Patent ID: 6073836
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: G07B

Abstract:
A gate reader for reading and updating a data carrying medium which carries both encoded information and visibly readable symbols corresponding to the encoded information, comprising:a housing having a receiving slot for receiving the data carrying medium, an exit slot for ejecting one of the data carrying medium and a new data carrier that is a substitute for the data carrying medium, and a primary pathway connecting said two slots for conveying the data carrying medium and the new data carrier;a container for storing a blank new data carrier, and a further pathway connecting said container to said primary pathway for conveying the blank new data carrier onto said primary pathway;decoding and updating means adjacent to said primary pathway for reading the encoded information on the data carrying medium, and for updating the encoded information on the data carrying medium and writing encoded information onto the blank new data carrier based on information from a source of information that is external to said housing that is related to the information carried by the data carrying medium, said decoding and updating means for being connected to the source of information to determine whether the encoded information is correct, whether the encoded information should be updated if the encoded information is not correct, and whether the new data carrier should be issued to replace the data carrying medium;a printer adjacent to said primary pathway for printing updated visibly readable symbols onto the data carrying medium if the encoded information is to be updated and for printing the visibly readable symbols onto the blank new data carrier if the new data carrier is to be issued, based on information from the external source of information; anda discard pathway connected to said primary pathway for disposing of the data carrying medium if the new data carrier is to be issued.