Security smart cards

	Taiwan Jantek's MCH-928 insertion-type Mifare read/write card reader has a locking feature, which does not let the user remove the card without finishing a command.

Makers tackle price issues armed with an array of solutions. The latest models are available for a variety of applications.

Ever-increasing awareness in the importance of security is nurturing demand for card-based access control. Another industry enabler is vertical application development. Public transport ticketing and identity management are just two of the more promising applications for smart cards and readers today.

Traditional electromagnetic (EM) cards dominate the access control market in Taiwan but replacement technologies are emerging. Smart cards that adopt Mifare and FeliCa were developed years ago but are only now slowly but steadily gaining recognition in the region.

There are about 50 active proximity card and card reader makers on the island. Some suppliers, such as Pongee Industrial Co. Ltd and Sunbest Technology Co. Ltd, produce both cards and readers. Others choose to focus on one product line. For example, Giga-TMS Inc. and Taiwan Jantek Electronics Ltd specialize in the development and production of readers. Security Assembly Group Co. Ltd (SAG) focuses on all kinds of cards and tags.

There is strong optimism for the market in 2008, with most interviewed suppliers projecting a 20 percent industry growth from 2007. For some makers, the market for smart cards and card readers could take off from 2009.

	SAG's latest proximity card can be snapped apart into three pieces. Each piece has a chipset and can be used separate from the other two.

While prices vary from 30 cents to $2 based on materials used, some smart card/reader makers plan to review quotes as they face pressure from their mainland China counterparts, many of which are cutting prices to gain market share. This, even though there is no apparent volume demand for the product line.

Makers are looking to reduce total production costs as another way to cope with the price issue. Suppliers also ensure product quality and include value-added features to differentiate their products.

Another industry challenge is market recognition and low product awareness. One company revealed that it has been educating customers, mostly system integrators, on the benefits of a smart card system. Most buyers adopt such systems only for identification and value storage when in fact the technology is mature and can be applied in various ways with different write commands.

	Taiwan Jantek's R-500M standalone Mifare card reader/writer has a built-in USB 2.0 interface for easy connection to a POS machine or other industrial PC.

Mifare models are offered as an option in some makers’ proximity card readers. EM technology has a longer reading range of 100mm to 160mm compared to Mifare’s range of 30mm to 50mm, but the latter is more secure because it is immune to replay attacks and therefore hard to clone.

NXP’s proprietary Mifare contactless smart card technology is based on the ISO/IEC 14443 (RFID) Type A 13.56MHz contactless smart card standard.

Companies that export to Japan produce cards that use the FeliCa contactless RFID smart card system from Sony. Other makers use DESFire and ICODE for high-frequency smart label solutions.

Other than access control, designs for point-of-sale (POS) systems, cashless vending, logical access and membership identification with photo are also product trends. Introducing durable materials for high-temperature environments and waterproofing are also an R&D focus for some Taiwan card makers.

Taiwan Jantek’s Mifare series includes card modules, proximity access control and standalone Mifare card readers for POS or industrial PCs. Of all, Mifare access control takes up above 50 percent of the company’s production.

Model PR-100C is a PC online proximity access control system with a built-in RS-232 or RS-485/422 interface. It has a timer IC and supports 2,000 users with 60 holiday settings. The PR-100C features eight programmable time zones and three schedules for different entry times.

The company has also introduced a standalone Mifare read/write card reader, the PR-500M, to target a wider market segment. The model is embedded with an NXP Mifare 1 S50 chip and supports a reading range of 30mm to 50mm. In addition, the product has a USB 2.0 port for instant connection to POS machines or other industrial PCs. The operating environment temperature is from -20 to 50º Celsius.

Another new product from Taiwan Jantek is model MCH-928, an insertion-type Mifare read/write card reader with locking feature. It is designed to prevent the user from removing the card without finishing a command. The product can be integrated with a POS system.

Taiwan Jantek has 80 workers at its factory in Taipei. The company provides both own-brand products and OEM services. Europe and North America are major export destinations, with a strong market presence in France, Italy and Spain. About 60 to 70 percent of the company’s production is exported.

SAG offers a wide range of RFID solutions, including cards, key fobs, labels, sticks, discs, patches, tokens and wristbands, as well as custom-made tags. Its proximity cards are available in 125kHz to 13.56MHz frequencies and uses low-power ICs from leading chipmakers.

The company recently introduced a range of new products. The latest dual frequency card integrates both HF and UHF chipsets in the same card. It can be applied in public transport ticketing, identification, e-commerce, security and access control, and toll collection. The model can be processed with a common card printer. Printing options are slot punch marks or a magnetic stripe, but buyers can also request for customized products.

The newest key tag card from SAG can be snapped apart into three pieces. Each piece has a chipset and can be used separately from the other two, a design that allows more flexible applications.

Sunbest Technology Co. Ltd also has new products showcasing various cosmetic designs for a wide range of applications. The company has introduced a smart card featuring a solution that prevents reading interferences caused by metal. At present, such products are available in EM, Mifare and ICODE solutions.