Card reader and transaction processing apparatus

• US 7,100,829 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2003
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Masanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koyama, Kumiko C.
• Application Number:
  US10/625,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20040035929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 235/377, 235/379, 235/380, 235/435, 235/439, 235/440, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/439
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/067 Checking presence, absence, correct position, or moving status of cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/08 Feeding or discharging cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/0881 the shutter arranged to open only if the record carrier has been authenticated to enter the insertion slot
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/2055 Anti-skimming aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/082 Features insuring the integrity of the data on or in the card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An ultrasonic wave sensor is mounted on a card reader. A detection range of the ultrasonic wave sensor covers a front surface of an inlet. The ultrasonic wave sensor detects presence or absence of a foreign body at the time of standby until a card is inserted into a card slot. When a processing of the card is terminated and the card is discharged, the ultrasonic wave sensor detects presence or absence of the card or presence or absence of a foreign body. In the case where the ultrasonic wave sensor cannot detect the card although the card has been discharged, an abnormality signal can be output.

Claims

1. A card reader comprising:

a card entrance;

a readout head for reading information recorded on a card inserted at the card entrance;

an output circuit for outputting information read by the readout head;

a card conveyance mechanism for discharging the card;

an ultrasonic wave sensor comprising a transmitter to transmit ultrasonic waves outside the card entrance and a receiver to receive reflected waves of ultrasonic waves from a body when the body is present at the card entrance;

a memory for storing as a reference duration a necessary duration from transmission of ultrasonic waves to reception in the case where a card is present outside the card entrance; and

an abnormality determination unit to make a comparison between said necessary duration at the time of reception of ultrasonic waves transmitted from the transmitter when the card conveyance mechanism discharges the card and the reference duration stored in the memory, and to output presence or absence of an abnormality on the basis of results of the comparison.

2. A transaction processing apparatus comprising:

a card entrance;

a readout head for reading information recorded on a card inserted at the card entrance;

an output circuit for outputting information read by the readout head;

a transaction processing unit for performing a transaction processing on the basis of information from the output circuit;

a card conveyance mechanism for discharging the card when the transaction processing unit completes a transaction; and

an ultrasonic wave sensor for detecting whether the card is present outside the card entrance when the card is discharged by the card conveyance mechanism, said ultrasonic wave sensor comprises a transmitter for transmitting an ultrasonic signal, a receiver for receiving a reflection signal of said ultrasonic signal, a reference duration memory and an ultrasonic wave sensor signal processing circuit which uses said reflection signal and information in said memory to determine if said card is outside said card entrance.