The AD Teknik USB Phoenix is a device used to communicate with smartcards that follow the ISO7816(T=0) standard. It is a simple construction that transforms the signal from the computer's serial port to levels that the smartcard can understand and also provides an oscillator to the card in order to process commands. It is compatible with software such as WinExplorer.
There are today numerous software's on the internet that are used to communicate with different types of smartcards that follows ISO7816(T=0) standard such as WinExplorer. Common for these programs are that they need a Phoenix- or a Smartmouse-interface to communicate with the smartcard.
The interface (really a very simple construction, it was originally created by hobbyists who wanted to communicate with smartcards) transform the signal to/from the serialport of the computer to levels that the smartcard can handle. Then an oscillator is provided to the card so it can handle the commands sent to it.
Normally a oscillator at 3.579575MHz are used because the ISO7816-standard originally uses a speed that is "oscillator" divided with 372 that gives approx. 9600 bps.
The difference between Phoenix and Smartmouse is the polarity on the reset-signal.
Comments