Abstract: A switching arrangement for the recording of value balance information on a magnetic track disposed on a charge card. The arrangement is characterized in that a balancing circuit is connected to a reading-writing device with reading and writing heads and to a debiting circuit as well as to a balance recording device.

Abstract: A single sensor system reads a traveling bar code comprising a plurality of marks separated by spaces. Each of the marks may have either of two durations and each of the spaces has a uniform duration. The bar codes are transported, relative to the sensor, at any of many different speeds so that the signals generated by the sensor may have unpredictable durations. The inventive reader determines the speed at which the bar code is being transported and interprets the signals generated by the bar code marks according to the determined speed. As used herein, the reference to "any of many different speeds" recognizes that different bar code transport devices, owing to their own inherent characteristics, may operate at different speeds although the speed for any given code transport device will tend to be fairly uniform. In some embodiments, the invention accommodates speed fluctuations in the operation of a single transport device.

Abstract: A card reader capable of accurately reading a data card inserted in any of four possible orientations includes a card with two data tracks, a card reader producing two corresponding data pulse trains, and two differentiation networks for producing two differentiated data pulse trains. The differentiated data pulse trains are combined to form a clock pulse train and, further, are latched to produce two latched data trains. A first selector circuit assigns a first binary code value to the latched data train exhibiting the first appearing pulse and a second selector circuit sets a storage direction flag dependent upon the position of a subsequent data pulse. The latched data train assigned a first binary code value, the clock pulse train, and the storage direction flag are received by a serial to parallel converter which stores least significant digit first or most significant digit first dependent upon the flag.

Abstract: A unitary, demountable, insertable modular magnetic transducer transport assembly for use with accounting records such as magnetically encoded bank account passbooks, magnetic striped ledger sheets and credit cards including self contained magnetic transducer transport for timing track and data pick-up mechanisms capable of being operably coupled to and forming part of an automatic data print out apparatus for on line data processing of accounting information.

Abstract: A card reader having a limited capacity for use with digitally encoded cards is used in conjunction with a system requiring a greater amount of information than is encoded on a single card. A multiple stage buffer storage memory is placed between the card reader and the utilization system. The memory has specific memory locations corresponding to locator data which is uniquely encoded on each of the different cards of a set of cards employed to supply the necessary information to the utilization system. A data locator is connected between the card reader and the buffer storage means and is responsive to locator data read from the cards by the reader to direct the information data on the cards to the proper location in the buffer storage memory. The cards may be inserted into the reader in any order; and when all of the areas of the buffer storage memory have the necessary data encoded in them, the information is transferred from the buffer storage memory to the utilization system.

Abstract: In a video disc playback apparatus, a playback stylus is utilized for the recovery of information from prerecorded disc records. In one system, geometric variations are recorded on the surface of the record and are representative of recorded picture and sound information. As these geometric variations pass beneath the stylus, the capacitance between the stylus electrode and the surface of the disc varies in accordance with the recorded representations. The capacitive variations are converted to electrical signal variations in the playback apparatus. In such a video disc playback apparatus, sound interference in the video and video interference in the sound can be produced by the non-linearity of the aforementioned pickup stylus. Use of a non-linear aperture corrector between the pickup circuitry and the demodulator circuitry of the playback apparatus reduces these interferences.

Abstract: A symbol processing system incorporated in an NMOS/LSI chip separates valid data from invalid data all generated by scanning a bar-coded symbol. The signals representing the bars and spaces of the symbol are decoded by a pattern recognition array, and the decoded data is clocked into a storage unit. When valid data is discovered, such data is captured within the storage unit. The valid data is then clocked out of the storage unit to a utilization device for further processing.

Abstract: An optical system for an optical data recording and reproducing apparatus such as an optical video disc apparatus comprising a diode laser light source, a condenser lens disposed adjacent to the diode laser, a cylindrical lens assembly arranged to exhibit different magnifications to light beams emitted by the diode laser in the direction perpendicular to a junction plane thereof and in the direction parallel to the junction plane, and a concentrating lens for constricting the resulting light beam into a light spot of a small size for projection on a recording medium. Recording of information is attained by the constricted light beam of a substantially circular cross-section with a high recording density at a low energy consumption. When reproducing the recorded information, the constricted beam is laterally enlarged in the transverse direction of the information recording track thereby to assure generation of a signal utilized for tracking control.

Abstract: A moving coil type stereophonic pickup cartridge is disclosed wherein a pair of magnetic air gaps are established corresponding to the walls of the sound groove of a 45.degree.-45.degree. stereophonic record and arranged such that the orientation of magnetic flux in the air gaps projects orthogonally to each other. The two magnetic air gaps are arranged on the right and the left of a cantilever fulcrum respectively. A coil is arranged within each of the gaps, each coil having a winding axis generally parallel to the axis direction of the cantilever. Each coil moves within its associated magnetic air gap integrally with the cantilever, thereby developing high output signals.

Abstract: A speech aid apparatus for laryngectomees includes a first housing having disposed therein, a sound head with a hard diaphragm held therein, an electrodynamic oscillator connected to the sound head and including a magnet system with an oscillator coil, a plunger connected thereto and a soft diaphragm vibrationally connected to the first housing through the plunger whereby the soft diaphragm sets the hard diaphragm into vibration. The apparatus also includes a second housing for a power supply and an operating switch and the two housings are releasably mechanically and electrically connected by a bayonet joint. The magnet system includes a pot type magnetic arrangement with an axially polarized very thin annular permanent magnet held between two pole rings made of a soft magnetic material and having rotational symmetry. The upper pole ring is pot shaped with a downwardly open annular gap concentric with the central opening of the magnet arrangement and the oscillator coil projects into the annular gap.

Abstract: An owner identification method and article for collecting, identifying, addressing, and mailing lost personal accessories to their proper owner, whereby a coded card carrying on its face only such uncoded alphanumeric information as will facilitate delivery, so that the card and lost item will arrive at a central lost item processing location at which coded information from the card can be converted into the true owner's uncoded mailing label to be applied to the packaging in which the lost item is to be mailed to its rightful owner. The card includes means for attachment to personal accessories and it may be adapted for use with a variety of memory and coding technologies including optical character recognition, magnetics, infra-red (magic middle), embossed character recognition, and semiconductor memory.

Abstract: A cash replacement system using consumable transaction cards, each card comprising a body portion bearing multi-digit magnetically recorded validation and identification codes and a transaction portion divided into a plurality of transaction segments bearing the identification code and a denomination code, both magnetically recorded. A card reader senses the validation code and severs one transaction segment from the card for each transaction after checking the denomination and assuring presence of the required segment. Printed indicia on each card enable the user to determine the number and denomination of possible remaining transactions.

Abstract: An Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) system comprising a number of uniquely designed instruments including a letter of credit card from which, at the time of each negotiation thereunder, data can be derived which, with a high degree of certainty, identifies the card holder the amount available for the transaction and such additional data as is required to complete, at the time of the transaction, a uniquely designed draft form to include all of the data needed to transfer the funds involved between the proper parties to the transaction on a purely EFT basis.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with time-clock recording and computation that, through a novel clock track card and separate clock track and data channel optical reading, in cooperation with microprocessor calculation, storage and control, enables automating employee time and attendance and similar data in a format directly recordable on the card and also directly useable by payroll or other processing computers and the like.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for use in cooperation with identification cards which incorporate a magnetic stripe and which functions to preserve a record and control the effect of scoring data, as a golfer's handicap. As disclosed herein, the system includes two components, a player unit and an office unit. The player unit processes the data on the identification card to issue score cards and indicate a player's handicap. The functions of the office unit include: entering fresh scores which are used to develop new handicaps, verifying data on the card and clearing any signals from the card that have resulted from mis-use and which inhibit the player unit. The system includes security aspects that discourage score manipulation or mis-use.

Abstract: A portable receiver includes a housing which operates as an acoustical amplifier to increase the output level of the audio signals produced by a sound transducer. The sound transducer is located within a cavity in the housing and emits audio signals into the interior of the housing. The housing has vents located in its walls to permit the audio signals produced by the sound transducer to pass freely to the exterior of the housing. The vents are dimensioned such that the resonant frequency of the housing lies approximately at the center of the frequency range of the signals produced by the sound transducer. Matching the resonant frequency of the housing to the output signals of the transducer causes the housing to operate as a tuned resonator which amplifies the output signals of the transducer.

Abstract: An optical character reader for conversion of information to a machine readable code from a strip of alpha-numeric characters on the face of a document. It includes an elongated document slot along which the document may be hand guided through a predetermined path. Optical viewing means is provided across a scan line intersecting the path of the alpha-numeric characters. A character scanning assembly electronically generates images of each character. Recognition processing means encodes these images into a machine readable code. All of the physical, optical and electronic components are contained within a compact single enclosure. Incandescent lamps are utilized to illuminate the document face across the scan line. The usable life of each lamp is extended by providing a constant current source in the operational lamp circuit. Incandescent lamps are utilized to illuminate the face of the document across the scan line.

Abstract: Disclosed is a receipt slip issuing apparatus for an automatic transaction system in which an identification card path crosses a blank path through which a two-ply details slip blank is fed, and a transcription mechanism for transferring card-borne information onto the blank is located in the position of such crossing. In a positional state for transcription on the blank, a printing mechanism corresponds to a first line to be printed of the blank, and a cutter is so located as to correspond to a position where a lower sheet of the blank is to be cut for each slip. A receipt slip outlet is disposed right under an I.D. card inlet-outlet, whereby a user may catch and draw out both his I.D. card and an issued receipt slip one-handed.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus of identifying a document with the aid of at least two different types of optically readable markings disposed on the document, and of at least two light sensors, each individual marking modifying light impinging thereon in a characteristic manner, and wherein each light sensor is associated with a respective marking, and senses the light modified by the associated marking, the steps include placing the markings in a predetermined cyclical sequence on at least one track of the document, so as to avoid the creation of any optically readable gap, thereafter erasing at least selected portions of the markings, while maintaining in selected groups of two adjacent markings at least a portion of one of the markings in dependence of coded information to be recorded on the document, obtaining a timing signal from the light sensors in dependence of the light modified by the markings, with the aid of the timing signal, serially reading out the coded information from the marking portions remaini

Abstract: A voice coil assembly for a speaker comprises a substrate, a spiral pattern coil formed on the substrate, at least one holder fixedly secured to the periphery of the substrate, and at least one metallic layer attached to said substrate. The metallic layer facilitates the dissipation of the heat generated by the voice coil, while a pair of metallic layers establishes electrical connections between the voice coil terminals and external terminal strips. The shape of the opening of the holder(s) may be made other than rectangular for avoiding the occurrence of standing waves which cause the frequency characteristic of the speaker to be deteriorated.