How a Server Updates Smart Card Apps and Shows Ads
This patent describes a system where a central server authenticates a smart card user, identifies the specific smart card, allows the user to update applications on it, and then sends an advertisement to the user's computer.
Original patent title: “Updating an application on a smart card and displaying an advertisement”
This patent describes a system where a central server authenticates a smart card user, identifies the specific smart card, allows the user to update applications on it, and then sends an advertisement to the user's computer. Granted to International Business Machines Corp in 2018 with 23 claims and 1 forward citation, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a method for managing applications on a smart card and delivering advertisements. When a user inserts their smart card into a computer, a server first verifies the user with a PIN. The server then reads a unique number from the smart card's processor to identify the specific card and retrieve its profile, which lists the applications stored on it (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). The server then tells the user's computer to show a page listing these applications and possible actions, like updating them. If the user chooses to modify an application, the server updates its records, the smart card itself changes the application, and the server sends an advertisement to be displayed on the user's computer (Claim 1).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover smart card application updates that occur without a server authenticating the user via a PIN.
- Does not cover systems where the smart card's unique processor number is not used by a server to identify a card profile.
- Does not cover application updates that do not result in an advertisement being sent to the user's computer for display.
- Does not cover smart card updates where the user's computer does not display a page of applications and permitted actions from the server.
- Does not cover smart card systems that lack a server-side user profile or card profile containing physical characteristics and application identities.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever bit is securely linking a specific smart card's unique hardware identifier to a server-side user profile, allowing for personalized management of applications and targeted advertisement delivery during an update process. This ensures that updates and ads are tailored to the exact card and user.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Secure element updates on mobile payment cards
SIM card application management by mobile carriers
Digital TV smart card updates
Access control card configuration
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses the challenge of securely managing and updating software on smart cards after they have been issued, a process known as 'post issuance operation.' It also integrates advertising into this process, creating a potential revenue stream. While filed in 2003, the long grant time to 2018 suggests the underlying concepts of secure remote management of embedded systems and targeted content delivery remained relevant for a long period.
Filed
May 22, 2003
Granted
May 1, 2018
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Thales, Giesecke+Devrient, and IDEMIA, which are major providers of smart card and secure element technologies, continue to build systems for secure post-issuance management of applications. Mobile network operators also develop similar infrastructure for managing SIM card services and updates. IBM, the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, continues to be active in secure transaction processing and enterprise solutions that could leverage such technologies.
Market impact
This patent contributed to the foundational understanding of how to securely update applications on smart cards after they are in use, which is critical for maintaining security and adding new features. It also laid groundwork for integrating promotional content directly into these secure update processes. This capability became important for industries relying on smart cards, such as banking, telecommunications, and digital TV, by enabling flexible service delivery and monetization through targeted advertising.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a method for managing applications on a smart card and delivering advertisements. When a user inserts their smart card into a computer, a server first verifies the user with a PIN. The server then reads a unique number from the smart card's processor to identify the specific card and retrieve its profile, which lists the applications stored on it (Claim 1). The server then tells the user's computer to show a page listing these applications and possible actions, like updating them. If the user chooses to modify an application, the server updates its records, the smart card itself changes the application, and the server sends an advertisement to be displayed on the user's computer (Claim 1).
The clever bit
The clever bit is securely linking a specific smart card's unique hardware identifier to a server-side user profile, allowing for personalized management of applications and targeted advertisement delivery during an update process. This ensures that updates and ads are tailored to the exact card and user.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover smart card application updates that occur without a server authenticating the user via a PIN.
- Does not cover systems where the smart card's unique processor number is not used by a server to identify a card profile.
- Does not cover application updates that do not result in an advertisement being sent to the user's computer for display.
- Does not cover smart card updates where the user's computer does not display a page of applications and permitted actions from the server.
- Does not cover smart card systems that lack a server-side user profile or card profile containing physical characteristics and application identities.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$12K – $37K
Midpoint $23K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Fellenstein, C. W., & Luoffo, V. V. D. (2018). How a Server Updates Smart Card Apps and Shows Ads (U.S. Patent No. 9,959,544). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9959544/updating-an-application-on-a-smart-card-and-displaying-an-advertisement
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a Server Updates Smart Card Apps and Shows Ads cover?
This patent describes a system where a central server authenticates a smart card user, identifies the specific smart card, allows the user to update applications on it, and then sends an advertisement to the user's computer.
Who owns patent US 9959544?
International Business Machines Corp owns this patent, granted in 2018.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 9959544 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses the challenge of securely managing and updating software on smart cards after they have been issued, a process known as 'post issuance operation.' It also integrates advertising into this process, creating a potential revenue stream. While filed in 2003, the long grant time to 2018 suggests the underlying concepts of secure remote management of embedded systems and targeted content delivery remained relevant for a long period.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover smart card application updates that occur without a server authenticating the user via a PIN.
Same assignee
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