Smart card set protocol optimization

A computer device for communicating over a wireless communications link with a smart card reader having an associated smart card for use in login authentication, the computer device comprising:

• a smart card resource manager for generating commands for the smart card reader;
• a smart card reader service for relaying commands received from the smart card resource manager for the smart card reader, the smart card reader service being configured to:
• receive from the smart card resource manager a first command for setting a protocol for communications with the smart card;
• and
• respond, prior to receiving a reply from the smart card to the first command, to the smart card resource manager with a message indicating that the smart card has successfully received the first command.

A smart card reader comprising:

• a smart card interface for receiving a smart card;
• a communications system for exchanging signals over a wireless link with an associated computer;
• and
• a controller connected to the smart card interface and the communications system for exchanging signals therewith, the controller being configured to:
• send a smart card insertion message to the associated computer;
• receive a first command and a second command from the associated computer, wherein the first command comprises a command to set a protocol for communications with the smart card;
• provide the first command to the smart card;
• and
• receive an indication from the smart card of whether the first command failed;
• if the first command failed at the smart card, send the associated computer a response indicating that the second command failed;
• and
• if the first command did not fail at the smart card, provide the second command to the smart card, receive a response to the second command from the smart card and send the response to the associated computer.

A system comprising:

• a computer device for communicating over a wireless link with a smart card reader having an associated smart card for use in login authentication, the computer device comprising:
• a smart card resource manager for generating commands for the smart card reader;
• a smart card reader service for relaying commands received from the smart card resource manager for the smart card reader, the smart card reader service being configured to:
• receive from the smart card resource manager a first command for setting a protocol for communications with the smart card;
• respond, prior to receiving a reply from the smart card to the first command, to the smart card resource manager with a message indicating that the smart card has successfully received the first command;
• relay the first command to the smart card reader;
• receive a second command from the smart card resource manager;
• relay the second command to the smart card reader through the wireless link;
• receive from the smart card reader through the wireless link a response to the second command;
• and
• relay the response to the smart card resource manager;
• and
• a smart card reader comprising:
• a smart card interface for receiving a smart card;
• a communications system for exchanging signals over the wireless link with the computer device;
• and
• a controller connected to the smart card interface and the communications system for exchanging signals therewith, the controller being configured to:
• receive the first command from the computer device and provide the first command to the smart card;
• receive an indication from the smart card of whether the first command failed;
• if the first command failed at the smart card, send the computer device a response indicating that the second command failed;
• and
• if the first command did not fail at the smart card, provide the second command to the smart card, receive a response to the second command from the smart card and send the response to the computer device.