Open standards must be developed so smart cards can integrate with personal computers, according to a group of PC manufacturers and smart card developers that have banded together to make sure that happens.
“Standards will drive the development of the smart card market,” said Jacques Clay, general manager of the extended desktop business unit at Hewlett-Packard Co. “And help make them as pervasive a PC component as the CD-ROM drive.”
The PC/SC Workgroup hopes to have some results during the fourth quarter. The Workgroup has been together since May, with the goal of developing smart card-based applications for the PC with open specifications that allow interoperability among smart cards, smart card readers and computers made by different manufacturers.
U.S. smart cards are the size of credit cards. Instead of having a magnetic strip on the back, they are embedded with a small electronic chip, which holds information.
Mobile phones operating on Global System for Mobile communications technology in the United States use a similar device, the Subscriber Identity Modules.
SIMs are widely used in Europe, but their introduction into the United States wireless industry has sparked a flurry of ideas about additional applications for these cards.
With SIMs, mobile phones can be activated over the air. But the smart card can hold even more information, including a more extensive customer profile.
Finance and credit information can be stored securely on the smart card; airtime can be purchased through the network, products can be bought over the Internet.
Medical and insurance information can be stored on the card, providing medical workers with immediate information in an emergency.
Businesses can require a smart card to serve as an identification card that can control access to buildings as well as computer networks.
Representative companies in the Workgroup include Schlumberger Electronic Transactions, Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems AG and Bull CP8.
Schlumberger and Bull manufacture smart cards that support cryptographic and secure store services, and they build smart card readers that will adhere to the new specifications.
“The smart card industry is uniquely positioned to invigorate the PC industry through data and network access security and innovative new networking applications,” said Jean-Paul Bize, vice president of the electronic transactions business unit of Schlumberger.
Siemens Nixdorf said it will integrate support for smart card readers and applications into its Windows-based PC product line and offer smart cards for delivery by 1997.
Microsoft plans to incorporate support for smart cards and readers into its Windows operating system products and Internet offerings, preliminarily in fourth quarter.
Hewlett-Packard will provide smart card readers and applications for its standard Windows-based PC product line in 1997.
