GB2398911A

GB2398911A - Card reader

Info

Publication number: GB2398911A
Application number: GB0304706A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gareth Alexander Richards; Enrique Garrido-Gadea
Original assignee: Dione PLC
Current assignee: Dione PLC
Priority date: 2003-02-28
Filing date: 2003-02-28
Publication date: 2004-09-01
Also published as: GB0304706D0

Abstract

A card reader, has a swipe slot 4 which is blocked at one end, along the slot is a magnetic stripe read head 20 at the blocked end of the slot is a smart card reading station, in the reading station is a smart card read head 17 having contacts (18), the reader has controlled slot blocking means 26 which prevents untimely removal of a card from the chip card reading station. The slot blocking means is preferably a solenoid controlled bar. Preferably there are optical sensors 22a, 22b which detect if a card is present in the smart card reading station.

Description

239891 1 Card Reader and Card Validation Apparatus

Description

The present invention relates to a card reader and a card validation apparatus. s

Card readers are know which can read both magnetic stripes and chips carried by a card, such as a credit card. Examples of such card readers are shown in GB-A 2343538 and EP-A-0863477.

The readers described in these documents enable both magnetic stripes and chips to be read using the same swiping action. Magnetic stripes are read as a card is swiped along a slot and chips are read when a card is parked at the end of the slot.

The aim of these "swipe and park" readers is to enable a same swiping action to be employed by a user irrespective of whether the card being read has magnetic strip or a chip. However, while magnetic stripes are read completely as the card passes a magnetic head, the card must remain parked for a few seconds if a chip is to be read. Consequently, there is the risk that the user, for example a supermarket check out operator, will withdraw chip cards too soon, requiring the card to be swiped again. Also, in self-service situations where the reader is operated by a customer, it is desirable that the card be retained by the reader if it is found to be invalid.

According to the present invention, there is provided a card reader comprising a card swipe slot which is blocked at one end, a chip card reading station for reading chip cards at rest at said blocked end of the slot, a slot roof member providing a roof over said slot at the chip card reading station and slot blocking means for controlled blocking of the slot to prevent, in combination with the slot roof member, removal of a card from the chip card reading station.

Preferably, a magnetic read head is mounted for reading magnetic stripes on cards being swiped along the slot. - 2

The blocking means may be a latch member that allows a card to pass when moving towards the chip card reading station but prevents movement in the other direction unless released. Alternatively, sensing means, e.g. optical sensing means, may be provided for detecting the presence of a card at the chip card reading station and s this signal can be used to trigger movement of the slot blocking means to its slot blocking position.

Preferably, the slot blocking means comprises a barrier member moveable transversely across the slot between retracted and blocking positions.

Preferably, the slot blocking means is driven by a solenoid.

A card reader according to the present invention may be used in a card validating apparatus together with processing means for validating a card read by the chip card reader. The processing means would be responsive to a card being valid, i.e. being physically correct and, preferably, still acceptable to the card issuer for authorising transactions, to operate the slot blocking means to unblock the slot.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first card reader according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows the internal components of the card reader of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic view of a card reading system including the card reader of Figure 1; Figures 4A to 4D illustrate a card reading process using the card reader of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a flowchart of the operation of a control circuit during the process of Figures 4A to 4D; Figure 6 is a schematic view of a second card reader according to the present invention; and Figure 7 show the internal components of a third card reader according to the present invention. - 3

Referring to Figure 1, a card reader 1 comprises an elongate body 2 having first and second ends (upper and lower ends in the orientation shown in Figure 1). A projection 3 projects from the second end of the body 2. A slot 4 extends along the body 2. A first end of the slot 4 is open at the first end of the body and terminates s at its other end in a tunnel 5 in the projection 3.

A card 6 is read by swiping it along the slot 4 from its first end so that it comes to rest partially within the tunnel 5.

Referring to Figure 2, the body 2 houses a plastic chassis 10. The chassis 10 comprises an elongate rectangular plate 11. The slot 4 is defined by first and second walls 12, 13 extending along the length of the plate 11. The walls 12, 13 flare apart at the slot entrance. The first wall 12 is generally L-shaped with a projecting portion 12a corresponding to the projection 3 of the body 2. The second wall 13 extends from the slot entrance to a point short of the projecting portion 12a of the first wall 12. A panel 14 is attached to the projecting portion 12a by screws to define the card receiving tunnel 5 and complete the slot 4.

The panel 14 has a large cutout 14a. A pair of curved arms 15,16 project through the cutout 14a and point towards the slot entrance to provide a stop for cards 6 being swiped.

The first wall 12 carries a carriage 17 on its projecting portion 12a. The carriage 17 has a small travel and is biased towards the slot entrance. The contacts 18 of a chip reader are provided on the carriage. A small tab 17a projects from the carriage 17.

When a card 6 is swiped into the tunnel 5, the leading edge of the card 6 contacts the tab 17a and the carriage 17 is driven until the card 6 comes to rest. As the carriage 17 is driven in this way, it is moved transversely towards the card 6 by a guide means (not shown) to ensure good electrical contact between the contacts 18 and the card 6. - 4

A sprung foot 19 is provided in the roof of the tunnel 5 to ensure that cards 6 are correctly positioned against the plate 11 when aligned with the chip reader contacts 18.

s A magnetic read head 20 is mounted to the second wall 13 by a simple leaf spring 21. The magnetic read head 20 projects into the slot 4 through an aperture (not shown) in the second wall 13.

