Patent GB-1308200-A (GB)
Title: Automatic ticket gate
IPC: G07B11/02
Filed: 1970-10-19
Abstract: 1308200 Fail-safe ticket gate OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO 19 Oct 1970 [24 Oct 1969] 49560/70 Heading G4T A ticket-freed gate, bar or turnstile includes means 12 for reading information from a ticket 10, means 20 for detecting a misreading of the information, means 13 for recording on a ticket 10 the number of times it has been misread, and means 18 for preventing passage through the gate in response to a ticket 10 when the number of times of misreading of the ticket 10 exceeds a predetermined number. The ticket gate in this way caters for a number of misreadings of a ticket, for example by an out-of-order reader, to provide a fail-safe system for the commuter.  Ticket.-Information such as term of availability and range of journey are recorded magnetically in coded form (alternatively as punched holes readable by a photo-electric device), together with the number of ticket misreadings. As described, the ticket 10 is usable for more than one journey. Valid ticket.-A magnetic head 12 and reader 14 read information from an inserted ticket 10. If the ticket information is valid, a validity checking circuit 15 produces a signal on a line 16 to free the ticket gate through an "OR" element 18. Invalid ticket, correctly read.-If the ticket information is deemed invalid, the validity checking circuit 15 signals to an "AND" element 29 along a line 17. Additionally, the information is checked for parity by a circuit 20, correct parity indicating a correct reading operation, and being signalled along a line 22 to activate the "AND" element 29 and so keep the ticket gate closed through an OR element 31. Invalid ticket misread.-Misreading is signalled by the parity checking circuit 20 (as incorrect parity) along a line 23. Simultaneously, the reader 14 transmits to a register 24 the number m of previous misreadings recorded on the ticket 10; a comparator 26 compares the number m with a reference number n from a setting circuit 25. If m is less than or equal to n, the comparator 26 does not produce an output, and a gate 28 transmits the "misread" signal from line 23 to the "OR" element 18 to free the ticket gate. If m is greater than n, the ticket is deemed finally invalid, and comparator 26 produces an output to inhibit (close )gate 28 and lock the ticket gate via "OR" element 31. Writing on ticket.-The number m is fed to an accumulator 33 where it is increased by one, and the ticket 10 is updated by the write head 13. If, on a subsequent use of the ticket 10, it is deemed valid (i.e., previous misreading was due to an out-of-order reader 14), the valid signal on line 16 is used to reset the accumulator 33, and thence erase and set to zero the number of misreadings on the ticket 10. Single-journey ticket.-For a single-journey ticket, gate 28 is inhibited by comparator 26 when m equals n. If a misreading occurs at the entrance gate, the passenger is allowed to pass through; a second misreading at the exit gate activates comparator 26 to lock the exit gate. Reader out-of-order.-An accumulator 41 totalises the number of "misread" signals produced on line 23 for successive tickets in a particular ticket gate. A comparator 42 produces an output 44 to indicate an out-oforder reader, when the number "misread" exceeds a reference number, from a setting circuit 43.