Man/machine interface method and device for a ticket processing device comprising a magnetic stripe

• US 7,059,519 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IER Inc.
• Original Assignee: IER Inc.
• Inventors: Glize, Jean-Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/009,995
• Time in Patent Office: 2,553 Days
• Field of Search: 235/449, 235/475, 235/476, 235/480, 235/477, 235/462.15, 235375-386, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/449
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/04 Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/00 Machines for printing and issuing tickets printing mechanisms per se B41; output mechanisms of digital computers G06C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 5/00 Details of, or auxiliary devices for, ticket-issuing machines for validating inserted tickets G07B11/02

Abstract

The invention concerns a man/machine interface method for a ticket processing device (DIS) comprising a magnetic read/write station (PIL), a thermal printing station (TT) and control means (UC), including the following steps: a) writing on the magnetic stripe of a configuration ticket at least certain operating parameters of the ticket processing device to be configured (DIS), and printing said parameters on said configuration ticket, corresponding to said configuration parameters; b) inserting the configuration ticket into the processing device to be configured; c) reading the content of the configuration ticket magnetic stripe; d) storing the configuration parameters read, thereby enabling the control means (UC) to provide the configuration for the functioning of the ticket processing device using said stored configuration parameters and an installer to be provided with a ticket configuration whereon are printed said corresponding configuration parameters.

Claims

1. Man/machine interface method for ticket processing device including a magnetic read/write station, a thermal printing station, and a controller, comprising:

a) writing to a magnetic stripe of a configuration ticket at least certain configuration parameters of the ticket processing device to be configured, and visibly printing the configuration parameters on the configuration ticket, corresponding to magnetic inscription of the configuration parameters;

b) inserting the configuration ticket into the processing device to be configured;

c) reading contents of the magnetic stripe of the configuration ticket; and

d) storing the read configuration parameters, which enables the controller to configure functioning of the ticket processing device with aid of the stored configuration parameters, and which enables an installer to have the configuration ticket on which the corresponding configuration parameters are visibly printed;

e) inserting into a ticket processing device to be adjusted a reference ticket comprising a magnetic stripe extending from transversal edges of the reference ticket and on a longitudinal side of the ticket;

f) detecting a first transversal edge of the reference ticket;

g) writing on the magnetic stripe of the reference ticket a sequence of elementary reference inscriptions, a start of which is delivered before an arrival of the reference ticket at the magnetic read/write station and comprising a reference mark; and

h) counting a number of the written elementary reference inscriptions on the magnetic stripe of the reference ticket, up to the reference mark, and deducing from that a distance between optical detection of the transversal edge of the reference ticket and the magnetic inscription.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein step a) includes programming the configuration ticket with the aid of a chosen programming machine, comprising at least a magnetic read/write station, a thermal printing station, and a controller.

3. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:

1) capturing information relating to activity of the ticket processing device;

2) storing the captured information; and

3) printing on a statement ticket the stored capture information.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein step 3) comprises editing of cycle and incident counters superimposed on the statement ticket representing the device'"'"'s mechanism and elements concerned by operational functioning.

5. Method according to claim 3, further comprising step 4) planning to write on the statement ticket, corresponding to the thermal printing, the statement information.

6. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:

i) preparing a thermal printing reference ticket comprising at least one printed reference mark relating to horizontal, vertical framing of thermal printing or to density of a thermal print;

ii) inserting into a ticket processing device to be adjusted the thermal printing reference ticket;

iii) printing at least one reference scale on the thermal printing reference ticket in relation to the reference mark; and

iv) indicating a value of coincidence between an element of the reference scale and the reference mark.

7. Method according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting position centering step, of planning to prepare a reference ticket comprising attenuation lines, the reference ticket being inserted into the ticket processing device to be adjusted and the cutting position being compared visually in relation to attenuation lines.

8. Method according to claim 1, further comprising a checking step in which elementary movements of the device are proceeded with function by function and/or code line by code line.

9. Man/machine interface device for ticket processing comprising a magnetic read/write station, thermal printing station, control means, means for writing on a magnetic stripe of a configuration ticket at least certain configuration parameters of a ticket processing device to be configured, and means for visibly printing on the configuration ticket, corresponding to a magnetic programming, the configuration parameters;

wherein the read/write station of the ticket processing device is configured to read contents of the magnetic stripe of the configuration ticket inserted into the ticket processing device to be configured; and

wherein the control means comprise storage means configured to store the read configuration parameters, which enables the control means to configure functioning of the ticket processing device with the aid of the stored configuration parameters, and which enable the installer to have the configuration ticket on which the corresponding configuration parameters are visibly printed, and further comprising;

means for preparing a reference ticket comprising a magnetic stripe extending from transversal edges of the ticket and on a longitudinal side of the ticket;

means for detecting a first transversal edge of the reference ticket;

means for writing on the magnetic stripe of the reference ticket a sequence of elementary reference inscriptions, a start of which is delivered before arrival of the reference ticket at the magnetic write station and comprising a reference mark; and

means for counting a number of elementary reference inscriptions written on the magnetic stripe of the reference ticket, up to the reference mark, and deducing from that a distance between optical detection of the transversal edge of the ticket and the magnetic inscription.

10. Device according to claim 9, further comprising means configured to note information relating to activity of the ticket processing device, the storage means being configured to store the noted information, and the printing station configured to print onto a statement ticket the stored information.

11. Device according to claim 10, wherein the magnetic read/write station is configured to write on the statement ticket, corresponding to the thermal printing, the statement information.