[spensierata]

Hello, newbie here,

I've been searching for answers online about swipe card technology without much luck and now have found myself on this forum. I don't know if this is within the realm of the Tech Forum, but I was hoping someone out there could help.

I'll be opening a business next year and am considering using a swipe card tracking system for our customers. The concept of the business is rather novel and complex so I'll try to give my general requirements without getting too specific.

Essentially I'd like a system where customers are given a "blank" swipe card when they enter our building. They then can use this card at various stations. The card would be used for 1) entry regulation, and 2) time monitoring in order to determine how long they were in each station (they'll pay according to their time usage). At the end of their visit they'll return the card which will then be used by another customer.

It seems pretty simple, being so similar to hotel swipe cards, with the only added feature the monitoring of each entry and exit. (Is this information that would be encoded on the card, or sent to a central computer?)

Ideally I'd also like the cards to be flexible in that they could be used like a gift card (incorporating a pre-paid feature that automatically deducts with each swipe) or similar features.

I've had a hard time finding companies that either sell existing systems (providing both the cards and the computer software) or will custom make such a system. Do any of you have experience with this? Any information would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

[S0ULphIRE]

So you want a card which allows people access to facilities, and want to be able to monitor how long they're using that facility?
Sounds pretty easy, all you'd need is a few magnetic-strip swipe cards with their own unique signature. If by 'station' you mean computer, then it'd be easy to have a program running which starts a timer when it's activated (by a swipe card), then stops and sends the full time to the main computer when the user leaves.

A few questions I'd definitely need answered if you need help. When you say "monitoring of each entry and exit", entry and exit from what? the 'station'? which is a what? is the station connected to a network?

[spensierata]

Thanks for your reply,

I was recently told about RFID systems for easy, unobtrusive monitoring. The stations I'm referring to are areas (gardens, rooms, halls...) so are not connected to a computer or network. I'd be looking for a system that would tell me how long a customer spent in each area, and that allows them to leave and return multiple times.

From the little I've read I think passive RFID might be the way to go.

[alehkcis]

there are lots of system that provides this facilty HID provides this , G.E provides this also, all you have to do is for example after 1 month you want to calculate how many hours your customer has spent in your facilty, you can configure the system for time and attendance purposes instead of access control so when you generate the report it will automatically calculate the total number of hours he has spent inside.and about the prepaid card that you were planning to do, you will need a third party software that can encorporate their software into the card reader system, we have done this in some cafeteria in some schools and some factories, they use the same card for access control, time and attendance and also for paying the bill in their food which is automatically deducted in there salary.

[spensierata]

That's very helpful, thank you. I'll keep looking into my options and come back when I have more questions.