GB2241810A

GB2241810A - Data card reader

Info

Publication number: GB2241810A
Application number: GB9005373A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Guy Bointon
Original assignee: Mars Inc
Current assignee: Mars Inc
Priority date: 1990-03-09
Filing date: 1990-03-09
Publication date: 1991-09-11
Also published as: GB9005373D0

Abstract

A device for reading data from a card 3 comprises a back plate 1 and two arms 2 projecting therefrom so as to define two opposed slots through which the card 3 may be passed by a user. Read heads 6a, 6c and erase/write head 6b are provided in the back plate 1. Spring-mounted pinch rollers (not shown) are provided in one or both arms so as to urge the card against the heads 6. In a further embodiment, an end-stop is provided at the base of the passageway, the card being both inserted into and removed from the upper end of the passageway. In this case, only one read head is provided. <IMAGE>

Description

DATA CARD READER The present invention relates generally to data card readers and more particularly to such readers incorporating a passageway into which a data card may be inserted. The invention extends to vending machines incorporating such a data card reader.

Card readers for "ISO" standard magnetic cards, such as bank cards and credit cards, are well known and fall into two main categories. In the "letter-box" type used for bank Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), the card is posted into a slot, taken into the machine out of sight of the consumer and returned after reading through the same slot some time later. In the "swipe-reader" type, commonly used in shops and petrol stations, the card is "swiped" through a groove in the reader by a member of the retail staff or by the user.

The "letter-box" type is high in accuracy and performance, but also high in cost, since means must be provided for conveying the card to a reading station and for conveying it back to the user. On the other hand, the "swipe-reader" is low in cost, since it involves a user manually sliding a card through the groove, i.e. no conveying means is provided. However, such a reader suffers from reduced accuracy, since there is considerable variation in the orientation of a card being read: indeed, it is well known for cards to have to be swiped through several times in order to achieve a successful read. Furthermore, because of the inherent inaccuracy within a "swipe-reader", it is impractical to attempt a re-write operation on a card with such a device.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a data card reader which is manually operable, so as to reduce cost, but having greater orientational accuracy.

Accordingly, the present invention provides in a first aspect a data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising a first end into which the card may be inserted, a second end from which the card may be removed, and means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the card during movement of the card from the first end to the second end.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the cards, and a back plate adapted for mounting on a wall, the arrangement being such that, on mounting, the direction of said passageway is substantially parallel to said wall.

Preferably the orientation is such that the plane of the card is parallel to the wall. Such an arrangement enables the data card reader to be retrofitted on a vending machine without projecting significantly from the surface of the machine. In such an arrangement the data card reader can be mounted either on a main external wall of a vending machine or in a shallow recess within such a wall.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the card, the reader further comprising writing means for writing data onto the card, the arrangement being such that both a reading operation and a writing operation can take place during movement of the card in a single direction.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the card, the arrangement being such that, throughout the movement of the card along said passageway, said card is accessible to a user.

The edge-engaging means preferably comprises the bases of two opposed and substantially coplanar slots.

Such an arrangement protects the reader from vandalism caused by, for example, a screwdriver or other sharp implement, since each slot limits access of such an implement to the opposing slot.

The data card reader is preferably provided with an elongate channel within the passageway and which extends at least part-way along the length of the passageway, such an arrangement enabling a user more easily to insert and remove the data card.

The data card reader is preferably so formed that, in use, at least a part of the width of the card is accessible or at least visible throughout the entire length of the passageway.

The data card reader may be adapted to read data from, and to write data onto, a smart card, by which is meant a card having active electronic components.

The invention extends to a vending machine comprising a data card reader in accordance with any of the above aspects of the invention.

The term "vending machine" as used herein is intended to include machines which are able to provide goo and/or services e.g. payphones.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, non-limiting embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 represents schematically a first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 represents schematically a second embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to Figure 1, a data card reader comprises a back plate 1 and two side arms 2 projecting forwards from the back plate, the back plate and arms together defining a passageway into which a data card 3 may be inserted by a user at a first, upper end 4 of the passageway. In use, the user then moves the card through the passageway and removes it from the second, lower end 5 of the passageway. The movement of the card through this passageway causes the card to pass heads 6 located within the back plate 1 which can interact with a magnetic strip on the card 3.

The card 3 is urged against heads 6 by means of spring-mounted pinch rollers (not shown) located in the side of the passageway opposite the heads, i.e. in one or both of the side arms 2.

In order that the card may be guided securely by the user during the passage of the card through the reader, a recessed channel 7 is provided in the back plate of the reader for providing room for a fingertip of the user.

In a second embodiment, shown in Figure 2, a card end-stop 8 is provided at the second, lower end of the passageway. In use, a user inserts the card at the upper end 4 of the passageway, causes it to move down until it abuts the end-stop 8 and then subsequently removes it, again from the upper end 4.

Again, spring-mounted pinch rollers (not shown) are provided in one or both of the arms 2 opposite the heads 6 in the back plate 1, and a recessed channel 7 is provided in the back plate.

In each of the two embodiments described above, the passageway is defined by two facing and substantially coplanar slots, the base of each slot serving to engage a respective edge of an inserted data card. The heads 6 include read head 6a and erase/write head 6b for respective reading and erasing/writing data from or onto the card. A further reading head 6c is optionally provided in the first embodiment.

The arrangement and function of heads in the "slide-through" embodiment shown in Figure 1 is: (i) A first head 6a for reading data stored on the data card; (ii) a second head 6b for erasing old data and for writing new data; and (iii) (optionally) a third head 6c for reading the new data, and hence verifying that it has been stored correctly.

Such an arrangement enables the card to be used as a "debit" card for use with a vending machine such as a machine providing a service wherein the new data written on the card constitutes a reduced credit value. In such a case the reader is mounted on an external wall of the vending machine such that the plane of a card moving in the passageway is parallel to the wall.

The arrangement and function of heads in the "end-stop" embodiment shown in Figure 2, is: (i) A first head 6a for reading data from the card on insertion; (ii) a second head 6b for erasing data from a specified area of the card on insertion; On removal of the card the second head 6b writes new data onto the card and the first head 6a reads the new data from the card, and hence verifies that it has been stored correctly.

Such an arrangement enables the reader to be used as a "debit" or "pre-paid" card reader, again for use with a vending machine, such as a telephone, in which case the reader is mounted on the telephone apparatus.

The data read by the first head 6a constitutes a credit value stored on the card which is then erased by the second head 6b prior to a vend or service being taken. Removal of the card following the vend or service causes data in the form of a reduced credit value to be re-written on the card by the second head 6b and the first head 6a serves to verify that such data has been correctly stored on the card.

In each of the two embodiments described above, the heads are recessed into the back plate of the reader and positioned for reading a magnetic strip on a data card, this arrangement having the advantage that the data card reader can be mounted on a vending machine, telephone or similar apparatus by its back plate without the need for leads from the heads to be exposed. Furthermore, when used with standard credit cards having data stored in a magnetic strip on the reverse of the card, this arrangement has the further advantage that the front of the card remains visible to the user during operation. The spring-mounted pinch rollers are recessed in the front walls of the slots opposite the back plate 1.

Although the above description relates to one set of heads and only one set is shown in Figures 1 and 2, the readers of the two above embodiments may be provided with a further set on the opposite side of the slot, and/or a set on one or each side of the other slot and with. the same sequence as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The same applies if a single read head is provided at each station, instead of a set of read/write heads. The reader will thus operate with a card inserted in any of a number of possible orientations. If heads are mounted on opposite sides of the card, the or each head on at least one side would be spring-biassed towards the passageway, there being no requirement for spring-mounted pinch rollers.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to two preferred embodiments, of course many other variations may be made without departing from the scope of the claims appended hereto.

For example, the recessed channel need not extend the full length of the reader. Furthermore, connection points may be included to contact smart cards of the same dimensions, thereby making the reader dual-purpose. As mentioned above, the term "smart card" is intended to mean a card including active electronic components.

A separate tacho reader may be added so as to read such data on a track on a magnetic card, so as to improve data bit positional accuracy.

Although, in the above-described preferred embodiments, data is stored on the card in the form of a magnetic strip, any means of storing data, may be used and the reader adapted for reading such data, such as by magnetic, optical or electrical means or any combination thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising a first end into which the card may be inserted, a second end from which the card may be removed, and means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the card during movement of the card from the first end to the second end.

2. A data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the card, and a back plate adapted for mounting on a wall, the arrangement being such that, on mounting, the direction of said passageway is substantially parallel to said wall.

3. A data card reader as claimed in claim 2, wherein the arrangement is such that, on mounting, the plane of a card moving along said passageway is substantially parallel to said wall.

4. A data card reader as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in an arrangement wherein connecting leads from said reading station pass through said wall, the front of said passageway being accessible to a user.

5. A data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the card, the reader further comprising writing means for writing data onto the card, the arrangement being such that both a reading operation and a writing operation can take place during movement of the card in a single direction.

6. A data card reader which permits a user to move a data card along a passageway past a reading station, said passageway comprising means for slidably engaging two opposed edges of the card, the arrangement being such that, throughout the movement of the card along said passageway, said card is accessible to a user.

7. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, the arrangement being such that at least a part of the card is accessible throughout the entire length of said passageway.

8. A data card reader as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein said passageway comprises a first end into which the card may be inserted and from which the card may be removed and a second end at which is disposed an end stop for abutting against the card.

9. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said passageway comprises a pair of opposed walls, one of which pair comprising an elongate channel recessed therein and substantially parallel to the direction of passage of the card.

10. A data card reader as claimed in claim 9, wherein said channel extends along the entire passageway.

11. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, the arrangement being such that at least a part of the card is visible throughout the entire length of said passageway.

12. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for slidably engaging the two faces of the card during passage thereof to said reading station.

13. A data card reader as claimed in claim 12, wherein said face-engaging means comprises at least one spring-mounted pinch roller located adjacent said passageway.

14. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, said reading station comprising reading means located for proximity to a region of a face of the card in use.

15. A data card reader as claimed in claim 14, said reading station further comprising second reading means located for proximity to a second region of said face of said card in use.

16. A data card reader as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, said reading station further comprising additional reading means located for proximity to a region of the other face of said card in use.

17. A data card reader as claimed in claim 16, said reading station comprising second additional reading means located for proximity to a second region of said other face of said card in use.

18. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said edge-engaging means comprises at least one slot.

19. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said edge-engaging means comprises two opposed and substantially coplanar slots.

20. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, adapted to read data stored in magnetic form on the card.

21. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, adapted to read data stored in optical form on the card.

22. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, adapted to read data stored in electrical form on the card.

23. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for erasing data stored on the card.

24. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for reading a tacho track stored on the card.

25. A data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim, adapted to read data from, and to write data onto, a smart card.

26. A data card reader substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

27. A vending machine comprising a data card reader as claimed in any preceding claim.