Using SmartCards as payment is a cost-effective way to run kiosk terminals aimed at certain target groups. The operation of SmartCards requires SiteKiosk Pay and ACOS SmartCards with a special ID, as well as an ISO SmartCard reader.
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Particularly useful is SiteKiosk’s integrated scripting functionality, which allows you to read data stored on SmartCards via HTML Web pages, e.g. if you want to authenticate a customer before allowing him or her to access a certain page. However, you can also write data to the card and specify that information.
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Payment dialog box
If users want to access pay content or services, a payment dialog box appears prompting them to insert payment. The dialog box also shows the user images of all accepted methods of payment.
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Authorization and crediting
Similar to a phone card, information and credit will be stored directly on the SmartCard chip. Access to this encrypted information is restricted by a special key and the included "SmartCard Admin Tool." Use the SmartCard reader to directly withdraw any available credit from the card.
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Charging
The inserted amount is automatically credited to the Payment Module account and can be withdrawn by the user in various ways:
a) Usage time:
Every minute a certain amount is withdrawn. Usage fees may be charged either for a certain type of content (e.g. website, program) or rate based on the time of day (e.g. happy hours).
b) Service:
A certain service is offered for a fee and charged for using the pull mode (i.e. use the print function to set a printing charge per page or specify a set fee for downloads).
Users can also retain their remaining credit on their own individual user account, for use at a later time. However, the user account function requires the installation of the additional free SiteCafe software
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End of session
Users will be prompted at a set time interval before they run out of available credit and is notified by a visual and acoustic alert. Users will be prompted to add more credit, or at the event that the user has used up reached an end to his/her available credit (credit=0), the session will be ended automatically. When SiteKiosk ends a user session, it will close all open windows and applications, as well as delete all information left during the last session.
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Advantages for using SmartCards / customer cards:
- Remaining credit management
Similar to phone cards, credit is stored directly on the card. There is no need for a server. Any remaining credit stays on the card.
- Re-usable
You can always rewrite on the cards and allow other customers to reuse them.
- Security
The ACOS SmartCard are secure and used by banks for conducting their transactions. - Transaction fees
SmartCards do not accrue any fees, as the cards are written and charged by the staff members authorized to do so.
- Flexibility
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