Schlumberger and Gemplus announce compatible Java Card Platforms

Business Wire, Feb 13, 1997

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 13, 1997--

Competitors align to bring mainstream computing

architecture and field application loading to smart cards

Gemplus and Schlumberger Electronics Transactions today announced the introduction of smart cards with compatible operating systems and application programmers interface adhering to the Java Card standard. Today's announcement clearly indicates the direction the industry is taking toward open, standardized operating systems, languages and APIs based on this new technology.

Today, even competing entities agree that where new technologies are concerned, industrywide efforts are required to build workable infrastructures and to develop compatible, interoperable, multi-use systems. This cannot be accomplished on any meaningful scale by individual players acting alone.

Both companies are developing smart cards that utilize the Java Virtual Machine concept. They work in close cooperation, to ensure a full compatibility between their respective products. This means that smart card applications developed for a Gemplus card will run on a Schlumberger card, and vice versa, validating the "write once, run anywhere" Java language paradigm.

Schlumberger announced last year the first smart card developed under the Java Card API. The new card, developed at the company's research and engineering center in Austin, Texas, was driven by market needs that could only be met by an open, standard and secure programming environment for smart cards.

Gemplus has been integrating open standards into smart cards for information systems since 1993 when it released its first card with an interpreter and query language. In 1995, Gemplus spun off a Silicon Valley software start-up company, Integrity Arts, to further the integration of smart cards with the world of new information systems through advanced card runtime software and tools.

Java was invented by Sun and introduced in 1995 by its JavaSoft division. In 1996, Schlumberger and other members of the industry collaborated with JavaSoft in the development of Java Card API.

"We are pleased that Schlumberger and Gemplus are taking the lead in creating a smart card environment that makes the most of our Java Card API and fully utilizes the interoperability of Java technology," said Jon Kannegaard, vice president of software products, JavaSoft. "We applaud and support their efforts to make the Java Card API the defacto standard for smart card operating systems and applications."

"Schlumberger, as a leader in the development of Java Card API, is very pleased that this new technology is gaining strong industry support," said Jean-Paul Bize, Vice President of Schlumberger Electronic Transactions. "This announcement demonstrates that the smart card industry is well on its way to adopting an open environment similar to the one created in the computer industry. This will accelerate the growth of applications and benefit both smart card customers and the end-user community."

"This announcement is the first demonstration of benefits brought by Java's interoperability and openness to the smart card industry," declared Marc Lassus, Chairman and CEO of Gemplus. "It will soon be further strengthened through the works of the recently announced Java Card Forum. Gemplus is very committed to make this standardization effort a complete success."

To further promote the standardization process that will eventually increase the market for smart cards, Schlumberger and Gemplus have established the Java Card Forum, a group of Java Card licensees devoted to promoting interoperability of smart card applications.

JCOS1 is the name given to Gemplus' first Java Card API 1.0 compatible product. It is a natural extension of the long-established range of Card Operating Systems developed by Gemplus, and is coherent with the philosophy of the interpreter-in-a-card range of Gemplus products developed since 1993 (e.g. Card Querry Language).

Last October, Schlumberger announced Cyberflex, the first Java Card. It brings all the benefits of Java to the smart card industry, including lower overall costs, faster time-to-market, and new market opportunities for smart card customers.

Schlumberger and Gemplus are making Cyberflex and JCOS1, respectively, available to other card manufacturers, through licensing arrangements, to bring important advantages for the industry as a whole, including: -0-

- Interoperability - an application developed for a Schlumberger's Cyberflex card or for a Gemplus JCOS1 card, or for any equivalent card from another supplier will be interoperable thanks to the Java-powered smart card technology.

- Open, high-level development environment for application developers -- Java development tools are readily available and there are thousands of Java programmers world-wide that can begin writing smart card applications now.

- Secure multiple application smart cards -- the built-in security of Java means that applications cannot interfere with one another nor access data without authorization, making secure multiple application cards viable.