METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROVIDING CARDS

• US 20080143051A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bowe Systec Gmbh (L. Possehl & Co. mit beschränkter Haftung)
• Original Assignee: Boewe Systec AG
• Inventors: Neff, Monika, Estner, Stefan, Gamperling, Rudolf
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/308
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/10 from magazine to conveying arrangement
• 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 method and a device for providing cards for processing first cause a drawing of a card from at least one card magazine. The cards are arranged in a plurality of card magazines and may be drawn from the same, and information regarding their card type is further associated with the cards. After drawing the card, it is output for subsequent processing together with the information regarding the card type associated with the card to allow control of the subsequent processing based on the forwarded information. Cards of a known card type are arranged in a card magazine and the information regarding the card type is associated with the card magazine, wherein the information associated with the card magazine is forwarded when drawing a card from a card magazine.

Claims

1. A method for providing one or more cards to be applied to a carrier, wherein the cards are arranged in a plurality of card magazines and may be drawn from the plurality of card magazines, wherein cards of a known card type are arranged in a card magazine, and wherein information regarding the card type is associated with the card magazine, the method comprising:

(a) drawing a card from at least one card magazine, wherein the card contains information for associating the card with a card type;

(b) reading the card drawn in step (a);

(c) based on the information read from the card, accessing a database;

(d) obtaining, from the database, information about the card type of the card drawn in step (a), information about the carrier to which the card drawn in step (a) is to be applied, and information about further cards, if any, to be applied to the carrier;

(e) outputting the card for further processing together with the information about the card type to allow control of the subsequent processing based on the outputted information;

(f) based on the information from the database, drawing and outputting the further cards, if any; and

(g) based on the information from the database, generating a personalized carrier and providing the personalized carrier for further processing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the card and the further cards, if any, to the personalized carrier.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the information about the card type includes information about the card material, a card embossing and/or a storage medium on the card.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information about the card type includes information about a storage medium on the card indicating the presence of a storage medium and the storage medium type so that, in subsequent processing, a suitable card reader may be activated depending on the indicated storage medium type.

5. A device for providing one or more cards to be applied to a carrier, the device comprising:

a plurality of card magazines for receiving cards, wherein cards of a known card type are arranged in a card magazine, and wherein information regarding the card type is associated with the card magazine;

a drawing unit for drawing a card from at least one card magazine;

a card output for outputting the card;

a data output;

a data input;

a reader for reading a drawn card; and

a processor configured to

drive the drawing unit for drawing a card from one of the card magazines, wherein the card contains information for associating the card with a card type;

drive the reader for reading the card drawn;

access a database based on the information read from the card;

receive from the database, at the data input, information about the card type of the card drawn, and information about further cards, if any, to be applied to the carrier;

to drive the card output for outputting the card drawn for further processing;

to drive the data output for outputting the information about the card type to allow control of the subsequent processing based on the outputted information; and

drive the drawing unit and the card output for drawing and outputting the further cards, if any, based on the information from the database.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the information about the card type includes information about the card material, a card embossing and/or a storage medium on the card.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the information about the card type includes information about a storage medium on the card indicating the presence of a storage medium and the storage medium type so that, in subsequent processing, a suitable card reader may be activated depending on the indicated storage medium type.

8. A device for applying one or more cards to a carrier, the device comprising:

a card feeder;

a card channel;

a database;

a printer; and

an applier,

wherein the card feeder comprises;

a plurality of card magazines for receiving cards, wherein cards of a known card type are arranged in a card magazine, and wherein information regarding the card type is associated with the card magazine;

a drawing unit for drawing a card from at least one card magazine;

a card output for outputting the card;

a data output;

a data input;

a reader for reading a drawn card; and

a processor configured to

drive the drawing unit for drawing a card from one of the card magazines, wherein the card contains information for associating the card with a card type;

drive the reader for reading the card drawn;

access a database based on the information read from the card;

receive from the database, at the data input, information about the card type of the card drawn, and information about further cards, if any, to be applied to the carrier;

to drive the card output for outputting the card drawn for further processing;

to drive the data output for outputting the information about the card type to allow control of the subsequent processing based on the outputted information; and

drive the drawing unit and the card output for drawing and outputting the further cards, if any, based on the information from the database;

wherein the card channel comprises

a plurality of sensors for reading cards,

a card input for receiving a card from the card feeder,

a data input for receiving the information specifying the card type of the card from the card feeder, wherein the card channel is configured by activating/deactivation the sensors on the basis of the received information, and

a card output; and

wherein the printer is configured to obtain from the database information about the carrier to which the card drawn is to be applied, to generate a personalized carrier and to provide the personalized carrier for further processing,

wherein the applier is configured to connect the card received from the card channel to the card carrier received from the printer.