US3812461A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Credit verification apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-10-13
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Granted: 1974-05-21
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Expires: 1992-10-13
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for verifying the status of accounts such as credit card accounts prior to extending credit. Codes representing bad accounts such as overdrawn or lost card accounts are recorded in a memory and are automatically compared with codes of accounts presented to the system. In one form, the account to be verified is defined by a code generated when a code recorded on a magnetic recording strip of a card is automatically read resulting in the generation of electrical code signals which are compared in a comparator with those reproduced from the memory. The apparatus includes a special card printer and reader, means for preventing the completion of a transaction or the removal of a card from the reader if the account is indicated as a bad account, and means for photographing the person presenting the card if the account is not verified. Special means are also provided to verify the card holder as the card owner.
Inventors
- 👤 J Lemelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:07
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/403; G06Q20/4037; G07F19/00; G07F19/20; G07F19/201
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
An apparatus for recording business transaction employing identification cards containing raised portions in the form of characters and code recordings disposed on the same sides of the cards containing said raised character portions, comprising in combination: a support, a reading head supported by said support, means for predeterminately locating a record card and a record sheet on said support with the code recordings of the card facing said reading head and the raised portions of the card aligned with a portion of said record sheet, wherein the code recordings of the card extend beyond an edge of said record sheet so as to permit scanning access thereto by said reading head without interference from said sheet, mean for effecting relative movement between said card and said reading head while energizing said reading head, to cause the head to scan the card code recordings and to generate signals representative of the information scanned, means for receiving said signals including computing means responsive thereto for generating an indication of the status of the account defined by the code of the card read by said reading means, means operable after the code recordings of a card have been read and transmitted to said receiving means to urge movement of the card and record sheet together and to cause the character defining raised portions of the card to be pressed against said record sheet and to form impressions of the raised portions agaiNst said record sheet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
242 words
An apparatus for recording business transaction employing identification cards containing raised portions in the form of characters and code recordings disposed on the same sides of the cards containing said raised character portions, comprising in combination: a support, a reading head supported by said support, means for predeterminately locating a record card and a record sheet on said support with the code recordings of the card facing said reading head and the raised portions of the card aligned with a portion of said record sheet, wherein the code recordings of the card extend beyond an edge of said record sheet so as to permit scanning access thereto by said reading head without interference from said sheet, mean for effecting relative movement between said card and said reading head while energizing said reading head, to cause the head to scan the card code recordings and to generate signals representative of the information scanned, means for receiving said signals including computing means responsive thereto for generating an indication of the status of the account defined by the code of the card read by said reading means, means operable after the code recordings of a card have been read and transmitted to said receiving means to urge movement of the card and record sheet together and to cause the character defining raised portions of the card to be pressed against said record sheet and to form impressions of the raised portions agaiNst said record sheet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for urging movement of said card and sheet together comprises a motor, platen means movably supported by said support and operable to be driven by said motor to urge said card and sheet together.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said card recordings include magnetic recordings provided on a predetermined area of each card and said reading head comprises a magnetic reproduction transducer, said magnetic transducer being supported by said platen means and movable therewith in a path to cause said transducer to scan the magnetic recordings of a card simultaneously as the card and sheet are urged together.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said platen means includes a pivoted arm and a roller supported at one end of said arm to freely rotate thereon, means controlling said motor to drive said arm a degree on its pivot so as to move said roller across the aligned portions of the card and sheet and to compress the two together to effect the printing of characters defined by said raised portions of the card onto said sheet, said magnetic reproduction transducer being movably supported at the end of said arm adjacent said roller and being spring biased towards the card and located so as to scan the magnetic recordings on the magnetic strip of the card as the arm is pivoted by said motor and moves across the card.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
137 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the signals generated in reading a card include signals which are representative of a specific number known to the owner of the card, comparator means operative to receive said signals, manually operated switching means for generating signals representative of numbers and operable to generate signals representative of said specific number, said manually operated switching means being connected to said comparator means, output means for said comparator means on which an indicating signal is generated when the signals generated in reading a card match the signals generated by said manual switching means and means connected to said comparator means and operated by said indicating signal for indicating that the number defined by the recordings on a card is the same as the number generated by said manually operated switching means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for effecting relative movement between a card and said reading head comprises means for guiding and driving said reading head past said card while the card is held stationary on said support and wherein said reading head is driven in a path to cause the head to scan said code recordings provided on said card.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said card recordings comprise magnetic recordings provided on magnetic strip portions of said cards, said reading head comprises a magnetic reproduction transducer and said means for effecting relative movement between a card and said reading head comprises means for guiding and driving said magnetic transducer into engagement with and along the code magnetic recording strip of a card to cause the head to scan and be modulated by the magnetic recordings provided on the magnetic recording strip.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
263 words
