Data storage card having a glass substrate and data surface region and method for using same

• US 6,871,787 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultracard, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultracard, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Malcolm G. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US09/663,658
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 235/449, 235/486, 235/475, 235/439, 235/487, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/475
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/08 by means detecting the change of an electrostatic or magnetic field, e.g. by detecting change of capacitance between electrodes

Abstract

A data card is shown. The data card includes a non-magnetic substrate selected from the group consisting of a glass substrate, a glass-ceramic substrate, crystallized glass substrate, an aluminum substrate, a ceramic substrate, a carbon substrate, a silicon substrate and a resin substrate, which substrate, in the preferred embodiment, has a first edge and second edge. A data storage surface region is located on the substrate between the first edge and the second edges. The data surface region includes a magnetic storage medium. A data unit having a combination of a data card and a data card reader is also shown. A method for reading a data storage card is also shown.

Claims

1. A data communication method comprising:

providing a data card including a magnetic material;

inserting the data card into a data unit, wherein the data unit includes a data head operable to communicate signals with the magnetic material of the data card;

moving the data card in a linear first direction through the data unit to a first position;

moving the data card along a first path from the first position toward the data head;

communicating signals between the data head and the magnetic material while holding the data card stationary and moving the data head along a second path parallel to the first direction and perpendicular to the second path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising cleaning the data card within the data unit.

3. A data communication method comprising:

providing a data card including a magnetic material;

inserting the data card into a data unit, wherein the data unit includes a data head operable to communicate signals with the magnetic material of the data card;

moving the data card in a linear first direction through the data unit;

communicating signals between the data head and the magnetic material while moving the data head in a linear manner along a first track parallel to the first direction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the linear movement of the data card in the first direction is stopped upon reaching a first position, and further comprising:

moving the data card linearly from the first position toward the data head prior to the step of communicating signals.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising indexing the data card after communicating signals along the first track, and then communicating signals between the data head and the magnetic material while moving the data head in a linear manner along a second track parallel to the first track.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data card is indexed in a direction perpendicular to the first track.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data unit includes a data head support surface positioned adjacent the first edge of the data card during the communication of signals, wherein the data head is positioned over the data support surface during the indexing of the data card.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein after communicating signals along the first track, but before communicating signals along the second track, the data head is moved beyond a first edge of the data card.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising communicating signals between the data head and the magnetic material while moving the data head in a linear manner along a second track parallel to the first track.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the magnetic material is on an exterior surface of the data card.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the data head contacts the magnetic material during the communicating of the signals.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the data head is a flying head that does not contact the magnetic material during the communicating of the signals.

13. A data communication method comprising:

providing a rectangular data card comprising magnetic material;

inserting the data card into a data unit, wherein the data unit includes a data head operable to communicate signals with the magnetic material of the data card; and

communicating signals between the data head and the magnetic material while moving the data head in a linear manner along a first data track, and subsequently communicating signals between the data head and the magnetic material while moving the data head in a linear manner along a second data track, wherein the first and second data tracks are parallel data tracks.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein between the moving of the data head along the first and second data tracks, the data card is repositioned.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the magnetic material is on an exterior surface of the data card.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the data head contacts the magnetic material during the communicating of the signals.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the data head is a flying head that does not contact the magnetic material during the communicating of the signals.