EMV Applications - Spartacus
We have considerable experience developing implementations of the EMV specification, and have built-up an extensive library of source code for solutions certified by both MasterCard and Visa for various card manufacturers. This experience has been condensed into our Spartacus range of EMV products. Spartacus can be customised to suit the customer's branding and licensing agreements. Spartacus encapsulates a security tested hardware abstraction, full EMV support and customisable extras, and is the ideal starting point for both "Me too" commodity offerings and enhanced value adding products.
The payment card market is dominated by high volumes and slender margins: EMV solutions are provided by third parties who charge a premium for their services. However, Card Manufacturers who invest in their own EMV products remove the need for third party products and therefore open up additional revenue streams. Ownership provides control over all aspects of card production, from sourcing the silicon through specifying the applications all the way to card initialization and application personalization. This level of control allows card manufacturers and issuers to cut out the middle-man and take advantage of the benefits of owning their own products.
To maximize the return on investment, Spartacus is developed to the latest ISO and EMV standards, including the EMV Card Personalization Specification. This provides built-in future-proofing with a clear upgrade path: maintaining a consistent interface that allows for the reuse of expensive personalization equipment, thereby reducing the long term cost of ownership. The Spartacus family includes SDA, DDA and dual interface variants.
The advantage that Spartacus gives independent card manufactures is based on price.
Spartacus gives card manufacturers the option to purchase their own certified chip products. There is a cost overhead in getting the product certified but this is quickly recouped given the substantial price difference in chips loaded with Spartacus and EMV products bought from third parties.
The commercial proposition is a per chip cost-saving that increases margins and provides a competitive advantage.
Spartacus can also be customized by making use of the built-in support for file-processing applications - for example a loyalty application. Such applications can be tailored to specific needs without risking the integrity of the payment applications.
Digital Locksmiths' well proven hardware abstraction layer enables rapid porting of the Spartacus range of EMV applications to the silicon platform of choice whilst avoiding making modifications to application code that has previously achieved EMV certification on numerous occasions. This gives complete control over the choice of silicon supplier, taking advantage of low silicon costs and preferential deals.
Keeping your risk low and opening the door to higher returns: Spartacus is out of the development arena, field proven and ready for deployment.
Spartacus was developed using a PC Reference Model to provide an application framework that can be rapidly ported to silicon of choice. The PC Reference model, together with its PC/SC connectivity, provides a stable reference for the following:
- Generating and proving enhancements to the product prior to porting to silicon
- Providing a stable test environment: a consistent reference implementation against which a product ported to specific silicon can be tested
- An EMV terminal development test tool. The PC Reference model can be configured to emulate various types of EMV application, in various states. The PC/SC connectivity provides a realistic communications interface with the terminal that also allows for a powerful debugging capability
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