Improved card reader/writer

Abstract: A card alignment mechanism for an ICC card (30) has first and second arms (12,14) biased towards each other about the same pivot point (16) by a spring (24). One arm (12) carries a card read head (18), the other arm (14) carries a card stop lip (20). A solenoid (28) rotates the arms about the pivot point (16); the card stop lip (20) on the second arm (14) contacts the card (30), and the first arm (12) continues to rotate until the spring (24) is fully compressed, when the card read head (18) is correctly positioned with respect to the card. When the mechanism is incorporated in an ATM, the arms (12,14) can be retracted to their rest position, and the card (30) moved past the mechanism to a card capture bin (45) without restriction.

Description: This invention relates to a reader/writer for an ICC (Integrated Circuit Contact) card having data, such as a card for an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), or a smartcard or electronic purse. When such a card is initially written and subsequently read, it is essential to have the card positioned accurately with respect to the reader/writer. At present, this is achieved by inserting the blank or written card into a slot until its leading edge touches a stop; the reader/writer contacts can then be lowered onto the ICC area of the card at exactly the required positioned. When a card is issued to a user, it may then be stolen, or used fraudulently, in which case a financial institution operating a card-reading system, such as an ATM system, or a SmartCard terminal, may wish to capture the card the next time it is used. It is highly preferable if such a capture can be achieved automatically, with the card retained in e.g. the ATM. With the present construction of card readers in ATMs, the stop for the leading edge of the card is provided by a rear wall of the insertion slot, therefore retention of a card requires physical removal of the rear wall, which can only be achieved by a complex combination of mechanical, electrical, and software controls within the ATM. EP-A-0234654 against which the claims are delimited, discloses a card reader/writer in which the card engages with a hook as it is inserted, causing a carriage mechanism to be displaced and a substrate connected thereto on which electrical contacts are printed to be urged towards and make contact with the electrical contacts on the card, allowing the data thereon to be read. WO-A-9417498 discloses a smart credit card holder module adapted to read account information stored on a card inserted therein. The information on the card can be then erased and stored in memory of the module so that the card cannot be used. The erased data can subsequently be rewritten to the card when desired by inserting in the module. It is the object of the invention to provide a reader/writer for an ICC card which has a simplified alignment arrangement, and which permits easy automatic capture of a card. The invention is defined in the claims. The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 shows a card alignment mechanism in a retracted position; Fig.2 shows the mechanism in a card alignment position; Fig.3 shows an ATM having the card alignment mechanism of Figs.1 + 2; and Fig.4 shows the control system for such an ATM In Fig.1, a card reader alignment mechanism 10 comprises a first arm 12 and a second arm 14, both pivoted about the same pivot 16 close to one end of each arm. The end of the first arm 12 remote from the pivot 16 carries an ICC read head 18. The end of the second arm 14 remote from the pivot 16 has a lip 20 for engagement with a card to be read. The first arm 12 carries on one side between the pivot and the ICC read head 18, and projecting perpendicular to the arm, a shank 22. The shank is surrounded by a coil spring 24 which acts between a head 26 of the shank and the side of the second arm, urging the second arm into clockwise rotation about the pivot 16 and towards the first arm. Adjacent the end of the first arm 12 is a solenoid 28. The second arm 14 carries a stop 15 adjacent the lip 20; the stop contacts the edge of the first arm 12, and prevents further movement of the second arm 14 in a clockwise direction with respect to the first arm beyond the relative positions shown in the Figure. The mechanism 10 in Fig.1 is shown in a retracted position. A card 30 inserted manually into the card reader slot of an ATM is sensed by a sensor (not shown), and a motor (not shown) operates rollers (not shown) to draw the card further into the mechanism in the direction of the arrow I, to the position shown in Fig.1 when the motor is stopped. The horizontal positioning of the card in the direction of the arrow I is not critical at this stage. Fig.2 shows the card in correct alignment to be read. To reach this position, when the motor of the ATM is stopped, the solenoid 28 is operated to apply a force to the first arm 12 in the direction of the arrow F. The first and second arms 12, 14, rotate together in a clockwise direction about the pivot point 16 until the card engagement lip 20 on the second arm 14 contacts the card; this prevents further movement of the second arm 16, but the continued application of the force F causes the first arm 12 to rotate further, compressing the spring 24 between the shank head 26 and the second arm 14, which it overlaps. The strength of the spring 24 is selected so that when it is fully compressed by the force F of the solenoid, the ICC read head 18 is exactly aligned with the ICC recording means on the card 30. The data on the ICC card 30 can then be read by the head 18. The total movement of the arms is about 30 millimeters, which is not sufficient to push the card 30 out of the entry slot. If the data on the card 30 indicates that the card has been stolen or used fraudulently, or if for some other reason the financial institution operating the ATM wishes to retain the card, the solenoid 28 is deactivated, and the first and second arms 12,14 then rotate anti-clockwise to their position shown in Fig.1 The card 30 can then be moved by the motor-driven rollers along the direction indicated by the arrow C for capture in a secure enclosure. The anti-clockwise movement is caused by the return spring (not shown) conventionally provided with a solenoid to reverse the action of the solenoid once power is switched off. Fig.3 is a view of an ATM 40 incorporating a card reader according to the invention. The ATM 40 has a card input slot 42, a keypad 44, a display screen 46, and a currency note dispensing slot 48. Within the ATM are a pair of rollers 41 driven by a motor 43. The rollers 41 are positioned between the card input slot 42 and a card capture enclosure 45. The control system for the ATM 40 is shown in Fig.4, and is based on a processor 50 which receives instructions from the keypad 44, requests authorisation over connection 52 from a central control point (not shown) operated by the financial authority providing the ATM. If authorised, the processor 50 instructs the currency dispense means 49 to dispense currency notes through the dispense slot 48. The processor 50 is also connected to a card sensor 54 which is located adjacent the card input slot 42 shown in Fig.3, and to the motor 43. The processor 50 is also connected to the solenoid 28 as shown in Fig.1. To initiate an ATM transaction, a user inserts a card carrying magnetically-recorded data into the slot 42. The card is sensed by the card sensor 54, the sensor passes an appropriate signal to the processor 50, which operates the motor 43 to drive the rollers 41 so as to draw the card into the ATM in the direction of the arrow I in Fig.1 to the approximate position as shown in that Figure. The processor 50 instructs the motor 53 to stop, and then operates the solenoid 28 to cause rotation of the first and second arms 12,14 of the alignment mechanism to align the card 30 with the read/write contact head 18 as described above. After the card has been read, the processor releases the solenoid 28, and the first and second arms return to the retracted position shown in Fig.1. If a card is authorised by the central authority, the transaction requested is completed and the processor 50 instructs the motor 43 to operate the rollers 41 in reverse to return the card through the slot 42. If however the card is not authorised, and there is a wish to capture the card, the processor 50 instructs the motor 43 to operate in the forward direction, so that the rollers 41 drive the card 30 in the direction indicated in Fig.1 by the arrow C, to the capture enclosure 45 (see Fig.3). Since the arms 12,14 are retracted, they do not hinder the capture movement. The processor 50 also displays a suitable message on the display screen 46, such as "CARD RETAINED". While the invention has been described with reference to a magnetic card and an ICC card reader/writer, it can also be used for an ICC card reader/writer. While the invention has been described with reference to a user card for an ATM, it can also be used in any other type of read or write terminal requiring accurate positioning of a data-bearing card, such as a SmartCard.

