US 5,438,186 A · Multi-reader transaction terminal

Abstract

A multi-reader terminal including a magnetic stripe reader, an embossed character reader, and a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) check reader, in an integrated stand-alone unit. The terminal is operative for gathering credit card or check information required for customer transactions at the point of sale. The terminal provides a single card passageway for receiving a credit card having a magnetic stripe and embossed characters. The magnetic stripe reader and embossed character reader read the credit card as it travels in the passageway. The embossed character reader may be selectively retracted from the card passageway. The terminal includes a plurality of serial communications ports that allow the terminal to be connected in series between a host computer and an electronic cash register. The serial ports allow connection of a signature capture pad, a personal identification number (PIN) pad, and other serial devices. The terminal is operative to intercept and respond to serial data, or to reroute serial data between any of the serial ports. The terminal is especially suitable for use in a system wherein chargeback protection is to be afforded to certain transactions in the event that information from the embossing, magnetic stripe, or MICR reader are combined with other transaction information and forwarded electronically to a transaction processor or guarantor.

Claims67

Dependent claims

A multireader terminal for reading financial transaction data, comprising:

a magnetic ink character recognition reader for reading check account data from checks;
a magnetic stripe reader for reading card identifying information from a magnetic stripe on a card;
an embossed character reader for reading card identifying information from characters embossed on said card;
in integrated controller in communication with said magnetic ink character recognition reader, said magnetic stripe reader, and said embossed character reader, said controller operative for receiving data signals from said magnetic ink character recognition reader, said magnetic stripe reader and said embossed character reader and for providing decoded data signals;
and
data port means for providing check account data and card identifying information corresponding to said decoded data signals as an output.

3 more elements

Apparatus for obtaining card identifying information from a data card, comprising:

a housing;
means for moving a data card along a path in the housing;
a magnetic stripe reader for reading card identifying information stored on a magnetic stripe associated with the data card as the card is moved along said path by said moving means;
said magnetic stripe reader being operative to read the data card as the card moves in a first direction and in a second direction;
an embossed card reader for reading card identifying information from an embossed character region of the data card as the card is moved along said path by said moving means;
said embossed card reader being operative to read the data card as the card moves in said first direction and in said second direction:
means for verifying said card identifying information;
and
means for providing as an output verified card identifying information obtained from said magnetic stripe reader, verified card identifying information obtained from said magnetic stripe reader supplemented with information from said embossed card reader, or verified card identifying information obtained from said embossed card reader.

6 more elements

A card reader for reading magnetically recorded data from a magnetic stripe on a data card and for reading embossed data from an embossed region on the card, comprising:

a housing;
a drive roller mounted on said housing and rotatable in a forward direction to draw the card along a path in a first direction and rotatable in a reverse direction to expel the card in a second direction, said drive roller having resilient surfaces carried thereon at positions axially spaced on said drive roller for engaging with the card;
drive means for rotating said drive roller in the forward and reverse directions;
a movable magnetic read head positioned in the same plane as said drive roller, said magnetic read head being biased against a card by a biasing spring;
floating head support means mounting said magnetic read head to said housing for permitting deflection of said head towards and away from the card to accommodate variations in thickness of the card as the card is moved along said path;
an embossed character read head mounted in said housing in a plane opposite said drive roller and said magnetic read head;
means for selectively moving said embossed character read head into position to contact with embossing on the card as the card is moved along said path to read the embossing, and for retracting said embossed character read head during reading by said magnetic read head;
and
circuit means for receiving the recorded data from said magnetic read head and for receiving embossed card data from said embossed read head.

6 more elements

A multi-reader apparatus for reading data encoded in magnetic ink on a check and for reading information encoded on a data card, comprising:

(a) a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reader for reading a series of characters printed in magnetic ink on a check and for providing MICR signals corresponding thereto;
(b) a card reader including an embossed character reader for providing signals corresponding to characters embossed on a card and a magnetic stripe reader for providing magnetic stripe signals corresponding to data recorded on a magnetic stripe on the card, said card reader comprising:
a housing including a top portion and a bottom portion, said top and bottom portions together defining an insertion slot for accepting the card and a channel extending therefrom, the card moving in said channel in a direction aligned with said embossed characters, said housing top portion defining an embossed read head slot adjacent said embossed characters, and said housing top portion further defining a pair of guide ribs, said guide ribs being operative to guide said embossed characters along a path adjacent said embossed read head slot;
a retractable embossed character read head selectively positionable in a reading position and in a normally retracted position, said read head subassembly comprising a plurality of pins slidably mounted in a pin support block, said pins extending through said embossed read head slot when said embossed character read head is positioned in said reading position to contact with embossing on the card,
a leaf spring for biasing said retractable embossed character read head in said normally retracted position,
embossed read head moving means for moving said embossed character read head into said reading position,
a removable support housing affixed to said housing bottom portion and including recesses for supporting drive rollers and a magnetic read head,
a magnetic stripe read head mounted in said removable support housing and extending into operative reading position relative to the magnetic stripe on a card moving along said channel,
a motor,
first and second drive rollers each having a resilient outer covering for engaging with the card and urging the card along said channel, said drive rollers being rotatably housed in said removable support housing,
a drive belt for coupling said motor to said first and said second drive rollers,
a card position detector for providing signals indicative of the position of a card within said channel,
a card insertion detector for providing a signal indicative of the insertion of a card, and
an ejector for manually removing a card from said channel;
(c) a microprocessor for receiving and processing signals from said card insertion detector to cause said motor to move a card inserted into said insertion slot along said channel past said embossed character read head and said magnetic read head and then back to said insertion slot to expel the card, from said card position detector to determine the position of the card in the channel, from said MICR reader to obtain a check account number, from said magnetic stripe read head and said embossed character read head to form an account number on a credit card obtained from said magnetic stripe reader or said embossed card reader;
and
(d) a plurality of input/output serial communication ports for communicating said account number to an external location.

14 more elements

(5+4+1) A multireader terminal for reading financial transaction data, comprising:

a magnetic ink character recognition reader for reading check account data from checks;
a magnetic stripe reader for reading card identifying information from a magnetic stripe on a card;
an embossed character reader for reading card identifying information from characters embossed on said card;
data port means for providing check account data and card identifying information as an output;
a housing defining a card passageway for receiving said card, said magnetic stripe reader and said embossed character reader both being operatively positioned to engage with a card transported along said passageway;
said housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top and bottom portions together defining said card passageway;
said housing top portion further defining a plurality of card support ribs operative to reduce friction between said card transported along said passageway and said housing top portion;
card transporting means for transporting said card within said passageway and in operative contact with said magnetic stripe reader and said embossed character reader, said card transporting means comprising:
a plurality of drive rollers partially disposed within said passageway and operative to engage said card;
and
a motor operatively connected to said drive rollers.

8 more elements

(9+8+4+1) A multireader terminal for reading financial transaction data, comprising:

a magnetic ink character recognition reader for reading check account data from checks;
a magnetic stripe reader for reading card identifying information from a magnetic stripe on a card;
an embossed character reader for reading card identifying information from characters embossed on said card;
data port means for providing check account data and card identifying information as an output;
a housing defining a card passageway for receiving said card, said magnetic stripe reader and said embossed character reader both being operatively positioned to engage with a card transported along said passageway;
card transporting means for transporting said card within said passageway and in operative contact with said magnetic stripe reader and said embossed character reader;
and
means for selectively positioning said embossed character reader into operative position to engage with a card;
said embossed character reader comprising a read head positioned to extend through an opening in said housing into operative proximity to the embossed characters on a card being transported therethrough, said embossed character reader positioning means comprising an electrical actuator operative to move said read head into said operative proximity with the card.

6 more elements

A multi-reader terminal for reading financial transaction data, comprising:

a magnetic ink character recognition reader for reading check account data from checks;
a magnetic stripe reader for reading card identifying information from a magnetic stripe on a card;
an embossed character reader for reading card identifying information from characters embossed on said card;
a plurality of selectively configurable serial data communications ports for providing check account data and card identifying information as an output,
one of said data communications ports being connected to a host computer system and another of said data communications ports being connected to an electronic cash register;
means operative for determining whether signals from said host computer system are intended as communications between said host computer system and said electronic cash register or between said host computer system and said multi-reader terminal;
and
means responsive to signals intended for communications between said electronic cash register and said host computer system for routing said signals between said electronic cash register and said host computer system.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-reader transaction terminal

Life of this patent

Multi-reader transaction terminal

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims67