Rewritable card printer
First Claim
1. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
- a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base;
a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and
a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine;
wherein the base is slidably coupled to a base plate fixedly coupled to a gaming machine.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rewritable card printer useful as a rewritable card printer. The rewritable card printer includes a print module coupled to one or more separate card magazines, each having independent card drives. The operation of the print module and one or more card magazines are controlled by a printer controller. Cards may be exchanged between multiple card magazines so that cards can be escrowed, exchanged, or selectively located and retrieved. The print module may receive as well as dispense cards from and to an external card source so that the card magazines may be replenished without opening up a gaming machine hosting the rewritable card printer. The print module may further include a security device reader that is used to read security features embedded in the cards. The security features may be used to track individual card use and to guard against card duplication and fraud.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine; wherein the base is slidably coupled to a base plate fixedly coupled to a gaming machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive, a security feature reader, and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine, the program instructions including; receiving card information for printing onto a card; generating printable indicia using the card information; printing onto a rewritable card the printable indicia using the print head; and reading a security signature from the rewritable card using the security feature reader. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine, the program instructions including; receiving a card load signal from an external controller; receiving a card by the print module from an external card magazine; and moving the card by the print module into the card magazine.
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18. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine, the program instructions including; receiving a card dispensing signal from an external controller; and dispensing a card from the rewritable card printer into an external magazine.
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19. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine, the program instructions including; receiving a card having second program instructions; reading the second program instructions from the card; and storing the second program instruction into the memory. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine, the program instructions including; receiving a card for storage; reading card information from the card; erasing the card; storing the card information in a static memory; and storing the card in the card magazine. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine, the program instructions including; receiving second program instructions by the printer controller from an external device; and storing the second program instructions in the memory.
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25. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the card magazine coupled to the base whereby the magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module and the card magazine; wherein; the print module is removably coupled to the base by mechanical quick disconnect means; and the print module is removably coupled to the printer controller by electrical quick disconnect means.
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26. A rewritable card printer comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a first card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the first card magazine coupled to the base whereby the first card magazine'"'"'s magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; a second card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the second card magazine coupled to the base whereby the second card magazine'"'"'s magazine card drive is in communication with the first card magazine'"'"'s magazine card drive, the second card magazine electronically coupled to the printer controller; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module, the first card magazine, and the second card magazine. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A rewritable card printer, comprising:
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a print module including a print card drive and a print head, the print module mechanically coupled to a base; a first card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the first card magazine coupled to the base whereby the first card magazine'"'"'s magazine card drive and the print card drive are in communication; a second card magazine including a card storage location and a magazine card drive, the second card magazine coupled to the base whereby the second card magazine'"'"'s magazine card drive is in communication with the print module'"'"'s print card drive, the second card magazine electronically coupled to the printer controller; and a printer controller electronically coupled to the print module and the card magazine, the printer controller including; a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions for operation by the printer controller of the print module, the first card magazine, and the second card magazine. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification