DE9409712U1 - Input unit for electronic data processing with a device for chip cards - Google Patents

Description

Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG

At the town hall

97615 Bad Neustadt/Saale, 09.06.94

02/94 GM Input unit for an electronic Wz/Gü data processing with a device

for chip cards

Description

The innovation relates to an input unit for electronic data processing with a keypad and a device in particular for reading chip cards according to the preamble of the claim

Chip cards are increasingly being used in a wide variety of applications. The most important of these are telephone cards, cards for payment transactions and the recently introduced patient card for health insurance companies. To read or write the data stored on the card, the circuit on the card is mechanically contacted after the card is inserted into a reading device. For this purpose, the card has contact points whose position is standardized.

Alpha-numeric keyboards are known with an integrated chip card interface for reading and writing health insurance cards. In the known keyboards, a slot for inserting chip cards is arranged in one side wall of the keyboard. The chip card is inserted horizontally and essentially parallel to the keypad into the chip card slot of the keyboard.

The slot usually has to be felt, which makes it difficult to use the input unit.

It is therefore the aim of the innovation to design an input unit of the type described above in such a way that the slot for chip cards is easy to find and operate. The aim is advantageously achieved by an input unit with the features of claim 1.

The card slot protruding from the keypad is easy to see, so that there is no need to search or feel for it. The slot for chip cards in the card slot can be easily accessed from all sides; it is equally easy to use for left-handed and right-handed people. The slot is located at the raised end of the card slot; it is exposed to the surrounding keypad. This and the fact that the chip cards are inserted perpendicular to the keypad prevent accidental pressing of the keypad's input keys when using the slot. This increases the functional reliability of the input unit.

The card slot of the innovation is eye-catching. The surface of its outer wall is ideal for attaching instructions for use in a clearly visible and clearly assigned manner. Such instructions are in the

Structure of the interface is easy to display. If you combine user instructions with elements of the signaling device to show certain operating states, such arrangements appear self-explanatory; they are easy to understand and language-neutral. 5

For the embodiment of the innovation described below, illustrations are used. These show in

Figure 1 shows the perspective view of an input unit according to the innovation,

Figure 2 is a side view of the input unit from Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the card slot from Figure 1 or Figure 2.

The input unit (1) from Figure 1 is usually part of a more comprehensive arrangement for electronic processing and storage of data and is connected to it by a cable. The housing (2) of the input unit carries a keypad (3) consisting of a large number of input keys. The input keys allow a user to enter data as desired, which is then fed into the data processing. A card slot (4) protrudes from the level of the keypad (3). At the raised end of the card slot there is a slot (5) for chip cards. A chip card (6) is inserted into the slot in Figure 1. The chip card can be inserted into this

Position can be read, i.e. data stored in the card chip becomes accessible for electronic data processing. In another case, the card slot (4) can be used to transfer data to the card chip. The card slot (4) is located on the edge of the keypad (3), approximately in the middle area in relation to the width of the housing (2). In this position, the card slot or its slot can be easily operated from all sides. The slot (5) is located at a considerable distance above the level of the keypad (see Figure 2).

Figure 3 shows a section of the input unit with card slot (4). The surface (7) of the outer wall of the card slot is structured. The structure forms a preferably raised arrow-shaped or acute-angled triangular area (8). In this area, a symbol depicting the chip card (6) to be inserted is shown in accordance with the position of the slot (5), so that the user can easily identify the type of card approved and the correct insertion position. In the area of the symbolic image of the chip card, a light-emitting diode (9) is arranged, which is able to emit light in two different colors. This arrangement enables the visitor to see whether the chip of the card (6) is properly contacting the mating contacts of the card slot (4). If necessary, the LED changes color, e.g. from red to green. If this is not the case, an incorrect card has been used, or a correct card is defective or has been inserted into the reader of the input unit in the wrong position.

Claims (4)

02/94 GM Wz/Gü Protection claims 1. Input unit for electronic data processing with a keypad consisting of a plurality of input keys and with a device in particular for reading chip cards, the housing of the input unit having an optical signal device and a card slot with a slot for the chip card, characterized, that the card slot (4) protrudes from the level of the keypad (3) and exposes the slot (5) opposite the keypad. 10 2. Input unit according to claim 1,
characterized, that the outer wall of the card slot (4) has a structure that represents a symbol for proper use. 15 3. Input unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that at least one LED is arranged as part of the signaling device in the outer wall of the card slot (4), preferably in association with a chip card symbol. 4. Input unit according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the insertion of a chip card (6) into the receiving slot (5) and the card slot (4) can take place essentially perpendicular to the plane of the keypad (3).