Ticketless travel card and method of use

• US 5,504,321 A
• Filed: 09/06/1994
• Issued: 04/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dunstan P. Sheldon
• Original Assignee: Dunstan P. Sheldon
• Inventors: Sheldon, Dunstan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/300,945
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/382, 235/375, 235/492, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

In a ticketless travel card package, the combination comprising a generally rectangular base card having opposite first and second sides to carry and present identification indicia at the first side; a programmable read/write memory circuit carried in a local section of the card to store encoded travel data A: and a thermally printable flat sheet laminated onto the second side of the card to carry and visually present data B which is a sub-set of data A.

Claims

1. In the method of providing a ticketless travel card package, the steps that include

a) providing a generally rectangular base card having opposite first and second sides to carry and present identification indicia at said first side,

b) providing a programmable read/write memory circuit on a local section of the card to store encoded travel data A,

c) providing a thermally printable flat sheet laminated onto the second side of the card, said flat sheet defining a zone dedicated to carry and visually present data B which is a sub-set of data A,

d) storing said data A in said read/write memory circuit,

e) and thermally printing said data B on said flat sheet and in the form of thermally erasable alpha numeric indicia visually indicative of a travel itinerary.

2. The method of claim 1 including subsequently thermally erasing said data B from said flat sheet.

3. The method of claim 1 including also providing a magnetic strip on said one side of the card, and magnetically storing data C on said strip.

4. The method of claim 1 including providing said flat sheet to have a polyester film base, an overcoat layer, and a thermally recording layer sandwiched between said base and said overcoat layer, said printing of said data B being effected to locate said data B below said overcoat layer.

5. The method of claim 1 including providing:

i) first means to receive the card and to encode data A in said memory circuit, and erase data B on the flat sheet,

ii) and second means to receive the card and to thermally print data B on said flat sheet, and inserting said card into said first means which receives the card and includes data in said memory circuit, and which erases previously thermally printed data B on the flat sheet, and inserting said card into said second means which receives the card and which thermally prints updated data B on said flat sheet.

6. The method of claim 3 including also providing a signature strip on said flat sheet.

7. In the method of providing a ticketless travel card package, the steps that include

a) providing a generally rectangular base card having opposite first and second sides to carry and present identification indicia at said first side,

b) providing a programmable read/write memory circuit on a local section of the card proximate said first side to store encoded travel data A,

c) providing a thermally printable flat sheet laminated onto the second side of the card, at a substantial spacing from said circuit whereby the card projects between the entirety of the circuit and said flat sheet, said flat sheet defining a zone dedicated to carry and visually present data B which is a sub-set of data A,

d) storing said data A in said read/write memory circuit,

e) and thermally printing said data B on said flat sheet and in the form of thermally erasable alpha numeric indicia visually indicative of a travel itinerary,

f) and providing said sheet to have a transparent polyester film base, an overcoat layer, and a thermally recording layer sandwiched between said base and said overcoat layer, said printing of said data B being effected to locate said data B below said overcoat layer and spaced from said circuit by said base and by a portion of said card, said thermally recording layer consisting of organic low molecular weight particulate embedded in resin.