Multifunctional card terminal

• US 20040050923A1
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interflex Datensysteme GmbH & Co KG (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Interflex Datensysteme GmbH & Co KG (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Reisser, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/415,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A card-reading device, including at least one card-reading unit, and at least one display unit for displaying information, the at least one display unit being operatively connected to the card-reading unit so as to display advertising information or the like when a card is inserted into or read by the card-reading unit.

Claims

1. Card-reading device comprising at least one card-reading unit (60-75) and at least one display unit (80) for displaying information, characterized in that the at least one display unit (80) displays advertising information or the like when this action is initiated by the insertion or reading-in of a card.

2. The card-reading device as defined in claim 1, characterized by a switching or trigger element that activates the display unit (80) in response to the insertion or reading-in of a card.

3. The card-reading device as defined in claim 2, characterized by a sensor system, which is connected to the switching element and intended to detect the condition that a card has been introduced into the card-reading unit (60-75).

4. The card-reading device as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display unit (80) displays new advertising information every time a card is inserted, or a particular advertising information when a card is inserted several times.

5. The card-reading device as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that when a card is inserted the display unit (80) displays personal information stored in the card and/or data selected in response to personal information.

6. The card-reading device as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterized by a housing comprising at least two sides (10, 20) bent off in downward direction one relative to the other.

7. The card-reading device as defined in claim 6, characterized in that the angle is in the range of 60 to 90 degrees, preferably equal to approximately 75 degrees.

8. The card-reading device as defined in claim 6 or claim 7, characterized in that the two sides (10, 20) are formed from a continuous sheet of material, especially from plexiglass, having a thickness in the range of 1 to 5 mm, which is bent off in the transition area between the two sides at an obtuse or an acute angle.

9. The card-reading device as defined in any of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that a display unit (80) and a card-reading unit (60-75) are arranged on each of the two sides (10, 20).

10. The card-reading device as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one display unit (80) comprises an integrated flat display for the display of moving information, and/or a backlight or a frontlight unit for exchangeable film posters, for static display of information.

11. The card-reading device as defined in any of claims 6 to 10, characterized by a status display element (100, 110) arranged in the area of transition between the two sides and/or at least a third display unit (90) for the display of status information.