The History of Smart Card Technology

The smart card as we know it has become a very common convenience and it was introduced in it’s modern form in 1978. These days smart cards are seen in a wide variety of devices that we use every day from cell phones to credit cards, debit cards and memory devices. The main function of the smart card is to use the technology of compact chips to process data inside whatever device it is used in. Smart cards resemble credit cards, many of which have proportions which are identical to their credit and debit card cousins, with the also similar magnetic stripe on the back. Rather than relying thousands of microscopic magnets oriented in a particular way to represent the user’s information, smart cards can electronically store considerably more information with the use of a microchip. Generally they are used for financial payment instruments, security badges and authentication mechanisms for computer equipment.

Contact Based Smart Cards

Quite simply, contact based smart cards are those which need to be plugged into something in order for them to work. There are two types of these contact based smart cards available, one of which is a memory card which will only allow memory to be read and written to it. The other type is a microprocessor card which has processing capabilities as well as memory. It is the latter type of contact based smart card which is used in complex devices such as mobile phones and credit cards. Memory cards are the other common type of smart cards, being used as they are in cameras, laptops and other devices which makes use of storage. Mobile phones use these kinds of cards in order to add extra functionality to that which their SIM cards already provide.

Contactless Smart Cards

This type of contactless smart card communicates with other devices via the use of radio frequency identification technology (RFID). During the entire communication process the card at no point needs to touch the surface of the reading device. It is this sort of technology that is used to make activities such as boarding a bus or paying with a credit card much faster and easier.

Concerns Over Security

The introduction of thse contactless smart cards initially sparked fears over potential security risks. The worry was that since there was a distance between transmitter and receiver, a potential identity theif would be able to stand a small distance from the transmitter and read the data from the card. Fortunately these concerns were unfounded since data on the card was encrypted using at least 128-bit encryption, making it highly unlikely that any theif would be able to process the data.

Contact Sections

Smart cards can receive electrical signals from different locations from different readers. Every card reader that a contact based smart car is placed in will place it’s electrical contacts on top of the car, right above each section. to prevent signals from going to the wrong end of the card the metal contacts are split from one another.

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Notorious hacker Chris Tarnovsky opens his underground laboratory to Wired.com, providing a peek into the world of satellite TV smart-card hacking. This complicated process involves nail polish, a pin head and various acids — so don’t try this at home (unless you’re Chris Tarnovsky)!

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Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of smart and combi cards manufacturer, Universal Smart Cards.

SAN DIEGO, CA–(Marketwire – December 8, 2009) – Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB) announced today that it has established a new subsidiary in India — Cubic Transportation Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. — and is entering this dynamic regional market with a five-month trial of Cubic’s smart card-based fare collection technology aboard buses in Delhi. Cubic’s new office in the growing high-tech hub of Hyderabad, India, will pursue automated fare collection systems and services business throughout the country and provide software development support for transportation projects worldwide.

The smart card trial started in November as part of the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMTS), a joint initiative of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) and the Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC) to deliver world-class urban transportation infrastructure for India’s capital region. Cubic installed and integrated its smart card technology aboard new low-floor air-conditioned buses on one of the many bus routes operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation, which oversees operations for the GNCTD. DTC is expanding its bus fleet to more than 11,000 buses.

Cubic provided approximately 5,000 smart cards, as well as smart card validators, and its open-architecture Driver Control Unit, an ‘on-bus’ processing platform that integrates — in one single device — automatic fare collection (AFC) and intelligent transportation system applications such as GPS-based vehicle tracking, passenger counting and security systems.

The new technology received excellent news coverage. According to The Hindu newspaper, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said using a common smart card “would make travel comfortable for commuters as they would not have to buy a ticket from the conductor every time, and therefore the hassle of cash and change would be eliminated.”

Delhi Transport Commissioner R.K. Verma said, “The AFC technology for the pilot is based on the well-proven London Oyster Card and other implementations worldwide. We are hoping that ultimately we will bring an excellent AFC platform to Delhi commuters.”

“DIMTS is pleased to bring smart card technology to the Delhi buses. We are evaluating the smart card system in the Indian environment and look forward to implementing a world-class AFC solution in Delhi,” said S.N. Sahai, Managing Director of Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS).

The fast pace of the smart card technology — it can complete transactions in a fraction of a second — suits India, which is one of the fastest-expanding economies in the world. Several of India’s largest cities are planning major infrastructure improvements. The Cubic system piloted in Delhi is based on contactless RFID technology that Cubic has implemented in major transport systems around the world including London, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco and Brisbane, Australia.

Cubic’s Oyster Card, for example, operates aboard approximately 8,000 buses and in more than 250 rail stations in the greater London area, a number that will grow in January 2010 when the Oyster Card will begin to be accepted on services across the national rail network around London. In addition, Cubic developed the “go card” for South East Queensland, which is used for bus, rail and ferry travel in that region. Delhi transit officials have studied both of these systems as they work to improve Delhi’s transportation infrastructure prior to its hosting of the October 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Smart card-based fare collection systems offer a way to stem the losses and equipment maintenance costs that can occur with cash operations while offering the convenience of seamless, intermodal travel to passengers. They allow transit planners to track how many passengers are using a particular rail line, ferry, bus route or parking facility, ensuring existing resources are used wisely and also plan future expansion of services. Smart card systems are also a good way for local governments and private companies to provide transportation benefits to their workers.

“With all the major cities in India involved in Metro infrastructure projects, and with large bus fleets to modernize, Cubic Transportation Systems is already presenting and positioning for future awards. We are also exploring business with Indian Railways,” said Kishan Kamojjhala, Cubic’s Managing Director for the India start-up.

Cubic® Transportation Systems, Inc., one of two major segments of Cubic Corporation, is the world’s leading turnkey solution provider of automated fare collection systems for public transport including bus, bus rapid transit, light rail, commuter rail, heavy rail, ferry and parking. Cubic’s solutions and services include system design, central computer systems, equipment design and manufacturing, device-level software, integration, test, installation, warranty, maintenance, computer hosting services, call centre services, card management and distribution services, financial clearing and settlement, multi-application support and outsourcing services.

Every year, nearly 10 billion rides are taken worldwide using Cubic fare collection systems. Cubic has delivered over 400 projects in 40 major markets on five continents. Active projects include London; New York / New Jersey region; Washington, D.C. / Baltimore / Virginia region; Los Angeles region; San Diego region; San Francisco; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Chicago; Atlanta; Miami; Vancouver and Edmonton, Canada; Brisbane, Australia; and Scandinavia.

Cubic Corporation’s defense segment is a world leader in realistic combat training systems, mission support services and defense electronics. For more information about Cubic, see the company’s website at www.cubic.com.

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This video shows you what is a Smartcard and how to use it. This is very useful for new students in WIS.

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Smart Card Market Forecast report ( http://www.bharatbook.com/Market-Research-Reports/Smart-Card-Market-Forecast.html ) gives the information about research and analysis of worldwide market of smart card industry.

The smart card industry has been continuously expanding, with countries across the globe identifying its true potential. The number of Smart card application projects has also been rising, demonstrating the versatility and robustness of the technology. The growing security needs, possible multiple usage and greater storage and processing capability are driving the growth of smart card industry world over and will also continue to do so in future. The global shipment of smart card surpassed an estimated 5 Billion units in 2008 and this figure is projected to surge at CAGR of nearly 11% through 2012, according to “Smart Card Market Forecast to 2012″, a recent market research report. 

The telecom sector is the biggest application market for smart cards, occupying more than 70% of the global smart card shipment in 2008. Growing number of mobile subscribers remain the largest contributor, driving sales of SIM cards worldwide. Use of smart cards in financial services sector has also been on rise buoyed by increasing use of Europay, MasterCard and Visa standard (EMV) standard.

Increasing use of internet for making online payment transactions is also fueling growth in the global smart card industry as this technology enables consumers make secure and reliable transactions. Use of contactless smart cards in this regard has gained remarkable consideration and is forecasted to grow at CAGR of more than 30% through 2012.

Besides this, the research also gives thorough analysis of various other applications along with their respective market share and future growth potential. For instance, the research anticipates the transport sector to experience the largest growth in usage of smart cards worldwide, CAGR projected at nearly 26% in near future.

“Smart Card Market Forecast to 2012″ provides extensive research and exhaustive analysis of the smart card industry worldwide. It gives an insight into the current market trends and growth prospects for the smart card industry while substantiating the data with unbiased and rationale analysis. It helps the client to understand the key trends in the industry.

The report studies the global smart card industry by segmenting it into Americas, Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific. It helps in analyzing the current performance and future outlook of the smart card industry on regional.

The countries covered in the report are decided on the basis of existing opportunities that could lead to the growth for smart cards. Country level profiling provides prudent analysis of the smart card projects which are under consideration in a particular country across various application sectors.

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duplication of the credential for fraudulent purposes. It must be a common, machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements. The Department of Homeland Security has the authority to issue regulations and set standards for compliance with the REAL ID Act. Smart Card Technology and Identity Applications Smart card technology is currently recognized as the most appropriate technology for identity applications that must meet certain critical security requirements, including …

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Of late, smart cards have become a growing industry. They have immense uses in the present time and are used extensively in almost every domain of life. Smart cards have gained popularity due to their wide application. They have made their presence felt in almost every field including payphones, banking and retail, communication, security control and many more. With the use of Internet and e commerce, smart cards have gained momentum and there are a plethora of usages of smart cards.

In this day and age, it has become quite impossible to move out, shop or even eat without having a smart card. Smart cards have indeed become an integral part of our lives since they are easy to carry along and use. These portable cards have made life much easier than it used to be before. They serve as reliable identification cards and are absolutely safe to use. In this article, we will throw light on the prime uses of smart cards, which are mentioned below:

Payphones

There are several countries where payphones are well equipped with card readers. Their benefit to the phone companies is that they are not required to collect coins and also they get timely payment in the most convenient manner. People like to use their smart cards at payphones, because they need not keep their eyes on their wallet every time to see if they have adequate money or not.

Banking and Retailing

Smart banking cards have multiple uses. They can be used as debit cards, credit cards or store value cards. Smart cards also serve as a good personal identification proof. There is an intelligent microchip on the smart card as well as on the card reader that secures the interest of users, merchants as well as bank. Of late, smart cards have given impetus to loyalty programs.

Security Control

Every organization whether school or private firm needs some form of security control. Though there are several kinds of security control measures, but smart cards are considered to be better than the rest, as they operate offline as well. Smart card authenticates a person’s identity and is extensively used in schools and offices nowadays. It also gives an access to individuals such as students in restricted areas. They can easily enter computer rooms by showing their smart cards on the smart card reader.

Mobile Phone Communication

Smart cards have great use in the field of mobile phone communication. For GSM digital mobile phones, these cards make a wonderful identification device. They store every bit of information to bill the smart card user. Also, smart cards enable the user to make calls from any phone terminal.

Health Care Services

Smart cards give accessibility to the patients’ case history. Information is properly stored and can be accessed at any point of time.  Health care professionals access patients’ information, which is stored on their smart cards, and update the same in their official records. Smart cards also pave way for instant insurance processing. In fact, nowadays doctors and nurses also carry smart identification cards that enable them to do multi level information accessing.

E-commerce

Smart cards are widely used for performing a host of electronic commercial transactions. You can buy articles of your choice over the Internet. You can get the tickets booked via Internet by means of smart card. You can order flowers, birthday gifts and do a lot more by using your smart card as a credit card or debit card. Smart cards have great use in service industries, as you can easily make payments online for services provided by the other party.

To conclude, smart card has become the buzzword in present times and almost every person has one smart card or the other.

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Bahrain Smart Card Conference and Exhibition organized by Bahrain Information Technology Society – BITS with participation of eSgulf. Demonstration of Smart card technologies for National ID and Homeland security

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A smart card resembles a credit card in size and shape, but inside it is completely different. First of all, it has an inside — a normal credit card is a simple piece of plastic. The inside of a smart card usually contains an embedded microprocessor. The microprocessor is under a gold contact pad on one side of the card. Think of the microprocessor as replacing the usual magnetic stripe on a credit card or debit card.

Smart cards are much more popular in Europe than in the United States. In Europe, the health insurance and banking industries use smart cards extensively. Every German citizen has a smart card for health insurance. Even though smart cards have been around in their modern form for at least a decade, they are just starting to take off in the United States.

Magnetic stripe technology remains in wide use in the United States. However, the data on the stripe can easily be read, written, deleted or changed with off-the-shelf equipment. Therefore, the stripe is really not the best place to store sensitive information. To protect the consumer, businesses in the U.S. have invested in extensive online mainframe-based computer networks for verification and processing. In Europe, such an infrastructure did not develop — instead, the card carries the intelligence.

The microprocessor on the smart card is there for security. The host computer and card reader actually “talk” to the microprocessor. The microprocessor enforces access to the data on the card. If the host computer read and wrote the smart card’s random access memory (RAM), it would be no different than a diskette.

Smarts cards may have up to 8 kilobytes of RAM, 346 kilobytes of ROM, 256 kilobytes of programmable ROM, and a 16-bit microprocessor. The smart card uses a serial interface and receives its power from external sources like a card reader. The processor uses a limited instruction set for applications such as cryptography.

The most common smart card applications are:

Credit cards
Electronic cash
Computer security systems
Wireless communication
Loyalty systems (like frequent flyer points)
Banking
Satellite TV
Government identification

Smart cards can be used with a smart-card reader attachment to a personal computer to authenticate a user. Web browsers also can use smart card technology to supplement Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for improved security of Internet transactions. Visa’s Smart Card FAQ shows how online purchases work using a smart card and a PC equipped with a smart-card reader. Smart-card readers can also be found in mobile phones and vending machines.

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In this segment Technocash remittance wireless terminals have the key Smart Card features explained. Smart Cards are popularized by many interest groups as being a solution to cashless payments. However, for an effective system the Smart Card functions need to be integrated into a more comprehensive payment environment. Technocash through its wireless terminal technology compliments local low-value payment Smart Card methods with links to full multi-currency accounts. The basic Smart Card …

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A marketing manager in Golden Smart Card company