Martyn_Williams@idg.com wrote:
> Gerhard said I have it all wrong, so perhaps it is much more complicated.
> I'm still unclear as to what is wrong though ;)
What you said is that the Felica system works with an ID stored
in the card, and this ID is passed to the readers.
However, what actually is the case, is that the Felica cards,
have a full computer on there, with encryption, encrypted
secure areas, one with high security, one with low security,
there are applications stored on the card and on the phone
which talk to each other, they can work online, offline etc.
Alltogether it's really a very complex system with many
alternatives and possibilities.
The simple system architecture which you mentioned also
exists, it is one which Nokia tested out in the US, it depens
on online access, like the credit card authorization POS
terminals. That would never never work for Japanese train
cards, since it takes 10-30 seconds. I am not sure where
you live and whether you know Tokyo well.
I can assure you that a system which needs 30 seconds for
a train ticket authorization might work in some remote
areas of Europe, but will never ever work in Tokyo. Therefore
(and for other reasons) these system must work online and
offline. Actually, the Felica phones can connet two ways
through the reader/writer and through the air.
Gerhard
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Gerhard Fasol, PhD Eurotechnology Japan K. K.
http://fasol.com/blog/ http://www.eurotechnology.com/
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Received on Tue Mar 1 11:51:29 2005