Magnetic Patents (Class 235/449)
  • Patent number: 12236308
    Abstract: One or more detection activities of a card may allow calculation of rolling speed in motorized readers. Accordingly, the detection activity may result in a data transmission speed with greater accuracy after a determination of position, velocity and/or acceleration of the faster-moving device in relation to the card. Such detection activities may increase a probability of a successful communication sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
    Inventors: Chengliu Li, James H. Workley, Kevin David Bruner, Allen D. Bowers
  • Patent number: 12235125
    Abstract: A map (1) to be used by a vehicle which can measure magnetism acting from a road surface side forming a surface of a road to estimate an own vehicle position includes a structure map (M1) which represents a road structure and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point and a road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) which is magnetic data at each point on the road surface and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point. In the map (1), the structure map (M1) and the road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) are associated with each other via the position data indicating the absolute position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 12228966
    Abstract: An apparatus, comprising: a foldable touch display; a motor adapted to control a mechanism for switching the foldable touch display between an unfolded state and a folded state in a rolling motion; and a controller adapted to: detect a user input, calculate a velocity vector of the user input, and control the motor for switching the foldable touch display between the unfolded state and the folded state according to the calculated velocity vector of the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming Li, Guoping Luo, Pasi Pylvas
  • Patent number: 12229748
    Abstract: A card reader includes a digital connector such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug or an Apple® Lightning® plug. The digital connector includes a corresponding connector interface, which provides voltage to at least a card reader interface and an integrated circuit (IC) of the card reader. The card reader interface outputs an analog transaction information signal upon reading the card. The IC generates a digital version of the analog transaction information signal, encrypts the digital version, converts that into an analog audio signal. The audio signal can then be sent to the connector interface, which converts it into a digital signal such as a USB or Apple® Lightning® signal that is sent by the digital connector to a mobile device. Alternately, the audio signal can be sent to a microcontroller that converts the audio signal to a digital format such as USB, and then to the digital connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Mani Razaghi, Joseph Laucks, Jeremy Martin
  • Patent number: 12210610
    Abstract: A method for determining authenticity of a security device of a component in an imaging device includes receiving, by the security device, an authentication challenge including one or more commands and executing, by the security device, the one or more commands in response to receiving the authentication challenge. A magnetic field profile is generated based on current drawn by the security device from a power source while the security device is executing the one or more commands, the generated magnetic field profile indicating an authentication response of the security device to the authentication challenge for use in determining authenticity of the security device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: James Howard Ellis, Jr., Timothy John Rademacher
  • Patent number: 12206491
    Abstract: A dual antiphase read-head arranged card reader is provided. The card reader includes a first read-head arrangement and a second read-head arrangement. Electromagnetic noise is applied to both the first and second arrangements. Waves associated with the electromagnetic noise on the second arrangement is transformed and applied to the first arrangement canceling the noise on a first read head of the first arrangement. The first read head reads magnetically encoded information on a magnetic strip of a card inserted into a card slot of the card reader free of noise. However, the noise remains present such that any skimmer read head of a skimmer inserted into the card slot is unable to read the magnetically encoded information off the magnetic strip of the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: NCR Atleos Corporation
    Inventor: Kevan Douglas Johnston
  • Patent number: 12204978
    Abstract: A detection activity of a card may be sensitive to capacitance changes in one or more pads on the card, where a capacitance change detected in a pad during a first time period does not affect a capacitance change detected in the pad during subsequent time period(s). Accordingly, the detection activity may remain sensitive to a faster-moving device with greater accuracy in a determination of position, velocity and/or acceleration of the faster-moving device in relation to the card. A second detection activity may follow a first detection activity, which may increase a probability of a successful communication sequence subsequent to the first detection activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
    Inventor: Allen D. Bowers
  • Patent number: 12121328
    Abstract: A card is provided, such as a credit card or security card, that may transmit information to a magnetic stripe reader via a magnetic emulator. The emulator may transmit the information in order to reduce the amount of circuitry needed to emulate a particular block of information. Additionally, for example, one or more buttons may be included on the card. Buttons may be includes, for example, to provide a control interface to navigate through various options of the card. Additionally, coding schemes may be selected via buttons. Furthermore, a card may be locked until a private number is entered into a card or a number may only be generated (e.g., displayed and/or emulated) once a particular private number is entered into a card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey David Mullen, Will Reutzel
  • Patent number: 12073278
    Abstract: An electronic payment terminal including a magnetic-memory card reader and a card passage, wherein a magnetic-memory card is intended to slide. The card passage extends in a plane substantially parallel to a top face of the electronic payment terminal. At one end of the housing of the electronic payment terminal, a part of the bottom wall of the card passage extends beyond the top wall of the card passage. The electronic payment terminal furthermore includes at least one first front camera integrated at the end of the electronic payment terminal, in a plane substantially parallel to the top face of the electronic payment terminal, below the bottom wall of the card passage extending beyond the top wall of the card passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: BANKS AND ACQUIRERS INTERNATIONAL HOLDING
    Inventors: Jérôme Andre, Olivier Soleilhavoup, Yann Granddidier
  • Patent number: 11995497
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of detecting a magnetization signal of a physically unclonable functions (PUF) device including acquiring, by a magnetization signal detection sensor, an image of a magnetic layer of the PUF device including the magnetic layer having a perpendicular magnetization component and identifying a magnetization state of the magnetic layer from the image of the magnetic layer acquired by the magnetization signal detection sensor, and according to the present disclosure, it is possible to more efficiently check the magnetization signal of the PUF device and acquire a random unique ID according to magnetization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joon-Hyun Kwon, Ji-Sung Lee, Han-Saem Lee, Su-Jung Noh
  • Patent number: 11954550
    Abstract: In a card reader, an interfering magnetic field generation mechanism 11 includes a core part 14a, a core part 14b, and a core part 15a, each of which is formed of soft magnetic material in a straight line, a coil 16 that is wound around the core part 14a, a coil 17 that is connected to the coil 16 in series and is wound around the core part 14b, a coil 18 that is wound around the core part 15a, a first drive circuit that supplies alternating current to the coils 16 and 17, and a second drive circuit that supplies alternating current to the coil 18. The core part 15a is disposed between the core part 14a and the core part 14b. The core part 15a is formed independently of the core parts 14a and 14b, and is separated from the core parts 14a and 14b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirotaka Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 11935017
    Abstract: A system for reprogramming a transaction card may include a reprogrammable microchip transaction card, an account provider system, and a mobile device. A reprogrammable transaction card may include an embedded microprocessor chip, or integrated circuit (IC), housing various modules to provide card capabilities, such as transaction capabilities, security capabilities, and reprogramming capabilities. An account provider system may include a number of servers and computers, each equipped with storage and modules programmed with various capabilities, such as, storing cardholder data, transaction processing, and/or transaction card reprogramming. A user device may include various hardware and software components, such as a Near Field Communication (NFC) hardware and software components, one or more processors, various input/output interfaces, and/or modules, such as transaction processing modules and transaction card resetting modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: CAPITAL ONE SERVICES, LLC
    Inventor: Adam R. Koeppel
  • Patent number: 11928847
    Abstract: Provided are computer-implemented technologies of authenticating documents. The technologies use a set of photo images (or videos), taken under a certain illumination condition and from a set of distinct tilting angles, on one or more security/ID features of one or more documents of a document genre whose authenticity is ascertained, to train an Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine learning program to build a learned model. The learned model, through the said training, attains a set of angular responses of the document genre under the illumination condition which encode a set of descriptive information about each of the one or more security/ID features of the document genre under the illumination condition. The learned model, then, is applied to authenticate, one by one, a number of target documents of the document genre whose authenticity is unknown and to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: ELM COMPANY
    Inventors: Syed Adnan Yusuf, Abdulmalik Ali Aldawsari, Riad Souissi
  • Patent number: 11747876
    Abstract: Systems and methods for network port monitoring using low energy wireless communications are provided. In one embodiment, a device comprises: at least one port module, the at least one port module comprising one or more connector ports each configured to receive a connector of a network data cable; and a port state sensor that includes a port sensing circuit coupled to a sensor controller, wherein the port sensing circuit is configured to sense a port state for the one or more connector ports; wherein the sensor controller is configured to input the port state from the port sensing circuit, wherein in response to detecting a change in the port state from the port sensing circuit, the sensor controller wirelessly transmits port state information to a port state monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Polland, Joseph C. Coffey
  • Patent number: 11724903
    Abstract: A card processing device may include a print unit and a card inverting unit that inverts front/rear of the card. The print unit may include a thermal head and a card conveyance mechanism. The card inverting unit may include a card holding part, a card drawing and feeding mechanism, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the card holding part. A conveyance path may be provided inside the card holding part. The conveyance path may be linear. The card drawing and feeding mechanism may include two drive rollers, and two pad rollers. A distance between a center of the drive roller and a center of the thermal head may be shorter than a length of the card. The thermal head may print on the card while the card conveyance mechanism conveys the card. The rotating mechanism may rotate the card holding part such that the conveyance path is inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Ohta, Satoshi Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11707343
    Abstract: A teleoperable medical system comprises a manipulator arm and a cannula mount coupled to the manipulator arm. The manipulator arm comprises an interface configured to operably couple with a medical instrument. The cannula mount is configured to removably mount a cannula to the manipulator arm in a position to permit removable insertion of the medical instrument through the cannula. The cannula mount comprises a receptacle configured to receive an attachment portion of the cannula in a mounted state of the cannula, and a reader positioned to be in magnetic field sensing proximity to the attachment portion of the cannula in the mounted state of the cannula. The teleoperable medical system comprises a controller configured to receive output signals from the reader and determine identification information about the cannula based on the output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Brandon R. Garbus, Allen C. Thompson, Justin Krom
  • Patent number: 11657239
    Abstract: Provided are a disturbing magnetic field generator and a card reader capable of suppressing the generation of noise caused by vibration of a core. A disturbing magnetic field generator that generates a disturbing magnetic field for disturbing unauthorized reading of magnetic data recorded on a card includes a coil to generate the disturbing magnetic field, a bobbin including a tubular body part in which the coil is wound on an outer peripheral side, and a core disposed inside the tubular body part. A first gap is provided between the tubular body part and the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirotaka Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 11604476
    Abstract: A vehicle may include a frame structure, a body mounted to the frame structure, and a vehicle navigation system. The vehicle navigation system may include a navigation sensor mounted to the frame structure, and a processor in communication with the navigation sensor. The navigation sensor may be configured to detect reference elements disposed in or on a road on which the vehicle travels. The processor may be configured to receive, from the navigation sensor, signals indicative of a sequence or pattern of detected reference elements. The processor may also be configured to determine, using the received signals, at least one of a position, velocity, or orientation of the vehicle on the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Glydways Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan Leefer
  • Patent number: 11536785
    Abstract: A magnetic card reader comprising a groove for shifting of a magnetic card and a magnetic read head mounted on a first printed-circuit board so as to enable reading of a magnetic stripe of the magnetic card. The magnetic read head has a tunnel magnetoresistance sensor called a TMR magnetic sensor positioned in a recess of a side wall of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: BANKS AND ACQUIRERS INTERNATIONAL HOLDING
    Inventors: Alain Soubirane, André Carabelli, Thierry Marsaud, Alain Coussieu, Stéphane Pavageau
  • Patent number: 11525707
    Abstract: A linear rotary encoder includes a pair of rotational surfaces. A contact belt has a first end coupled to a first rotational surface in the pair and a second end coupled to a second rotational surface in the pair. The contact belt is driven to rotate around the pair of rotational surfaces by a driving force applied to media to move the media from the first end toward the second end. An encoding scale is coupled to an inner surface of the contact belt. A reader is positioned to read the encoding scale as the contact belt rotates around the pair of rotational surfaces. The reader generates an output signal indicating a position of the media based on reading of the encoding scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventor: John Peter Duffield
  • Patent number: 11509640
    Abstract: A method for operating an electronic control unit (ECU) includes a normal mode and a protected mode. In the protected mode a new security artifact is stored in a microcontroller. The security artifact is transferred from the microcontroller to a microprocessor, and, after having received the security artifact, the microprocessor uses the security artifact for authenticating a program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Aurelien Hars, Hussein Baydoun
  • Patent number: 11468250
    Abstract: A reader device for reading information stored on a magnetic strip containing a plurality of polarized magnets, each providing a magnetic flux, said reader device including: a magnetoresistive sensor including a plurality of magnetoresistive elements and configured for reading the information stored on the magnetic strip and outputting a read signal; a processing module configured for decoding the read signal and extracting binary data; wherein the read signal includes amplitude information of the magnetic flux; and wherein the processing module is further configured for decoding the read signal using the amplitude information of the read signal is described. Further, an amplitude decoding method for decoding the read signal outputted by the reader device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CROCUS TECHNOLOGY SA
    Inventors: Ali Alaoui, Hakan Ates Gurcan
  • Patent number: 11368515
    Abstract: In some implementations, a device may determine whether an existing record for a file, received at a file storage location, is present in a record log. The device may generate, based on determining that the existing record for the file is not present in the record log, a record for the file in the record log. The record may identify the file and a first region. The device may determine, after generating the record, whether the record has been changed to identify a second region. The device may process the file based on determining that the record has not been changed to identify the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Alec Bruns, Rajendra Mokshagundam
  • Patent number: 11315408
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an emergency communication (EC) system includes an emergency notification application for generating and receiving one or more emergency notification messages; a Websocket server for connecting one or more computing devices configured with the emergency notification application; a cloud-based storage server, wherein the storage server is configured for storing a plurality of rules for determining one or more actions to be taken in an emergency; and one or more communication channel identifiers for distributing the emergency notification messages to the one or more computing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: CAUZWAY, LLC
    Inventors: David L. Nelson, Richard H. Spellman
  • Patent number: 11308499
    Abstract: A method includes monitoring patterns of commands provided by a self-service terminal controller, identifying potential fraud in the monitored patterns of commands, and suspending operation of a dispenser of the self-service terminal responsive to the identification of potential fraud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Horgan, Gordon D. Chisholm, Campbell Benn
  • Patent number: 11263411
    Abstract: An example method may include transmitting a noise signal through a reader connection of a magnetic reader element. The control component and the magnetic reader element may be associated with a card reader device of a transaction device, and the magnetic reader element may be configured to read a magnetic strip of a transaction card. The method may include receiving, from the magnetic reader element, a reader connection signal from the reader connection. The reader connection signal may include the noise signal. The method may include extracting, from the reader connection signal, a card information signal associated with the transaction card from the magnetic strip. The card information signal may be extracted based on the noise signal. The method may include performing an action associated with the card information signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Post, Nathaniel McKinnon
  • Patent number: 11237227
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a plurality of magnetoresistive element units. Each of the magnetoresistive element units includes a flat-surface-type first magnetoresistive element having a detection axis in a first direction and a flat-surface-type second magnetoresistive element having a detection axis in a second direction different from the first direction. The first magnetoresistive element and the second magnetoresistive element are arranged so as to face each other. The plurality of magnetoresistive element units are arrayed in a direction orthogonal to flat surfaces of the first magnetoresistive element and the second magnetoresistive element. The surfaces facing a measurement sample constitute a surface parallel to the direction in which the magnetoresistive element units are arrayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Junichi Jono, Koujirou Sekine, Masaaki Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 11213142
    Abstract: A stand for positioning a mobile device comprises a quick attach mount configured to receive a mobile device and a height-adjustable upright member connected to support the quick attach mount and adjustable to position the quick attach mount within a desired height range for users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Alaska Airlines, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Kemery, Kyle Allen Fuhrer, Naomi-Hannah Onajite Agbro, Jeffrey Ladwig, Zebrick B. Roach, John Dan Mabry, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11176530
