Software House, part of Tyco Fire & Security's Access Control and Video Systems business unit, today announced an innovative product and concept for the security industry - an open standard, combined proximity and smart card reader. The first ever fully open, multi-protocol line of readers allows companies to transition easily from a proximity system to a more advanced smart card system gradually over time and at a reasonable cost - using the same reader.
This open standard reader line is fully ISO 15693 and 14443A/B compliant, which allows it to process most smart card protocols such as iCLASS (S/N) and MiFare. This enables customers to use their current proximity cards as they transition to a smart card system and provides them with greater flexibility when choosing new, more advanced smart cards. At a price equivalent to standard Prox, this reader simultaneously reads all card technologies including 125 KHz HID, Deister SmartFrame, Mifare (Serial Number & Sector), DESFire (S/N), ISO 15693 (Serial Number, Sector and Encrypted Sector), ISO 14443 (Type A & Type B) and many other card reader formats at both 125 KHz and 13.56 MHz. This reader is the only combined multi-frequency, multi-protocol & multi-modulation reader on the market.
"With these readers, customers can make a more seamless and cost-effective transition when upgrading an access control card and reader system," said Paul J. Piccolomini, Vice President of Research and Development for Tyco Fire & Security's Access Control and Video Systems business unit. "We are excited to once again showcase our technology leadership by being the first in the industry to answer the latest in security industry needs."
The multi-protocol reader is one in a family of readers developed in cooperation with Deister Electronics, a leading developer of smart card technology, and introduced to the market by Software House this year at ASIS.
