Abstract:
A data system ( 1 ) includes a credit card type substrate ( 3 ) and a data unit ( 2 ). The substrate has first and second edges ( 28, 30 ) and a data surface region ( 26 ) between the edges. The data unit includes a base ( 4 ), a substrate support ( 60 ) mounted to the base for controlled movement along a first path ( 14 ), and a data head driver ( 6 ), also mounted to the base, including a data head which reciprocates along a second path ( 10 ) oriented perpendicular to the first path. The data head contacts the data surface region on the substrate and first and second data head support surfaces ( 120, 122 ) located at opposite ends of the second. path adjacent to the first and second edges of the substrate. The data head support surfaces and the data surface region are coplanar. The data unit also includes a substrate feeder ( 16 ), which delivers the substrate to and removes the substrate from the substrate support, and a substrate positioner ( 68, 70, 82, 94, 98 ), which properly positions the substrate on and secures the substrate to the substrate support.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/113,783, filed Jul. 10, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,816, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/105,696, filed Jun. 26, 1998, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/871,447 filed Apr. 21, 1992, now abandoned, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/342,217 filed Apr. 24, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,099, which issued from an application filed Apr. 24, 1989. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Digital data is stored in many forms. One data storage device uses spinning disks having a magnetic surface containing the digital data. The disks typically spin at a high rate of speed with the various tracks of data accessed by a radially movable data head. Another type of data storage device is the credit card having a magnetic stripe along one surface. However, such cards have limited storage capacity because of the nature of the magnetic stripe and the method of recording data onto the magnetic stripe. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a data system especially suited for use with credit card-type substrates which permits much more data to be written onto and read from the substrate than available with credit cards with conventional magnetic stripes. 
   The data system includes broadly a substrate, such as a credit card type substrate, and a data unit. The substrate has first and second edges and a data surface region between the edges. The data surface region is preferably plated or sputtered with nickel-cobalt as opposed to conventional credit cards which use ferrous oxide. The data unit includes a base supporting several components. A substrate support, which supports the substrate, is mounted to the base for controlled movement along a first path. The first path can be straight or curved. A data head drive is mounted to the base and includes a data head reciprocally movable along a second path. The first and second paths are generally transverse, typically perpendicular, to one another. The data head includes a data head surface which contacts the data surface region on the substrate. The data unit also includes first and second data head support surfaces positioned along the second path adjacent to the first and second edges of the substate. The data head surface also contacts the first and second data head support surfaces as the data head moves along the second path. 
   The data head support surfaces are preferably coplanar with the data surface region of the substrate. This provides a smooth transition for the data head between the data surface region and the data head support surfaces. The use of the data head support surfaces provide a region for the data head to accelerate and decelerate at each end of a pass over the data surface region so the data head can move over the data surface region at a constant surface speed. 
   The invention may also include a substrate handler including a substrate feeder, which delivers a substrate to and removes the substrate from the substrate support, and a substrate positioner, which automatically positions the substrate on, and secures the substrate to, the substrate support. The substrate positioner typically includes feed rollers and may include a cleaner roller to clean the data surface region as the substrate passes through the substrate feeder. 
   Other features and advantages will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments have been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a simplified plan view of a data unit made according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C are front, side, and rear elevational views of the substrate of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view illustrating the shape of the opening in the card entry of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4A  is a simplified schematic illustrating the card entry, card sensor and a first feed rollers of the substrate feeder of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4B  illustrates the components of  FIG. 4A  with a card being inserted through the card entry and through the card sensor, which activates the first feed rollers which will then grip the card as the user continues to insert the card through the card entry; 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are top plan and side elevational views of a portion of the substrate feeder of  FIG. 1 , but also illustrating a counter-rotating cleaning roller, not shown in  FIG. 1  for clarity, with the card engaged by the first and second sets of feed rollers and the upper surface of the card being cleaned by the counter-rotating cleaning roller; 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate movement of the card between the third feed rollers, past a sensor and towards the card support of the card support assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7A  is a simplified view illustrating the engagement of the bottom of a movable side registration member with a stud extending from the base when the card carriage, on which the card support is mounted, is at the load/unload position, the load/unload position being indicated by the card in dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7B  illustrates the release of the movable side registration member as the carriage begins to move away from the load/unload position towards the solid line position of  FIG. 1 , thus capturing the third and fourth edges of the card between the movable and stationary side registration members; 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  are plan views of the card support and card showing how the card guide of  FIGS. 1 and 6A  deflects the card into its fully loaded position as the carriage moves towards the solid line position of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate the movement of a vertically deflecting spring which engages the bottom of the card as the carriage moves towards the solid line position of  FIG. 1 , thus securing the card against the inwardly extending lips of the stationary and movable side registration members; 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the extension of the push solenoid of  FIG. 1  used to cause the card to reengage with the third feed rollers once the card is returned to the load/unload of  FIG. 7A  position after a read/write procedure has been conducted; and 
       FIG. 11  is a simplified top plan view of a portion of an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the data head is mounted to the end of a pivotal arm which causes the read/write head to pass along an arcuate second path as opposed to the linear second path of the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  illustrates, in a relatively simple schematic form, a data system  1  made according to the invention. Data system  1  comprises a data unit  2  and a substrate  3 ; substrate  3  is preferably in the form of a credit card-size card  3 . Data unit  2  includes a base  4 , which supports the various other components, a data head driver  6 , which drives a data head  8  along a second path  10 , a substrate or card support assembly  12 , which moves card  3  or other substrate along a first path  14 , and a substrate feeder  16 , which drives card  3  to and from the substrate support assembly. 
   Card  3  is preferably a sandwich construction 0.51 mm (0.020 inch) thick ceramic core and upper and lower surfaces made of a suitable plastic material about 0.13 mm (0.005 inch) thick.  FIG. 2A  illustrates the front or bottom side  20  (relative to the figures) of card  3  having an embossed letter area  22  and a back, data or top side  24  having a data surface region  26  extending between first and second edges  28 ,  30  of the card. 
   Side  24  also preferably includes a magnetic, typically ferrous oxide, stripe  32  similar to that used with conventional credit cards. Data surface region  26  is preferably a magnetic region, and may also include ferrous oxide as a magnetic material. However, because of the use environment, to be discussed below, it is desired that region  26  be smooth and resistant to abrasion. This can be achieved in various conventional ways, such as by sputtering with carbon. 
   In the preferred embodiment of  FIGS. 2A-2C , only a portion of side  24  is covered by data surface region  26 . In some embodiments it may be desired to cover most or all of surface  24  with data surface region  26 . A directional arrow  34  may also be included to aid the user in proper insertion of card  3  into card entry  36  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4 A and  4 B. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the opening  38  in card entry  36  has an enlarged portion to accommodate embossed letter area  22  shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a portion of substrate feeder  16 , including card entry  36  mounted to the front panel  40  of data unit  2 . The user begins the read/write process by inserting a card  3  into opening  38  of card entry  36  sufficiently far to trip a light beam in a card sensor  42  which causes three sets of feed rollers  44 ,  46 , and  48  to begin rotating as indicated by the arrows in  FIGS. 4B and 5B . Feed rollers  44 ,  46 , and  48  are driven by a feed system. motor  50  through various pulleys  52  and belts  54 . Once the user pushes card  3  far enough into unit  2  so that the first edge  28  of card  3  is captured at the nip of rollers  44 , the feed rollers automatically move card  3  through substrate feeder  16  as suggested by  FIGS. 5A-7A . 
     FIGS. 1 ,  5 A and  5 B illustrate the use of a magnetic stripe reader  56  which reads, in a conventional fashion, any information on magnetic stripe  32  as appropriate. Substrate feeder  16  also includes a counter-rotating cleaning roller  58 . Cleaning roller  58  is not shown in  FIG. 1  for clarity. Cleaning roller  58  is used to ensure that data surface region  26  is clean of particles and debris prior to being accessed by data head  8 . Substrate feeder  16  also includes a reflective sensor  59  which senses the presence of data surface  30  region  26 . If card  3  has no data surface region  26 , then feed rollers  44 ,  46  reverse the direction of card  3  and return it to the user with only magnetic stripe  32  having been read by magnetic stripe reader  56 . Assuming card  3  includes a data surface region  26 , feed rollers  44 ,  46 ,  48  continue the movement of card  3  past optical sensor  61  and towards card support  60  of card support assembly  12 . 
   One end  62  of card support  60  is open to permit the free entry of card  3  onto the card support surface  64  of the card support. Card support surface  64  has an opening  66  formed through the middle of the surface as will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 9A and 9B . Referring now also to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , card support  60  is seen to include a stationary side registration member  68  and a movable side registration member  70 . Members  68  and  70  have overhanging lips  72 ,  74 . When card support  60  is in the load/unload position of  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  7 A, which corresponds to the dashed-line position of card  3  in  FIG. 1 , movable side registration member  70  is pivoted to its position of  FIG. 7A  by the engagement of the lower end  76  of member  70  with a stationary stud  78  extending upwardly from base  4 . This permits card  3  to be freely driven onto surface  64  of card support  60  between registration members  68 ,  70 . The initial movement of assembly  12  along path  14  towards data head driver  6  causes registration member  70  to engage a fourth edge  81  of card  3  and drive the third edge  79  of the card against registration member  68 . 
