- Email: [email protected]
Two types of card
Built-in memory for credit cards The memory card is likely to be one of the more useful applications of microprocessor technology. Simple in conception, though complicated to produce, the memory card is a plasti.c credit card with a memory chip sealed into one corner, with electrical contacts on the surface. The main advantage of having a credit card with a built-in memory is that it is offline. The conventional card with its magnetic strip has to be online, since the strip cannot store much information - it is thus expensive to use, depends on the public communication system (and is thus only as efficient as that system) and, being online, does not allow overdrawing, an objection particularly raised by the French. The memory card can do some of its own processing, offers more security, since more permanent information can be stored, and can record details of expenditure.
TWO TYPES OF C A R D Though the memory chip is still in an experimental stage, there are two main types envisaged. A simple system, based on an established method used by SGS-ATES, and a more complicated system which takes the place of the cheque book and banker's card, as well as offering more security. The Italian SGS-ATES X-card is based on an LSI circuit with about 130 bits of memory on it. Working as a voucher, it has been designed to give telephone credit - one buys the card first and, when used, the public telephone itself fills each bit of memory as each time unit is used up. When the memory is full, the card can be simply thrown away as the production cost is only around £0.20 each. Both the Italian and French Post Offices are intending to use a similar system and have contracted Cii-Honeywell Bull to produce a card with 4000 bits of information. The second system, sponsored by the French banks, to replace the cheque book, would involve special machines being installed in each shop. For transactions, the card would be inserted and the customer's private
220
number keyed in, followed by details of the purchase. The likely information stored on the card would be name (and address), account number and present credit limit. Though the system is very flexible, it is possible that the card would record transactions, subtracting these from a (weekly or monthly) credit limit. When the limit is reached, i.e. the memory is full, the card is returned to the bank. Acceptance by the shop's machine is the shopkeeper's guarantee of payment from the bank. At this point, there arises the biggest problem for the development of the memory card. If the memory can be erased by the bank, it is possible that the customer can erase it (either electrically or by UV light), allowing overspending on the credit limit. This means that for safety, the memory must be nonreusable. Unfortunately, unlike the X-card, this type of memory card is not cheap to produce. Do the banks accept this as an inevitable waste, or do they risk misuse in the interests of economy? The Battelle-lnstitut are making a multiclient study into this, and other technical details. They plan to identify
Membrain Faultfinder Membrain and Fairchild, both members of the Schlumberger group of companies, have decided that Membrain should take over the European marketing and support of the Fairchild Faultfinder range of in-circuit PCB test equipment. This is a logical move since previously the two companies' ATE products have been competing for the same market. The Faultfinder 30 range, which will be redesignated the MB3300, complements Membrain's MB7700 series of ATE - Membrain can now offer a full range of digital and analogue test systems, incorporating both functional and in-circuit techniques. The MB3300 series of in-circuit testers for digital, analogue and hybrid boards, includes the low cost
the benefits from using memory cards and the applications to which they can be put. Suggested applications, from General Motors, would be to use a memory card to record progress on a production line. As each stage is reached, the information is put on the model's personal memory. The recording of medical records and military identification on these cards has also been suggested.
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT Most of the development in memory cards is being made in Europe. A Paris company, Innovatron, hold significant patents in the market and have licensed a number of European companies - Cii ....Honeywell Bull, SGS-ATES, Philips Datasystem, Flonic (a subsidiary of Schlumberger-Siemens) and Magnetdruck. The only US company seems to be Schlage Electronic, on the West Coast. Their memory card is based on an induction method, i.e. the card need only be waved near the coil for the card to operate. The telephone credit system is already in operation, within SGSATES' factory, in Italy. The French banks hope to have something working in the first half of 1982 though, even now, the major problems have still to be ironed out.
MB3301C, MB3303 with hybrid capability, MB3323 digital in-circuit tester and MB3302 shortcircuit and continuity tester.
