WO1995034888A1 - Systeme de cartes professionnelles magnetiques codees - Google Patents

Systeme de cartes professionnelles magnetiques codees Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1995034888A1
WO1995034888A1 PCT/US1995/007242 US9507242W WO9534888A1 WO 1995034888 A1 WO1995034888 A1 WO 1995034888A1 US 9507242 W US9507242 W US 9507242W WO 9534888 A1 WO9534888 A1 WO 9534888A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
card
cards
strip
business
business card
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1995/007242
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Dan Kikinis
Original Assignee
Elonex Technologies, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Elonex Technologies, Inc. filed Critical Elonex Technologies, Inc.
Publication of WO1995034888A1 publication Critical patent/WO1995034888A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
    • B42D25/00—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof
    • B42D25/30—Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery
    • B42D25/36—Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery comprising special materials
    • B42D25/369—Magnetised or magnetisable materials
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
    • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
    • G06K19/06187—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code with magnetically detectable marking
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B5/00—Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B5/62—Record carriers characterised by the selection of the material
    • G11B5/68—Record carriers characterised by the selection of the material comprising one or more layers of magnetisable material homogeneously mixed with a bonding agent

Definitions

  • This invention is in the field of methods and apparatus for coding information for use in business cards, and for using the information thus coded.
  • business cards The design and use of business cards has assumed importance corresponding to the usefulness of the cards and the practice of exchange of cards. For example, business logo and typeface on business cards are carefully selected to convey just the right message about a company or service.
  • OCR optical character recognition
  • a further drawback is that the aesthetics of design often limit the amount of information that can be presented on a business card, and, once printed, the contents of the card are fixed. If phone number, address, or other information changes, or new information must to be added to customize cards for a special customer or event, new cards have to be printed.
  • a business card comprising a card body having graphic and alpha-numeric indicia, such as printed material, exhibited, and a codable magnetic strip affixed to the card, either within the card, or on a surface of the card.
  • the codable magnetic strip in some aspects is implemented on a strip base affixed to the business card by adhesive.
  • the codable magnetic strip is applied to the card as fluid caused to solidify after application.
  • the fluid can be an epoxy mixture, an ink- type material, or any of a number of other suitable materials that may be applied as fluids and caused to harden and/or cure with a magnetically permeable material dispersed throughout.
  • an ink-type material there are semi-transparent magnetic materials, such a cobalt oxides and the kike, that may be used in a menner to be essentially transparent in position on a business card.
  • a template apparatus is provided to position a business card and to apply a magnetic strip through an opening in the template.
  • strips are mounted to cards in a batch apparatus that feeds cards sequentially through a device for applying strips.
  • the strips may be applied from continuous rolls via adhesive, or by fluid transfer in the manner of a printing press.
  • a coder-decoder is also provided for accepting cards with magnetic strips and reading and writing data to the strips associated with a card.
  • the decoder is configured to feed cards by a batch feeder and to accept processed cards in a bin.
  • a code format is provided for code fields to be applied to business cards.
  • Instruction routines are provided for use along with standard code formats to read and write automatically through use of the coder- decoder, to and from a data base operable on a general-purpose computer.
  • Different models according to different embodiments of the invention may communicate with a computer in a serial or a parallel format.
  • Fig. 1 is a plan view of one side of a business card with an attached magnetic strip, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2A is an isometric view of a magnetic strip application template device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2B is an elevation view, mostly schematic, of an automated apparatus for applying magnetically codable strips to business cards.
  • Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a read-write device for magnetically coded business cards, connected to a general-purpose computer, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 4 is an elevation view, mostly schematic, of a batch-mode read-write device for business cards, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 5 is a code format showing fields for information coded on a magnetically coded strip for a business card, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • magnetic strips are added to business cards and provisions are made for reading and writing information on the magnetic strips in a format that can be input to electronic databases. Information on the magnetic strips added to the cards can be updated at will by the user.
  • Fig. 1 is a plan view of one side of a business card 11 with magnetic strip 13 according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Business card 11 is the typical size of business cards, approximately 88 mm by 51 mm.
  • Magnetic strip 13 is functionally similar to the strips typically used on credit cards, banking cards, and other identity cards and preferably has a storage capacity of 2,000 characters or more.
  • Magnetic strip 13 is used for storing information typically input to an online database, such as name, address, phone number, business services available, product information and so forth.
  • the available capacity of the magnetic strip allows much more information to be stored than is possible in printed form on the two sides of the card.
  • Strip 13 in one embodiment is affixed to card 11 by adhesive or other means to the card stock, one card at a time or in batches, before or after printing. Although a preferred location of magnetic strip 13 is on the card's back side, the strip can be located anywhere on the card and more than one strip can be added to a card.
  • one or more magnetic strips are physically embedded in the card stock before printing so the strips are not seen and information can be printed over them.
  • Embedding magnetic strips is appropriate for business persons who print on both sides of their cards, as is common with bilingual cards.
  • the embedded type has some advantages in original manufacturing, but the adhesive application has an advantage in being applicable to existing printed stocks of business cards.
  • one or more magnetic strips are applied to cards in a fluid, paint-type medium that holds the magnetic material in suspension until it dries, leaving magnetic material bonded to the card surface.
  • fluids such as epoxy with magnetically permeable powder mixed in.
  • Other formulations might include air dry ink-type materials, many different sorts of polymer materials and adhesives, and so on.
  • magnetically permeable materials such as various oxides, that may be used for dispersing in inks or other fluids, and that may be essentially transparent to a user after being applied to a card and dried or otherwise cured.
  • Fig. 2A is a general plan view of a magnetic strip application device 15 for use by individuals in low- volume requirements for positioning and applying magnetic strips by adhesive.
  • Strip application device 15 in this manual embodiment comprises a box- shaped case with slot 17 opening to one side and a template front cover 19.
  • a business card 11 is inserted into slot 17, which is of a width and length to position the card accurately with respect to front cover 19, such that an opening 21, of the approximate size of a magnetic strip to be applied, is positioned over that area of the card where it is desirable to apply a magnetic strip.
