What is Smart Card?
The smart card is defined as a "credit card" with a "brain" on it, the brain being a small embedded computer chip. Because of this "embedded brain", smart card is also known as chip or integrated circuit (IC) card. Some types of smart card may have a microprocessor embedded, while others may only have a non-volatile memory content included. In general, a plastic card with a chip embedded inside can be considered as a smart card.
Advantages of Smart Card
Large storage capacity is one of the advantages in using smart card, but the single-most important feature of smart card consists of the fact that their stored data can be protected against unauthorized access and tampering. Inside a smart card, access to the memory content is controlled by a secure logic circuit within the chip. As access to data can only be performed via a serial interface supervised by the operating system and the secure logic system, confidential data written onto the card is prevented from unauthorized external access. This secret data can only be processed internally by the microprocessor.
Different types of smart cards
According to the definitions of "smart card" in the Smart card technology, the word smart card has three different meanings:
. IC card with ISO 7816 interface
. Processor IC card
. Personal identity token containing ICs
Basically, based on their physical characteristics, IC cards can be categorized into 4 main types:
Memory Card
Contact CPU/ Micro-processor Card
Contactless Card
Combi Card
Different Applications of Smart Cards
With the rapid expansion of Technology and Electronic commerce, smart cards are now more widely accepted in the commercial market as stored-value and secure storage cards. Smart Cards have also been used as an identity card. This identity card can be used for normal access control as well as electronic payment.
The smart card has also been used in transportation to replace of the old Magnetic stripe card. Medical record can also be stored in the smart card. This enables critical information of the patient to be retrieved whenever it is required. With the help of smart card technology, many secure data such as the computer login name and password can also be kept, so user need not remember a large number of passwords.
The Various Types of Smart card Applications are:-
Electronic Payment - Electronic Purse, Stored Value Cards
Security and Authentication - Cryptographic Uses, Identity Card, Access Control Card, Digital Certificate
Transportation - Mass Rapid Transit Cards, Toll Collection Cards, Driving License & Vehicle Registration Cards
Loyalty Program Cards
Health Care Applications
Telecommunications - Payphone Cards, SIM Cards
Types of Smart Cards Available
Memory Cards
BASE offers a variety of memory cards that may be used with their various smart card readers/writers. All cards are conforming to ISO 7816. These are the 4428 and 4442 memory cards. Also available are High Capacity Memory Cards in the memories 4KB, 8KB, 16Kb & 32 KB
Contact CPU/ Micro-processor Cards
BASE offers a variety of Micro-processor cards that may be used with their various smart card readers/writers. These are available in Memory Capacity of 4KB, 8KB, 16KB,32 KB & 64 KB.
Contactless Cards
BASE offers contactless cards that may be used with their contactless smart card readers/writers. The available contactless cards are as per ISO Standards conforming to ISO 14443 and ISO 15693.
Frequency
LF -- 125KHz - EM 4100, 4102
HF -- 13.56 MHz - Mifare, Icode, Icode2, Hitag, Inside
UHF -- 863~963 MHz -Cards, Inlays, Labels, Metal Mounted, Token, Capsules
The Contactless technology can be provided in ISO Size Cards, Key Fobs, Disc Tags, Labels, Inlays.
Combi Cards
These cards can be dual interface cards for e.g. Contact Chip with Contactless Technology or EM 4100 with Mifare® or Mifare® with UHF or Mifare® with Mag Stripe and as per client requirements.
All the above cards can be provided in Offset Pre-printed with optional Serial Number printing and any other special printing requirements.