Smart cards are equipped with CPU, RAM, and I/O, which can handle large amounts of data on their own without interfering with the operation of the host CPU. Smart cards can also filter out erroneous data to reduce the burden on the host CPU. Suitable for situations with a large number of ports and fast communication speed requirements. The integrated circuits inside the card include a central processing unit (CPU), programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), random access memory (RAM), and a chip operating system (COS) embedded in the read-only memory (ROM). The data in the card is divided into external reading and internal processing parts.
Functionally speaking, the uses of smart cards can be classified into the following four points:
1. Identity recognition - using an embedded microcomputer system to perform mathematical calculations on data to confirm its uniqueness.
2. Payment tool - Built in counter replaces currency, bonus points, etc. with numerical data.
3. Encryption/Decryption - With the rapid development of the internet, the usage rate of e-commerce has also grown significantly. Some manufacturers believe that the most important aspects of online consumption are the authenticity of identity, the integrity of data, the non repudiation and legality of transactions. By using cryptographic mechanisms such as DES, RSA, MD5, etc., in addition to increasing card security, offline operations can also be adopted to reduce communication costs on the network.
4. Information - With the popularity of GSM mobile phones, the demand for SIM cards has increased significantly, accelerating the technological development of smart cards and extending mobile phones from simple telephone functions to today's network connectivity and other functions. Its information storage function makes it widely used in commercial applications such as:
Personal financial records
The competition among banks is becoming increasingly fierce. In order to increase customer loyalty and attract more new customers to join, various banks have launched various bonus discount plans and improved customer service systems. Through the use of smart cards, not only can the 24-hour free transfer function be achieved, but also the written operation time of bank staff and customers can be reduced. Several banks have already issued smart cards in the market, and the two major credit card groups, MasterCard and VISA, are also about to switch to smart cards.
access control
Access control is quite important for enterprises and schools. Smart cards can not only be used for general access management, but also store small amounts of money, cooperate with general stores for consumption, and improve the functionality of cards. For example, a UK access control system manufacturer has combined the functions of access control and electronic wallets by applying smart cards originally used for access control to ATMs.
Medical records
Once the health insurance card is ICized, personal medical records can be stored in the chip, and regardless of which hospital you visit, you can know your personal medical condition. Physicians can immediately know the patient's medical records, and patients can also avoid the time required to fill out reports, reducing the cost of maintaining hospital medical records. In addition, the national identity card can also be IC converted and all personal identification information such as fingerprints, birthdays, and personal files can be stored in the chip. It can also be used as a passport, and the governments of Singapore and Malaysia have started using it.
