Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Banking systems
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-20
2004-10-19
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Banking systems
Reexamination Certificate
active
06805286
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In typical mass transit ticket applications, a user uses a card to store information, such as a monetary value or personal information about the user. If a monetary value is encoded on the card, each time the card is used the monetary value is reduced. Once the monetary value on the card is depleted, the card is no longer useful and either the user throws the card away or a machine captures the card for storage in a bin so the owner or operator of the machine can dispose of the card. Currently mass transit vending machines are not capable of re-circulating the used card for later use. Various types of cards, such as smart cards, magnetic cards or security passes can be used in a mass transit system.
The term “smart card” is typically used to refer to various types of devices having an embedded integrated circuit for storing information. Smart card communication devices are used to write information to the card and to read information from the card. Some smart card communication devices may only have the ability to read from the smart card. Therefore, a smart card communication device may be a smart card reader, or a smart card reader/writer.
Typically, the machine or smart card communication device is connected to a host computer that regulates transactions between the smart card and the smart card communication device. In some systems, however, the host computer may be part of the smart card communication device. Smart card systems may include any number of host computers and communication devices depending on the particular configuration and requirements of the system.
The smart card is a small, usually credit card shaped, device that contains at least a memory device for storing information and a transceiver to communicate with a smart card communication device. The smart card communication device communicates through the transceiver on the smart card to access the stored information. The smart card communication device may simply read the information, load the information into the memory device or modify existing data in the memory device. For example, if the owner of a smart card uses a smart card containing financial information to make a purchase, the smart card communication device can read the information including the owner's identity and the availability of funds. The smart card communication device can also deduct the purchase amount from the available funds if it has writing capabilities. Further, the communication device can store transaction data on the smart card including the time and location of the transaction in addition to the identity of the communication device.
Existing smart cards can be classified as either contact or non-contact smart cards. It is not necessary for non-contact smart cards (also referred to as proximity cards) to physically contact a smart card communication device to exchange data. Proximity cards typically employ modulated radio frequency (RF) field and impedance modulation techniques to transfer data between the proximity card and the proximity card device.
Once the information contained on the smart card is no longer useful to the user or the monetary value has been depleted, the card has to be discarded or replenished. A mass transit vending machine capable of accepting any type of card from a user, storing it, and reissuing later with new encoded information is desired. This process is known as re-circulating cards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a ticket transport machine that can re-circulate fare media cards.
In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a Ticket Transport Machine (TTM) contained in a vending machine accepts fare media cards of various types and dimensions through an input bezel. Once a user enters a card into the input bezel, the card is fed through entry rollers where it is transported onto a rotating carrier and passed under a smart card communication device known as a reader/writer antenna. The reader/writer antenna reads information encoded onto the card. Based upon information obtained from the card and instructions the user enters into a control panel on the front of the vending machine, the card is directed to one of five locations: the input bezel, a ticket chute, a first bin, a second bin or a first stacker .
If the user requests that additional information be added to the card, such as an increase in monetary value, the card is returned to the user either through the input bezel or through the ticket chute depending on how the ticket transport machine has been programmed. Typically, machines are programmed to return cards to a user through the ticket chute so if the user is receiving change, the card will be returned with the change. This helps ensure that the user will not forget to take his change. However, machines can be programmed to allow the owner to choose where the card will exit the machine.
If the user is finished using the card, the machine may keep the card and the card is transported to either the first bin, the second bin or the first stacker. The type of card determines where the machine directs the card for storage. Special cards, such as a card that is used for only a short allocated period of time as an advertisement, are transported to a first bin when the allocated period is over. If the reader/writer antenna and the card can not be read or the card is malfunctioning, it is transported to the second or reject bin. However, if the card is read and it is determined that the card can be used again, or re-circulated to another user, the card is transported to the first stacker. If the first stacker is full, the card is transported to the first bin.
The machine is also comprised of a second stacker to store new cards that have not been placed into circulation yet. Generally the owner of the machine loads the second stacker with unused cards and when a user requests a new card from the machine, a card is retrieved by a feeder mechanism from the second stacker and transported onto the rotating transport carrier. The rotating transport carrier transports the card under the reader/writer antenna where is it is encoded with information provided by the user, such as a monetary value if the card is being used for transportation. Once the card is encoded, the card is returned to the user either through the input bezel or the ticket chute as described above.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4851651 (1989-07-01), Gaucher
patent: 4968873 (1990-11-01), Dethloff et al.
patent: 5250793 (1993-10-01), Nagashima et al.
patent: 5438184 (1995-08-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 5440108 (1995-08-01), Tran et al.
patent: 5450051 (1995-09-01), Stromberg
patent: 5553320 (1996-09-01), Matsuura et al.
patent: 5553620 (1996-09-01), Snider et al.
patent: 5606158 (1997-02-01), Takemoto et al.
patent: 5753897 (1998-05-01), Kasper
patent: 5773805 (1998-06-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5796083 (1998-08-01), Kenneth et al.
patent: 5814796 (1998-09-01), Benson et al.
patent: 5829631 (1998-11-01), Kasper
patent: 5854477 (1998-12-01), Kawaji et al.
patent: 5949046 (1999-09-01), Kenneth et al.
patent: 5984181 (1999-11-01), Kreft
patent: 6129275 (2000-10-01), Urquhart et al.
patent: 6283368 (2001-09-01), Ormerod et al.
patent: 6394346 (2002-05-01), Bonneau et al.
patent: 6474549 (2002-11-01), Katou et al.
patent: 6481620 (2002-11-01), Katou et al.
patent: 2000342837 (2000-12-01), None
Hilton Graham H.
McWhirr Michael
Palmer Christopher
Pham Peter L.
Sansom Stephen W.
Cubic Corporation
Labaze Edwyn
Le Thien M.
LandOfFree
Dual magazine recirculating transport does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Dual magazine recirculating transport, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dual magazine recirculating transport will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3331025