Importance

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Abstract

This invention concerns an integrated circuit (IC) device, such as smart cards, electronic wallets, PC cards, and the like, and various methods for authenticating identities and authorizing transactions based on the authenticated identities. The IC device has a memory and a processor. The IC device maintains an identity authentication table in the memory to hold an arbitrary number of identities. The identity authentication table correlates identities with authentication protocols, so that different protocols can be used to authenticate associated identities. The identity authentication table also correlates counts with the identities. Individual counts specify a number of uses of the IC device for a corresponding identity without requiring the IC device to authenticate the identity for each use. The IC device also maintains an authentication vector in memory. The authentication vector tracks identities in the identity authentication table that are currently authenticated by the IC device. The IC device further maintains authorization tables in the memory and in association with particular files used in transactions. Each authorization table defines authorization for a particular transaction as a Boolean expression of the identities listed in the identity authentication table.

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First Claim