U.S. patent number 3,648,242 [Application Number 04/770,052] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-07 for card validating apparatus and method.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Strategic Metals Research Inc.. Invention is credited to Gregory Grosbard.
United States Patent |
3,648,242 |
Grosbard |
March 7, 1972 |
CARD VALIDATING APPARATUS AND METHOD
Abstract
A record card internally structured in accordance with a
predetermined code pattern is passed through a validating device to
verify its genuineness and/or produce readin signals for a
computer. The validating device senses coded information which is
processed through logic circuitry built into the device in such a
manner as to prevent alteration thereof.
Inventors: |
Grosbard; Gregory (Long Beach,
NY) |
Assignee: |
Strategic Metals Research Inc.
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25087325 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/770,052 |
Filed: |
October 23, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/435; 235/492;
235/491; 235/454 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F
7/086 (20130101); G07D 7/00 (20130101); G06K
7/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07F
7/08 (20060101); G06K 7/06 (20060101); G07D
7/00 (20060101); H04g 003/70 () |
Field of
Search: |
;179/2CA ;340/149A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blakeslee; Ralph D.
Claims
What is claimed as new is as follows:
1. In combination with a record medium having a code-bearing
surface portion and edges respectively presenting separate code
patterns, a validating device comprising a housing, means for
guiding movement of said record medium along a predetermined path
through the housing, sensing means activated only by the code
pattern on said edges and responsive to movement of said record
medium along said path for establishing code recognizing signals,
logic circuit means mounted within the housing and connected to
said sensing means for receiving said code recognizing signals, and
indicating means connected to the logic circuit means for
signifying authenticity of the record medium in response to said
establishment of the code recognizing signals.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said record medium has a
conductive element embedded therein, said sensing means including a
brush device in wiping engagement with at least one of said edges
through which the element is exposed.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the surface portion of said
record medium includes a radio active substance emitting radiation
to which the sensing means is exposed during movement of the record
medium through the housing.
4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes a
photosensitive, signal-generating device.
5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said record medium has an
optical fiber embedded in the surface portion for transmitting
light to the photosensitive signal-generating device.
6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the indicating means includes
a pair of lamp devices respectively energized in the presence and
absence of the code pattern at said edges of the record medium,
power-operated feeding means engageable with the surface portion
only for imparting said movement to the record medium and means
connected to the power operated means for interrupting said
movement of the record medium in response to energization of one of
the lamp devices.
7. In a validating mechanism, a housing, sensing means establishing
code recognizing signals, logic circuit means mounted within the
housing and connected to said sensing means for receiving said code
recognizing signals, indicating means connected to the logic
circuit means for signifying establishment of the code recognizing
signals, at least one circuit board on which conductors of the
circuit means are supported, a potting material embedding the
circuit board, said potting material having at least one cavity
formed therein in close spaced relation to the circuit board and a
conductor reactive ingredient nonreactive with the potting
material, filling said cavity.
8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises
a plurality of detuned oscillators, AND gate means connected to the
oscillators for establishing said code recognizing signals when all
of the oscillators are operative, said record medium embedding
tuning slugs exposed at said edges for simultaneously retuning all
of the oscillators in a predetermined position of the record medium
along said path to render all of the oscillators operative.
9. The combination of claim 7 including means for guiding movement
of a record medium through the housing along a predetermined path
to establish said code recognizing signals through the sensing
means and indicating means connected to the logic circuit means for
signifying authenticity of the record medium in response to said
establishment of the code recognizing signals.
10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the sensing means includes a
photo-detecting device.
11. The combination of claim 9 wherein the sensing means includes a
brush device in wiping engagement with said record medium.
12. The combination of claim 9 wherein said sensing means includes
a plurality of detuned oscillators retuned by tuning slugs embedded
in the record medium.
13. A security system for an electrically controlled device having
a housing and a circuit board mounted in the housing and supporting
conductors thereon a potting material embedding the circuit board,
said potting material having at least one cavity formed therein in
close spaced relation to the circuit board and a conductor reactive
ingredient nonreactive with the potting material, filling said
cavity.
Description
This invention relates to the readout of recorded information on a
record medium such as a card as well as the record medium structure
which cooperates with the data readout apparatus.
Coded information is commonly recorded on the flat surfaces of
record cards and various recording methods have been utilized such
as the punching of holes, imprinting of magnetic ink, deposit of
conductive coatings, use of color coding, etc. It has been proposed
that such coded information may be recorded on cards which also
serve as documents for other purposes such as stock certificates,
negotiable instruments, identification and credit indicia, customer
billing statements, etc. One type of such a document containing
coded information thereon is disclosed for example in my prior
copending application U.S. Ser. No. 749,840 filed Sept. 16, 1968,
entitled UNAUTHORIZED USE PREVENTING RECORD MEDIUM. With regard to
record cards of such type, it is not only necessary to provide
facilities for converting the coded data into appropriate signals
for read-in to a computer, but it is also necessary to check the
genuineness or authenticity of the document itself. The provision
of apparatus capable of achieving this purpose by rapid, and
relatively economical method is one of the important objectives of
the present invention.
The apparatus of the present invention is capable of handling
record cards of the type disclosed in my prior copending
application aforementioned as well as other record cards that are
internally structured in accordance with a predetermined coded
pattern without interference with the normal coding of the flat
surfaces for the purpose of validating the card and converting any
coded data recorded thereon into read-in signals capable of being
fed to a computer. Thus, a high degree of security against
alteration may be obtained for documents of the type aforementioned
in a manner which is compatible with the conversion of coded data
for readout purposes. Thus, substantial benefits and economies may
be realized by combining the validation and information retrieval
procedures.
In accordance with the present invention, a stack of record cards
when loaded into the validating machine are sequentially fed along
a predetermined path within a housing mounting both code sensing
apparatus and logic circuitry through which coded information is
detected and processed or converted into suitable form. The logic
circuitry in addition to converting the coded information to
suitable form for supply to a computer, also controls the
validation mechanism to notify the operator of any counterfeit
document, by establishment of a warning circuit in response to an
appropriate output of the logic circuitry. A genuine record card
passing through the device on the other hand produces an output
signal from the logic circuitry necessary to complete the movement
of the record card through the machine as well as to cause
recycling. A self-destruct feature built into the machine will
prevent any alteration of the logic circuitry. Also, different
types of signal detecting means may be utilized in order to
recognize the coded pattern preferably exposed through the edges of
the record card structure including physical contact means, optical
and radiation sensing means, optical scanning means and inductive
or capacitive sensing means.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and
in which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially
through a plane indicated by section line 2--2 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through a
plane indicated by section line 3--3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a partial transverse sectional view taken substantially
through a plane indicated by section line 4--4 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially
through a plane indicated by section line 5--5 in FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially
through a plane indicated by section line 6--6 in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a simplified electrical circuit diagram corresponding to
the control system associated with the apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a partial top sectional view showing a modified form of
apparatus.
FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through a
plane indicated by section line 9--9 in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a typical record
card to be utilized with the modified apparatus of FIGS. 8 and
9.
FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view showing another modification of
the validating apparatus.
FIG. 12 is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration corresponding
to yet another modified form of apparatus.
FIG. 13 is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration of still
another modification.
Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate
one embodiment of a validating apparatus constructed in accordance
with the present invention which is generally denoted by reference
numeral 10. The apparatus includes a housing generally referred to
by reference numeral 12 having an upper section 14 and a lower
section 16. Code recognizing, sensing means to be hereafter
described in detail, is mounted within the upper section 14 of the
housing in operative relationship to power operated feeding means
generally referred to by reference numeral 18. The feeding means is
operative to sequentially displace record cards 20 through the
housing. The record cards are accordingly guided for movement from
an inlet slot 22 through an outlet slot 24, said slots being formed
in opposite sides of the housing in proper alignment with each
other and with the power operated feeding mechanism 18. The record
cards are stored in a stack 26 as shown in FIG. 2 within a channel
member 28 extending at an upward incline from the housing 12.
Accordingly, the lowermost of the cards 20 in the stack 26 will be
aligned with the inlet slot 22 for movement into the housing in
view of its antifriction support by rollers 30 on the downwardly
inclined bottom wall of the channel 28.
Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, it will be noted that the power
operated feeding mechanism includes upper and lower endless belts
32 and 34 made of friction material and supported for movement in
close spaced relationship to each other so that the adjacent runs
of the belts will be spaced from each other an appropriate distance
to frictionally engage only the flat body surfaces of record cards
20 received therebetween. The gap between the adjacent runs of the
belts 32 and 34 are aligned between the inlet and outlet slots 22
and 24 of the housing. The housing mounts adjacent the inlet slot
22, rollers 36 and 38 about which the belts are entrained while
rollers 40 and 42 are rotatably mounted adjacent the outlet slot
within the housing in proper spaced relation to the other so as to
support the belts with proper tension. The friction belts 32 and 34
are driven at the receiving ends by means of a reduction gear and
motor drive assembly 44, the output of which is drivingly connected
to one of the rollers 36 and 38, both of these rollers being
drivingly interconnected for rotation in opposite directions by
means of the meshing gears 46 and 48 respectively connected to the
shafts associated with the upper and lower rollers 36 and 38. Thus,
the forward rollers rotate in opposite directions in order to
rearwardly displace the adjacent runs of both friction belts 32 and
34 in order to feed the cards 20 along a predetermined path.
As each of the cards 20 enters the inlet slot, it initially engages
a microswitch device 50. The card is then guided for movement along
its path between a plurality of roller guide assemblies 52 disposed
on opposite lateral sides of the card between the belt rollers
adjacent the inlet and outlet slots. In one form of the invention
illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the guide roller assemblies also
form sensing mechanism of the physical contact type. Accordingly,
each of the guide roller assemblies includes a roller 54 made of a
conductive material in engagement with one of the longitudinal
edges 56 of the record card which is of a generally rectangular
shape. The roller 54 may be mounted on a 90.degree. angled stud 58
mounted by the housing in such a manner as to accommodate a limited
amount of lateral shift. A brush element 60 may therefore by
yieldably held in engagement with the roller 54 by means of a
spring 62, the spring pressure of which may be adjusted by means of
the threaded plug 64 by means of which removal and replacement of
parts may also be effected. The brush element 60 may therefore
establish an electrical connection from the roller 54 to the
conductor 66 extending into a control circuit chamber 68 on top of
the upper section 14 of the housing which is enclosed by a top
control panel member 70. It should be appreciated, that any number
of guide roller, contact assemblies 52 may be mounted on opposite
lateral sides of the power operated feeding mechanism 18 for
engagement with the longitudinal sides 56 of the record cards 20 in
order to accommodate any particular coding system with which the
logic circuitry may cooperate to convert the coded data on the
record cards into suitable signals.
As shown in FIG. 2, the conductors and components associated with
the logic circuitry are mounted on nonconductive circuit boards 72
housed within the lower housing section 16. The circuit boards and
electrical components mounted thereon are protectively encased by
or embedded within a potting material 74 which completely fills the
lower housing section 16 except for a plurality of cavities 76. The
cavities are filled with a suitable acid that is extremely reactive
with the circuit conductors and components but completely
nonreactive with respect to the potting material 74. The cavities
76 ate therefore closely spaced from the circuit boards so that any
attempt to tamper with the housing in order to remove the circuit
boards and thereby alter the logic circuitry, will result in
fracture of the potting material 74 and flow of the acid into
contact with the circuit board to partially or completely destroy
the logic component. Thus, the apparatus of the present invention
has a built-in facility for preventing anyone from changing its
operational characteristics in accepting only genuine record
cards.
The top control panel 70 mounts a pair of indicator lamps 80 and 82
which may be respectively colored green and red to signify whether
the card being processed is genuine or counterfeit. When the red
lamp 82 is energized or illuminated to indicate reception of a
counterfeit record card, an audible alarm indicated at 84 may also
be energized for alerting the operator. The control panel 70 may
also mount an on-off switch 86 and a reset switch 88 to be
hereafter referred to.
The record cards 20 represent one form of record medium capable of
cooperating with the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6 by
virtue of the internal structure of the card. Thus, the card 20 has
embedded therein one or more electrically conductive elements 90 as
more clearly seen in FIG. 6 which extend transversely between the
longitudinal edges 56 and are exposed at said edges for electrical
contact with the roller brushes 54 at predetermined positions of
the card during movement along its path through the housing. Thus,
when electrical contact is established by a conductive element 90
between laterally opposite roller brushes, a signal is established.
