Electronic card encoder
AssigneeComputerized Security Systems, Inc.
InventorsErnst Kern Mitchell, Mohamad A. Khalil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A key card encoder incorporates a plunger that is pushed downward as the card is manually inserted into a slot in the encoder and a potentiometer whose value changes based on the plunger position to indicate the card's position at all times. As the card is inserted into the slot, a head encodes a magnetic strip on the card as the card is inserted into the slot, while the head verifies the code in the reverse direction as the card is withdrawn from the slot. The slot is illuminated in different colors and flashing patterns to guide the user through the encoding process and notify the user if there is an encoding error.
Claims31
A card encoder, comprising:
- a slot portion having a slot that receives a card;
- a sliding mechanism that changes position as the card changes position within the slot portion;
- an electronic component coupled to the sliding mechanism and having a value corresponding to the position of the sliding mechanism;
- a head that carries out at least one of a read function and a write function on the card;
- a processor in communication with the electronic component and the head, wherein the processor instructs the head to conduct said at least one of the read function and the write function based on the position indicated by the electronic component value;
- and
- the head conducts the write operation as the card is being inserted into the slot portion and conducts the read operation as the card is being withdrawn out of the slot portion.
A card encoder, comprising:
- a slot portion having a slot that receives a card;
- a sliding mechanism that changes position as the card changes position within the slot portion;
- an electronic component coupled to the sliding mechanism and having a value corresponding to the position of the sliding mechanism;
- a head that carries our at least one of a read function and a write function on the card;
- a processor in communication with the electronic component and the head, wherein the processor instructs the head to conduct said at least one of the read function and the write function based on the position indicated by the electronic component value;
- and
- a switch that closes when the card moves the sliding mechanism to a fully inserted position.
A method of encoding a card, comprising:
- detecting a position of a sliding mechanism in a card encoder, wherein the position of the sliding mechanism corresponds to a position of a card in the card encoder;
- writing data to the card based on the detected position as the card is inserted into the card encoder;
- reading data from the card as the card is withdrawn from the card encoder;
- and
- the head conducts the write operation as the card is being inserted into the slot portion and conducts the read operation as the card is being withdrawn out of the slot portion.
A card encoder, comprising:
- a slot portion having a slot that receives a card;
- a sliding mechanism that changes position as the card changes position within the slot portion, said sliding mechanism having a surface contacted by a card inserted into the slot, and said sliding mechanism moving with said card, such that movement of said sliding mechanism corresponds to the movement of a card further into the slot;
- a switch that closes when the card moves the sliding mechanism to a fully inserted position;
- a smart card port in communication with a processor, wherein the processor prompts the smart card port to check the card for a smart chip when the processor detects that the switch is closed;
- and the processor in communication with an electronic component and the smart card port, wherein the processor instructs the smart card port to conduct said at least one of the read function and the write function based on the position indicated by a value of the electronic component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.