What is Smart Card? A detailed description of the smart card

1. What is a Smart Card?
Smart card (Smart Card): microchip embedded plastic cards (usually a credit card size) of the generic term. Some smart card contains an RFID chip, so they do not need any physical contact reader will be able to identify the cardholder.
Smart cards are equipped with CPU and RAM, may deal with a large number of data to the host CPU does not interfere with work. Smart cards can also filter the wrong data in order to alleviate the burden on the host CPU. Adapted to a larger number of ports and the demand for faster communication speeds occasions.
Smart cards are IC cards (IC cards) a, according to the different types of embedded chips, IC card can be divided into three categories: 1. Memory Card: The card IC are available electricity erasable programmable read-only Memory EEPROM, it is only a data storage capabilities, there is no data processing capabilities; memory card itself without hardware encryption capabilities, only the document encryption, can be easily cracked.
2. Logic encryption card: The card includes encryption logic integrated circuits and programmable read-only memory EEPROM, cryptographic logic to some extent to protect cards and card data security, but only low-level protection can not prevent malicious attacks .
3. Smart card (CPU card): The IC card, including the central processing unit CPU, programmable read-only memory EEPROM, random access memory RAM and curing in the read-only memory ROM in the card operating system, COS (Chip Operating System). Data is divided into an external card reader and internal processing section, to ensure that the card data safe and reliable.
2, IC card related specifications
IC card is a very standardized product, regardless of their shape, or electrical characteristics of the internal chips, and even their application methods are subject to some of the more stringent protocol control. The most important set of the most basic norms ISO / IEC 7816 protocol. This agreement not only provides mechanical electrical characteristics of IC cards, but also provides IC card (especially smart cards) the application of methods (including COS, many of the data structure).
In addition to 7816 Agreement, in all possible applications to specific areas of IC cards, there are some more specific agreements, such as in China, the financial sector to develop PBOC specification, traffic management system, the social welfare system has its own particular specifications. These agreements are built on the 7816 norms on the basis of agreements, and the 7816 agreement would be specific shape.
Of course, the 7816 agreement was not an independent existence (as defined), which there are many other concepts cited in the relevant protocol specification. For example, in 7816 agreement, there is some data organizations have adopted a "BER-TLV", and the "BER-TLV" elaborate on this concept is in the IEC 8825 ASN.1 protocol is given. This shows that 7816 agreement is not entirely inventiveness, to adopt the concept of standardized occasions not given a free hand. This allows a variety of protocol specification to form a close system.
3. Smart card operating system, what is?
Smart card operating system often referred to as chip operating system COS. COS usually has its own security system, its safety performance is a measure of COS is usually an important technical indicators. COS features include: traffic management, document management, security systems, command interpreter.
4. Smart card be used?
From the functional point of view, the use of smart cards grouped into the following four points:
1, identification
2, payment instruments
3, encryption / decryption
4, the information
History of development of smart cards
IC card is IC card (Integrated CircuitCard) the title, in some countries also known as smart cards, smart cards, micro-chip cards. Will be a dedicated integrated circuit chip embedded in line with ISO7816 standard PVC (or ABS, etc.) plastic-based film, packaging into a shape similar to the card with the card form, that is made of an IC card. Of course, can also be packaged as buttons, keys, jewelry and other special shapes.
IC card was originally conceived by the Japanese initiative. In December 1969, the Japanese were the village Kunitaka (KunitakaArimura) proposed a safe and reliable credit card manufacturing method, and patented in 1970, then called ID cards (IdentificationCard). In 1974, France's 罗兰莫雷诺 (RolandMoreno) invented the integrated circuit chip with a plastic card, and has made patent, and this is the early IC card. 1976, Le Bourget, France (Bull) the company developed the world's first IC card 1. In 1984, the French PTT (Posts, Telegraphs andTelephones) the IC card is used for phone cards, IC cards as a good safety and reliability, also scored an unexpected success. Subsequently, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO, International StandardizationOrganization) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC, International ElectrotechnicalCommission) whom the joint technical committee formulated a series of international standards, norms, which greatly promoted the research and development of IC card.
IC card identification cards than ever before, with the following characteristics: First, high reliability ─ ─ IC card has a magnetic, anti-static, anti-mechanical damage and anti-chemical destruction capabilities, information can be stored more than 100 years, read and write times at 10 million or more, or at least can be used for 10 years; 2 is safe and good; third, large storage capacity; four are many types. From a global perspective, the current scope of application of IC card is no longer confined to the early communication, but is widely used in banking and finance, social insurance, transportation tourism, health, government administration, retail, leisure and entertainment, school management and other areas.
Currently in China, with the Golden Card project construction continues to deepen, IC cards have been widely used in many fields and has achieved initial social and economic benefits. In 2000, IC card issuing approximately 230 million, which accounted for most of the telecom market share. Public Telephone IC Card more than 120 million copies mobile phone SIM card more than 42 million, and other types of IC cards of about 60 million. Total shipments of IC cards in 2001 was about 380 million, representing an increase of 26%; circulation of around 320 million, representing an increase of 40%. From the applications point of view, public phone IC card issuing more than 170 million, SIM card issuing 55 million, public transportation IC card is 320 million cards, social security card for the 14 million area, and other card-issuing of 80 million.
Although the IC card issuance to maintain a high growth rate, but the market in sales in the IT market, the proportion was small. According to CCID statistics, in 2001 China's computer market sales of about 250.2 billion yuan, while the IC card market sales of less than 2.1 billion. IC card market has not constitute a bright spot in China IT industry, pulling effect on the IT market, is not obvious. The IT business-to-side constraints IC card technology inputs, on the other hand, it indicates that China's IC card market in a huge room for development. With the government management and support to the increased level of technology research and development to enhance, IC card market competition will undergo profound changes. As the high-end chip, the core module, financial POS machines, production equipment and control by foreign enterprises, resulting in a number of foreign brands on the market segments relative monopoly. As the Government smart card project was initiated with the mobile communications market will gradually open up the domestic strength of enterprise technology and process optimization, making the market share of foreign brands by a large degree of restriction, while domestic brands will have a rapid development. Some grew up from the domestic telecommunications market IC card business, Backed by strong financial and technical strength will ID cards, finance, social security, transportation and other areas continue to expand their business to participate directly in international competition.
In 2002 and even the next five years, China's IC card applications to in-depth development period. China's IC card market is bound by the disorder into an orderly pattern of competition in the market will go from the finite infinite, IC card market will gradually become mature and enter the era of little profit. In this situation, a simple card volume and the number of new products does not measure the IC card industry and the market level of development, market development ultimately depends on the level of IC card applications and the resulting social benefits. From the perspective of sustainable development, strengthen industry standards and promote IC card companies shift from product and technology-based applications and service-oriented, will be the development of China's IC card market, an important trend.
In 1970, the French Luolandemo Moreno (Roland Moreno) for the first time can be programmed to set IC (IntegratedCircuit) chips placed on the card, so that the card has more features. At that time, his description of the technology are: there can be mounted memory card to protect themselves. This one was born the world's first IC card.
Over the next 30 years, with the ultra-large scale integrated circuit technology, computer technology and the development of information security technology, IC card type is more abundant, technology has become more mature, have been widely used at home and abroad. The following from the different perspectives of the IC card to conduct a detailed classification and simplistic analysis.
1, according to the different mosaic chips are divided into:
(1) memory card: card chip electrically erasable programmable read-only memory EEPROM (Electrically Erasable ProgrammableRead-onlyMemory), as well as the address decoding circuitry and instruction decoding circuitry. It is encapsulated in order to be able to 0.76mm plastic card-based, the special structure made of 0.3mm thin. Memory card is a passive-type cards, usually synchronous communication. This card storage convenient, simple to use and inexpensive alternative to magnetic cards on many occasions. But these IC card is not equipped with security functions, which are generally used for storage do not need to confidential information. For example, with the first-aid medical card, catering to customers with the menu cards. Common memory card ATMEL Corporation AT24C16, AT24C64 and so on.
(2) The logic encryption card: These cards In addition to the EEPROM memory card, but also with the encryption logic, for each read / write cards to conduct prior to Password Authentication. If the successive password validation error, the card will be self-locking, become a dead card. From the data management, password verification and identification in terms of logic encryption card is also a passive card, using synchronous communication mode. Storage capacity of such cards is relatively small, relatively cheap, and confidentiality requirements applicable to certain occasions, such as the cafeteria dining cards, phone cards, public utility charges card. Common logic encryption card SIEMENS company SLE4442, SLE4428, ATMEL Corporation AT88SC1608 so.
(3) CPU card: This class contains the microprocessor chip unit (CPU), memory cells (RAM, ROM, EEPROM), and input / output interface unit. One, RAM used to store intermediate data during operations, ROM chip in curing the operating system COS (Card OperatingSystem), while the EEPROM used to store the cardholder's personal information and the issuance of units of information. CPU management information encryption / decryption and transmission, and strictly guard against unauthorized access to card information, found in a number of illegal access, the appropriate information will be locked zone (high-level commands can also be used to unlock). CPU cards in capacities of different sizes, the price is higher than the logic encryption card. However, a good CPU card processing capabilities and excellent performance of confidentiality, making it the main direction of the development of IC cards. CPU card confidentiality requirements apply to particularly high occasions, such as financial cards, the military secretly ordered to pass cards. Comparison of the international famous CPU card providers have Gemplus, G & D, Schlumberger and so on.
(4) Super Smart Card: In the CPU card based on the increase in the keyboard, LCD monitor, power supply, it becomes a super-smart cards, some cards also has a fingerprint identification device. VISA international credit card organizations to pilot a super card that with a 20-kin, can display 16 characters, in addition to a time, the computer exchange rate conversion functions, but also store personal information, medical, travel with data and telephone numbers.
2, according to cards and external data exchange interface for the different divided as follows:
(1) Contact IC card: type of card is the device through the contactless IC card reader and the contactless IC card reading and writing post-exposure data. ISO7816 international standard for such cards, mechanical properties, electrical properties etc. have been stringent requirements.
(2) non-contact IC card: type of card and IC card device without circuit contact, but through non-contact reading and writing technology to read and write (such as optical or wireless technology). In addition to its embedded chip, CPU, logic cells, memory cells, the increase of RF transceiver circuitry. ISO10536 series of international standards set for non-contact IC card requirements. In the use of such cards tends to be used frequently, a relatively small amount of information, reliability, demanding occasions.
(3) Dual Interface Card: The contactless IC card and non-contact IC card combined into one card, operating independently, but they can share the CPU and storage space.
3, according to the exchange of cards with the outside world in different ways when the data transmission is divided into:
(1) Serial IC Card: IC card data exchange with the outside world, the data stream input and output according to the serial mode, the electrode contact less, usually 6 or 8. As the serial IC card interface simple, easy to use, the largest currently in use. ISO7816 international standard as defined by IC card is such a card.
(2) parallel IC Card: IC card and external data exchange, in parallel manner, a larger number of electrode contacts, generally between 28-68. Main has two benefits, first, faster data exchange, and second, under the existing conditions can significantly increase storage capacity.
4, according to the different areas of application cards can be divided as follows:
(1) debit card: also known as bank cards, they can be divided into two kinds of credit cards and cash cards. The former is for consumer payments, according to a pre-determined amount of overdraft funds; the latter can be used as electronic wallets or electronic books, but not overdrawn.
(2) non-financial card: also known as non-bank cards, involving a wide range, the actual included all areas outside of financial cards, such as telecommunications, tourism, education and public transportation and so on.
(3) Traffic card: wide range of applications
(4) The Government makes use of cards: It is now applied more widely, such as the recent vigorously promoted Social Security Card.