Visa Electronics A new UK company, Visa Electronics, has been established to market and distribute Mitsu bish i semiconductors and Sanyo electronic components. Visa is an independently financed subsidiary of Hawke Electronics, who carry other major lines including Motorola, Texas and AM D. The company will be initially based at Sun bu ry-on-Tham es. (Visa Electronics
Ltd, Amotex House~ 45 Hanworth
Road, Sunbury-on- Thames, M iddx, UK. Tel." (09327) 87333)
microprocessors and microsystems
TWO TYPES OF C A R D Though the memory chip is still in an experimental stage, there are two main types envisaged. A simple system, based on an established method used by SGS-ATES, and a more complicated system which takes the place of the cheque book and banker's card, as well as offering more security. The Italian SGS-ATES X-card is based on an LSI circuit with about 130 bits of memory on it. Working as a voucher, it has been designed to give telephone credit - one buys the card first and, when used, the public telephone itself fills each bit of memory as each time unit is used up. When the memory is full, the card can be simply thrown away as the production cost is only around £0.20 each. Both the Italian and French Post Offices are intending to use a similar system and have contracted Cii-Honeywell Bull to produce a card with 4000 bits of information. The second system, sponsored by the French banks, to replace the cheque book, would involve special machines being installed in each shop. For transactions, the card would be inserted and the customer's private
220
number keyed in, followed by details of the purchase. The likely information stored on the card would be name (and address), account number and present credit limit. Though the system is very flexible, it is possible that the card would record transactions, subtracting these from a (weekly or monthly) credit limit. When the limit is reached, i.e. the memory is full, the card is returned to the bank. Acceptance by the shop's machine is the shopkeeper's guarantee of payment from the bank. At this point, there arises the biggest problem for the development of the memory card. If the memory can be erased by the bank, it is possible that the customer can erase it (either electrically or by UV light), allowing overspending on the credit limit. This means that for safety, the memory must be nonreusable. Unfortunately, unlike the X-card, this type of memory card is not cheap to produce. Do the banks accept this as an inevitable waste, or do they risk misuse in the interests of economy? The Battelle-lnstitut are making a multiclient study into this, and other technical details. They plan to identify
Membrain Faultfinder Membrain and Fairchild, both members of the Schlumberger group of companies, have decided that Membrain should take over the European marketing and support of the Fairchild Faultfinder range of in-circuit PCB test equipment. This is a logical move since previously the two companies' ATE products have been competing for the same market. The Faultfinder 30 range, which will be redesignated the MB3300, complements Membrain's MB7700 series of ATE - Membrain can now offer a full range of digital and analogue test systems, incorporating both functional and in-circuit techniques. The MB3300 series of in-circuit testers for digital, analogue and hybrid boards, includes the low cost
the benefits from using memory cards and the applications to which they can be put. Suggested applications, from General Motors, would be to use a memory card to record progress on a production line. As each stage is reached, the information is put on the model's personal memory. The recording of medical records and military identification on these cards has also been suggested.
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT Most of the development in memory cards is being made in Europe. A Paris company, Innovatron, hold significant patents in the market and have licensed a number of European companies - Cii ....Honeywell Bull, SGS-ATES, Philips Datasystem, Flonic (a subsidiary of Schlumberger-Siemens) and Magnetdruck. The only US company seems to be Schlage Electronic, on the West Coast. Their memory card is based on an induction method, i.e. the card need only be waved near the coil for the card to operate. The telephone credit system is already in operation, within SGSATES' factory, in Italy. The French banks hope to have something working in the first half of 1982 though, even now, the major problems have still to be ironed out.
MB3301C, MB3303 with hybrid capability, MB3323 digital in-circuit tester and MB3302 shortcircuit and continuity tester.
Visa Electronics A new UK company, Visa Electronics, has been established to market and distribute Mitsu bish i semiconductors and Sanyo electronic components. Visa is an independently financed subsidiary of Hawke Electronics, who carry other major lines including Motorola, Texas and AM D. The company will be initially based at Sun bu ry-on-Tham es. (Visa Electronics
Ltd, Amotex House~ 45 Hanworth
Road, Sunbury-on- Thames, M iddx, UK. Tel." (09327) 87333)
microprocessors and microsystems