US 2004/0104269 A1Published application

System and method for distributing machine-readable media for promoting electronic commerce

OwnerBrady Bissoninventor

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Abstract

A “swipe”-type magnetic stripe reader suitable as a low-cost computer peripheral is described, together with distribution programs to create incentives for the wide deployment of the readers. The readers are used in conjunction with methods for distributing, through print media, machine readable, magnetically encoded media that may be read with the readers. An optional authentication mechanism may be built into the readers that can be used to control their use, based on information encoded into the machine-readable media that have been distributed. The encoded authentication information can, for example, be keyed to whether an advertiser has been authorized, and/or based on temporal criteria, so as to provide for effective time periods for a promotion.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A device for reading information recorded on a magnetic strip incorporated in printed media, comprising:

a first guide member;
a second guide member disposed in proximity to said first guide member to form a groove through which said magnetic strip may be slidably moved;
a magnetic reading head having a contact end disposed in said groove and facing said first guide member which is operable when said magnetic strip is slidably moved through said groove to generate an electrical signal therefrom;
a strip of resilient material held in a flexed position between a pair of mounts disposed on either side of said magnetic reading head, so as to cause said strip to engage said magnetic reading head and apply a force thereto so as to bias said contact end thereof toward said first guide member;
and
a circuit to process said electronic signal to generate therefrom an output compatible with a peripheral input provided on a computer.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/671,173Filed 24 Sep 2003
Priority: 24 Sep 2002
Published: 3 Jun 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06Q 20/387
Payment protocols; Details thereof: payment using discounts or coupons
G06K 7/084
Inductive: sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
G06Q 20/342
Using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards: cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
G07F 7/025
By keys or other credit registering devices: by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of…