  • adhesive is applied to the card through template opening 21 and a magnetic strip, cut to the dimensions of the opening, is urged onto the adhesive, with opening 21 acting to position the strip on the card.
  • magnetic strips may have pre-applied adhesive and be provided either in a roll or temporarily mounted to papers or cards.
  • a roll like a roll of tape
  • an operator cuts an appropriate length and applies it to the card in application device 15.
  • strips pre-mounted on cards or paper the operator peels a magnetic strip and applies it through the opening to the positioned card.
  • an operator may apply a magnetic strip by applying a liquid or semi-liquid material through the opening 21, or may use the opening simply to mark the correct position on a card, and the liquid or semi-liquid material may be applied to the marked area after the card is removed from the application device.
  • a preferrable position on a business card for applying such a magnetic strip is in the same location that such strips are applied on such as credit cards and bank cards. This position is preferrable, because then already existing card readers and coders may be employed for coding and decoding information on the business cards.
  • Fig. 2B is a largely idealized elevation view of a more automated apparatus 12 for applying magnetic strips to existing business cards.
  • Apparatus 12 comprises a card feeder 14 configured for feeding business cards one at a time and sequentially onto a conveyance 16, which delivers the cards to and through an applicator device 18.
  • Fig. 2B there are a variety of ways magnetic medium may be applied, just as explained for the more manual device described above with the aid of Fig. 2A.
  • a stronger adhesive than the first adhesive is applied by an applicator 22 to passing cards, after which the web of carrier material is urged by a roller 24 against the passing cards over the stronger adhesive, transferring magnetic strips from the carrier web to the passing cards.
  • the weaker adhesive is left behind on the web as the strips are transferred.
  • Web 26, after strip transfer, is wound on a takeup reel 28. After cards pass through device 18, they are collected in a bin 30.
  • a roller similar to roller 24 at the same position applies magnetic material in semi-liquid form in a transfer operation, the magnetic material being applied to the applying roller at a different position.
  • FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a read-write device 25 for decoding (reading) or encoding (writing) magnetic strips on business cards.
  • Read-write device 25 is linked by a cable 27 to a host computer 29, which can be any type of personal or general-purpose computer.
  • Computer I/O can be through any of several types of standard communications media, a serial interface, a parallel interface (printer port), tandem connection to a keyboard port, SCSI, or other.
  • a combination decoder/encoder (not shown) of the type used to read and write magnetic codes on bank cards and other such identity cards, is located inside read-write device 25 and wired into the device circuitry. Decoder/encoder functions are controlled by control routines operable on host computer 29.
  • a business card 11 with magnetic strip 13, as shown in Fig. 1, is inserted through a slot 33 in the front side of read- write device 25 and moved inside the device by a transport mechanism of the type used by automated teller machines. Magnetic strip 13 is positioned by the transport mechanism so the decoder/encoder can perform its functions.
  • read-write device 25 returns the card by a reverse transport mechanism through slot 33. Alternatively, the card may be ejected through another slot at the other side of the read-write- device.
  • a user may read, write, and edit information coded on a business card.
  • Suitable control screens are provided in the computer's display to provide command control, information display, editing functions, and the like.
  • Fig. 4 is an elevation cross-sectional view of a batch mode read- write device 37 according to an alternative embodiment that, in addition to the features described for the embodiment of Fig. 3, enables a user to process business cards, such as business cards 39, 40, and 41, in sequence.
  • a read-write device 37 similar in function to that for device 25 in Fig. 3, is linked with host computer through a cable. The computer and cable are not shown in Fig. 4.
  • a card feeder 43 operates in conjunction with read- write device 37 through control routines residing in the host computer.
  • Card feeder 43 in response to a control routine command, feeds a card onto a conveyance apparatus 45.
  • the ejected card enters read- write device 37 through a front slot (not shown) and may be either stopped when in position for a coder/decoder 46, or fed slowly by the coder/decoder, depending on the operating mode.
  • Card feeder 43 serially feeds cards onto conveyance apparatus 45, the cards are processed at the read/write head, and conveyance 45 ejects processed cards from a rear slot (not shown). Ejected cards fall into a card storage bin 51.
  • control routines described above allow the user to specify read-write functions and to initiate or stop input of cards from card feeder 45 at any time.
  • device 37 is identical to device 25, and the batch feeding mechanisms, the storage bin, and updated control routines may be added to accomplish the system described relative to Fig. 4.
  • a standard code format is needed.
  • a preferred code format for an example magnetically-codable strip 53 is shown in Fig. 5.
  • the format begins with a recognition code field 55, which is followed by any number of optional information fields 57, 59, and so on to field "n", for such data as company name, title, personal name, company address, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, and so on.
  • a text area that can used for notation, marketing descriptions, and the like occupies the remaining space in the coding format. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that although a standard format is important for the present invention to be implemented repeatedly by the broadest possible community of users, data input need not be limited to only one recognizable standard. An endless variety of standards, as determined by an application's control routines, can be accommodated for special purposes, and any computer with control routines according to the invention may have a look-up table to recognize any unique format by the identification field.
  • control routines provide a user- friendly interface that prompts the user for each field, allowing editing by familiar procedures for alpha-numeric text: Through a menu interface, a user can read any business card magnetically coded in a compatible format (recognizable by the loaded control routines), and may also write and update coded information on business cards.
  • a user can also interact with an online database to selectively update, annotate, display and print database entries. If desired, the user can add a write-lock code to cards to prevent information from being altered.
  • the menu interface in an embodiment also offers batch processing options providing a means for a user with a read-write device 37 as in Fig. 4 to sequentially write, read, or update multiple business cards.
  • the user stacks the cards in card feeder 43 and selects the appropriate batch option to read, write or edit the cards.
  • the magnetic strip on each card in a batch may be read and its contents displayed on screen.
  • information read in can be loaded directly to a compatible database.
  • Other options cause the system to flag cards that are not compatible, such as by an audible signal, by stopping the reader, or both.
  • One option provides for ejecting incompatible cards into a different bin than compatible cards.
  • a printed copy of strip contents can be obtained with a print option.
  • the user after examining strip information on ⁇ screen, may opt to discard the info or save it to the database and initiate the next read.
  • the user can compose a new master strip or retrieve an existing one from the database, and retrieved strips can be edited before being used.
  • the master strip is then written or overwritten on each card in the batch.
  • codable media can be implemented in a variety of different ways.
  • linear transfer devices that may be used to move business cards from a batch feeder to read- write device, and encoding and decoding of formats can be done by many different methods.
  • encoding and decoding of formats can be done by many different methods.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

Une carte professionnelle (11) comporte au moins une bande (13) à codage magnétique montée sur ou dans la carte, et codable pour mémoriser électriquement des informations concernant l'objet de la carte professionnelle, telles que des numéros de téléphone, de télécopie, des adresses, des services, des produits, etc. Un codeur/décodeur (25) connectable à un ordinateur universel introduit et extrait des informations dans ou de ces cartes et dans ou d'une base de données mémorisée sur un système mémoire de l'ordinateur. Un aspect de l'invention décrit un appareil pour ajouter des bandes magnétiques (13) sur des cartes professionnelles existantes.
PCT/US1995/007242 1994-06-10 1995-06-09 Systeme de cartes professionnelles magnetiques codees WO1995034888A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US25851994A 1994-06-10 1994-06-10
US08/258,519 1994-06-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1995034888A1 true WO1995034888A1 (fr) 1995-12-21

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1995/007242 WO1995034888A1 (fr) 1994-06-10 1995-06-09 Systeme de cartes professionnelles magnetiques codees

Country Status (1)

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2389208A (en) * 2002-05-31 2003-12-03 Child Safety Network Ltd Raising an alert

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4788102A (en) * 1986-05-30 1988-11-29 Papier-Plastic-Coating Groningen B.V. Data-carrying card, method for producing such a card, and device for carrying out said method

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4788102A (en) * 1986-05-30 1988-11-29 Papier-Plastic-Coating Groningen B.V. Data-carrying card, method for producing such a card, and device for carrying out said method

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2389208A (en) * 2002-05-31 2003-12-03 Child Safety Network Ltd Raising an alert

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