   First edge  28  of card  3  is driven against abutment edge  80  of card support  60  by the movement of card support  60  along first path  14  towards data head driver  6 , that is from the dashed-line position to the solid-line position of FIG.  1 . Such movement along first path  14  causes second edge  30  of card  3  to engage an angled card guide  82  which drives card  3  fully onto card support  60  as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . Abutment edge  80  is sized so that its upper edge  84 , see  FIG. 6B , is slightly below, such as 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) below the top surface  24  of card  3  when the card is pressed upwardly to engage lips  72 ,  74  of members  68 ,  70  in the manner discussed below. 
   Card support  60  is mounted to and is carried by a carriage  86 , the carriage being slidable along a pair of guide shafts  88 , the guide shafts being supported on base  4  by shaft clamps  90 , only one of which is shown in FIG.  1 . Carriage  86 , and thus card support  60  with card  3  thereon, is driven along first path  14  by a carriage motor  92 . 
   The vertical movement or indexing of card  3  is achieved by the use of a C-shaped spring  94  mounted to the interior of carriage  86 . An upper end  96  of spring  94  is aligned with and passes through opening  66  formed in card support surface  64  and illustrated in FIG.  6 A. As carriage  86  moves along first path  14  from the load/unload position, corresponding to the dashed-line position of  FIG. 1 , towards data head driver  6 , spring  94  rides up onto a cam  98  extending upwardly from base  4 . This causes card  3  to be biased upwardly against lips  72 ,  74  and held in place against inadvertent movement during read/write operations. 
   Returning again to  FIG. 1 , card  3  is shown with data head  8  at track “000” position. Data head  8  is preferably of the magnetic head contact-type which contacts data surface region as data head  8  is moved along second path  10 . Data head  8  is mounted to the distal end of an arm  98  which is mounted to a head carriage  100 . Head carriage  100  is slidably mounted to a pair of guide shafts  102 , the guide shafts mounted to a motor mount plate  104  by a pair of shaft clamps  106 . Motor mount plate  104  is adjustably mounted to base  4  by four spacer mounts  108 . Data head driver  6  also includes a read/write head motor  110  which drives a pulley  112  in alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. Pulley  112  is coupled to carriage  100  by a drive band  114  which passes around a pair of roller bearings  116  as well as pulley  112 . 
   The position of data head  8  relative to data surface region  26  is provided by the rotary position of pulley  112  and by a sensor interrupter  118  being sensed by a pair of sensors  119 . Sensors  119  are generally aligned with edges  28 ,  30  of card  3  when the card is in the read/write position of FIG.  1 . 
   Second path  10  extends beyond first and second edges  28 ,  30  onto data head support surfaces  120 ,  122 . Data head support surfaces  120 ,  122  are generally coplanar with data surface region  26  so that data head  8  moves smoothly from region  26  onto support surfaces  120 ,  122 . The use of support surfaces  120 ,  122  permits data head  8  to move across data surface region  26  at full speed. Preferably, data head  8  slows down, stops, reverses direction, and then speeds up for each subsequent pass while on one of data surfaces  120 ,  122 . During this deceleration, stopping, reversal of direction, and acceleration, carriage motor  92  has a chance to index card  3  one track width along first path  14 . Therefore, by the time data head  8  is ready to reengage data surface region  18 , the next track, which may or may not be the adjacent track, is aligned with second path  10  and thus can be read by or written to by data head  8 . Data head support surface  120 ,  122  are preferably low friction, low abrasion surfaces suitable for the sliding movement of data head  8  thereover. To ensure proper alignment, each data surface  120  is preferably provided with appropriate height adjusters  124 . The gap between surfaces  120 ,  122  and card  3  is preferably small enough so that data head  8  traverses the gap smoothly. If necessary support at the gap can be provided by, for example, a small jet of air. 
   Data head  8  is preferably at a rest position on data head support surface  120  or data head support surface  122  when card  3  is moved from a dashed-line to the solid-line positions of FIG.  1 . This keeps data head  8  from contacting side registration member  68  during such movement. At the completion of read/write operations, carriage  86  moves to the load/unload position of  FIGS. 7A and 10  whereupon a push solenoid  126  is actuated, see  FIG. 10 , to push card  3  until the card is captured between third feed rollers  48 . Push solenoid  126  has a plunger  127  which passes through a gap  128  in abutment edge  80  to engage first edge  28  of card  3 . Feed rollers  44 ,  46  and  48 , all rotating in the opposite direction indicated in  FIG. 5B , drive card  3  back through opening  38  in card entry  36  to about the position of FIG.  4 B. 
   In use, a user inserts a card  3  through opening  38  in card entry  36  whereupon substrate reader  16  drives it past magnetic stripe reader  56  and to reflective sensor  59 . Assuming reflective sensor  59  senses the presence of data surface region  26 , rollers  46 ,  48  continue driving card  3  towards substrate support assembly  12 . After card  3  has passed third feed rollers  48 , the inertia of the card causes the card to continue moving onto support surface  64  of card support  60 . To ensure first edge  28  of card  3  abuts abutment edge  80  of card support  60 , a card guide  82  is used to engage second edge  30  as card  3  moves from the load/unload position of  FIG. 7A , that is the dash line position of  FIG. 1 , to the read/write position, that is the solid line position of FIG.  1 . Third edge  79  of card  3  is driven against stationary side registration member  68  by the pivotal movement of spring biased side registration member  70  during the initial movement of the card from the dashed-line position toward the solid-line position of FIG.  1 . Continued movement of card  3  toward the solid-line position of  FIG. 1  causes spring  94  to be biased upwardly to drive card  3  upwardly until the lateral edges  79 ,  81  of the card engage lips  72 ,  74  of registration members  68 ,  70 . 
   Once in the initial read/write position of  FIG. 1 , motor  110  drives data head  8  from one of data head support surfaces  120 ,  122  and data surface region  26  of card  3 . In the preferred embodiment, motor  110  is designed to cause data head  8  to reach its desired speed of, for example, 318 cm per second (125 inches per second) by the time data head  8  reaches card  3 . It is desired that information on data surface region  26  be written at the rate of 36,000 bits per inch or greater. The density of the recording is determined by several factors, including the uniformity in movement at which data head  8  passes over region  26 , the construction of head  8 , the construction of data surface region  6 , the frequency of the read/write clock, and other conventional factors. 
   At the end of each pass, while data head  8  is moving over data surface region  26  during its deceleration, stopping, reversal of direction, and acceleration, card  3  is indexed to the next track position to be accessed. If desired, the accessing of the track sequential or particular tracks can be selected, such as track 000, followed by track 023, followed by track 085, followed by track 031, etc. The organization of the data recorded on data surface region  26  is dependent largely by the controller selected. 
   The controller for unit  2  may be of a conventional type, such as one made by Realtec of San Diego, Calif. and sold as product number TCNGE09. In one embodiment, 350 tracks, each track having 56 sectors with 256 bytes per sector for a total 5,017,600 bytes, will be used. 
   When it is desired to remove card  3  from the unit, data head  8  is parked on one of the two support surfaces  120 ,  122  and then motor  92  drives carriage  86  back to the load/unload position at which point push solenoid  126  is actuated. Plunger  127 , which passes through gap  128  in abutment edge  80 , pushes card  3  until card  3  is engaged by third rollers  48 , at this time being rotated in directions opposite of the directions of  FIGS. 5B and 6B . Card  3  is then delivered to the user in substantially the position as indicated in FIG.  4 B. 
   In the preferred embodiment data head  8  physically contacts data surface region  26  and support surfaces  120 ,  122 . It may be possible to use a so-called flying head in which data head  8  would not contact data surface region  26 . However, it is believed that the gaps at edges  28 , 30  would create turbulence causing the flying head to crash onto data surface region  26 . Also, the invention has been described with reference to magnetic, digitally encoded data. If desired, the data could be analog in nature and could be optical or magneto optical in character. 
     FIG. 11  illustrates portions of an alternative embodiment of the invention with like reference numerals referring to like elements. In this case, data unit  2 A uses an oscillating data head  8 A which passes along an arcuate second path  10 A. Data head support surfaces  120 A,  122 A are positioned somewhat differently, but provide the same service: support of data head  8 A at each end of its movement. Sensors  119 A indicate when data head  8  has passed from data surface region  26 A so that data head  8  can begin its deceleration and reverse acceleration movement as card  3 A is indexed along first path  14 . 
   FIG  1 . discloses that the card support  3  which moveably supports a data storage card is movable relative to the data head carriage assembly  100 , which is fixed, to a location which is accessible by the data head  8 . As such, the data head  8  can read and write relative to the data storage medium. In the alternative, the card support  30  may be retained in the position shown by the dashed card  3  and the head carriage  100  and guide shaft  102  may be movable along a second path such that the data head can access the data card on the card support  30  to read and write relative data to the data storage medium on the data storage card. It is also envisioned that the head carriage assembly  100  including guide shafts  102  and the card support  30  can both be movable relative to each other to accomplish the scanning of the data head across the data storage medium of the data card. These alternatives are supported by the disclosure of FIG.  1 . 
   Other modifications and variation can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the subject of the invention as defined in the following claims. For example, cleaning roller  58  could be replaced by or supplemented by an air vacuum head or a pressurized air nozzle to remove debris from data surface region  26 .