HID Introduces New iCLASS OEM Contactless Smart Card Read/Write Module

Jan. 2, 2006
Compact module can be embedded for OEM use or used as an expansion module

IRVINE, Calif. - HID Corporation, the premier manufacturer of contactless access control cards and readers for the security industry, today announced the expansion of its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) product family with the iCLASS OEM150 module. The OEM150 is a fully-functional Wiegand/serial, low-power, 13.56 MHz contactless smart card read/write module with a remote antenna designed for embedding into small-format products to enable iCLASS contactless smart card technology.

The compact module can be embedded into OEM equipment as a component in upper-level assemblies for products used in cashless vending, biometrics, time and attendance, alarm system control, HVAC control, process control, computer peripherals, and point-of-sale terminal applications. Integration is as simple as connecting power, data, and control lines. The OEM150 offers the added functionality of RS232, RS485 or USB interfaces by including a plug-n-play expansion module into the provided socket.

"New applications for contactless smartcards are appearing in a surprisingly large variety of vertical markets," said Nathan Cummings, HID's director of Product Line Management, Reader Technologies. "The introduction of our OEM150 increasingly strengthens our product offering and further validates our commitment to providing the right tools for the OEM community."

The OEM150 joins the previously announced OEM50, OEM100 and OEM300 that are fully functional, multi-technology 13.56 MHz interface devices that meet ISO 14443A (MIFARE(R)), 14443B, and 15693 standards. The OEM150 is designed to operate in a wide variety of antenna configurations. It is offered with two standard configurations and for OEM developers requiring greater size constraints may use the antenna design guide to develop their own custom antenna. When the OEM150 module is used with iCLASS cards, the OEM150 offers security features such as RF data encryption and mutual authentication using 64-bit keys for each application area, and optional data encryption standard (DES) or Triple DES for the HID application area. HID provides key management for access control and other data stored in the HID application area.

For access control applications, the OEM150 can read either iCLASS credentials transmitting the Wiegand formatted encoded data, MIFARE Standard, Ultralight, or DESFire credentials transmitting Wiegand data based on the card serial numbers.

The iCLASS OEM150 module will be available in the first quarter of 2006 from HID's network of distributors, OEMs, and system integrators worldwide.