GB2230366A

GB2230366A - Information carrier and reader

Info

Publication number: GB2230366A
Application number: GB8907903A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Trevor Ronald Holder; Leslie Victor Herriott
Original assignee: Lowe and Fletcher Ltd
Current assignee: Lowe and Fletcher Ltd
Priority date: 1989-04-07
Filing date: 1989-04-07
Publication date: 1990-10-17
Also published as: GB8907903D0

Abstract

A tool is identified by e.g. reflective bands inside a tubular body (17) incorporated in the tool. A reading head (14) is introduced into the body to read the identity of the tool. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: method of identifying or verifying a member and information carrier and reader for use in the method" Description of The Invention The present invention relates to apparatus comprising an information carrier and a reader for reading information from the carrier and to use of such apparatus for identifying or verifying a member.

An information carrier of the kind referred to is generally called a key. Keys are commonly used for controlling security devices, for example to permit access to an area only by the person carrying an acceptable key and to restrict use of equipment to persons carrying an acceptable key. It is known to present the information mechanically, for example as serrations or other formations on a key. It is also known to present the information magnetically and optically. Magnetically encoded information carriers in the form of plastics cards are well known. There has been proposed a key incorporation an LED for presenting information in the form of a signal comprising eletro-magnetic radiation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus comprising an information carrier and a reader for reading information from the carrier wherein the information carrier is hollow and is adapted to receive within the carrier at least a part of the reader so that the information can be read from the information carrier at the inside thereof.

The presentation of information at and the reading of information at the inside of the carrier has certain advantages, as compared with the presentation of information at and reading of information at the outside of an information carrier. Magnetically encoded cards and mechanically encoded keys are normally read by insertion of the information carrier into a hollow reader. When the carrier is removed from the reader, the information- bearing part of the carrier is generally exposed to contact with other items and may be damaged.

In apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the information carrier may define an axis and the information may be presented as a row of bands arranged with the length of the row extending along the axis and the length of each band extending around the axis. Each band may subtend at the axis an angle which exceeds the angle within which the reader is capable of detecting a band. With this arrangement, modest variations in the orientation of the carrier about its axis relative to the reader will not interfere with proper reading of the information. Additionally or alternatively, means may be provided for inhibiting insertion of the reader into the information carrier in one or more orientations which are unsuitable for reading of information from the carrier.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of identifying or verifying a member wherein the member is formed to define an opening, information is presented on the member at the inside of the opening, there is provided reading means for reading information from the member at the inside of the opening, the reading means is introduced into the opening, the information is transferred inside the opening from the member to the reading means and the information is processed to identify or verify the member.

An example of apparatus embodying the invention and which is used in a method according to the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows a cross-section through an assembly comprising an information carrier, a tool in which the information carrier is mounted, a reading head for reading information from the carrier and a support for the reading head and tool, FIGURE 2 shows the information carrier and tool partly in cross-section in a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the cross-section of Figure 1, and FIGURE 3 shows certain parts of the information carrier and reader, as viewed in cross-section on the line III-III of Figure 1.

The apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a support 10 for a tool 11. In the particular example illustrated, the tool is a last for use in the manufacture of shoes.

It will be appreciated that the invention may be applied to other tools and that member 11 illustrated in the drawing may alternatively be a tool carrier or a workpiece carrier which is to be identified.

To facilitate identification of the tool 11, the tool is provided with an information carrier 12 which bears information unique to the tool 11 or unique to a group of tools which includes the tool 11. In the example illustrated, the information carrier 12 is formed separately and is mounted in a recess formed in the tool 11. Alternatively, the tool 11 could itself form the information carrrier.

The information carrier 12 is hollow, elongated and has an opening 13 at one end, through which the interior of the carrier is accessible. The other end of the information carrier may be and, in the example illustrated is, closed.

The apparatus further comprises a reader for reading information from the information carrier 12. The reader includes a reading head 14 which is mounted on the support 10 in a fixed position relative thereto. In the example illustrated, the support has a flat surface for receiving the tool 11 and the reading head 14 projects outwardly of the support from this flat surface. The projecting part of the reading head has the form of an elongated pin and defines an axis 15.

The shape of the interior of the information carrier 12 complements the shape of the projecting part of the reading head 14. In the example illustrated, the reading head is substantially cylindrical and is a free sliding fit in the carrier 12, the interior of the latter also being of cylindrical form. Thus, the reading head provides mechanical location of the tool 11 relative to the support 10 at the axis 15. Additional location may be provided at a position spaced from the axis 15, for example, by the provision of a further pin projecting from the support 10 to be received in a corresponding bore formed in the tool 11. Lasts are commonly located in shoe-making machinery in this manner.

In a case where a further pin is provided on the support to be received in a corresponding bore of the tool 11, the further pin inhibits entry of the reading head 14 into the carrier 12 in any orientation other than that illustrated. Additional or alternative means may be provided for inhibiting insertion of the reading head 14 into the information carrier 12 in orientations which are unsuitable for reading of information from the carrier 12. For example, the reading head may have a profile, as viewed along the axis 15, which is non-circular, the interior of the carrier having a corresponding shape so that turning of the reading head inside the carrier about the axis 15 is restricted or prevented. One of the information carrier and reading head may be provided with a longitudinally extending groove to receive a corresponding lug or spline on the other of the information carrier and reading head.

The information may be presented by the information carrier 12 in a variety of ways. The information carrier may have a magnetically encoded lining. In this case, the reading head would be provided with Hall-effect devices or other means which responds to changes in magnetic flux and which can thereby detect movement of magnetised regions of the information carrier past reading positions on the head 14. The information may be provided in the carrier 12 by the provision of regions having different electrical properties and the reading head may, for example, be adapted to respond to changes in capacitance between the reading head and the information carrier.

In the example illustrated, the information is presented in an optically readable way. The reading head 14 is provided with one or more sources of light and with tranducers which respond to incident light by providing an electrical signal representing the information on the carrier 12.

The carrier has a lining which, in localised regions, is optically reflective. The arrangement of the reflective regions corresponds to the information borne by the carrier.

The optically reflective regions are arranged in two rows, the length of each row being parallel to the axis 15. These rows are disposed at opposite sides of this axis. Each row consists of a number of reflective bands, each arranged with its length extending a part of the way around the axis 15. The reflective bands are exposed portions of a reflective foil 16 which is interposed between a tubular body 17 of the information carrier and a lining tube 18 disposed inside the body. Other regions of the reflective foil are obscured by the tube 18. The reflective regions are exposed through apertures formed in the lining tube. It will be appreciated that the reflective regions may alternatively be formed by the application of reflective material to the tube 18 to form a reflective layer on the surface thereof which faces towards the axis 15.The application of such reflective material may be restricted to wells formed in the tube at positions corresponding to the information to be borne by the carrier 12.

The body 17 is conveniently formed of steel or other robust material which is opaque to light. As shown in Figure 1, retaining means for retaining the body 17 in a bore of the tool 11 is provided. This retaining means has the form of an O-ring and is seated in an annular recess formed in the body 17 near to an outer end thereof. The internal surface of the body 17 may be formed with an annular recess which extends along a part only of the length of the body to receive the lining. The lining tube 18 is conveniently formed as a moulding of a plastics material. Apertures corresponding to the reflective regions of the lining may be formed in the moulding process and/or formed by cutting material away from the moulded tube. The reflective foil 16 is wrapped around the exterior of the tube 18 and the tube is then inserted into the body 17.The tube 18 preferably has outwardly projecting lugs which can enter with a snap-fit into corresponding recesses or apertures in the body 17 to retain the lining in the required position relative to the body 17.

The reading head 14 is conveniently manufactured in two parts, namely a stem 21 and a cap 22. One end portion of the stem is anchored in the support 10. An opposite end portion of the stem is partly cut away, as shown in Figure 3, to provide a central space for receiving electronic components of the reading head. An intermediate portion of the stem is cylindrical and is a free sliding fit inside the lining of the information carrier 12. The stem has a longitudinal bore 23 to accommodate electrical conductors connected with electronic components of the reading head. The cap 22 is connected with the stem by a spigot and socket joint and is retained in position by transverse pins 24 inserted into aligned apertures in mutually overlapped portions of the cap and stem. The cap may alternatively be screwed onto the stem.

In the particular example illustrated, the electronic components of the reading head 14 include a first emitter-detector pair 25,26 which faces in one direction from the axis 15 and a second emitter-detector pair 27-28, which faces in the opposite direction from the axis. Each emitter pair faces towards a corresponding one of the rows of reflective regions in the information carrier 12. The emitter and detector of each pair are conveniently mounted on a common carrier secured to the stem 21.

A respective window in the cap 22 is aligned with each of the emitter-detector pairs.

The angle which each of the reflective bands of the information carrier 12 subtends at the axis 15 is preferably considerably greater than the arc within which the emitter 25 and detector 26 are operative to emit and receive radiation. With this arrangement, moderate adjustment of the information carrier 12 relative the reading head 14 about the axis 15 does not affect the reading of information from the carrier.

The emitter-detector pairs 25 - 28 are connected with a microprocessor or other known means for processing signals generated by the detectors. Such processing may involve comparison of information read from the carrier 12 with information stored in a memory of the microprocessor, in order to verify the information carrier. Additionally or alternatively, the microprocessor may be arranged to store the identity of a carrier which is applied to the reading head.

When the carrier is applied to the reading head, the head enters the carrier through the opening 13 thereof. The reading means may be arranged to operate continuously. Alternatively, a mechanically actuated switch or other means may be provided for bringing the reading means into operation when the reading head enters the information carrier through the opening 13. As the reading head enters further into the information carrier, each emitter-detector pair scans the corresponding row of reflective regions in the carrier. The emitter 25 emits a beam of light which is reflected at the reflective regions of the carrier back to the detector 26. References herein to " light" embrace non-visible radiation, for example infra-red radiation. The light emitted by the emitter 25 is absorbed by the non-reflective parts of the tube 18 so that a series of pulses is provided by the detector 26. The emitterdetector pair 27,28 operates in a similar manner.

One of the rows of reflective regions in the information carrier may act as a clocktrack and control interrogation of the detector associated with the other row. This avoids the speed at which the reading head enters the carrier 12 affecting the information which is read.

The microprocessor may be arranged to store information relating to the identity of the carrier 12 and tool 11 and concerning the time at which the tool is applied to the support 10. The microprocessor may also be arranged to store the time at which the tool is removed from the support 10, the reading head being arranged to read information from the carrier 12 as the reading head leaves the carrier.

It will be seen that the reading head 14 can be of robust construction and can serve both a mechanical locating function for the tool 11, as well as the reading function. The encoded lining of the information carrier 12 is protected against mechanical damage by the body 17 and is therefore relatively invulnerable. To provide greater mechanical protection for the reading head 14 and/or better security, the projecting part of the reading head may be surrounded by a shroud to provide between the shroud and the reading head an annular space which is just sufficiently large to receive the body 17 and lining of the information carrier 12. It will be appreciated that the reading head may be disposed in a well formed in the support 10, in which case that part of the support which defines the periphery of the well would constitute a shroud for the reading head.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus comprising an information carrier and a reader for reading information from the carrier wherein the information carrier is hollow and is adapted to receive in the carrier at least a part of the reader so that the information can be read from the information carrier at the inside thereof.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein a shroud is provided for said part of the reader and there is between the shroud and said part of the reader a gap for receiving the carrier.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said part of the reader is or is incorporated in an elongated pin which is supported by a further structure at one end portion of the pin and wherein another end portion of the pin is a free-end portion suitable for entering the interior of the carrier.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim comprising means for inhibiting insertion of said part of the reader into the information carrier in at least one orientation.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein the information carrier comprises a tubular body and a lining which presents the information.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5 wherein the lining is, in localised regions, optically reflective.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein the lining comprises a tube in which a plurality of apertures are formed and a reflective foil interposed between the tube and the body.

8. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 5, 6 and 7 wherein the lining is a snap-fit in the body.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein the information carrier defines an axis which extends through the interior of the carrier, the reader is adapted to read information presented within an arc centered on said axis and wherein the carrier presents information throughout a substantially larger arc centered on the axis.

10. A method of identifying or verifying a member wherein the member is formed to define an opening, information is presented on the member at the inside of the opening, there is provided reading means for reading information from the member at the inside of the opening, the reading mean is introduced into the opening, the information is transferred inside the opening from the member to the reading means and the information is processed to identify or verify the member.

11. A method of recording the use of a member wherein the member is identified by a method according to Claim 10, a record is made of the time when the member is placed in a position for use, after use, the member is removed from said position and wherein, during removal, the information is again transferred from the member to the reading means.

12. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.