CARD READING APPARATUS

Abstract: An apparatus for reading data (30,32,34) from a card (10) introduced through a slot (14) in a facia (16) comprises a slider (44) storing elastic energy in springs (46) as the card (10) is inserted and having its velocity of translation along the path controlled by a controller (36) such that a transducer (40) is operative to recover recorded data (28) from the card (10) when the controller (36) controls the velocity of the card (10) past the transducer (40) when the card (10) is pushed into the slot (14) by a user, or when the card (10) is pushed back out through the slot (14) by the springs (46) or both. The speed controller (36) can feature electrical dynamo loads, clockwork or pneumatic devices.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for reading information on cards inserted into equipment to allow access to or use of that equipment. It is known to use card readers in bank autotelling equipment, security access systems, and in equipment where only authorised users should gain access, for information recorded on a card to be read. The recovered information can then be used to control access to or use of the equipment or facility. Card readers known in the art are relatively complex devices employing motor-driven paths along which a card, introduced through the slot, is conducted past reading apparatus, for information recorded on the card to be recovered. A complex and costly motor driven path then returns the card through the slot to the user or otherwise disposes of the card should it not be desired to return the card to the user. The complexity and cost of card readers has restricted their use to high value installations where either the use of a card reader is unavoidable or the card reader forms only a small part of the overall system cost. Belgian Patent BE-A-862784 shows a card reader wherein stored energy, in a spring, compressed by insertion of a card, is released by electrical energization permissive of release of a ratchet and pawl mechanism in successive stages. This apparatus has the disadvantage of unidirectionality of control, need for an external energy source, and need for a control mechanism to time successive ratchet releases. The present invention seeks to provide an improved card reader requiring no powered motors or external control of any kind, of extreme economy of construction and requiring no direct supply of electrical power whatsoever and permitting unidirectional or bidirectional speed control. The present invention therefore seeks to provide a card reader of a cost and simplicity rendering it suitable for inclusion in all manner of equipment which, on grounds of cost and complexity, would otherwise not be considered suitable for inclusion of a card readers. Such equipment includes telephones, radio and television equipment, simple door locks, low cost computer terminals, typewriters, word processors, photo-copiers and the like. According to the present invention there is provided a card reading apparatus including a path for supporting and guiding a card and for allowing movement of a card therealong; a transducer operative to detect information recorded on a card as the card is moved along said path; an energy store operative to engage a card and to store elastic energy as the card is inserted into and is moved along said path and further operative, when insertion force urging the card into and along said path is removed, to employ said stored energy to move the card along said path towards expulsion from said path; and a controller operative to control the rate of movement of a card along said path, said apparatus being characterized by said controller comprising an electrical generator for operating into a predetermined electrical load. In a preferred embodiment a card is introduced between slotted guide arms through a slot into a path wherein a magnetic or optical recording on the card passes beneath a transducer. A slider engages the leading edge of the card and moves along the guide slots compressing a spring as it is moved. A speed controller acts upon the slider to control its rate of movement. The card is pushed by the user through the slot against the elastic opposition of the springs acting upon the slider and when the card is released by the user the spring drives the card back through the slot. The speed controller acts to control the speed of the card in the path either in a forward direction as the card is inserted, in a backward direction as the card is ejected by the spring, or in both directions. The controller acts to limit the rate of change of velocity of the card to be below a predetermined level so that data recovered by the transducing from the card may be decoded. The transducer may be optical or magnetic. Whereas a speed controller can comprise a speed regulated gear change or clockwork motor device employing either a flywheel or a speed governor, or, alternatively a controller can comprise a pneumatic piston sliding in a closed housing, in the preferred embodiment the speed controller comprises an electic generator rotated by the movement of the slider comprising either a short circuit load, or, where the generator is a D.C. generator, comprising a load including one or more diodes such that dynamo braking is achieved only in one direction of rotation, or at selectable speeds, in both directions. The invention is further described, by way of example by the following description taken in conjuction with the appended drawings in which: FIG.1 shows a isometric projected view of the facia portion of a card reader according to the present invention. FIG.2 shows a view of the card reader of FIG.1, in complete form, looking in the direction of the arrow A. FIG.3 shows a plan view of the card reader of FIG.1, in complete form, looking in the direction of the arrow B. Figs.4A to 4C show a sequence of movements involved in the reading of a card. FIG.5 shows a mechanical drawing of speed controller usable in the apparatus illustrated in FIG.1 to 4, but not part of the present invention. FIG.6 shows a pneumatic speed controller usable in the apparatus illustrated in FIGS.1 to 4, but not part of the present invention. FIGS.7A to 7C show the preferred controller of the present invention usable in the apparatus illustrated in FIGS.1 to 4. FIG.1 shows an isometric projected view of the facia portion of the present invention. A card 10 is inserted as indicated by a first arrow 12 through a slot 14 in a facia 16 between guide arms 18 behind the facia 16. Each guide arm 18 comprises a guide slot 20 (only one of which is visible in FIG.1 because of the angle of view) operative to guide the card 10 by its sides 22 in a path of movement later to be described. The card 10 comprises a leading edge 24 which, again in a manner later to be described, interacts with a slider in the path defined by the guide slots 20. The slot 14 comprises a recess 26 set into the facia 16 permitting a card to be gripped in the slot 14 and also permitting a card 10 to be pushed into the path 20 of the slot 14 with a trailing edge (not shown in FIG.1) beneath the level of the facia 16 if so required. The facia 16 can form part of the external wall of any kind of equipment such as a doorlock, a telephone or communications device, a computer terminal, and indeed, any equipment wherein access or use can be controlled by information to be read from a card 10. The card 10 comprises a magnetic stripe 28 whereon magnetic recorded coded information can be provided. Likewise the card 10 can also comprise optically readable characters 30 bar code characters 32, or characters 34 printed in magnetic ink. All that is required of these characters in the present invention is that they be printed in rows to be read as the card 10 passes beneath an appropriate transducer behind the facia 16. FIG.2 shows a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG.1, in complete form, looking in the direction of the arrow A of FIG.1. In addition to those elements shown in FIG.1 there is also provided a speed controller 36 acting upon a shaft 38 constrained to slide in the guide slots 20 shown in FIG.1. A magnetic transducer 40 is disposed to read information from the magnetic stripe 28 and a pair of leads 42 convey the analogue voltages derived from the magnetic stripe 28 by the transducer 40 for decoding elsewhere. FIG.3 shows a plan view of the apparatus of FIG.1, again in complete form looking in the direction of arrow B of FIG.1. In addition to those elements shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 FIG.3 shows a slider 44 constrained to move in the guide slots 20 and urged into abutment with the recess 26 behind the facia 16 by springs 46 acting against bosses 48 on the guide arms 18. The speed controller 36 can be mounted as shown upon the guide arms 18 or can be mounted in any rigid manner in relation to the facia 16. Likewise while the bosses 48 are shown attached to the guide arms 18 they too can be anchored in any suitable way in fixed relationship with the facia 16. Whilst FIG.3 shows a pair of springs, in the present invention only one spring is absolutely required which can be mounted in any manner causing it to oppose movement of the slider 44 away from the innermost portion of the recess 26. The spring or springs 46 may be precompressed to provide at least a predetermined force to act upon the leading edge 24 of the card 10. The shaft 38 is attached to the slider 44 and passes through or in adjacence with the speed controller 36 for the speed controller 36 to act upon the shaft 38 to control the speed of the slider 44. A first optical transducer 50 can be employed to read the optically readable characters 30 and a second optical transducer 52 can be provided to read the bar coded characters 32. Any number of different kinds of transducers 40,50,52 can be arrayed proximate to the slot 14 behind the facia 16 to read data from the card 10 as there are different kinds of data recording 28,30,32,34 upon the card 10. In the present invention it is preferred that a magnetic recording 28 is employed allowing the use of a magnetic transducer 40 whereto no external source of power needs to be connected so that the entire apparatus is free of any external power source. Optical transducers 50,52 typically require at least a source of light requiring connection of power to the apparatus. FIG.4A shows a first stage in the sequence of operations whereby data 28,30,32,34 is read from a card 10. The view shown in FIG.4A, 4B and 4C is a cross-sectional view of FIG.3 along the line X - X′ looking in the direction of the arrows. The leading edge 24 of the card 10 is urged as indicated by a second arrow 54 against the slider 44 which moves the shaft 38 back into the speed controller 36. The urging of the card 10 is achieved simply by the user pushing the card into the slot 14. The leading edge 24 of the card 10 encounters opposition force from the spring or springs 46 which thereby store elastic energy. FIG.4B shows the next subsequent stage of reading of data from a card 10 from that indicated in FIG.4A. The card 10 continues to have its leading edge 24 urged against the slider 44 to cause the slider 44 to move and drive the shaft 38 as indicated by a third arrow 56 through the speed controller 36. At an extremity of movement of the card 10 into the path 18,20,14 a digit 58 of the user of the equipment may be inserted into the recess 26 such that a trailing edge 60 of the card 10 may be inserted into the path through the slot 14 substantially beneath the level defined by the facia 16. The recess 26 is an optional feature of the present invention and it is to be understood that, provided a card 10 is insertable sufficiently for data 30,32,34,28 to be read therefrom without the presence of a recess 26, then the recess 26 can be omitted. FIG.4C shows the last stage in the sequence of movements for reading data from a card 10. The operators digit 58 is withdrawn from the trailing edge 60 of the card 10 and the spring or springs 46 allowed to push the slider 44 back against the leading edge 24 of the card 10 to urge the card 10 as indicated by a fourth arrow 62 and a fifth arrow 64 back through the slot 14. Thus the sequence for reading a card 10 consists in the user pushing the card 10 through the slot 14 and then allowing the card 10 to be pushed back out through the slot 14 where the user can retrieve and retain the card 10. In the present invention the speed controller 36 acts upon the shaft 38 to regulate the speed and/or acceleration of the slider 44 so that the rate of change of speed of the card 10 in its path 20,14 is never so great as to render the signals 42 from the transducer 40 undecodable while the recorded information 28 passes beneath the transducer 40. Thus by the time the recorded information 28 is interactive with the transducer 40 the card 10 is moving with a constant velocity or a controlled acceleration allowing standard decoding algorithms to decode the analogue signal 42 derived from the transducer 40. Three forms of controller 36 can be used in the present invention. In a first form the controller 36 acts to control the speed of the slider 44 both when the user inserts the card as shown in FIGS.4 A and 4B and when the card 10 is pushed back out through the path as illustrated in FIG.4C so that the controller 36 acts bi-directionally allowing the transducer 40 two opportunities to decode the recorded data 28. In a second form of controller the controller 36 acts to control the velocity of the slider 44 as the card 10 is inserted into the path 20,14 as illustrated in FIGS.4A and 4B and allows free and rapid return of the card 10 back through the slot 14 as illustrated in FIG.4C. In this form of controller 36 the transducer 40 reads the recorded information 28 as the card 10 is inserted into the apparatus and the card 10 is rapidly pushed from the path back to the user. In being rapidly pushed back towards the user, the information 28 recorded on the card 10 is not read by the transducer 40 and data 28 can be read from the card 10 only as the card 10 moves in one of its directions along the path 20,14. In a third form of controller 36 the controller 36 is operative to control the speed and/or acceleration of the shaft 38 and slider 44 only when the card 10 is being ejected from the path 14,20 as shown in FIG.4C. When the user is inserting the card 10 the controller 36 does not control the velocity or acceleration of the shaft 38 or the slider 44. The card 10 is thus rapidly inserted into the path 20,14 during which time the transducer 40 is incapable of recovering the recorded data 28 on the card 10 in decodable form. As the card 10 is pushed from the path 14,20 as shown in FIG.4C the controller 36 controls the acceleration and/or velocity of the shaft 38 to control the speed or acceleration of the slider 44 and the transducer 40 is operative to recover the recorded data 28 in decodable form. Thus, in this third form of controller 36, data is read from the card only on its return back through the slot 14. The user rapidly inserts the card 10 into the slot 14, releases the card 10, and the card 10 is moved back out through the slot 14 in a slower, controlled fashion. FIG.5 shows one way of implementing the controller 36 of FIGS.1 to 4, not being the instant invention. The shaft 38 comprising teeth 66 engaging a first gear wheel 68 in a speed controlled gear chain 70. As the shaft 38 moves