Date: 22/08/2011

Smart-Card IC supporting the latest version of Calypso ticketing open standard

STMicroelectronics has unveiled a new secure IC supporting the latest version of the popular Calypso ticketing open standard. This chip is backward compatible with legacy Calypso readers.

The Calypso ticketing open standard was developed by a consortium of European operators to suit public transportation and other ticketing uses. More than 80 networks in 21 countries now operate travel cards based on Calypso, and more than 52 million cards have been issued. Calypso Revision 3 delivers extra services such as e-purse, loyalty rewards or USB key.

ST claims its CD21-Rev3 secure microcontroller is the only Calypso Revision 3 solution produced by a non-card issuer. The CD21-Rev3 solution is based on a secure microcontroller IC which is certified compliant with all necessary and appropriate standards: the EMV global standard and achieves EAL5+ Common Criteria security assurance. It also meets the established ISO/IEC 14443 and ISO/IEC 7816 smart-card standards and is compliant with the EMVCo Level 1 radio interface specification. Meeting these standards allows use in many other access control, payment and ticketing applications such as municipal services, events and corporate or student card schemes, in addition to transportation, suggests ST.

Other key features of CD21-Rev3:
Dual interface for contact or contactless applications
Contactless-only interface option
130nm process, secure EEPR4/8/18Kbytes EEPROM density (three options)
ST23 secure processor core
Compliant with Calypso Revisions 3, 2 and 1
Compatibility modes with legacy Calypso products
EN1545 standard data model

The CD21-Rev3 is currently in volume production, delivered as 150- or 75-micron thin wafers or as modules (ultra-thin 250-micron CB6 or 330-micron CB4 contactless modules, or D70 dual-interface modules).