GB2246462A - Preventing misuse of cards in card freed apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus freed by a coded card includes at least two sensors 12 or 30 and 26, eg optical sensors, spaced apart in the direction of movement A of the card such that a credit is only signalled to a microcomputer controlling use of the apparatus eg for game playing, if when the card has cleared sensor 26 the sensor 12 or 30 has also been cleared. If sensor 12 or 30 has not been cleared the inference is that the card is being withdrawn, eg by a string attached to the card, and an alarm is signalled. Both sensors 12 and 30 are preferably provided, sensor 30 indicating the presence of a tag 32 on a pivotal gate 16 when the gate is in a closed position, ie that the rear of the card has passed the gate which has then returned by bias to the closed position. The card is driven by pinch rollers (44, 46 Figure 2) past the second sensor 26, the rollers reversing if a card is not acceptable. Stops prevent the plate going past its closed, upright position. A battery powered supply may be provided such that the sensors and means for signalling an alarm condition remain operational with the apparatus switched off or during a power failure. <IMAGE>

Description

CARD READER FIELD OF THv, INVENTION This invention relates to card readers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There have recently been proposals to use coded cards as tokens in, say, game apparatus. Games may then be paid for, and winnings may be peid out, by such tokens. An advantage of using such cards is that they may be coded so as to be acceptable only by one games apparatus or, say, by a number of different apparatus but only on one premises. This prevents players purchasing or taking winnings from apparatus where a token has only a low value and using it in apparatus where a token has a higher value, for example.

Conventional use of card readers is in a situation where the card is returned to the user, e.g. a cash dispenser at a bank. The card is not normally retained by the card reader. When used as a token to pay for use of game apparatus, however, the card is not returned.

A problem arises in that once the machine has registered a credit on acceptance of a card, it has been possible to withdraw the card by a piece of string, previously attached, whilst still retaining the credit.

Of course the card may then be fraudulently reused many times and the winnings retained by the player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a card reader having means for receiving a card, means for signalling a credit responsive to receipt of an acceptable card, means for detecting the direction of movement of a card in the reader, and means for signalling an alarm condition if the direction next detected after signalling a credit corresponds with the card being withdrawn from the reader.

If a player attempts to withdraw a card after it has been accepted, thus registering a credit, an alarm is signalled.

Preferably, the means for detecting comprises first and second card sensors arranged sequentially along the path of a card so that when a card is received it first passes the first sensor and then passes the second sensor; and wherein the means for signalling an alarm condition is responsive to the card being sensed by the second sensor before the card is sensed by the first sensor, to signal the alarm condition.

The card reader preferably includes a battery powered supply so arranged that the sensors and the means for signalling an alarm condition remain operational with the apparatus switched off or in the event of a power failure.

As the apparatus normally has a memory which stores the number of credits due to the player, it would be possible to switch the apparatus off after a credit has been registered and withdraw the card if the reader did not have a battery powered supply. Preferably the battery is only used as a back up.

In accordance with another espect of the invention, there is provided a card reader having means for receiving a card and transporting the card along B path, 8 gate pivoted for movement between a position in which the gate closes the path, and a position in which the path is open, and means biassing the gate to its closed position, the gate being movable against the bias to the open position by insertion of a card into the reader.

The gate is opened against the bias when a card is inserted. Once the card is past the gate, the gate closes. If a player attempts to withdraw the card by pulling on a string attached thereto, the card will catch on the gate and tend to pull the gate shut4 This effect can be improved by providing an edge of the gate remote from the pivot, with slots or notches therein. Then if a player attempts to withdraw a card using string, say, the string passes into a slot or notch, so preventing the card from being pulled past the edge.

Preferably, the reader includes means for sensing whether the gate is in its closed position, means for sensing the presence of a card downstream (in the direction of insertion) of the gate; and means for signalling an alarm condition in response to a condition in which an acceptable card has been sensed and then cleared but the gate is not sensed to be closed.

This ensures that an alarm is signalled if a player attempts to hold the gate open with a thin implement so as to withdraw the card after a card has been accepted.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a card reader having means for receiving a card, means for determining whether a card is acceptable, means for detecting the direction of movement of a card in the reader, and means responsive to the determination of an acceptable card for signalling a credit only if the card is not being withdrawn from the reader.

A credit is not given by the machine if the card is being withdrawn.

Preferably, the means for detecting the direction of movement of the card comprises first and second cerd sensors arranged sequentially along the path of a card so that when a card is received it first passes the first sensor end then passes the second sensor; and means for signalling a credit responsive to detection of an acceptable card to signal a credit only if both sensors are clear.

In normal use the second sensor clears as the card leaves the reader, on being accepted, to be stored in the machine. The first sensor ensures that the card is not being withdrawn a BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically illustrates elements of a card reader embodying the invention Figure 2 is a perspective view of a practical card reader embodying the invention; and Figure 3 is a cross section of the card reader of Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTTON OF THE DRAWINGS A cerd 2 (shown partly broken away in Figure 1) has a stripe 4 bearing a machine readable code. This may be in any suitable form, for example an optically readable bar code or, as in the example illustrated, magnetic . The code carried by the stripe is one of a large number of available codes and it is intended that only cards besring that code may be used in a game machine as a token to pay for a player to use the machine to play the game. To this end the game machine has a card reader elements of which are illustrated schematically in the Figure 1.

The card reader has a slot (not illustrated) into which a card is fed egdewise in the direction of arrow A.

Xnside the reader the card is guided along a path by grooves (not shown in Figure 1) which receive opposite side edges 6,8 of the card. When the front edge 10 of the card reaches a sensor 12, the output of the sensor changes state to indicate the presence of the card to e microcomputer indicated generally at 14. Any suitable sensor may be used. In the embodiments illustrated, the sensor is an optical sensor (opto). A light beam generated in one half of the opto is detected in the other. The presence of a card is indicated when the light beam is broken. The microcomputer controls a motor (not shown in Figure 1) which drives one of a pair of pinch rollers (not shown in Figure 1) to drive the card through the reader in the direction of arrow A at a controlled speed.

In the path of the card a gate is provided by a plate 16 shown in two positions. The plate 16 is pivoted on a hinge at one edge 18 across the path of the card, The plate is biassed by means (not shown in Figure 1) in the direction of arrow B to a position shown in broken outline where it closes the path. Stops (not shown) prevent the plate from continuing in the direction of arrow B past the position in which it closes the path.

The plate is, however, forced out of the way by insertion of a card in the direction of arrow A, so that the plate pivots against the bias to the position shown in full outline, so that the card can pass over the top either under action of the player or, in the case illustrated, driven by the rollers.

When the rear end 20 of the card has passed the plate 16, it is returned to the closed position by the bias. In this position, even if a string is attached to the card, it cannot be withdrawn past the closed plate 16. To improve the action of the plate 16 its edge 22 is provided with slots or notches 24 into which a string would likely pass. If the string is in a notch 24, it cannot pull a card over the top of the plate 16 unless the plate can move in the direction of arrow B beyond its closed position, but this is prevented by the stops (not illustrated).

As it passes through the reader a magnetic reading head, (not shown in Figure 1) reads the code on the stripe 4 and the resulting signals are transmitted to the microcomputer 14. If the code indicates that the card is acceptable, it progresses on through the reader driven by the pinch rollers past a second sensor 26 which is also and opto in the embodiment illustrated. If the card is not acceptable, the microprocessor reverses the motor to return the card.

A further sensor 30 (also an opto in the example illustrated) is positioned to sense the presence of a tag 32 on the plate 16. Sensing the presence of the tag 32 indicates that the plate 32 is in its closed position.

The microcomputer will only signal a credit on 34 after the card has cleared the sensor 26. Two other conditions have to be met. One condition is that the sensor 12 is also clear, i.e. no card is sensed. This ensures that the reason sensor 26 is clear, is not because the card is being withdrawn. The other condition is that the sensor 30 is detecting the presence of the tag 32. This ensures that a thin implement is not being used to hold the plate 16 in its open position preparatory to withdrawing the card. If all these conditions are met the microcomputer issues a signal on line 34 indicating a credit of one token. In other embodiments (not illustreted) on of the sensors 12 or 30 may be absent.

If the sensor 26 clears when the sensor 12 still indicates the presence of a card, the inference is that the card is being withdrawn and an alarm condition is indicated by a signal on a line 28. Xf the sensor 26 clears when the sensor 32 does not indicate the presence of the tag 32, the inference is that the plate 16 is being held down preparatory to withdrawing the card and an alarm condition is indicated by a signal on lead 34. If either of the sensors 12 or 32 fail to clear within a predetermined time limit, and alarm condition is indicated on lead 28.

Games machines usually have memories which retain a record of the current total credits, so that if the power is interrupted, a player may continue when power is restored. In order to prevent a player from retrieving a card after it has registered a credit, but with the power switched off, the card reader preferably includes a battery operated power supply. The battery is preferably only used in the event of a power failure or on switching off the machine.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, there is shown a practical card reader embodying the invention.

The card holder has a chassis 40 in which are formed grooves 42 for receiving the edges 6,8 of the card to guide it along a path.

A motor 44 drives one of a pair of pinch rollers 46,48 through gears (not shown). The grooves terminate at the pinch rollers.

Opposed to the pinch roller 46 is a magnetic read head for reading the code stored in the magnetic stripe on the card. The sensors 12 and 26 are placed one either side of the pinch rollers.

The gate 16 is pivotally mounted on a pin 48 down stream (in the direction of insertion) of the sensors 12 and 26. The tag 32 is at the end of an arm which with another arm 52 acts as a counterweight which biases the plate 16 to the position illustrated. In this position the top edge 22 of the plate 16 jams against the inside surface 54 of the chassis which thereby acts as a stop to prevent the plate 16 pivoting past the position shown. As in Figure 1, a card being inserted is driven by the pinch rollers to push the plate 16 down. Once past the plate, a card cannot be withdrawn even if a string is attached to it. The string will pass over the plate 16 falling in one of the triangular notches 56 illustrated in Figure 3. Pulling the string will assist the counter-weight to pull the plate 16 to its closed position illustrated. The card cannot be drawn past the plate 16. Ledges 58 prevent the card from reaching the top of the plate 16.

The sensors 12,26,30 are connected to the micro computer (not shown in Figure 2) which performs the same functions as in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1.

Claims (11)

1. A card reader having means for receiving a card, means for signalling a credit responsive to receipt of an acceptable card, means for detecting the direction of movement of a card in the reader, and means for signalling an alarm condition if the direction next detected after signalling a credit corresponds with the card being withdrawn from the reader.

2. A card reader as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the means for detecting comprises first and second card sensors arranged sequentially along the path of a card so that when a card is received it first passes the first sensor and then passes the second sensor; and wherein the means for signalling an alarm condition is responsive to the card being sensed by the second sensor before the card is sensed by the first sensor, to signal the alarm condition.

3, A card reader as claimed in Claim 2, including a battery powered supply so arranged that the sensors and the means for signalling an alarm condition remain operational with the apparatus switched off or in the event of a power failure.

4. A card reader having means for receiving a card and transporting the card along a path, a gate pivoted for movement between a position in which the gate closes the path, and a position in which the path is open, and means biassing the gate to its closed position, the gate being movable against the bias to the open position by insertion of a card into the reader.

5. A card reader as claimed in Claim 4, including means for sensing whether the gate is in its closed position means for sensing the presence of a card downstream (in the direction of insertion) of the gate; end means for signalling an alarm condition in response to a condition in which an acceptable card has been sensed and then cleared but the gate is not sensed to be closed.

6. A card reader as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein the gate has an edge remote from the pivot which edge has slots or notches therein.

7. A card reader as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, including a battery powered supply so arranged that the sensors and the means for signalling an alarm condition remain operational with the apparatus switched off or in the event of a power failure.

8. A card reader having means for receiving a card, means for determining whether a card is acceptable, means for detecting the direction of movement of a card in the reader, and means responsive to the determination of an acceptable card for signalling a credit only if the card is not being withdrawn from the reader.

9. A card reader as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means for detecting the direction of movement of the card comprises first and second card sensors arranged sequentially along the path of a card so that when a card is received it first passes the first sensor and then passes the second sensor; and means for signalling a credit responsive to detection of an acceptable card to signal a credit only if both sensors are clear.

10. A card reader as claimed in Claim 4 including means for sensing whether the gate is in its closed position; means for sensing the presence of a card downstream (in the direction of insertion) of the gate; and means for signalling a credit only if an acceptable card has been sensed and cleared and the gate is sensed to be closed,

11. A card reader as claimed in Claim 9, including means for sensing the presence of a card upstream of the gate, and wherein a credit is signalled only if an acceptable card has been sensed and cleared by the downstream sensor, the upstream sensor is clear, and the gate is sensed closed.