US3578124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic fare collecting system
Assignee: Bunker Ramo Corp
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Filing: 1969-04-24
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Granted: 1971-05-11
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Expires: 1989-04-24
Abstract
Abstract An automatic fare collection system for collecting fares or other charges from customers using specially constructed passes. The pass comprises a flat circular or rectangular member on which data can be recorded in magnetic form on one side of the pass, and in erasable humanly readable form on the other side of the pass. At the time of purchase, appropriate data is recorded on the pass in both magnetic and erasable humanly readable form, and both forms of data are updated each time the pass is used.
Inventors
- 👤 Herman H Flum
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 09:27
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F1/00; G07F1/06; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/08; G06K19/10; G06K19/12; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/343; G06Q20/3433; G06Q20/3437; G07F7/00; G07F7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
In an automatic collection system, a plurality of passes each capable of recording data in both machine and erasable humanly readable form, and a detection and updating unit to which a pass is applied, said unit including: means for reading machine readable data from a pass, updating means for updating the machine readable data read from a pass, means for recording updated data from said updating means onto a pass in machine readable form, means for erasing data recorded in humanly readable form on a pass, and means for recording updated data from said updating means onto a pass on erasable humanly readable form.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
In an automatic collection system, a plurality of passes each capable of recording data in both machine and erasable humanly readable form, and a detection and updating unit to which a pass is applied, said unit including: means for reading machine readable data from a pass, updating means for updating the machine readable data read from a pass, means for recording updated data from said updating means onto a pass in machine readable form, means for erasing data recorded in humanly readable form on a pass, and means for recording updated data from said updating means onto a pass on erasable humanly readable form.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said passes comprises a substrate having a magnetic layer on one side and a thermoplastic layer on the other side.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention in accordance with claim 2, wherein the means for recording erasable humanly readable data onto a pass includes a printer for forming a depression in said thermoplastic layer representative of the data to be recorded.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention in accordance with claim 3, wherein the means for erasing data recorded in humanly readable form on a pass includes means for smoothing out a depression in said thermoplastic layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention in accordance with claim 3, wherein the means for reading machine readable data and the means for recording updated data from said updating mEans onto a pass in machine readable form include magnetic reading and recording means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1, wherein said detection and updating unit additionally includes means responsive to the updated data derived by said updating means for determining whether a pass applied to said unit is returned or retained.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1, wherein said detection and updating unit additionally includes receipt issuing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1, wherein said automatic collection system includes a passenger gate operable in response to said detection and updating unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1, wherein said automatic collection system includes a vending machine for vending said passes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
79 words
A pass for an automatic collection system comprising: a magnetic material portion for magnetic data reading and recording, and a thermoplastic material portion for erasable humanly readable data recording, said thermoplastic material portion being deformable in a manner so as to permit humanly readable data to be visually indicated thereon while also being heat-responsive so as to permit removal of any such deformations, whereby different humanly readable data can thereby be repeatably recorded on and erased from said pass.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
A pass for an automatic collection system comprising: a magnetic material portion for magnetic data reading and recording, and a thermoplastic material portion for erasable humanly readable data recording, said thermoplastic material portion being deformable in a manner so as to permit humanly readable data to be visually indicated thereon while also being heat-responsive so as to permit removal of any such deformations, whereby different humanly readable data can thereby be repeatably recorded on and erased from said pass.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A pass capable of recording both machine readable and erasable humanly readable data comprising: a substrate, a magnetic material layer affixed to said substrate, and a thermoplastic material layer also affixed to said substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A pass capable of recording both machine readable and erasable humanly readable data comprising: a substrate, a magnetic material layer affixed to said substrate, and a thermoplastic material layer also affixed to said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention in accordance with claim 11, wherein said magnetic material layer is affixed to one side of the substrate and said thermoplastic material layer is affixed to the other side of the substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention in accordance with claim 12, wherein said thermoplastic material layer and the side of said substrate to which it is affixed are of highly contrasting colors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention is accordance with claim 12, wherein said pass is in the form of a disc.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention in accordance with claim 14, wherein said disc has a central aperture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention in accordance with claim 12, wherein said pass is of rectangular form.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention in accordance with claim 12, wherein said thermoplastic layer has humanly readable data recorded thereon by a correspondingly shaped depression.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for automatically collecting charges for goods or services from a customer, said method comprising: issuing to a customer a pass containing data recorded in machine readable form and also in erasable humanly readable form, reading the data recorded in machine readable form on a pass each time the pass is used by the customer, updating the machine readable data read from the pass, erasing the humanly readable data on said pass, and recording the updated data on the pass in both machine and erasable humanly readable form.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for automatically collecting charges for goods or services from a customer, said method comprising: issuing to a customer a pass containing data recorded in machine readable form and also in erasable humanly readable form, reading the data recorded in machine readable form on a pass each time the pass is used by the customer, updating the machine readable data read from the pass, erasing the humanly readable data on said pass, and recording the updated data on the pass in both machine and erasable humanly readable form.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention in accordance with claim 18, wherein said method includes issuing a receipt at the time of each use summarizing said updating.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention in accordance with claim 18, wherein the data recorded on an issued pass corresponds to a quantity, and wherein said updating comprises decrementing said quantity in accordance with the nature of each use.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention in accordance with claim 20, wherein said method includes returning the pass to a customer when the decremented quantity is greater than zero and retaining the pass otherwise.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
79 words
The invention in accordance with claim 18, wherein the data recorded on an issued pass corresponds to the number of fares for which the pass is issued, and wherein said method also includes: opening a passenger gate in response to a pass containing at least one fare, returning a pass to a customer when at least one fare remains after updating, and retaining a pass when no fares remain on a pass after updating or the pass is defective.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-10 | 1974-11-09 | 1975-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-10 | 1978-11-09 | 1979-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-10 | 1982-11-09 | 1983-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |