Access-control equipment and item-dispensing systems including such equipment

Claim 2

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility, and fourth means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and said fourth means including erasure means for submitting the received token to a magnetic erasure process, the erasure process erasing magnetic recording from any magnetic material having less than a predetermined coercivity submitted to that process, detecting means for detEcting magnetic recording remaining on the token after the token has been submitted to the erasure process, and means operative to inhibit operation of said third means in the event that a magnetic recording is not detected by said detecting means.

Claim 3

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising: first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment; second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon; said first means including token-entry means providing an entrance to the equipment for a coded token, said second means being spaced from said entrance, and a token-transport arrangement for transporting along a path to said second means any token admitted to the equipment through said entrance; third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility; and fourth means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined magnetic characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and wherein said fourth means includes a magnetic reading head positioned at a point along said path for detecting passage past that point of a token having said predetermined magnetic characteristic, and means operative to inhibit operation of said third means in the event that said predetermined magnetic characteristic is not detected by said fourth means; and wherein said equipment includes a device for erasing magnetic recording, positioned along said path in advance of the reading head.

Claim 4

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising: first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment; second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon; said first means including token-entry means providing an entrance to the equipment for a coded token, said second means being spaced from said entrance, and a token-transport arrangement for transporting along a path to said second means any token admitted to the equipment through said entrance; third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility; and fourth means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined magnetic characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and wherein said fourth means includes a magnetic reading head positioned at a point along said path for detecting passage past that point of a token having said predetermined magnetic characteristic, and means operative to inhibit operation of said third means in the event that said predetermined magnetic characteristic is not detected by said fourth means; and wherein said equipment includes a device for erasing magnetic recording, positioned along said path in advance of the reading head.

Claim 5

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility, fourth means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and said fourth means including means operative to inhibit operation of said third means in the event that said predetermined characteristic is not detected by said fourth means, and manually-operable means for entering into the equipment a plural character word, the particular word entered being dependent upon manual selection, comparison means for detecting whether a predetermined correspondence exists between the information read from the token and the said word entered into the equipment manually, and means for operating said third means to enable access to said facility only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said predetermined characteristic are both detected.

Claim 6

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility, fourth means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and said fourth means including means operative to inhibit operation of said third means in the event that said predetermined characteristic is not detected by said fourth means, and manually-operable means for entering into the equipment a plural character word, the particular word entered being dependent upon manual selection, comparison means for detecting whether a predetermined correspondence exists between the information read from the token and the said word entered into the equipment manually, and means for operating said third means to enable access to said facility only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said predetermined characteristic are both detected.

Claim 7

An item-dispensing system comprising: means for receiving a coded token presented to the system; token-reading means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon; means which is operable manually for entering a number into the system, the particular number entered being dependent upon manual selection; item-dispensing means which is selectively operable to dispense from a reserve of items at least one such item upon each operation of the item-dispensing means; comparison means for comparing a number dependent upon the information read from the token with the said number entered into the system, said comparison means including means for operating said item-dispensing means in dependence upon whether a predetermined correspondence exists between the compared numbers; detector means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token; inhibiting means operative to inhibit operation of said item-dispensing means in the event that said predetermined characteristic is not detected by said detector meaNs; and erasure means for submitting the received token to a magnetic erasure process, the erasure process erasing magnetic recording from any magnetic material having less than a predetermined coercivity submitted to that process; and wherein said detector means is means for detecting magnetic recording remaining on the token after the token has been submitted to the erasure process.

Claim 8

An item-dispensing system comprising: means for receiving a coded token presented to the system; token-reading means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon; means which is operable manually for entering a number into the system, the particular number entered being dependent upon manual selection; item-dispensing means which is selectively operable to dispense from a reserve of items at least one such item upon each operation of the item-dispensing means; comparison means for comparing a number dependent upon the information read from the token with the said number entered into the system, said comparison means including means for operating said item-dispensing means in dependence upon whether a predetermined correspondence exists between the compared numbers; detector means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token; inhibiting means operative to inhibit operation of said item-dispensing means in the event that said predetermined characteristic is not detected by said detector meaNs; and erasure means for submitting the received token to a magnetic erasure process, the erasure process erasing magnetic recording from any magnetic material having less than a predetermined coercivity submitted to that process; and wherein said detector means is means for detecting magnetic recording remaining on the token after the token has been submitted to the erasure process.

