Universal card reader apparatus and method

• US 7,441,701 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Beck, David, Klein, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Minh; Le Thien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai; Thien T
• Application Number:
  US10/901,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/486, 235/472, 235/475, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/380, 235/385, 235/449, 235/379, 361/737, 361/784, 361/785
• US Class Current: 235/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/06 Guiding cards; Checking correct operation of card-conveying mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0043 the plurality of cards being cards of different formats, e.g. SD card and memory stick

Abstract

A multiple card reading apparatus for reading at least two different types of information cards that may be used in a handheld point of sale device with printing capability. The multiple card reading apparatus has a housing containing at least two card reading devices and defining slots that receive the cards and position them for reading by the card reading devices. In one aspect, the slots overlap facilitating a compact arrangement of the card reading apparatus. Preferably, the common portions of the slots are an entrance portion so that only a single slot marks the outside of the housing. For instance, the slots may originate in the same position but diverge at different angles from each other. In this manner, different types of cards can be inserted through the same opening portion but at different angles to reach different card reading devices capable of reading its respective type of card.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured for reading information stored in at least two different formats from one or more media, said apparatus comprising:

a first communication device configured to communicate information in a first format;

a second communication device configured to communicate information in a second format;

a housing at least partially defining a first media slot configured to receive and guide a first media configured for communicating information in the first format while in a position accessible by said first device, and at least partially defining a second media slot configured to receive and guide a second media configured for communicating information in the second format while in a second position accessible by the second device, wherein the first and second media slots overlap proximate a common portion, extend at different angles from each other, and are configured such that the first media configured for communicating in the first format extends through the common portion when in the first position or, alternatively, the second media configured for communicating in the second format extends through the common portion when in the second position, and wherein the first media cannot be in the first position while the second media is in the second position, and the second media cannot be in the second position while the first media is in the first position.

2. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein said common portion is an entrance portion.

3. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first media slot and second media slot have generally linear shapes.

4. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first media slot extends through lateral edges of the housing so as to allow swiping of the first media past the first communication device.

5. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second media slot is contained within the lateral edges of the housing and is configured for insertion and temporary retention of the second media.

6. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second slots are positioned at an angle between 10°

to 45°

with respect to each other.

8. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication device includes a magnetic strip reader.

9. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second communication device includes a smart card reader.

10. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is a housing for a printer.

11. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is relatively smaller, and positioned closer to a surface of the housing, than the second communication device.

12. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communications device connected in communication with the first and second communication devices and configured to receive data therefrom and communicate the data wirelessly to a network.

13. A multiple media reading apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a printer device connected to the wireless communication device and the first and second communication devices, the printer device being configured for receiving data therefrom for printing.

14. A multiple card reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multiple media reading apparatus is part of a handheld device.

7. An apparatus configured for reading information stored in at least two different formats from one or more media, said apparatus comprising:

a first communication device configured to communicate information in a first format;

a second communication device configured to communicate information in a second format; and

a housing at least partially defining a first media slot configured to receive and guide a first media configured for communicating information in the first format while in a position accessible by said first device, and at least partially defining a second media slot configured to receive and guide a second media configured for communicating information in the second format while in a position accessible by the second device,

wherein the first and second media slots each have a common portion;

wherein said common portion is an entrance portion;

wherein the first media slot and second media slot have generally linear shapes and wherein the slots extend at different angles from each other;

wherein the first media slot extends through lateral edges of the housing so as to allow swiping of the first media past the first communication device;

wherein the second media slot is contained within the lateral edges of the housing and is configured for insertion and temporary retention of the second media; and

wherein the first and second slots are positioned at a 30°

angle with respect to each other.

15. A method of reading information stored in at least two different formats from one or more media, said method of reading including:

receiving and guiding a first media in a first media slot of a housing into a first position accessible by a first communication device configured to communicate information in a first format;

removing the first media from the first position; and

receiving and guiding a second media in a second media slot of the housing through a portion of the first media slot and into a second position accessible by a second communication device configured to communicate information in a second format,

wherein receiving and guiding the first media through the first media slot includes guiding the first media at a different angle than receiving and retaining the second media in the second media slot, and wherein the first media cannot be in the first position while the second media is in the second position, and the second media cannot be in the second position while the first media is in the first position.

16. A method of claim 15, wherein receiving and guiding the first media includes swiping of the first media through the first media slot which extends through lateral edges of the housing.

17. A method of claim 16, wherein receiving and guiding the second media includes receiving and temporarily retaining the second media in the second media slot of the housing.

18. A method of claim 15, further comprising reading data from the first media with the first communication device and reading data from the second media with the second communication device.

19. A method of claim 18, further comprising wirelessly transmitting data read from the first and second media to a clearinghouse.

20. A multiple media reading apparatus for reading at least two different types of information contained on one or more media, said multiple media reading apparatus comprising:

a first card reading device configured to read information from a first type of card;

a second card reading device configured to read information from a second type of card; and

a housing at least partially defining a first card slot configured to receive and guide the first type of card into a first position at which the first type of card is readable by the first card reading device, and at least partially defining a second card slot configured to receive and guide the second type of card into a second position at which the second type of card is readable by the second card reading device, wherein the first and second card slots overlap proximate a common portion, extend at different angles from each other, and are configured such that the first type of card extends through the common portion when in the first position or, alternatively, the second type of card extends through the common portion when in the second position, and wherein the first type of card cannot be in the first position while the second type of card is in the second position, and the second type of card cannot be in the second position while the first type of card is in the first position.

21. A method of reading at least two different types of information containing cards, including a first type of card and a second type of card, said method of reading different types of cards including:

receiving and guiding a first type of card, in a first card slot of a housing, into a first position configured to allow the first type of card to be read by a first card reading device;

removing the first type of card from the first position; and

receiving and guiding a second type of card, in a second card slot of the housing, through a portion of the first card slot and into a second position configured to allow the second type of card to be read by the second card reading device, wherein the first position configured to allow the first type of card to be read and the second position configured to allow the second type of card to be read are angled with respect to each other, and wherein the first type of card cannot be in the first position while the second type of card is in the second position, and the second type of card cannot be in the second position while the first type of card is in the first position.