US3819910A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical card reading system
Assignee: Transaction Technology Inc
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Filing: 1972-07-31
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Granted: 1974-06-25
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Expires: 1992-07-31
Abstract
Abstract An optical card reading system for reproducing coded information contained on a plurality of tracks on a card and with the information formed as discrete areas having a transmissivity different than an adjacent area while the entire card appears opaque to the naked eye and with the reading system including a plurality of light sources positioned to one side of the card and corresponding in number to the number of information tracks on the card and with a plurality of light-sensitive elements each of which produces an output signal in response to light energy passing through the card from the light source and with the light-sensitive elements corresponding in number to the number of light sources and with the individual light sources activated in sequence to direct light energy toward the card and with any output signals from the light-sensitive elements also gated in sequence to correspond to the corresponding light source so as to reduce spurious output signals. The card reading system also includes the light sources being energized in sequence to further reduce spurious output signals. The invention also includes the use of additional light sources and light-sensitive elements to read out additional information such as clocking information or information detecting the presence of the card at various positions.
Inventors
- 👤 J Scantlin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:11
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
267 words
An optical card reading system for reproducing coded information contained in a plurality of sequential positions along a plurality of tracks on a card and with the information formed as discrete areas having a transmissivity different than an adjacent area, including a plurality of individual light sources positioned adjacent to and on one side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of tracks of information on the card to individually direct light energy toward the tracks on the card sequentially across the plurality of tracks, a plurality of individual light-sensitive elements for producing output signals in response to light energy passing through the card and with the elements positioned adjacent to and on the other side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of light sources and with the individual light sources and individual light-sensitive elements positioned in complementary pairs, a plurality of first means individually coupled to the light sources for activating the light sources individuallY in sequence for directing the light energy toward the card sequentially across the plurality of tracks at each sequential position along the plurality of tracks to have complementary ones of the light-sensitive elements receive the light energy and with such reception in accordance with the discrete areas, and a plurality of second means individually coupled to the lightsensitive elements for controlling the passing of output signals from the light-sensitive elements individually in sequence and with pairs of the first and second means coupled to complementary pairs of the light sources and light-sensitive elements and with each pair of first and second means operated simultaneously.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
267 words
An optical card reading system for reproducing coded information contained in a plurality of sequential positions along a plurality of tracks on a card and with the information formed as discrete areas having a transmissivity different than an adjacent area, including a plurality of individual light sources positioned adjacent to and on one side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of tracks of information on the card to individually direct light energy toward the tracks on the card sequentially across the plurality of tracks, a plurality of individual light-sensitive elements for producing output signals in response to light energy passing through the card and with the elements positioned adjacent to and on the other side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of light sources and with the individual light sources and individual light-sensitive elements positioned in complementary pairs, a plurality of first means individually coupled to the light sources for activating the light sources individuallY in sequence for directing the light energy toward the card sequentially across the plurality of tracks at each sequential position along the plurality of tracks to have complementary ones of the light-sensitive elements receive the light energy and with such reception in accordance with the discrete areas, and a plurality of second means individually coupled to the lightsensitive elements for controlling the passing of output signals from the light-sensitive elements individually in sequence and with pairs of the first and second means coupled to complementary pairs of the light sources and light-sensitive elements and with each pair of first and second means operated simultaneously.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical card reading system of claim 1 wherein a sequential timing signal is provided to control the operation of the first and second means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The optical card reading system of claim 1 including two additional pairs of light sources and light-sensitive elements to detect top and bottom positions of the card within the card reading system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The optical card reading system of claim 3 including additional first means and second means coupled to the additional light sources and light-sensitive elements to simultaneously control the activation of the light sources and passage of output signals from the light-sensitive elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The optical card reading system of claim 3 including means to control the activation of the plurality of individual light sources corresponding to the plurality of tracks only when the card is between the top and bottom positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The optical card reading system of claim 1 wherein the light sources are light-emitting diodes and the light-sensitive elements are phototransistors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The optical card reading system of claim 1 wherein the card includes a track having clock information and including at least one additional pair of a light source and a light-sensitive element for reproducing the clock information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The optical card reading system of claim 7 including at least additional first and second means coupled to the additional light source and light-sensitive element to simultaneously control the activation of the light source and passage of output signals from the light-sensitive element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
195 words
An optical card reading system for reproducing coded information contained in a plurality of sequential positions along a plurality of tracks on a card and with the information formed as discrete areas having a transmissivity different than an adjacent area, including a plurality of individual light-emitting diodes positioned adjacent to and on one side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of tracks of information on the card to direct light energy toward the tracks on the card sequentially across the plurality of tracks, a plurality of individual phototransistors for producing output signals in response to light energy passing through the card and in accordance with the discrete areas and with the phototransistors positioned adjacent to and on the other side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of individual light-emitting diodes and with the individual light-emitting diodes and phototransistors positioned in complementary pairs, and means coupled to the light-emitting diodes and the phototransistors for simultaneously activating in sequence across the plurality of tracks at each sequential position along the plurality of tracks the light sources and for gating in the same sequence the output signals from the phototransistors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
195 words
An optical card reading system for reproducing coded information contained in a plurality of sequential positions along a plurality of tracks on a card and with the information formed as discrete areas having a transmissivity different than an adjacent area, including a plurality of individual light-emitting diodes positioned adjacent to and on one side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of tracks of information on the card to direct light energy toward the tracks on the card sequentially across the plurality of tracks, a plurality of individual phototransistors for producing output signals in response to light energy passing through the card and in accordance with the discrete areas and with the phototransistors positioned adjacent to and on the other side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of individual light-emitting diodes and with the individual light-emitting diodes and phototransistors positioned in complementary pairs, and means coupled to the light-emitting diodes and the phototransistors for simultaneously activating in sequence across the plurality of tracks at each sequential position along the plurality of tracks the light sources and for gating in the same sequence the output signals from the phototransistors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The optical card reading system of claim 9 wherein a sequential timing signal is provided to control the means coupled to the light-emitting diodes and the phototransistors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The optical card reading system of claim 9 including two additional pairs of light-emitting diodes and phototransistors to detect top and bottom positions of the card within the card reading system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical card reading system of claim 11 including additioNal means coupled to the additional light-emitting diodes and phototransistors to simultaneously control the activation of the light-emitting diodes and passage of output signals from the phototransistors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The optical card reading system of claim 11 including means to control the activation of the plurality of individual light-emitting diodes corresponding to the plurality of tracks only when the card is between the top and bottom positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The optical card reading system of claim 9 wherein the light-emitting diodes are Gallium Arsenide light-emitting diodes and the phototransistors are silicon phototransistors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical card reading system of claim 9 wherein the card includes a track having clock information and including at least one additional pair of a light-emitting diode and a phototransistor for reproducing the clock information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical card reading system of claim 15 including additional means coupled to the additional light-emitting diode and phototransistor to simultaneously control the activation of the light-emitting diode and passage of output signals from the phototransistor.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of reproducing coded information contained in a plurality of sequential positions along a plurality of tracks on a card and with the information formed as discrete areas having a transmissivity different than an adjacent area, including the following steps, providing a plurality of individual light sources adjacent to and on one side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of tracks of information on the card, pulsing the individual light sources in sequence to direct light energy toward the tracks on the card across the plurality of tracks at each sequential position along the tracks, providing a plurality of complementary light-sensitive elements adjacent to and on the other side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of light sources for producing output signals in response to light energy passing through the card and in accordance with the discrete areas, and controlling the passage of the output signals from the light-sensitive elements in sequence with the pulsing of the complementary light sources.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of reproducing coded information contained in a plurality of sequential positions along a plurality of tracks on a card and with the information formed as discrete areas having a transmissivity different than an adjacent area, including the following steps, providing a plurality of individual light sources adjacent to and on one side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of tracks of information on the card, pulsing the individual light sources in sequence to direct light energy toward the tracks on the card across the plurality of tracks at each sequential position along the tracks, providing a plurality of complementary light-sensitive elements adjacent to and on the other side of the card and corresponding in number to the plurality of light sources for producing output signals in response to light energy passing through the card and in accordance with the discrete areas, and controlling the passage of the output signals from the light-sensitive elements in sequence with the pulsing of the complementary light sources.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 additionally providing a sequential timing signal to control the pulsing of the light sources and the passage of the output signals.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 17 additionally providing two additional pairs of light sources and light-sensitive elements and detecting top and bottom positions of the card within the card reading system with the additional pairs.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 19 including the step of controlling the pulsing of the light sources only when the card is detected between the top and bottom positions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the card includes a track having clock information and additionally providing at least one additional pair of a light source and a light-sensitive element and reproducing the clock information with the additional pairs.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-24 | 1977-12-24 | 1978-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-24 | 1981-12-24 | 1982-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-24 | 1985-12-24 | 1986-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |