Data carrier with disc shaped carrier structure

• US 5,478,995 A
• Filed: 09/08/1994
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SKIDATA AG (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: SKIDATA Deutschland GmbH (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Gruber, Robert, Wallerstorfer, Kurt, Kocznar, Wolfram
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILIPEK, JEFFER
• Application Number:
  US08/302,229
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 340/825.54, 340/825.31, 343/895, 24/8, 24/318, 24/598.4, 24/598.6
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/1446 Means for suspending pocket-, or other types of watches, e.g. on small chains bracelet fixings G04B37/1486
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1097 Optical sensing of electronic memory record carriers, such as interrogation of RFIDs with an additional optical interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/10 Movable barriers with registering means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A data carrier for a non-contact data communication with a control station controlling a passage to an area or space comprises a carrier base structure, a data sending-receiving unit, a non-volatile, electrically erasable and programmable memory, a liquid crystal display for displaying data, and a solar cell unit for providing power. When the data carrier is approached to the control station, data are received from and transmitted to the control station which checks and/or changes the data content of the memory. A means for making visible the stored data on the liquid crystal display, e.g. a microprocessor, and the liquid crystal display are powered by the solar cell unit. The data carrier can be designed as a disk and handled like a coin. A housing of the data carrier can be provided with a cord wound on a spring acted spool.

Claims

1. A data carrier for a non-contact data communication with a control station, the control station being provided with a coin handling device, which comprises an encoder/decoder and a slot, and controlling a passage to an area or space by checking and/or changing data of authorization of passage on the data carrier by said encoder/decoder when the data carrier is inserted into said slot of the coin handling device, the data carrier comprising:

a carrier base structure having the form of a disk adapted to be handled in the manner of a coin by said coin handling device;

a non-volatile, electrically erasable and programmable memory designed to store the data of authorization of passage;

a data sending-receiving unit for receiving data from the control station and transmitting data to the control station;

a liquid crystal display for displaying data;

a central processing unit for making visible on the liquid crystal display the data stored in the memory; and

a solar cell unit for providing power to the liquid crystal display and to the means for making visible the data on the liquid crystal display.

2. A data carrier according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit for making visible the data comprises a microprocessor, the microprocessor further comprising means for controlling operations of the data carrier.

3. A data carrier according to claim 1, wherein the two sides of the disk are covered with protective films each protective film including window in the region of said liquid crystal display and said solar cell.

4. A data carrier according to claim 1, wherein the sending-receiving unit is designed for radio transmission with a carrier frequency field up to 250 kHz.

5. A data carrier according to claim 4, wherein the sending-receiving unit has a magnetic antenna.

6. A data carrier according to claim 5, further comprising;

a housing holding the disk-shaped carrier base structure, the housing being provided with an antenna extension connected to a bare contact of said antenna,

a spool mounted in the housing so that it can turn, under spring tension,

a cord wound on the spool, that can be pulled out of the housing against spring force, the cord having a first end projecting out peripherally of the housing and a second end fixed on the spool,

a first fastening element provided on the projecting first end of the cord, and

a second fastening element mounted on the housing.

7. A data carrier according to claim 6, wherein the housing comprises a first and a second shell turnably connected to each other.

8. A data carrier according to claim 7, wherein the first shell comprises an outside having a recess, a watch being provided in the recess and having a watch movement, display elements, and a watch crystal.

9. A data carrier according to claim 6, wherein the first fastening element is a spreadable key ring.

10. A data carrier according to claim 9, wherein the projecting first end of the cord is fastened to an eye, and the key ring is placed in the eye.

11. A data carrier according to claim 9, wherein the key ring is made of plastic and is provided with a first and a second end comprising locking elements that can be connected to each other.

12. A data carrier according to claim 1, further comprising a recess for receiving a picture of the owner.

13. A data carrier according to claim 1, further comprising;

a housing having a first and a second shell turnably connected to each other, said second shell comprising an outside having a recess holding the disk-shaped carrier base structure,

a spool mounted in the housing so that it can turn, under spring tension,

a cord wound on the spool, that can be pulled out of the housing against spring force, the cord having a first end projecting out peripherally of the housing and a second end fixed on the spool,

a first fastening element provided on the projecting first end of the cord, and

a second fastening element mounted on the housing.

14. A data carrier for a non-contact data communication with a control station, the control station being provided with a coin handling device, which comprises an encoder/decoder and a slot, and controlling a passage to an area or space by checking and/or changing data of authorization of passage on the data carrier by said encoder/decoder when the data carrier is inserted into said slot the coin handling device, the data carrier comprising:

a carrier base structure having the form of a disk adapted to be handled in the manner of a coin by said coin handling device;

a non-volatile, electrically erasable and programmable memory designed to store the data of authorization of passage;

a data sending-receiving unit for receiving data from the control station and transmitting data to the control station, said sending-receiving unit being designed for radio transmission with a carrier frequency field up to 250 kHz, and having a magnetic antenna;

a liquid crystal display for displaying data;

a central processing unit for making visible on the liquid crystal display the data stored in the memory; and

a solar cell unit for providing power to the liquid crystal display and to the central processing unit for making visible the data on the liquid crystal display;

the liquid crystal display and the solar cell unit being arranged on a first side of the disk-shaped base structure, and the magnetic antenna being arranged on the second side of the disk-shaped base structure.

15. A data carrier according to claim 14, wherein the disk-shaped base structure is made of plastic, the magnetic antenna being printed helically on the second side of the disk-shaped base structure.

16. A data carrier according to claim 14, wherein the circumference of said disk is enclosed by a metallic ring interrupted by a slot.

17. A data carrier for a non-contact data communication with a control station, the control station being provided with a coin handling device and controlling a passage to an area or space by checking and/or changing data of authorization of passage on the data carrier when the data carrier is presented to the control station, the data carrier comprising;

a carrier base structure having the form of a disk adapted to be handled in the manner of a coin, and being made of plastic, the circumference of said disk-shaped base structure being enclosed by a metallic ring interrupted by a slot;

a non-volatile, electrically erasable and programmable memory designed to store the data of authorization of passage;

a data sending-receiving unit designed for radio transmission with a carrier frequency field up to 250 kHz for receiving data from the control station and transmitting data to the control station, the sending-receiving unit having magnetic antenna;

a liquid crystal display for displaying data;

a central processing unit for making visible on the liquid crystal display the data stored in the memory; and

a solar cell unit for providing power to the liquid crystal display and to the central processing unit for making visible the data on the liquid crystal display.

18. A data carrier for a non-contact data communication with a control station, the control station being provided with a coin handling device and controlling a passage to an area or space by checking and/or changing data of authorization of passage on the data carrier when the data carrier is presented to the control station, the data carrier comprising;

a carrier base structure having a form of a disk adapted to be handled in the manner of a coin;

a non-volatile, electrically erasable and programmable memory designed to store the data of authorization of passage;

a data sending-receiving unit for receiving data from the control station and transmitting data to the control station;

a liquid crystal display for displaying data;

a central processing unit for making visible on the liquid crystal display the data stored in the memory;

a solar cell unit for providing power to the liquid crystal display and to the central processing unit for making visible the data on liquid crystal display, and;

a ring surrounding the disk-shaped base structure and provided with a U-hook, the first shank of which is rigidly connected to the ring and the second shank of which has a lock on the end that can be connected with a corresponding locking element in the ring.