Using a high level programming language with a microcontroller

A method for use with an integrated circuit card and a terminal, comprising:

• storing an interpreter operable to interpret programs derived from programs written in a high level programming language and an application derived from a program written in a high level programming language format in a memory of the integrated circuit card wherein the application is derived from a program written in a high level programming language format by first compiling the program into a compiled form and then converting the compiled form into a converted form, the converting step including at least one step selected from a group consisting of
• recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• and
• renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation;
• and
• using a processor of the integrated circuit card to use the interpreter to interpret the application for execution;
• and
• using a communicator of the card when communicating between the processor and the terminal.

A microcontroller comprising:

• a memory storing:
• a derivative application derived from an application having a class file format wherein the application is derived from an application having a class file format by first compiling the application having a class file format into a compiled form and then converting the compiled form into a converted form, the converting step including at least one step selected from a group consisting of
• recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• and
• renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation, and
• an interpreter configured to interpret applications derived from applications having a class file format;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to use the interpreter to interpret the derivative application for execution.

An integrated circuit card for use with a terminal, comprising:

• a communicator configured to communicate with the terminal;
• a memory storing:
• applications, each application derived from applications having a high level programming language format, and
• an interpreter operable to interpret applications derived from applications having a high level programming language format wherein the application is derived from a program written in a high level programming language format by first compiling the program into a compiled form and then converting the compiled form into a converted form, the converting step including at least one step selected from a group consisting of
• recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• and
• renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
• a.) use the interpreter to interpret the applications for execution,
• b.) use the interpreter to create a firewall to isolate the applications from each other, and
• c.) use the communicator to communicate with the terminal.

A microcontroller having a set of resource constraints and comprising:

• a memory, and
• an interpreter loaded in memory and operable within the set of resource constraints, the microcontroller having:
• at least one application loaded in the memory to be interpreted by the interpreter, wherein the at least one application is generated by a programming environment comprising:
• a) a compiler for compiling application source programs written in high level language source code form into a compiled form, and
• b) a converter for post processing the compiled form into a minimized form suitable for interpretation within the set of resource constraints by the interpreter, wherein the converter comprises means for translating from the byte codes in the compiled form to byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation by the interpreter by:
• a) using at least one step in a process including the steps:
• a.1) recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• a.2) converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• a.3) modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• and
• a.4) renumbering byte codes in the compiled form to equivalent byte codes in the format suitable for interpretation;
• and
• b) relinking jumps for which destination address is effected by conversion step a.1, a.2, a.3, or a.4.

A method of programming a microcontroller having a memory and a processor operating according to a set of resource constraints, the method comprising the steps of:

• inputting an application program in a first programming language;
• compiling the application program in the first programming language into a first intermediate code associated with the first programming language, wherein the first intermediate code being interpretable by at least one first intermediate code virtual machine;
• converting the first intermediate code into a second intermediate code, wherein the step of converting comprises:
• at least one of the steps of:
• a) recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• b) converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• c) modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• and
• d) renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation;
• and
• relinking jumps for which destination address is effected by conversion step a), b), c), or d);
• wherein the second intermediate code is interpretable within the set of resource constraints by at least one second intermediate code virtual machine;
• and
• loading the second intermediate code into the memory of the microcontroller.

An integrated circuit card for use with a terminal, comprising:

• a communicator configured to communicate with the terminal;
• a memory storing:
• an application derived from a program written in a high level programming language format wherein the application is derived from a program written in a high level programming language format by first compiling the program into a compiled form and then converting the compiled form into a converted form, the converting step including the steps of:
• modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• and
• renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation;
• and
• an interpreter operable to interpret such an application derived from a program written in a high level programming language format;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to use the interpreter to interpret the application for execution and to use the communicator to communicate with the terminal.

A method for use with an integrated circuit card and a terminal, comprising:

• storing an interpreter operable to interpret programs derived from programs written in a high level programming language and an application derived from a program written in a high level programming language format in a memory of the integrated circuit card wherein the application is derived from a program written in a high level programming language format by first compiling the program into a compiled form and then converting the compiled form into a converted form, the converting step including:
• modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• and
• renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation;
• using a processor of the integrated circuit card to use the interpreter to interpret the application for execution;
• and
• using a communicator of the card when communicating between the processor and the terminal.

An integrated circuit card for use with a terminal, comprising:

• a communicator configured to communicate with the terminal;
• a memory storing:
• applications, each application derived from applications having a high level programming language format, and
• an interpreter operable to interpret applications derived from applications having a high level programming language format wherein the application is derived from a program written in a high level programming language format by first compiling the program into a compiled form and then converting the compiled form into a converted form, the converting step including the steps of:
• modifying byte code operands from references using identifying strings to references using unique identifiers;
• recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• and
• renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
• a.) use the interpreter to interpret the applications for execution,
• b.) use the interpreter to create a firewall to isolate the applications from each other, and
• c.) use the communicator to communicate with the terminal.

A microcontroller comprising:

• a memory storing:
• a derivative application derived from an application having a class file format wherein the application is derived from an application having a class file format by first compiling the application having a class file format into a compiled form and then converting the compiled form into a converted form, the converting step including:
• recording all jumps and their destinations in the original byte codes;
• converting specific byte codes into equivalent generic byte codes or vice-versa;
• and
• renumbering byte codes in a compiled format to equivalent byte codes in a format suitable for interpretation, and
• an interpreter configured to interpret applications derived from applications having a class file format;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to use the interpreter to interpret the derivative application for execution.