Arrangement for interrogating portable data communication devices

• US 5,541,583 A
• Filed: 01/17/1995
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T IPM Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mandelbaum, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERZ, EDWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/373,809
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.34, 340/825.31, 340/825.54, 340/928, 364/401, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• 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 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"

Abstract

An updatable, interrogation system is provided for interrogating portable data cards. The interrogation system sequentially communicates with each portable data card as it comes within communication range in a first time period for determining a unique identification number associated with each data card. Once the identification number for a card is obtained by the interrogation system, a predetermined transaction, such as deactivating an electronic barrier to entering a limited access area, for the holder of the identified card is initiated. The interrogation system then completes each predetermined transaction of reading from and writing data to each one of the cards while communicating in a second time period. The present invention also discloses an interrogation system where a locking command is transmitted to the portable data card, which is subsequently disabled by a lock reset command issued by the interrogator in response to completion of the predetermined transaction.

Claims

1. In an interrogation system for remotely interrogating a portable data card, an interrogator comprising:

means for communicating with the portable data card in a first time period for determining a unique identification number associated with the data card;

means for initiating a predetermined transaction responsive to receipt of the unique identification number by the interrogator;

means for completing the predetermined transaction while communicating with the card in a second time period, the interrogator reading data from and writing data to the card while operating in said second time period; and

means for transmitting a locking command and a subsequent lock reset command to the card, the locking command being registered in the card and being disabled by the lock reset command issued by the interrogator in response to the interrogator completing the predetermined transaction.

2. The interrogation system of claim 1 wherein the initiation means includes activation means for gaining access to a limited access area, the activation means deactivating an electronic barrier to entering said limited access area.

3. The interrogation system of claim 1 wherein the second time period is much greater than the first time period.

4. The interrogation system of claim 1 wherein a first read/write command from the interrogator to the card in a transaction includes the locking command.

5. The interrogation system of claim 4 wherein a last read/write command from the interrogator to the card in a transaction includes the lock reset command.

6. The interrogation system of claim 5 wherein in the absence of the predetermined transaction being completed by the completion means, the locking command remains registered in the card for disabling the card.

7. An interrogation system comprising:

a portable data card;

an interrogator for communicating with the portable data card;

means for communicating between the interrogator and the portable data card in a first time period for providing to the interrogator a unique identification number associated with the data card;

means for initiating a predetermined transaction responsive to receipt of the unique identification number by the interrogator;

means for completing the predetermined transaction while communicating between the interrogator and the card in a second time period, the interrogator reading data from and writing data to the card while operating in said second time period; and

means for transmitting a locking command and a subsequent lock reset command to the card, and the card comprises means for registering the locking command for locking said card and means for registering the lock reset command for disabling the lock reset command issued by the interrogator in response to the interrogator completing the predetermined transaction.

8. The interrogation system of claim 7 wherein the initiation means includes activation means for gaining access to a limited access area, the activation means deactivating an electronic barrier to entering said limited access area.

9. The interrogation system of claim 7 wherein the second time period is much greater than the first time period.

10. The interrogation system of claim 7 wherein a first read/write command from the interrogator to the card in a transaction includes the locking command.

11. The interrogation system of claim 10 wherein a last read/write command from the interrogator to the card in a transaction includes the lock reset command.

12. The interrogation system of claim 11 wherein in the absence of the receipt of the lock reset command by the card, the locking command remains registered in the card for disabling the card.