Hotel Room Card: The "Technology and Frugality" behind a small card​

Have you ever thought that the room card you hold whenever you check in a hotel seems ordinary but has a lot of knowledge hidden? From the early magnetic stripe cards to today's smart chip cards, from the "key" that can only open the door to the "butler" that integrates multiple functions, hotel room cards have long been no longer a simple "door opening tool"! Today we will look at the evolutionary history of this small card, and by the way, we can see which generation of "black technology" you use when staying in a hotel~

1. The "past and present" of room cards: the road to upgrade from magnetic stripes to chips

1.0 Era: Magnetic Stripe Room Card (Classic but "fragile")

Do you still remember the thin plastic card handed over to the front desk during those years when I stayed in a hotel? The room number is printed on it, and there is a black magnetic stripe on the back - this is the first generation room card (magnetic stripe card). Its principle is similar to an old bank card. It stores room information through a magnetic stripe and can open the door by inserting the door lock.

• Advantages: Low cost, simple production (high early popularity); 

• Disadvantages: Too! crisp! weak! (It is easy to demagnetize when used with a mobile phone, and it may fail if you use it a few times); the information is low (it is easy to be copied); and it must be "plugged into the card to get out of power", and the power will be cut off when unplugged (get up in the middle of the night and turn off the lights before inserting the card? Trouble!).

2.0 era: IC chip room card (smarter and more durable)

With the advancement of technology, the second generation of room cards (IC chip cards) has come on the stage! Its card has a micro chip (just like a SIM card of a mobile phone) embedded in it. It transmits data through contact reading (card insertion or touch door lock sensing area), and the stored information is safer and the door opening success rate is higher.

Upgrade point:

• More durable (anti-wear and not easy to demagnetize); 

• Function expansion (some support "power plug-in and get powered by plugging in the card", unplugging the card, so it is no problem to leave a night light); 

• Security improvement (chip encryption, it is difficult to copy).

3.0 Era: RFID Induction Room Card (can open the door with a "wave")

The latest generation of room cards (RFID sensing cards) can be called the "good of lazy people"! It does not have traditional slots, and it relies on the RF chip in the card and the sensing area of the door lock. As long as the card is brought close to the door lock (usually 3-5 cm), the door will automatically open, saving even the card insertion action!

King Bomb Advantages:

• The door is super convenient to open (you don’t need to find a card slot to hold your luggage in your hand, you can open it as soon as you rely on it);

• More secure (dynamic encryption technology, refreshing the door opening permission once a minute, and has stronger anti-copying ability); 

• Support more functions (such as linking with the hotel system, automatically adjusting the air conditioning temperature at the moment of opening the door, and illuminating the welcome light). 

(High-end hotels and chain brands (such as Yaduo and Huazhu) are basically used, and the experience is full~)

2. Do room cards have these hidden functions? You may not know!

Do you think the room card is just open? Too young! Smart room cards are now "all-rounders":

• Power withdrawal control: The room will only be powered after some room cards are inserted into the power withdrawal tank (avoiding power consumption in empty rooms); 

• Authorization management: The room card will automatically fail after check-out (the door cannot be opened if you swipe again); 

• Information storage: Your check-in preferences may be recorded in the chip (such as pillow height and room temperature settings), and the next check-in will be synchronized directly; • Emergency backup: Even if the room card is powered off/demagnetized, the front desk can quickly reset or change the card (no need to smash the door!).

3. Why do different hotels look different?

You may find that some room cards are pure plastic pieces, some are matte cards with LOGO, and even metal texture or luminous styles - this is actually related to the hotel's brand positioning, cost control, and functional needs:

• Economy hotels: Priority to cost, commonly used basic IC cards (just be durable); 

• Mid-to-high-end hotels: Focus on experience, choose RFID induction card + customized design (such as printing brand colors, hot-hot room numbers); 

• Theme hotel/B&B: You may play creative (such as cartoon styling cards, commemorative cards with local scenery), and the functions may not be the strongest, but the "check-in" attribute is full!

(Our company provides customized services for all types of room cards~ From basic magnetic stripe cards to high-end RFID induction cards, it supports logo printing, luminous/matte processes, and can even design exclusive shapes according to the hotel theme!)

If your hotel wants to upgrade your room card (such as changing to a more durable RFID sensor card, or customizing a style with brand characteristics), please contact us! Professional room card customization can be designed on demand from materials to functions, so that your customers fall in love with it at first sight~ ️