These signals are fed to the logic circuitry and are recognized
either as record validating signals, record invalidating signals
and as information to be read into a computer. The specific logic
circuit per se may vary to meet different requirements and code
systems and therefore forms no part of the present invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates by way of example a typical control system
circuit which operatively interrelates the physical contact sensing
devices 52 with the logic circuit component 92, the drive motor
44a, the lamp indicators 80 and 82 and the audible alarm device 84.
Thus, upon closing of the on-off switch 86, a suitable source of
voltage indicated by reference numeral 94 in FIG. 7 may be
connected to the roller brush devices 52 on one side of the card 20
in order to establish signals in the signal lines 96 and 98 when
the conductive element 90 in the card bridges two roller brush
elements engaging opposite longitudinal edges in predetermined
positions of the card. The signals are accordingly fed by the
signal lines to the logic circuit component 92 from which three
output lines extend consisting of the counterfeit signal output
line 100, the validating output signal line 102 and the computer
read-in signal line 104. The card upon entering the entry slot 22
closes the microswitch 50 in order to energize the drive motor 44a
through the timing circuit 105. The timing circuit by way of
example only, includes a timing motor 108 which is energized upon
closing of the microswitch 50 and normally opened relay switch 116
through the normally closed timing switch 110 to initiate a timing
cycle of a duration to cause movement of the card 20 a sufficient
distance to obtain an output signal from either the line 100 or 102
of the logic circuit component 92. When the timing cycle is begun,
the normally opened timing switch 112 is closed in order to
complete an energizing circuit for the drive motor 44 while the
switch 110 opens. At the end of the timing cycle, the timing switch
112 is opened and the switch 110 recloses in preparation of the
next timing cycle. If the timing cycle is completed, and no motor
energizing circuit is established by the logic circuit component
92, movement of the cards through the apparatus will stop as motor
44a is deenergized. Upon deenergization of the drive motor relay
coil 114 is also deenergized so that normally opened relay switch
116 opens to prevent recycling of the timing circuit 106. The
timing circuit will recycle automatically if the motor 44a remains
energized after the preceding timing cycle is terminated because
the next record card will close microswitch 50. However, if the
motor does not remain energized after a timing cycle is completed,
the timing circuit must be manually recycled by closing of the
reset switch 88 bypassing the relay switch 116. Removal of the
counterfeit record card from the apparatus may thereby be effected.
Whether or not the motor 44a remains energized following a timing
cycle, will depend upon the output of the logic circuit component
92.
The motor 44a will remain energized at the end of the timing cycle
if an output signal is developed in line 102 of the logic component
92 before the end of the timing cycle prior to opening of timing
switch 112. Therefore, in the example illustrated in FIG. 7, the
drive motor 44a is connected by conductor 118 to a normally opened
relay switch 120 associated with the relay coil 122, one terminal
of which is connected by conductor 124 to the source of voltage 94
while the other terminal is adapted to be grounded through the
output line 102 of the logic circuit component in order to energize
the relay. Energization of the relay coil closes the relay switch
120 in order to connect the motor 44a to the voltage source for
maintaining it energized. At the same time, the normally opened
relay switch 126 is closed in order to connect the voltage source
to the green indicator lamp 80 signifying that the record card
being processed is genuine. However, the relay coil 122 will not be
energized if no grounding signal is applied to the output line 102.
An output grounding signal would then be applied to the line 100
grounding one terminal of the relay coil 128 connected by conductor
124 to the voltage source. Energization of the relay coil 128
closes the normally opened, grounded relay switch 130 so as to
complete energizing circuits through the parallel connected red
indicator lamp 82 and alarm device 84. The operator is thereby
visually as well as audibly alerted to the detection of a
counterfeit record card. At the same time, power operated movement
of the counterfeit record card is interrupted as hereinbefore
described. The reset switch 88 must then be actuated in order to
cause its removal from the apparatus as previously indicated.
A modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 8 which is
similar in construction and operation to the apparatus hereinbefore
described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 7 except for the
sensing mechanism and the internal structure of the record card.
The apparatus generally referred to by reference numeral 10' in
FIGS. 8 and 9 has its lowermost card feeding belt 34' constructed
in two sections laterally spaced from each other so as to
accommodate a suitable Geiger counter-type device 132 of well known
construction and operation which serves as the sensing mechanism in
lieu of the physical contact brush devices 52 hereinbefore
described. The Geiger counter type of sensing device 132 cooperates
however with a different type of record card 20'. As shown in FIG.
10, the record card 20' includes outside plastic layers 134 and
136. An intermediate layer is formed by a filler material 138 and
sections 140 containing a radioactive substance or radiation
emitter arranged in a predetermined coded pattern with the filler
material 138. A radiation shielding layer such as aluminum foil 142
is disposed on one side of the intermediate layer formed by the
filler 138 and section 140 so that radiation will be effectively
emitted through that side of the card facing the sensing device
132. The output signals from the sensing-type device may therefore
supply the validating or invalidating signals to the logic
circuitry as hereinbefore described in connection with FIG. 7. It
should be appreciated that one or more such sensing devices 132 may
be utilized to furnish both the validating and computer read-in
signals or in combination with the sensing devices 52 hereinbefore
described to furnish one of the signals in which case the sensing
devices 52 would serve only to supply the other of the signals.
Coded data could also be formed by the internal structure of a card
20" constructed in accordance with the disclosure in my prior
copending application aforementioned. This type of card would be
processed by an appropriately modified apparatus 10" as shown in
FIG. 11 which is similar to the apparatus 10 hereinbefore described
except for the mounting therein of one or more color coding
detectors generally referred to by reference numeral 144. Just like
the radiation sensing device 132 hereinbefore referred to, any
suitable color coding detector could be utilized such as one having
a lamp component 146 adjustable positioned relative to a receptor
tube and photocell assembly 148, said components being electrically
interrelated by means of the component 150 to supply an output
signal to the logic circuitry 92 as hereinbefore described in
connection with FIG. 7. Thus, the color coding detector 144 will
function to recognize color coding on the internal strands
associated with the record card 20" as disclosed in my copending
application.
Code recognizing signals may on the other hand be fed to the logic
circuit component 92 by another type of detecting assembly as
diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 12 associated with another
type of card 20'" within which one or more optical fibers 152 are
embedded in a coded pattern. The optical code sensing assembly
illustrated in FIG. 12 therefore includes an operatively positioned
lamp assembly 154 connected to the voltage source adapted to emit
light which is transmitted through the optical fiber and sensed by
a photocell 156 adjacent a longitudinal edge of the record card
opposite the edge exposed to the light source. Thus, when the card
is disposed in a predetermined position along its path of movement,
light will be transmitted through one or more optical fibers in
order to establish the code recognizing signals through one or more
photocell devices.
FIG. 13 illustrates yet another code sensing arrangement. In this
modification of the invention, the record card is provided along at
least one longitudinal edge thereof, with a plurality of tuning
slugs 158 adapted to be aligned with a plurality of sensing heads
160 when the card is in a predetermined position for recognizing a
predetermined code pattern. The sensing heads may be associated
with respective electronic oscillators 162 which are ordinarily
detuned from their operating frequencies. Thus, the tuning slugs
158 when properly positioned relative to the heads 160, will either
inductively or capacitively retune the respective oscillators 162
so that an oscillating output from each of the oscillators will be
simultaneously fed to an AND-gate 164. When outputs are
simultaneously fed from all of the oscillators to the AND-gate 164,
a code recognizing signal is passed to the logic circuitry. As in
the case of the sensing arrangements respectively shown in FIG. 9,
11 and 12, the arrangement shown in FIG. 13 is in itself well known
per se as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,072.
The various sensing arrangements referred to may be used in
combination with each other or by themselves to recognize different
coded data. Thus, different combinations of coded structural
patterns may be built into a record card to be recognized by one or
more of the sensing arrangements in order to provide both
validating signals and computer read-in signals in accordance with
the operating principles described in connection with FIG. 7 and
the constructional principles described more fully in connection
with FIGS. 1 through 6.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *