Integrating VTAP with other systems

The VTAP reader is designed to be flexible, with many different ways that it can interface to other systems, to accommodate a wide range of requirements. It is important to choose the most suitable interface(s) when integrating a VTAP reader with other systems.

The tables in Choice of interface will help you understand the pros and cons of choosing one or more of these interface options.

Basic - keyboard emulation and mass storage

A simple point-of-sale or kiosk application, with a small number of VTAP readers on one site, is likely to use USB keyboard emulation and mass storage options. Send pass payload as keyboard emulation over USB deals with the essential functions of a VTAP reader for this situation.

• Detecting a reader is present;

• Reading data from the VTAP reader;

• Changing configuration file settings for reading passes, cards or tags, and providing the configured user feedback;

• Loading any necessary private ECC or application key files;

• Upgrading VTAP reader firmware.

The standard mass storage drive of the VTAP allows most of these functions to be performed by third‑party software integration or development, using standard file write functions, under most combinations of programming language and operating system.

Advanced - USB COM, serial RS-232 or RS-485 communications

If more advanced functionality is required, the USB keyboard emulation and mass storage drive are not always suitable, or may not be the best choice. You should consider which of the VTAP interfaces best suits each function.

It may be that your integration requires more advanced functionality, such as:

• 'Background' pass reading - the pass payload is received by an application running on an operating system in the background, rather than the application in focus on that PC (with the cursor correctly positioned to receive the keyboard input);

• Dynamically changing configuration, either to suit different transaction types or switching to card emulation mode and back (for detail refer to VTAP NFC tag emulation and smart write-back).

All of the functions, both basic and advanced, can be reduced to three broad types:

• Receiving data from the VTAP reader - pass payload, card or tag data;

• Sending commands to the VTAP reader- for dynamic configuration, to control LED/buzzer, or request data or current settings;

• Transfer files - either firmware or configuration files.

After considering your choice(s) of interface, this page will look at the best approach for each of these types of action one by one.

You may be aware that Dot Origin also provides a software utility called Read‑a‑Card, which can simplify integration with cloud-based applications that run in a browser, such as front desk check-in or web-based kiosks. In this case, Read-a-Card runs locally as a web server, talks to the VTAP reader over a virtual COM interface, and enables JavaScript code running in the browser to communicate with the reader over a localhost IP connection. Read-a-Card is available on Windows, Linux and Mac OSX on request. There are separate VTAP Application Notes that cover the use of a VTAP reader with Read‑a‑Card.