US4886957A — Card reader for receiving a card bearing an impri…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 223 words

A card reader for bi-directional scanning of the data strip on a card while said card is held in a fixed position, said reader including a housing to receive said card and a bi-directional optical scanner mounted within said housing in a position to scan said card while said card is held stationary in a predetermined position within said housing, said reader including alignment means for positioning said card in said predetermined position within said reader, said alignment means including a pair of perpendicular alignment guides for receiving adjacent edges of said card and a window for positioning a planar surface of said card, a card driver to move said card to scanning position against said guides and said window and hold said card stationary during scanning, an input detector and an alignment detector, said input detector being located proximate to an input slot in said housing and including circuitry to cause said card driver, upon detection of the presence of a said card, to draw said card into said reader and to position it for scanning, and said alignment detector being adapted to sense when said card is in said predetermined position for scanning and to actuate said optical scanner, whereby said card may be inserted into said card reader and thereafter automatically be positioned in three dimensions for scanning and scanned.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 223 words

A card reader for bi-directional scanning of the data strip on a card while said card is held in a fixed position, said reader including a housing to receive said card and a bi-directional optical scanner mounted within said housing in a position to scan said card while said card is held stationary in a predetermined position within said housing, said reader including alignment means for positioning said card in said predetermined position within said reader, said alignment means including a pair of perpendicular alignment guides for receiving adjacent edges of said card and a window for positioning a planar surface of said card, a card driver to move said card to scanning position against said guides and said window and hold said card stationary during scanning, an input detector and an alignment detector, said input detector being located proximate to an input slot in said housing and including circuitry to cause said card driver, upon detection of the presence of a said card, to draw said card into said reader and to position it for scanning, and said alignment detector being adapted to sense when said card is in said predetermined position for scanning and to actuate said optical scanner, whereby said card may be inserted into said card reader and thereafter automatically be positioned in three dimensions for scanning and scanned.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

A card reader as set forth in claim 1 in which said window is formed of transparent plastic material.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

A card reader as set forth in claim 1 in which said card driver is a pair of frictional rollers positioned within said housing at an angle to be longitudinal dimension of said card and means for driving said rollers.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

A card reader as set forth in claim 3 in which said alignment means also includes means for driving said rollers in a reverse direction to eject said card from said reader.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 167 words

A reader adapted to read a data strip imprinted on a surface of a card, said card being of predetermined size and shape and said data strip being in a predetermined position on said card, said reader including a housing, a tray positioned within said housing to receive said card and to hold said card for scanning, said tray having a window and including positioning guides corresponding to adjacent edges of said card, positioning means for receiving said card, pressing adjacent edges of said card against said guides, pressing said card surface bearing said data strip against said window, and holding said card motionless during scanning, a bi-directional optical scanner positioned within said housing for scanning said data strip through said window, a sensor adapted to detect when said card is in position to be scanned, and a control circuit, actuated by said sensor, to start operation of said scanner, whereby said card may be automatically positioned for reading and the data strip thereon may be read.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 167 words

A reader adapted to read a data strip imprinted on a surface of a card, said card being of predetermined size and shape and said data strip being in a predetermined position on said card, said reader including a housing, a tray positioned within said housing to receive said card and to hold said card for scanning, said tray having a window and including positioning guides corresponding to adjacent edges of said card, positioning means for receiving said card, pressing adjacent edges of said card against said guides, pressing said card surface bearing said data strip against said window, and holding said card motionless during scanning, a bi-directional optical scanner positioned within said housing for scanning said data strip through said window, a sensor adapted to detect when said card is in position to be scanned, and a control circuit, actuated by said sensor, to start operation of said scanner, whereby said card may be automatically positioned for reading and the data strip thereon may be read.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 33 words

A reader as set forth in claim 5 in which said positioning guides are perpendicular to one another and are positioned to receive the leading edge and one side edge of said card.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

A reader as set forth in claim 6 in which said window is formed of transparent plastic material.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

A reader as set forth in claim 5 including an inlet slot in said housing proximate to said tray for receiving said card and a detector to sense the presence of a said card inserted in said inlet slot and to actuate said positioning means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 44 words

A reader as set forth in claim 5 in which said positioning means is a plurality of driven rollers having parallel axes, said axes being at such an angle as to cause said rollers to direct said incoming card against both of said guides.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

A reader as set forth in claim 9 in which said rollers have a surface providing for frictional, but slipping, engagement with said card.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

A reader as set forth in claim 5 in which said positioning means is reversible and can thereby eject said card from said housing after said card has been scanned.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 59 words

A reader as set forth in claim 11 including an ejection guide positioned on said tray for directing said card out of said housing, said ejection guide being spaced from said positioning guides by a distance greater than the corresponding dimension of said card, so said card fits loosely between said ejection guide and its corresponding said positioning guide.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

A reader as set forth in claim 5 in which said tray is removably held in said housing, whereby other said trays may be substituted for it to accommodate a different card.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 120 words

In a reader for a card bearing a data strip and requiring accurate three-dimensional alignment, that improvement including a card-positioning tray, alignment guides perpendicular to one another on said tray and corresponding to adjacent edges on said card, a fixed scanning window in said tray associated with said guides and proximate thereto, a bi-directional optical scanner, means for moving said scanner in scanning motion over said scanning window, and means remote from said scanning window for receiving said card and moving said card to said scanning window, and means for pressing said card against said window and said guides and holding said card immobile during scanning, whereby said card may be held in three-dimensional alignment during scanning and scanned bi-directionally.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 120 words

In a reader for a card bearing a data strip and requiring accurate three-dimensional alignment, that improvement including a card-positioning tray, alignment guides perpendicular to one another on said tray and corresponding to adjacent edges on said card, a fixed scanning window in said tray associated with said guides and proximate thereto, a bi-directional optical scanner, means for moving said scanner in scanning motion over said scanning window, and means remote from said scanning window for receiving said card and moving said card to said scanning window, and means for pressing said card against said window and said guides and holding said card immobile during scanning, whereby said card may be held in three-dimensional alignment during scanning and scanned bi-directionally.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 187 words

A reader adapted to read a data strip imprinted on a surface of a card, said card being of predetermined size and shape and said data strip being in a predetermined position on said card said reader including a housing, a tray positioned within said housing to receive said card and to hold said card for scanning, said tray having a window and including positioning guides corresponding to adjacent edges of said card, said tray being removably held in said housing, positioning means for receiving said card, pressing adjacent edges of said card against said guides, pressing said card surface bearing said data strip against said window, and holding said card motionless during scanning, a bi-directional optical scanner positioned within said housing for scanning said data strip through said transparent surface, a sensor adapted to detect when said card is in position to be scanned, and a control circuit, actuated by said sensor, to start operation of said scanner, whereby said card may be automatically positioned for reading, said data strip thereon may be read, and an other tray may be substituted to accommodate a different card.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 187 words

A reader adapted to read a data strip imprinted on a surface of a card, said card being of predetermined size and shape and said data strip being in a predetermined position on said card said reader including a housing, a tray positioned within said housing to receive said card and to hold said card for scanning, said tray having a window and including positioning guides corresponding to adjacent edges of said card, said tray being removably held in said housing, positioning means for receiving said card, pressing adjacent edges of said card against said guides, pressing said card surface bearing said data strip against said window, and holding said card motionless during scanning, a bi-directional optical scanner positioned within said housing for scanning said data strip through said transparent surface, a sensor adapted to detect when said card is in position to be scanned, and a control circuit, actuated by said sensor, to start operation of said scanner, whereby said card may be automatically positioned for reading, said data strip thereon may be read, and an other tray may be substituted to accommodate a different card.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 134 words

In a reader for a card bearing a data strip and requiring accurate three-dimensional alignment, that improvement including a card-positioning tray, alignment guides perpendicular to one another on said tray and corresponding to adjacent edges on said card, a scanning window in said tray associated with said guides and proximate thereto, a bi-directional optical scanner, means for moving said scanner in scanning motion along said scanning window, and means for receiving said card pressing said card against said window and said guides, and holding said card immobile during scanning, said last-named means including a pair of driven rollers having axes which are parallel to one another and which are at an angle to the longitudinal dimension of said data strip, whereby said card may be held in three-dimensional alignment during scanning and scanned bi-directionally.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 134 words

In a reader for a card bearing a data strip and requiring accurate three-dimensional alignment, that improvement including a card-positioning tray, alignment guides perpendicular to one another on said tray and corresponding to adjacent edges on said card, a scanning window in said tray associated with said guides and proximate thereto, a bi-directional optical scanner, means for moving said scanner in scanning motion along said scanning window, and means for receiving said card pressing said card against said window and said guides, and holding said card immobile during scanning, said last-named means including a pair of driven rollers having axes which are parallel to one another and which are at an angle to the longitudinal dimension of said data strip, whereby said card may be held in three-dimensional alignment during scanning and scanned bi-directionally.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-12-11	1993-06-12	1993-12-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-12-11	1997-06-12	1997-12-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-12-11	2001-06-12	2001-12-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Card reader for receiving a card bearing an imprinted data strip, self positioning the card in a pre-determined position and scanning the imprinted data strip in two directions

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