PORTABLE SMART CARD READER AND TRANSACTION SYSTEM

摘要

A smart card reader (10) and transaction system which uses the voice path of a switched telephone network (14) to effect smart card transactions. The smart card reader may be used with either a regular telephone (16) or an ADSI telephone. If the telephone is not a handsfree set, the smart card reader is preferably connected between the base set (20) and the handset (18). If the telephone is a handsfree model, the card reader is positioned between the base set and the switched telephone network. A smart card application server (12) controls the smart card reader and switches it between a user mode and a card communications mode. Most applications software resides on the application server so that the smart card reader is simple to construct and inexpensive to manufacture. The advantage is a simple, portable, inexpensive yet reliable system adapted to be owned and used by the general public.