Smart Card - Basics

What is a smart Card?

A credit card size plastic with a single IC chip on board and conforms with ISO-7816


Components of a smart card
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1. Contact disc
2. Chip
3. Plastic body with cavity

Contact Disc
============
- 6 or 8 contacts
- square or oval shape
- can have different patterns defining the contacts
- contact postion complies with ISO-7816-2


Smart Card / IC Card Family
===========================
- Contact Memory Card
* Siemens, Atmel, Xicor

- Contact CPU Card
* GSM SIM, Visa Smart Debit / Credit

- Contactless Memory Card
* Philips / Siemens


Smart Card can be categorized by technology
- Contact
- Contactless
- Dual Interace

Memory Cards
============
Free Access - SLE 4432, SLE 4418
Count Down - SLE 4466
Secured Memory - SLE 4440, SLE 4428, etc.

Chip
====
- Memory
* Siemens
* Atmel
* Xicor
* Philips

- CPU
* Atmel
* Siemens
* Philips


Plastic Body
============
Mainly two types of plastic card
- ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)
- PVC (Polyvinyl chloride)


Smart Card Standard ISO 7816
============================
Part 1 - Physical Characteristics
Part 2 - Dimensions & Locations of contacts
Part 3 - Electronic signals & Transmission protocol
Part 4 - Inter-industry command for interchange
Part 5 - Numbering System & Registration procedure for Application Identifiers
Part 6 - Inter-industry Data Elements
Part 7 - Inter-industry structured card SQL
Part 8 - Security related security commands



Smart Card Applications
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- Telecommunication prepaid card
- Mobile Communication - GSM
- Banking
- Retail Applications - Loyalty Card / Gift Voucher / Prepaid Card
- Healthcare