An apparatus for recording business transactions, said apparatus employing identification cards containing raised portions in the form of characters and code recordings disposed on the side of the card opposite to that from which said character raised portions project, comprising: a support, means for predeterminately locating a record card and a record sheet on said support with the raised portions of the card aligned with and facing a portion of said record sheet and with the code recordings of the card facing away from said record sheet, a reading head supported by said support adjacent said means for predeterminately locating a record card so as to permit scanning of the code recordings of a card predeterminateLy disposed on said card locating means, means for effecting relative movement between said card and said reading head while energizing said scanning head to cause the head to scan and be modulated by the card code recordings and to generate signals representative of the information scanned, means for receiving said signals including computing means responsive thereto for generating an indication of the status of the account defined by the code recorded on the card and read by said reading means, and means operable after the code recordings of a card have been read by said reading means and the signals generated thereby transmitted to said receiving means to urge movement of the card and record sheet together to cause the character defining raised portions of the card to be pressed against said record sheet and to form impressions of said card raised portions on said record sheet.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
263 words
An apparatus for recording business transactions, said apparatus employing identification cards containing raised portions in the form of characters and code recordings disposed on the side of the card opposite to that from which said character raised portions project, comprising: a support, means for predeterminately locating a record card and a record sheet on said support with the raised portions of the card aligned with and facing a portion of said record sheet and with the code recordings of the card facing away from said record sheet, a reading head supported by said support adjacent said means for predeterminately locating a record card so as to permit scanning of the code recordings of a card predeterminateLy disposed on said card locating means, means for effecting relative movement between said card and said reading head while energizing said scanning head to cause the head to scan and be modulated by the card code recordings and to generate signals representative of the information scanned, means for receiving said signals including computing means responsive thereto for generating an indication of the status of the account defined by the code recorded on the card and read by said reading means, and means operable after the code recordings of a card have been read by said reading means and the signals generated thereby transmitted to said receiving means to urge movement of the card and record sheet together to cause the character defining raised portions of the card to be pressed against said record sheet and to form impressions of said card raised portions on said record sheet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for urging movement of said card and record sheet together comprises a motor, platen means movably supported by said support and operable to be driven by said motor to urge said card and sheet together.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
146 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein the signals generated in reading a card include signals which are representative of a specific number known to the owner of the card, comparator means operative to receive said generated signals, means for generating signals representative of numerical quantities and means for selectively operating said latter signal generating means to generate signals representative of the specific number known to the owner of the card and means for communicating said latter signals to said comparator means, output means for said comparator means on which an indicating signal is generated when the signals generated in reading the card match the number representing signals generated, means connected to said comparator means and operated by said indicating signal for indicating that the number defined by the recordings on the card is the same as the number defined by said number representing signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for effecting relative movement between a card and said reading head comprises means for guiding and driving said reading head past said card while the card is held stationary on said support and wherein said reading head is driven in a path to cause the head to scan the code recordings provided on said card.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
90 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said card recordings comprise magnetic recordings provided on a magnetic recording strip portion of a card being read, said reading head comprising a magnetic reproduction transducer and said means for effecting relative movement between a card and said reading head comprises means for guiding and driving said magnetic transducer into engagement with and along the code magnetic recording strip of a card to cause the head to scan and be modulated by the magnetic recordings provided on the magnetic recording strip portion.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for reading codes recorded on record tracks of cards and recording character information provided as raised portions of a card being comprising in combination: a support, means for predeterminately locating a card containing character embossings and a code strip with at least one record sheet on said support wherein the embossings of the card face a selected portion of said record sheet, an arm assembly movably supported by said support, roller means rotatably supported on said arm assembly and operable when the assembly is moved to urge movement of the card and record sheet together and to cause the embossings of the card to form impressions on the record sheet, a reading head supported by said arm assembly and movable therewith to scan the code recordings of a card retained by said locating means as said roller means operates to urge the card and record sheet together, and to generate signals rEpresentative of the code recordings scanned, and means for receiving said signals including computing means responsive thereto for generating an indication of the status of the account defined by the code recordings read by said reading means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for reading codes recorded on record tracks of cards and recording character information provided as raised portions of a card being comprising in combination: a support, means for predeterminately locating a card containing character embossings and a code strip with at least one record sheet on said support wherein the embossings of the card face a selected portion of said record sheet, an arm assembly movably supported by said support, roller means rotatably supported on said arm assembly and operable when the assembly is moved to urge movement of the card and record sheet together and to cause the embossings of the card to form impressions on the record sheet, a reading head supported by said arm assembly and movable therewith to scan the code recordings of a card retained by said locating means as said roller means operates to urge the card and record sheet together, and to generate signals rEpresentative of the code recordings scanned, and means for receiving said signals including computing means responsive thereto for generating an indication of the status of the account defined by the code recordings read by said reading means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-20 | 1977-11-19 | 1978-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-20 | 1981-11-19 | 1982-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-20 | 1985-11-19 | 1986-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |