ACR1581U-C1 DualBoost III USB Dual Interface Reader

ACS ACR1581U-C1 DualBoost III – Contact, Contactless and SAM Smart Card Reader

ACS ACR1581U-C1 DualBoost III is a versatile smart card reader combining support for contact cards, contactless cards and SAM modules in a single device. It is designed for demanding applications where broad card compatibility, security and flexible integration are required.

The reader connects to a computer through USB Type-A and uses the USB CCID standard. PC/SC support enables compatibility with a wide range of standard smart card applications. The reader is USB powered and supports USB Full Speed up to 12 Mbps.

Three card interfaces in one device

The ACR1581U-C1 combines three functional interfaces:

• ICC – contact smart card reader supporting ISO 7816,
• PICC – contactless smart card and NFC reader,
• SAM – dedicated SIM-sized SAM slot.

This architecture allows one reader to be used with both microprocessor cards and contactless cards, while also providing a dedicated interface for security modules.

ISO 7816 contact smart card reader

The contact interface supports ISO 7816 Class A, B and C cards operating at 5 V, 3 V and 1.8 V. It supports T=0 and T=1 protocols and communication speeds of up to 1250 kbps.

The ACR1581U-C1 can also be used with smart card applications involving CAC (Common Access Card) and PIV (Personal Identity Verification) cards.

13.56 MHz contactless NFC reader

The contactless interface supports ISO 14443 Type A and Type B, ISO 15693, MIFARE® and FeliCa. The reader also supports NFC Tags and additional technologies such as SRI/SRIX, CTS, Innovatron, Picopass and Topaz.

ISO 14443 communication speeds can reach 848 kbps. The built-in antenna provides a reading distance of up to approximately 70 mm, depending on the card or tag type and operating conditions.

Three NFC operating modes

The ACR1581U-C1 supports three NFC operating modes:

• Reader/Writer – reading and writing supported cards and tags,
• Card Emulation – emulation of a contactless card,
• Keyboard Emulation – sending card or tag data to the computer as keyboard input.

Keyboard Emulation can be useful when card or NFC tag data needs to be entered directly into an active application without dedicated application-level integration.

Built-in SAM slot

The reader features one SIM-sized SAM slot compliant with ISO 7816 Class A and supporting T=0 and T=1 protocols. Depending on the implementation, a SAM can provide additional security mechanisms for applications involving cryptography, authentication or access control.

Extended APDU and firmware upgrade

The ACR1581U-C1 supports extended APDU up to 64 KB, making it suitable for applications requiring larger data structures to be exchanged between cards and host applications.

The device also supports USB firmware upgrades, allowing firmware to be updated without replacing the hardware.

Typical applications

The ACR1581U-C1 is suitable for systems using different smart card technologies, including:

• identification and authentication systems,
• government and e-government applications,
• banking and financial services,
• access control systems,
• transportation and ticketing systems,
• NFC and smart card applications,
• solutions requiring SAM functionality,
• systems requiring both contact and contactless smart card support.

Technical specifications

Summary

ACS ACR1581U-C1 DualBoost III is a versatile smart card reader for environments requiring simultaneous support for contact, contactless and SAM technologies. The combination of ISO 7816, ISO 14443, ISO 15693 and broad NFC support makes it suitable for a wide range of professional smart card applications.

The ACR1581U-C1 version features a USB Type-A interface and a fixed 2-meter USB cable.