Universal crypto-adaptor system for supporting multiple APIs and multiple smart cards
OwnerWeimin Yanginventor
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Abstract
A universal crypto-adaptor system is adapted for supporting one or more smartcard applications with a plurality of smart cards through a smart card reader. The system includes an API unit for providing implementations of API specification for said smartcard applications, and a universal smart card API for communicating with said API means and said smart card reader for handling smart card operations including file and data managements and cryptographic operations, wherein said universal smart card comprises at least a smartcard translator to retrieve and translate smart card data saved in said respective smart card into a plurality of logic partitions that are compatible with each of said smartcard applications of said API means.
Claims16
A universal crypto-adaptor system for supporting one or more smartcard applications with a plurality of smart cards through a smart card reader, comprising:
- means for providing implementations of API specification for said smartcard applications;
- and
- a universal smart card API for communicating with said API means and said smart card reader for handling smart card operations including file and data managements and cryptographic operations, wherein said universal smart card comprises at least a smartcard translator to retrieve and translate smart card data saved in said respective smart card into a plurality of logic partitions that are compatible with each of said smartcard applications of said API means.
A method of incorporating a smart card with a cryptographic application, comprising the steps of:
- (a) checking for a smart card;
- (b) requesting and receiving a smart card ATR (Answer To Reset string) from said smart card when said smart card is found;
- (c) selecting a smartcard translator correspondingly, depending on said card ATR;
- (d) searching public data on said smart card and creating a public application object correspondinly by said smartcard translator, such as a PKCS11 object or a CSP object;
- (e) receiving a password from a smartcard application, such as CSP application or PKCS11 application, and sending said password to said selected smartcard translator for sending said password to said smart card for confirmation;
- (f) searching private key object on said smart card and creating private application objects correspondingly by said smartcard translator;
- (g) searching said private key object on said smart card for confirmation;
- (h) receiving a function command with a private key object handle and data from said smartcard application by using said private key object handle and forwarding said data to said smart card with specifying a specific file name for executing a specific function, wherein said smartcard translator gets an attribute from said private key object so that said smartcard translator knows how to access a key file on said smart card;
- and
- (i) receiving said data executed from said smart card and returning to said smartcard application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.