    Abstract: A payment terminal includes a magnetic card reader slot having a magnetic head, an IC card reader slot configured to be front of a user, and a first board with a touch area for a contactless payment arranged diagonally upward toward the user. The magnetic card reader slot is arranged toward the user obliquely upward with respect to a direction parallel to the plane. The magnetic card reader slot and the IC card reader slot are arranged, so that a swipe direction of the magnetic card into the magnetic card reader slot and an insertion direction of an IC card into the IC card reader slot are substantially perpendicular to each other. The magnetic card reader slot, the IC card reader slot, and the first board are arranged in this order from the plane in a height direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenya Yasutomi, Bunzo Goto, Takeshi Goto, Tadayuki Takanashi, Akihito Shimode, Ryota Minami
  • Patent number: 11157893
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising: a near field communication (NFC) module; a magnetic stripe data transmission (MST) module; and at least one processor functionally coupled to the NFC module and the MST module, wherein the processor is configured to: select at least one of the NFC module or the MST module; and transmit payment information to an external device by using the selected module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su Young Park, Da Som Lee, Yang Soo Lee, Moon Soo Chang
  • Patent number: 11144900
    Abstract: The invention relates to an enabling card as well as a system and method for completing a financial transaction in a P.O.S. terminal comprising: a processor carried by the enabling card for: establishing a connection with a mobile device; receiving secure information from a mobile device and generating a digital signal; a coil carried by the enabling card for generating a magnetic field in response to the digital signal to simulate the swipe of card in the P.O.S. terminal and complete the financial transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: DASHPASS INC.
    Inventors: Alessandro Andriani, Leonardo Covello, Mario Crudo, Bruce Silcoff, Jonathan Silver
  • Patent number: 11116601
    Abstract: A method includes sensing magnet information at a plurality of magnet positions on a cannula and determining identification information for the cannula based on the magnet information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Brandon R. Garbus, Allen C. Thompson, Justin Krom
  • Patent number: 11113489
    Abstract: Methods and devices for coding and identifying plate-type workpieces are provided. The methods include: coding a workpiece by producing a code with a local modification in a material structure of a base material of the workpiece within a coding region, reading out the code by performing an eddy-current measurement of a local distribution of an electrical conductivity and/or a permeability of the base material by an eddy-current sensor along a reading-out section in a reading region at least partially including the coding region, a signal calibrated to a distance of the eddy-current sensor from a surface of the reading region being determined for reading out the code, storing the read-out code in a storage device, repeating the reading out of the code by repeatedly performing the eddy-current measurement, and identifying the workpiece by comparing the stored read-out code in the storage device and the repeated read-out code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Daniel Bossert, Klaus Bauer, Andreas Popp, Eberhard Wahl
  • Patent number: 11112885
    Abstract: A rotary input device includes a base, a cover, a column, one or more first magnets, one or more second magnets, a plurality of magnetic sensors, and a signal processing circuit. The cover includes a cap portion and a side wall vertically extending from the cap portion. The column surrounded by the side wall includes a first end for connecting to the base and a second end for connecting to the cover. The first magnet surrounds the column and is configured on the cover. The second magnet surrounds the first magnet and is configured on the base. The magnetic sensors are configured on a lateral surface of the column and coupled to the signal processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ACER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tai Ju, Chueh-Pin Ko, Chih-Chiang Chen
  • Patent number: 11100298
    Abstract: A card reader includes a digital connector such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug or an Apple® Lightning® plug. The digital connector includes a corresponding connector interface, which provides voltage to at least a card reader interface and an integrated circuit (IC) of the card reader. The card reader interface outputs an analog transaction information signal upon reading the card. The IC generates a digital version of the analog transaction information signal, encrypts the digital version, converts that into an analog audio signal. The audio signal can then be sent to the connector interface, which converts it into a digital signal such as a USB or Apple® Lightning® signal that is sent by the digital connector to a mobile device. Alternately, the audio signal can be sent to a microcontroller that converts the audio signal to a digital format such as USB, and then to the digital connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Mani Razaghi, Joseph Laucks, Jeremy Martin
  • Patent number: 11062285
    Abstract: Systems, methods and tools for securely scheduling appointments, maintenance and repairs of vehicles. The system may be an automated service kiosk available 24 hours a day. A customer can schedule services, drop off and pick up keys for receiving service at any time that may be convenient for the customer, without regard for the normal operating hours of the service provider and may do so without having to interact with an employee of the service provider. Automated customer recognition may be performed using license scanning or biometric scanning. The user may select a service from a menu of services and deposit keys (or key fobs) within the kiosk system or receive keys therefrom. Upon returning to complete the service transaction customers may scan a paper or digital receipt provided during the initial scheduling of the service and tender payment via the kiosk or using digital currency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignees: GO MOTO, INC., MERIDIAN ZERO, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Marcelle, Christopher Gilder, Robert Florig, Lynwood A. Williams, Jr., Philip Aubrey White
  • Patent number: 11055500
    Abstract: A card reader is provided which is capable of detecting a skimming magnetic head attached to a front side of a card insertion member formed with a card insertion port and a skimming magnetic head attached to an inclined face of the card insertion port with a simple structure. The card reader includes a card insertion member 8 formed with a card insertion port 3 and a light emitting element 9 and a light receiving element for detecting that a foreign matter has been attached to the card insertion member 8. A lower face of the card insertion port 3 is formed to be an inclined face 3a which is inclined toward a lower side as going to the front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunori Takahashi, Kazutoshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11018881
    Abstract: A device may include one or more sources such as circuit elements and electrical components that function as sources for physically unclonable function (PUF) data. PUF data may be acquired from the PUF sources and one or more error correction codes may be applied to the PUF data. The resulting PUF values may be used to generate information that may be used for device security operations such as encryption and tamper detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamran Sharifi, Afshin Rezayee, Jeremy Wade, Yue Yang, Max Joseph Guise, Bertram Leesti
  • Patent number: 10997489
    Abstract: A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable of communicating information to a magnetic stripe reader. Information used in validating a financial transaction is encrypted based on time such that a validating server requires receipt of the appropriate encrypted information for a period of time to validate a transaction for that period of time. Such dynamic information may be communicated using such an emulator such that a card may be swiped through a magnetic stripe reader—yet communicate different information based on time. An emulator may receive information as well as communicate information to a variety of receivers (e.g., an RFID receiver).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: DYNAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Mullen, David Lambeth, Bruce Cloutier
  • Patent number: 10990867
    Abstract: A card may detect variations (e.g., position, velocity, acceleration and direction) of a read head in relation to the card. Based on certain parameters (e.g., card length, initially detected read head position, and read head velocity) the card may change communicated bit parameters (e.g., bit period) so that a total number of data bits may be communicated by the card to the read head while the read head remains within a communication distance of the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: DYNAMICS INC.
    Inventor: Bruce S. Cloutier
  • Patent number: 10990868
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) device programming apparatus includes a transport system (102) to transport media (104) in a transport direction (106), and an RFID device reader (112) to obtain first device identification data from a first RFID device (108) on the media and second device identification data from a second RFID device (110) on the media that is offset from the first RFID device in the transport direction. A first RFID device programmer (114) may program the first RFID device associated with the first device identification data, and a second RFID device programmer (116) may program the second RFID device associated with the second device identification data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Lior Kaykov, Gideon Amir
  • Patent number: 10967653
    Abstract: A thermal printer includes a frame including sidewalls; a platen roller supported by the frame, through bearings, the platen roller being configured to rotate with a rotational shaft; a thermal head disposed opposite the platen roller; a support member for supporting the thermal head, the support member being configured to be pivoted with respect to the frame; and an adjustment mechanism disposed between the rotational shaft of the platen roller and the thermal head, the adjustment mechanism allowing a distance between the rotational shaft of the platen roller and the thermal head to be adjusted, while contacting at least one from among components of the platen roller and components of the thermal head, so that a gap between the thermal head and the platen roller is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshibumi Abe, Zenko Motoki, Akira Kabamoto
  • Patent number: 10972100
