<s>
A	O
secure	B-General_Concept
access	I-General_Concept
module	I-General_Concept
or	O
secure	O
application	O
module	O
(	O
SAM	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
cryptographic	O
hardware	O
typically	O
used	O
by	O
smart	O
card	O
card	B-Device
readers	I-Device
to	O
perform	O
mutual	O
key	O
authentication	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Physically	O
,	O
a	O
SAM	B-General_Concept
card	I-General_Concept
can	O
be	O
a	O
SIM	O
card	O
plugged	O
into	O
a	O
SAM	O
slot	O
in	O
a	O
card	B-Device
reader	I-Device
,	O
or	O
a	O
fixed	O
integrated	O
circuit	O
in	O
a	O
housing	O
directly	O
soldered	O
on	O
a	O
printed	O
circuit	O
board	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Generally	O
,	O
a	O
reader	O
system	O
consists	O
of	O
a	O
microcontroller	B-Architecture
and	O
a	O
reader	O
IC	O
to	O
communicate	O
over	O
the	O
RF	O
interface	O
with	O
a	O
contactless	O
smartcard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
microcontroller	B-Architecture
takes	O
the	O
part	O
of	O
controlling	O
the	O
reader	O
IC	O
functions	O
such	O
as	O
protocol	O
handling	O
,	O
command	O
flow	O
and	O
data	O
interpretation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
entire	O
system	O
enables	O
authentication	O
and	O
encryption	O
of	O
the	O
contactless	O
communication	O
between	O
the	O
SAM	O
and	O
host	B-Protocol
system	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
