IC card is another new information tool after magnetic card, which refers to integrated circuit card. Bus card is a kind of IC card. The common IC card uses RF technology to communicate with IC card reader.

According to its structure, IC card can be divided into general memory card, encrypted memory card, CPU card and super smart card.

1. Memory card, whose embedded chip is equivalent to ordinary Serial EEPROM memory, has the advantages of convenient information storage, simple use, low price of IC card, and can replace magnetic card in many occasions. However, because it does not have the function of information security, it can only be used in applications with low security requirements.

2. The logic encryption card and the encryption memory card are embedded with chips, and the control logic is added outside the storage area. Before accessing the storage area, the password needs to be checked. Only the password is correct, can the access operation be carried out. This kind of information has good confidentiality.

3. CPU card, with chip embedded in the card, is equivalent to a special type of single-chip microcomputer, which has not only controller, memory, timing control logic, but also algorithm unit and operating system. Because CPU card has the characteristics of large storage capacity, strong processing capacity, information storage security and so on. It is widely used in the situation where information security requirements are particularly high.

4. Super smart card, which has MPU and memory, keyboard, LCD and power supply, is rare.

IC card is divided into contact IC card and non-contact IC card according to the different interface of data exchange with the outside world.

The contact IC card can read and write data after the contact of the IC card reading and writing device contacts with the contact of the IC card. The international standard ISO7816 has strict regulations on the mechanical and electrical characteristics of such cards.

The contactless IC card has no circuit contact with the IC card equipment, but read and write through the contactless read and write technology, which successfully solves the problem of passive and contactless, and is a major breakthrough in the field of electronic devices. In addition to CPU, logic unit and memory unit, the embedded chip adds RF transceiver circuit. This kind of card is generally used in the automatic toll collection system of public transportation, ferry, subway and other occasions with frequent use, relatively less information and high reliability requirements.

At present, the most common contactless IC card in the market is contactless logic encryption card. With its good performance and high cost performance, this kind of IC card has been favored by the majority of users, and has been widely used in public transport, medical treatment, access control and other fields. Because the non-contact logic encryption card chip adopts the stream cipher technology and the key length is not very long, there are some security risks in the logic encryption card chip, which may be cracked by hackers. In the fields of finance, identity recognition, e-passport and so on, which have higher security requirements, the non-contact CPU card chips with embedded microprocessors are preferred.

In the application of contact IC card, gas recharge card is one of the most widely used schemes. To use gas recharge card, you only need to open the app and use the Bluetooth function of mobile phone and gas recharge card to complete the whole process of gas recharge. 

The working principle of contact IC card is as follows:

1. Application (APP) starts the access requirements of the card from the server.
2. The server verifies the requirements, and then downloads the one-time password to the application program (APP), and allows the application program to access the card.
3. Application program (APP) sends IC card access command with password to soc-ble single chip microcomputer.
4. The soc-ble microcontroller performs corresponding operations according to the received commands, such as reading, writing and verifying passwords.
5. Soc-ble single chip microcomputer packages and sends card data to mobile application program (APP).
6. Date of APP update service

Most of the common IC card applications on the market are contact IC cards, which are in line with the use habits of most users. Contact gas recharge cards, while maintaining the use habits of most users, make recharge more convenient, and will have long-term development. RF-star is focusing on gas recharge card application and developing a more convenient application scheme. Please contact us at info@rfstariot.com if you want to purchase samples of Bluetooth modules for your projects.