    Abstract: A dial device includes a base, a cover, a column, a magnet, a magnetic sensor and a signal processing circuit. The cover includes a cap portion and a side wall vertically extending from the cap portion. The column surrounded by the wall includes a first end for connecting to the base and a second end for connecting to the cover. The magnet surrounds the column and is disposed on the base or the cover. The magnetic sensor is disposed on a side surface of the column and coupled to the signal processing circuit. When the cover rotates relative to the base, the magnet rotates around the magnetic sensor, and the magnetic field strengths sensed by the magnetic sensor vary. The signal processing circuit determines the relative rotation direction between the cover and the base according to the difference of the magnetic field strengths sensed by the magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: ACER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tai Ju, Chueh-Pin Ko, Chih-Chiang Chen
  • Patent number: 10970940
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of ticket checking technologies, and provides a ticket checking device including an identifier and a control unit; the identifier is configured to identify ticket surface information of a ticket presented by a user; and the control unit is configured to compare the ticket surface information identified by the identifier with preset ticket surface information corresponding to the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xin Wang, Jianhua Du, Fan Yang
  • Patent number: 10949627
    Abstract: A detection activity of a card may be sensitive to capacitance changes in one or more pads on the card, where a capacitance change detected in a pad during a first time period does not affect a capacitance change detected in the pad during subsequent time period(s). Accordingly, the detection activity may remain sensitive to a faster-moving device with greater accuracy in a determination of position, velocity and/or acceleration of the faster-moving device in relation to the card. A second detection activity may follow a first detection activity, which may increase a probability of a successful communication sequence subsequent to the first detection activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: DYNAMICS INC.
    Inventor: Allen D. Bowers
  • Patent number: 10949826
    Abstract: Systems and methods for handling tokens. In one aspect, a token is intercepted by a data processor and a contact is made with a detokenization provider by the data processor. In another aspect, token service is aggregated. In another aspect, tokenization is extended to physical cards, to deter certain kinds of fraud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: First Data Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Rewis, Vijay K. Royyuru, Christopher T. Cox
  • Patent number: 10936928
    Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Walter N. Scaife, Patrick G. Traynor, Christian Peeters
  • Patent number: 10936926
    Abstract: A card exhibiting multiple linear arrays of sensors are provided to detect a presence and movement of an external object (e.g., a read-head of a magnetic stripe reader). Each sensor of each array of sensors may be independently connected to a dual port of a processor so that the processor may determine a direction in which the card is swiped through a magnetic stripe reader. A portion of sensors of each array of sensors may be shared by a portion of inputs and/or outputs of a single port of a processor. Sensors may be cross-coupled to a single processor port so that forward and reverse directions of a card swipe may nevertheless be detected by a single-port processor of a card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: DYNAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Randy L. Rhoades, James H. Workley, Jeffrey D. Mullen
  • Patent number: 10922601
    Abstract: Cards made in accordance with the invention include a specially treated thin decorative layer attached to a thick core layer of metal or ceramic material, where the thin decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. Decorative layers for use in practicing the invention include: (a) an anodized metal layer; or (b) a layer of material derived from plant or animal matter (e.g., wood, leather); or (c) an assortment of aggregate binder material (e.g., cement, mortar, epoxies) mixed with laser reactive materials (e.g., finely divided carbon); or (d) a ceramic layer; and (e) a layer of crystal fabric material. The cards may be dual interface smart cards which can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: CompoSecure, LLC
    Inventors: John Herslow, Adam Lowe, Luis Dasilva
  • Patent number: 10902225
    Abstract: A card reader may include a transport path; a housing; a magnetic head to read the magnetic information at a reading position of the transport; and a first inductive proximity sensor. The first inductive proximity sensor may include a first oscillation circuit; and first and second detection coils connected in parallel to the first oscillation circuit. The magnetic head may be accessible to the magnetic card from a first side of the transport path in a first direction perpendicular to a transport face of the magnetic card. Coil center lines of the first and second detection coils may extend in the first direction on the first side of the transport path. The first and second detection coils may be disposed adjacent to each other in the transport direction and structured to generate magnetic fields in opposite directions in the first direction when the first inductive proximity sensor is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuo Mochida