|
|
|
|
|
|
Plastic card with embedded processor
- this page is a stub
A smart card (SC) 1 is (plastic) card with one or more integrated
circuits (ICs), used to control access to a resource [1]. It is typically
a PVC plastic credit-card-sized card with an embedded microprocessor,
volatile memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (EEPROM) and program storage
space (ROM), commonly implemented as a monolithic (single-chip) solution.
Many smart cards are interfaced via metal contact pads, whilst others
are contactless. Some cards support both.
|
Smart cards typically provide personal identification, authentication,
data storage, encryption and application processing. Applications include
identification, access control, computer security, financial, transport,
healthcare, schools, etc.
The are three basic card sizes (ID-1 to ID-3) of which ID-1 is arguably the
most popular one as it is used for credit cards and bank cards. The universal
integrated circuit card (UICC) [2]
– used as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM card) in mobile phones
[3] – is also a type of smart card.
Initially, SIM cards were supplied at ID-1 size.
|
|
|
The smart card was invented in 1967 by the German engineer
Helmut Gröttrup [4]. His patents DE1574074
and DE1574075 describe a device with
an integrated circuit (IC) and contact-less (inductive) communication.
The IC, on which the smart card is based, was invented in 1959 by
Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor (USA).
The most common type of smart card that is used for bank and telephone cards,
was invented in 1974 by French developer Roland Moreno [8]. 2
In 2015, 10.5 billion smart card ICs were manufactured anually,
about half of which was used for SIM cards in
2G, 3G, 4G and 5G telephones [1].
|
-
Also known as a Chip Card (CC), Integrated Circuit Card (ICC)
or IC card.
-
Application developers had to pay royalties to Moreno's company Innovatron SA.
|
|
|
Smart cards on this website
|
|
|
|
|
Smart card readers on this website
|
|
|
|
Information on smart cards can be accessed in one or more of the following ways:
|
- Contact pads
Most smart cards have a physical (electrical) interface in the form of
6 or 8 contact pads at the top surface. It allows the host
(i.e. the card reader) to communicate directly with the card's internal
microcontroller. The card is powered via the contact pads as well.
- Contactless
Newer cards may offer a wireless interface. Such cards are equipped with
Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.
It is sufficient to hold the card
close to the reader. The card is wirelessly powered by an electromagnetic
field transmitted by the host (i.e. the reader). NFC is also available in
some mobile phones, which can then be used as a smart card.
Today, most banks cards, ID cards and passports have an embedded NFC chip.
- Magnetic stripe
The backside of a smart card – typically the older ones – may contain a
magnetic strip on which data can be stored. This was typically used on older
bank cards for authentication, often in combination with a PIN.
Magnetic strips are vulnerable to spoofing.
- Embossing
In the early days of credit cards, the name and account number of the card
holder were often embossed rather than printed. This allowed a direct copy
to be made on a sales slip, by means of a swipe device and carbon paper.
Embossing is always at the front side.
|
|
The 'smart' part of a smart card comprises the following hardware,
which in most cases is combined in a single monotlithic chip:
|
Microcontroller e.g. 68HC05 (8-bit) Voltatile memory RAM Program memory ROM, PROM, EEPROM Storage EEPROM Interface Contact pads, contactless
|
|
There are three basic sizes for smart cards (ID-1, ID-2 and ID-3),
plus an additional smaller one for mobile telephony (ID-000),
defined in ISO/IEC 7810 [5]. The largest card size (ID-3)
is typically used for passport ID cards, whilst the smaller ID-1
is used for bank cards, identification cards and access control.
The diagram below shows the dimensions of ID-1 to ID-3.
The thickness of all cards is 0.68 to 0.84 mm.
The smaller ID-000 is part of the SIM card specification.
|
|
ISO
|
Dimensions
|
Description
|
Alternative
|
|
|
|
ID-1
|
85.6 × 53.98 mm
|
ID card, bank card, SIM
|
CR-80
|
|
ID-2
|
105 × 74 mm
|
Old style ID, visa
|
|
|
ID-3
|
125 × 88 mm
|
Passport
|
|
|
ID-000
|
25 15 mm
|
Mini SIM
|
2FF
|
|
|
A smart card with a physical contact interface may have 8 contact pads,
as defined in ISO/IEC 7816-2. The contacts are numbered C1 to C8, starting
with C1 at the top left, as shown in the table and in the diagram below.
Contacts C4 and C8 are optional and may be omitted. They are for
vendor-specific applications. Note that there are many variants
of the contact pad layout.
|
|
Pin
|
Name
|
Description
|
|
Pin
|
Name
|
Description
|
|
|
|
C1
|
Vcc
|
Supply voltage
|
|
C5
|
GND
|
Ground (0V)
|
|
C2
|
RST
|
Reset signal
|
|
C6
|
Vpp
|
Variable supply voltage
(e.g. programming voltage)
|
|
C3
|
CLK
|
Clock signal
|
|
C7
|
I/O
|
Data input/output
|
|
C4
|
opt.
|
Reserved for future use
or parts of ISO/IEC 7816
Sometimes used for USB
|
|
C8
|
opt.
|
Reserved for future use
or parts of ISO/IEC 7816
Sometimes used for USB
|
|
The position of the 6 or 8 contact pads are always referenced from the
top left corner of the ID-1 size card. In the initial ISO 7816-2
specification of 1988, the contact pads were located in the top left
corner of the ID-1 card, as shown in the diagram below.
This format is now depricated.
In 1990, the ISO/IEC 7816-2 standard was revised and the entire
contact area (with the chip fitted below it) was moved down to its
current position. From 1990 onwards, the position of the contact pads
is as shown in the diagram below. Note that the lower two contacts
(C4 and C8) are vendor-specific and may be omitted.
C4 and C8 are missing from most bank cards and SIM cards.
The diagram below shows the minimum pad dimensions and positions according
to the ISO/IEC 7816-2 standard. This is where the contact pads mate with the
contact springs in the receptacle. Manufacturers can use any shape and layout,
as long as these minimum requirements are met.
|
|
Most smart cards must be powered externally, generally via the gold-plated
contact pads at the front. Depending on the age of the card,
a higher or lower Vcc voltage must be applied. There is no way to determine
the correct voltage, so its up to the terminal to try the lowest voltage
first, and then progressively raise the voltage until the card responds.
The following power classes are currently defined:
|
In mobile telephony,
a Subscriber Identity Module or SIM card is used to
uniquely identify the subscriber and hence the corresponding telephone number.
Initially, all SIM cards had the ID-1 format — in SIM terminalogy known as
1FF — but with the introduction of smart phones, the large dimensions of
the ID-1/1FF were no longer realistic.
Progressively smaller cards were developed for later telephones, resulting in
the 2FF, 3FF and 4FF formats shown below.
In most cases, the SIM card is still supplied at 1FF size (ID-1),
but is pre-cut in such a way that smaller cards can be extracted
by the customer, simply by breaking it out. The smallest user-installable SIM is 4FF.
The current trend (2024) is towards the use of the Embedded SIM, or eSIM,
which no longer requires the user to physically install it. An eSIM is
already built into the mobile phone by the manufacturer, and can be programmed
externally. The eSIM form factor is known as the MFF2 format.
Some telephones have a built-in eSIM as well as a slot for a
regular removable 4FF card.
|
When a smart card is powered on, or when reset is asserted, it produces a
so-called Answer-To-Reset (ATR) — a string of hexadecimal values
(bytes) that allows the card reader to check for compatibility. The ATR has
a variable length that should be parsed by the reader on-the-fly [9].
The Philips TB-100 card, for example, produces the following ATR:
3F 67 25 04 21 20 00 07 68 90 00
➤ List of known ATRs (off-site)
|
- Wikipedia, Smart card
Visited 21 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, Universal integrated circuit card
Visited 21 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, SIM card
Visited 21 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, Helmut Gröttrup
Visited 22 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, ISO/IEC 7810
Visited 21 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, ISO/IEC 7811
Visited 21 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, ISO/IEC 7816
Visited 21 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, Roland Moreno
Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- Wikipedia, Answer to reset
Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- EFTlab, List of known ATRs
Retrieved 26 March 2024.
|
|
|
|
Any links shown in red are currently unavailable.
If you like the information on this website, why not make a donation?
© Crypto Museum. Created: Saturday 23 March 2024. Last changed: Thursday, 11 July 2024 - 09:24 CET.
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
