Patents by Inventor Curtis T. Conant

Curtis T. Conant has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Hand swipe magnetic stripe encoder
    Patent number: 5101097
    Abstract: Misaligned magnetic stripe cards are often improperly encoded during a write operation. The problem occurs most frequently in hand swipe encoders where the encoding operation may occur quickly without sufficient care to seat the card properly. A write - disable circuit responsive to the proper positioning of the card prevents such improper encoding, and destruction of valid encoding on adjacent tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: American Magnetics Corporation
    Inventor: Curtis T. Conant
  • Credit card reading apparatus with reliable optical path interrupt means
    Patent number: 4742213
    Abstract: A card reader includes an opaque arm movable in response to the insertion of a credit card. The arm, when moved, interrupts a light path signalling the presence of the card thus permitting write or read operations on a magnetic stripe on the card. The use of arm permits highly reliable operation due to the location of the light path defining devices in a place where they are protected from contaminants. In addition, the light path is always interrupted with an obstruction of known opacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: American Magnetics Corporation
    Inventor: Curtis T. Conant
  • Apparatus for sensing and/or writing information on cards, passports and checks and the like
    Patent number: 4692602
    Abstract: A multimedia reader and/or writer such as a credit card reader is adapted to receive media of different thicknesses, such as checks, cards and passports. The medium enters a channel defined by walls or rails, one of which includes a spring loaded section which adjusts to the different thicknesses. The medium moves against a wear plate which includes striations to guide the edge of the medium away from the spring loaded section in order to avoid catching the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignee: American Magnetics Corporation
    Inventor: Curtis T. Conant