Automated card insertion system with card multireader and method

• US 6,431,453 B1
• Filed: 05/19/1998
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dynetics Engineering Corp.
• Original Assignee: Dynetics Engineering Corporation Incorporated
• Inventors: Hill, Gregory L., Hill, Jeffery L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/081,306
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/379, 235/381, 235/488, 235/437, 235/489, 235/492-493, 902/26, 902/11, 156/64, 156/219, 156/277
• US Class Current: 235/475
• 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: G06K 5/00 Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices

Abstract

A smart card verification insertion system (10) for inserting smart cards (30) into corresponding carriers (50) only after verifying the card data read with a mag stripe reader (72), an embossed character reader (74), an IC chip reader (64), and a first bar code reader (68) and a back bar code reader (70) and data encoded on the printed carrier read with a carrier reader (106) correspond to one another and also correspond to account data stored in a smart card account data memory (67). If it is determined that the card has been incorrectly prepared, an incorrect card reject mechanism (96) is actuated by a verification controller (66) in response to the mismatch. Similarly, if the data read by the carrier reader (106) does not match the data read from the card or retrieved from the smart card account data memory (67), a mismatch card reject mechanism (110) is actuated.

Claims

1. In an automatic card insertion system for inserting into carriers, smart cards, each having a card body with machine readable account information on the body, and an integrated circuit computer chip permanently mounted to the card body and containing account information corresponding to that of the machine readable account information on the body, a forms memory for storing, apart from the chip, the card and the carrier, carrier information used to print carrier data on the carriers corresponding to the encoded information stored in the chip, the improvement being a verification system, comprising:

means for reading encoded information stored in an the integrated circuit computer chip carried by each card of the smart cards to be inserted; and

means for determining whether a smart card has been correctly prepared for insertion into a corresponding carrier including

means responsive to the encoded information stored in the integrated circuit computer chip reading means for deciding whether the information stored in the chip has been correctly encoded,

means responsive to the deciding means for rejecting incorrect cards; and

means responsive to the determining means for inserting correctly prepared cards into a matching carrier with printed carrier information corresponding to that of the chip,

said means for determining includes means for comparing the encoded information read from the chip with the corresponding carrier information stored in the forms memory to determine if there is a match, said determining means determining that the card is incorrect if there not a match,

means for reading magnetic stripe information encoded on a magnetic stripe carried by each card, and in which

said determining means includes means responsive to the magnetic stripe reading means for comparing the magnetic stripe information read from each card with carrier information stored in the forms memory corresponding to the encoded information stored in the chip of the card being used,

a card transport mechanism for moving the card along a card track, and

said magnetic stripe information reading means includes

a magnetic stripe read head,

means for releasably mounting the magnetic read head in the one position to enable the read head to read magnetic stripe information from one side of the cards, and

means for mounting the magnetic read head in another position relative to the card track to read magnetic stripe information from another side of the cards which is opposite said one side.

2. A method of automatic verification in an automatic card insertion system for inserting into carriers, smart cards, each with a card body having machine readable account information on the body, and an integrated circuit computer chip permanently mounted to the card body and containing account information corresponding to that of the machine readable account information on the body, comprising the steps of:

reading encoded information stored in the integrated circuit computer chip carried by each of the cards to be inserted;

deciding whether the information stored in the chip has been correctly encoded in response to the chip reading means;

rejecting smart cards decided to have been incorrectly prepared; and

inserting into a matching carrier smart cards decided to have been correctly prepared carriers with printed carrier information corresponding to that of the chip,

storing in a forms memory, apart from the chip, the card and the carrier, carrier information used to print carrier data on the carriers corresponding to the encoded information stored in the chip,

comparing the encoded information read from the chip with the corresponding carrier information stored in the forms memory to determine if there is a match, said determining means determining that the card is incorrect if there is not a match,

reading magnetic stripe information encoded on a magnetic stripe carried by each card, and

comparing the magnetic stripe information read from each card with carrier information stored in the forms memory corresponding to the encoded information stored in the chip of the card being used,

moving the card along a card track by means of a card transport mechanism,

reading magnetic stripe information with a magnetic stripe read head,

releasably mounting the magnetic read head in one position to enable the read head to read magnetic stripe information from one side of the cards, and

mounting the magnetic read head in another position relative to the card track to read magnetic stripe information from another side of the cards which is opposite said one side.