Claims: An integrated circuit contact card reader/writer comprising means (42) to receive a card (30) and integrated circuit contact read/write means (18); comprising card alignment means comprising a first moveable support (12) carrying said integrated circuit contact read/write means( 18); and a second moveable support (14) carrying card stop means (20); characterized in that the card alignment means further comprises resilient means (24) to bias the first and second supports relative to each other in a first direction; and drive means (28) arranged to apply a force to the first support (12) so as to move the first (12) and second (14) supports relative to each other in a direction opposite to the first direction until the resilient means (24) is fully compressed and the integrated circuit contact read/write means (18) is exactly aligned with integrated circuit contact recording means on the card (30). An integrated circuit contact card reader/writer according to claim 1, wherein the first and second moveable supports each comprise a support arm (12,14) pivoted about the same pivot point (16). An integrated circuit contact card reader/writer according to claim 1, wherein the resilient means (24) biases the arms (12,14) towards each other about the pivot point (16) and against a support stop (15), and the drive means (28) operates to rotate the arms away from each other above the pivot point (16). An integrated circuit contact card reader/writer according to claim 3, wherein the resilient means is a spring (24) acting between the head (26) of a shank (22) on the first arm (12) and the second arm (14). An integrated circuit contact card reader/writer according to any preceding claim in which the drive means is a solenoid (28). A self service financial terminal comprising an integrated circuit contact reader/writer according to any preceding claim. A self-service terminal according to claim 6, further comprising processor means (50); a card input slot (42), input means (44); display means (46), card transport means (41,43); and a card capture enclosure (45) wherein the drive means (28) is arranged to retract the first and second moveable supports (12,14) so that the card transport means (41,43) can move said card (30) into the card capture enclosure (45).

Inventors: MAY DAVID C C, MAY, DAVID C.C.
Applicants: NCR INT INC, NCR INTERNATIONAL INC.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G06K13
IPC codes: G06K17, G06K13