Registers – Coded record sensors – Feed mechanisms
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-19
2001-03-13
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Feed mechanisms
C235S475000, C235S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199760
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magnetic card readers, and more particularly to a magnetic card reader which identifies a magnetic card, and insert it into the magnetic card reader.
2. Related Art
FIG. 3
is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of a conventional magnetic card reader. In the magnetic card reader, the magnetic card inserted into the reader is conveyed to a predetermined position to perform data recording and reading operations. In this case, in order to avoid the insertion of an incorrect card—different in kind, the magnetism of the card is detected with a prehead
101
provided at the card inserting inlet, and with a shutter operated in association with the prehead
101
the insertion of the incorrect card is prevented.
As for such a card reader, especially as for a small card reader, there is a strong demand for elimination of the prehead
101
to increase the space thereby to decrease the manufacturing cost. In order to meet this requirement, in one example of the magnetic card reader, a magnetic head
103
for magnetic data is also used as the prehead
101
.
On the other hand, the magnetic card reader which is so designed that the magnetic head
103
operates also as the prehead
101
, suffers from the following problem: For instance in the case where a card different in configuration or having a hole has been inserted in the card reader, the sensor operates erroneously, so that the card may be caught in the reader or cannot be taken out. This problem may be solved if, before the card has been fully inserted in the reader, it is detected whether or not it is a correct one.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a magnetic card reader in which the magnetic has the identifying function of the prehead, and before a card has been fully inserted into the reader, it is determined whether or not the card is a correct one or its kind is detected.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic card reader comprising:
card take-in means for taking a magnetic card in a card reader which is inserted in a card inserting inlet;
a magnetic head for reproducing magnetic data which is provided on said magnetic card;
detecting means for detecting the insertion of said magnetic card, said detecting means being nearer to said card inserting inlet than to said magnetic head,
wherein when said detecting means detects the insertion of said magnetic card, said card take-in means starts a card take-in operation, when, during said card take-in operation, said magnetic head detects a predetermined signal which has been recorded on said magnetic card in advance, said card take-in operation is continued, and said magnetic head reproduces said magnetic data, and when said predetermined signal is not detected by said magnetic head, said card take-in operation is stopped.
As was described above, in the magnetic card reader of the invention, when, after the card take-in means starts the magnetic card take-in operation, the predetermined signal recorded in the magnetic card in advance is detected by the magnetic head, the magnetic card take-in operation is continued, and the magnetic data is reproduced by the magnetic head; and when the predetermined signal is not detected by the magnetic head, the magnetic card take-in operation is stopped. Therefore, only a correct magnetic card can be taken in the magnetic card reader. Furthermore, in the magnetic card reader of the invention, the distance between the card inserting inlet and the magnetic head is shorter than the length of the magnetic card as viewed in the direction of conveyance. Hence, before the whole magnetic card is taken in the card reader, it can be determined whether the card is correct or not. This feature eliminates the difficulty that the magnetic card is caught in the card reader.
In the magnetic card reader of the invention, the magnetic head detects the presence or absence of the predetermined signal of the magnetic card to determine whether the object inserted is a magnetic card. That is, in this case, the magnetic head has an ordinary function of reproducing or recording data on the magnetic card, and the function of determining whether the object inserted therein is a magnetic card or not. The magnetic card inserted into the magnetic card reader is brought into contact with the magnetic head, and when the predetermined signal is outputted, it is determined that the magnetic card is a correct one. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to use the prehead for identification of a magnetic card which has been used in the conventional art. This feature makes it possible to design the magnetic card read compact, and utilize the space economically.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4864114 (1989-09-01), Briane et al.
patent: 4907257 (1990-03-01), Asano et al.
patent: 4950877 (1990-08-01), Kuhihara et al.
patent: 5362951 (1994-11-01), Kanazawa et al.
Imai Eiji
Kuroiwa Yukio
Frech Karl D.
Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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