I'm interested in this too, but in a slightly different form -
Our staff usually have both hands full when they move from the public to the
private areas through locked doors.  So they have to stop, put down what
they are carrying, unlock and open the door, hold it open with their foot
while picking up what they are carrying and them pass through with the door
closing and locking behind them.

I'm looking for a security tag that can be read when in proximity of the
door so that it will be unlocked when a card comes within (say) 1m.  Then
the staff just have to push through the door.  All the other data collection
and authorisation you want I want too, with the extra complication of
multiple activation (two cards go through at the same time) to sort out.  I
know these exist, but are VERY expensive.

While you're looking for your smart card system I'd appreciate any reports
of proximity activated types you may come across.  Or maybe you will decide
a non-contact system would better suit your application and your research
will compliment mine.  (My research is all voluntary, in my own time, at my
own expense, so it is not progressing very fast).

Bye.

-----Original Message-----
From: David Duffy [mailto:avd@UQ.NET.AU]
Sent: 16 October 2001 20:16
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [EE]: Smart Cards


Hi All,
I have an application for a low security access control system. What I
propose is to use 256 byte Smart Cards (correct name?) as electronic
keys to enter rooms internal to a business. This is not a Fort Knox type
application, the customer just wants to limit customer access to the room
that they've paid to use. Has anyone used these type of cards before?
IIRC, they are basically a 256 byte EEPROM with an I2C interface. Farnell
do have the cards & reader frame/contact assembly quite cheaply. The
assembly has a switch which closes when the card is fully inserted into it.
Are there any rules on applying power to the card? Do you have to switch
power on/off when the card is inserted/removed or is the +5V rail always
left applied to the reader contacts? I'm planning to have a PIC in each
reader with a RS485 network to log access from a central PC. The PC
will also program the cards each time with a new access code tied to the
room booking system. The PC will update the reader PIC with the new
code at the same time. Thinking about it, this is more or less like Hotels
use use these days for room access. Any comments welcome.  :-)
Regards...
___________________________________________
David Duffy        Audio Visual Devices P/L
U8, 9-11 Trade St, Cleveland 4163 Australia
Ph: +61 7 38210362   Fax: +61 7 38210281
New Web: www.audiovisualdevices.com.au
New email: avd@audiovisualdevices.com.au
___________________________________________

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