Identity, Security, Payments, Biometrics, Smart Cards and Authentication News

Next gen IC chip will be faster, more functional

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Shawn Rogers, director of secure RF products Texas Instruments, says the next generation contactless smart card chip will be faster, have greater memory and use less power. Rogers made the comments during the Future of Secure Documents 20008 conference in Chicago Sept. 8 through Sept. 10.

They also won’t cost any more than then integrated circuit chips available now. “If you’re walking into an existing market you have to deal with the price constraints already in place,” he says.


The need for greater memory and speed is necessary as more electronic passports are used at border crossings. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Sec. Michael Chertoff says he wants the passports to be read in loess than five seconds.

Now it takes five to eight seconds for the transaction to be processed with passports using basic access control and eight to 14 seconds for passports with extended access control. That might not seem like a lot of time, but it can add up when hundreds of people are in a line waiting to get past a customer checkpoint.

Texas Instruments is working on next generation technology that will increase the speed and functionality, Rogers says. The newer chips will use 16-bit microcontrollers while current chips use 8-bit processors.

There’s also a new type of memory that Texas Instruments is working with: FRAM – Ferro-electric Random Access Memory. Chips using this type of memory can write 1,000 times faster than traditional EEPROM memory and read three times faster. They technology also sues less power, 1.5 volts compared to 10 to 14 volts for EEPROM.

Rogers says these new chips should be available in 2009. [end] 

Multimodal biometric security provider ImageWare Systems Inc. has released version 2.0 of its Biometric Engine (BE) physical security identification product.

This product is designed for airports, seaports and other critical points-of-access for government and private enterprises. This update takes into account the SAFE Port Act, which requires foreign shippers to secure cargo being shipped to the U.S. and ensure the identity of those loading it. Shippers must manage this by 2013.

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Collis has announced the availability of its Mobile MasterCard PayPass Test Suite for functional testing of the UICC or Secure Element application based on MasterCard Mobile MasterCard PayPass – M/Chip 4 Technical Specifications.

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The Trüb Group has released the second generation of its CombOS Dual Interface OS for contactless and contact-based EMV compliant smart cards based on new specs from MasterCard and Visa.

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Biometric e-passports with fingerprint data included, both tested and certified by FIME, are now being issued by the Russian Migration Service.

Appointed by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise, Scientific and Technical Centre, STC Atlas, FIME provided official testing and certification services throughout the development of the machine readable travel documents.

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The April meeting of the influential Government Smart Card Interagency Advisory Board (IAB) was recently held in Washington D.C. FIPS201.com was on hand to cover the event and has provided, as a service to the IAB and the smart card community, an audio recording of the presentations. Click on the link below to access a list of audio and accompanying PowerPoint slides (in pdf format).

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Swiss-based Trüb Group, a supplier of payment cards and national identity documents, has released the third generation of its CombOS DDA for EMV compliant smart card products.

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