so the gear chain 70 acts through the first gear wheel 68 to counter movement of the shaft 38 and thereby control the velocity and acceleration of the shaft 38. The gear chain 70 can comprise a flywheel 72 ensuring that the velocity of the shaft 38 can only slowly be changed in response to the large forces required to change the angular velocity of the flywheel 72. As an addition or as an alternative the gear chain 70 may also comprise a speed governing device operative to cause increase in torque in the first gear wheel 68 opposing motion of the shaft 38 if a predetermined angular velocity of the first gear wheel 68 is exceeded. In the form shown in FIG.5 the gear chain 70 is operative to act upon the shaft 38 when the card 10 moves in either direction so that the speed of the card 10 is controlled both as it moves into the path 20,14 and out of the path 20,14. The gear chain 70 or the first gear wheel 68 can comprise a ratchet mechanism whereby the speed controlling function is provided only when the shaft 38 moves in one of its two directions so that the card 10 can be controlled either when it enters the path 20,14 or as it is ejected from the path 20,14. Alternatively the gear teeth 66 on the shaft 38 may be ratchet teeth and the teeth on the first gear wheel 68 may similarly be ratchet teeth designed to co-operate with the shaft 38 such that opposition to the motion of the shaft 38 only occurs in a preferred direction. The controller 36 shown in FIG.5 thus serves to control the rate of energy change in the spring or springs 46 either as the card 10 is inserted into the path 20,14, or as the card 10 is ejected from the path 20,14, or both. FIG.6 shows another way of implementing the controller 36 otherwise shown in FIGS.1 to 4, and again, not being the instant invention. The shaft 38 passes through a closed housing 74 wherein the shaft 38 moves a piston 76 pneumatically sealed 78 within the housing 74. As the shaft 38 moves to and fro in the housing 74 so the piston 76 compresses air in the housing 74 which can either be forced out through the gap left between the shaft 38 and the openings 80 whereby the shaft 38 enters the housing 74 or can be forced out through other purpose made vents or perforations in the housing 74. A valve 82 can be provided in the piston 76 allowing the piston 76 to compress air for controlled expulsion and resistance to movement only when the shaft 38 moves in one of its directions. Thus, if the valve 82 is mounted on a first side of the piston 76 the velocity of the shaft 38 and thereby of the slider 44 is controlled as the shaft 38 moves with insertion of the card 10 into the path 14,20, if the valve 82 is mounted on the other side of the piston 76 the velocity of the shaft 38 is controlled when the card 10 moves in the opposite direction, and if the valve 82 is omitted altogether and the piston 76 has no opening passing therethrough, the velocity of the shaft 38 is controlled when the card 10 is moved in both of its possible directions. FIG.7A shows the preferred embodiment of the controller 36 otherwise shown in FIGS.1 to 4, and represents the instant invention. The shaft 38 is once again provided with teeth 86 which engage a cog wheel 88 operative to turn an armature shaft 90 of an electrical generator 92. A gear box or other velocity transforming device can be incorporated between the shaft 38 and the armature shaft 90 to provide the required rate of rotation of the armature shaft 90 for the function hereinafter described. In the simplest form of such a controller the output terminals of the electrical generator 92 are simply shorted together to provide a dynamo brake resisting movement of the shaft 38 in either direction. Alternatively a predetermined known resistive load can be placed across the terminals of the electrical generator 92. FIG.7B shows a circuit diagram for a uni-directional speed controller for the electrical generator 92. A first diode 94 is connected across the terminals of the electrical generator 92 such that a near short circuit load is applied across the generator 92 when the shaft 38 moves in a first direction in which the voltage of the generator 92, now a D.C. generator, causes the first diode 94 to conduct but, when the shaft 38 moves in the opposite direction the very high impedance of the first diode 94 allows the shaft 38 to move unopposed by dynamo braking. The circuit shown in FIG.7B may be used as a precise speed control if the angular velocity of the generator armature shaft 90 at which the desired velocity of the card 10 along the path 14,20 is reached is chosen to cause the electrical generator 92 to produce the required conduction voltage of the first diode 94. The angular velocity of the armature shaft 90 and thus the linear velocity of the shaft 38 increase until the first diode 94 begins to conduct. The acceleration of the shaft 38 and of the armature shaft 90 is thereafter opposed by a force which increases with increasing current conduction of the first diode 94 and thus serves as a means for selecting and controlling the velocity of the card 10 along the path 20,14. If bi-directional velocity control is required