CARD VALIDATING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 3,648,242 A
• Filed: 10/23/1968
• Issued: 03/07/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gregory Grosbard
• Original Assignee: Gregory Grosbard
• Inventors: Grosbard, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Blakeslee, Ralph D.
• Application Number:
  US04/770,052
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2CA 340/149A
• US Class Current: 235/435
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/06 by means which conduct current when a mark is sensed or absent, e.g. contact brush for a conductive mark
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/00 Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10

Abstract

A record card internally structured in accordance with a predetermined code pattern is passed through a validating device to verify its genuineness and/or produce readin signals for a computer. The validating device senses coded information which is processed through logic circuitry built into the device in such a manner as to prevent alteration thereof.

Claims

1. In combination with a record medium having a code-bearing surface portion and edges respectively presenting separate code patterns, a validating device comprising a housing, means for guiding movement of said record medium along a predetermined path through the housing, sensing means activated only by the code pattern on said edges and responsive to movement of said record medium along said path for establishing code recognizing signals, logic circuit means mounted within the housing and coNnected to said sensing means for receiving said code recognizing signals, and indicating means connected to the logic circuit means for signifying authenticity of the record medium in response to said establishment of the code recognizing signals.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said record medium has a conductive element embedded therein, said sensing means including a brush device in wiping engagement with at least one of said edges through which the element is exposed.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the surface portion of said record medium includes a radio active substance emitting radiation to which the sensing means is exposed during movement of the record medium through the housing.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes a photosensitive, signal-generating device.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said record medium has an optical fiber embedded in the surface portion for transmitting light to the photosensitive signal-generating device.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the indicating means includes a pair of lamp devices respectively energized in the presence and absence of the code pattern at said edges of the record medium, power-operated feeding means engageable with the surface portion only for imparting said movement to the record medium and means connected to the power operated means for interrupting said movement of the record medium in response to energization of one of the lamp devices.

7. In a validating mechanism, a housing, sensing means establishing code recognizing signals, logic circuit means mounted within the housing and connected to said sensing means for receiving said code recognizing signals, indicating means connected to the logic circuit means for signifying establishment of the code recognizing signals, at least one circuit board on which conductors of the circuit means are supported, a potting material embedding the circuit board, said potting material having at least one cavity formed therein in close spaced relation to the circuit board and a conductor reactive ingredient nonreactive with the potting material, filling said cavity.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises a plurality of detuned oscillators, AND gate means connected to the oscillators for establishing said code recognizing signals when all of the oscillators are operative, said record medium embedding tuning slugs exposed at said edges for simultaneously retuning all of the oscillators in a predetermined position of the record medium along said path to render all of the oscillators operative.

9. The combination of claim 7 including means for guiding movement of a record medium through the housing along a predetermined path to establish said code recognizing signals through the sensing means and indicating means connected to the logic circuit means for signifying authenticity of the record medium in response to said establishment of the code recognizing signals.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the sensing means includes a photo-detecting device.

11. The combination of claim 9 wherein the sensing means includes a brush device in wiping engagement with said record medium.

12. The combination of claim 9 wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of detuned oscillators retuned by tuning slugs embedded in the record medium.

13. A security system for an electrically controlled device having a housing and a circuit board mounted in the housing and supporting conductors thereon a potting material embedding the circuit board, said potting material having at least one cavity formed therein in close spaced relation to the circuit board and a conductor reactive ingredient nonreactive with the potting material, filling said cavity.