FR2577334A1 - Electronic memory card and card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

The reader is incorporated into an apparatus for distributing a service or product by flat-rate prepayment. The card 1 contains cells 12ij each representing a flat rate. Each cell is constituted by a unidirectional element, such as a diode or a transistor, which is electrically destructible in an insulation, having two terminals linked to two surface conducting studs 12Li, 12Cj on the card 1. In the reader, means connectable by sensors to the surface studs 12Li, 12Cj forming terminals of memory cells 12ij, successively modify, by electrical destruction, unidirectional elements which are in an operating state in the memory cells of the card in insulations as the flat rates are debited.

Description

ELECTRONIC MEMORY CARD
AND CARD READER
The present invention relates to a memory card
electronics used to prepay a distributed product or service
by a vending machine, as well as a reader to read the
card and charge it according to the product or service
dispenser, the reader being incorporated in the dispensing device.

Distributed products or services to which the
present invention are for example stationery,
books, newspapers, cigarettes, confectionery, quantities
fuel, telephone communications,
transportation or parking, or highway distances.

Electronic memory cards of the logic-type or
with microprocessor, currently in service or in progress
are intended in particular for two categories
of operations, namely ad hoc operations at low cost, such as
that the prepayment of the services or products indicated above, and
complex operations requiring interactivity with a
"point of sale" terminal at a merchant and a terminal
banking, or a management center specific to a service or product, through the telephone network. These payment cards
"multiservice" are very complex and offer a cost of
high manufacturing compared to small sums to prepay
the aforementioned services or products, of the order of a few
francs to a few hundred francs.

The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic memory card and a corresponding reader, both of which are
expensive compared to known memory cards and readers, everything
by providing sufficient security in the face of fraud attempts
and vandalism with regard to a small sum representing the
credit available in the card, of the order of a few hundred
of francs, and successive debits made, of the order of
a few units at tens of francs.

To this end, a card containing several memory cells
is characterized in that each memory cell is made up
by a unidirectional element electrically destructible in isolation, having two terminals respectively connected to two surface conductive pads on the card. The reader for reading the card, incorporated in a dispensing device, is characterized in that it comprises means connectable to the surface studs forming terminals of memory cells for successively modifying, by electrical destruction, unidirectional elements in working condition in the cells of memory of the card in isolation as and when basic taxes are debited.

 Thus the card initially contains non-destroyed memory cells, in working order, for example 127 in number, representing the available credit of the card. When the card is inserted into the reader according to the invention, the unidirectional elements in the cells are addressed and destroyed as and when the service or product is distributed, the destruction of a unidirectional element corresponding to the distribution of a quantity of product or service costing a basic fee, for example 1 franc.

 The unidirectional elements are diodes or transistors preferably in TTL logic whose manufacturing technology is relatively inexpensive. In practice, the memory cells are arranged in a matrix in order to reduce the number of memory terminals to the number of rows and columns of the matrix.

The number of memory cells electrically destroyed by the reader corresponding to the sum debited from the card as the product or service is distributed can be displayed on a portion of the card itself always remaining outside the reader, thanks to a surface thermosensitive substance on the color card following the heating given off by destroyed cells. The display can also be obtained by a reader display.

 According to other characteristics of the invention, the card includes a read-only memory containing preferably ternary digits having three states materialized by first diodes, second diodes polarized in opposition with respect to the first diodes, and wired electrical connections implanted in the card and having respective terminals formed by surface conductive pads on the card. In this case, the reader comprises means for validating the card and means for opening a passage to the card in the reader in response to a validation of the card so that the means for modifying are likely to be connected to the surface studs forming memory cell terminals for a predetermined position of the card in the reader.

 Preferably, the read-only memory is divided into first and second memory areas extending opposite to the card longitudinally, which can be read simultaneously by the reader as the card is inserted. , regardless of the speed at which the card is inserted into the reader. These provisions make it possible to fix a period of validity of the card indicated in the first read-only memory in order to constitute a possible counter against a possible circulation of counterfeit cards, on the one hand, and to master payment situations linked to changes. In the second read-only memory is written an identification word identifying an organization managing a type of dispensing apparatus and, if applicable, one of the categories of service or product managed by the organization, such as types of fuel. In this case, the detection of the words of validity and identification period identical to words prerecorded in the reader validates the card. The validation commands the opening of a shutter, of the electromagnet type with a pivotable roller, in order to position an area of the card containing the surface studs forming the terminals of memory cells, under a reading block connecting the surface studs to the means for edit. Consequently, the service or product is distributed as one-way elements are destroyed in the memory cells.

 Thus, the means for opening oppose the introduction of invalidated cards, but also the introduction of foreign bodies to the means for modifying forming the heart of the reader, the foreign bodies preferably being diverted to a waste bin.

 According to another characteristic of the card, the first digit read in the first read-only memory is materialized by a fusible electrical connection. This link is tested during the card validation operation, so that the reader refuses any card having said fuse link destroyed indicating that the credit on the card has been used up. According to the invention, the reader comprises means for applying a current through said fusible link with a view to its destruction, following the successive destruction of all the memory cells of the card and / or the detection of a cell. of the card permanently containing isolation by the reader.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of several preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the corresponding appended drawings in which
- Fig.1 is a top view of a coin card according to the invention;
- Fig.2 is a schematic plan view of read only memory areas of validation and identification period of the card;
- Fig.3 is a plan view showing the implantation of electrically destructible memory cells in the card;
- Fig.4 is a schematic perspective view of a destructible memory cell; ;
- Fig.5 is a vertical schematic longitudinal side view of a card reader according to the invention, showing an electromechanical roller door device in the closed state of a sliding passage of the card, reader probes being omitted;
- Figs.5A and 5B show armature positions of an electromagnet of the roller door device respectively when the door is enabled and the roller in the high position and when the card is being removed from the reader during its passage under the roller;
- Fig.6 is a side view similar to Fig.5, showing a block of single probes in front of the roller and double validation and positioning probes;
- Fig.7 is a schematic top view of the roller door device and the probe block;
- Fig.8 is a front view of the reader ;;
- Fig. 9 is an exploded vertical front view of a double probe
- Fig. 10 is a top view of the double probe;
- Figs.ll and 12 are side views of a double brush and a double roller of the double probe, respectively
- Fig. 13 is an exploded front view of the double roller
- Figs. 14 and 15 are exploded perspective and side views of a single probe, respectively
- Fig. 16 is a schematic perspective view of the map and of the block of simple probes;
- Fig. 17 is a top view of counter-rollers partly under the block of simple probes;
- Fig. 18 is a front sectional view showing the block of simple feelers and the counter-rollers overlying a waste bin
- Fig.l9 shows a credit control and validity period detection circuit;
- Fig.20 shows in detail a pre-wired memory connected to a shift register included in the circuit of Fig. 19;
- Fig.21 shows an organism identification detection circuit and a door opening control circuit;
- Fig. 22 shows a circuit for scanning columns and rows of a matrix of destructible memory cells in the card
- Figs.23A and 23B show a test and obliteration circuit for detecting non-destroyed memory cells and for electrically destroying memory cells; and
- Figs. 24A and 24B show a card input-output control circuit.

MAP 1
As shown in Fig.1, a memory card 1 according to the invention is in the form of a wafer of insulating material, rectangular and thin, manufactured according to a known technique for integrated circuits and printed circuits with thin layers. The card 1 typically has a length of approximately 10 cm and a width of approximately 6 cm. In the longitudinal direction of the top face of the card, from a small front side 10 to a small rear side 11, the card 1 has three rectangular areas 121, 122 and 123 which each extend over about a third the length of the card. As will be seen below, the card 1 enters through the front side 10 into a card reader according to the invention, incorporated in a product or service dispensing device.

 The first area 121 is divided along the width of the card, into a first left-hand memory area 12g, a second right-hand memory area 12d and a central electrical contact area 12c.

 The zones 12g and 12d are arranged symmetrically on either side of the central zone 12c. They each contain P = 9 memory cells 12gg to 1288 and 12d0 to 12d8 aligned longitudinally from the front side 10. In each zone 12g, 12d, a surface conductive tape 120g, 120d extends longitudinally near a large side respective 13g, 13d of the card 1 and constitutes a first common terminal of the memory cells 12gg to 12883 1 2d0 to 12d8 of the zone 12g, 12d. Superficial conductive pads 121go to 121g8, 121d0 to 121du in each zone 12g, 12d constitute second respective terminals of cells 12gg to 12g8, 12d0 to 12d8, aligned longitudinally near the central zone 12c.

 As detailed in Fig. 2, each of the memory cells in areas 12g and 12d contains a ternary digit having one of three states a, b and c. State a is materialized by a diode passing in the direction of the respective conductive tape 120g, 120d towards the respective pad of the cell, as shown in cells 12g5 and 12d3. State b is materialized by a diode passing in the direction of the respective pad of the cell towards the respective conductive tape, as shown in cells 12g6 and 12dol. These latter diodes are PN junction conducting diodes installed in the card, like memory cell diodes located in zone 123 and described below. State c is materialized by a wired or short-circuit electrical connection connecting the ribbon respective conductor at the respective stud of the cell and having a predetermined resistivity, as shown in cells 12g7 and 12d2.

 In zone 12g, cells 12g1 to 12g8 memorize a period of validity word having P-1 = 8 ternary digits. When the card is inserted into the reader, this word is read in order to validate the card. Three different validity period words determine three validity periods allowing the organization operating the service or product distributed by the dispensing device to validate three card categories at any time.

A first period corresponds to cards in the process of being issued, a second period corresponds to cards whose issuance has ceased and a third period prepares the next release of a new series of cards, in order to take account of a long time required to modify words in readers of dispensing devices. As will be seen below, the reader is able to validate each card containing one of the three validity period words. The management of the coding of the word period of validity depends for example on the change in tariff for the service or product distributed, the proportion of fraud observed in a series of cards, a manufacturing defect affecting a series of cards, etc. .

The first 12gg cell in the 12g memory area always contains a digit consisting of a fusible conductive link
When the fuse link is in good condition, the card has a credit. On the other hand, as will be seen below, the fuse link is destroyed by the card reader when the credit on the card is exhausted, which does not authorize obtaining the requested service or product.

 In the second memory area 12d, cells 12duo to 12d8 store an identification word at P = 9 ternary digits.

The identification word characterizes both the organization or the company that provides and manages the service or product offered by the card, and, in the case where a company offers services or products of different nature or cost , the category of service or product for which the card is intended.

 It should be noted that the identification word is definitively assigned to the operating organization. The word period of validity is modified at the request and according to the directives of the operating organization when placing an order. The coding of these two words is carried out in the factory during the manufacture of a batch of cards.

 Still in the first zone 121, the central zone 12c contains I + J = 8 + 16 = 24 superficial metallized studs 12L0 to 12L7 and 12Co to 12C15 distributed over three transverse lines each having 8 studs. Each of the I and J conductor pads is connected by a conductor embedded in the card to a respective input of a credit memory with I = 8 rows and J = 16 columns, constituting the area 123. As shown in FIG. 1, all the pads 121g0 to 121g8, 121do to 121d8 and 12L0 to 12L7 and 12Co to 12C15 as well as the conductive tapes 120g and 120d appear on the top face of the card 1 in order to be palpated by feelers of the card reader described later.

 The second zone 122 of the card 1 corresponds to a length of journey that the card must make in the reader, when the validity period word and the identification word have been validated. The translation of the card corresponding to the introduction of the second zone 122 into the reader is authorized by a roller door opening device described below.

The third zone 123 contains the electrically destructible credit memory at I x J = 128 cells 120.0 to 12I 1 J 1 = 127.15 distributed according to a matrix having I = 8 transverse lines and J = 16 longitudinal columns. In the following, i denotes the row of a row numbered from O to 1-1 from the intermediate zone 122 of the map, and j denotes the row of a column numbered from O to D-1 from the large 13g left side of the card. As shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, memory 123 has a grid formed by transverse conductive strips 1200 to 120, located in a first layout plane near the top face. of the card and by longitudinal conductive tapes 1210 to 121J 1 located in a second layout plane near the underside of the card and isolated from the transverse conductors. The conductive tapes 1200 to I-1 and 1210 to J- 1 are respectively connected to the pads 12Lo to 12LI 1 and 12Co to 12CJ 1 through the intermediate area 122 Each memory cell 12i, j is located in the first quadrant defined by the intersection of the conductive tapes 120. and 121. and contains
i J in its mass a diode made of PN semiconductor material. Each diode is j is constituted by a longitudinal rectangular surface 123i, j of a first type of conductivity N located in the first implantation plane and by a transverse rectangular surface 124i, j of a second type of conductivity P located in the second implantation plane and crossing the surface 123i, j at a square contact junction PN 125i, j. The surfaces 123i, j and j are respectively connected by longitudinal and transverse conductive wire connections 126i, j and 127 forming the negative and positive terminals of the diode.

 Each diode 12i, j in normal operating condition characterizes a credit equal to a predetermined amount, called the basic tax, corresponding to the service or quantity of product which it provides. The debit of a basic fee is achieved by an electrical destruction of a diode. Card 1 includes a maximum of (I.J) -1 = 127 diodes 120.0 to 127.14. The 128th cell 12I-1, J-1 is not equipped with a diode and marks the end of a cycle of exploration of the map, having started with the first cell 120.0, then then with cells 120, 1 to 120.15 of the first line, and so on line by line. The heat released by the destruction of a diode marks the coloring of a surface heat-sensitive substance covering the top of the corresponding cell in the zone 123, d 'an apparent memory on the card. The extent of the heat-sensitive substance is indicated by the grid of the area 123 in FIG. 1. This layout allows you to view the credit used and available on the card.

The credit display is also obtained by a display preferably with liquid crystal when the card is engaged in the reader.

 In order to control the destruction phase of each diode 12i, j, destruction which must be done at the barrier of the PN junction of the diode, and avoid any fraud, the production of the diode array is carried out according to the following conditions .

The conductive tapes 120i and 121. constituting the frame
J of the matrix as well as the links 126i, j and 127i j connecting each diode 12i, j to the frame of the matrix support with a suitable safety margin the highest intensities which they are called upon to receive in normal operation. In other words, they are not fusible even under the destruction current of the diode.

In order to obtain the destruction of the diode 12i, j and not
i, j that of the connections 126i, j and 127i, j, which would facilitate a certain type of fraud by reconstitution of the destroyed wire connections, the matrix of diodes is carried out in such a way that the destruction current acts only in the zone contact PN 124 j of each diode 12i j. Although not corresponding to
i3j the practical implementation, the surfaces 123i j and 124i, j of the i, j diode have been presented separately in Fig. 4 in order to make the understanding of this arrangement clearer. any rupture marking the consumption of a credit does not occur in an accessible area of the card and can thus be the subject of a connection made by a particularly skilled and expert fraudster as there is.

It should be noted that the card's invulnerability is essentially based on this last condition. This condition satisfied, the fraudulent reconstruction of a memory cell 12i, j faces two obstacles
- a dimensional and operational obstacle, and
an obstacle resulting from the unusual characteristics of the diode 12, the destruction current of which has a value of
i, j preferably equal to approximately a few milliamps, a diode test described below, being carried out at an intensity which is approximately half less.

 Other anti-fraud security systems operate at the level of the card reader as will be seen below.

CARD READER 2 ELECTROMECHANISM
As shown schematically in Figs. 5 to 8, the card reader 2 is contained in a case fixed inside the dispensing device A, against an internal face of a front wall A0 of the device by means of adequate invisible fixing from the outside. The reader 2 comprises mechanical and electromechanical means intended to capture the information stored in the card to authorize an introduction of the card 1, which are described below, as well as electronic circuits intended to read and process the information which will be described more far.

 The mechanical and electronic means essentially comprise a clean chassis 20 for receiving the card 1 and, mainly supported by the chassis and the housing, two double probes 21g and 21d for detecting words of validity and identification period, an electromechanical door device with roller 22, a block 23 having I + J = 24 single feelers 25Lo at 25L7 and 25Co at 25C15, and two double feelers called positioning 26g and 26d.

The chassis 20 comprises in the upper part, two card guide slides having U-shaped sections facing 201g and 201d, and under the slides a waste container 202, as shown in
Figs.5 and 8. The slides 201g and 201d extend parallel and horizontally in the extension of small vertical sides of a horizontal slot A1 made in the wall A0 of the dispensing device through which the card 1 is inserted from the side before 10. The souls of the slides 201g and 201d are distant from the width of the card 1. The width of the slides is substantially equal to the width of the zones 12g and 12d of the card.

The space between the rails 201g and 201d communicates with the waste container 202. Any foreign body, such as a metro ticket, introduced by the slot Al falls into the container 202 and thus does not obstruct the card guide zone formed. by the slides. The length of the slides 201g and 201d added to the thickness of the wall AO is substantially equal to two thirds of the length of the card 1 so that the destructible memory area 123 is outside the reader when the front side 10 of the card abuts against the rear ends 2010g and 2010d of the slides, or more precisely, when the positioning pads 121g0 and 121d0 of the card are located below the probes 26g and 26d respectively.

 At the beginning of the insertion of the card, before the front side 10 reaches a roller door of the opening device 22, the zones 12g and 12d pass under the double probes 21g and 21d by manual pushing of the card on the side rear 11. The double probes 21g and 26g, 21d and 26d are identical and are symmetrical with respect to a vertical / longitudinal plane passing between the conductive tape 120g and the column of studs 12gg to 1288 and between the conductive tape 120d and the column of studs 12d0 to 12d8 respectively. One of the double probes designated by 21 is described in detail with reference to Figs. 9 to 13.

 The double feeler 21 comprises a case 210 of molded electrically insulating material having the general shape of a hollow parallelepipedal block traversed by a vertical central hole with a square section 2100. In the upper part of the hole 2100 is attached by gluing an insulating base 2101.

 Below the base 2101 are housed a double brush 211 and a double contact roller 212.

 The double brush 211 is composed of two conductive blades folded back on themselves 2110 and 2111 forming in the upper part, vertical pins 2112 and 2113 passing through holes 2102 and 2103 made in the base 2101, and have in the lower part two ends of contact forming an inverted wire 2114 and 2115. The blades 2110 and 2111 are held vertically by means of an insulating strip 2116 clamped by blade portions above the tops of the contact wires 2114 and 2115 and penetrating into vertical grooves 2104 and 2105 from case 210.

 The double roller 212 is composed by an insulating pin 2120 having a central flange 2121 and by two metallic cylindrical rollers 2122 and 2123 coaxial with the axis 2120. The two rollers 2122 and 2123 offer two end flanges 2124 and 2125 fixed on one side and on the other side of the flange 2121. The axis 2120 is mounted for free rotation in the case 210 by sliding the ends of the axis in the grooves - 2104 and 2105 which widen and fitting them above retaining bosses 2106 and 2107 in the grooves. The contact ves 2114 and 2115 of the double brush are then in permanent contact with the metal rollers 2122 and 2123 on either side of the flanges 2124, 2121 had 2125.In addition, the insulating strip 2116 centrally comprises a flexible cleaning spoiler upside down 2117 coming into contact with the insulating central flange 2121 of the double roller in order to eliminate dust and small detritus liable to establish electrical contact between the metal flanges 2124 and 2125.

 The double feeler 21 also includes a screw 213 with a smooth slotted head 2130 preferably made of plastic, screwable into a central threaded hole in the base 2101. The lower end of the screw 213 is intended to push the insulating strip 2116 to exert an adjustable pressure on the contact ves 2114 and 2115 against the rollers 2122 and 2123. Once the pressure adjusted by means of the screw, a nut 214 locks the screw 213 in the base 2101.

In addition, the smooth head 2130 of the screw 213 can be used to insert a suitable connector (not shown) having two contacts receiving the pins 2112 and 2113.

 As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the double probes 21g and 21d are arranged vertically and have their contact flanges 2124g, 2125g and 2124d, 2125d crossing the front of the slides 210g and 201d and flush with the horizontal plane of sliding of the card 1 in the slides. In alignment of the pairs of rollers 2122g, 2123g and 2122d, 2123d and below these are provided two fixed rollers 215g and 215d with axes of horizontal rotation, fixed to the chassis 20. Thus, when the card 1 is inserted in the reader, the metallic rollers 2122g and 2123g roll on the conductive tape 120g and successively on the studs 121g0 to 121g8 respectively in order to detect the word period of validity through the probe 21g, and the metallic rollers 2122d and 2123d roll on the conductive tape 120d and successively on the pads 121do to 121d8 respectively in order to detect the identification word through the probe 21d. The contact ves 2114 and 2115 of the double feelers act as a return spring to press the contact rollers against the rollers, or against areas 12g and 12d of the card so that the rollers are always in contact with the card whatever are surface irregularities of the top face of the card 1. The vertical displacements of the axes of the rollers above the bosses 2106 and 2107 are compensated elastically by the variable spacing of the ves 2114 and 2115 which also compensates to a certain extent, l wear of contact ves and metal rollers.

 The electromechanical roller door device 22 is shown in Figs. 5 and 7, in the closed door state. The door is constituted by a roller 220 secured to a horizontal shaft 2201 driven by a small electric motor 2202 disposed to the left of the slide 201g. The roller 2201 is perpendicular to the slides 201g and 201d and therefore to the direction of insertion F of the card 1 and obstructs the space between the slides at a distance from the slot 31 of between one third and two thirds of the length of the card 1. In the closed door state, the shaft 2201 is arranged just above the guide rails 201g and 201d. The shaft 2201 is mounted rotating in the rear branches 2210 of a stirrup 221 pivotable about a horizontal front axis 2211 perpendicular to the slides. Between the branches 2210, a lower armature 2230 of an electromagnet 223 is integral with the caliper 221. The armature 2230 controls three contacts 2231, 2232 and 2233 which are open when the device 22 is in the closed state. The device 22 also includes an upper frame 2235 secured to a door locking lever 224 pivotable about a horizontal axis 2240, preferably returned to the vertical position by a spring (not shown). A beak-shaped lower end 2241 of the lever 224 abuts under a rear spout 2212 of the caliper 221 in order to prevent an upward pivoting of the roller 220 and of the caliper 221 around the axis 2211. Thus, the introduction of a card not recognized valid by the dual probes 21g and 21d or the introduction of a foreign body collides with the roller. The contact of the foreign body with the roller 220 is made at a point on the surface of the roller located under the horizontal plane passing under the axis of the roller so that the angle of incidence of the foreign body on the surface of the roller 220 is such that this foreign body is deflected downwards and may fall into the waste container 202 under -jacent to the roller. In addition, the roller 220 cannot be lifted since the pivoting of the stirrup 221 is blocked by the spout 2241 opposing the spout 2212 opposite the roller relative to the pivot axis 2211.

When a card 1 is valid by the double input probes 21g and 21d, the electromagnet 223 is activated and attracts the armatures 2230 and 2235 towards each other, as shown in
Fig.5A. The roller 220 is thus raised to clear the space between the slides 201g and 201d and allow manual pushing of the card 1 until the front side 10 abuts against the ends before 2010g and 2010d of the borgues slides. Opening the door by lifting the roller causes the contacts 2231, 2232 and 2233 to be closed, and the nose 2241 of the lever 224 released towards the front relative to the nose 2212 of the stirrup 221.

 When the card 1 is in abutment against the ends 2010g and 2010d of the slides, the zone 123 of the card is outside of the reader 2, in front of the insertion slot A1, and the zone 12c of the card is located under the block of single probes 23. The correct positioning is detected by the double probes 26g and 26d, identical as already said to the probe 21 described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13. In particular, metal flanges 2624g and 2625g, 2624d and 2625d of the double feelers 26g and 26d, identical to the flanges 2124 and 2125, are respectively in electrical contact with the front end of the conductive tape 120g and the stud 121g0 and with the front end of the conductive tape 120d and the stud 121d0 of the card, as shown in Fig. 7. The two double contacts established by the double probes 26g and 26d make it possible to verify the correct positioning of the card in order to test and cancel the card in the destructible memory area 123 through the block of if mple probe 23, as will be seen below.

 The simple probes 25lao to 25L7 and 25Co to 25C15 in block 23 are identical. One of them designated by 25 is described with reference to Figs. 14 and 15. The single probe 25 is similar to the double probe 21 shown in Figs. 9 to 13 and includes elements designated by numbers made up of the number 25 followed by the digits of the tens and the units identical to the digits of the tens and the units in the numbers designating similar elements in the probe 21, respectively. Thus, the probe 25 comprises a case 250, provided with an upper base 2501 receiving a metal screw 253, a monobloc brush 251 with two metal vee 2514 and 2515, and a roller 252. Only the differences between the probes 21 and 25 are discussed below.

The base 2501 has only a central tapped hole 2508 to receive the threaded section of the metal screw 253, the head 2530 of which is formed by a slotted rod pluggable into a suitable contact sleeve of a flat connector 231 common to the I + J = 24 simple probes, as shown in Figs. 6 and 16. A web 232 of
I + J = 24 wires respectively connected to the rods of the simple probes emerges from the connector 231, in the direction of a test and obliteration circuit described below.

 The brush 251 consists of a meeting of the strip 2116 and the ves 2114 and 2115 in a single flexible metal blade folded back on itself. The brush 251 thus has the shape of a trestle, having upper lateral shoulders 2516, similar to the vertical sides of the insulating strip 2116, for sliding in vertical grooves 2504 and 2505 of the stirrup 250. The roller 252 comprises an axis 2520, preferably made of insulating material, threaded into a metallic cylindrical piece having a shape analogous to the union of the rollers 2122 and 2123 and the flange 2121. The pin 2530 is embedded in the grooves of the stirrup and retained by bosses 2506 and 2507 in the grooves. Thus, the simple roller 252 rotates freely and offers two cylindrical tracks 2522 and 2523 on which are applied on either side of the vertical the metallic vee 2514 and 2515, as well as a central metallic flange 2524 intended to roll on the card 1. The pressure exerted by the blades of the brush 251 on the tracks of the roller 252 is adjusted by screwing the screw 253, the lower end of which pushes the upper bend of the brush 251, a locking nut 254 maintaining the adjustment.

 As shown in Fig.16, the flanges 2524 of the simple probes 25LO to 25L and 25CO to 25C are respectively in electrical contact with the studs 12lez at 12L7 and 12Co at 12C15 when the card is correctly positioned in the reader 2. Under the block simple probes 23, the front zone of the card 1 is maintained by I + J = 24 rear counter-rollers 234 underlying the rollers 252 of the single probes and by I = 8 rear counter-rollers 234 underlying between the doubles probes 26g and 26d, as shown in Figs. 6, 17 and 18. The four rows of counter rollers 233 and 234 have axes perpendicular to the card insertion direction 1 and supported by a support plate 235 in the tray. waste 202. The plate 235 is perforated and the counter-rollers are spaced according to the interval of the pads of the zone 12c of the card so that any waste or particles fall into the waste bin.

 We now describe various electronic circuits of the card reader which are included in the case thereof or in an adjacent locker of printed circuit cards and which are intended mainly to check whether a card inserted has a credit and is valid , to check whether the card corresponds to the identification of the organization and to the type of service or product distributed by the dispensing device, to detect the credit available in the card9 and to debit a credit in the card as and when the elapsed time of the service distributed or the quantity of product distributed and, if applicable, to eject the card out of the reader when the credit on the card has been used up. The various circuits fulfilling these functions are described below, and the operation of the reader from the introduction to the ejection of a card is then presented together with various procedures resulting from anomalies.

CREDIT AND DEPARTURE CONTROL CIRCUIT
VALIDITY PERIOD 3 DETECTION
As shown in Fig. 19, a circuit 3 is provided to recognize the existence of a credit in the card 1 and to validate the word period of validity. Circuit 3 performs these recognition and validation functions by analyzing the memory area 12g of card 1 (Fig.l), as this area passes under the double contact probe 21g (Fig.6) .

 The circuit 3 includes a decoding circuit 31 for decoding the ternary digits in the memory area 12g into three-bit words and a comparison circuit 32 for comparing the three-bit words to prerecorded three-bit words. Two input terminals 330 and 331 of circuit 3 are connected to the pins of the brushes 2110g and 2111g of the double probe 21g. Two other input terminals 340 and 341 of circuit 3 are connected directly and through a diode 310 to two outputs 400 and 401 of a time base 4. The time base 4 comprises a clock delivering by an output 41 a signal clock at a frequency H = 1000 Hz, corresponding to a reading frequency of the cells of the destructible memory area 123. From the clock signal H, a generator of square signals included in the time base 4 delivers to the terminals 340 and 341 two complementary logic signals Fg and F1 = Fg having a frequency equal to 8H, i.e. 8000 Hz.

Terminals 330 and 331 are connected on the one hand to terminal 340 and to the cathode of diode 310, on the other hand to inputs of flip-flops 3110 and 3111 and to network terminals
RC 3120 and 3122 with parallel capacitor and resistance connected to ground. The networks 312o and 3121 make it possible to neutralize the opposite amplitudes of the complementary signals Fg and F1 so that each flip-flop 3110 and 3111 is triggered only when its input receives the signals Fg and F1. The following table I indicates the state of the outputs of flip-flops 3110 and 3111 as a function of the binary digit a, b or c in a cell 12gg to 12g8 of the memory area 12g picked up by the probe 12g.

TABLE I
exit
digit 3110 3111
a Y 1
b 1 0
c 1 1
h O 0
In the last line of the table, the state "0" of the outputs of flip-flops 3110 and 311 is indicated when the roller flanges 2124g and 2125g of the double probe 21g roll on an insulating surface portion of the card between two consecutive studs 121go to 121gb of 12g zone. This state "0" makes it possible to produce a clock signal h to rhythm three shift registers 320a, 320b and 320c in the comparison circuit 32.

 The decoding circuit 31 also includes three AND gates with two inputs 313a, 313b, 313c and a NAND gate 313h with two inputs as well as two inverters 3140 and 3141. First inputs of doors 313b and 313c and first inputs of doors 313a and 313h are connected directly and through the inverter 3140 to the output of the first monostable rocker 311o respectively. Second inputs of doors 313a and 313c and second inputs of doors 313b and 313h are connected directly and through the inverter 3141 to the output of the second monostable rocker 3111 respectively. Thus outputs 315a, 315b and 315c of doors 313a, 313b and 313c are respectively in the state "1" when ternary digits a, b and c are detected by the double probe 12g. Whatever the detected ternary digit a, or b, or c, the state of an output 315h from the NAND gate 313h is 1ll. An isolation interval between two successive pads 12g0 to 12g8 is translated by a "0" at the output 313h.

 The outputs 315a, 315b and 315c of the decoding circuit 31 are respectively connected to inputs 321a, 321b and 321c of the shift registers 320a, 320b and 320c of the comparison circuit 32 respectively, while the output 315h is connected to inputs d 'clock 322a, 322b, 322c of the aforementioned registers. Each shift register includes P = 9 rocking stages which are capable of changing state in response to a rising edge of the clock signal h delivered by the output 315h. Each pulse of the signal h corresponds to a detection of a ternary digit between two successive isolations. Thus, the command of the offset of the words with three parallel bits li100 "," 010 "," 001 "in the registers 32osa, 320b, 320c, resulting from the decoding of ternary digits a, b, c in the cells 12gg to 12g8, is automatically synchronized with the translation speed of the card inserted in the reader, said speed possibly being arbitrary.

 As already said, the ternary digit in the first cell 12gg of the zone 12g is a digit c which, after decoding and passage of the zone 12g under the double probe 21g, is in the form of the binary word "001" memorized in the last stages of registers 322a, 322b and 322c, identified by the number 9 in Fig. 19. The fuse link embodying this first ternary digit is destroyed when the credit on the card is exhausted, and therefore when all the diodes in zone 123 are destroyed.

 A detection of the first word "001" corresponding to digit c in the 12go cell is signaled by an output in state "1" of an AND gate 323 having an input directly connected to the output 320ciao of the last stage of the register 320c, and two inputs connected to outputs 320b10 and 320a10 of the last stages of registers 320b and 320a, through inverters 3241 and 3242. The state "1" at the exit of gate 323 indicates the existence of a credit in the card introduced in the player.

 To validate the card validity period word decoded in binary code and recorded in stages 8 to 1 of one of the three registers 320a, 320b and 320c, by comparing it with one of the three correct predetermined words of period of validity, each register is associated with a read only memory of the wired memory type 325a, 325b and 325c and with an AND gate at P-1 = 8 inputs 326a, 326b and 326c. In memories 325a, 325b and 325c, the three validity period words corresponding to the first, second and third validity periods defined above are respectively recorded. Such a memory 325 associated with a shift register 320 is shown in Fig. 20. The memory 325 comprises P-1 = 8 cells, numbered 1 to 8 in Fig. 20, having inputs respectively connected to outputs 3201 to 3208 stages 1 to 8 of register 320 and having outputs connected respectively to the inputs of the associated AND gate 326. In each cell of memory 325, a wire link 3250 and an inverter 3251 are connected in parallel and permanently connected to the input of the cell and selectively at the output of the cell by a pluggable jumper or stras 3252 in order to produce bits "1" and "0" respectively. For example the predetermined validity period word associated with register 320 is "10001101 "when the jumpers 3252 in cells 1, 5, 6 and 8 are connected to the associated wire connections 3250 and when the jumpers 3252 in cells 2, 3, 4 and 7 are connected to the outputs of the associated inverters 3251. Thus, when the word in them stages 1 to 8 of register 320 is equal to the validity period word associated with memory 325, the outputs of memory 325 are all at "1", and the output 327 of gate 326 is in state "1" to signal the detection of the card validity word.

 As shown in Fig. 19, an OR gate 328 has three inputs connected to outputs 327a, 327b and 327c of gates 326a, 326b and 326c at the output of memories 325a, 325b and 325c. The output of gate 328 is in state "1" when one of the three binary validity words corresponding to the decoding of the predetermined ternary word of validity period in the card is saved in stages 1 to 8 of one registers 320a, 320b and 320c. Thus, the state "1" at the exit of the gate 328 translates the conformity of the word of period of validity stored in ternary code in the area -12g of the card inserted.

 All the compliant results of the two tests concerning a period of validity and an available credit are grouped together and detected by an AND gate 329 having two inputs connected to the outputs of gates 323 and 328.

 Furthermore, it should be noted that each of the memories 325a, 325b and 325c is pluggable so as to form the three binary words of validity period. The positioning of jumpers 3252 in order to enter a new validity word is carried out by the operating organization either in the workshop or on the site of the dispensing device.

IDENTIFICATION DETECTION CIRCUIT
ORGANIZATION 5
As shown in Fig. 21, a circuit 5 is provided for recognizing whether the ternary identification word stored in the zone 12d of a card inserted corresponds to the body operating the dispensing device A and, where appropriate, to the type of service or product distributed by the device. Circuit 5 has an organization analogous to circuit 3, and contains a ternary digit decoding circuit 51 identical to circuit 31, and a comparison circuit 52 also having three shift registers 520a, 520b and 520c at P = 9 stages associated respectively to hard-wired read-only memories 525a, 525b and 525c and to AND output gates 526a, 526b and 526c according to the arrangement shown in Fig. 20.

The decoding circuit 51 provides inputs 530 531 540 and 541 analogous to the inputs 330 331 340 and 341 of the circuit 3, respectively connected to the brush pins 2110d and 2111d of the double probe 21d and to the outputs 400 and 401 of the time base 4 Outputs 515a, 515b, 515c and 515h of circuit 51 analogous to outputs 315a, 315b, 315c and 315h of circuit 31 are respectively connected to inputs 521a, 521b and 521c of registers 520a, 520b and 520c and to inputs of clock 522a, 522b and 522c of the aforementioned registers.

 The registers 520a, 520b and 520c are organized so as to merge. In circuit 32, the ternary code is virtually used for switching purposes making it possible to individualize the functions of each of the three registers 320a, 320b and 320c. In the circuit 51, the three registers 520a, 520b, 520c form an assembly intended to decipher a ternary word truly used as such, and it is the set of inscriptions received by the three registers which is analyzed and no longer only the entry in one of these three registers, as in circuit 32. As already said, the significant ternary digits in the area 12d of the card 1 are P = 9. Consequently, the read only memories 525a, 525b and 525c each comprise P = 9 cells with wire connection such as 3250, and inverter such as 3251, selected by jumpers, such as 3252, and have inputs respectively connected to stages 1 to 9 of registers 520a, 520b and 520c, and nine outputs respectively connected to doors 526a, 526b and 526c. In practice, the memories 525a, 525b and 525c are not, preferably, pluggable and have their content definitively entered in the factory, the identification word not being modifiable and being fixed once and for all for each organism and type of distributor.

The set of registers 520a, 520b and 520c is thus equivalent to a basic numbering system 3 at P = 9 digits offering 3P = 39 = 19683 possible combinations of identification word. By a permutation of the location of the conductive tape 120d with the analogous locations of the studs 121duo to 121du and by permutations of the zones 12g and 12d, the system of
P numbering can offer 4 x 3 = 78,732 possible combinations or types of card, without increasing the cost of the reader and modifications other than those resulting from a permutation of the locations of the double probes 21g, 26g and 21d, 26d.

 An AND gate 529, playing a role analogous to gate 329, has three inputs connected respectively to the outputs of AND gates 526a, 526b and 526c. A state 1 "at an exit from door 529 confirms the memorization of the identification word in the card corresponding to the organization and to the service or product distributed.

 All of the controls in zones 12g and 12d are grouped together by an AND 350 door included in a door opening control circuit 35, having two inputs connected to the outputs of doors 329 and 529. In circuit 35 shown in Fig. 21, a PNP transistor 351 mounted in common base has an emitter connected to the output 353 of the gate 350 and a collector connected to the coil of the electromagnet 223 in order to attract the armatures 2230 and 2235 (Fig. 5) and thus lift the door roller 220 to allow the translation of the card 1 to the probe block 23 when the output of the door 350 changes to the state "1".

CIRCUIT OF SCANNING OF COLUMNS
AND LINES 6
Destructible memory cells in area 123 of card 1 are explored using a column and row scanning circuit 6 shown in Fig. 22, which is activated as soon as area 121 of the card is correctly positioned under the block 23 and the positioning probes 26g and 26d. Circuit 6 is intended to successively address cells 120.0 to 127.15 line by line, starting with the first line and with the first cell in each of the lines, and to detect a first cell having a dio.de in state This detection is translated by the reader 2 into information transmitted to other organs of the dispensing apparatus in order to trigger the distribution of service or product corresponding to the cost of a basic tax materialized by a non-destroyed diode The triggering is analogous to that carried out conventionally by the introduction of a coin into known dispensing machines with prepayment by currency. For example, the basic charge corresponds to a period between two tax pulses for a public telephone device with prepayment by currency and / or by card.

The exploration of the 27 = 128 cells in the area 123 is carried out in 128 milliseconds at most.

Circuit 6 comprises a binary address counter 60 with 7 stages having outputs 6010 to 6013 of first stages providing a first address word j with four bits representing a column address 0 to 15 in binary code, and having outputs 6014 to 6016 providing a second three-bit address word i representing a line address 0 to 7 in binary code. A clock input 60H is connected to output 41 of time base 4 (Fig.l9) to rhythm the counting at the clock frequency H = 1000
Hz corresponding to a reading of each cell in 1 millisecond.

The counter 60 also offers a blocking input 60B to stop counting when a first undamaged cell of the matrix 23 is detected during scanning, and a reset input 60RZ to reset all the stages of the counter. to the correct positioning of the zone 121 under the probe block 23 (Figs. 6 and 7) and to the supply of the circuit 6 and therefore of the counter 60.

The scanning circuit 6 also includes 16 AND gates with four inputs 61Co to 61C15 intended to address the columns of the memory area 123 and 8 AND gates with three inputs 61lao to 61L7 intended to address the lines of the area 123. Thus, a door 61C. corresponding to the binary word of column address ja
J inputs directly connected to outputs 6010 to 6013 of counter 60 for bits in state "1" of address word j, and inputs connected through inverters 630 to 633 to outputs 6010 to 6013 of counter 60 for bits in state "0" of address word j. When the count of the counter 60 is equal to j, an output 62C. from door 61C. is in state "1" and the others
DD column doors have their output in the state "0". For example, the door 61C5 corresponding to the address word 5 = "0101" has first and third inputs connected directly to the outputs 6010 and 6012 corresponding to the bits "1 "of weights 0 and 2 and has second and fourth inputs connected through inverters 631 and 633 to outputs 6011 and 6013 corresponding to bits" 0 "of weights 1 and 3. Likewise, a gate 61L. corresponding to the binary line address word ia of the inputs connected directly to outputs 6014 to 6016 of the counter 60 for the bits in state "1" of the address word i, and of the inputs connected through inverters 634 to 636 to outputs 6014 to 6016 of counter 60 for the bits in state "0" of address word i. When the count of the counter 60 varies from 16i to 16i + 15, an output 62L. from door 61L. is in state "1", and the other line gates have their output in state "0". Thus, when the counter progresses from O to 127, cells 120, to 120.15 of the row of row 0 are successively addressed, then the cells of the second row of row 1 and so on to cells 127.0 to 127 15 of the last row.

 As shown in Fig. 22, the outputs 6010 to 6016 of the counter are also connected to a display with three decimal characters, for example with liquid crystal, 64 through a binary-decimal coder 65 in order to display the number (i + 1) (j + 1) of the first cell found credited having an operating diode. As will be seen below, the scanning is stopped automatically by the first credited mesh encountered.

Stopping scanning on a cell of rank (i + l) (j + 1) thus indicates unequivocally that (i + l) (j + 1) -1 cells are debited and destroyed and that (I + 1) (D + 1) - (i + 1) (d + 1) cells have a credit.

 The display 64 is connected to the encoder 65 through a switching circuit 66 automatically selecting a coin collection device and the card reader when the service or the product distributed by the appliance can be paid for by coin or by card. The display can only take place after the scanning has stopped on the first cell found valid, signaled by an output 77CD of a test and cancellation circuit described below. In this way, the display is achieved stably.

TEST AND OBLITERATION CIRCUIT 7
Referring now to Figs. 23A and 23B, a test and cancellation circuit 7 included in the card reader 2 is intended, on the one hand, to test the cells 120.0 to 127.15 in the memory area 123 of the card by scanning this area using the scanning circuit 6 with a view to detecting a first non-destroyed cell in operating condition, on the other hand, to electrically obliterate the card by successively modifying the cell diodes in isolation as the service or product is distributed corresponding to the basic charges debited. A destroyed diode 12i, j is equivalent to an isolation between terminals of the diode materialized by the connecting wires 126i, j and 127i, j of the cell (Fig. 3). The circuit 7 also detects anomalies in the zones 123 and 12c of the card 1 corresponding to a short circuit between the terminals 12Li-126i j and 12C -127 of a cell 12i j.

i, jji, j
Cell testing
The test and obliteration circuit 7 comprises, as means for testing the cells of the zone 123, I = 8 test circuits 7L0 to 7L7 connected respectively to the lines of the cell matrix, and J = 16 test gates AND to two inputs 7Co to 7C15 connected respectively to the columns of the cell matrix.

Each test circuit 7Lo to 7L7 comprises an AND gate 710 to 717 having two inputs connected to the output 401 of the time base 4 and to the respective output 62L0 to 62L7 of the scanning circuit 6, a diode 720 to 727 and a resistor 730 to 737 and a diode 740 to 747 connected in series to the output of gate 710 to 717, an AND gate 750 to 757 having two inputs connected to the cathode of diode 740 to 747 and to the respective output 62L0 to 62L7 of scanning circuit 6, and a parallel resistance and capacitor circuit RC 760 to 767. The cathodes of diodes 720 to 727 are also connected to the heads, forming pins, of the screws 253 of the simple probes 25L0 to 25L7 (Figs. 14, 15) through connector 231 and wire ply 232 (Fig. 16) respectively. On the side of the columns of the matrix, the doors 7Co to 7C15 are equivalent to the doors 710 to 717 on the side of the rows, and each have two inputs connected to the output 400 of the time base 4 and to the respective output 62Co to 62C15 of the scanning circuit 6. The outputs of the doors 7Co to 7C15 are connected to the heads, forming pins, of the screws 253 of the simple probes 25Co to 25C15- through the connector 231 and the wire ribbon 232 respectively. When the card 1 is properly positioned under the probe block 23, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 23A, the contact flanges 2524 of the single probes 25L0 to 25L7 and 25Co to 25C15 are in electrical and mechanical contact with the studs 12L0 to 12L7 and 12Co to 12C15 of the card 1 respectively.

The principle of testing each cell 12 is similar to that already described for cells containing a ternary digit a or b in zones 12g and 12d, with reference to Figs. 19 and 21. Cell 12. j is tested as soon as the 62Li and 62L outputs. of
i, J i J scanning circuit 6 are in the state "1", which opens the doors 71i and 7Cj. The pulses of the signal Fg delivered by the output 400 of the time base 4 are applied to the anodes of the diodes 120 j to 127 j of the column j, but reach the only network RC 76. through the diode 12i, j because alone, the
ii, J carries 71. transmits the pulses of the opposite signal F1 = Fo delivered by the output 401 of the time base 4.

 The time constant of the RC circuits 760 to 767 is less than the scanning period of lms of the memory cells and is equal for example to 4 periods of the signals Fg and Fî, ie 4 x 0.125 = 0.5 ms. Furthermore, the triggering voltage threshold for the opening of each AND gate 750 to 757 corresponds to a charge of the capacitor of the circuit 760 to 767 at the expiration of a duration of between 0.25 ms and 0.5 ms.

Typically, for a peak-to-peak amplitude of the signals F and F1 equal to 5 volts, corresponding to logic "1" the threshold V0 is equal to 2.5 volts. From the aforementioned conditions, it follows that the input of the AND gate 75i connected to the diode 74. switches to
ii the logical state "l" at the latest as of the end of the first half of the test period of approximately lms, allocated to the cell whatever the drift of the square signal generator included in time base 4. So the time to open door 75.

depends on two factors, on the one hand, of the value of the triggering threshold V0, on the other hand, of the distortions affecting the duration and / or the phase shift of the eight pulses of the signals Fg and
F1 during the test period. The detection of a cell containing a PN diode in normal operation is translated by a "1" at an output of gate 75
As shown in Fig. 23B, the test and cancellation circuit 7 includes a logic circuit 77 for outputting signals indicating test and cancellation results. In particular, circuit 77 includes an OR gate 770 having I = 8 inputs connected to the outputs of AND gates 750 to 757 and an output connected to a first input of an OR gate 771 with three inputs. The output of gate 771 is connected to the blocking input 60B of the counter 60 (Fig. 22) and thus stops the counting in this counter and therefore the scanning of the matrix 123 when the door
ET 75i indicates that cell 12i, j is in operation. The count of the counter 60 is then equal to (i + j) (j + 1) -1.

 The activation of the counter 60 and the following cell test 12i, j + 1 are only carried out after the obliteration of the cell 12i j, as will be seen below. In addition, logic circuit 77 contains an AND gate 772 having two inputs connected to terminals 62L7 and 62C15 corresponding to the last cell 127.15> an AND gate 773 having two inputs connected to the output of OR gate 770 and through a inverter 7731 at the output of gate 772 and having an output connected to an output terminal 77CD of circuit 7 through an OR gate with two inputs 774. Terminal 77CD is thus in state "1" each time a cell containing a valid diode is detected. The output 77CD transmits this information to circuits of the dispensing apparatus A in order to distribute the service or product corresponding to a basic fee and to order the obliteration of the cell, and to the switching circuit 66 (Fig. 22) in order to display the number of charges debited by the display 64.

 In the case where the cell tested 12i, ja has been obliterated and contains a destroyed diode and therefore an isolation, the pulses of the signal Fg do not reach the network RC 76i, the capacitor of the latter charges and discharges alternately at the rate of F1 signal pulses whose period of 0.125 125 ms is clearly less than the time constant of the RC network equal to 0.5 ms. The voltage at the cathode of diode 740 oscillates between 0 volts and a value below the trigger threshold Vg which keeps the corresponding AND gate 75i closed. The input 60B of the scanning counter 60 remains at zero until the end of the scanning period of 1 ms, and the counter 60 is then incremented by one unit to test the next cell 12i j + 1 in response to the next clock pulse Ho applied to its input 60H. The scanning of the matrix 123 continues until a first cell containing an operating diode is detected, as described above.