then a second diode 96 (shown in FIG.7B in dotted line) can be added conducting in the opposite direction to the first diode 94 allowing speed control of the shaft 38 when the card 10 moves in either direction. FIG.7C shows a second kind of uni-directional load which can be connected across the generator 92 to control its linear velocity. Here a first zener diode 97 is added in series with the first diode 94 to increase the voltage whereat the series combination of the first diode 94 and the first zener diode 97 conduct thereby allowing a wider range of selection of controlled velocity for the shaft 38. Once again the first diode 94 ensures that conduction only takes place when the shaft 38 is moving in one direction and when the shaft is moving in the opposite direction the high impedence offered by the first diode 94 ensures that shaft 38 may move freely. Once again if bi-directional control of speed is required then, as shown in dotted line on FIG.7C the second diode 96 may be coupled in series with the second zener diode 98 for selecting the controlled velocity of the shaft 38 when moving in the opposite direction. The stand-off voltages of the first 97 and second 98 zener diode can be chosen to be different from one another to allow the card 10 to have a controlled velocity which is different in each direction of movement so that the transducer 40 may read the recorded information 28 at two different speeds. Whilst the elastic stored energy in the present invention has been shown stored in a spring, it is to be understood that other devices may be used to store the energy derived from insertion of the card 10 into the path 14,20. Alternative devices include compressible gas devices, gravity displacement devices and hydraulic devices. Any device may be used in place of the springs 46,110 capable of turning the movement of the card 10 into stored potential energy (hereinafter defined as elastic energy) to be delivered up once more to the card 10 as the card 10 is ejected from the path 20,14. The slider 44 has hereinbefore been described as moving in the guide slots 20. It is to be appreciated that the slider may be replaced by any device capable of acting upon the leading edge 24 of the card 10 to oppose entry of the leading edge 24 of the card 10 to store the elastic, potential energy and to be controlled in its velocity by the controller 36. In particular, the controller 36 may act directly upon the slider or its substitute without provision of intermediate shaft 38. For example, the gear teeth 66,86 may be provided directly beneath the slider 44. The pneumatic devices shown in FIGS.6 and 8 may be caused to act directly upon the slider 44. The present invention also encompasses any or all of the features and embodiments hereinbefore described taken individually or in any combination.

Claims: A card reading apparatus including: a path (14,18,20) for supporting and guiding a card (10) and for allowing movement of a card (10) therealong; a transducer (40,50,52) operative to detect information (28,30,32,34) recorded on a card as the card is moved along said path; an energy store (44,46,48) operative to engage a card (10) and to store elastic energy as the card (10) is inserted into, and is moved along, said path (14,18,20) and further operative, when insertion force urging the card (10) into and along said path (14,18,20) is removed, to employ said stored energy to move the card (10) along said path (14,18,20) towards (62) expulsion from said path (14,18,20); and a controller (36) operative to control the rate of movement of a card (10) along said path (14,18,20), said apparatus being characterised by said controller comprising an electrical generator (92) coupled to said card movement operating into a predetermined electrical load (94,96,97,98). An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said controller (36) is operative to control said rate of movement of a card (10) along said path (14,18,20) when the card (10) is moved in either direction (56,62) along said path (14,18,20). An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said energy store (44,46,48) includes a slider (44) for engaging a leading edge (24) of a card (10), said controller (36) being operative to control said rate of movement of a card (10) along said path (14,18,20) by controlling the rate of movement of said slider (44) along said path (14,18,20). An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said path (14,18,20) includes guide slots (20) for engaging and guiding edges of a card, and wherein said slider (44) is supported and guided by said guide slots (20). An apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 including a shaft (38) for communicating movement between said slider (44) and said controller (36). An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said predetermined electrical load is a short circuit. An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said shaft (38) is coupled to rotate an armature (88) in said electrical generator (92). An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said energy store (44,46,48) comprises a spring (46). An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said controller (36) is operative to control said rate of movement of a card (10) along said path (14,18,20) for only one predetermined direction of movement (62) of the card (10) along said path (14,18,20). An apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said energy store (44,46,48) includes a slider (44) for engaging a leading edge (24) of a card (10), said controller (36) being operative to control said rate of movement of a card (10) along said path (14,18,20) by controlling the rate of movement of said slider (44) in said predetermined direction (62). An apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein said path (14,18,20) includes guide slots (20) for engaging and guiding edges of a card (10), and wherein said slider (44) is supported and guided by said guide slots (20). An apparatus according to Claims 10 or 11 including a shaft (38) for communicating movement between said slider (44) and said controller (36). An apparatus according to any of Claims 9 and 12, wherein said controller (36) comprises a d.c. electrical generator (92) coupled to drive an asymmetrical electrical load (94 or 94 in combination with 97) presenting a first high impedance when a card (10) is moved along said path (14,18,20) in a direction (56) opposite to said predetermined direction (62) and a low impedance when a card (10) is moved along said path (14,18,20) in said predetermined direction (62). An apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein said asymmetrical electrical load comprises a first diode (94) connected between output terminals of said generator (92). An apparatus according to Claim 14, wherein said asymmetrical load further comprises a stand-off diode (97), operative to conduct when a predetermined voltage thereacross is exceeded, connected between said first diode (94) and one of the terminals of said generator (92). An apparatus according to any of Claim 12 and claims 13-15 when dependent upon claim 12, wherein said shaft (38) is coupled to rotate an armature (88) of said generator (92) when a card (10) moves along said path (14,18,20) in said predetermined direction (62). An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said path (14,18,20) comprises a slot (14) permissive of introduction of a card (10) therethrough. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said transducer is an optical transducer (50,52) operative to detect visible marks (30,32) on a card (10). An apparatus according to Claim 17, wherein said slot (14) is provided in a facia (16), and wherein said slot (14) comprises a recess (26) permissive of insertion of a card (10) into said slot (14) with a trailing edge (60) of the card (10) beneath the surface of said facia (16). An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims for use in reading a card (10) to control access to or use of equipment. An apparatus according to Claims 13 to 16, wherein said predetermined direction is that direction (56) where a card is inserted into said path. An apparatus according to any of Claims 9 to 16, or according to any of Claims 17 to 21 when dependent upon any of Claims 9 to 16, wherein said predetermined direction is that direction (62) where a card is urged out of said path. An apparatus according to Claim 14 including a first zener diode (97) in series with said first diode (94), said first zener diode (97) being wired to oppose conduction in said diode (94), and said first zenor diode (97) having a regulation voltage selected to select the velocity of the card (10) in said predetermined direction (62). An apparatus according to Claim 14 or 23, wherein said electrical load comprises a second diode (96) said second diode (96) conducting when the card (10) achieves velocity in a second direction (56), opposite to said predetermined direction (62), to overcome the turn-on voltage of said second diode (96). An apparatus according to Claim 24 including a second zener diode (98) in series with said second diode (96), said second zener diode (98) being wired to oppose conduction in said second diode (96), and said second zener diode (98) having a regulation voltage selected to select the velocity of the card (10) in said second direction (56). An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said controller (36) is operative to control movement of the card along said path (14,18,20) at a first velocity when said card moves in a first direction (56), and at a second velocity when said card moves in a second direction (62), opposite to said first direction (56); said first velocity being different from said second velocity; and said transducer (40,50,52) being operative to detect information (28,30,32) recorded on the card (10) in a first sense and at said first velocity when the card (10) is moved in said first direction (56), and to detect information (28,30,32) recorded on the card (10) in a second sense and at said second velocity when the card (10) is moved in said second direction (62).

Inventors: MASSEY, JAMES CHARLES RICHARD
Applicants: UNISYS CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G06K7
IPC codes: G06K7, G06K13, G11B19