Abstract: The present invention is a card transport mechanism for transporting cards (114) along a transport path (108) and method of operation thereof.
Abstract: A microscope slide having a glass plate, a marking surface coating on an area of the glass plate, and indicia formed by etching away portions of the marking surface coating. The marking surface coating may comprise an epoxy resin material, a ceramic material, or any other substance capable of being affixed as a layer onto a glass surface. The indicia may include machine-readable indicia, human-readable indicia, or both machine-readable and human-readable indicia. In order to produce accurate, high-quality indicia, a laser directed by a computer controller may be used to etch away the portions of the marking surface coating.
Abstract: A transaction card includes at least two read-only magnetically encoded stripes encoding different data in accordance with standard data encryption protocols readable by conventional transaction card reading systems. The stripes are associated with areas of the card which may have different indicia, such as, for example, being different colors or different textures. In accordance with one embodiment, superimposed upon the card may be two sets of raised printed indicia including, for example, the transaction card number, the expiration date and the name of the card user. One set of the raised printed indicia is inverted with respect to the other set so as to indicate to the user which one of the magnetic stripes is being processed. In accordance with another embodiment, only one set of raised letters is used; the other set being flush with the surface of the card if there are two sets. In this way, magnetically encoded information on the same transaction card may be segregated at the point of sale.
Abstract: A microscope slide having a glass plate, a marking surface coating on an area of the glass plate, and indicia formed by etching away portions of the marking surface coating. The marking surface coating may comprise an epoxy resin material, a ceramic material, or any other substance capable of being affixed as a layer onto a glass surface. The indicia may include machine-readable indicia, human-readable indicia, or both machine-readable and human-readable indicia. In order to produce accurate, high-quality indicia, a laser directed by a computer controller may be used to etch away the portions of the marking surface coating.
Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electronic data access and retrieval system comprising at least first and second smart cards, a first card being encoded with digital data fields representative of predetermined information and a second card including authorization codes for enabling access to and authorized retrieval of selected information from digital data fields of the first card, and includes computer means including display means for displaying the access data. A method is also disclosed of operating an electronic secured access verification display system for displaying an indication of permissable and non-permissable access to a facility of authorized personnel and for verifying the identity of such personnel by providing IDENTITY SMART CARDS, one for each authorized person, and an ACCESS SMART CARD to each authorized operator of the system.
Abstract: A method of adjusting alignment of a magnetic head to be within an alignment specification in accordance with the invention includes recording on magnetic material of a test card a digital code having a greater number of bits per unit length than the set number of bits used for conventional magnetic recording of credit cards. The test card produces an electrical playback signal which varies in magnitude with head alignment at a second rate greater than a first rate produced during conventional recording. The test card is read repeatedly and alignment of the head is adjusted until a maximum electrical playback signal is produced indicating that the head is set within the alignment specification.
Abstract: This invention relates to a coupler which allows a host processor such as, for example, a personal computer or point of sale device or the like to communicate with and control a portable data carrier. A portable data carrier is a portable device which contains integrated circuit(s). Examples of portable data carriers are Integrated Circuit Cards, data keys, super smart cards, and smart coins. The coupler is adapted to receive the card in a standard card receptacle or card reader to establish connection between the card and a connector in the coupler to which the necessary control signals are applied. The presence of an integrated circuit card is detected in the coupler's card connector terminal which provides a card present signal to the host processor. The host, in turn, provides Clear-To-Send (CTS), Request-To-Send (RTS), Data-Set-Ready (DSR) and Data-Terminal-Ready (DTR) signals.