FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
# java -version
java version "1.7.0_65"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_65-b33)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.65-b04, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux B0196067 2.6.32-431.5.1.el6.x86_64 #1 SMP Fri Jan 10 14:46:43 EST 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
# lsusb|grep Omni
Bus 002 Device 007: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 008: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 009: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 010: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 011: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 012: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 013: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 014: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 015: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 016: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 017: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 018: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821
Bus 002 Device 019: ID 076b:3821 OmniKey AG CardMan 3821

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
javax.smartcardio does not parallelize card-reader access
if TerminalFactory.getDefault() is invoked ESTABLISH_CONTEXT of pcsc-subsystem is only called once. Even if multiple threaded TerminalFactory.getDefault() invocations are done ESTABLISH_CONTEXT of pcsc-subsystem is not called another time.
Thus card-reader access is serialized instead of parallelized.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
write program that threads multiple card-reader-accesses with minimum 2 threads and maxmimum as many threads as you have card-readers. Do a card-reader-list per thread, maybe each thread lists one respective reader (e.g. source-code)
pcsc-debug-log of two-fold-threaded run:

Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: winscard_msg_srv.c:239:SHMProcessEventsServer() Common channel packet arrival
Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: winscard_msg_srv.c:248:SHMProcessEventsServer() SHMProcessCommonChannelRequest detects: 10
Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: pcscdaemon.c:147:SVCServiceRunLoop() A new context thread creation is requested: 10
Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: winscard_svc.c:133:ContextThread() Thread is started: 10
Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: winscard_msg_srv.c:317:SHMProcessEventsContext() command CMD_VERSION received by client 10
Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: winscard_svc.c:189:ContextThread() Client is protocol version 3:0
Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: winscard_msg_srv.c:317:SHMProcessEventsContext() command ESTABLISH_CONTEXT received by client 10
Nov 28 14:32:23 localhost pcscd: winscard.c:242:SCardEstablishContext() Establishing Context: 17000443
Nov 28 14:32:24 localhost pcscd: winscard_msg_srv.c:306:SHMProcessEventsContext() Client has disappeared: 10
Nov 28 14:32:24 localhost pcscd: winscard_svc.c:146:ContextThread() Client die: 10
Nov 28 14:32:24 localhost pcscd: winscard.c:253:SCardReleaseContext() Releasing Context: 17000443




EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
multiple contexts opened to pcsc-subsystem, as a mutlithreaded C-program would do.
ACTUAL -
only one context is established to pcsc-subsystem

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
PcscTest.java

ListSmartcardReaders[] listSmartcardReaders = new ListSmartcardReaders[numThreads];

// thread-Objekte erstellen
for(thread=0;thread<numThreads;thread++) {
listSmartcardReaders[thread] = new ListSmartcardReaders(thread);
}

// threads starten
for(thread=0;thread<numThreads;thread++) {
listSmartcardReaders[thread].start();
}

ListSmartCardReaders.java

public void run() {
try {
listCounted();
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public int listCounted() {
/* we use the default TerminalFactory */
TerminalFactory factory = TerminalFactory.getDefault();

try {
/* We can have multiple terminals on one System, so we get a list */
List<CardTerminal> terminals = factory.terminals().list();
return terminals.size();

} catch (CardException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
return 0;
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
none available