SMART CARD
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.

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

TYPES OF CARDS

• Proximity Cards 125 KHz
  
• Magnetic Cards 13.56 MHz
  
• RFID tags
  
• Magnetic Cards
  
• Smart Cards
  
• EMV Cards
  
  Proximity Cards / Contact Less Cards

Features

• Contact less Card
  
• Memory up to 8K
  
• Password authentication memory access
  
• Working range up to 0.5 meter
  
• Working frequency 125 KHz, 13.56 MHz
  
• Data Transfer rate 106 Kbps
  
• Interface (ISO/IEC 14443 A)