What is a smart card

Smart card is a plastic card with embedded microprocessor that looks like credit card.
Any card that can relate to any particular application like magnetic stripe, optical, memory and
microprocessor.
Magnetic stripe card has a magnetic tape material attached to its surface. This is the standard
technology used for bank cards.
Optical cards are bank sized plastic cards where optical cards are used to read and write the cards.
Memory cards are used to store the financial or personal information.
Smart cards with microprocessor looks like standard plastic cards but embedded with integrated circuit
(IC) chip. Microprocessor cards can store information, do local processing and perform complex
calculations. These cards take the form of contact cards which requires a card reader to read the card or
contactless cards which uses radio frequency signals to operate.
Smart cards are credit card sized often made out of PVC and are embedded with memory and
microprocessor chip.

Micro chip has 8 metallic patches on its surface each designed through internal standards for
VCC,RST,CLK,GND,VPP,I/O,RFU

Micro chip on the smart card is made up of several key components:

1.Microprocessor unit-executes program instructions
2.I/O controller-manages flow of data b/w the card acceptance device and the micro controller
3.ROM-is where the instructions are permanently burnt into the memory by the silicon manufacturer
company
4.RAM-temporarily store the input and output data
5.EEPROM-Application which is electrically erasable programmable read only memory can be
electronically erased and rewritten.

The key advantage of smart card technology include:

1.On board microprocessor and data capacity for highly secure, off line processing
2.Adherence to international standard
3.Established track record in real world applications

4.Durability and long expected life span

5.Chip operating systems that support multiple applcations