System for personalization of integrated circuit microchip cards

• US 4,827,425 A
• Filed: 10/31/1986
• Issued: 05/02/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thorn EMI Malco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Thorn EMI Malco Incorporated
• Inventors: Linden, Lawrence F.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US06/925,610
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478, 364/488, 364/489, 364/490, 364/491, 364/468, 235/380, 235/375, 235/492, 235/382, 360/2, 360/91, 360/92
• US Class Current: 700/225
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system for personalization of I.C. microchip cards includes a feed mechanism, which feeds blank plastics cards into an encoder, which encodes a magnetic stripe on each card with personalized data from a magnetic tape or disk. Correctly encoded cards are then fed to a personalization module consisting of up to sixty I.C. write stations for programming a microchip of each card with data corresponding to that encoded on the magnetic stripe. The module moves relative to the in-feed and out-feed lines of the cards, at a speed in dependence on the programming time, which can vary depending on the volume and complexity of the program. The magnetically encoded and programmed cards may then optionally be provided with human-readable information by an embosser or printer before being fed out of the system.

Claims

1. A system for personalization of cards containing integrated circuit microchips, said system comprising:

a plurality of stations arranged in sequence for receiving input cards having microchips to be programmed and programing means associated with each of said stations for programming the microchips of cards received at the associated station with personalized data;

in-feed means for conveying input cards to said stations for programing;

out-feed means for conveying away from said stations programmed cards the microchips on which have been programmed by said programing means;

means for moving said stations relative to said in-feed means and said out-feed means, causing the stations to be successively and repeatedly brought, in accordance with said sequence, into register with said in-feed means and said out-feed means;

means for controlling the speed of relative movement between said stations and said in-feed means and said out-feed means, in dependence on a time period corresponding to that required for programming the microchips on said input cards; and

means for controlling the rate of operation of said in-feed means, independence on said speed to establish a substantially continuous flow of cards through said system.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stations are arranged in a circular sequence relative to said in-feed means and said out-feed means, such that the input cards are fed into, and out of, the stations radially of the circle and said stations move relative to said in-feed means and out-feed along a circular track.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stations are positioned at equal angular spacings around the periphery of said formation.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 and including a device for encoding a magnetic stripe, provided on each card, with information corresponding to the programmable data for said card, said encoding occurring prior to said cards being fed into said stations for programming.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 and including a device for affixing human-readable information to the cards.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 and including mans for producing an output record indicative of the personalized data programmed into the microchip of each card.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said stations includes a replaceable PROM control chip to enable different chip card architectures to be utilised without the necessity of changing overall control software of the system.

8. A system for personalization of cards having an encodable magnetic stripe and an integrated circuit microchip, said system comprising, in combination:

means for encoding the magnetic stripe of each card with personalized data from a data store;

means for programming the microchip of each card with data encoded on said magnetic stripe, said means for programing including card input and output means and a plurality of programming devices and a respective programming station associated with each device, said stations being disposed in an operating sequence;

means for affixing human-readable information onto each of said cards;

guide means for conveying said cards between said encoding means, said card input and output means of said programming means and said information affixing means;

station moving means for moving said programming stations, in said sequence, past the card input and output means at a rate influenced by the time taken for said programming devices to effect the programing of the microchips of said cards; and

means for synchronising the rate of conveying of said cards by said guide means to the rate of movement of said stations caused by said station moving means to establish a substantially continuous flow of cards through said system.

9. A system for personalization of cards containing integrated circuit microchips, said system comprising:

a rotary personalization module comprising a plurality of stations arranged in a circular sequence in a plane perpendicular to the flow of said cards through said system for reception of respective cards and each station including programming means for programming the microchips of said cards with personalized data;

a card-feed mechanism for supplying cards to said stations for programming and for conveying programmed cards away from said stations;

means for rotating said module relative to said card-feed mechanism, such that said stations in said sequence are successively and repeatedly brought into register with said card-feed mechanism; and

means for controlling the speed of rotation, and thus of successive registrations of said stations with said card-feed mechanism, in dependence on a time period corresponding to that required for said programming means to complete the programming of said cards;

said card-feed mechanism comprising means for feeding card into a station in register with said mechanism, means for enabling said feeding means when programming of the card in said station is complete, so that a programmed card is pushed out of said station by the next card fed into that station, and means for guiding said programmed card away from said station.