Claim 9

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising token-reception means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, token-reading means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, manually-operable means for entering into the equipment a plural character word, the particular word entered being dependent upon manual selection, comparison means for detecting whether a predetermined correspondence exists between the information read from the token by said token-reading means and the said word entered into the equipment manually, release means that is operable to enable access to said facility, detector means for detecting whether the received token involves material having a predetermined property, said detector means being distinct from said token-reading means so as to detect such material-involvement separately from the reading of information from the token by said token-reading means, and means coupled to said comparison means and said detector means for operating said release means, and thereby enable access to said facility, only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said material-involvement are both detected.

Claim 10

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising token-reception means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, token-reading means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, manually-operable means for entering into the equipment a plural character word, the particular word entered being dependent upon manual selection, comparison means for detecting whether a predetermined correspondence exists between the information read from the token by said token-reading means and the said word entered into the equipment manually, release means that is operable to enable access to said facility, detector means for detecting whether the received token involves material having a predetermined property, said detector means being distinct from said token-reading means so as to detect such material-involvement separately from the reading of information from the token by said token-reading means, and means coupled to said comparison means and said detector means for operating said release means, and thereby enable access to said facility, only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said material-involvement are both detected.

Claim 11

Access-control equipment according to claim 5 wherein said predetermined property is magnetic coercivity, and wherein said detector means is means to detect whether the received token involves material having a magnetic coercivity in excess of a predetermined threshold value.

Claim 12

Access-control equipment according to claim 5 in combination with an item-dispenser for dispensing items in response to each operation of said release means.

Claim 13

Access-control equipment according to claim 3 wherein said predetermined characteristic is a magnetic characteristic.

Claim 14

Access-control equipment according to claim 3 wherein said first means includes token-entry means providing an entrance to the equipment for a coded token, said second means being spaced from said entrance, and a token-transport arrangement for transporting along a path to said second means any token admitted to the equipment through said entrance, and wherein said fourth means includes a detector device positioned at a point along said path for detecting passage past that point of a token having said predetermined characteristic.

Claim 15

Access-control equipment according to claim 9 wherein said detector device is a magnetic reading head.

Claim 16

Access-control equipment according to claim 9 wherein said token-entry means includes a shutter device for blocking entry through said entrance of a token presented to the equipment, and means which is operable selectively for displacing said shutter device to admit the token through said entrance.

Claim 17

Access-control equipment according to claim 3 wherein said manually-operable means includes a set of 10 manually-operable keys that are operable selectively.

Claim 18

Access-control equipment according to claim 3 in combination with an item-dispenser for dispensing items in response to each operation of said third means.

Claim 19

A customer operated item-dispensing system comprising means for receiving a coded token presented to the system by the customer, token-reading means for reading from the received token information for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, means which is operable manually for entering a number individual to the customer into the system, said manually-operable means being mounted for operation by the customer himself and the particular number entered being dependent upon manual selection effected by the customer, item-dispensing meanS which is selectively operable to dispense from a reserve of items at least one such item upon each operation of the item-dispensing means, comparison means for comparing a number dependent upon the information read from the token with the said number entered into the system by the customer, said comparison means including first detector means for detecting the existence of a predetermined correspondence between the compared numbers, second detector means distinct from said token-reading means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and means for operating said item-dispensing means only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said predetermined characteristic are both detected by the said first and second detector means.

Claim 20

A customer operated item-dispensing system comprising means for receiving a coded token presented to the system by the customer, token-reading means for reading from the received token information for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, means which is operable manually for entering a number individual to the customer into the system, said manually-operable means being mounted for operation by the customer himself and the particular number entered being dependent upon manual selection effected by the customer, item-dispensing meanS which is selectively operable to dispense from a reserve of items at least one such item upon each operation of the item-dispensing means, comparison means for comparing a number dependent upon the information read from the token with the said number entered into the system by the customer, said comparison means including first detector means for detecting the existence of a predetermined correspondence between the compared numbers, second detector means distinct from said token-reading means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and means for operating said item-dispensing means only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said predetermined characteristic are both detected by the said first and second detector means.

Claim 21

An item-dispensing system according to claim 14 wherein said predetermined characteristic is a magnetic characteristic.

Claim 22

An item-dispensing system according to claim 15 wherein said second detector means is means for detecting whether the received token carries a magnetic recording.

Claim 23

An item-dispensing system according to claim 14 including token-entry means providing an entrance to the system for a coded token, said token-reading means being spaced from said entrance, and a token-transport arrangement for transporting along a path to said token-reading means any token admitted to the system through said entrance, and wherein said second detector means includes a detector device positioned at a point along said path for detecting passage past that point of a token having said predetermined characteristic.

Claim 24

An item-dispensing system according to claim 17 wherein said token-entry means includes a shutter device for blocking entry through said entrance of a token presented to the system, and means which is operable selectively for displacing said shutter device to admit the token through said entrance.

Claim 25

An item-dispensing system according to claim 14 wherein the manually-operable means includes a set of manually-operable keys.

Claim 26

An item-dispensing system according to claim 14 for dispensing packets of money from a bank.

Claim 27

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility, and fourth means distinct from said first means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic that is additional to said encoded information and is indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and said fourth means comprising means for reading magnetic pulse recordings from the received token, means for providing a count of the pulses read from the token, and means coupled to said third means to inhibit operation of said third means irrespective of any said information read from the token by said second means, in the event that said count differs from a predetermined number.

Claim 28

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility, and fourth means distinct from said first means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic that is additional to said encoded information and is indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and said fourth means comprising means for reading magnetic pulse recordings from the received token, means for providing a count of the pulses read from the token, and means coupled to said third means to inhibit operation of said third means irrespective of any said information read from the token by said second means, in the event that said count differs from a predetermined number.

Claim 29

An item-dispensing system comprising means for receiving a coded token presented to the system, token-reading means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, means which is operable manually for entering a number into the system, the particular number entered being dependent upon manual selection, item-dispensing means which is selectively operable to dispense from a reserve of items at least one such item upon each operation of the item-dispensing means, comparison means for comparing a number dependent upon the information read from the token with the said number entered into the system, said comparison means including first detector means for detecting the existence of a predetermined correspondence between the compared numbers, second detector means distinct from said token-reading means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and means for operating said item-dispensing means only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said predetermined characteristic are both detected by the said first and second detector means, and wherein said second detector means includes means for reading magnetic pulse recordings from the received token, and means for providing a count of the pulses read from the token, and wherein said system includes inhibiting means operative to inhibit operation of said item-dispensing means in the event that said count differs from a predetermined number.

Claim 30

An item-dispensing system comprising means for receiving a coded token presented to the system, token-reading means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, means which is operable manually for entering a number into the system, the particular number entered being dependent upon manual selection, item-dispensing means which is selectively operable to dispense from a reserve of items at least one such item upon each operation of the item-dispensing means, comparison means for comparing a number dependent upon the information read from the token with the said number entered into the system, said comparison means including first detector means for detecting the existence of a predetermined correspondence between the compared numbers, second detector means distinct from said token-reading means for detecting whether the received token has a predetermined characteristic, said predetermined characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and means for operating said item-dispensing means only in the event that said predetermined correspondence and said predetermined characteristic are both detected by the said first and second detector means, and wherein said second detector means includes means for reading magnetic pulse recordings from the received token, and means for providing a count of the pulses read from the token, and wherein said system includes inhibiting means operative to inhibit operation of said item-dispensing means in the event that said count differs from a predetermined number.

Claim 31

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility, and fourth means distinct from said first means for detecting whether the received token carries a predetermined magnetic recording, said predetermined magnetic recording being additional to said encoded information and being indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and said fourth means including means coupled to said third means to inhibit operation of said third means irrespective of any said information read from the token by said second means, in the event that said predetermined magnetic recording is not detected by said fourth means.

Claim 32

Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility, comprising first means for receiving a coded token presented to the equipment, second means for reading from the received token information encoded thereon, third means that is operable in dependence upon the information read from the token to enable access to said facility, and fourth means distinct from said first means for detecting whether the received token carries a predetermined magnetic recording, said predetermined magnetic recording being additional to said encoded information and being indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, and said fourth means including means coupled to said third means to inhibit operation of said third means irrespective of any said information read from the token by said second means, in the event that said predetermined magnetic recording is not detected by said fourth means.