Cubic’s Tri-Reader® now supports Innovision Research & Technology’s Jewel smart ticketing chip

Cubic’s Tri-Reader® now supports Innovision Research & Technology’s Jewel smart ticketing chip

Contactless low-cost ticketing technology moves a step nearer to reality for mass-transit applications

Jewel®, the flagship, low-cost, smart ticketing chip developed by Innovision Research & Technology, the leading RFID design services company, is now supported by Tri-Reader® 2, the multi-protocol card interface device used in the newest automated fare collection equipment from the transportation segment of Cubic Corporation.

Walt Bonneau, corporate vice president of technology for Cubic Corporation said: “We are pleased to include the Innovision Jewel device in our list of approved media for our Tri-Reader family of products. We expect limited use smart card ticketing to be a valuable component in achieving the full spectrum of smart card operation in today’s automatic fare collection systems. The targeted functionality and low cost of cards based on the Jewel chip gives our transit customers the option of expanding contactless/proximity ticketing capability to include day passes and other ticket products used in large numbers for occasional passengers, tourists, or specific ticketing events, as well as for passengers that prefer a non-permanent card media or who require a temporary ticket to replace a full-featured smart card that has been lost or forgotten.”

Trevor Crotch-Harvey, of Innovision R&T, said: “The message is loud and clear. Many of the barriers to adoption are being removed and, while there are many contactless ticketing trials now in place, it is up to the transport operators, authorities, systems integrators and vendors to seriously re-evaluate this opportunity and make low-cost smart ticketing for mass transit a reality.”

Innovision designed the Jewel chip specifically to meet the demands of the transit industry to accommodate the modern traveller and transit agency, fulfilling the need for a convenient low cost ticket type suitable for passengers for whom regular contactless smart cards might not be convenient or cost effective.

Many transit operators in urban areas are switching to, or are considering switching to, contactless smart card ticketing systems from traditional magnetic ticketing because they encourage the use of public transportation by allowing commuters to travel quickly, seamlessly, switching between different operators’ bus and rail systems. Contactless technology is the cornerstone of “regionalizing” public transit across a wider metropolitan area.

The low cost Jewel chip makes this technology available to more passengers than the commonly used full feature contactless smart card (CSC) that has a price tag of $4-5 per unit. The addition of the new cost-effective limited use card offers transit operators that currently use magnetic stripe ticketing an incentive to switch to contactless ticketing. Contactless ticketing systems can also reduce overall system maintenance expenses associated with electrical-mechanisms used to read magnetic cards.

About Cubic

Cubic Transportation Systems is the world’s largest provider of integrated electronic ticketing systems and has smart card contracts for public transit systems in North America, Europe and Asia. Every year, nearly 10 billion people use Cubic systems in more than 40 major markets in cities on five continents, including London, Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, Chicago, New York, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Atlanta, San Francisco, Singapore and Miami.

The corporation’s other major segment, Cubic Defense Applications, provides instrumented air and ground combat training systems, battle command training, simulations and simulation support for U. S. and allied military forces. The group also produces high technology avionics, data links and communications products for government and commercial customers, and a wide range of technical and logistics services. For more information about Cubic, see the company’ web site at www.cubic.com http://www.cubic.com.

Jewel®

Innovision R&T’s Jewel® technology was launched in March 2004. Designed specifically for low-cost mass transit ticketing, Jewel® enables electronic data relating to ticket type, travel validity, etc, to be securely stored within a conventional ticket form factor and instantly transferred to the reader. Jewel®’s key features are: