Patent ID: 8657192

Claim:
A payment terminal for receiving a payment for a retail transaction via a card encoded with account data in a magnetic flux pattern on a magnetic stripe, the terminal comprising: a magnetic head for reading the account data on the magnetic stripe, the magnetic head including: a sensing element; and a microcontroller, the microcontroller including: an analog-to-digital converter, a signal processor coupled to the analog-to-digital converter, and an encryption unit coupled to the signal processor, the encryption unit including an output, the sensing element being configured to respond to the magnetic flux pattern on the magnetic stripe and to produce an analog signal representing the magnetic flux pattern, the sensing element communicating the analog signal to the analog-to-digital converter, the analog-to-digital converter in the microcontroller converting the analog signal to a digital signal, the signal processor converting the digital signal to a representation of the account data, and further wherein the encryption unit encrypting the representation of the account data and providing the representation of the account data at the output of the encryption unit, at least one of the signal processor and the encryption unit including at least one adjustable parameter, and the microcontroller including an interface for changing the at least one adjustable parameter, and the payment terminal also including a connection port for the interface for changing the at least one adjustable parameter, the port providing for a remote initiation of an adjustment to the at least one adjustable parameter.