The present invention concerns a control device (1) provided for smart card readers (SCR), a smart card reading activation device (2) and associated products including a set-top box and a daisy chain.The control device comprises means for communicating (11) with at least two smart card reading devices (SCR3, SCR4, SCR5), means for processing (12) information received from those reading devices and means for activating (13) at least one of those reading devices for a current communication. The activating means are intended to send selection data (SD) towards all those reading devices, those selection data enabling each of the reading devices to determine if it is selected or not for the current communication.