The Smart card Handbook offers a complete overview of the current state of the art of chip card techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of chip cards when compared with other systems, such as optical cards and magnetic stripe cards are described. Based on this, the following chapters explain the basic technologies to the reader.
The physical and technical properties and the fundamental principles of information processing techniques are described to such a detail, that it is sufficient for the comprehension and design of chip card based systems. In particular the architecture of the chip card operating systems, the data transfer to and from the chip card, the command set, the implementation of the security mechanisms and the function of the chip card terminals are explained.
The transfer of these techniques into the real world is shown by some well known applications: mobile telephone, telephone cards, electronic purse and credit cards.
The book considers the actual status of appropriate European and international standards. One of the authors has been participating in the relevant CEN and ISO standardisation groups for more than ten years and therefore it was possible to consider the actual state of the standards, although they have not yet been finalised.
The literature and standardisation references at the end of the book helps the reader to locate additional literature.
The book is not only written for newcomers to the field, it is also of use to experts, because all the chapters can be read separately and independently. This, together with the detailed index and the tables at the end, make it a very useful reference book. It offers a complete and detailed description of all techniques which are necessary for chip cards. In the past the reader had to wade through a sea of standards and publications but now the entry to this new and fascinating technology is much easier. The clear expression and many illustrations are very helpful for aiding comprehension.
Smart Card Handbook
Wolfgang Rankl and Wolfgang Effing
2nd Edition
John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0471 98875 8
The glossary from the Smart Card Handbook
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Copyright by Wolfgang Rankl, Munich, 1998-2000
Release 3.2.0 - 31. Oct. 2000
