HF | NFC - RFID Desktop Reader AB Circle - CIR315A

The AB Circle CIR315A is a compact desktop reader for 13.56 MHz contactless smart cards and NFC tags with an integrated ISO/IEC 7816 SAM slot for secure key storage and cryptographic operations. It supports ISO/IEC 14443-4 Type A and B, ISO/IEC 15693-3 and ISO/IEC 18092 NFC, covering MIFARE® Classic, Plus, Ultralight, Ultralight C, DESFire, DESFire EV1 and EV2, FeliCa (Standard, Lite, Plug), Calypso, J-LIS cards and NFC Forum Type 1 to 5 tags. Transfer rates reach up to 848 kbps, and the reading distance is up to 50 mm, depending on the tag type.

‍

The SAM slot takes ID-000 (SIM-size) cards of ISO/IEC 7816 Class A (5 V) with T=0 or T=1 at 9.6 to 125 kbps, so keys stay in a secure access module instead of the host application. Towards the host, the CIR315A is a USB 2.0 Full Speed device (12 Mbps) that complies with CCID and conforms to PC/SC; contactless cards are addressed via T=CL, which the reader translates to T=1 for PC/SC. Extended APDUs are supported, and the firmware can be upgraded via USB. Supported operating systems are Windows® 7 SP1 and above, Linux®, macOS® 10.12 and above and Android™ 6.0 and above; Microsoft® WHQL is part of its compliance list.

‍

The reader is powered via its 1 m USB cable, needs no external supply and draws less than 250 mA in operation. Its white and grey ABS housing measures 98 x 66 x 11 mm and weighs 81 g; an optional reader stand is available. Typical applications are e-government, access control, network log-on, public transport ticketing, payment and card encoding. The reader operates from −10 to 70 °C, MTBF is 600,000 hours, and its certifications include EN 62368, BS EN 62368, CE, FCC, UKCA, VCCI, MIC, RoHS3 and REACH. Four versions are available: CIR315A-01 with USB-A and SAM slot (standard), CIR315A-02 with USB-A without SAM slot, and CIR315A-03 and -04 with USB-C, with or without SAM slot; all versions except -01 are subject to a minimum order quantity. Samples and project pricing are available from IDCRAFT on request.

‍

AB Circle CIR315A is listed at IDCRAFT under NFC readers. How NFC readers work and what to look for: NFC reader guide. Desktop devices compared: RFID USB readers. Matching credentials: RFID cards and key fobs. Other readers from AB Circle: CIR315B with additional contact slot, CIR615A with keyboard emulation and CIR315C in token format.