U.S. patent number 3,873,813 [Application Number 05/361,741] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-25 for credit card.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Xerox Corporation. Invention is credited to Roy J. Lahr, James M. Wilson.
United States Patent |
3,873,813 |
Lahr , et al. |
March 25, 1975 |
CREDIT CARD
Abstract
A credit card having a coating of a substance which when treated
sufficiently permanently and irreversably changes from a first
state having one characteristic of reflectivity for visible light
components incident thereon to a second state having a second
characteristic of reflectivity for the light components.
Preferably, in the first state the substance is highly light
reflective, and reflects light of different wavelengths unequally,
and in the second state the substance is light transparent.
Treating of the substance is accomplished by heating the substance,
preferably with a high intensity light beam. Authenticity of the
credit card is achieved by first measuring the amplitude of visible
light components (colors) reflected by the substance when the
substance is treated intitially, and by a later spectral
reflectance test after additional treating which, by sensing the
change in amplitude of a previously highly reflected visible light
component, indicates that the substance has changed to the second
state in response to the additional treating. The coating is
deposited on a layer of a highly light absorptive material which
enhances the reflectance contrast between the first and second
states of the coating and promotes rapid treating of the
coating.
Inventors: |
Lahr; Roy J. (Sierra Madre,
CA), Wilson; James M. (San Dimas, CA) |
Assignee: |
Xerox Corporation (Stamford,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
23423270 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/361,741 |
Filed: |
May 18, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/380; 235/468;
235/488; 250/226; 283/85; 356/71; 250/208.2; 283/72; 283/904 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q
20/3433 (20130101); G06K 19/14 (20130101); G07F
7/02 (20130101); G07F 7/086 (20130101); Y10S
283/904 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07F
7/00 (20060101); G06K 19/14 (20060101); G07F
7/02 (20060101); G07F 7/08 (20060101); G06k
009/08 (); G06k 019/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;235/61.12N,61.11E,61.7B,61.8R,61.8A ;340/173CC,173LT ;356/71
;250/209,226 ;194/4R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Urynowicz, Jr.; Stanley M.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A credit card comprising
a support layer, and
a coating of heat-sensitive substance supported by said layer, said
heat-sensitive subtance being responsive to energy from a remote
source incident upon said substance and having a first optical
reflectance characteristic when within a first temperature range,
and a second, different optical reflectance characteristic when
heated to a temperature beyond said first temperature range, said
second optical reflectance characteristic of said substance being
permanent even when exposed to said energy from said remote source
once said substance is heated beyond said first temperature
range.
2. The credit card of claim 1 in which said heat-sensitive
substance comprises a material which is light reflective when
within said first temperature range, and which is light transparent
when heated to a temperature beyond said first temperature
range.
3. The credit card of claim 1 wherein said heat-sensitive substance
comprises a material which is highly reflective of light of a given
frequency when within said first temperature range, and which is
not highly reflective of light of said given frequency when heated
beyond said first temperature range.
4. The credit card of claim 3 wherein a sheet of a highly light
absorptive material is positioned between said support layer and
said coating of said heat-senstive substance on said support.
5. The credit card of claim 4 said light of said given frequency is
blue and said sheet of highly light absorptive material is
black.
6. The credit card of claim 2 wherein said material reflects a
large amount of blue light, a lesser amount of red light, and a
still lesser amount of green light when within said first
temperature range.
7. A credit card comprising
a support layer,
a coating of a heat-sensitive substance supported by said layer,
said heat-sensitive substance being reponsive to energy from an
external source incident upon said substance and having a first
range of light reflectance when within a first temperature range,
and a second, different range of light reflectance when heated to a
temperature beyond said first temperature range, the second range
of light reflectance of said substance being permanent even when
exposed to energy from said external source once said substance is
heated beyond said first temperature range, and
means positioned between said support layer and said coating of a
heat-sensitive substance for enhancing the optical contrast between
said first and second optical reflectance characteristics of said
heat-sensitive substance.
8. The credit card of claim 7 in which said heat-sensitive
substance comprises a material which is highly reflective when
within said first temperature range, and which is highly light
transparent when heated to a temperature beyond said first
temperature range.
9. The credit card of claim 7 in which said heat-sensitive
substance comprises material which is highly reflective of light of
a given frequency when within said first range, and which is highly
transparent to said light of said given frequency when heated to a
temperture beyond said second range.
10. A credit card comprising
a transparent support layer
a sheet of a highly light absorptive substance deposited on said
support layer, and
a coating of a heat-alterable material on said highly absorptive
material, said heat-alterable material being highly reflective of
light of at least one color when within a first range of
temperatures and transparent to said light of said one color when
heated to a temperature beyond said first range of
temperatures.
11. A method of testing the authenticity of a credit card having a
coating of a heat-sensitive substance having a first optical
reflectance characteristic when within a first temperature range
and a second optical reflectance characteristic when heated to a
temperature beyond said first temperature range, comprising the
steps of:
measuring the magnitude of light of at least one color reflected by
said substance when said substance is within said first temperature
range to produce a first signal representative of the amplitude of
said one color,
heating said substance to a temperature beyond said first
temperature range,
measuring the magnitude of said light of said one color reflected
by said substance when said substance is heated beyond first
temperature range to produce a second signal representative of the
amplitude of said one color, and
using both said signals to determine the authenticity of said
credit card.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein heating of said substance is
achieved by a high intensity light beam, said beam also being used
in making both said measurements.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein said signals representative of
the amplitude of said light of said one color are electricaly
integrated.
14. A method of testing the authenticity of a credit card having a
coating of a heat-sensitive substance which is light reflective
when within a first range of temperatures and light transparent
when heated to a temperature beyond said first temperature range,
comprising the steps of
producing signals representative of the amplitudes of light of at
least two different colors reflected by said substance when said
substance is within said first temperature range, and when said
substance is heated to a temperature beyond said first temperature
range,
electrically integrating each of said signals to derive signals
that have a time-amplitude characteristic determined by the
amplitude of each of said signals, and
supplying said signals having said time-amplitude relationship
characteristic to a logic circuit when said substance is both
within said first temperature range and heated to a temperature
beyond said first temperature range.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Consumable credit cards have long been used as a means for
purchasing services in advance and at a reduced rate. For example,
in the commuter transportation industry, multi-ride cards have been
used extensively to provide a reduced rate per ride, the cards
being physcially manipulated, notched or punched by an attendant
each time they are used. similar cards have been used in other
multi-use service areas, such as cafeteria services, or vending
machine services. These cards are generally made of a soft material
which allows them to become bent and defrayed.
A recent development in commuter transportation systems involves
the use of automated ticket processing machines for entrance and
exit gates at the various stops along the transportation system. A
commuting passenger using the system will initially purchase, such
as from a vending machine, a multi-ride ticket which on one side
has various instructions for the use of the ticket and on the
underside has a printed value grid. The ticket also has a magnetic,
iron oxide, recording strip on its underside, on which is
magnetically recorded, by the vending machine, information such as
the value of the ticket and the date.
To gain entrance to the transportation system, the passenger
inserts the ticket into the automatic entrance ticket machine at an
entrance gate which includes a turnstyle. The pertinent functions
of the ticket machine are that it magnetically records the station
location on the magnetic recording strip, opens the turnstyle to
admit the passenger, and returns his ticket. No marks are made on
the value grid. when the passenger disembarks at his station, he
places his ticket in the automatic exit ticket machine at an exit
gate which also includes a turnstyle. This ticket machine, and
cooperating computer apparatus, determines the validity of the card
and, from the magnetic recording, if the ticket has sufficient
value for the ride just completed, places a mark in the grid to
show the degraded value of the ticket, opens the turnstyle, and
returns the ticket. If the recording upon the ticket shows
insufficient value for the ride when the ticket is placed into the
ticket machine at the exit gate, the turnstyle will not open, and
the passenger must consult the station agent. The mark in the grid
is only for the information of the person owning the ticket; as far
as the ticket machines are concerned the value of the ticket is
indicated by the magnetic recordings thereon.
Another type of credit card used for commuter transport systems
includes dielectric members which are laminated together and
externally printed with grid squares which indicate the worth of
the ticket. Conductive ink marks or strips underlie the rows of
grids from edge to edge of the document. The member carrying the
strips is thin, so that a marking tool impressed in a grid will
electrically alter the conductivity of the strip. When inserted
into an exit control apparatus, the apparatus determines the number
of uncut strips to ascertain the value of the card which is
rejected when an insufficient value is indicated.
One drawback of the above cards, described in detail in U.S. Pat.
No. 3,470,359, is that the cards are easily altered. Thus, it would
be fairly easy for a knowledgable person to copy the magnetic
recordings of the first-described card onto a used card, after
mechanically erasing its old recordings, or to place a similar
recording on a ticket-sized card. Similarily, a knowledgable person
could alter the conductivity of the conductive strips of the
second-described card. In addition, the previously described cards
do not provide the card user with a clear indication of the
remaining value of a partially-used card, and they are expensive to
manufacture.
Another area in which automated apparatus has been used to
distinguish between real and counterfeited documents is in currency
changing machines and vending machines. In one common type of such
apparatus, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,785, the document to be
inspected is positioned to receive light, and a plurality of
sensors are positioned to receive light reflected from preselected
discrete areas on one surface of the document and to provide
signals in response to the spectral content thereof. Such signals
must be within predetermined amplitude limits for the apparatus to
accept the document as authentic. Although these systems may
provide satisfactory results for currency cashing, they would not
be usable with consumable credit cards, because these systems do
not provide an indication of the present value of the card after
partial use of the card and do not alter the characteristics of the
document tested in any way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an
improved credit card.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a credit
card that is difficult to counterfeit and manipulate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
consumable credit card.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a consumable
credit card which can be tested to determine validity and so
constructed that the user can easily determine remaining value.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved
method for testing the validity of a credit card.
In accordance with the invention, the aforementioned objects are
attained by a credit card which is provided with a coating of a
substance which, when treated sufficiently, is permanently altered
or changed from a first state having one characteristic of optical
reflectance for light components incident thereof to a second state
having a different characteristic of optical reflectance for the
light components. Since treating (as by absorbing heat from an
incident light beam) can be applied progressively to selected areas
of the coating, and the change in the optical reflectance of the
treated areas is permanent, not temporary or reversible, and
appears as a darkening of those areas of the coating, optical
inspection of the credit card, by man or machine, provides an
indication of the remaining credit worth of the credit card. A
light absorptive strip is provided on one side of the coating to
enhance the optical contrast between the areas of the coating that
are in the first state and areas of the coating that are in the
second state and to promote rapid heating of the coating.
Authentication of any area of the alterable coating of the credit
card is achieved by first measuring the amplitude of visible light
components (colors) reflected by the area of the alterable coating
when that area is in the first state and, thereafter, by measuring
any change in amplitude of a previously present visible light
component, thereby to indicate that the area has changed to the
second state. If the components of the reflected light have the
correct amplitude relationship during both measurements, an output
signal is generated which permits the credit card to be accepted
and a single use to be made of the credit card. With each valid use
of the credit card, and where multiple use of the card is desired,
the credit card is indexed to a new position, either manually by
the user or automatically, such that an adjacent area is tested. If
the result of either measurement is incorrect for all areas of the
credit card, the credit card is not accepted. A patent application
having claims directed to testing of the credit card, entitled
"Apparatus for Testing a Credit Card" Ser. No. 361,742, filed May
18, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,805 and assigned to the same
assignee as the present invention, was filed concurrently with this
application.
Other objects of the invention will become readily apparent to
those skilled in the art in view of the following detailed
disclosure and description thereof, especialy when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the credit card of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the authentification apparatus used
with the credit card of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the optical system of the apparatus
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of one portion of the electrical
components of the apparatus of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the logic circuit of the apparatus
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 illustrates waveforms produced during testing of the
alterable substance forming part of the credit card of FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a motor stepping circuit than can
form a part of the apparatus of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention is applicable to all areas where credit cards
are used to control unattended apparatus. Specific areas in which
the invention is useful is in the field of commuter ransportation
and transportation machines. The invention is particularly useful
in the field of copy and duplicating apparatus. In the latter
application, the customer would purchase the credit card from a
librarian, book store, supermart, etc. at a reduced rate per copy,
insert the credit card into a copying machine, dial the number of
copies desired (up to the maximum allowed by the card), and press
the print button. If the credit card is authentic and has value to
cover the number of copies dialed, the customer receives his
desired number of copies and his card is returned with a dark area
on it for each copy made. The dark areas allow the customer to tell
at a glance how many copies' worth remain on the card and prevents
the unattended apparatus from producing another copy chargeable to
a previously used area. When the card has been exhausted, a new
card is purchased. Some advantages of this type of credit card
purchase are reduced rate per copy credit card convenience, and
eliminated coin box pilferage.
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the credit card 2
typically comprises two layers 4 and 6 of clear vinyl plastic or
other stiff transparent material. Layers 4 and 6, typically 0.025
inch and 0.005 inch thick, respectively, are laminated together,
such as by a transparent, pressure sensitive adhesive. A strip of
light absorptive (black) paper 8, preferably about 0.005 inch
thick, is positioned between layers 4 and 6. A thin, preferably
0.001 inch to 0.005 inch thick, coating 10 of a heat-alterable
substance is applied to one surface of paper 8. Coating 10 can be
applied by masking all but the paper 8 and spraying the
heat-alterable substance onto the exposed surface of paper 8.
Obviously, the application of coating 10 is achieved prior to
laminating together layers 4 and 6.
The substance used as coating 10 is selected from a group which
have different optical reflectance characteristics at different
temperatures, that is, substances that have a given spectral
reflectance characteristic under one condition, that is, within a
first range of temperatures, and a different spectral reflectance
characteristic under a second condition, that is, within a second
range of temperatures higher than the first range of temperatures.
The transition temperature from the first range to the second range
is referred to as the critical temperature, or "burn" temperature.
A preferred group of substances of this type is sold by Tempil
Corporation of South Plainfield, N.J., under the trademark
"Tempilaq." These substances reflect light frequency components
(colors) having desired amplitudes when within the first range of
temperature and, when heated to within the second range of
temperatures, do not reflect in large amplitude at least one of the
previously reflected light frequency components. Specifically one
such substance, that is, "Tempilaq" No. 175F, reflects a large
amount of blue light, a smaller amount of green light, and a still
smaller amount of red light (the reflected light appearing blue to
the human eye) when heated to less than 175.degree.F but very
little blue light when heated beyond the "burn" temperature of
175.degree.F. "Burn" or change of state takes less than 5
milliseconds. Another acceptable group of materials for coating
layer 10 is sold by the William Wahl Corporation of Santa Monica,
Calif., under the trademark "Temp-Plate."
Since in one of its intended purposes, the credit card will provide
for multiple credit changes, adjacent areas of the coating 10 can
be heated for each credit charge. Heating of the separate areas is
achieved preferably by indexing the credit card horizontally or
vertically, either manually or by automated apparatus If desired,
boarder strips can be provided between adjacent areas of the
coating 10 to isolate them such that only one area at a time is
heated, such as by a high intensity light beam.
Due to the change in state and associated change in spectral
reflectance (amplitude of colors reflected) of coating 10 when
heated beyond the critical temperature, two separate tests can be
performed to check the validity of the credit card. The first test
analyzes or measures the amplitude of light components (colors)
reflected from coating 10 when it is in its first state, that is,
when it is below 175.degree.F in the case of "Tempilaq" No. 175F.
This test data is processed (integrated) to sharply define the
amplitudes of the reflected colors and then the waveforms
indicative of the color amplitudes are supplied to logic circuitry
which provides a first test signal indicative of the proper color
amplitudes. The second test provides an indication that the coating
10 has changed state or "burned" due to continued heating, that is,
that the amplitude of one of the reflected colors, blue in the case
of "Tempilaq" No. 175F, has decreased greatly. This decrease in
amplitude and the first test signal are utilized by the logic
circuitry to provide a signal indicative of an authentic credit
card. The change of state of a heated area of coating 10 also
provides a permanent and irreversible indication, to the user and
to the associated authentification apparatus, that the area of the
coating has been used for a credit purchase. In the case of
"Tempilaq" No. 175.degree.F, a solid (or possibly super cooled
liquid) is formed after cooling from above 175.degree.F.
The substance of coating 10 is different from liquid crystals used
to produce temporary displays, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
3,637,291 and 3,524,726. Although the substances described in the
above patents evidence two chromatic states, i.e., a first
translucent state and a second opaque state, when heated to a
predetermined temperature, the substance must be able to reverse
states to provide the desired change in visable display. This
reversal is accomplished by the removal of the heat. It is
therefore necessary to continuously apply energy to the liquid
crystal material in order to display the images for extended
periods of time, since the change in light-reflecting properties is
not stable.
The manner in which the credit card 2 can be used is best explained
by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 which show apparatus for testing the
validity of credit card 2. A lamp 14, with the aid of a collecting
mirror 16, projects a high intensity light beam through lens
assembly 17 toward a credit card holder 18 which has channels (not
shown) for holding the credit card. Lamp 14 can be a 12 -volt
150-watt tungsten halogen lamp. An apertured shutter 20 is
positioned between the lamp 14 and the holder 18 to intercept the
light beam at all times except when the validity tests are to be
performed. To restrict the area of the light beam impinging upon
card 2 when it is between the support channels, an apertured mark
19 is positioned adjacent the holder 18 on the side thereof facing
lamp 14.
In operation, when the credit card 2 is inserted between the
channels of holder 18, a switch is tripped which permits
energization of a solenoid 22 which moves shutter 20 to the right,
thereby allowing light to be projected through the aperture in
shutter 20 and onto a selected area of coating 10. Timing means
(not shown) are provided such that shutter 20 is in the light
transmissive position for the duration of testing, about eight
tenths of a second when "Tempilaq" No. 175F is used as the subtance
of coating 10. If desired, a shoulder, keyway, or other suitable
indexing means may be included in the structure of credit card 2 to
require a specific orientation of the card before it may be entered
into the holder channels, thus obviating the user visually
orienting the card for face-up operation.
As previously mentioned, when coating 10 is "Tempilaq" No. 175F,
initial heating (heating below 175.degree.F) produces a spectral
reflectance spectrum having a large amplitude blue component, a
smaller amplitude green component, and a still smaller amplitude
red component. When strip 10 is heated sufficiently, about
175.degree.F, which occurs after about 0.7 seconds of exposure to a
high intensity light beam, such as produced by a 150 -watt tungsten
halogen lamp, the coating 10 "burns," changes state, with the
result that coating 10 becomes transparent thereby exposing the
highly light absorptive strip 8 to the photoconductors 28, 29 and
30 whereby the amplitudes of the blue, green and red components of
the reflected light decrease rapidly. These color-temperature
characteristics of coating 10 are used to produce two test signals,
as will now be explained.
Positioned adjacent to the support 18 is a photoconductor assembly
which includes three light filter-photoconductor combinations.
Specifically, photoconductors 28, 29 and 30 cooperate with filters
32, 33, and 34, respectively, which (when coating 10 is "Tempilaq"
No. 175F) transmit blue, green, and red light, respectively.
Accordingly, only the blue component of the light reflected by
coating 10 of credit card 2 is incident on photoconductor 28; only
the green component of the reflected light is incident on
photoconductor 29; and only the red component of reflected light is
incident on photoconductor 30. A funnel-shaped shield 36 is
positioned adjacent the filters 32, 33 and 34 and the credit card
support 18 to prevent stray light (light not reflected by a heated
area of coating 10) from contributing to the conductivity of the
photoconductors 28, 29, and 30. If desired, light conducting fibers
may be used to conduct the reflected light to the location of the
filter-photoconductor conbination as a further preventative against
erroneous signals produced by stray light.
Photoconductors 28, 29 and 30 form parts of conventional
integration circuits 40, 41, and 42, respectively, as shown in FIG.
4. With the coating 10 of "Tempilaq" No. 175F having the spectral
reflectance sequence previously set forth, that is, reflectance of
a large amount of blue light, a smaller amount of green light, and
a still smaller amount of red light prior to "burn," with a
decrease in the amplitude of these colors reflected by coating 10
after it "burns" or changes state, the output waveforms of the
integrators 40, 41 and 42 will be as shown in FIG. 6. As indicated
by FIG. 6, the output waveform of integrator 40 (blue light)
reaches a high value or amplitude (due to the large amplitude of
blue light reflected) prior to the time that the output waveforms
of integrators 41 (green light) and 42 (red light) reach a high
level, with the output waveform of integrator 41 (green light)
reaching a high value before the output waveform of integrator 42
(red light) reaches a high value (due to the large amplitude of
green light reflected than red light reflected). FIG. 6 also shows
that the output waveform of integrator 40 decreases rapidly once
the strip 10 "burns" or changes state.
The output signals of integrators 40, 41 and 42 are supplied to
input terminals of a logic circuit (FIG. 5) which is one form of
logic circuit that can be used to make the determination of whether
the amplitudes of the light components (colors) reflected by
coating 10 is proper when coating 10 is in the first state (first
test), and whether the amplitude of the blue component of the
reflected light diminishes rapidly when coating 10 is heated
sufficiently to change state (second test). Referring specifically
to FIG. 5, the output of integrator 40 (blue light waveform) is
supplied to the D input terminal of a flip-flop 50 and to one input
terminal of a NOR gate 52. The output of integrator 41 (green light
waveform) is supplied to the CL (clock) input of flip-flop 50. The
Q or high voltage output of flip-flop 50 is coupled to the D input
of a flip-flop 54. The output signal of integrator 42 (red light
waveform) is supplied to another input of NOR gate 52. The third
input to NOR gate 52 is connected to a dropping resistor 56 which
has its non-ground side connected to a dc source through a switch
57 which is open only when shutter 20 is permitting light from lamp
14 to illuminate coating 10 or an area thereof. The output terminal
of NOR gate 52 is connected to an input terminal of a NOR gate 58
which forms part of a clamping circuit 60. Circuit 60 also includes
a NOR gate 62 which has its output signal feedback to a second
input terminal of NOR gate 58. The output terminal of gate 58 is
connected to an input terminal of gate 62, the other input terminal
of gate 62 being connected both to the non-grounded side of a
dropping resistor 64 and to a dc source via a switch 66.
In operation of the circuit of FIG. 5, the output of NOR gate 50
will be positive only if all the input signals thereto are
negative. This will occur only when the spectral pulses occur in
the sequence shown in FIG. 6 and the coating 10 "burns." In the
proper sequence, the leading edge of the green signal will provide
a clock pulse while the blue signal is positive, producing signal
at the output of flip-flop 50, thus arming flip-flop 54. The
leading edge of the red signal clocks flip-flop 54 after it is
armed, producing a negative signal at the lower input terminal of
gate 52. Shortly thereafter, the blue signal decreases, producing a
negative going signal at the middle input of gate 52. Since the
signal applied to the top input terminal of gate 52 is always
negative (ground) when the shutter 20 is open (about 0.8 seconds),
the proper sequence of colors produces negative pulses at all three
input terminals of NOR gate 52 and thus a positive signal at the
output terminal of NOR gate 52. The latch circuit 60 provides a
permanent indication of the positive signal at the output of gate
52. The output of gate 62 of the latch circuit 60 is coupled to
control circuitry (not shown) which reacts only to a positive
signal to induce operation of a machine, such as a copier. When the
machine has cycled, the switch 66 is closed, providing a high
voltage signal to the lower input of gate 62, with the result that
the output of gate 62 becomes negative. NOR gate 52 is reset by the
closing of switch 57 when the shutter 20 closes.
If the coating 10 did not "burn" or change state, that is, did not
cease to reflect a large amount of blue light, the input signal to
the middle input terminal of gate 52 would remain positive and the
output signal thereof would not become positive. If the amplitude
of the reflected colors, and accordingly, the timing sequences of
pulses produced by the integrator networks 40, 41, and 42, did not
occur as desired, for example, if the ampitude of the red signal
was too large and the edge of the high voltage signal produced by
integrator 42 occurred before either the integrated blue or green
signals attaining a high value, the flip-flop 54 would be clocked
prior to being armed, and a negative going signal would not appear
at the bottom input terminal of gate 52. Similarily, if the leading
edge of the integrated green signal did not attain a high value
while the integrated blue signal was at a high value, the flip-flop
54 would not be armed, and it would not produce a negative pulse
upon the occurrence of a clock pulse. Accordingly, the logic
circuit of FIG. 5 indicates that the color amplitudes are correct,
and that the coating 10 has "burned."
As previously mentioned, when the credit card is to be used for
multiple credit purchases, the coating 10 will be divided into
discrete areas, each area representing a single credit purchase. In
the case of multiple purchases, the testing equipment would include
apparatus (indicted generally as 70 in FIG. 2) for transporting the
credit card horizontally and vertically such that the light from
lamp 14 can be made to fall sequentially on adjacent areas of the
coating 10 of credit card 2. When the credit card is used with a
copying or duplicating apparatus, the credit card would be indexed
such that the desired number of copies can be made.
Obviously, the testing apparatus would include apparatus (not
shown) which would index the transport system to the first unburned
area of the credit card. This could be achieved by a photoconductor
positioned adjacent the coating 10. If a light beam, either
produced by lamp 14 or by another light source, incident on an area
of coating 10 does not provide a minimal of reflected light
(incident on the photoconductor) within a few tenths of a second,
indexing apparatus would move the credit card holder to a new
position such that light now falls on an adjacent area of coating
10. A typical stepping motor control circuit which could be used to
move or index the credit card when it is intended for multiple
purchases is shown in FIG. 7. Each time that switch 57 closes the
relay switch R is closed, momentarily resulting in the conduction
of controlled rectifier Q.sub.1 `and, as a result, the conduction
of controlled rectifier Q.sub.3. The current flow through the motor
control winding, as a result of conduction of controlled rectifier
Q.sub.3, is sufficient to produce one increment of revolution of a
motor shaft which is coupled to holder 18, such as through an
appropriate gear train. Accordingly, the holder 18 would move one
increment, depending upon the size of the discrete areas of the
coating 10, each time that the shutter switch 57 is closed.
In addition to defining the second spectral reflectance after
coating 10 has changed to a transparent liquid (and then to a solid
on cooling), highly light absorptive strip 8 serves two other
functions. First, it absorbs radiant energy incident thereon
thereby reducing the time necessary to heat coating 10 to the
"burn" temperature. Second, it absorbs the liquid of coating 10
when it changes to a liquid state thereby helping to prevent the
possibility of mechanically manipulating the substance of coating
10 once it has changed state.
While the present invention has been described with reference to
preferred arrangements, it will be understood to those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true
spirit and scope of the invention. Specifically, a different color
light absorptive strip 8 could be used instead of black. If strip 8
were red, the second authenticity test would indicate that the
amplitude of blue light reflected by the card had decreased
substantially, while the magnitude of red light reflected had
increased substantially. In addition, the bandwidth of the light
filter can be changed to correspond to the light colors used to
test the validity of the credit card, and the coating 10 or any
area thereof can be heated by apparatus other than lamp 14.
Additional filters could be included between the lamp 14 and the
credit card holder which would permit the passage of infrared light
and light of those colors used in testing the credit card.
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