Smart card:
The modem version of card based payment is smart cards. Smart cards along with the regular features of any card based payment system holds a EMV chip.
This chip is similar to well-known sim card in appearance but differ in its functionalities.The advantage of Smart cards is that it can provide identification, authentication, data storage and application processing. Smart cards can be classified into Contact smart cards and Contactless smart, Contact Smart card & POS cards.
(i) Contact smart cards:
Contact smart cards have a contact area of approximately 1 square centimeter, comprising several gold – plated contact pads. These pads provide electrical connectivity only when inserted into a reader, which is also used as a communications medium between the smart card and a host. e.g. a point of sale terminal(POS).
(ii) Contactless smart cards:
Contactless smart card is empowered by RF induction technology. Unlike contact smart cards, these cards require only near proximity to an antenna to communicate. Smart cards, whether they are contact or contactless cards do not have an internal power source. Instead, they use an inductor to capture some of the interrupting radio-frequency signal, rectify it and power the card’s processes.
