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2010: Two Alternative Scenarios
Scenario 1
When you put your clothes on in the morning there are no coins
rolling on the floor, there is no desperate search for the car keys, your
wallet is not making your pockets or purse heavy. You just have your PUSC
(Personal Universal Smart Card) in your pocket. A gizmo on the door will
radio-check that you have it while going out, and unlock the door when
you'll come back.
As you approach your car, the doors unlock because your card's proximity
has been perceived by a radio device. Similar radio devices recognize you
at the toll booth on the highway, and will subtract the appropriate toll
from the value stored on the card. In case your card is empty, you can
stop at the drive-through card loading terminal.
At your company's parking, the entrance booth recognizes you and lets you
in. You stop by at the coffee machine, using your card to pay. When you
enter your office, lights and your computer go on. However, you can log
onto the network only after you insert your card in the reader and type
in your password.
You go to the company's lab to check on the status of a research project.
It's a high-security area: you insert your card and the picture stored
on it is use to verify a camera image of you.
Late in the morning you go to the company's infirmary with stomach ache.
The doctor gives a look at the medical history stored on your card, and
from the last blood analysis results thinks that it might be a light ulcer.
At lunch time, the computer in the cafeteria will recognize you and remind
you the doctor's recommendations about what to eat.
In the afternoon you have to fly out. On the airplane you play your favorite
video game, stored on the card and played on your seat's entertainment
system. The system knows your preferences from the card and suggests a
selection from all the movies and music channels available.
Having arrived at your destination, you rent a car. The rental company's
computer recognizes your card, and gives you the keys of your favorite
model. In the car, you insert your smart card in the phone so that you
can make and receive calls (placed at your usual phone number). You can
also access your frequently called numbers.
In your hotel room, you insert your card in the cable box. The pay-per-view
charge will be billed on your home cable account.
Scenario 2
When you get to your company parking lot, the gate does not open.
You realize that you grabbed your spouse's smart card
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Cards and Electronic Commerce
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