Articles explaining Smart Cards Page 2

NXP to provide smart city technologies to Columbus, OH, winner of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge

NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced that its highly advanced technologies for smart cities, including sophisticated vehicle communications solutions, RFID tagging and Smart Card ICs, play a key role in Columbus, Ohio’s winning proposal for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (D.O.T.) Smart City Challenge. NXP, through its partnership with the D.O.T., is working with Columbus to help deploy wireless technology allowing cars to securely exchange data, prevent accidents and improve traffic flow, as well as Smart Card ICs to make secure public transportation access fast and easy for credit- and cash-economy-based passengers alike.

By “RFID im Blick“ with information from NXP

Visa and Mastercard granted approval to Smartrac’s wire booster antenna, valid in connection with Infineon’s SLJ 32 Payment EMV solution product and Infineon`s innovative “Coil on Module” chip packaging technology. Card manufacturers will benefit from a simplified approval process for their own products based on that combination.

Smartrac’s wire booster antenna has received Visa's Letter of Approval (LoA) and Mastercard’s Component Confirmatory Statement (CCS) in connection with Infineon SLJ 32 payment solution. It is based on Infineon's proven SLE 77 chip platform and incorporates a Java OS with Visa's latest 2.8.1.g and Mastercard M/Chip Advance v1.1 applet. As of now, card manufacturers can refer to these approvals in their own product approval process and thereby significantly reduce time to market and costs. Approved products can be used until the end of 2023 for Visa and until September 2019 for Mastercard.

RFID inlays are manufactured throughout the world for many purposes: for biometric passports, the contactless smart card market (e-ID, electronic healthcare cards, payment cards, public transportation) and for dual interface applications. At the same time, wire-embedded HF-RFID antennas are available and offer a number of advantages over printed, etched or galvanized variations. Among others, the ability to freely select shapes is enticing for card and passport manufacturers, since this can lead to competitive advantages. Further benefits such as environmental friendliness, durability and improved product quality should also be mentioned.

RFID and IoT pacesetter Smartrac is launching Dual Frequency PRELAM®, its latest RFID inlay ideally suited for convenient public transport applications. The new product combines one pre-laminated inlay (PRELAM) with two secure contactless chips, one working in high frequency (HF) and the other in ultra-high frequency (UHF), in a single card.

The capability of such a dual frequency card allows transport operators to select the type of revenue collection method that is appropriate at the point of entry. For example, transport operators can allow for hands-free or Be-in-Be-Out (BIBO) fare collection in very large human traffic channels or for physically challenged commuters. In standard entry or exit, Check-in-Check-Out (CICO) fare collection reader terminals can be deployed.

Short lead times – specialized centers of excellence – long-term experience - comprehensive production facilities & services

As one of few large providers in Europe, exceet Card Group is able to deliver comprehensive services, including design, development, consulting, production, personalization and lettershop from one source. The card specialist has broad experience in all available printing technologies and is able to guarantee extremely short lead times due to production sides in Western Europe.

Fabian Rau, Head of Segment Logical Access Solutions, Exceet Card Group

RFID and IoT pacesetter Smartrac today announced that it has finalized an agreement to sell its Secure ID & Transactions Business Division to the Linxens Group.

Headquartered near Paris, France, Linxens is a global leader in the design and manufacture of smartcard connectors, inlays and LED light sources. The company’s connector products are a vital component of smartcards, enabling the communications and transactions that are central to financial and public sector applications used by a wide range of consumers, including banking cards, SIMs for mobile telephony, ID and health cards, and many more.

Although more than five billion UHF (RAIN) tags were sold worldwide in 2015, NXP understands that the technology needs to be developed to meet future needs, and to significantly advance the IoT.

The times has passed when RFID applications were used only in production and logistics, far away from the interests of consumers. RFID technology is increasingly entering peoples’ lives around the globe: in smart homes, or when shopping or making payments. For NXP, the global market leader for RFID ICs, there are clear signals that security issues are increasingly coming to the fore. Ralf Kodritsch thinks it is important to listen carefully to which market requires which specific technical solution, in order to best advise users.

In an interview with “RFID im Blick Global“, the Director of the Global Report and Segment Manager for RFID Solutions and his colleague Brintha Koether, Senior Director & GM Payments report on the challenges of developing the right solutions for the changing market demands and for different country-specific needs.

Ralf Kodritsch, Director Global Segment Manager RFID Solutions, and Brintha Koether, Senior Director & GM Payments, NXP Semiconductors, in interview with “RFID im Blick Global“

RFID in 2016

INNOVATION – Creating the future

“Innovation is our watchword, and goes hand in hand with talent to ensure that NXP takes the lead in the markets in which it operates. Through innovation we protect our competitive edge, helping our customers differentiate new and unique applications for modern consumer electronics that positively affect all aspects of life. Today we are working towards the future, focused on the megatrends of energy efficiency, connected devices, security, and health. By aligning our innovations with these areas, we key into growth-market revenue streams. Not only that, our close collaboration with customers and key eco system players plays a fundamental role in the advancement of modern society: as the world changes, its needs and product requirements evolve, and this is the source of our innovation.”

Written by Ralf Kodritsch, Director Segment Manager RFID Solutions

Results Reinforce Company’s Commitment to Quality

HID Global®, a worldwide leader in secure identity solutions, today announced that its identification technologies products for banking and payment smart card industry have successfully passed MasterCard’s 2015 Card Quality Management (CQM) audit for dual interface inlays. HID Global’s production site in Malaysia has passed the required CQM test procedures and is entitled to carry the corresponding CQM Label. Worldwide, only a limited number of inlay production sites meet these requirements.

Visit B-Id at the Cartes 2015.

The next generation of the ISO card: acoustic cards as an alternative to NFC increase the security level of mobile payment applications

The next generation of payment cards provides a range of new functionalities by integrating electronic components into the ISO Format. There are fingerprint cards without a battery, with flexible PCB card designs, e-paper displays with Dot-matrix, and batteries that recharge via NFC. Technically, these are all viable options, as Yiwen Jin, B-Id explains. With partners, the company is working simultaneously on several innovative developments and projects. Acoustic cards, the next evolution of payment cards, are already in the starting blocks. The card interacts with the smartphone using an integrated speaker and microphone and offers - as an alternative to NFC - the high-security communication feature of a smart card for mobile payment applications.

Yiwen Jin, CEO, B-Id, interviewed by „RFID im Blick“