DETAILED DESCRIPTION
3rd paragraph
A configuration such as that shown in FIG. 1 might be desirable for a variety of different applications. At a first level, the smart card can be used to control access to the personal computer. For instance, before the user is allowed to run a particular program or open a sensitive file, he or she may be required to insert his or her personal smart card into the reader 16 and enter a password via the keyboard 12. In a known manner, the smart card and the reader communicate with one another to authenticate the password, and thereafter authorize the computer to operate in the manner commanded by the user. In a more sophisticated application, the smart card might include one or more personalized software programs which can be executed by the microprocessor in the smart card and interact with the CPU, such as an electronic banking program.
United States Patent 6,199,128 Inventors: Sarat; Jean-Marc (Belmont, CA)