Fault detection facilitating means for card reader of identification card reading system

• US 3,906,448 A
• Filed: 08/01/1974
• Issued: 09/16/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank Fini Henriques
• Original Assignee: Frank Fini Henriques
• Inventors: Henriques, Frank Fini
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US05/493,896
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 340/149A 237/61.6C,61.7R,61.7B,61.11F
• US Class Current: 235/438
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

A standard test element bearing predetermined coded information, which is movably mounted to a card reader, is displaced from its home position by the insertion to its operating position in the card reader of a card to be read, but is returned to its home position upon the withdrawal of the card. The standard test element information occupies the operating position of the card reader when in its home position.

Claims

1. A card reader having a card insertion opening;

said card reader being suitable for use in a system including at least one card reader for reading any of a plurality of cards bearing coded information corresponding to that card when that card is inserted in said opening and situated at an operating position thereof;

said card reader deriving an output signal manifesting the coded information borne by a card situated at said operating position, said system further including processing means coupled to said reader and having said output signal therefrom applied thereto for processing the information manifested by said output signal;

the improvement in said card reader comprising;

means including a test card element bearing predetermined standard coded information, said element being movably secured to said reader and being situated with respect to said opening to be moved from a given home position thereof to another position thereof by the insertion of any of said plurality of cards into said opening and to be returned to said given home position thereof by the withdrawal of that inserted card, and wherein said test-card element when in its home position is situated at the operating positions of said opening.

2. The card reader defined in claim 1, wherein said test card element is a permanent part of said card reader.

3. The card reader defined in claim 1, wherein said test card element is pivotally mounted at a first point thereof to a pivot point at a predetermined position on said card which pivot point is in given spaced relationship with respect to said operating position, said test card element when in its home position extending from its first point into said insertion opening with the placement of the coded information thereon substantially occupying said operating position, and wherein said predetermined position of said pivot point is situated to permit an inserted one of said plurality of cards to engage said test card element at a portion thereof remote from said first point thereof and rotate said test card element about said pivot point away from its home position.

4. The card reader defined in claim 3, further including a spring means coupled to test card element for restoring said test card element to its home position in response to the withdrawal of an inserted one of said plurality of cards.

5. The card reader defined in claim 1, wherein said card reader, said optical card reader and said coded information is optically coded information.

6. The code reader defined in claim 5, wherein said optical card reader is a holographic card reader and wherein said optically coded information is holographically coded information.