application on said smart card, said installing causing said first application to be placed into an installed state, and

a function for registering said application on said smart card, said registering