Importance

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Abstract

A portable electronic device, also known as an IC card, according to the invention has a control element and a data memory. The memory area of the data memory is divided into a directory area and a user area. The user area is divided into a plurality of data-storing areas. Groups of area-defining data items are stored in the directory area, each data item defining one data-storing area of the user area. In addition, a group of data items defining the groups of area-defining data items is also stored in the directory area. The control element selects one of the groups as the group defining the data-storing area of the user area which can be used, in accordance with one of the data items of the group, which has been designated by the data supplied from an external device. The control element accesses those data-storing areas of the user area which are defined by the selected group. Hence, data can be separately written into, or read from, these, different accessed areas so that the IC card may be used for a variety of purposes.

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First Claim