Bar-code reader

This section should be read in conjunction with:

• Smart paper tickets, which provides information about smart paper tickets and describes the applications for which they are used; and
• Bar-code readers, which provides information about bar-code readers and how they are used in read-only applications.

This section considers only the relevant differences when the reader should read and also decrement. Bar-code readers can only read the bar-code; they cannot rewrite it or alter the encoded information. 

In the public transport sector, bar-code readers have very limited potential for read and decrement applications. The only potential use is where the user has a pre-paid account that can be decremented off-line. The barcode would verify that the user should be permitted to travel, while the transaction is recorded and transferred for downstream processing.

Benefits of barcode readers, for read and decrementing purposes, are:

• Can facilitate prepaid account-based fare products.
• Transaction data can be generated, for downstream processing.

Cautions with regard to bar-code readers, for read and decrementing purposes, are:

• The decrementing of trips or travel value needs to take place offline and post-travel.
• Other cautions of bar-code readers apply (see section Bar-code reader)

Applet reader for phone or PDA

This section should be read in conjunction with:

• Machine-readable applets, which provides information about machine-readable applets and describes the applications for which they are used; and
• Applet reader for phone or PDA, which provides information about applet readers and how they are used in read-only applications.

This section considers only the relevant differences when the reader should read and also decrement.

In this case, the software in the reader or its master device holds the decrementing functionality; there is no difference in the hardware requirement. The fare product then determines the units (trips, value) and how they are decremented.

Benefits/cautions

As for Applet reader for phone or PDA in the single use section.