Smart Card

A smart card has the ability to hold more data than a card using a magnetic strip. It can be programmed for many different applications and has a variety of uses. Some cards consist of programming that is able to support multiple applications while others may be updated to add new applications as they are issued. Smart cards are usually designed to be inserted into a slot and translated by a card reader. They can also be read from a distance, a scenario found at a toll booth. The PC/SC Working Group has defined a standard programming interface between smart cards and PC hardware. Some of the represented groups include Microsoft, IBM, Bull, and many other companies. The two leading smart card operating systems are MULTOS and JavaCard. -Common Smart Card Uses -To dial a connection on a mobile phone to be charged on per call basis -To verify identity when logging into an online banking system -To pay for parking at meters or in parking garages -To makes small purchases on web sites -To purchase fuel at a gasoline station