| 摘要 |
<p>A computer keyboard unit (20) is provided with a card interface (15) for receiving an integrated circuit card (smartcard). Normally the keyboard operates in standard manner with the keyboard controller (21) outputting key codes to an associated host computer (11) in correspondence to the keys pressed by a user. However, when the user is required to input a PIN code for passing to a smartcard (16) inserted in the card interface (15), the keyboard controller (21) is set into a special mode in which it passes the key codes of the pressed keys directly to the card interface (15) for transmission to the smartcard. The passing of the PIN code directly to the smartcard and not via the host computer, eliminates the possibility of the PIN code being copied and/or substitued for in passage through the host computer. <IMAGE></p> |
