Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Recording on or reproducing from an element of diverse utility – Card
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-19
2001-05-15
Faber, Alan T. (Department: 2651)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Recording on or reproducing from an element of diverse utility
Card
C360S051000, C235S436000, C235S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233104
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data processing techniques and, in particular, to a system and method for reading data from a magnetic strip and for interfacing the data with electrical systems.
2. Related Art
It is often desirable to store information on a magnetic strip located on a plastic card or other device. For example, a magnetic strip; also known as a magnetic stripe, is typically located on the back of a credit card. The credit card is swiped through a card reader that reads information from the magnetic strip and processes the data from the magnetic strip through techniques well known in the art.
Many credit cards include three rows or tracks of data within the magnetic strip. Therefore, the card reader often includes three separate reading devices that read information from a respective track of the magnetic strip. Each reading device serially transmits the data read from the magnetic strip to a computer system that processes the data. In this regard, each reading device transmits a notification signal to the computer system prior to reading data from the magnetic strip. In response to the notification signal, the computer system prepares to receive data After the notification signal is transmitted, the reading device serially transmits the data read from the magnetic strip to the computer system.
Serial transmission is inefficient because it takes a relatively long time to transmit the data bit by bit to the computer system. Furthermore, the computer system is usually required to respond to the notification messages from the reading devices even if there are other tasks that need to be performed by the computer system. If the computer system does not respond to a notification message in a timely fashion, then data could be lost. As a result, many computer systems are designed to immediately respond to notification messages from the reading devices even though it may be more efficient for the computer system to perform other tasks before receiving data from the reading devices.
Further decreasing the efficiency of the computer system is the fact that the computer system is usually required to receive data from each reading device separately. Therefore, the computer system is usually required to manage the reception of three separate and sometimes simultaneous flows of data from the reading devices.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry for providing a system and method of efficiently interfacing data read from a magnetic strip. It is desirable that the interface system be integrated so that an external computer system does not have to manage separate flows of data. It is further desirable for the interface system to transmit the data from the magnetic strip in parallel (i.e., via data words) so that the amount of time required to transmit the data is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the inadequacies and deficiencies of the prior art as discussed hereinbefore. In general, the present invention provides a system and method for interfacing data read from a magnetic strip.
The present invention utilizes a magnetic strip interface, a first data handler, a second data handler, and a control mechanism. The magnetic strip interface reads data from a first track and a second track of a magnetic strip. The magnetic strip interface transmits the data read from the first track to the first data handler, which converts this data into a first data word, and the magnetic strip interface also transmits the data read from the second track to the second data handler, which converts this data into a second data word. The first and second data handlers transmit the first and second data words, respectively, in response to command signals transmitted from the control mechanism.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention the first and second data handlers transmit the first and second data words, respectively, to a multiplexer in response to the command signals. The multiplexer transmits the first and second data words received from the first and second data handlers, respectively, in response to control signals transmitted from the control mechanism.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the control mechanism utilizes a priority scheme to control when the first and second command signals are transmitted to the data handlers. The priority scheme may be based on various factors including the amount of data stored in each of the tracks of the magnetic strip.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the first and second data handlers respectively define headers in the first and second data words to indicate the track from which the first and second data words are read.
The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for interfacing data from magnetic strips. Briefly described, the method can be broadly conceptualized by the following steps: reading data from a first track of a magnetic strip; reading data from a second track of a magnetic strip; converting the data from the first track into a first data word; converting the data from the second track into a second data word; transmitting the first data word; transmitting the second data word; and controlling which of the transmitting steps to perform first.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention and protected by the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4680732 (1987-07-01), DiCenzo
patent: 4794642 (1988-12-01), Arbabzadah et al.
patent: 5452143 (1995-09-01), Kamagami
patent: 5455408 (1995-10-01), Urata et al.
Agilent Technologie,s Inc.
Faber Alan T.
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