A government compliant smart card conforms to a number of international and U.S. standards that specify data models, communication protocols and electrical characteristics, which makes it reasonably straight forward to read data from a card. But like most complex systems, it is not as simple as it might appear. There are multiple smart card chip suppliers and multiple operating systems. In addition there are various applets, certificate types, and biometric solutions plus government agencies have flexibility in the applications that they select to load onto a credential. The result is a complex matrix of options.

The typical smart card reader can take precious time to sort out these options while reading a card. During this time the user is standing at the door waiting for a response to their request for access.

The code stack in EntryPoint and TrustPoint readers is optimized to deal with the myriad of nuances that can be present on the full range of PIV and CAC credentials and to maximize read-process time efficiency. BridgePoint readers have been designed without compromise to be the best-of-class. Our engineers continue to optimize firmware, hardware and the human-machine interface into a tightly integrated solution that includes processing of trusted cryptographic operations and performing reliably under all weather and use conditions.

Not only do the BridgePoint readers out-perform the competition, they are designed to be forward compatible. Every reader is flash-upgradable through the contact interface, which enables "fast-flash" reprogramming without removing the reader or needing a portable computer to perform the upgrade. BridgePoint delivers on its promise: