Card reader

Details Card reader Card reader

1998-11-25

2001-04-17

Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)

Registers

Coded record sensors

Holding devices

C235S492000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06216954

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card reader capable of reading data from and/or writing data to a card by wireless transmission.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 11
is a perspective exterior view of a prior art card reader. Referring to
FIG. 11
, an antenna unit
101
for transmitting and receiving signals, a power supply circuit
102
, and a control circuit
103
are enclosed within a main body
100
.
When a card
110
(enclosing an antenna unit and an integrated circuit element inside) is brought in close proximity to the main body
100
, in a direction of an arrow
120
, signals are exchanged by means of a magnetic field between the antenna unit
101
enclosed in the main body
100
and the antenna unit enclosed in the card
110
, so as to convert or erase data within a memory in the integrated circuit element (“IC”), or to store data from the main body
100
into the IC inside of the card
110
.
Card readers of the type described above are utilized as input/output devices of systems that deal with commuting passes, prepaid cards, etc., since the data in a card
110
can be rewritten by simply bringing the card
110
in near proximity to the main body
100
.
Also, another prior art card reader is provided with a card transfer path, through which a card is transferred by transfer rollers, etc. to a predetermined position, and signals are exchanged at the position between an antenna unit inside the card reader and an antenna unit in the card.
While the above prior art structure is convenient because it carries out communication between the card
110
and the main body
100
by simply bringing the card
110
near to the main body
100
, it is also inconvenient, on the other hand, since the card
110
does not provide a visible display of data that are stored in the card, for example, the balance of money left for the card in the case of a system for processing a prepaid card.
Although a card reader of the type having a card transfer path can store information for visible display, they are not suitable for application in a system for handling commuting passes (including passenger tickets), etc., because they take time to transfer the cards and are slow to process the cards when used for the sole purpose of exchanging data between the cards and the card readers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a card reader, which is capable of communicating data by bringing a card in close proximity to a body of the card reader and also by having the card travel through a card transfer path, both within one body.
The card reader of the present invention has a body cover, a card transfer path provided within the body cover, a transfer means for transferring a card inserted in the card transfer path and a wireless communication means for communicating with the card in wireless transmission. With this structure, the card reader is able to execute communication between the card inserted in the card transfer path and the wireless communication means, and communication between the wireless communication means and the card when the card is brought into close proximity to the body cover.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 4742215 (1988-05-01), Daughters et al.
patent: 5175418 (1992-12-01), Tanaka
patent: 5382781 (1995-01-01), Inoue
patent: 5917177 (1999-06-01), Owa et al.
patent: 5932869 (1999-08-01), Gottlich et al.
patent: 6000607 (1999-12-01), Ohki et al.
patent: 6024286 (2000-02-01), Bradley et al.
patent: 0 435 137 (1991-07-01), None
patent: 2 308 213 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 5-217032 (1993-08-01), None
patent: 6-036087 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 6-096300 (1994-04-01), None
patent: 11-120304 (1999-04-01), None
patent: 93/02430 (1993-02-01), None
patent: WO 9746964 (1997-12-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 011, No. 311 (P-625), Oct. 12, 1987 & JP 62 102384 A (Toshiba Corp), May 12, 1987.

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