Visa® and Mastercard® have issued new versions of their Contactless Level 2 ICS.
Visa PayWave Device Questionnaire and VCPS ICS-10/01/18
Mastercard MCL ICS – Sept2018
Before entering into Type Approval process, POS providers shall ensure that they use the most up-to-date version of the Implementation Conformance Statement for each of the kernels they submit to certification.
Feel free to contact us to obtain further information at : info@alcineo.com.
Visa has defined specific requirements to perform PayWave Cross testing automatically, called VCAS (Visa Cross-test Automated Specification). You can visit Visa Technology Partner website to access the dedicated documentation.
More precisely, VCAS defines the interface communication that must be established between a Device Testing Environment and the robot controller used in a laboratory to perform the set of Cross tests during Visa PayWave type approval.
The purpose of this protocol is to shorten the duration of the Cross testing session.
The robot controller integrated by each accredited laboratory initiates a transaction command automatically to analyse the device behavior. The challenge for Point-of-sales providers is to supply a compliant testing environment that is capable of converting each tag sent by the robot into a tag that the device will recognize and manage easily, using the appropriate language.
Alcinéo has developed a tool to help our customers to seamlessly perform PayWave automated Cross tests and comply with this additional function which is now mandatory to start a Cross testing campaign in a lab.
Our VCAS webservice converts the tags received from the robot (simulating contactless card commands), and transmit it to the device in the appropriate format.
Alcinéo develops Visa PayWave kernels for contactless capable devices and supports customers during the certification process of their payment solutions. In addition to the contact and contactless kernels, we deliver dedicated tools to help them performing full testing sessions at the laboratory.
Request your Alcinéo’s SDK to access the right toolbox for certification at : info@alcineo.com, or contact directly your Alcinéo representative.
EMV payment terminal certification is a major step for POS manufacturers, before product deployment. Terminal Type Approval process allows to certify the smartcard acceptance products against the latest EMV technology specifications.
The DTE is a must-have tool that POS manufacturers must supply with the sample terminals during Type Approval sessions, to set the most appropriate testing environment. It must embed a range of functions required by the entities implied in the kernel approval process. EMVCo’s objective is to guarantee interoperability while laboratories that perform the tests will expect certain automated commands.
EMVCo’s requirements for contactless Level 1 testing process :
Interoperability Testing Loopback Application.
The loopback application generates responses (C-APDU) and send it to the card (in reply to R-APDU). The application shall request the terminal to generate specific indicators (beeps or lights) to indicate the status of the command (Error or Success).
POS manufacturers shall ensure that the DTE provided during EMV Contactless L1 type approval implements this loopback application.
Transaction Send Application.
The DTE must be able to send sets of commands of type A or type B card transaction to the device, after card activation. This mode allows automation of commands and the testing session is shortened, as it is not interrupted by RF communication issues.
In addition to the required functionalities, it is important to set up a tool that can be used by the POS manufacturer to operate some modifications during debug sessions on the hardware part of the device.
Set Registers Values
Although Alcinéo’s DTE L1 is a tool dedicated to the digital testing sessions, it embeds a functionality to allow our customers to set the value of specific RF chip registers during analogic testing session. Antenna tuning is facilitated, as the values set with the command are not permanent, and can be modified easily with a reset of the device.
Using Alcinéo DTE L1 during EMV Contactless Level 1 Type Approval testing sessions help our customers to optimize certification process, comply with international standards requirements, and customize their solution. POS manufacturers just stay focus on their objective, to product and deploy in a cost effective and timely manner, the next generation of payment terminals.