It should be noted that when a cell 12i, j is tested, the capacitors in the other RC networks 760 to 76i 1 and 76i + l to 767 are charged and discharged at the rate of the pulses of the signal Fg, for a reason analogous to that mentioned above for network 76i, since doors 710 to 71i-1 and 71i + 1 to 717 are closed by state "0" of terminals 62L0 to 62Li 1 and 62Li + 1 to 62L7 and do not transmit the additional signal F
When the tested cell 12i, j is short-circuited, the signal F0 crosses the cell and reaches the network RC 76 ..

However, the pulses of the signal F1 do not reach the network 76. since at the output of the diode 72i, the signal F1 is short-circuited by the ground (state "0") marked at the output of the gate 7C. and the conductive state of cell 12i, j in the opposite direction.

 Each diode 720 to 727 is intended to prevent a short circuit similar to the previous one, but relative to the periods of emission of the signal Fg, the respective AND gate 710 to 717 then having its output in the state "0" (ground).

 It should be noted that a short circuit in a cell a j has the effect of neutralizing the test of all the cells 12i, 0 to 12i, 15 of the same line. In this case, the scanning of the line does not stop despite the existence of valid cells in the line, and the normal test is not resumed until the scanning of the next line and as long as it does not present not in turn bypassed cells. The foregoing feature constitutes an additional anti-fraud security element.

Obliteration of a cell
The test and cancellation circuit 7 has an input terminal 70B through which a cancellation order pulse is transmitted by the dispensing device A when the latter has detected a signal indicating the existence of a credit via terminal 77CD after inserting card 1 in the reader, or when the service or product for a value equal to a basic fee corresponding to the last destroyed cell has been debited.

The destruction of a cell 12 d reflecting the obliteration
i, j of the card with a value equal to a basic fee is carried out by means of the doors 7Co to 7C15 already mentioned and of cancellation circuits 78L0 to 7 8L7 respectively associated with the lines of the matrix 123. obliteration 78Li comprises an AND gate 780i having three inputs respectively connected to the output terminal 62Li of the scanning circuit 6, the output of the OR gate 770 and the input terminal 70B, an NPN transistor 781i mounted as a common emitter brought to a bias voltage typically 1 volt, having a base 782i connected to the output of the gate 780i and a collector 783i connected to the cathode of the diode 72i,, and a network with parallel capacitor and resistance
RC 784i interconnected between the output of door 780i and the earth. The circuits 78L0 to 78L7 jointly include a door
OR 785 having I = 8 inputs connected to the outputs of the gates AND 7800 to 7807 and an output connected to the terminal 400 and, consequently, connected to the terminal 401 of the time base 4 through an inverter 42 included in the base of time.

 After the counter 60 has been blocked following the detection of the valid cell 12i j, the output of the OR gate 770 and the terminals 62Li and 62C. are in state "1". The obliteration order J applied to terminal 70B opens the AND gate 780i which unlocks the transistor 78Li. The unblocking of transistor 781. typically corresponds to a base voltage 782. equal to 2 volts. The time constant of the network 784i contributes to gradually unblocking the transistor 781i and conducting a current to the collector 783 ..

The opening of the AND gate 780. causes the recovery, by a continuous voltage, of the pulses of the signal Fg leaving the terminal 400 of the time base, through the gate 785, which keeps the gate 7C open, as well as an application
J permanent with a "0" at the output 401 of the time base, through the gate 785 and the inverter 42, which keeps the gate AND 71i closed. Under these conditions, the door 75i is kept open, as during the test of cell 12. j. During the
i, J unblocking of transistor 781i, the direct current which is injected through gate 7C. in the diode 12. j towards the collector 783.,
ii, J i increases until reaching a critical value IC corresponding to the thermal destruction of the diode 12i, j. As soon as the diode is destroyed in an isolation materializing the obliteration of a basic tax, the isolation interrupts the current in the collector 783.

and, consequently, the elements 73i '74. and 76. are no longer i i supplied. The output of gate 75. goes to state "0" which closes the OR gate 770 and gate 780. and blocks transistor 781. at a base voltage equal to 0 volts. The OR gate 785 is again closed, and the outputs 400 and 401 of the time base 4 return to the normal state corresponding to the test phase.

 The doors 75. and 770 remaining closed, the OR gate 771 continues to block the scanning counter 60. In addition, in the logic circuit 77 shown in Fig. 2313, an AND gate 775 has three inputs connected directly to terminal 70B and, through inverters 7751 and 7752, at the outputs of doors 770 and 772. Thus, the destruction of cell 12i, j, other than cell 127 following the obliteration order is indicated by a "1 "at an exit 77C0 from door 775 which confirms a cancellation of basic tax at the dispensing device A.

 The payment of the basic fee by the dispensing device is signaled by a return to "0" of terminal 70B which stops the issuance of the cancellation confirmation, via gate 775, and the release of the scanning counter 60 , via gate 771. At this stage, the counter 60 is incremented by one unit to test the next cell 12i, j + 1 which normally contains a diode in operation. If cell 12i, j + 1 is different from cell 127, doors 770 and 771 are again opened to block counter 60 again.

 Thus the test and cancellation phases described above are repeated for each cell until the end of the distribution of the desired service or product, for example by pressing a push button or a joystick controlling the ejection of the card from the reader or directly from the distributor when the duration of the service or the quantity of product depends on other parameters beyond the user's control, such as hanging up a call for a public telephone or exhaustion a fuel tank for a pump in a service station.

 The repetition of the test and obliteration phases is also stopped when the last cell 12I-1, J-1 = 127.15 of the zone 123 of the card is tested. The test duration of a card with exhausted credit is relatively low and is at most equal to (I.J-l) = 127ms. The test of the last cell 127.15 consists in detecting an insulation permanently contained in the cell 127 when the terminals 62L7 and 62C15 are at being "1". As already said above, the test of such an insulation keeps closed the corresponding AND gate 757 as well as the OR gate 770. The terminals 62L7 and 62C15 being connected to the inputs of gate 772 (Fig. 23B) whose output is connected directly at an input of the OR gate 771 and, through the inverter 7731, at an input of the AND gate 773, the terminal 60B goes to state "l" to block the counter 60, and the output 77CD of the circuit logic 77 goes to state "0" via the OR gate 774 to indicate to the vending machine that the credit in the card has been used up. Furthermore, going to state "0" of terminal 77CD leads to, via the switching circuit 65 (Fig. 22), erasing the number of taxes debited from the display 64, and activating a coin-prepaid mechanism when the vending machine is equipped with such a mechanism , the distribution of the service or product continuing under the control of this latter mechanism. A request to eject the card 1 from the reader 2 is signaled by a terminal 77E of the circuit 77 connected to the output of the gate 772 through a diode 776, to a card input-output control circuit described below .

 It should be noted that any end of product or service distribution is marked by a brief cut in the general supply to the distributor and the card reader, typically 6 seconds. When the power is restored after this short time, the scan counter 60 is reset to zero via terminal 60RZ (Fig. 22).

INPUT-OUTPUT CONTROL CIRCUIT
OF CARD 8
The card reader according to the invention also comprises a card input-output control circuit 8 shown in FIGS. 24A and 24B. The role of circuit 8 is to control all the phases concerning the processing of the information contained in a card, between the introduction and the ejection of the latter. In addition, circuit 8 detects anomalies and incidents that may occur during treatment. Thus, the circuit 8 coordinates and controls the processing phases, verifies their proper execution and, if necessary, stops the execution of a phase in the event of an anomaly and orders, if necessary, the expulsion of the card. particular, circuit 8 controls the activation or deactivation of the column and row scanning circuit 6 and the test and cancellation circuit 7, with the exception of OR gate 774 (Fig. 23B) , by controlling an AL terminal controlling the distribution of direct voltages of 12 volts and 5 volts in particular. The supply of the dispensing device A also signals its activation by an output terminal al to put the circuit 8 in operating condition as described below.

 Circuit 8 playing the role of scheduler between the other circuits already described, it is described in detail below by recalling the normal operating phases of the card reader.

Normal running
1) In normal operation and in the absence of a card in the reader 2, the roller door device 22 (FIG. 5) obstructs the space between the slides 201g and 201d and is in the closed state.

The contacts 2231, 2232, 2233 (Figs. 5, 24) are kept open thanks to the armature 2230 in the low position, not attracted by the core of the electromagnet 223 which is deactivated in the opening control circuit 35 (Fig. 21), in particular because the contact flanges of the double feelers 21g and 21d (Figs. 6, 19, 21) are insulated. The flanges of the double positioning probes 26g and 26d (Figs. 7, 24A) are also insulated, which leads, via terminal AL, to a lack of supply to circuits 6 and 7. Indeed, as shown in Fig. 24A , the double probes 26g and 26d are connected in series to the terminal AL, and more specifically, the pin 2610g of the probe 26g is connected to a collector 8011 of a PNP transistor 801 mounted in common base, the pins 2611g and 2611d of the probes 26g and 26d are connected together, and the pin 2610d of the probe 26d is connected to the terminal AL and to a first terminal of a bimetallic type thermistor 811 controlling a contact 8111.

2) The introduction of a card through the slot 31 and the passage of the memory areas 12g and 12d under the double input probes 21g and 21d, followed by detection of one of the three period words of validity and of the identification word in circuits 3 and 5 (Figs. 19 and 21) lead to the excitation of the electromagnet 223 in circuit 35 (Fig. 21), and to the lifting of the roller 220 thanks to the upward attraction of the frame 2230 (Fig. SA) which frees the sliding space of the card during the whole subsequent period of the presence of the card in the reader. The roller 220 is then flush with the top of the card. The contacts 2231, 2232 and 2233 are then closed (Fig. SA). In particular, the closing of contact 2233 causes the transistor 801 to be unblocked. Indeed, as shown in FIG. 24A, between contact supply terminal al and an emitter 8021 of transistor 801, contact 2233 is connected in series. closed contact 8112 of a second bimetal thermistor 812 controlling four contacts 8112> 8122, 8132 and 8142, and a first flip-flop RS 821 having a reset input R1 connected to contact 8112 and an output Q1 connected to transmitter 8021 through an inverter 831. The zeroing of the output Q1 of the flip-flop 821 keeps a second PNP 802 transistor blocked mounted in common collector having an emitter 8022 connected to the output
Q1 through an AND gate with two inputs 841 and a diode 851.

 3) When the card 1 is correctly positioned under the probe block 23 (Figs. 6 and 7), pins 2610g and 2611g of the double probe 26g are electrically connected through the fuse link 12gg of card 1 and pins 2610d and 2611d of the double probe 26d are electrically connected through the non-fusible link 12d0 of the card 1. The transistor 801 being turned on according to the previous phase 2), the terminal AL goes to state "1" to control the supply of the circuit scan 6, and the counter 60 reset to zero via terminal 60RZ, and to control the supply of the test and obliteration circuit 7. As already said, the counter 60 successively addresses the cells 12i j of the zone 123 of the card and is blocked via OR gates 770 and 771 (Fig. 23B) as soon as a cell containing a valid diode is detected in circuit 7.

 A credit available in card 1 is signaled to 19 dispenser A via doors 773 and 774 and the output terminal 77CD (Fig. 23B). The dispensing device then initiates the service or product distribution procedure, by successive stages of testing and obliterating the valid cells of the card to be debited 1, as already described, without other interventions from the control circuit 8.

 4) The end of the distribution of the service or product can be carried out according to one of the following three distinct procedures.

 4.1) In particular, when the dispensing device is prepaid, it offers a push button BO (Fig. 24A), joystick or the like, the insertion of which orders the reimbursement of coins not cashed in a bowl. of reimbursement and the ejection of a card introduced in order to stop the distribution of the service or product. In particular with regard to the ejection of the card, pressing the button BO closes a contact CBO in the circuit 8. The contact CB0 being interconnected between terminal al and a terminal for setting "1" S1 of the rocker bistable 821 through a second closed contact 8122 of the thermistor 812 and the closed contact of electromagnet 2232, the output Q1 of the flip-flop 821 changes to state "1". The transistor 801 is then blocked via the inverter 831, while the transistor 802 turns on via the open AND gate 84 and the diode 851.

 As shown in Fig.8, the motor 2202 for the rotation of the door roller 220 has a first terminal connected to the supply terminal al, and a second terminal connected to the base 8032 of the transistor 802 through the contact electromagnet 2231, thermistor 812, third contact 8132 of thermistor 812 and a basic resistor 8042. A non-passing diode is is interconnected between the first and second terminals of the motor 2202 and protects the electronic components in the control circuit 8 against induced voltages at the terminals of the motor during power cuts to the motor. Unblocking of the transistor 802 starts the motor 2202 and therefore the rotation of the roller 2202 which, by friction contact with the top of the card, causes the expulsion of the card and, more precisely, the expulsion of the zone 121 of the card behind the probe block 23 and the roller 220 in the direction opposite to the arrow F (Figs. 6 and 7).

 As soon as the card 1 has crossed the roller 220, the roller is no longer supported in the high position by the card. Indeed the zones 12g and 12d pass in opposite direction under the double probes 21g and 21d which modify the contents in the shift registers 320a, 320b, 320c, 520a, 520b and 520c (Figs. 19 and 21), the word for identification not being symmetrical. As a result, the AND gate 350 (Fig. 21) is closed and the transistor 351 goes into the off state to deactivate the electromagnet 223. The armature 2235 rises, as shown in Flg.SB, then the frame 2230 with the roller 221 descends by gravity when the card is removed from the reader 2, which locks the device 22 in the closed state by passing the spout 2212 above the spout 2241 (Fig.5).

 The pivoting of the armature 2230 of the electromagnet downwards opens the contacts 2231, 2232 and 2233. The opening of the contact 2231 cuts the power supply to the motor 2202 and consequently stops the rotation of the roller 220. The opening of the other two contacts 2232 and 2233 disconnects the flip-flop 821 in order to inhibit any action on the push-button B0, or of a pulse delivered to the input S1, or of a reset to terminal R1 after a 6 ms power cut which marks the end of any service or product distribution.

 4.2) When the card 1 is manually removed from the reader 2, the contact flanges 2624g and 2625g of the double probe 26g on the one hand, and the flanges 2624d and 2625d of the double probe 26d are disconnected which cuts the power supply via the terminal At. sua flip-flop 821 is maintained in the state it was in during phase 3), corresponding to the unlocked state of transistor 801 and the blocked state of transistor 802. Motor 2202 is therefore not supplied. As already said for phase 4.1), following deactivation of the electromagnet 223, the roller 220 falls back after removal of the card 1, the stirrup 221 is locked in the low position by the lever 224 (Fig. 5) , and contacts 2231, 2232 and 2233 are open.

 4.3) As already specified, the power supply terminal al no longer powers the reader when the dispensing device delivers or receives a signal marking the end of the distribution of the service or product, regardless of the will of the user. This can be due to the hanging up of the requested in a public telephone, or to the exhaustion of the product in the dispensing apparatus, such as the exhaustion of a fuel tank, or to any other anomaly.

 When power is restored, via terminal al, a pulse is applied to terminal R1 of flip-flop 821 through contacts 2233 and 8112 to reset flip-flop 821. However, this pulse is followed by a pulse applied to terminal S1 of flip-flop 821 via a diode 853 (Fig. 24B) connected to terminal al, an RC 861 network bypassed to the cathode of diode 853, a monostable flip-flop 87 triggerable on a rising edge and having an input connected to the cathode of diode 853, an OR gate with three inputs 881, an emitter-collector junction of a PNP transistor 803 mounted in common base, a collector resistor 8053> a diode 854, and the closed contacts 8122 and 2232. L pulse applied to terminal S1 of flip-flop 821 is delayed by network 861 and therefore arrives after that applied to terminal R1. The output Q1 of the flip-flop 821 is therefore in state "1" after the establishment of the supply via the terminal al. The transistor 801 is then turned off and the transistor 802 is turned off. The motor 2202 is thus started and the card 1 is expelled from the reader 2, according to the procedure described for phase 4.1).

 At the end of the three phases 4) above, the contact flanges in the double probes 26g and 26d are still disconnected, and the reader is in the state of the initial phase 1).

 5) Card credit exhausted.

 This phase is initialized as soon as the control circuit 8 receives via the output 77E of the test and cancellation circuit 7 (FIG. 23B) an information that the credit in the card 1 has been exhausted.

This phase has three sequences.

 5.1) As shown in Fig. 24B, terminal 77E is connected through a diode 855 to an input of an AND gate with two inputs 842 having an output connected to the emitter 8022 of transistor 802 through a diode 856. Furthermore, a second terminal of the first thermistor 811 is connected to a terminal common to the contact 8132 and to the resistor 8042 via a diode 857.

 The credit exhausted in the card 1 translated by a "1" at the terminal 77E causes the opening of the AND gate 842 and the unlocking of the transistor 802, which was blocked according to phases 2) and 3). According to these latter phases, transistor 801 was turned on and the rest during this sequence. Although the transistor 802 is unlocked, the motor 2202 remains stopped, because it is short-circuited by the link between the collector 801 of the transistor 801 whose base 803l is connected to the terminal al through a resistor 8041> and the base 8032 of the transistor 802. Under these conditions, a calibrated current coming from the collector 8011 of the transistor 801 and directed towards the base 8032 of the transistor 802 passes through the fuse link 12gg and the non-fuse link 12d0 as well as the thermistor 811 of the thermal bimetal type, and destroyed the 12gg fuse link in the card. This destruction disconnects the contact flanges 2624g and 2625g from the double probe 26g.

 5.2) The previous disconnection sets the AL terminal to zero, which stops the power supply to circuits 6 and 7 and in particular resets the terminal 77E which, via the diode 856, blocks the transistor 802.

 The motor 2202 is no longer short-circuited but is not supplied since the transistor 802 is blocked by closing the door 842 by the terminal 77E returning to the state "0".

 The rupture of the fuse link 12g0 causes a voltage drop at the second terminal of the thermistor 811 which is connected to an input of the OR gate 881 through an RC network 862 and a single table rocker 872 triggerable on the falling edge. The network 862 makes it possible to ensure the total destruction of the 12g0 link by extending the destruction action somewhat. Monos flip-flop table 872 applies an "l" to the input S1 of flip-flop 821 through elements 881, 803> 8053, 854, 8122 and 2232. The Q1 output of flip-flop 821 changes to state "1" which blocks the transistor 801 and relays the initial state "l" of the terminal 77E, by unlocking the transistor 802 which allows the starting of the motor 2202.

 5.3) The motor 2202 drives the roller 220 in rotation to eject the card 1 The roller 220 descends to close the access to the reader part 2 under the probe block 23. The contacts 2231, 2232 and 2233 associated with the electro -magnet 223 are open and the power is cut. The card reader 2 is again in the initial state according to phase 1).

Operating anomalies
Operating anomalies are detected thanks in particular to thermistors 811 and 812 which act as timers. As soon as a current crosses the thermistor 811, 812> it under the effect of a heating due to the current goes from a state of rest to a state of work after a respective duration RT1-3s and RT2 ~ 4s; in this case, for thermistor 811, contact 8111 changes from the open rest state to the closed working state, or for thermistor 812, contacts 8112> 8122 and 8132 change from the closed rest state to the working state open while the contact 8142 changes from the open rest state to the closed working state. After the current flowing through the thermistor 811, 822> has stopped under cooling, it goes from the working state to the resting state after a respective duration TR1a4s, TR2a 5s and the contacts associated with the thermistor goes from the respective working states to the respective rest states. During the normal operating phases described above, the thermistors remain at rest so that their contacts are in the respective rest states, as shown in Figs. 24A and 2413.

 Contact 811 (Fig. 24A) controlled by thermistor 811 has a terminal connected to terminal AL common to pin 2610d of the double probe 26d and to the first terminal of thermistor 811.

Another contact terminal 8111 is connected to a third input of the OR gate 881 through a resistive bridge 89 (Fig. 24A), a diode 858 and an RC network 863 in shunt between the cathode of diode 858 and the third input of door 881 (Fig. 2413).

 The fourth contact 8142 of the thermistor 812 is interconnected between the supply terminal a1 and an input of a second flip-flop RS 822, as shown in FIG. 24A.

Two monostable flip-flops 873 and 874 that can be triggered on a rising edge have inputs connected respectively to the power supply terminal al and to the output 353 of door 350 of the opening circuit 35 (Fig. 21) and have outputs connected to an input
R2 of flip-flop 822 through an OR gate with two inputs 882. An output Q2 of flip-flop 822 is connected to second inputs of AND gates 841 and 842 through respective inverters 832 and 833. The output Q2 is also connected to an output terminal 81 of circuit 8 connected to a second input of OR gate 774 in logic circuit 77 (Fig. 2313). In normal operation, the supply of the reader by terminal al during phase 1) or the validation of the card indicated by terminal 353 activating the electromagnet 223 from phase 2) resets flip-flop 822 and, by next, maintains the second inputs of AND gates 841 and 842 at state "1", the thermistor contact 8142 remaining open.

 6) Fuse link not destroyed.

 If during phase 5), the current injected by the collector 8011 of transistor 801 does not destroy the fuse link 12gg of card 1, the thermistor 811 heats up.

After a time RTl ~ 3s following the unlocking of the transistor 802, the thermistor 811 goes to work and the contact 8111 is closed. A pulse is then applied to the input S1 of the flip-flop 821 through the elements 89, 858, 863, 881, 803, 8053, 854, 8122 and 2232. The output Q1 of the flip-flop 821 changes to state "1 "to block the transistor 801 in order to cut the power supply via the AL terminal, put the thermistor 811 to rest, and keep the transistor 802 unlocked to activate the motor 2202. The card is expelled as in sequence 5.3) .

 The purpose of the RC 863 network is to avoid initiation of oscillations through the thermistor 811 which would cause the contact 8111 to "beat".

 7) Card expulsion not carried out.

 After the transistor 802 has been unblocked to start the motor 2202, the card can be retained in the reader, for example by the user, which in particular causes contact 2231 to be maintained in the closed state.

 7.1) After a warm-up time RT2s4s, or after a time RT1 + RT2s7s succeeding the information "credit exhausted" in the case where the fuse link 12g0 is not destroyed, the thermistor 812 goes to the working state . The opening of contact 8132 cuts the power supply to motor 2202 and stops it.

The opening of contact 8112 has no consequence during this sequence 7.1). The opening of contact 8122 inhibits setting to "1" of flip-flop 821 following a press on push-button 130.

The closure of contact 8142 puts the output Q2 of flip-flop 822 in state "1", closes gates 841 and 842 and keeps transistor 802 blocked whatever the states of the terminals.
Q1 and 77E.

 7.2) After a cooling time TR2-5s of the thermistor 812 following the opening of the contact 8132, all the associated contacts 8112, 8122, 8132 and 8142 return to the respective rest states. Closing the contact 8112 sets the output Q1 of the flip-flop 821 to zero, which unlocks the transistor 801 and keeps the transistor 802 blocked, via the gate 841. Despite the return of the thermistor 812, the motor 2202 remains stopped.

 Depending on whether the 12gg fuse link of card 1 has been destroyed or not, and if the 12go link is not destroyed, depending on whether the card has been moved or not under the probe block 23, the supply terminal AL is in the state "0" or "1". However, the situations which result in one case or the other have no consequence on the following phases, because the state of terminal 77E has no influence on the AND gate 842 whose second input has been set to " 0 "by closing contact 8142, via flip-flop 822 and reverser 833. In addition, the Q2 output of flip-flop 822 is connected to the second input of OR gate 774 (Fig.23B), via the terminal output 81 of the control circuit 8. The door 774 is therefore open regardless of the operating state of the test and cancellation circuit 7 which no longer intervenes; at most, the circuit 6 performs a scan in the memory area 123 which stops on the first valid cell 12i; on the card or, if applicable, on the last 12.

 7.3) Knowing that after a predetermined time delay following the "credit available" information delivered by terminal 77CD (Fig.23B) to the dispensing device, the latter receiving no cancellation confirmation by terminal 77CO, proceeds when the reader is cut off for 6 seconds, via terminal al, this cut-off can also be established at the end of a service or product distribution.

