Abstract:
The invention relates to a device ( 10 ) comprising a housing wherein a communication station is accommodated, said communication station comprising an inner antenna ( 12 ), wherein the housing comprises a wall ( 14 ) which has a transversal outer communication surface ( 16 ) which is generally vertical and which is fitted close to the inner antenna ( 12 ) and which is permeable in relation to electromagnetic waves, wherein the inner antenna ( 12 ) can communicate electromagnetically (E) in a remote manner with a data medium ( 18 ), more particularly in the form of a card, when a user places the data medium ( 18 ) against the outer communication surface ( 16 ), characterized in that the communication surface ( 16 ) comprises means ( 22 ) for maintaining the data medium ( 18 ) in a pressed position in relation to the communication surface ( 16 ).

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application is a national phase application of PCT/FR2004/00796, which in turn claims the benefit of priority from French Patent Application No. 03 04057, filed on Mar. 31, 2003, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a device comprising a housing wherein an inner antenna that is connected to a data processing device is accommodated. 
   SUMMARY 
   The invention relates more particularly to a device comprising a housing wherein a communication station comprising an inner antenna is accommodated and of the type wherein the housing comprises a wall which has a transversal outer communication surface which is generally vertical, close to the inner antenna and permeable to electromagnetic waves and wherein the inner antenna can communicate electromagnetically in a remote manner with a data medium, more particularly in the form of a card, when a user places the data medium against the outer communication surface. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Certain devices, in particular automatic devices, are intended to be used by users possessing a specific data medium, for example an integrated circuit card. 
   In integrated circuit cards, a main body of the card, made from a plastics material, incorporates at least one electronic circuit, also called a microchip. Prior art cards with contactless integrated circuits, also known as transponders, include an antenna accommodated within the support card to enable the integrated circuit to communicate electromagnetically with the device. 
   The device comprises a communication station adapted to encrypt or decrypt data exchanged electromagnetically with the data medium. The station includes in particular an antenna for communicating with the data medium. 
   Because it includes vulnerable elements that may be damaged by external attack, the station is generally enclosed in a protective housing. 
   At least one wall of the housing includes a surface permeable to electromagnetic waves to allow communication between the data medium and the station. This surface is referred to as the communication surface in the remainder of this description. 
   Various standards define the type of card and the type of station to be used as a function of the maximum required communication distance between the card and the station. The present invention relates to devices of the type in which the data medium communicates with the station over a short distance (a few millimeters) and/or in the vicinity (at a distance of a few centimeters). The communication surface must therefore be situated in the vicinity of the inner antenna. 
   The communication surface is generally integrated into a card-receiving location. This receiving location is generally made obvious on the device to show the user where the communication surface onto which he must press the contactless card is located. 
   In one prior art design, devices using this type of card are equipped with a receiving location of the card reader type. The housing includes a slot, which is generally horizontal, into which the user inserts the card edge-on in order to carry out a transaction, for example to make a payment. 
   However, repeated contact of the card with the reader causes the card to become worn. 
   Moreover, the operation of inserting the card into the reader takes some time, because the user generally keeps his card in a protective case and/or in a wallet. He must therefore extract the card from its case and then insert it into the slot of the reader. 
   Furthermore, this type of receiving location is not suited to use “on the fly”, where the user passes in front of the device without stopping, moving the card across the communication surface. 
   Finally, this kind of card reader is generally situated in a public place, and is therefore liable to be vandalized, for example by inserting chewing gum into the slot, which is then blocked. 
   Devices are also known in the art in which the receiving location is formed only by the communication surface, which is generally vertical, and against which the user presses his card. Thanks to this type of device, the user can use the card without taking it out of its case, and even without taking it out of his wallet. This type of receiving location is in particular very suitable for on the fly use. 
   However, this type of device is not suitable for prolonged use of the card. The user is obliged to hold the card pressed against the communication surface by hand throughout the transaction. 
   OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To solve the above problems, the invention proposes a device of the type described above that is characterized in that the communication surface comprises means for holding the data medium pressed against the communication surface. 
   According to other features of the invention:
         the holding means have a lower transverse retaining surface that extends forward globally perpendicularly from the bottom of the communication surface to prevent the data medium sliding downward;   the communication surface has a transverse rim that extends longitudinally and perpendicularly from the communication surface and whose upper face forms the lower retaining surface;   the communication surface is slightly inclined relative to a vertical plane so that the data medium is held pressed against the communication surface by its own weight;   the holding means include two parallel lateral uprights that project from the communication surface and extend perpendicularly upward from each of the edges of the retaining surface, the uprights being spaced by a distance globally equal to a transverse dimension of the data medium to delimit, with the retaining surface, a receiving location intended to receive the data medium and encompassing at least a portion of the communication surface;   the device includes means for preventing objects significantly more bulky than the data medium from being placed on the retaining surface;   the retaining surface has a longitudinal width globally equal to the longitudinal thickness of the data medium;   the angle of inclination of the communication surface to the vertical direction is less than a limiting angle so that an object whose center of gravity is substantially offset longitudinally forward relative to the center of gravity of the data medium tilts relative to the retaining surface;   the retaining surface includes means for evacuating liquids liable to flow from the communication surface as far as the retaining surface;   the retaining surface has liquid evacuation orifices at least at its edges;   the retaining surface has a transverse declivity to encourage the flow of liquid toward the evacuation orifices;   the retaining surface is formed by at least two lugs that extend perpendicularly forward from the communication surface.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of reading the following detailed description, for an understanding of which refer to the appended drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view representing diagrammatically a device that is equipped with an inner antenna and which includes means conforming to the teachings of the invention for holding a data medium pressed against a communication surface; 
       FIG. 2  is a view in section taken along the line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 3  and represents the communication surface equipped with the holding means from  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 1  device; and 
       FIG. 4  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 2  showing the communication surface with an object that is more bulky than the data medium placed thereon. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The remainder of the description relates to longitudinal, vertical and transverse orientations indicated by the orthogonal axes L, V, T in  FIG. 1 . 
     FIG. 1  shows a transaction device  10 . The device  10  takes the general form of a housing that accommodates an antenna  12  of a communication station (not shown). 
   The device  10  has a vertical transverse front wall  14 . The front wall  14  here has an exterior communication surface  16  facing and in the vicinity of the inner antenna  12 . The communication surface  16  is transverse and globally vertical. 
   A data medium  18  in the form of a card is intended to have its rear face  19  pressed against the communication surface  16  by the user. The data medium  18  is an integrated circuit card, for example, and includes means for remote electromagnetic communication with the inner antenna  12 . The electromagnetic communication is indicated in  FIG. 1  by the arrow E. 
   Here the data medium  18  has a thickness in the longitudinal direction that is small relative to its transverse width and its vertical height. 
   It is to be understood that in the remainder of the description the term “data medium” applies to a microchip card, a ticket or any other medium of similar dimensions. The expression “data medium  18 ” encompasses also a case containing the card type medium, which may be a pocket with similar dimensions to the card or a wallet in which the card is kept. 
   The communication surface  16  is permeable to the electromagnetic waves E and is in the vicinity of the inner antenna  12  so that it is in the range of the inner antenna  12 , i.e. so that:
         the inner antenna  12  can emit electromagnetic waves E that reach the communication surface  16 , and   the inner antenna  12  can pick up electromagnetic waves E that are emitted by the data medium  18  pressed against the communication surface  16 .       

   According to the teachings of the invention, the communication surface  16  is part of a receiving location for the data medium  18  that includes means for holding the card  18  pressed against the communication surface  16  without intervention by the user. 
   The communication surface  16  has a transverse lower rim  20  that extends longitudinally toward the front. The rim  20  has an upper face  22  that forms a lower retaining surface intended to retain the data medium  18  vertically in order to prevent it sliding downward. The retaining surface  22  is globally perpendicular to the communication surface  16 . The retaining surface  22  is adapted to support a transverse lower edge  23  of the data medium  18 . 
