Article having an embedded accessible storage member, apparatus and method for using same

• US 7,487,908 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultracard, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultracard, Inc.
• Inventors: Mann, Donald C., Cook, Bert D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US09/502,812
• Time in Patent Office: 3,289 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/376, 235/492, 235/493, 235/383, 235/487, 235/451, 235/454, 235/435
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06196 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"

Abstract

A portable card adapted to interact with a data processing station when the portable card and the data processing station are moved relative to each other is disclosed. The portable card includes a substrate having a predetermined shape, e.g. rectangular. An accessible embedded storage member is enclosed within said substrate. The storage member includes at least one layer of storage material for storing information in a predetermined format for processing by the data processing station. The storage member and the substrate are adapted to be transported relative to each other to expose at least a portion of the storage member to the data processing station to facilitate processing of stored information and for embedment of the storage member within the substrate. The storage member may be in the form of an elongated strip member, or a circular member.

Claims

1. A portable encoded memory card comprising:

a substrate with opposing surfaces having a predetermined shape, and defining a slot-like hollow area in the card extending longitudinally between the opposing surfaces; and

an accessible embedded storage member disposed inside the hollow area and having at least one layer of storage material for storing information enclosed by said substrate, said storage member being movable within the hollow area relative to the substrate such that the storage member is extractable from the hollow area to expose at least a portion of said storage member to facilitate processing of stored information, and retractable for embedment of said storage member within said hollow area of said substrate,

wherein said substrate has first layer and a second layer each having an obverse side and a converse side operatively coupled to each other with the obverse side of said first layer positioned in an opposed relationship from the converse side of said second layer enabling at least a portion of said first layer to be moveable relative to said second layer and wherein a storage member is located on at least one of the obverse side of said first layer and converse side of said second layer.

2. The portable card of claim 1 wherein first layer and a second layer are pivotally mounted relative to each other enabling movement in a first direction exposing at least a portion of at least one of the storage member located on the obverse side of said first layer and the storage member located on the converse side of said second layer to facilitate processing of stored information and enabling movement in a direction opposite to said first direction to embed said at least one storage member within said substrate.

3. A portable encoded memory card adapted to interact with a data processing station when the portable card and the data processing station are moved relative to each other, comprising:

a substrate with opposing surfaces having a predetermined shape, and defining a slot-like hollow area in the card extending longitudinally between the opposing surfaces; and

an accessible embedded storage member enclosed within the hollow area of said substrate, said accessible storage member having at least one layer of storage material for storing information in a predetermined format for processing by a data processing station, said storage member being movable within the hollow area relative to the substrate such that the storage member is extractable from the hollow area to expose at least a portion of said storage member to a data processing station to facilitate processing of stored information, and retractable for embedment of said storage member within said hollow area of said substrate,

wherein said at least one layer of storage material for storing information in a predetermined format is a magneto-optical medium.

4. The portable card of claim 3 wherein said at least one layer of storage material for storing information in a predetermined format is at least one layer of high density, high coercivity magnetic material for storing magnetic signals.

5. The portable card of claim 3 further comprising:

an abradeable protective coating formed on said magnetic material layer.

6. The portable card of claim 3 wherein said substrate is moved relative to said data processing station.

7. The portable card of claim 3 wherein said data processing station is moved relative to said substrate.

8. The portable card of claim 3 wherein said data processing station and said substrate are moved relative to each other.

9. A portable encoded memory card adapted to be used in a card processing system having a data processing station comprising:

a substrate with opposing surfaces having a predetermined shape, and defining a slot-like hollow area in the card extending longitudinally between the opposing surfaces; and

a removable and reinsertable accessible embedded storage member disposed inside the hollow area and having at least one layer of storage material for storing information enclosed by said substrate, said storage member being movable within the hollow area relative to the substrate such that the storage member is extractable from the hollow area to remove and expose at least a portion of said storage member to facilitate processing of stored information by a data processing station, and for embedment of said storage member within said hollow area of said substrate,

wherein said storage member has at least one layer of high density, high coercivity magnetic material for storing magnetic signals,

wherein said storage member further includes an abradeable protective coating formed on said magnetic material layer, and

wherein the protective coating has at least one layer which includes a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material.

10. A portable encoded memory card adapted to be used in a card processing system having a data processing station comprising:

a substrate with opposing surfaces having a predetermined shape, and defining a slot-like hollow area in the card extending longitudinally between the opposing surfaces; and

a removable and reinsertable accessible embedded storage member disposed inside the hollow area and having at least one layer of storage material for storing information enclosed by said substrate, said storage member being movable within the hollow area relative to the substrate such that the storage member is extractable from the hollow area to remove and expose at least a portion of said storage member to facilitate processing of stored information by a data processing station, and for embedment of said storage member within said hollow area of said substrate,

wherein said storage member has at least one layer of high density, high coercivity magnetic material for storing magnetic signals,

wherein said storage member further includes an abradeable protective coating formed on said magnetic material layer, and

wherein the protective coating has at least two layers wherein one of said layers includes a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material and the other of said layers is a non-magnetic friction reducing layer formed on said one of said layers.

11. A portable encoded memory card adapted to be used in a card processing system having a data processing station comprising:

a substrate with opposing surfaces having a predetermined shape, and defining a slot-like hollow area in the card extending longitudinally between the opposing surfaces; and

a removable and reinsertable accessible embedded storage member disposed inside the hollow area and having at least one layer of storage material for storing information enclosed by said substrate, said storage member being movable within the hollow area relative to the substrate such that the storage member is extractable from the hollow area to remove and expose at least a portion of said storage member to facilitate processing of stored information by a data processing station, and for embedment of said storage member within said hollow area of said substrate,

wherein said storage member has at least one layer of high density, high coercivity magnetic material for storing magnetic signals,

wherein said storage member further includes an abradeable protective coating formed on said magnetic material layer, and

wherein said at least one magnetic material layer is formed of a high density, high coercivity magnetic material having a predetermined magnetic field orientation and wherein said protective coating has at least one layer which includes a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material and wherein said data storage device further includes;

a non-magnetic material layer positioned between the protective coating and said at least one magnetic material layer, said magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material being responsive through said non-magnetic layer to predetermined magnetic field orientation to produce a magnetic image field in a direction opposite to said predetermined magnetic field orientation.

12. A portable encoded memory card adapted to be used in a card processing system having a data processing station comprising:

a substrate with opposing surfaces having a predetermined shape, and defining a slot-like hollow area in the card extending longitudinally between the opposing surfaces; and

a removable and reinsertable accessible embedded storage member disposed inside the hollow area and having at least one layer of storage material for storing information enclosed by said substrate, said storage member being movable within the hollow area relative to the substrate such that the storage member is extractable from the hollow area to remove and expose at least a portion of said storage member to facilitate processing of stored information by a data processing station, and for embedment of said storage member within said hollow area of said substrate,

wherein said storage member has at least one layer of high density, high coercivity magnetic material for storing magnetic signals,

wherein said storage member further includes an abradeable protective coating formed on said magnetic material layer, and

wherein said at least one magnetic material layer is formed of a high density, high coercivity magnetic material having a predetermined magnetic field orientation and wherein said protective coating has at least two layers wherein said one of said layers includes a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material and the other of said layers is a non-magnetic abrasion friction reducing layer formed on said one of said layers and wherein said data storage device further includes;

a non-magnetic material layer positioned between the protective coating and said at least one magnetic material layer, said magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material being responsive through said non-magnetic layer to predetermined magnetic field orientation to produce a magnetic image field in a direction opposite to said predetermined magnetic field orientation.

13. A magnetically encoded card comprising:

a substrate with opposing surfaces having a predetermined shape, and defining a slot-like hollow area in the card extending longitudinally between the opposing surfaces; and

an accessible embedded storage member disposed inside the hollow area and having at least one layer of magnetic recording material for storing information enclosed by said substrate, said storage member being movable within the hollow area relative to the substrate such that the storage member is extractable from the hollow area to expose at least a portion of said storage member to facilitate processing of stored information by a transducer, and for retractable embedment of said storage member within said hollow area of said substrate.

14. The magnetically encoded card of claim 13 further comprising:

a bendable, abradeable protective coating formed on said at least one layer of magnetic material.

15. The magnetically encoded card of claim 14 wherein said protective coating includes a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material as an independent layer disposed on said substrate.

16. The magnetically encoded card of claim 15 wherein said protective coating includes a non-magnetic friction resisting material as a separate layer disposed on said magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material.