An optical sensor, comprising a transmitter 22a and a receiver 22b, mounted on opposite sides of the tunnel 5, is provided for detecting when a card 6 has come to a rest in the correct position in the tunnel 5.

A pair of holes 23, 24 are formed in the first and second walls respectively at a position along the slot 4 which corresponds to the trailing edge of a card parked in the tunnel 5. A solenoid 25 is mounted to the plate 11 and aligned with the holes 23, 24 for driving a pin 26 (see Figure 3) to and fro through the holes 23, 24 and across the slot 4. The solenoid 25 is provided with a spring biasing arrangement so that the pin 26 is biased in or out, depending on its position. Consequently, the solenoid 25 does not need to remain energised to hold the pin in or out and only needs to be energised to overcome the biasing forces until the pin 26 has moved halfway.

Referring to Figure 3, the card reader 1 is connected electronically to a control circuit 30. The control circuit comprises a microprocessor or a microcontroller and conventional interface circuitry.

The control circuit 30 receives signals from the magnetic read head 20, the optical sensor's receiver 22b and the chip reader contacts 18 and outputs control signals to the solenoid 25. The control circuit 30 also outputs card data to an external device 31, e.g. a point of sale apparatus, and can receive control signals therefrom.

A card reading operation will now be described.

Referring to Figures 4A and 5, initially, the pin 26 retracted and a card 6 can be swiped in the direction of arrow A along the slot 4. If there is a magnetic stripe on the card 6, it is read by the magnetic read head 20 as the head 20 is passed by the card 6 (step sl).

Referring to Figures 4B and 5, when the card 6 comes to rest in the tunnel 5, the beam 32 of the optical sensor is cut. This causes the output of the optical receiver 22b to change and the control circuit 30 responds to this change (step s2) by energising the solenoid 25 briefly to drive the pin 26, in the direction of arrow B. across the slot 4 thereby blocking it (step s3).

Referring to Figures 4C and 5, the control circuit 30 attempts to read any chip in the card 6 (step s4) and then attempts to validate the card 6 (step s5). If the card is determined to be valid, the control circuit 30 energises the solenoid 25 again briefly to withdraw the pin 26 from the slot 4 in the direction of the arrow C. If the card 6 is invalid, the pin 26 is not retracted so that the invalid card 6 is taken out of service. Input of an authorised release signal from the point of sale or other apparatus 31 will cause the control circuit 30 to release a retained card.

The withdrawal of the pin 26 may be accompanied by an audible cue such as a beep for the operator.

Referring to Figure 4D, when the card 6 has been read and successfully validated, the user withdraws it from the slot 4 in the direction of the arrow D. Referring to Figure 6; a second card reader is identical to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 except that the pin 26 is replaced by a spring biased latch member 40, which is bias into a slot blocking position, and the solenoid 25 is energised for withdrawing the latch member 40 from the slot 4 to release cards. 3G o

As a card 6 is swiped down the slot 4, the latch member 40 is pushed aside.

However, when the card 6 has passed, the latch member 40 springs back to its - 6 original position and the card 6 cannot be withdrawn until the solenoid have been energised.

Referring to Figure 7, a third card reader is identical to that shown in Figure 1, s except that the optical sensor is replaced by a card-in-place switch 50 mounted in the carriage 17. The card-in-place switch 50 is closed when a card 6 is at the closed end of the slot 4 and the carriage has been forced against the card 6.

The output of the card-in-place switch 50 replaces the output of the optical sensor as an input to the associated control circuit and the solenoid 25 is operated to block the slot 4 when the switch 50 is closed. Thus, in this embodiment, the test at step s2 in Figure 5 becomes "switch closed?".

It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the embodiment described above. For instance, the magnetic read head may be omitted, in which case the slot may be shortened. - 7

Claims

Claims 1. A card reader comprising: a card swipe slot which is blocked at

one end; s a chip card reading station for reading chip cards at rest at said blocked end of the slot; a slot roof member providing a roof over said slot at the chip card reading station; and slot blocking means for controlled blocking of the slot to prevent, in combination with the slot roof member, removal of a card from the chip card reading station.
2. A card reader according to claim 1, including a magnetic read head mounted for reading magnetic stripes on cards being swiped along the slot.
3. A card reader according to claim 1 or 2, including sensing means for detecting the presence of a card at the chip card reading station.
4. A card reader according to claim 3, wherein the sensing means comprises optical sensing means.
5. A card reader according to any preceding claim, wherein the slot blocking means comprises a barrier member moveable transversely across the slot between retracted and blocking positions.
6. A card reader according to any preceding claim, wherein the slot blocking means is driven by a solenoid.
7. A card validating apparatus including a card reader according to any preceding claim and processing means for validating a card read by the chip card reader, wherein the processing means is responsive to a card being valid to operate the slot blocking means to unblock the slot.