PERSONALIZATION DATA PROVIDING UNIT
A method in a system for personalizing portable data carriers includes a personalization data providing unit and a plurality of personalization units and further is associated with a corresponding data providing unit and the personalization system. The data providing unit receives a request for personalization data from a first personalization unit and transmits personalization data to the first personalization unit. A data preparation parameter is received from the first personalization unit and the personalization data is prepared to be transmitted in accordance with the received data preparation parameter.
1 .- 15 . (canceled)
16 . A method for personalizing portable data carriers in a system including a personalization data providing unit and a plurality of personalization units, the method comprising the following steps in the data providing unit:
receiving a request for personalization data from a first personalization unit of the personalization units;
identifying personalization data to be transmitted;
transmitting personalization data from the providing unit to the first personalization unit;
receiving a data preparation parameter from the first personalization unit; and
preparing the personalization data to be transmitted in accordance with the received data preparation parameter.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein in the step of preparing the personalization data to be transmitted, only selected data fields of the available data fields in the personalization data are provided for transmission, the data preparation parameter indicating the selection.
18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the data preparation parameter comprises an encryption indicator, wherein in the step of preparing the personalization data to be transmitted, data are encrypted or not encrypted as indicated by the encryption indicator.
19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein in the step of preparing the personalization data to be transmitted, data are decrypted and thereafter re-encrypted for transmission.
20 . The method according to claim 16 , including managing the personalization data via the data providing unit in accordance with a predefined workflow scheme.
21 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the personalization unit comprises a transmission processor and a main personalization unit, the transmission processor providing transmitted personalization data to the main personalization unit, and using the main personalization unit to perform the personalization of the portable data carriers.
22 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein the transmission processor post-processes the transmitted personalization data.
23 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the data providing unit comprises a service controller and internal services having access to resources of the data providing unit and boundary services without access to the internal resources, wherein at least one internal service provides data from the data providing unit and the boundary services receive external input data for the data providing unit.
24 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the transmission processor counts the number of personalization data forwarded to the main personalisation unit and limits the number to a predetermined reference limit.
25 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the transmission processor uses a single request limitation to ensure that only one request is in progress and one personalisation job data is forwarded to the main personalisation machine at a time.
26 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the data transmission processor keeps track of the forwarded data and monitors it to make sure that it is consumed by the main personalisation unit within a time limit.
27 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the personalization data comprises a plurality of personalization data rows, the personalization data rows comprising multiple data fields.
28 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the personalization data are transmitted in a system internal format from the providing unit to the personalization unit and the transmitted personalization data are then converted into a format of the personalization unit.
29 . A personalization data providing unit configured to perform the steps of the method recited in claim 16 .
30 . A system comprising the personalization data providing unit as recited in claim 29 and a plurality of personalization units using personalization data for personalizing portable data carriers.