Electronic card reading device

• US 5,015,830 A
• Filed: 07/03/1989
• Issued: 05/14/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Masuzawa, Shigeaki, Komaki, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): duBois, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US07/374,879
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 235/441, 235/380, 235/379, 235/486, 235/492, 364/705.01, 364/707, 364/708, 206/305, 206/232, 150/132-142
• US Class Current: 235/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/006 the housing being a portable casing
• 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: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An electronic card reading device for reading the data stored in an electronic card by electrically bringing the electronic card into contact with the reading device and for displaying the data that is read on a display thereof comprising; a main unit in the form of a thin plate having card contacts which are electrically brought into contact with an electronic card, an integrated circuit, and a display on which to display the data which is read from the electronic card, a power source in the form of a thin plate which is electrically connected to the main unit to supply power thereto, the power source being constructed so as to be separate from the main unit, and a soft cover having a housing portion for the main unit and another housing portion for the power source, in which the main unit and the power source are separately housed, and having an electronic card pocket which is so disposed that an electronic card can be inserted therein and the electronic card thus inserted is brought into contact with the card contacts of the main unit which is housed in the main unit housing portion.

Claims

1. An electronic card reading device for reading the data stored in an electronic card by electrically bringing said electronic card into contact with the reading device and for displaying the data that is read on a display,

wherein said device comprises:

a main unit in the form of a thin plate having card contacts which are electrically brought into contact with an electronic card, an integrated circuit, and a display portion for displaying the data which is read from the electronic card,

a power source in the form of a thin plate which is electrically connected to said main unit to supply power thereto, said power source being constructed so as to be separate from said main unit, and a soft cover having a housing portion for said main unit and another housing portion for said power source, in which said main unit and said power source are separately housed, and having an electronic card pocket which is so disposed that an electronic card can be inserted therein and the electronic card thus inserted is brought into contact with said card contacts of said main unit which is housed in said main unit housing portion.

2. An electronic card reading device according to claim 1, wherein said soft cover has a card pocket to accommodate various cards therein.

3. An electronic card reading device according to claim 2, wherein said soft cover can be folded in two so that respective half portions overlap each other and said card pocket and said power source housing portion are disposed in one half portion thereof.

4. An electronic card reading device according to claim 3, wherein said power source accommodated in said power source housing portion is electrically connected to said main unit accommodated in said main unit housing portion by means of a flexible connecting member.

5. An electronic card reading device according to claim 2, wherein said soft cover can be folded in two so that respective half portions thereof overlap each other, and only said card pocket is disposed in one half portion thereof.

6. An electronic card reading device according to claim 2, wherein said soft cover is so constructed that said main unit housing portion, said electronic card pocket, said power source, housing portion, and said card pocket are disposed one on top of another.

7. An electronic card reading device according to claim 1, wherein said power source is of a sheet-type battery.

8. An electronic card reading device according to claim 1, wherein said main unit has a key operational section with which to write data in an electronic card that is brought contact with the reading device.