Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-03
2001-01-23
Lee, Michael G (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
C235S377000, C235S475000, C235S479000, C235S480000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176424
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a unit for processing chip and/or magnetic stripe cards—a so-called card personalization unit. Such a unit on the one and records card-/user-specific data on a chip (semiconductor element) and/or the magnetic stripe, and, on the other hand, it applies card-/user-specific data onto the card body. To this end, a unit of this type comprises a processing station for chips and/or magnetic stripes, into which processing facilities for chips and, if applicable, magnetic stripes are integrated in a well-known manner, and a processing station for the card body. Whereas the data recorded on the chip or the magnetic stripe may, as a general rule, be modified, because the corresponding filing media are overwritable, the data applied onto the card body cannot be modified. The unmodifiable data are applied onto the card body by means of, for example, laser inscribing, thermotransfer imprinting or embossing. The format of these cards is standardized by international standards (refer to ISO 7810).
A unit of this kind is described DE 30 49 607. In this unit, the cards, taken from a card magazine containing the cards to be processed, in succession first run through a chip and/or magnetic stripe processing station, where the modifiable data are recorded, and after that through the card body processing station, where the unmodifiable, visible data (alphanumeric characters, bar code, photograph, letterset embossing) are applied. In the course of this process, and following recording of the modifiable data on the chip and/or magnetic stripe and before applying the unmodified data, a verification for proper recording is performed. This verification may take place in the chip and/or magnetic stripe processing stations or in a separate verification station. Cards exhibiting inaccurate modifiable data recordings on the chip and/or magnetic stripe are not forwarded to the card body processing station, where the unmodifiable data are applied. These cards are rejected. In this unit however, cards, on which the unmodifiable data to be applied in the card body processing station were recorded incorrectly or with defects, are not rejected. The consequence of this is, that in automatic packaging processes of cards for shipment to customers or card distributors, cards with incorrectly or defectively applied data are shipped as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A unit for processing chip and/or magnetic stripe cards (K), comprising at least one card storage magazine for storage of cards to be processed; at least one processing station for chips and/or magnetic stripes, to record data on a chip and/or the magnetic stripe on the cards from the at least one storage magazine, with the accuracy of the data recorded there being verified and cards with incorrectly recorded data being rejected; at least one card body processing station to apply visible, unmodifiable data onto the card body; and an optical identification station with an evaluation unit to verify the accuracy and/or quality of the data applied onto the card body, with cards containing incorrectly or defectively applied visible data being rejected as defective.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the optical identification station includes an image evaluation device and structure to record the image of a card to be evaluated.
In yet a further aspect of the present invention, the optical identification station includes a minimum of one CCD-camera with an image evaluation device.
In yet a further aspect of the present invention, the optical identification station includes structure to have the card stand still during image recording.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the optical identification station includes structure to have the card transported during image recording.
In yet a further aspect of the present invention, the optical identification station includes a device for conveying and positioning the cards to be checked, with a substantially unobstructed inspection window onto the card, with the conveying and positioning device comprising: a mounting frame held in a housing, with an entry slot, and an exit slot which is situated in alignment opposite to the entry slot; in the same direction as a card conveying direction, an entry centering device downstream of the entry slot and an exit centering device upstream of the exit slot, both of which serve to center cards on a card conveying plane (x,y), and where the unobstructed inspection window is installed between the entry centering device and the exit centering device; guide rollers for the cards disposed between the entry slot and the exit slot, running parallel to the card conveying direction, and arranged in a row side by side on pivoted bearings in the mounting frame, with the rotational axes for the guide rollers running vertical to the card conveying plane (x,y); and opposite to and distanced from the guide rollers, a conveyor belt stretching approximately along the length of the row of guide rollers, which belt revolves between a motor-driven driving roller and another driving roller, the rotational axes of which run vertical to the card conveying plane (x,y), so that for conveying and positioning, the cards (K) are held between the guide rollers and the conveyor belt by their two long edges and are maintained under a lateral pressure.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the optical identification station includes a first camera, which is aimed onto a front of a card and a second camera, which is aimed to a back of the card.
The enclosed drawings contain a more detailed description of the unit as envisaged by the invention, as well as an illustration of its advantages.
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ORGA, Overview of personalisation systems * Missing Month & Year.
Elektronik Praxis, Eletronik Prascis, No. 12, Jun. 1995, p. 108.
Banse Reinhard
Krupke Frank
Meyer-Wittreck Udo
Roebke Steffen
Ruebbelke Hermann
Foley & Lardner
Lee Michael G
Orga Kartensysteme GmbH
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