SMART CONTACT CARD

They allow data exchange between the chip on the card and a reading machine. Contact cards follow  ISO 7816 Rule; it states physical and mechanic characteristics, the chip position on card, and all rules and protocols observed for encoding.

There are 2 kinds of contact card, different from each other:

• Microprocessor card
• Memory card

The microprocessor card have the same technical and component characteristics as a small computer: a CPU that processes data, a RAM that makes all programs in chip operative, a ROM and an EEPROM.
Memory cards can be defined like some sort of floppy disk or a CD: simply available memory, therefore they do not have an operating system, they have to find it in external reading devices.

SMART CONTACTLESS CARD

Contacless cards use radio frequencies to provide a wireless connection to the reader.
A transmitting antenna is inserted in the reader, and a receiving antenna is inserted in the card and connected to the chip: when the card is close to the reader (not further than 1 meter, depending on the antenna type), a sufficient amount of energy is generated in order to make the chip function (in contact cards such energy is generated by the contact between the two reading/writing devices).
The innovation key of such technology consists of the zero-connecting-time between the card and the reader, together with the adaptability of readers in terms of dimensions.

They are defined according to frequency:

• Low frequency: 125 KHz; 2-100 cm  range; from 64 bit to 1 Kbit memory – Mainly used for access,  vending machine
• High frequency: 13.56 MHz; 3-10 cm range, up to 2 Kbyte memory – Mainly used for huge access and staff handling.

For further information, please contact us at info@dynamicard.it