BACKGROUND ART It is currently known to use a card with embedded logic which can then be used both to intercommunicate with a reader from time to time and further, hold programs and data from time to time for effecting communication and exchange of data or transfer of data.

Currently, there is a card which has a central processing unit embedded therein and memory storing an operating system for the central processing unit and further memory to hold data.

Currently, if a card is supplied to a person for use, that card has an installed operating system which then operates in a way which will maintain exclusivity for a supplier of that card to provide to others intercommunicating software for readers and so on.

A problem with such an arrangement is that if a person is supplied with a first card, then there is a high potential that that person will continue to use that card and therefore continue to use a proprietary supply of readers or other equipment.

For instance, if corporation X supplies a number of these cards as a proprietary card for its customers and others, then it continues to have some control over the use of those cards in so far that it can license as it wishes, access to reading software and even interoperability with respect to that card and others.

In accordance with this current invention, it is proposed to provide a card and associated methods and ancillary equipment which assists in reducing possible exclusiveness of the use of such members.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In one form of this invention, although this need not necessarily be the only or indeed the broadest form of this, there is proposed a member holding a central processing unit and memory and being such that the member is adapted to be interconnected from time to time with an intercommunicating apparatus, characterized in that the member includes at least two operating systems held within its memory to effect operation through the central processing unit, and means to detect which is an appropriate operating system so that a selected one of the operating systems may be effected to be the operating system operating through the central processing unit for a selected communication process.

In preference, the central processing unit has a start up program which might be termed a"'boot strap program"'held in associated memory which is permanently available upon start-up to effect a first start-up activation of a central processing unit.

In preference, the'boot strap program'also is arranged to respond to one or more received signals from an external apparatus such as a reading device or another communication device such that when the'boot strap program'effects a detection of a given communication system, then it is arranged that this will then effect through the central processing unit a selection of which ever operating system is then appropriate for the detected system.

From there, it would be expected that the selected operating system will then function in accordance with the conventional process including effecting an activating appropriate security algorithms appropriate to that selected system.

Further, data which is separately stored in further memory within the member will then be selectively accessible through which ever operating system is being used.

In preference, the file data structure for holding data in the member will be of a universal data structure so that, as required, data can be accessed by either one or more of the operating systems kept and held within the member.

In preference, the member is in the form of a card and in one case has electrically accessible connections accessible on one face of the card so that it can be inserted into a reader and have such electrical connections interconnect with corresponding connections in a reader or other communicating apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with reference to a preferred embodiment which is described with the assistance of a drawing wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic layout of functional elements within a member and showing a discretionary interconnection with a reader.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Now referring to the drawing, there are shown functional elements in accordance with this invention which firstly includes a central processing unit 1 which in accordance with conventional arrangements, will be effectively powered from time to time when connected appropriately with an external apparatus such as reader 2.

However, the programming for this central processing unit 1 in this case has a first 'boot strap program'3 which is held in non-volatile memory within the member and is such that upon any initiation, there is a first generated interrogation from the'boot strap program'3 which identifies the required operating system needed to appropriately communicate with reader 2.

Once this has been detected, there will then be a selective initiation of one of the operating systems held in memory these being shown in this case as 4 in one case and 5 in the other and in both cases they access the same data which is shown here at 6.

Once the selected operating system has been selected let us say operating system 1, then this will remain the effective operating system for the remainder of the transaction or communication until the member let us say in this a case smart card is removed from the reader and only when the smart card is further activated by being inserted into an appropriate reader apparatus that there will be then again a further start up and interrogation of what operating system should be effected.

While two operating systems have been shown to be able to be selected, it is envisaged that there could be any number of such operating systems limited only by the amount of memory that it needs to be allocated.

It is further envisaged that an operating system can be held in various forms of memory so that if necessary, such an operating system can be externally changed or erasable in certain circumstances. This is desirable but not essential.

While reference has been made to devices such as smart cards, it will be well realized that this concept applies to members that can be used from time to time to convey electronically useful information, data and logic.

Further, while reference has been made to a'boot strap program'being used as a preliminary startup program it is possible to have a first of the operating systems operate in a way that performs a first search and detect the system required function and then if appropriate transfer the operation over to one or other of the operating systems once this is detected as being appropriate.