ISO/IEC 11693-2:2009

Overview

ISO/IEC 11693-2:2009 is an international standard that defines the conditions enabling optical memory technology to co-exist with other machine-readable card technologies on identification cards. This standard, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), specifically addresses how optical memory cards can be integrated alongside magnetic stripes, integrated circuit cards (with and without contacts), and machine readable zones (MRZ) within a single card construction.

The document assists card manufacturers and issuers by providing detailed guidelines on layout, positioning, and compatibility to ensure seamless operation and interoperability of combined technologies. This facilitates the development of multi-technology identification cards that can support a wide range of applications requiring secure and versatile data storage and retrieval.

Key Topics

• Co-existence Framework: Defines how optical memory areas can be combined with other card technologies without interference or compromising functionality.
• Technology Combinations:
  • Optical memory with Machine Readable Zones (MRZ) compliant with ICAO Doc 9303.
  • Optical memory with magnetic stripes, following ISO/IEC 7811 series standards.
  • Optical memory plus integrated circuit cards with contacts, aligning with ISO/IEC 7816-2.
  • Optical memory combined with contactless integrated circuit cards conforming to ISO/IEC 14443 or ISO/IEC 15693.
• Physical Layout and Positioning:
  • Specifies dimensions and locations for accessible optical areas, magnetic stripes, and integrated circuit contacts.
  • Ensures each technology adheres to its individual applicable standard while being integrated within the card.
• Card Thickness and Construction Considerations:
  • Addresses constraints posed by optical memory layers on card thickness.
  • Highlights the need for specialized lamination techniques when embedding contactless chips to maintain compliance with ISO/IEC 7810 physical requirements.

Applications

ISO/IEC 11693-2:2009 supports the development of advanced identification and access control cards that offer multiple machine-readable features in a single document. Typical applications include:

• Government-issued IDs and Passports: Cards combining optical memory with MRZ and contact/contactless chips to support high security and multi-modal data access.
• Financial and Payment Cards: Optical memory coexistence with magnetic stripes and chip technology for enhanced transaction security and data storage capacity.
• Transportation and Transit Cards: Multi-technology cards leveraging optical memory with contactless chips for efficient fare management and verification.
• Corporate and Secure Access Badges: Combining technologies for flexible authentication and data handling in secure facilities.
• Healthcare Cards: Integration of multiple storage and reading methods for robust patient identification and record-keeping.

By enabling various technologies to co-exist, this standard helps increase card versatility, durability, and compatibility with multiple systems and environments.

Related Standards

• ISO/IEC 11693-1: Provides general characteristics and foundational parameters for optical memory cards.
• ISO/IEC 11694-2 and ISO/IEC 11695-2: Specify dimensions and locations of accessible optical memory areas for linear and holographic recording methods, respectively.
• ISO/IEC 7811 Series: Covers magnetic stripe technologies including low and high coercivity specifications.
• ISO/IEC 7816-2: Specifies dimensions and locations for integrated circuit cards with contacts.
• ISO/IEC 14443 & ISO/IEC 15693: Define contactless integrated circuit card technologies supporting proximity and vicinity communication.
• ICAO Doc 9303, Part 3: Defines machine readable travel documents layout, including MRZ standards and OCR-B font specifications.

Keywords: ISO/IEC 11693-2, optical memory cards, machine readable technologies, multi-technology ID cards, magnetic stripe coexistence, integrated circuit cards, contactless chips, machine readable zone, card standards, identification card technology integration.