CONTACTLESS SMARTCARD BEZEL

• US 20100116883A1
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Mei Incorporated (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Martin, Robert, Bullard, Peter, Cost, Evan J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/005 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49718 Repairing

Abstract

A multi media payment device includes a banknote acceptor and a RF card reader, and also may include a magnetic card reader. A bezel assembly for connection to the bill acceptor preferably includes a reader unit to read magnetic swipe cards and contactless chip cards.

Claims

1. A multi media payment device comprising:

a banknote acceptor; and

a RF card reader, the RF card reader including an antenna loop for reading information stored in a contactless smart card.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a magnetic card reader.

3. The device of claim 1 comprising a light pipe of a material with volume diffusion properties.

4. The device of claim 1 having an external form factor compatible with an industry standard footprint of approximately 86 mm×

107 mm.

5. The device of claim 1 including at least one of an alpha-numeric or graphical display.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the display is at least partially within a planar outline of the antenna of the RF card reader.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the antenna is located on a printed circuit board on which are mounted components to illuminate the display.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the components to illuminate the display are located substantially inside the antenna loop area.

9. The device of claim 2 wherein the RF card reader includes a low profile magnetic head.

10. The device of claim 5 wherein the display has a “

chip-on-glass”

construction.

11. The device of claim 3 comprising indicator lights to illuminate a plurality of sections of the light pipe wherein at least some of the indicator lights are operable to flash in a strobe pattern and sequence to create an optical illusion of motion.

12. The device of either claim 1 wherein the card reader unit is integrated in a bezel assembly.

13. The device of either claim 2 wherein the card reader unit is integrated with a bezel assembly.

14. The device of claim 1 including a display, wherein the display overlaps at least a portion of the antenna loop.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the antenna loop is located behind the display relative to a front face of the device.

26. A multi media payment device according to claim 2 wherein the antenna loop is sized to the available area of a vending machine aperture after space has been allocated for a banknote entry slot and a magnetic stripe slot.

27. A multi media payment device according to claim 26 wherein a display overlaps the antenna loop.

16. A bezel assembly for connection to a bill validator, the bezel assembly comprising a reader unit including an antenna loop to read information stored on a contactless chip card.

17. The bezel assembly of claim 16 wherein the reader unit also is operable to read a magnetic swipe card.

18. The bezel assembly of claim 16 connected to a bill validator.

19. The bezel assembly of claim 16 including a display, wherein the display overlaps at least a portion of the antenna loop.

20. The bezel assembly of claim 19 wherein the antenna loop is located behind the display relative to a front face of the assembly.

21. The bezel assembly of claim 16 including a first slot for insertion of a bill, a second slot for swiping a magnetic swipe card, and the antenna loop to read the contactless chip card placed in proximity to the bezel assembly.

22. The bezel assembly of claim 16 including a light pipe and indicator lights to illuminate sections of the light pipe, wherein the indicator lights are operable to flash in a strobe pattern and sequence.

23. The bezel assembly of claim 16 having an external form factor compatible with a footprint of approximately 84 mm×

107 mm.

24. A method of upgrading a vending machine with capability of reading contactless chip cards and magnetic swipe cards, the method comprising:

installing a bezel assembly comprising hardware to read the contactless chip cards and magnetic swipe cards; and

connecting the bezel assembly to an input port of a data collecting module.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the bezel assembly further includes a slot for insertion of a bill, the method including connecting the bezel assembly to a bill validator, wherein the bill validator is arranged to receive a bill inserted into the slot.