Abstract: A magnetic stripe card manual swipe reader (MSR) unit capable of attaching to and communicating with a conventional personal digital assistant (PDA) from various manufacturers, using only the electrical power available as supplied by the PDA device, and capable of effective electrical power management and conservation operations. Additionally, this PDA attachable MSR unit is capable of recognizing multiple magnetic encoding formats and data record formats and converting said formats to a standardized output format, includes the capability of updating and adding new formats while in field service, and is readily allows verifying card data and encoding sensitive material prior to transmission to the PDA. These custom formats can then be used to fulfill current needs in age verification, law enforcement, security, and numerous other applications.

Abstract: A secure magnetic stripe card stripe reader (MSR) module and software system capable of encrypting the magnetic stripe data to CISP standards for use in point of sale (POS) and other applications requiring data security using non secure networks and computing devices. Additionally, when incorporated within an attachment for conventional personal digital assistant (PDA) or cell phone or stationary terminal, provides encrypted data from the magnetic head assembly providing compliance with Federal Information Processing Standards Publication Series FIPS 140 covering security and tampering standards. Moreover, this module and software system includes the capability of providing secure POS transactions to legacy transaction processing systems transparently to the existing infrastructure. Furthermore, this module and software system includes the capability of transparently providing detection of fraudulently copied magnetic stripe cards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the distance between transitions from a first logical state to a second logical state stored on a medium (i.e., a document). This determination is used to precisely characterize the information pattern in order to authenticate the information and the medium on which the information is stored. The invention uses a reader having a leading and trailing read apparatus which allow information to be read simultaneously from two or more locations spaced a known distance apart. The distance between the centerlines of each read apparatus is preferably an odd integer multiple of one half the distance between logical clock transitions. The distance between a first transition at the leading read apparatus and a next transition at the trailing read apparatus is used as a reference (i.e., the “Reference Value”). The Reference Value is compared with the distance between the first transition and the next transition on the medium (i.e., the “Jitter Value”).

Abstract: A magnetic stripe card manual swipe reader (MSR) unit capable of attaching to and communicating with a conventional personal digital assistant (PDA) from various manufacturers, using only the electrical power available as supplied by the PDA device, and capable of effective electrical power management and conservation operations. Additionally, this PDA attachable MSR unit is capable of recognizing multiple magnetic encoding formats and data record formats and converting said formats to a standardized output format, includes the capability of updating and adding new formats while in field service, and is readily allows verifying card data and encoding sensitive material prior to transmission to the PDA. These custom formats can then be used to fulfill current needs in age verification, law enforcement, security, and numerous other applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing and later determining the distance between transitions from a first logical state to a second logical state stored on a medium, for example, a document. This determination is used to precisely characterize the information pattern in order to authenticate the information and the medium on which the information is stored. The invention uses a reader having a leading and trailing read apparatus, which allow information to be read simultaneously from two or more locations spaced a known distance apart. The distance between the center lines of each read apparatus is preferably an odd integer multiple of one half the distance between logical clock transitions. The distance between a first transition at the leading read apparatus and a next transition at the trailing read apparatus is used as a reference, hence given the term the “Reference Value”. The Reference Value is compared with the distance between the first transition and a second transition on the medium.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly with dual parallelogram supporting structure device and method of making the same has a single or multiple track magnetic stripe read head transducer mounted to a support structure by a dual parallelogram spring structure. This dual spring structure allows the head to move perpendicularly and rotationally to the magnetic stripe while preventing the head from rotating in the y direction, namely, preventing lateral movement. The novel magnetic head assembly is produced using a rapid and accurate assembly without the use of mounting screws in single and multiple track configurations. The unique spring also reduces wear on the magnetic heads which increases the functional life of the unit. The simple construction allows inexpensive manufacture of the magnetic head assembly, yet the durability of available manufacturing materials and the structure of the spring provide the magnetic head assembly with a long useful life, requiring little or no maintenance expense or upkeep.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the distance between transitions from a first logical state to a second logical state stored on a medium (i.e., a document). This determination is used to precisely characterize the information pattern in order to authenticate the information and the medium on which the information is stored. The invention uses a reader having a leading and trailing read apparatus which allow information to be read simultaneously from two or more locations spaced a known distance apart. The distance between the centerlines of each read apparatus is preferably an odd integer multiple of one half the distance between logical clock transitions. The distance between a first transition at the leading read apparatus and a next transition at the trailing read apparatus is used as a reference (i.e., the “Reference Value”). The Reference Value is compared with the distance between the first transition and the next transition on the medium (i.e., the “Jitter Value”).