RELATED APPLICATIONS

Benefit is claimed to the Indian Provisional Application Ser. No. 2627/CHE/2009, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING AND AGESSING PERSONAL INFORMATION" by Manmath Nath Ray, filed on October 29, 2009, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of data management, more particularly, the present invention relates to system and method for managing personal information through a smart card.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has been a conventional practice for individuals to carry multiple documents pertaining to his/her personal information seeking to avail different services from different organizations such as opening a bank account, availing bank loan, admissions in schools and so on. Multiple documents such as identity proof, address proof, birth certificate, employment proof, etc. are necessary for submitting to different organizations in order to verify personal information. Moreover, there is always a delay in processing these documents while availing services. For example, processing a home loan application takes approximately 15 days; most of the time is required for verification of the documents. Further, there involves a considerably high processing fee to be paid by the applicant seeking such services. Risk of identification of original and fake documents also looms in the current information processing system.

Some of the organizations have got the conventional system having a dedicated smartcard which is used to make access and verification process easier and faster. However, it does not solve access and verification problems across other organizations. In other words, it is neither a centralized nor a recognized global
system. Further, maintaining number of cards and multiple documents containing sensitive data has always been a major concern.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A system and method of managing personal information through a smart card is disclosed. In one aspect, a computer implemented method for managing personal information associated with a user in a smart card includes installing a data application by at least one entity in a smart card, where the smart card is configured to include a plurality of data applications, each of the plurality of data applications is associated with a single entity and includes a private data storage and application programming interface (API).

The computer implemented method further includes storing verified personal information associated with a user by the at least one entity in the associated data application. The computer implemented method also includes verifying at least one parameter associated with the verified personal information by a communication device associated with the smart card based on a verification request from another entity, and providing result of verification of the at least one parameter to the another entity based on verification of the at least one parameter.
In another aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, that when executed by a communication device with a smart card, cause the communication device with the smart card to perform the method described above.
In yet another aspect, a system for managing personal information associated with a user includes a smart card for storing verified personal information associated with a user, a communication device for providing access to the smart card, and a plurality of servers associated with a plurality of entities communicatively connected to the communication device for accessing the smart card, where the smart card includes a plurality of data applications, each of the plurality of data applications is associated with one of the plurality of entities and includes a private data storage and application programming interface (API). Also, the communication device includes a processor, and memory coupled to the processor.

The memory includes a data application installation module for installing a data application associated with one of the plurality of entities in the smart card, a storage module for enabling the one of the plurality of entities to store verified personal information associated with a user in the associated one of the plurality of data applications, a personal data verification module for enabling verification of at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a verification request from another of the plurality of entities and for providing result of verification of the at least one parameter to the another of the plurality of entities based on verification of the at least one parameter.
In a further aspect, a communication device for managing personal information associated with a user includes a processor; and memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory is temporarily configured to store instructions capable of installing a data application associated with one of the plurality of entities in a smart card, where the smart card is configured to include a plurality of data applications, each of the plurality of data applications is associated with one of the plurality of entities and includes a private data storage and application programming interface (API).

The memory further includes instructions capable of enabling said one of the plurality of entities to store verified personal information associated with a user in the associated data application. The memory also includes instructions capable of enabling verifying at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a verification request from another of the plurality of entities, and providing result of verification of the at least one parameter to the another of the plurality of entities based on verification of the at least one parameter.

other features of the embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for managing personal information through a smart card, according to one embodiment.
FIGURE 2 is a process flowchart of an exemplary method of managing personal information using the system shown in FIGURE 1, according to one embodiment.

FIGURE 3 is a block diagram of the communication device of FIGURE 1 showing various components for implementing embodiments of the present subject matter.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A system and method of managing personal information through a smart card is disclosed. In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 100 for managing personal information through a smart card 102, according to one embodiment. In Figure 1, the system 100 includes the smart card 102, a communication device 104 and one or more entities 106A-N.
The smart card 102 includes one or more data applications 108A-N associated with the entities 106A-N. Each of the one or more data applications 108A-N includes a private data storage and set of application programming interface (APIs) associated with one of the entities 106A-N. The communication device 104 includes a processor 110 and memory 112 coupled to the processor 110. The memory includes a data application installation module 114, a storage module 116, a personal data verification module 118, an authentication module 120, and an access module 122. The entities 106A-N includes associated servers 124A-N connected to the communication device 104.
The smart card 102 may be an integrated circuit card such as a subscriber identification (SIM) card, debit and/or credit card, security card, memory card, health card, identification card and the like. The smart card 102 may reside inside or external to the communication device 104 and can be accessed using contact or contact-less technology. The communication device 104 may be a wired or wireless communication device such as a telephone, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, personal computer and the like. The entities 124A-N may be one of a private entity, a public entity, and a government entity such as health organization, election department, birth registry department, bank, educational institute, and so on. Further, the servers 124A-N are connected to the communication device 104 via a wireless or wired network and communicate over a secured link.
The operation of the system 100 according to the present invention is described below. Consider that, the entity 106A wishes to install a data application 108A for storing personal information verified by the entity 106A in the smart card .102.

In such a case, the server 124A associated with the entity 106A may send a request for application installation to the communication device 104 for the first time. Alternatively, the user of the smart card 102 may raise a request for registering the entity 106A using the communication device 104. It can be noted that, the communication device 104 authenticates the user before processing the request for registration. The communication device 104 forwards the forwards the request to the smart card 104 for installing a data application for the entity 106A or registering the entity 106A. Accordingly, the smart card 102 installs the data application 108A for the entity 106A using the data application installation module 114.
Further, if the server 124A associated with the entity 106A wishes to write verified personal information associated with a user of the smart card 102 in a private data storage area of the data application 108A, then the server 124A performs authentication procedure with the communication device 104. Upon successful authentication, the server 124A may be enabled to store the verified personal information associated with the user in the data application 108A over a secure link using the storage module 116. Exemplary verified personal information may include birth information, genealogical information, health information, geographic information, educational information, financial information, professional information, property information, and identity information.
Furthermore, in case, the entity 106A wishes to access the smart card 102 for reading or writing the verified personal information from/in the data application 108A, then in one embodiment, the authentication module 120 authenticates the entity 106A to access the data application 108A. Further, the server 124A is enabled to read or write verified personal information from/in the data application 108A via a secure link using the access module 122. It can be noted that, the communication device 104 do not authenticate the user to write/re-write any information in the data application 108A. It can also be noted that, the communication device 104 do not authenticate the entities 106B-N to access the
data application 108A associated with the entity 106A.
In other case, If the entity 106B wishes to verify parameter associated with the personal Information of the user then In another embodiment, the server 124A sends a request for verifying a parameter associated with personal information of the user to the communication device 104. It is appreciated that, the entity 106B may or may not be associated with a data application 108B. The communication device 104 then forwards the request to the data application 108A associated with the entity 106A. Accordingly, the data application 108A sends a request for authentication to the communication device 104, whereby the authentication module 120 authenticates the entity 106A to access the data application 108A.
The data application 108A verifies the parameter associated with the personal Information of the user with the verified personal Information stored in the private data storage associated with data application 108A via a secure link using the personal data verification module 118. In one exemplary implementation, the communication device 104 may determine whether the requested parameter matches with a parameter in the verified personal information of the user in the private data storage associated with the data application 108A.
Accordingly, the personal data verification module 118 notifies the entity 1068 via the communication device 106 regarding the result of the verification. In one exemplary Implementation, if the parameter Is successfully verified, then the server 1248 may upload the personal Information associated with the verified parameter in the data application 1088. It should be noted that, the parameter associated with the user is verified with the associated verified personal information without exchanging the associated verified personal information between two or more entities. Although, the above description Is made with reference to the entities 106A and 1068, one can envision that, each of the entities 106A-N may store and access the respective verified personal information in the respective data application and may also validate parameter of the user using the verified personal information stored In the respective data
application. Moreover, the method steps performed by the system 100 are described with reference to FIGURE 2 below.
FIGURE 2 is a process flowchart 200 of an exemplary method of managing personal information using the system 100 shown in FIGURE 1, according to one embodiment. At step 202, a data application (e.g., the data application 108A) for a first entity (e.g., the entity 106A) is installed in the smart card 102. At step 204, verified personal information associated with the user of the smart card 102 is stored in the data application 108A upon successful authentication. At step 206, a request is received by the communication device 104 from the entities 106A-N.
At step 208, it is determined whether the received request is associated with verification of at least one parameter associated with the user. If it is a request for verification, then at step 210, the first entity 106A is authenticated to access verified personal information in the data application 108A for verification. At step 212, the verified personal information associated with the user is accessed from the private data storage associated with the data application 108A based on the request from a second entity (e.g., the entity 106B).
At step 214, the at least one parameter is verified with the verified personal information using a secured link. At step 216, the second entity 102 is notified that the at least one parameter associated with the user is successfully verified. At step 218, personal information associated with the at least one verified parameter is updated in the data application associated with the second entity 106B.
If the request is not for verification, then at step 220, the first entity 106A is authenticated to access verified personal information in the private data storage associated with the data application 108A.. At step 222, the verified personal information associated with the user is read written from/to the data application 108A. Moreover, in one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable
storage medium having instructions stored therein, that when executed by the communication device 104, result in performing the method described in Figure 2.
FIGURE 3 is a block diagram of the communication device 104 of FIGURE 1 showing various components for implementing embodiments of the present subject matter. In FIGURE 3, the communication device 104 includes a processor 110, memory 112, a transceiver 302, a communication interface 304, a bus 306, a display 308, an input device 310, and a cursor control 312.
The processor 110, as used herein, means any type of computational circuit, such as, but not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a complex instruction set computing microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing microprocessor, a very long instruction word microprocessor, an explicitly parallel instruction computing microprocessor, a graphics processor, a digital signal processor, or any other type of processing circuit. The processor 110 may also include embedded controllers, such as generic or programmable logic devices or arrays, application specific integrated circuits, single-chip computers, smart cards, and the like.
The memory 112 may be volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The memory 112 includes the data application installation module 114, the storage module 116, the personal data verification module 118, the authentication module 120, and the access module 122 temporarily stored therein in the form of the instruction(s). A variety of computer-readable storage media may be stored in and accessed from the memory elements. Memory elements may include any suitable memory device(s) for storing data and machine-readable instructions, such as read only memory, random access memory, erasable programmable read only memory, electrically erasable programmable read only memory, hard drive, removable media drive for handling compact disks, digital video disks, diskettes, magnetic tape cartridges, memory cards, Memory Sticks™, and the like.

Embodiments of the present subject matter may be implemented in conjunction with the above mentioned modules, including functions, procedures, data structures, and application programs, for performing tasks, or defining abstract data types or low-level hardware contexts. Machine-readable instructions stored on any of the above-mentioned storage media may be executable by the processor 110. For example, a computer program may include machine-readable instructions capable of managing verified personal information according to the teachings and herein described embodiments of the present subject matter. In one embodiment, the program may be included on a compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) and loaded from the CD-ROM to a hard drive in the non-volatile memory. The machine-readable instructions may cause the communication device 104 to encode according to the various embodiments of the present subject matter.
The transceiver 302 may be capable of request for storing, accessing and verifying verified personal information, transmitting results of verification to associated one of the entities 106A-N. The bus 306 acts as interconnect between various components of the communication device 104. The components such as communication interfaces 304, the display 308, the input device 310, and the cursor control 312 are well known to the person skilled in the art and hence the explanation is thereof omitted.
In accordance with the above described embodiments, an exemplary implementation of process of managing the verified personal information of an individual in a smart card throughout his/her life time is implemented as follows. Initially, the smart card containing information such as but not limited to name, address, date of birth, father's name, mother's name etc., is issued to a newly born baby (e.g., the user) by a hospital or a health organization. Further, when the child goes to school, the educational institute verifies details of the child using the information stored in the smart card before giving admission and also updates the educational qualification details of the student regularly.

In one example embodiment, the educational Institute stores the qualification details of the student in the smart card. Furthermore, when the student becomes a professional, the birth information and the educational information stored in the smart card are verified using the smart card before recruiting and the smart card is updated with the current employment details. Additionally, tahasil or other concerned authority or department may store the asset details of the user in the smart card. Thus, the smart card is verified and updated by all the entities in which the user is connected with. Therefore, the smart card acts as a single document including all the proofs.
In another exemplary implementation, while availing banking services such as opening a bank account, taking a credit card, availing for a loan, etc., the bank can verify the personal information of the user such as date of birth, address proof, qualification, and job data through the smart card before providing the services. Further, the bank information is stored in the same smart card. Thereby, reducing the number of smart cards (such as debit card, credit card etc.) usage for different accounts, as the smart card can be used as credit and/or debit card for a number of banks.
In these embodiments, for opening a bank account, the user can send request using his/her communication device, wherein the user needs to have the smart card with an relevant application from bank loaded in the communication device. Upon receipt of the request for opening the account, the bank may send a request to verify the parameters associated with the user. Further, the bank application inside the communication device communicates with an interfacing application of different organizations loaded into the communication device for verification of user's parameters. For example, the hospital or the health organization verifies birth information; educational institutes may validate the qualification details etc. After verifying user's parameters, the status is sent from the communication device to the bank using wired or wireless terminals. If the bank receives success status, it sends the bank account details to the communication device to store the data in the smart card. Thereby, the smart card also becomes a debit card and ready for use..

In yet another embodiment, the smart card can be used to facilitate verification of required personal information while issuing documents such as a passport, a pan card, etc., and the Information associated with these documents can be stored in the same smart card for future processing by other organizations. For example, the user can apply for visa to travel to a particular country through the smart card. In addition, when the user expires, the smart card can be used by his/her successors to know the personal information of the deceased, such as the bank account details, asset details, insurance details, etc. In this manner, the present invention ensures easier, faster and secured processing of the personal information.
Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. Furthermore, the various devices, modules, analyzers, generators, and the like described herein may be enabled and operated using hardware circuitry, for example, complementary metal oxide semiconductor based logic circuitry, firmware, software and/or any combination of hardware, firmware, and/or software embodied in a machine readable medium. For example, the various electrical structure and methods may be embodied using transistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits, such as application specific integrated circuit.

We Claim:

1. A computer implemented method for managing personal information
associated with a user in a smart card comprising: installing a data application by at least one entity In a smart card, wherein the smart card is configured to include a plurality of data applications, and wherein each of the plurality of data applications is associated with a single entity, and wherein each of the plurality of data applications includes a private data storage and application programming interface (API);storing verified personal information associated with a user by the at least one entity in the associated data application; verifying at least one parameter with the verified personal information by a communication device associated with the smart card based on a verification request from another entity; and providing result of verification of the at least one parameter to the another entity based on verification of the at least one parameter.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the smart card is selected from the group consisting of debit and/or credit card, identification card, health and subscriber identification module (SIM) card.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein storing the verified personal information associated with the user by the at least one entity in the associated data application further comprises: authenticating the at least one entity to access the associated data application; and accessing the verified personal information in the associated data application by the at least one entity upon successful authentication.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein verifying the at least
one parameter with the verified personal information by the communication
device associated with the smart card further comprises: receiving a request from said another entity to verify at least one parameter associated with the user, wherein another entity is associated with another data application in the smart card; accessing the verified personal information associated with the user in the associated data application by the at least one entity based on the request received from said another entity; determining whether the at least one parameter in the received request matches with at least one parameter in the verified personal information using a secured link; if so, notifying said another entity that the at least one parameter associated with the user is successfully verified; if not, notifying said another entity regarding failure to verify the at least one parameter associated with the user.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, further comprises updating verified personal information associated with the user by said another entity in associated data application in the smart card based on the result of verification.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the accessing the verified personal information associated with the user by the at least one entity comprises: restricting access to the verified personal information in the data application associated with the at least one entity to the user and other entities.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communication device associated with the smart card is selected from the group consisting of a wireless communication device and a wired communication device.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one entity and said another entity are selected from the group consisting of a private entity, a public entity, and a government entity.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the verified personal information associated with the user comprises birth information, genealogical information, health information, geographic information, educational information, financial information, professional information, property information, and identity information.

10. A system for managing personal information associated with a user, comprising: a smart card for storing verified personal information associated with the user; a communication device for providing access to the smart card; and a plurality of servers associated with a plurality of entities communicatively connected to the communication device for accessing the smart card, wherein the smart card comprises a plurality of data applications, each of the plurality of data applications is associated with one of the plurality of entities, and wherein each of the plurality of data applications includes a private data storage and application programming interface (API), and wherein the communication device comprises a processor, and memory coupled to the processor, and wherein the memory comprises a data application installation module for installing a data application associated with one of the plurality of entities in the smart card, a storage module for enabling the one of the plurality of entities to store verified personal information associated with a user in the associated one of the plurality of data applications, a personal data verification module for enabling verification of at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a verification request from another of the plurality of entities and for providing result of verification of the at least one parameter to the another of the plurality of entities based on verification of the at least one parameter.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory further comprises: an authentication module for authenticating one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information stored in the associated one of the plurality of the data applications; and an access module for enabling the one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information stored in the associated one of the plurality of data applications upon successful authentication.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein in verifying the at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a verification request from another of the plurality of entities, the personal data verification module receives a request from said another of the plurality of entities to verify at least one parameter associated with the user, enables the one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information associated with the user and to determine whether the at least one parameter in the received request matches with at least one parameter in the verified personal information using a secured link, and notifies said another one of the plurality of entities regarding the verification result.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the storage module enables said another of the plurality of entities to update personal information associated with the user in associated one of plurality of data applications in the smart card upon successful verification.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the access module restricts access to the verified personal information in the one of the plurality of data applications associated with the one of the plurality of entities to the user and remaining of the plurality of entities.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the communication device associated with the smart card is selected from the group consisting of a wireless communication device and a wired communication device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of entities are selected from the group consisting of a private entity, a public entity, and a government entity

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the verified personal information associated with the user comprises birth information, genealogical information, health information, geographic information, educational information, financial information, professional information, property information and identity information.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the smart card is selected from the group consisting of debit and/or credit card, identification card, health card and subscriber identification module (SIM) card.

19. A communication device for managing personal information associated with a user, comprising: a processor; and memory communicatively coupled to the processor and temporarily configured to store instructions capable of:installing a data application associated with one of the plurality of entities in a smart card, wherein the smart card is configured to include a plurality of data applications, and wherein each of the plurality of data applications is • associated with one of the plurality of entities, and wherein each of the plurality of data applications includes a private data storage and application programming interface (API); enabling said one of the plurality of entities to store verified personal information associated with a user in the associated data application; enabling verifying at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a verification request from another of the plurality of entities; and providing result of verification of the at least one parameter to the another of the plurality of entities based on verification of the at least one parameter.

20. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the instructions further
comprises: authenticating one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information stored in the associated one of the plurality of data applications; and enabling the one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information stored in the associated one of the plurality of data applications upon successful authentication.

21. The communication device of claim 19, wherein instructions for verifying the
at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a
verification request from another of the plurality of entities further comprises: receiving a request from said another of the plurality of entities to verify at least one parameter associated with the user; enabling the one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information associated with the user in the associated one of the plurality of data applications; determining whether the at least one parameter in the received request matches with at least one parameter in the verified personal information using a secured link; and notifying said another one of the plurality of entities regarding the verification result.

22.The communication device of claim 21, wherein the instructions further comprises enabling said another of the plurality of entities to update personal information associated with the user in respective data application in the smart card upon successful verification.

23.The communication device of claim 19, wherein the communication device is selected from the group consisting of a wireless communication device and a wired communication device.

24.The communication device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of entities are selected from the group consisting of a private entity, a public entity, and a government entity.

25. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the verified personal information associated with the user comprises birth information, genealogical information, health information, geographic information, educational information, financial information, professional information, property information, and identity information.

26. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the smart card is a smart card selected from the group consisting of debit cum credit card, identification card, and subscriber identification module (SIM) card.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, that when executed by a communication device with a smart card, cause the communication device with the smart card to perform a method comprising: installing a data application associated with one of the plurality of entities in the smart card, wherein the smart card is configured to include a plurality of data applications, and wherein each of the plurality of data applications is associated with one of the plurality of entities, and wherein each of the plurality of data applications includes a private data storage and application programming interface (APIs); enabling said one of the plurality of entities to store verified personal information associated with a user in the associated data application; enabling verification of at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a verification request from another of the plurality of entities, and providing result of verification of the at least one parameter to the another of the plurality of entities based on verification of the at least one parameter.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions further comprises: authenticating one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information stored in the associated one of the plurality of the data applications; and enabling the one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information stored in the associated one of the plurality of data applications upon successful authentication.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein instructions for verifying the at least one parameter with the verified personal information based on a verification request from another of the plurality of entities further comprises: receiving a request from said another of the plurality of entities to verify at least one parameter associated with the user; enabling the one of the plurality of entities to access the verified personal information associated with the user in the associated one of the plurality of data applications; determining whether the at least one parameter in the received request matches with at least one parameter in the verified personal information using a secured link; and notifying said another one of the plurality of entities regarding the verification result.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein
instructions further comprises enabling said another of the plurality of entities to
update personal information associated with the user in respective data
application in the smart card upon successful verification.

31. The method, system, device, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as herein described with reference to the foregoing description and drawings.