Card personalization system and method

• US 20030201317A1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entrust Corp.
• Original Assignee: Datacard Corp. (Entrust Corp.)
• Inventors: Conroy, Michael J., Nichols, Dean Raymond, Sells, Robert Anders, Shay, Brian, Johnson, Peter Edward, Johnson, Brian Paul, Lundstrom, Robert W., Schultze, Gary Thomas, Prenevost, Lex Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 6,902,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 18/103 Reel-to-reel type web winding and unwinding mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/5111 Printing; Marking
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/942 Bidirectional powered handling device
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1914 Cards, e.g. telephone, credit and identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07716 the record carrier comprising means for customization, e.g. being arranged for personalization in batch

Abstract

A system and method for personalizing cards and other secure identification documents. The card personalization system and method provide improved data integrity, system reliability, and system performance. Improvements to card handling and processing within the modules, improved card transfer between modules, improvements to control of the modules, and other improvements are set forth, all of which contribute, individually and collectively, to achieving these goals.

Claims

1. A card personalization system comprising:

a card input for inputting cards into the system, a plurality of card processing modules, and a card output for collecting processed cards,

wherein at least two adjacent modules of said plurality of card processing modules are configured to process at least one card at a time, and each of said two adjacent modules are controlled so that a card must be completely transferred out of the downstream module of said two adjacent modules before the downstream module can receive a new card from the upstream module of said two adjacent modules.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each module of said plurality of card processing modules are configured to process at least one card at a time, and each of said modules are controlled so that a card must be completely transferred out of a module before the module can receive a new card.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each module includes an entry photocell and an exit photocell, said photocells capable of detecting cards entering and exiting the respective module.

4. A method of processing cards comprising:

providing a card personalization system having a card input for inputting cards into the system, a plurality of card processing modules including at least a first and a second processing module, the second processing module being arranged adjacent to and downstream from the first processing module, each of said first and second modules configured to process at least one card at a time, and a card output for collecting processed cards;

processing a first card in the first processing module and a second card in the second processing module; and

outputting the second card from the second processing module, and thereafter outputting the first card from the first processing module into the second processing module.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each module of said plurality of card processing modules are configured to process at least one card at a time, and controlling each of said modules so that a card must be completely transferred out of a module before the module can receive a new card.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising detecting a card entering and exiting each module.

7. A card personalization system comprising:

a card input for inputting cards into the system, a plurality of card processing modules, and a card output for collecting processed cards; and

at least one of said modules includes a status indictor that is arranged to be visible to an operator of the system from the exterior of the module.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each module includes a status indicator, each status indicator is arranged to be visible to an operator of the system from the exterior of the respective module.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the card input includes a status indicator that is arranged to be visible to an operator of the system from the exterior of the card input.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the card output includes a status indicator that is arranged to be visible to an operator of the system from the exterior of the card output.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein each module includes a cover, and the status indicators are visible through the respective cover.

12. A card personalization system comprising:

a card input for inputting cards into the system, a plurality of card processing modules, and a card output for collecting processed cards; and

a button disposed on at least one of the card input and the card output, or on one of the card processing modules, the button capable of controlling operation of the system when pressed.

13. The system of claim 12, comprising a button on each of the card input and the card output, each button capable of controlling operation of the system when pressed.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising an operator station, and the operator station including a button that is capable of controlling operation of the system when pressed.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the buttons are capable of pausing the system and restarting the system after being paused.

16. A card personalization system comprising:

a card input for inputting cards into the system, a plurality of card processing modules, a card output for collecting processed cards, and a system controller that controls operation of and transfers data to and from the card input, the card processing modules and the card output; and

at least one data line from the controller to each of the card input, the processing modules and the card output, each data line communicating data and control commands between the system controller and the card input, the processing modules, and the card output.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the card input, the processing modules and the card output together define a trough on backsides thereof, said trough receiving the data lines.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the card input, the processing modules and the card output each include a passage through a backside thereof, each said passage permitting passage of the respective data line.

19. A card personalization system comprising:

a card input for inputting cards into the system, first and second adjacent card processing modules, and a card output for collecting processed cards;

the first and second processing modules each including a mounting mechanism, the mounting mechanism of one of the first and second modules includes a plurality of locator pins that fit into corresponding locator holes in the mounting mechanism of the other one of the first and second modules; and

the mounting mechanism of one of the first and second modules includes a support bracket that is positioned to be adjacent the mounting mechanism of the other one of the first and second modules, whereby the support bracket is shared between the first and second modules for mounting processing mechanisms of the first and second processing modules.

20. A card personalization system comprising:

a card input for inputting cards into the system, a plurality of card processing modules, and a card output for collecting processed cards, wherein at least two of said card processing modules perform similar card processing procedures, said two modules being adjacent each other.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the two modules perform similar personalization tasks.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the two modules perform different personalization tasks.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the two modules comprise one of magnetic stripe modules, embossing modules, integrated circuit chip programming modules, multi-color printing modules, monochromatic printing modules, laser modules, graphics modules, cleaning modules, topping modules, and punching modules.