User's Manual

4400-46001.A.00 Tri-Reader 3 User Manual
This document contains proprietary and confidential information originated or owned by Cubic. Neither this document nor the
information disclosed herein shall be reproduced or transferred to other documents or used or disclosed to others for
manufacturing or any other purposes except as specifically authorized in writing by Cubic.
December 2, 200
8
1
1. INTRODUCTION
The Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. (Cubic) Tri-Reader
®
3 serves as the front end for a remote ticketing
device used for automated fare collection (AFC) in public transportation systems (e.g., bus, rail, subway, etc.).
It can be used in ticket validators, ticket vending machines, gates, and other AFC equipment. This equipment
can be on board vehicles or in fixed ground locations. The Tri-Reader 3 will be responsible for direct
communication with a contactless smart card (CSC), which is a type of radio frequency (RF) tag. The design
caters for at least three types of CSC, namely ISO14443 Type A, Type B, and GO CARD
®
.
1.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This document provides an overview of Cubic’s Tri-Reader 3 operation, including components and required
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notices.
1.2 OVERVIEW
Interpretation of the information stored on the CSC, as well as the processing of the revenue collection
transaction, will be done by the Tri-Reader 3 itself, based on faretables and hotlists provided by the host
computer.
The firmware on the Tri-Reader 3 is designed to be updated in-system using FLASH-based technology. It will
therefore be possible to cater, within limits, for different CSC types and configurations—if required in the
future.
The communications is as follows:
1. The Tri-Reader 3 will power the CSC through radiation by an induced RF field.
2. By sequencing through the communication protocols for the different cards, it will detect the card
type by checking for the associated response.
3. Once the card type and therefore its communication mechanism is known, the Tri-Reader 3 will
read and write data on the card according to the fare rules in the faretables.
4. The Tri-Reader 3 will pass data to and from the CSC by using the appropriate protocol for
modulation and demodulation of the signal.
1.3 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AFC automated fare collection
CSC contactless smart card
FCC Federal Communications Commission
hot list A list of smart cards, downloaded to revenue equipment, flagging the cards due to various
types of misuse, loss, or failure to collect. Patron may be notified to replace card or card may
be rejected at device or permanently disabled.
LED light emitting diode
RF radio frequency
RTD remote ticketing device
Vdc Volts, direct current