S8x4 Card Format Learning

Introduction

The S874 and S884 smart card readers support many different card formats including, Mifare
Classic/Plus/DESFire, SmartMAX S1/S15, Card Serial Number (non-encoded CSN) and PIV (USA
market), among other customer specific formats.

These reader models can ‘learn’ any of the above formats and retain two of them in memory until the
reader enters learning mode again. (The S884 can lock the formats to prevent overwriting during this
process.)

When a card is presented while the reader is in learning mode, the reader searches all its known
formats in an attempt to identify the format on the card presented. Depending on the card format, this
may take up to 5 seconds. During this time the reader will display a flashing yellow indication to show
that an attempt is being made to read the card. When a card format match has been made the
indication will stop and the reader will “beep” to show a card read. The card should be held to the
reader until the flashing stops. If the reader beeps at the end of this process then the format has been
recognized, if not the card type is not one that the reader can recognize. Removing the card while the
indication is flashing may cause the reader to be configured with the wrong card type.

S874 Card Format Learning

Each time power is applied to the S874 reader, it enters card learning mode, during which the next
two cards presented will determine which card formats will be recognized by the reader until the next
power cycle. After two cards have been presented learning mode is terminated. The reader can
recognize up to two different card formats taken from the many card formats programmed into its
firmware.

If a reader is being used for the first time or has had its formats cleared, the first two cards presented
are the two card types that will be read by the reader in operation. If the two cards are the same type
then only this type will be read. If the reader has previously learnt card types when power is applied,
and either of the first two cards presented is the same type as previously learnt, the card types read
will be unaffected. If either of the first two cards is not the same as the type previously learnt, the
previous types are deleted and the reader behaves as if learning cards for the first time.

For example: if a reader is previously programmed to read SmartMAX S15 and SmartMAX S1, when
the reader is power cycled, as long as the first two cards are either SmartMAX S15 or SmartMAX S1
both formats will be remembered. It should be noted that removing CSN from the remembered
formats can only be done by re-programming the reader using a format not currently learnt or by
using the clear card types function* (documented at the end of this section).
Here are some further example scenarios:

1) Presenting first an encoded DESFire card then an encoded Mifare Classic card will result in
these two formats being successfully memorized in the reader. Subsequently presenting a
card that is not DESFire or Classic will cause the reader’s indicator to flash yellow. This
signifies that the reader is attempting to read the card but a match cannot be found; no entry
is recorded in the Symmetry system log.

2) Presenting first a DESfire encoded card then a CSN card will result in these two formats
being successfully memorized in the reader. However, it should be noted that if an encoded
Mifare card is subsequently presented (e.g. smartMAX, etc) the encoding will not be read but
the card’s serial number will be read instead – this will most likely result in an unknown card
alarm/transaction.

3) Presenting the same card twice, consecutively, will store that card format into both memory
locations of the reader. This is often done in error after a power cycle, as certain cards take
longer to read at the first two presentations than others. If a CSN card format occupies both
memory locations then the reader will subsequently read only the serial numbers from any
encoded cards that are presented, and ignore the encoding!

*Note: to force the card formats to be cleared from memory, the and buttons should be held down
whilst applying power. This procedure may be required in exceptional circumstances if the formats
cannot be cleared during learning mode.

S884 Card Format Learning

Exactly the same learning process, described above, may be applied to the S884 reader. However,
the S884 reader offers some additional options which are accessed via the displayed setup menu.

Accessing the setup menu

At the keypad, hold both the and  buttons whilst applying power to the reader; keep the buttons
held until the displays shows “Enter Setup?”’ “ or ” . Press to enter setup.

Note: to make a positive selection, either the button (lower left) or, alternatively, the button beneath
the displayed symbol may be used. Similarly, to back out of a selection, select either the button
(lower right) or the button beneath the displayed symbol.

Menu options

To navigate the submenu choices, additional horizontal and vertical arrow symbols will be displayed.
Use the button beneath the relevant arrow to change a selection, then use to confirm the choice or
to back out of the choice

Card Types Read

(Displays the formats currently in memory.) Typical entries may include:

No Type Set;
Mifare SMax SR15;
DFire SMax;
Card Ser. No. A.

Card Learning

Card Types Locked: Y/N (Locks the memorized formats to prevent overwriting at power up.)
Clear Card Types: Y/N (Clears all card types from memory without power cycling the reader.)

Card Options

PIV Default: FASC-N/GUID

The following submenus are also available from the top-level setup menu, and listed only for
reference.

Language
Contrast
Timeouts
Brightness
Sounds
Advanced