 7.4) After the brief interruption of supply for 6 seconds, restoration of the supply puts the output Q1 of flip-flop 821 in state "0", via closed contacts 2233 and 8112, then in state "1 "thanks to the delay imposed by the RC network 861, via the monostable flip-flop 871 and the elements 881, 803, 8053, 854, 8122 and 2232. The transistor 801 is blocked and the transistor 802 is unblocked whatever the state of the links 12gg and 12d0 between the contact flanges of the double probes 26g and 26d. The motor 2202 is again supplied with power and a new attempt to eject the card takes place. If the card has been ejected, the reader returns to the initial phase 1), ready to operate; otherwise, sequence 7.5) is completed.

 7.5) The cycle of phases 7.1) and 7.2) is repeated several times as long as the card is kept in the reader and is not released behind the roll 220. Each time, the output 77CD of the test and obliteration circuit 7 changes to "0" when power is restored, via terminal al-and input R2 of flip-flop 822, and changes to "1" after the thermistor 812 heats up and the contact closes 8942. The dispensing device contains a status counter "1" at terminal 77CD without joint receipt of an obliteration confirmation by terminal 77C0 (Fig.23B). If the number of consecutive cycles of phases 7.1) and 7.2 ) corresponding to attempts to eject the card from the reader reaches a predetermined number, for example equal to eight, the aforementioned counter commands the dispensing apparatus to go out of service by definitive interruption of the supply.

 For example, when the dispensing device is a public telephone device, a maximum delay of 130 seconds following each phase 7.1) can be provided to establish a telephone call again. In this case, the eight attempts to eject the card each followed the abscenee of real establishment of a telephone communication last (130 + 6) x 8s, that is to say approximately 18mn approximately.

8) If during the eight cycles of card ejection attempts, the card is extracted from the reader either by the user or by the reader itself, the operation of the reader 2 returns to the initial phase 1) with ambiguity as regards the state of the flip-flop 822 which can be in the state "1" or "0" according to the precise moment of the withdrawal of the card
If the output Q2 is in state "0", the reader is the normal standby and operating state.

 If the Q2 output is in state "1", two cases are possible.

 8.1) The card was withdrawn by a user and the user immediately inserted a valid card in the reader.

The flip-flop 822 is immediately reset to "0" through circuits 3, 5 and 35 (Figs. 19 and 21), terminal 353 in state "1" and the monostable flip-flop 87 The reader returns to a normal state of even before the zone 123 is positioned under the probe block 23.

 8.2) The withdrawal of the card is not followed by the introduction of a card. In this case, at the end of a time delay, such as the aforementioned time delay of 130 s established by the dispensing apparatus, and of the 6 seconds of brief power cut by terminal al, the flip-flop 822 is reset to "0 ", via the monostable scale 873. The reader thus also returns to the normal operating state.

 In all cases, as long as the flip-flop 822 is not reset, the reader cannot be used normally. In the case of prepayment by card and currency, the dispenser cannot be used with coins when the switching circuit 66 (Fig. 22) is weak, since the terminals 81 and 77CD are at state "1" which prevents the use of the coin collection mechanism while keeping the card reader in service.

 Although the invention has been described according to a preferred embodiment, other embodiments falling within the subject of the present patent application can be deduced from the preceding description. Some of these achievements are presented below, depending on operating requirements such as the location of the dispensing device, the cost of the card and the reader, and the nature of the service or product distributed. For some of these embodiments, circuits, such as circuits 6, 7 and 8, can be replaced by one or more microprocessors.

 When the dispensing device is installed in a "protected" site, for example inside a room or on the front of a building depending on the operating organization, the validity pre-check and / or identification or even credit can be deleted. In this case, the card no longer contains memory areas 12g and 12d, and the card reader does not contain double input probes 21g and 21d, electromechanical roller door device 22 and control and detection circuits. 3, 5 and 35. The absence of credit is detected at the end of the scanning cycle, when addressing the cell 12I-1, J-1, that is to say at least after (IJ) - 1 = 127ms. For this option, the dimensions and arrangement of the studs in zone 12c are specific and specific to the organization in order to avoid any misuse.

The realization of the matrix of destructible diodes of the type
PN, or any other unidirectional electronic elements such as base transistors and connected collector, installed in logic
DTL or TTL with viewing area on the card can be replaced by a matrix produced in the form of an integrated chip with no viewing area.

 When the service dispensing device measures a duration, such as authorized parking time for a parking meter, travel time in a public transport vehicle or a taxi, the card reader is associated with a printer, a calculator and a parking meter ordered in particular by the At terminal so that the vending machine issues a ticket indicating the date, time and number of predetermined periods and the end time for parking or journey time. For the transport option, the reader is also associated with a vehicle hectometric meter.

 In the case of public transport, the user marks a tariff zone and a number of requested sections using a device keyboard. The reader obliterates the corresponding number of basic taxes equal to the product of the number of sections by a zone coefficient and the printer issues a ticket mentioning the date, time, the number of taxes paid and the meter reading hectometric at the time of payment. This information allows absolute control of the correct payment made by the user for the route actually performed.

 In the case of a taxi, the card is inserted into the reader at the start of a race and remains there until the end. The card is debited during the race, as the distance traveled indicated by the taximeter reset to zero at the start of the race. A ticket serving as an expense report is issued to the user at the end of the race, upon withdrawal of the card. The display in zone 123 makes it possible to assure the driver that sufficient credit is available.

 For a motorway toll, a known punch card reader is coupled to the card reader according to the invention which debits according to the indications received depending on the destination, a corresponding number of basic taxes. The basic tax, in this case, corresponds to the greatest common divisor of the tolls corresponding to the different sections of the motorway taken. The map is specific to a highway.

 In the case of a product dispensing device, such as fuel in a self-service station, the card reader is coupled to a fuel pump meter indicating the flow rate and the price of the quantity of fuel. The user introduces the card and composes, using a keyboard, an estimated quantity in liters of fuel he wants. After obliteration and compliance tests of the card, the account-counter authorizes a debit up to the amount requested or the credit available in the card. In this case, the pre-check of the validity period is essential due to the frequent changes of tariffs. Similarly, the identification word of the organization is essential here in order to distinguish the different fuel distributing companies. The basic tax corresponds to the price per liter. The nature of the fuel is indicated by digits of the identification word. The same organization has as many identification words as there are types of fuel.

 For a public telephone apparatus to which reference has been made in the detailed description above, the card reader is preferably intended for a telephone apparatus as described in French patent application 84-17807 filed on November 22, 1984 in the name of applicant. In particular, the card reader replaces a prepaid card collection mechanism of this device, the terminals 13E, 13PC, 13TB indicated in the aforementioned patent application correspond to terminals 70B, 77CD and 77C0 (Figs. 23A and 23B).

 Furthermore, for a batch of cards each having (IJ) -1 destructible memory cells each corresponding to the basic cost of the service or product offered, the number of basic taxes available can be reduced by any value N <(( IJ) -1) in a very simple way and without affecting the reader. For this, the first N cells of the card are not equipped with diodes and include isolations. The reader then operates normally from the N + th cell since isolation in a cell 12i j does not stop scanning in the counter 60 (Fig. 22). This arrangement makes it possible to offer cards at different costs in a very simple manner.

Claims (52)

 1 - Card containing several memory cells (12i, j), characterized in that each memory cell (12i j) is  i, J constituted by a unidirectional element (125i j) electrically destructible in an isolation, having two terminals (126i, j, 127i, j) respectively connected to two surface conductive pads (12Li, 12Cj) on the card (1).  i j  2 - Card according to claim 1, characterized in that the unidirectional element is a diode (125i, j) or a transistor.  3 - Card according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the destructible memory cells (12i j) are 'J arranged in a matrix (123), with I rows and J columns, the terminals (126i, j' î27j , j) of each cell (12i, j) being respectively connected to the respective pads (12Li, 12Cj) through one of I conductors (120i) forming the lines of the matrix and one of J conductors (12i, j ) forming the columns of the matrix, said row and column conductors being respectively arranged in implantation planes parallel to faces of the card and connected respectively to the I + J pads (12Li, 12C;).  4 - Card according to claim 3, characterized in that the matrix (123) comprises (I. J) -1 destructible cells (120.0 to 12 1.5-2) and a last memory cell (12I-1 , J-1) permanently constituted by isolation.  5 - Card according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the destructible memory cells (12i;) are located in a zone (123) of the card (1) distinct from a zone (12c) on which the surface studs (12Li, 12Cj) appear.  6 - Card according to claim 5, characterized in that the area of implantation of the destructible memory cells (123) and the area of the pads (12c) are distributed longitudinally on either side of an intermediate area (12c ) of the card (1), the zones (12c, 122, 123) each occupying, preferably, about one third of the card.  7 - Card according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each memory cell (12.) is  i, J covered with a surface heat-sensitive substance on the card (1), visible by a predetermined coloring following destruction of the cell.  8 - Card according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a read-only memory (12g, 12d) containing preferably ternary digits (a, b, c) having three states materialized by first diodes (a), second diodes (b) polarized in opposition with respect to the first diodes, and wired electrical connections (c) implanted in the card and having terminals formed by surface conductive pads (120g, 120d, 121g0 to 121g8 , 121d0 to 121d8) on the map (1).  9 - Card according to claim 8, characterized in that the read-only memory is divided into first and second memory areas (12g, 12d) extending vis-à-vis longitudinally to the card, preferably from 'a small front side (10) of the card (9).  10 - Card according to claim 9, characterized in that the first and second memory areas (12g, 12d) contain the same number of ternary digits.  11 - Card according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the ternary digits (c) in the first and second memory areas (12g, 12d) near the small front rib (10) is materialized by a fusible electrical connection (12gag) and a non-fusible electrical connection (12do).  12 - Card according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the first and second memory areas (12g, 12d) extend on either side of an area (12c) of the card (1) on which appear the surface studs (12Li, 12C.) Connected to the memory cells (12..).  J i, J  13 - Reader (2) for reading the card (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, said reader being incorporated in a service or product dispensing device (A) prepaid by basic fee, characterized in that that it comprises means (6, 7) connectable to the surface studs (12Li, 12Cj) forming terminals of the memory cells (12i j) for successively modifying by electrical destruction, unidirectional elements in working order in the memory cells ( î2j, j) of the card in isolation as and when basic taxes are debited.  14 - Reader according to claim 13, characterized in that the means for modifying (6, 7) comprise means (6) for successively addressing the memory cells (12. j),  i, J means (7Li, 7Cj) for detecting a unidirectional element in each addressed cell (12i j) and means (78Li, 78Cj) for electrically destroying said unidirectional element detects in isolation when a basic charge is to be debited.  15 - Reader according to claim 14, characterized in that the means (6) for addressing comprise a cell address counter (60) which is reset as soon as the surface pads (12Li, 12Cj) of the card ( 1) are at a predetermined position in the reader (2), and which is incremented by one each time that a unidirectional element is destroyed or that an addressed memory cell contains an insulation or is short-circuited.  16 - Reader according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the means (7Li, 7Cj) for detecting a unidirectional element in an addressed cell (12i j) comprise means (400, 7Cj) for applying a first voltage signal ( F0) to a positive terminal (127j, j) of the element, means (401 '71i) for applying a second voltage signal (F1) to a negative terminal (126i, j) of the element through a diode (72i ), and means (75i 76i) connected to the negative terminal (126i, j) for detecting a voltage exceeding a predetermined voltage (V0) when the addressed cell (12i, j) contains a unidirectional element (125i) in operating condition .  i, j  17 - Reader according to claim 16, characterized in that the first and second voltage signals (F0, Fl) are two complementary pulse signals, and in that the means for detecting a voltage exceeding a predetermined voltage comprise an RC network in lead (76i) having a time constant greater than the period of the impulse signals (F0, F1) so that the voltage at the negative terminal (126i.) of the cell oscillates at values lower than the predetermined voltage (V0) when the cell contains insulation or is short-circuited.  18 - Reader according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the means for destroying a unidirectional element in a cell include means (780i, 785, 7C.) For applying direct current to a positive terminal  J (127..) Of the cell, a transistor (781i) controlled by the  i, J i means for applying through an RC network (784i) and connected to a negative terminal (126..) of the cell to increase  i, J gradually the current passing through the cell until destruction of the unidirectional element of the cell in isolation and means (75i 770) connected to the negative terminal (126..) to block the transistor (781i) following the  i, J i destruction.  19 - Reader according to Claims 16 and 18, characterized in that the means for applying a direct current (780i, 785, 7C.) Inhibit the application of the second signal (F1) to the  J negative terminal (126..) And cause the recovery of the first i, J signal (Fg) by a DC voltage.  20 - Reader according to any one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that the means for addressing (6) successively address the memory cells (12..) As long as the  î, J means for detecting do not detect a unidirectional element in working condition in the addressed cells, in that the means for detecting (7lit 7C.) deliver an available credit signal J (77CD) to the dispensing device (A ) and stop addressing as soon as a detected cell (12 ..) contains a  i, J unidirectional element in working condition, and in that the means for destroying (78Li, 7C.) destroy the unidirectional element J of the detected cell in isolation in response to a destruction order (70B) supplied by l distributor (A), then deliver a destruction confirmation signal (77CO)  to the dispensing device (A) and to the means for addressing (6) in order to distribute the service or product corresponding to a basic charge and to address the next cell.  21 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 20, characterized in that it comprises means (772) for detecting a predetermined memory cell (12I 1 J-1) in the card (1) permanently containing isolation in order to eject the card (1) out of the reader (2).  22 - Reader according to Claims 14 and 21, characterized in that the addressing of the cell by the means for addressing (6) is stopped as soon as the predetermined memory cell (12I 1 J-1) is detected.  23 - Reader according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that it comprises means (774) for delivering a credit depletion signal in the card (1) when the predetermined cell (12I, l, J-1 ) is detected in order to allow prepayment by coins of the service or product dispensed by the dispensing device (A).  24 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 23, characterized in that it comprises means (65, 64) for displaying a number of charges debited from the card (1) as and when the destruction of unidirectional elements in the memory cells (12i, j).  25 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 24, characterized in that it comprises first means (23) connected to the means for modifying (6, 7) to simultaneously feel the surface pads (12Li, 12Cj) of the card (1) forming terminals of the memory cells (12i j).  26 - Reader according to claim 25, characterized in that each first means (25) for palpating a surface pad comprises a metal roller (252) mounted for free rotation in a fixed insulating case (250) and suitable for rolling on the card (1), a flexible metal brush (251) applied against the roller (252) and contained in the case (250), and a connection pin (253) fixed in the case (250) and interconnected with the brush (251 ) and to a terminal (231, 232) means for modifying (6, 7).  27 - Reader according to claim 26, characterized in that the brush (251) is slidably mounted in the case (250) and in that the connection pin (253) has a sand screw portion in the case ( 250) in order to regulate a pressure exerted by the brush (252) against the roller (252).  28 - Reader according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the brush (251) has two contact ves (2514, 2515), and the roller (252) has two cylindrical tracks (2522, 2523) against which are applied the vés, and a collar (2534) between the tracks which is suitable for coming into contact with a surface stud (12Li, 12C.) of the card.  J  29 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 28, characterized in that it comprises means (26g, 26d, At) for supplying the means for modifying (6, 7) when the card (1) is at a predetermined position in the reader (2) at which the surface studs (12Li, 12C.) of the card (1) forming terminals' J of the memory cells (12..) are connected to the means for i, J modify (6 , 7).  30 - Reader according to claim 29, characterized in that the means for supplying comprise second means (26) interconnected between a supply terminal (al) of the dispensing device (A) and a supply terminal (AL) means for modifying (6, 7) for the probe at least one pair of surface conductive pads (120g, 121g0) of the card forming terminals of a predetermined electrical connection (12gag) implanted in the card.  31 - Reader according to claim 29, characterized in that the second means for palpating a pair of studs (26) comprise two coaxial metal rollers (2122, 2123) mounted for free rotation in a fixed insulating case (210) and suitable for roll on the card (1) and come simultaneously into contact with the studs of said pair (120g, 121g0), two metallic bases (2110, 2111) applied respectively against the rollers (2122, 2223) and contained in the case , and two connection pins (2112, 2113) integral with the brushes and connected to said supply terminals (a1, A1) respectively.  32 - Reader according to claim 31, characterized in that the brushes (2110, 2111) are integral with an insulating strip (2116) slidably mounted in the case (210) and in that a screw (213) is screwable into the case (210) and pushes the strip (2116) in order to regulate a pressure exerted by the brushes (2110, 2111) against the rollers (2122, 2123).  33 - Reader according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that the brushes (2110, 2111) each have a contact vee (2114, 2115), and the rollers (2122, 2123) each have a cylindrical track against which is applied one of the ves, and a collar (2124, 2125) which is suitable for coming into contact with one of the surface studs of said pair (120g, 121g0).  34 - Reader according to claim 33, characterized in that the two rollers (2122, 2123) form a single piece (212) in which said flanges (2124, 2125) are separated by an insulating flange (2121).  35 - Reader according to claims 32 and 34, characterized in that the insulating strip (2116) comprises a cleaning spoiler (2117) coming into contact with the insulating flange (2121).  36 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 35, characterized in that the card contains a predetermined fuse link (12go), and in that the reader (2) comprises means (77E, 801, 802) for applying a current through said fusible link with a view to its destruction, in response to a destruction of all the memory cells (12 of the card and / or of the detection by the reader of a predetermined cell (12I 1 J-1 ) of the card permanently containing isolation.  37 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 35, characterized in that it comprises means (77E, 802, 2202, 220) for ejecting the card (1) towards the outside of the reader (2) when all the memory cells (î2j, j) of the card are destroyed and / or when a predetermined cell (12 1, J-1) of the card permanently containing isolation is detected by the reader (2), or when '' a push button (BO) of the reader is actuated.  38 - Reader according to claims 36 and 37, characterized in that the ejection of the card (1) occurs after the destruction of the fuse link (12go).  39 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 38, characterized in that it comprises means (3, 5) to validate the card (1) and means (35, 22) to open a passage to the card (1) in the reader (2) in response to a validation of the card (1) so that the means for modifying (6, 7) are capable of being connected to the surface studs (12Li, 12C.) forming terminals of the memory cells (12..) for a  J i, J predetermined position of the card in the reader.  40 - Reader according to claim 39, characterized in that the means for validating (3, 5) comprise third means (21g, 21d) for successively palpating pairs of surface conductive pads (120g, 120d, 121g0 to 121g8, 121d0 to 121d8) of the card (1) forming pairs of cell terminals (12g0 to 12g8, 12duo to 12d8) of a read-only memory (12g, 12d) containing a predetermined word of card validity, as and introduction of the card into the reader, means (31, 51) connected to the third means for palpating to decode the predetermined word of validity and means (32 52) for comparing the predetermined word decoded with a word prerecorded in the reader .  41 - Reader according to claim 40, characterized in that the third means for palpating (21g, 21d) comprise one or more means for palpating (21) each comprising two rollers, two metal brushes and two connection pins and a similar case to those included in the second feeler means (25) according to one of claims 31 to 35.  42 - Reader according to claim 40 or 41, characterized in that the cells of the read only memory (12g, 12d) contains ternary digits (a, b, c) having three materialized states of the first diodes (a), seconds diodes (b) polarized in opposition with respect to the first diodes and wired electrical connections (c), in that the means for decoding (31, 51) include means (400, 120g, 120d) for applying a first voltage signal (Fo) to a positive terminal of the first diodes (a), or to a negative terminal of the second diodes (b), or to one of the terminals of the wire connections (c), means (401, 121g0 to 121g8, 121duo to 121d8) to apply through a diode (310) a second voltage signal (F1) to a negative terminal of the first diodes (a), or to a positive terminal of the second diodes (b), or to another terminal of the wired connections (c), two means (3120, 311o ;; 3121, 311î) for detecting respectively two direct voltages across the first res diodes, second diodes and wire connections as the card (1) is introduced into the reader, as well as two zero voltages corresponding to isolations on the card between decoding of successive ternary digits, and means with logic gate (313, 314) for delivering a binary word with 3 parallel bits "100", "010", "001" as a function of said detected DC voltages corresponding to the ternary digits, and a corresponding clock signal (h) the detections of said DC voltages.  43 - Reader according to any one of claims 40 to 42, characterized in that the means for comparing (32, 52) comprise a read-only memory (325, 525), preferably of the pre-wired type, memorizing the pre-recorded word, shift registers (320, 520) having stage outputs respectively connected to read-only memory cell inputs for storing the predetermined word decoded as the card is inserted into the reader and an AND logic circuit (326, 526) connected to the outputs of the read-only memory to deliver a validation signal from the card (350).  44 - Reader according to any one of claims 40 to 43, characterized in that the predetermined word contains a card validity period word preceded by a digit (a, 12gag) indicating a credit available or exhausted in the card , and a word identifying an organization operating the dispensing apparatus (A) and / or the category of the service or product distributed, the two words being decoded and compared simultaneously with words prerecorded in the means for comparing (32 , 52), regardless of the speed of insertion of the card into the reader.  45 - Reader according to any one of claims 39 to 44, characterized in that the means for opening (35, 22) comprise a shutter, preferably such as a rotating roller (220), driven by motor (2202) , electromechanical means (221, 223, 224) for pivoting the shutter between a first position (Fig. 5) closing the passage of the card (1) towards the predetermined position as long as the card (1) is not validated and a second position (Fig.5A) clearing the passage for translating the card into the reader as soon as the card is validated.  46 - Reader according to claim 45, characterized in that the electromechanical means (221, 223, 224) comprise an electromagnet (223) controlled by the means for validating the card (1), a first pivoting frame (221, 2230) supporting the shutter (220, 2202) and a second pivoting armature (2235, 224), the electromagnet being deactivated and the second armature being locked to the first armature in order to prevent the passage through the shutter as long as the card is not validated, and the electromagnet being activated as soon as the card is validated and until the end of the distribution of the service or product or of a withdrawal of the card to unlock the frames and release the shutter from the passage.  47 - Reader according to claim 45 or 46, characterized in that the passage is a space between two slides (201g, 201d) for translating the card (1), preferably located approximately one third of the length of the card by compared to a card insertion slot (A1) in the device (A), and preferably overlying a waste container (202) -.  48 - Reader according to any one of claims 39 to 48, characterized in that the means for opening (35, 22) control means (2233, 821, 801) for supplying the means for modifying (6, 7) continued upon validation of the card (1) and as long as the card is in said predetermined position.  49 - Reader according to any one of claims 39 to 48, characterized in that the means for opening (35, 22) comprise a roller (220) closing said passage as long as the card (1) is not validated and releasing said passage under the control of electromechanical tilting means (223, 221, 224) activated as soon as the card is validated, said roller is flush with the card, and a motor (2202) rotating the roller (220) to eject the card and supplied when the credit on the card is exhausted in response in particular to destruction of the memory cells (12..) of the card, or when a push button for ejecting a card (BO) is activated, or when the card is manually removed from the reader (2), said roller (220) closing said passage after ejection of the card.  50 - Reader according to claim 49, characterized in that the electromechanical tilting means (223, 221, 224) are deactivated by the means for validating (3, 5) as soon as the card (1) is translated outwards of the reader (2), and cause a power cut (2231) of the motor (2202) as soon as the roller (220) closes said passage after the roll has been crossed by the card.  51 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 50, characterized in that it comprises timers, preferably of the bimetal thermistor type controlling contacts (811, 812), in order to control an ejection of the card (1 ) out of the reader when T an operating anomaly is noted for a predetermined period (RT1, RT2), said anomaly being a failure to destroy a fuse link (12go) of the card indicating that the credit on the card has been exhausted continued in particular to the destruction of the memory cells (12i;), or the momentary retention of the card (1) in the reader (2) after a supply of means (802, 2202) for ejecting the card.  52 - Reader according to any one of claims 13 to 51, characterized in that it comprises means (8142, 822) cooperating with the dispensing device (A) to permanently cut the power supply to the reader when the card ( 1) is retained in the reader for at least a predetermined duration during which means (802, 2202) in the reader have controlled at least a predetermined number of attempts to eject the card.