Modular card issuance system and method of operation
AssigneeDataCard Corporation
InventorsJames M. Jordan, Steven G. Dorfe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modular card issuance system comprises a plurality of sequentially ordered modules configured such that each module is in electrical communication with its adjacent modules. This system also comprises a main controller that is in electrical communication with each of the modules. Upon power-up of the system and without assistance from the main controller, each module determines its own identity, its relative position among the plurality of modules and the total number of modules in the system. This information is then reported to the main controller upon request from the main controller.
Claims36
A card issuance system comprising:
- a plurality of sequentially ordered function modules, wherein each module is configured to send and receive data to communicate with an adjacent upstream or downstream module;
- and
- a main controller in communication with each function module;
- wherein upon power-up of the system, each function module is configured to determine its own module type and its relative position among the plurality of function modules without assistance from the main controller, such that the module type data and relative position data are available to the main controller upon request from the main controller.
A method of operating a modular card issuance system, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of sequentially ordered function modules and a main system controller such that each function module operates to send and receive data to communicate with an adjacent upstream and downstream function module using a first communication protocol and further operates to communicate with the main controller using a second communication protocol;
- determining, via the first communication protocol, the module type and relative position of each module without assistance from the main controller;
- and
- transmitting the module type and relative position data to the main system controller, via the second communication protocol, in response to commands from the main system controller to the function modules.
A card issuance system comprising:
- a plurality of sequentially ordered function modules, wherein each module operates to send and receive data to exchange data with an adjacent upstream and downstream module, but not with non-adjacent function modules, and further wherein upon power-up of the system, each module is configured to determine its own module type and its relative position among the plurality of modules in the system without assistance from a system controller, such that the identity data and the relative position data is available to the system controller.
A card issuance system function module that is operational and configured, upon power-up, to determine, without assistance from a card issuance system controller its module type and its relative position among a plurality of modules upon insertion of the module into a modular card issuance system, such that the relative position data is available to another upstream and downstream card issuance system function module using a serial communications protocol scheme solely between modular card issuance system function modules upon insertion of the function module into the modular card issuance system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.