Two way communication token interrogation apparatus
First Claim
1. A token reading device for communicating with a data-storing token, said device comprising:
- inductive coupling means for inductively coupling said reading device with said token, the inductive coupling means comprising transmitting antenna means for transmitting a signal to a token, said signal directly supplying power to said token;
signal generating means for generating and applying said signal to said antenna means, said signal generating means comprising means for modulating said signal in dependence on data to be transmitted to said token; and
data detection means coupled to said inductive coupling means for detecting changes in the transmitted signal caused by alterations of the impedance of said token, thereby detecting data transmitted by the token.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A token handling device transmits, using an electromagnetic carrier, data, clock pulses and power to a token. The token transmits data by varying the degree of absorption of the carrier in synchronism with the clock pulses. These data transmissions are detected by a receiver in the token handling device, the sensitivity of which is adjusted each time a token is received. The token could be used in transactions in place of coins, or alternatively could be used for identification purposes in other areas. Data stored by the token could be used to change the way in which the token handling device operates. The token handling device may for example form a vending machine, and the token could be used to alter the pricing of goods vended thereby. The token handling device may be combined with a coin validator, in which case there is preferably a common path from an entrance slot for carrying both the tokens and the coins to appropriate testing apparatus.
240 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A token reading device for communicating with a data-storing token, said device comprising:
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inductive coupling means for inductively coupling said reading device with said token, the inductive coupling means comprising transmitting antenna means for transmitting a signal to a token, said signal directly supplying power to said token; signal generating means for generating and applying said signal to said antenna means, said signal generating means comprising means for modulating said signal in dependence on data to be transmitted to said token; and data detection means coupled to said inductive coupling means for detecting changes in the transmitted signal caused by alterations of the impedance of said token, thereby detecting data transmitted by the token. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A coin operated machine comprising a coin validator and a token reading device for communicating with a data-storing token, said token reading device comprising:
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inductive coupling means for inductively coupling said reading device with said token, the inductive coupling means comprising transmitting antenna means for transmitting a signal to a token, said signal directly supplying power to said token; signal generating means for generating and applying said signal to said antenna means, said signal generating means comprising means for modulating said signal in dependence on data to be transmitted to said token; and data detection means coupled to said inductive coupling means for detecting changes in the transmitted signal caused by alterations of the impedance of said token, thereby to detect data transmitted by the token, said coin operated machine being capable of performing operations in dependence on an output of the coin validator. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A token for use with a token reading device for communicating with a data-storing token, said device comprising:
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inductive coupling means for inductively coupling said reading device with said token, the inductive coupling means comprising transmitting antenna means for transmitting a signal to a token, said signal directly supplying power to said token; signal generating means for generating and applying said signal to said antenna means, said signal generating means comprising means for modulating said signal in dependence on data to be transmitted to said token; and data detection means coupled to said inductive coupling means for detecting changes in the transmitted signal caused by alterations of the impedance of said token, thereby to detect data transmitted by the token, the token comprising (a) inductive coupling means for receiving the signal transmitted by the inductive coupling means of said token reading device. (b) power supply means for supplying the token with power derived from the signal received by the inductive coupling means of said token, (c) data detection means for detecting modulations of said signal and deriving data therefrom, (d) data transmission means for selectively altering the impedance of said inductive coupling means of said token in dependence upon data to be transmitted to said token reading device so as to cause changes in the signal transmitted by the inductive coupling means of the token reading device, (e) a non-volatile writable memory, and (f) control means for deriving from said memory data for transmission by said data transmissions means of said token for writing into said memory data determined by the data detected by said data detection means of said token. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification