RE: Smart Cards and Smart Card Readers

["Jeff Hintz" <jhglobal@earthlink.net>]

Ian, do you still have the e-mail I posted about the table top card readers sent to the City of Barrie??  I had no problem reading the "L" shaped microprocessor card that was programmed as a Manager Card.  However, I also had a "oval" shaped microprocessor card that was programmed as a Manager Card, and it did not read.  But, after getting into the Poll Book software with the "L" shaped Manager Card, I was able to create voter cards with the "X" shape memory only cards, and was able to use within the AVTS units.  Remember that those table top card readers said they were Rev. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-support@gesn.com [mailto:owner-support@gesn.com]On Behalf Of Ian S. Piper
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2000 12:35 PM
To: Global Support (E-mail)
Subject: Smart Cards and Smart Card Readers

We have found that most card readers in the AV-TS Black Wedge units are not capable of reading our standard "memory only" voter smart card.  To allay any fears about our current production, all Blue and White AV-TS units ever produced are fully capable of reading all versions of the smart cards that we deliver.  And all desktop smart card readers are capable of reading all versions of the smart cards that we deliver.

 

The reason for this incompatibility is due to the Model of the smart card reader installed in the Black Wedge units.  The Black Wedge units were made with the original Model 171 smart card reader (a.k.a. 171TDAI, 171T1DAI, regardless of revision).  The Blue and White units are made with a newer Model 171A smart card reader.  The Black Wedge units can only read/write "microprocessor" type cards, they cannot read/write "memory only" cards.  However, the newer Model 171A readers (a.k.a. 171A, 171ATDAI regardless of revision) can read/write to all types of cards we deliver.  I have confirmation on this information from Axiohm Corporation who manufactures these card readers.

 

The four types of smart cards we have delivered can be categorized by the shapes of their contact areas.  There are two microprocessor types, the "L" shape and the "oval" shape.  There are two "memory only" types, the "X" shape and the "Atmel" type.  Please see the attached JPEGS for a pictures of these contact shapes.

 

The only state we run Black Wedge units is in Tennessee and then in three counties, Shelby, Bradley, and Rutherford.  These accounts should only be using the "microprocessor" type of card as voter cards.  These accounts have been using the "microprocessor" type smart card all along because when they were sold the units, that type of card was the only one available.  Most of their smart cards will already be of the right type.  It has only been recent shipments of smart cards to Shelby County that has brought this to light.

 

Fair warning:  If anybody does any Monday morning quarterbacking on this one, I'll come looking for you to find out why this information wasn't disseminated before.

 

Ian