SmartCards

General

Smart Cards, also known as chip cards, represent a sophisticated storage medium that allows for the secure and versatile storage of a vast amount of information. These cards are equipped with an embedded microchip, which makes them programmable for adding, deleting, or rewriting the data they contain. There are various types of Smart Cards, but all can be mainly classified into two categories: contact cards and contactless cards (known as RFID cards).

Contactless Smart Cards (or RFID cards)
Contactless RFID Smart Cards, as the name suggests, do not require a physical connection with a reader to transmit information. They operate using radiofrequency and are particularly prevalent in cashless payment systems and secure control access. These contactless smart cards can be further classified based on the frequency of their chips:

LF Low-Frequency chips (125 KHz): These chips are commonly used for access control applications, such as electronic badges for building or vehicle entry.
• EM Microelectronic-Marin EM4200
• EM Microelectronic-Marin EM4100
• Microchip ATA5577RW
• ...and much more.

HF High-Frequency chips (13.56 MHz): This type of chip is more versatile and is used in a wide range of applications, including contactless payment systems, public transportation, and personal identification in corporate and governmental environments.
• NXP Mifare® Ultralight®
• NXP Mifare Classic® 1k
• NXP Mifare Classic® 4k
• NXP ICODE® SL1-X
• Fudan 1K FM11RF08
• Fudan 4K FM11RF08
• Legic Prime MIM 256
• Legic Advant 1k
• Legic Advant 2k
• ..and much more.

UHF Ultra-High-Frequency chip  (860 and 960 MHz): UHF, an acronym for Ultra High Frequency, is an automatic wireless communication technology that enables data reading over long distances. UHF chips are electronic devices used for automatic identification and tracking of objects via high-frequency radio waves. These chips are capable of storing and transmitting data over greater distances compared to other types of RFID chips, making them ideal for applications such as parking, ski pass, etc.
Contact Smart Card
On the other hand, contact smart cards are a type of intelligent card that requires a direct physical connection with a reader via electrical contacts to transmit and receive data. This type of smart card is characterized by an integrated microchip and metallic contacts on the surface of the card, which allow the chip to communicate with the reader when inserted into the appropriate slot. The use of electrical contacts provides high security in data transfers since it requires a physical connection between the card and the reader, thus reducing the risk of data interception by third parties.
• Fudan FM4442
• Fudan FM4428
• …and much more.

Here is a list of the application sectors of smart cards:

• Banking and Financial Sector: Used for credit/debit cards, prepaid cards, ATMs, and electronic payment systems.
• Healthcare: Health cards for access to healthcare services, storage of medical data, and management of patient records.
• Government and Identification: Electronic passports, identity documents, driver's licenses, and other government documents requiring electronic authentication and data security.
• Public Transportation: Used as electronic tickets for public transportation systems such as buses, trams, subways, and trains.
• Physical Access and Security: Access control to buildings, offices, and secured areas, hotel rooms using smart cards as electronic keys for entry.
• Access Control: Used for access to computer systems, company networks, or other protected services by requiring the smart card to be brought close to the contactless reader.
• Education: Student identification cards for access to schools, universities, library services, and other educational resources.
• Ticketing and Events: Used as electronic tickets for access to sports events, concerts, amusement parks, and other public or private venues.
• Personal Identification: Used for user identification in corporate, governmental, and educational environments, such as employee badges.
• Loyalty Programs: Used to track and reward customer service and purchase usage in loyalty programs and loyalty cards.