US3874586A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Information-carrying article and reading apparatus and method
Assignee: DBS Inc
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Filing: 1972-12-18
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Granted: 1975-04-01
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Expires: 1992-12-18
Abstract
Abstract A machine readable card has information carried thereon by offset portions defined therein, as by embossing. The information is read or decoded by sensing at least one longitudinal strip area of the card extending through the information area and having a plurality of portions which are alternately encoded with opposite polarity fields, such as magnetic or electric, with the field portions being disrupted by the offset portions in accordance with the information. The decoding is further facilitated by a clock track extending along a noninformation strip area of the card and having an uninterrupted plurality of alternate polarity field portions which are scanned and compared with the portions in the strip area which extends through the information area.
Inventors
- 👤 Francis C Foote
- 👤 Robert L Carper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 05:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A method of reading an information carrying member having an information area on one side thereof with raised characters being defined by first portions offset from adjacent portions comprising: scanning the member with a first field effect reader with relative movement therebetween along a first path corresponding with a first strip area having a plurality of field effect portions encoded to provide a train of output signals of alternately opposite sense with the output signals being disrupted in accordance with the said offset portions in said first strip area, scanning with a second reader a second path simultaneously with scanning of said first path by said first reader, said second path corresponding with a second strip area extending through an area of said member remote from said raised characters, said second strip area also having a plurality of field effect portions which are encoded with fields and defining a clock track on said member to provide a train of clock pulse signals of alternately opposite sense, and utilizing said clock pulse signals to identify the position of the said first reader along the first path, said clock pulse signals along with said output signals utilized for identifying the raised characters on said member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
203 words
A method of reading an information carrying member having an information area on one side thereof with raised characters being defined by first portions offset from adjacent portions comprising: scanning the member with a first field effect reader with relative movement therebetween along a first path corresponding with a first strip area having a plurality of field effect portions encoded to provide a train of output signals of alternately opposite sense with the output signals being disrupted in accordance with the said offset portions in said first strip area, scanning with a second reader a second path simultaneously with scanning of said first path by said first reader, said second path corresponding with a second strip area extending through an area of said member remote from said raised characters, said second strip area also having a plurality of field effect portions which are encoded with fields and defining a clock track on said member to provide a train of clock pulse signals of alternately opposite sense, and utilizing said clock pulse signals to identify the position of the said first reader along the first path, said clock pulse signals along with said output signals utilized for identifying the raised characters on said member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said strip areas includes a layer of magnetic material on said member with said field effect portions being magnetized to provide magnetic fields of alternately opposite polarity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
177 words
A character recognition apparatus for reading from a magnetizable member alpha-numeric characters defined by offset portions raiseD from a planar surface of the member on one side thereof, said apparatus comprising: first magnetic field effect reader means for scanning the member on said one side along a first path coincident with the offset portions to provide first signals indicative of the presence of the planar surface of the member and second signals representative of the presence of an offset portion of the member; second magnetic field effect reader means for scanning the member on said one side along a second path spaced from the offset portions to provide clock pulse signals indicative of the position of said first reader means along said first path; means for effecting relative movement between said first and second reader means and the member for scanning thereof; and circuit means for processing said first and second signals from said first reader means together with said clock pulse signals to provide output signals representative of the character data defined by the offset portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
177 words
A character recognition apparatus for reading from a magnetizable member alpha-numeric characters defined by offset portions raiseD from a planar surface of the member on one side thereof, said apparatus comprising: first magnetic field effect reader means for scanning the member on said one side along a first path coincident with the offset portions to provide first signals indicative of the presence of the planar surface of the member and second signals representative of the presence of an offset portion of the member; second magnetic field effect reader means for scanning the member on said one side along a second path spaced from the offset portions to provide clock pulse signals indicative of the position of said first reader means along said first path; means for effecting relative movement between said first and second reader means and the member for scanning thereof; and circuit means for processing said first and second signals from said first reader means together with said clock pulse signals to provide output signals representative of the character data defined by the offset portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 3 including means magnetically encoding the member prior to reading by said first reader means, said encoding producing predetermined magnetic field patterns along said path whereby said first signals from said first reader means are of corresponding predetermined patterns and are disrupted by the offset portions to provide said second signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said encoding means creates a series of alternately opposite polarity magnetic fields in the magnetizable member along said first path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 3 including a plurality of said first reader means for scanning a corresponding plurality of parallel paths on the member, said first and second signals from each of said first reader means being processed by said circuit means to provide output signals representative of the alpha-numeric characters on the member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 6 including means for magnetically encoding the member prior to reading by said plurality of first reader means, said encoding producing predetermined magnetic field patterns along each of said parallel paths whereby said first signals from each of said first reader means are of corresponding predetermined patterns and are disrupted by the offset portions to provide said second signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein said encoding means creates a series of alternately opposite plurality magnetic fields in the magnetizable member along each of said parallel paths.
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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) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |