DE3020728C2 - Prepaid telephones - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a prepaid telephone according to deir; Preamble of claim 1.

There are prepaid telephones known in which, instead of the conventional throw-in and self-cashing devices for coins ehie intended input and reading device for prepaid cards .st the prepaid Prepaid card is inserted into the input slot of the reading device and there holographically with laser beams had read. The value read is conveyed to the user on a digital display. While During a call, the credit on the prepaid card is continuously debited and the reduction on the display reproduced. When the call is ended, the device returns the prepaid card. Is this When the credit has reached zero, the call is interrupted. By eliminating the coin cassette There is largely no incentive to break open the device. This increases the economy of public telephones significantly increased (PTT Techn. Mitt 8/1979, p. 4). However, it is the holographic one Scanning the prepaid card around an expensive facility. In addition, since some of the prepaid cards are in a When the recessed grip remains within reach, manipulation cannot be ruled out, which can lead to operational disruptions to lead. The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a simple reading device which greater security against fraudulent or destructive manipulation - at least during a conversation - guaranteed. This object is achieved by what is specified in the characterizing part of claim 1 Characteristics. Further developments can be found in the subclaims. The advantage of these configurations lies in the fact that the prepaid card is withdrawn from the user's access during a call, so that Manipulations are largely excluded. As long as the slide is not closed, the telephone is on not ready to talk. The slide cannot be opened during the call, this happens automatically only when the handset is hung up or when the credit is used up.

The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment that is shown in the accompanying drawings is in it shows

F i g. 1 shows part of a prepaid telephone with the prepaid card input device in a front view;

2 shows the value card entry in longitudinal section in enlarged scale.

ίο In the figures, the housing of the telephone is with 10 denotes In the front wall of this housing an input slot 2 for value cards t is attached The middle part of the front wall has a dome-shaped or similarly recessed grip recess 8 This recessed grip is through a plate-shaped slide 3 closable, which is held in the open position by a spring 7. In the example shown, a torsion spring is used for this, which has a soft spring characteristic. 1 is the spring and its order to recognize. While the one spring leg is attached to a fixed pin 11, the other legs are connected to a pin 12 attached to the slide 3.

The slide runs in a guide on both sides

13. Near its lower edge it is equipped with a handle in the form of a pin 14 around it by hand to be able to close. In Fig. 2 the slide is clarified in the closed state, from FIG. 1 are both Positions can be seen: the open position is on the lower edge 15 shown in dashed lines and in one Slot 17 retracted pin 14 to recognize the closed position on the dash-dotted line Upper edge 16 of the slide. The pin 14 and the torsion spring 7 are also shown in this position by dash-dotted lines

F i g. 2 shows that the value card 1 is inserted with its front edge into a spring strip 9, where their Contact points are acted upon by the contact springs of the bar. The card is now electrically connected and can be read. Furthermore, the inserted value card 1 is a in their management level protruding contact 6 actuated.

When the slide 3 is closed, another contact 5 protruding into its plane is switched. If both Contacts 5 and 6 and the hook switch are actuated, the locking magnet 4 is energized, whereby its Locking pin 18 moves into a corresponding opening in the slide and locks it.

When switching off the locking magnet 4 is the

so the slide is opened by the torsion spring 7 and the value card can be grasped in the recessed grip 8 and removed will. That can be grasped in the recessed grip 8 and removed. It is switched off either by hanging it in of the handset at the end of the call, i.e. when the hook switch is operated, or when the credit on the prepaid card has been used up. The various functions are performed by a calculator monitored and controlled, which is housed in the telephone.

If the slide 3 is closed with the prepaid card 1 inserted, but the handset is not unhooked, so the card is read and the credit is displayed, but the slide is not locked so that the Prepaid card can be withdrawn at any time.

When the slide is released, the display goes out again.

As an alternative to the embodiment shown, there is also a 180 ° rotated arrangement of the slide 3 is possible.

The spring can then be omitted because the slide is opened by gravity. By turning the F i g. 1 by 180 ° the relationships become apparent. Of the Pin 14 sits near the top of the slide. The latter is pushed up to close. The rest Functions remain unchanged

Of course, the value card entry can also be attached to a payphone so that Conversations can optionally be conducted with cards and / or coins.

For this purpose 2 sheets of drawings

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Claims (5)

Patent claims: 1. Prepaid card telephone with an input and reading device, in whose input slot prepaid cards can be inserted to operate the device, characterized in that the input slot (2) can be closed by a slide (3) which is closed when the prepaid card (1) is inserted State can be locked by a locking magnet (4). 2. prepaid telephone according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide (3) through a spring (7) is opened. 3. prepaid telephone according to claim 2, characterized in that the spring is a torsion spring (7) is 4. prepaid telephone according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide (3) through gravity is opened. 5. Wertk £ T * enfernsprecher according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that the blocking magnet (4) depends on the switching state of the hook switch, one of the value card (1) actuated switch (6) and one switched by the slide (3) Switch (5) works under computer control.