Binary system for magnetic card actuation for laundry machines
First Claim
1. An apparatus for activating a machine with a magnetic member bearing magnetic signals representing one'"'"'s and zero'"'"'s, said magnetic signals having leading and trailing edges, a first predetermined duration when representing a one, a second predetermined duration when representing a zero, and leading edges which are equidistantly spaced, comprising:
- means responsive to said magnetic signals for generating pulses of a first polarity corresponding to each of said leading edges and pulses of an opposite polarity corresponding to each of said trailing edges;
means responsive to said pulses of said first polarity for generating clock pulses, said clock pulses having a duration between that of said magnetic signals representing one'"'"'s and said magnetic signals representing zero'"'"'s;
means responsive to said clock pulses and said pulses of opposite polarity for generating data pulses; and
a first registering means responsive to said data pulses and said clock pulses for registering said data pulses, said data pulses representing a data number and an identification number;
means coupled to said first registering means for validating said data number and said identification number and providing an enabling signal when acceptable data and identification numbers are present;
means coupled to said first registering means and responsive to said data number for reducing said data number and providing an output corresponding to said reduced data number;
means coupled to said reducing means and said validating means and responsive to said enabling signal for displaying said reduced data number;
means responsive to said enabling signal for activating a machine;
a second registering means coupled to said first registering means and said reducing means and responsive to said enabling signal for registering said reduced data number and said identification number; and
means coupled to said second registering means for recording on said magnetic member, in place of the original magnetic signals, new magnetic signals corresponding to said identification number and said reduced data number, said magnetic signals having a first predetermined duration when representing a one, a second predetermined duration when representing a zero, and leading edges which are equidistantly spaced.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system is described for activating a machine using magnetic signals encoded on a magnetic card, tape or equivalent member. The magnetic signals are pulse-width-modulated and, in one embodiment, also sawtooth-modulated. A means is provided which is responsive to the magnetic signals for generating a first and a second number. The first number corresponds to the number of times the magnetic card is usable for activating a machine. The second number is provided for identification and validation purposes. Means are also provided for reducing the number of times the card can be used each time it is used to activate a machine and for visually displaying that number on a visual display device. The use of skewed recording and reproduction heads is also described for improving signal discrimination and security against the usability of fraudulently produced magnetic cards.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for activating a machine with a magnetic member bearing magnetic signals representing one'"'"'s and zero'"'"'s, said magnetic signals having leading and trailing edges, a first predetermined duration when representing a one, a second predetermined duration when representing a zero, and leading edges which are equidistantly spaced, comprising:
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means responsive to said magnetic signals for generating pulses of a first polarity corresponding to each of said leading edges and pulses of an opposite polarity corresponding to each of said trailing edges; means responsive to said pulses of said first polarity for generating clock pulses, said clock pulses having a duration between that of said magnetic signals representing one'"'"'s and said magnetic signals representing zero'"'"'s; means responsive to said clock pulses and said pulses of opposite polarity for generating data pulses; and a first registering means responsive to said data pulses and said clock pulses for registering said data pulses, said data pulses representing a data number and an identification number; means coupled to said first registering means for validating said data number and said identification number and providing an enabling signal when acceptable data and identification numbers are present; means coupled to said first registering means and responsive to said data number for reducing said data number and providing an output corresponding to said reduced data number; means coupled to said reducing means and said validating means and responsive to said enabling signal for displaying said reduced data number; means responsive to said enabling signal for activating a machine; a second registering means coupled to said first registering means and said reducing means and responsive to said enabling signal for registering said reduced data number and said identification number; and means coupled to said second registering means for recording on said magnetic member, in place of the original magnetic signals, new magnetic signals corresponding to said identification number and said reduced data number, said magnetic signals having a first predetermined duration when representing a one, a second predetermined duration when representing a zero, and leading edges which are equidistantly spaced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for use with a magnetic member bearing pulse-width-modulated magnetic signals comprising:
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means responsive to said magnetic signals for generating data pulses representing a first number corresponding to the number of times said magnetic member may be used to activate a machine and a second number corresponding to an identification number; and means responsive to said first and said second numbers for activating a machine when said first and said second number satisfy predetermined criteria, wherein said magnetic signals have leading and trailing edges and further wherein said means responsive to said magnetic signals for generating said data pulses comprises; capacitive means; means responsive to a first one of said leading edges for changing the potential on said capacitive means from a first predetermined reference potential to a second potential; means responsive to a first one of said trailing edges following said first leading edge for changing the potential on said capacitive means from said second potential to a third potential; means sensitive to the polarity of said third potential relative to said reference potential for providing a corresponding predetermined output; and means responsive to a second one of said leading edges following said first trailing edge for changing the potential on said capacitive means from said third potential to said reference potential. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification