Patent ID: 6817524
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: G06K,G07B

Abstract:
A ticket reader/writer for processing a plurality of tickets in an automatic fare collection device, each of the plurality of tickets having at least one magnetic stripe located on at least one of a ticket top surface or a ticket bottom surface, the ticket reader/writer comprising:at least one side plate having a plurality of holes for accepting a plurality of rollers; the plurality of holes comprising: a plurality of entrance holes; a plurality of exits holes; and a plurality of center holes; at least one belt assembly comprising; an upper entrance roller and a lower entrance roller of the plurality of rollers, the upper entrance roller and the lower entrance roller located in two of the plurality of entrance holes, the the upper entrance roller and the lower entrance roller being adapted to accept a ticket of the plurality of tickets at a predetermined entry angle; an upper exit roller and a lower exit roller of the plurality of rollers, the upper exit roller and the lower exit roller located in two of the plurality of exit holes, the two of the plurality of exit rollers chosen to eject the ticket at a predetermined exit angle; at least one upper center roller and at least one lower center roller of the plurality of rollers, the at least one upper center roller and the at least one lower center roller located in two of the plurality of center holes; an upper belt stretched around the upper entrance roller, the at least one upper center roller, and the upper exit roller; and a lower belt stretched around the lower entrance roller, the at least one lower center roller, and the lower exit roller; wherein the upper belt and the lower belt form a transport path therebetween for the ticket; a drive mechanism for rotating at least one of the plurality of rollers in a forward direction to move the ticket through the transport path; and at least one magnetic head for reading from and writing to the ticket, the at least one magnetic head located adjacent one of the at least one lower center roller and the at least one upper center roller, the at least one magnetic head further positioned along a width of the ticket reader/writer corresponding to a placement of the at least one magnetic stripe of the ticket; and wherein, the rollers, the belts, and the magnetic head may be reconfigured so that the ticket reader/writer may be adapted to process tickets with different magnetic stripe locations.