US3926291A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Coded token and acceptor
Assignee: PAN NOVA
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Filing: 1974-05-06
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Granted: 1975-12-16
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Expires: 1994-05-06
Abstract
Abstract A coded token, a token reader and a token acceptor for use with token operated dispensers. A disk of electrical insulating material having one or more concentric electrical conductors therein exposing electrically conducting circles at one or both token surfaces for contact by a reader which provides signals to an acceptor indicating the presence and absence of interconnected circles at predetermined radial positions. An acceptor for indicating receipt of a properly coded token regardless of orientation of the deposited token.
Inventors
- 👤 William F Burke
- 👤 Lee T Crowell
- 👤 Robert C Greenwood
- 👤 Thomas E Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 17:03
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F1/00; G07F1/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
A coded token for token operated dispensers and the like, comprising: a disc of electrical insulating material having opposed surfaces; separate concentric and spaced circles of electrically conductive material on at least one of said surfaces; and an electrical conductor separate from and extending through said insulating material and electrically connecting selected ones of said circles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
A coded token for token operated dispensers and the like, comprising: a disc of electrical insulating material having opposed surfaces; separate concentric and spaced circles of electrically conductive material on at least one of said surfaces; and an electrical conductor separate from and extending through said insulating material and electrically connecting selected ones of said circles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coded token as defined in claim 1 having at least one further electrical conductor electrically connecting other selected ones of said circles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A coded token as defined in claim 1 wherein said selected circles are on opposite ones of said opposed surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A coded token as defined in claim 1 wherein said selected circles are on the same surface of said insulating material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
A coded token as defined in claim 1 and: passage means defining a path for a token between an entrance slot, a token return slot, and a token storage receptacle; a bracket mounted at said path; a plurality of electrical contacts carried in said bracket and positioned in opposing relation with a gap therebetween for movement of a token through said gap, with said contacts positioned for engaging the token surfaces at the radial positions of said circles; and means for connecting said contacts to a token acceptor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 including an acceptor having: detector means for detecting an interconnection between each of a plurality of radial positions on each surface of a token and each of the other radial positions, and providing a set of detection signals indicating such interconnections; and decoder means having said detection signals as inputs and providing a token accepted signal as an output for tokens having directly interconnected circles in a predetermined configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
124 words
A reader for coded tokens in the form of disks of electrical insulating material with one or more concentric electrical conductors therein providing directly interconnected circles of conducting material at one or both token surfaces, including in combination: passage means defining a path for a token between an entrance slot, a token retuRn slot, and a token storage receptacle; a bracket mounted at said path; a plurality of electrical contacts carried in said bracket and positioned in opposing relation with a gap therebetween for movement of a token through said gap, with said contacts positioned for engaging the token surfaces at the radial positions of said circles as a token moves through said gap; and means for connecting said contacts to a token acceptor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
124 words
A reader for coded tokens in the form of disks of electrical insulating material with one or more concentric electrical conductors therein providing directly interconnected circles of conducting material at one or both token surfaces, including in combination: passage means defining a path for a token between an entrance slot, a token retuRn slot, and a token storage receptacle; a bracket mounted at said path; a plurality of electrical contacts carried in said bracket and positioned in opposing relation with a gap therebetween for movement of a token through said gap, with said contacts positioned for engaging the token surfaces at the radial positions of said circles as a token moves through said gap; and means for connecting said contacts to a token acceptor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A reader as defined in claim 7 with contacts in corresponding positions on each side of said gap for contacting the circles for either of the two possible orientations of a token.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A reader as defined in claim 7 including detector means mounted in said passage means for detecting the presence of a token at the position in said path for contact of token circles by said contacts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
A reader as defined in claim 9 including: direction control means in said passage means for selectively directing a token to said return slot and said storage receptacle; and acceptor means having said contacts and said detector means connected thereto as inputs for actuating said direction control means to direct a token to said storage receptacle when such token has interconnected circles in a predetermined configuration.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including an acceptor having: detector means for detecting an interconnection between each of a plurality of radial positions on each surface of a token and each of the other radial positions, and providing a set of detection signals indicating such interconnections; and decoder means having said detection signals as inputs and providing a token accepted signal as an output for tokens having interconnected circles in a predetermined configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
105 words
An acceptor for coded tokens in the form of disks of electrical insulating material with one or more concentric electrical conductors therein providing directly interconnected circles of conducting material at one or both token surfaces, including in combination: detector means for detecting a uniform and direct interconnection between each of a plurality of radial positions on each surface of a token and each of the other radial positions, and providing a set of detection signals indicating such interconnections; and decoder means having said detection signals as inputs and providing a token accepted signal as an output for tokens having interconnected circles in a predetermined configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
105 words
An acceptor for coded tokens in the form of disks of electrical insulating material with one or more concentric electrical conductors therein providing directly interconnected circles of conducting material at one or both token surfaces, including in combination: detector means for detecting a uniform and direct interconnection between each of a plurality of radial positions on each surface of a token and each of the other radial positions, and providing a set of detection signals indicating such interconnections; and decoder means having said detection signals as inputs and providing a token accepted signal as an output for tokens having interconnected circles in a predetermined configuration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
131 words
An acceptor for coded tokens in the form of disks of electrical insulating material with one or more concentric electrical conductors therein providing interconnected circles of conducting material at one or both token surfaces, including in combination: detection means for detecting an interconnection between each of a plurality of radial positions on each surface of a token and each of the other radial positions, and providing a set of detection signals indicating such interconnections; and decoder means having said detection signals as inputs and providing a token accepted signal as an output for tokens having interconnected circles in a predetermined configuration; with said detection means including means for sequentially connecting each of said radial positions to a reference point in sequence and sampling said radial positions for each such sequential connection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
131 words
An acceptor for coded tokens in the form of disks of electrical insulating material with one or more concentric electrical conductors therein providing interconnected circles of conducting material at one or both token surfaces, including in combination: detection means for detecting an interconnection between each of a plurality of radial positions on each surface of a token and each of the other radial positions, and providing a set of detection signals indicating such interconnections; and decoder means having said detection signals as inputs and providing a token accepted signal as an output for tokens having interconnected circles in a predetermined configuration; with said detection means including means for sequentially connecting each of said radial positions to a reference point in sequence and sampling said radial positions for each such sequential connection.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
An acceptor as defined in claim 13 wherein said decoder means includes first and second decoders, and said detection means includes means for connecting the detection signals from one token surface to said first decoder and the detection signals from the other token surface to said second decoder.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said decoder means includes first and second gate matrices each having a plurality of gates, and means for connecting an output from said first and second decoders to each of said gates in a predetermined pattern whereby one of said matrices provides a token accepted Signal for a specific token circle interconnection configuration for one of the two possible orientations of the token and the other of said matrices provides a token accepted signal for the other orientation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2450997A
Cited
US3209881A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-15 | 1979-06-16 | 1979-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-15 | 1983-06-16 | 1983-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-15 | 1987-06-16 | 1987-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |