Card reader with power efficient architecture that includes a power supply and a wake-up circuit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A financial transaction device reader comprising:
- a housing;
a slot for receiving a financial transaction device;
wake-up electronics configured to send a wake-up signal to a microcontroller to wake up device electronics of the financial transaction device reader from a sleep state to an active state in response to the financial transaction device being received in the slot, the device electronics configured to, in the active state, receive data from the financial transaction device and convert the data into a digital signal;
wherein the microcontroller is configured to power down the wake-up electronics into a power conservation state when the device electronics transition to the active state and to power up the wake-up electronics when the device electronics return to the sleep state; and
an output port configured to transmit the data to an input port of a mobile device coupled to the financial transaction device reader.
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Abstract
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in a card reader with a read head positioned in a housing. The read head is configured to be coupled to a mobile device and has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a raw magnetic signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. A power supply is coupled to wake-up electronics and a microcontroller. An output jack is adapted to be inserted in a port of the mobile device and deliver an output jack signal to the mobile device.
322 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A financial transaction device reader comprising:
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a housing; a slot for receiving a financial transaction device; wake-up electronics configured to send a wake-up signal to a microcontroller to wake up device electronics of the financial transaction device reader from a sleep state to an active state in response to the financial transaction device being received in the slot, the device electronics configured to, in the active state, receive data from the financial transaction device and convert the data into a digital signal; wherein the microcontroller is configured to power down the wake-up electronics into a power conservation state when the device electronics transition to the active state and to power up the wake-up electronics when the device electronics return to the sleep state; and an output port configured to transmit the data to an input port of a mobile device coupled to the financial transaction device reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A financial transaction device reader comprising:
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a housing; wake-up electronics configured to send a wake-up signal to a microcontroller to wake up device electronics of the financial transaction device reader from a sleep state to an active state in response to a financial transaction device being received at the financial transaction device reader, the device electronics configured to, in the active state, receive data from the financial transaction device and produce a digital signal; a power supply coupled to the wake-up electronics and the microcontroller that provides power to the wake up electronics, wherein the microcontroller is configured to power down the wake-up electronics into a power conservation state by the power supply when the device electronics transition to the active state and to provide power to the wake-up electronics by the power supply when the device electronics return to the sleep state; and an output port adapted to transmit the digital signal to an input port of a mobile device coupled to the financial transaction device reader. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A financial transaction device reader comprising:
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a housing; wake-up electronics configured to detect a financial transaction device and generate a wake-up signal for a microcontroller; the microcontroller configured to transition the financial transaction device reader from a sleep state to an active state in response to the wake-up signal; the microcontroller configured to power down the wake-up electronics into a power conservation state during or after the transition to the active state, and power up the wake-up electronics during or after a transition to the sleep state; the microcontroller configured to, in the active state, receive data from the financial transaction device and produce a digital signal based on the data; and an output port adapted to transmit the digital signal to an input port of a mobile device coupled to the financial transaction device reader. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification