Multi-mode smart card emulator and related methods

1. An emulator for a multi-mode smart card comprising:

emulation circuitry for performing smart card applications in a plurality of operational modes;

a smart card connector to be connected to a smart card adapter operable in at least one of the plurality of operational modes, said smart card connector comprising a plurality of contacts;

a plurality of cable assemblies having first ends connected to said emulation circuitry, each cable assembly for a respective operational mode; and

an interface device connected between second ends of said plurality of cable assemblies and said smart card connector for selectively electrically connecting a selected cable assembly to predetermined ones of said contacts of said smart card connector based upon the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter and comprising

an operating mode detection circuit connected to said plurality of contacts for detecting at least one signal pattern of the smart card adapter corresponding to the operational mode of the smart card adapter, and

a switching circuit connected to said operating mode detection circuit for selectively switching signals from the selected cable assembly to the predetermined ones of said contacts based upon the detected at least one signal pattern of the smart card adapter.

2. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said mode detection circuitry detects the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter based upon signals generated by the smart card adapter on at least one of said contacts.

3. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said interface device further comprises a mode select switch connected to said mode detection circuitry, and wherein said mode detection circuitry detects the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter based upon said mode select switch.

4. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said interface device provides a mode signal to said emulation circuitry indicating the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter.

5. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said interface circuitry detects an authentication signal from the smart card adapter on at least one of said contacts; and wherein said interface circuitry prohibits access to said emulation circuitry by the smart card adapter until the authentication signal is detected.

6. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said smart card connector further comprises a smart card body carrying said plurality of contacts.

7. The emulator of claim 1 wherein the plurality of operational modes comprise an International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) operational mode and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) operational mode.

8. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said emulation circuitry comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

9. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said interface device comprises a user-operable isolation switch for allowing a user to electrically isolate said emulation circuitry from the smart card adapter.

10. The emulator of claim 1 wherein said interface device comprises a reset switch for causing said emulation circuitry to perform a reset operation.

11. An emulation system for a multi-mode smart card comprising:

a host device;

a smart card adapter connected to said host device and operable in at least one of a plurality of operational modes; and

a multi-mode smart card emulator for communicating with said host device via said smart card adapter and comprising

emulation circuitry for performing smart card applications in the plurality of operational modes,

a smart card connector to be connected to said smart card adapter, said smart card connector comprising a plurality of contacts,

a plurality of cable assemblies having first ends connected to said emulation circuitry, each cable assembly for a respective operational mode, and

an interface device connected between second ends of said plurality of cable assemblies and said smart card connector for selectively electrically connecting a selected cable assembly to predetermined ones of said contacts of said smart card connector based upon the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter and comprising

an operating mode detection circuit connected to said plurality of contacts for detecting at least one signal pattern of the smart card adapter corresponding to the operational mode of the smart card adapter, and

a switching circuit connected to said operating mode detection circuit for selectively switching signals from the selected cable assembly to the predetermined ones of said contacts based upon the detected at least one signal pattern of the smart card adapter.

12. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said mode detection circuitry detects the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter based upon signals generated by the smart card adapter on at least one of said contacts.

13. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said interface device further comprises a mode select switch connected to said mode detection circuitry, and wherein said mode detection circuitry detects the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter based upon said mode select switch.

14. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said interface device provides a mode signal to said emulation circuitry indicating the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter.

15. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said interface circuitry detects an authentication signal from the smart card adapter on at least one of said contacts; and wherein said interface circuitry prohibits access to said emulation circuitry by the smart card adapter until the authentication signal is detected.

16. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said smart card connector further comprises a smart card body carrying said plurality of contacts.

17. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of operational modes comprise an International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) operational mode and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) operational mode.

18. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said emulation circuitry comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

19. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said interface device comprises an user-operable isolation switch for allowing a user to electrically isolate said emulation circuitry from the smart card adapter.

20. The emulation system of claim 11 wherein said interface device comprises a reset switch for causing said emulation circuitry to perform a reset operation.

21. A method for using emulation circuitry for a multi-mode smart card, the emulation circuitry for performing smart card applications in a plurality of operational modes, the method comprising:

providing a smart card connector to be connected to a smart card adapter operable in at least one of the plurality of operational modes, the smart card connector comprising a plurality of contacts;

connecting first ends of a plurality of cable assemblies to the emulation circuitry;

connecting an interface device between second ends of the plurality of cable assemblies and the smart card connector; and

using the interface device to selectively electrically connect a selected cable assembly to predetermined ones of the contacts of the smart card connector based upon the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter and comprising

using the interface device to detect the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter based upon signals generated by the smart card adapter on at least one of the contacts,

wherein the interface device comprises a mode select switch; and further comprising detecting the at least one operational mode of the smart card adapter based upon the mode select switch.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising using the interface device to provide a mode signal to the emulation circuitry corresponding to the operational mode of the smart card adapter.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

detecting an authentication signal pattern from the smart card adapter on at least one of the contacts using the interface device; and

prohibiting access to the emulation circuitry by the smart card adapter using the interface device until the authentication signal pattern is detected.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the plurality of operational modes comprise an International Standards Organization 7816 (ISO 7816) operational mode and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) operational mode.