   The retaining surface  22  has a maximum longitudinal width globally equal to the thickness of the data medium  18 . The width of the retaining surface  22  is sufficient to prevent the data medium  18  sliding downward or tipping forward. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the communication surface  16  is inclined at an angle α to the vertical direction so that the lower edge  20  of the communication surface  16  is longitudinally in front of an upper edge  24  thereof. Accordingly, the rear face  19  of the data medium  18  is held pressed against the communication surface  16  by its own weight. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the communication surface  16  includes two vertical uprights  26  that project forward. The uprights  26  are parallel to each other and extend upward substantially from the edges  28  of the retaining surface  22 . 
   The uprights  26  and the retaining surface  22  surround the receiving location of the communication surface  16  that is intended to receive the data medium  18 . The uprights  26  have a depth in the longitudinal direction that is large enough to maintain the data medium  18  transversely and small enough not to constitute an obstacle to the data medium  18  during an on the fly passage of the data medium  18  along a globally transverse trajectory. 
   The edges  28  of the retaining surface  22  and the lower edges  30  of each upright  26  are advantageously not joined together, so as to form orifices for evacuating liquid. Accordingly, if a liquid is retained by the retaining surface  22 , it is easier to expel it by sweeping it transversely toward one of the edges through which the liquid can flow. 
   The transverse outside edge of the retaining surface  22  has a rounded shape with no sharp corners to facilitate cleaning of the device, for example by wiping it with a cloth. 
   In a variant that is not shown, the retaining surface  22  has a slight transverse declivity toward one or both of its edges  28  so that retained liquid flows by gravity toward the edges  28 . 
   In another variant that is not shown, the communication surface  16  is slightly domed at the intersection with the retaining surface  22  so that retained liquid flows by gravity toward the edges  28 . 
   In a further variant that is not shown, the retaining surface  22  includes a transverse gutter situated at the intersection with the communication surface  16 . The liquid therefore flows along the gutter to the edges  28 . 
   In a further embodiment that is not shown, the rim  20  includes substantially vertical channels whereof an upper orifice opens onto the retaining surface  22  and the lower end discharges to the outside of the device. 
   In a first embodiment, the communication surface  16  is a separate part that is fixed to the front wall  14  of the device  10 . The uprights  26  and the rim  20  are formed in one piece with the communication surface  16 . 
   In a second embodiment, the uprights  26  and/or the lower rim  20  are formed in one piece with the front wall  14  and the communication surface  16  is an attached part. 
   When using the device  10 , the user places the edge  23  of the data medium  18  on the retaining surface  22 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the center of gravity G of the data medium  18  is longitudinally to the rear of the retaining surface  22 . Accordingly, the weight P of the data medium  18  presses its rear face  19  against the communication surface  16 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the width of the retaining surface  22  and the angle α of inclination of the communication surface  16  are such that an object  32  whose longitudinal thickness is significantly greater than the thickness of the data medium  18  tilts forward relative to the retaining surface  22 . The center of gravity G of the object  32  is longitudinally forward of the retaining surface  22 . The object  32  is therefore caused to rotate by its own weight P, in the direction of the arrow F, so as to fall off the device  10 . 
   Moreover, an object having a transverse dimension significantly greater than that of the data medium  18  cannot be placed on the retaining surface  22 . The uprights  26  prevent access to the retaining surface  22  for this kind of object. 
   In a variant that is not shown, the retaining surface  22  is formed by at least two lugs that extend perpendicularly forward from the communication surface  16 . The lugs are transversely aligned with the bottom of the communication surface  16 . The lugs are spaced transversely by a distance less than the transverse width of the data medium  18 . 
   Thus a liquid that flows off the communication surface  16  is not retained by the retaining surface  22 . The liquid is evacuated between the lugs. Moreover, this kind of retaining surface  22  prevents small objects such as tissue paper, etc. from being placed on top.