Abstract:
A grade indication part (4) is printed on a side 10a of a corrugated box (10) in which agricultural products are packed. The color of the frame (41) and grade table (42) of the grade indication part (4) is red. The color of image reference marks (43) is black. The color of grade stamps (5 and 5') is also black. Illuminating light whose color is red which is the color of the grade table (42) is applied to the side (10a) of the corrugated box (10) by an illuminating device and the image of the side (10a) is picked up by a CCD camera. The image of the image reference marks (43) and the image of the grade stamps (5 and 5') are extracted from the image data. The positions of the grade stamps (5 and 5') are judged based on the positions of the image reference marks (43). Thus, the grade stamps can be read with a high precision automatically from the grade table of the corrugated box of agricultural products.
Abstract:
A chip card reader has at a front side contacts for reading and/or recording card information, a card shaft (10) for receiving chip cards through an opening, a first contact arrangement (14) mounted in the card shaft for contacting the contacts (4) of a chip card (1) introduced into the shaft and a first switch (16) which responds to the presence or absence of chip cards in the card shaft, as well as a second contact arrangement (15) opposite to the first contact arrangement for contacting a second chip card introduced into the shaft.
Abstract:
A coupler for managing communication between a portable data medium and a data exchange device is disclosed. The coupler includes bistable control means (25) input-activated by at least two control signals (DTR, RTS) delivered by the data exchange device in one of two first and second predetermined input sequences, and arranged to output at least one power supply signal (VCC) and a data medium reset signal (RST) in a predetermined output sequence, such that the portable data medium is activated only when one specific input sequence of said two input sequences is received.
Abstract:
Data recorded on a magnetic medium (22) may be securely identified and manipulated for use in credit balance applications by determining a magnetic fingerprint benchmark (26) on the medium as well as a distance (d) between this benchmark and any pre-selected magnetic feature such as a magnetic transition (28) of a data bit of the data set. Verification of the data may be achieved by measuring this distance and comparing it with the distance recorded at the time that the data was originally placed on the medium. As there is a detectable difference in accuracy between reading this distance as contrasted with illegitimate attempts to write false data at a pre-selected distance from the benchmark, attempts at forgery are detectable.
Abstract:
A portal for automatically exciting and reading a passive transponder type tag, which is excited by an inductively coupled signal of a first predetermined frequency and which simultaneously produces a magnetic field and an electrostatic field modulated with a digitally coded identifying signal, while the tag is moving along a substantially horizontal conveyor belt. The portal comprises: a rectangular frame for placement around a portion of a substantially horizontal conveyor belt in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt; first, second, third and fourth exciter coils, mounted respectively on an upper, a lower and respective side panels forming the walls of the frame, for producing a magnetic field of the first predetermined frequency within the interior of the frame; a curtain formed of a plurality of spaced flexible rectangular flaps of non-conductive material which are suspended from the upper panel within the frame, extend in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt, and are of a length such that at least one flap will be contacted and deflected by an object moving along the conveyor belt; a pickup coil, serving as a magnetic field receiving antenna, and an electrostatic field receiving antenna disposed in each flap; and a receiver circuit, connected to each of the magnetic pickup coils and the electrostatic field receiving antennas, for detecting a coded signal of the second frequency received by any of the pickup coils and the electrostatic field receiving antennas.
Abstract:
Reader for chip cards comprising a two-piece housing consisting of a lower part (1) and an upper part (2), the upper part (2) containing a contact carrier (3) with a number corresponding to one of the numbers of the contact areas connected by means of a limit switch (20) to contact pairs (4) each having a contact input, wherein the lower part of the frame (1) and the upper part of the frame (2) encompass a slide-in slot for the chip card, in which the lower part of the frame (1) is configured as a shifter on the upper part of the frame (2) that can be displaced between two locking positions. One locking position defines the insertion or release position while the other locking position defines the reading position of the chip card. The upper part of the frame (2) is fitted with a guide (7), while the lower part of the frame (1) has a slide (8) which can be displaced on the guide and which can be guided flexibly on a section of its longitudinal extension, the flexibly guided section having a locking spigot (9) which interacts with two stop notches corresponding to the end positions of the shifter (1) formed in the upper part of the frame (2). The upper part (2) has a hook on one of its edges enabling the grasping of a support, for instance a circuit board, and elastic elements close thereto, in addition to a retainer clip in an area distant from the edge which can be inserted in an opening in the support.
Abstract:
An apparatus for making contact with a chip card comprises a connector housing (1) with a baseplate (2). In the baseplate, resilient contacts (5) are arranged so as to fit the contact areas (4) of the chip card (3). The chip card (3) is inserted into the connector housing (1) between the baseplate (2) and a rocker (6). The rocker (6) has, on the insertion-side arm (8) and the end-slide arm (9), corresponding control faces (16, 17) which interact with the front edge (18) of the chip card (3). Between the chip card (3) and the resilient contacts (5) pressure is established only if the chip card (3) is completely inserted. The apparatus for making contact is used in electronic reading devices for chip cards (3) with contact areas (4).
Abstract:
A system for automatically identifying objects (212, 214) deposited in an area, such as a container, sack, conveyor, or a pile. Each object is affixed with a tag (216, 218). The tag (216, 218) has an individual identifying code and is capable of transmitting a signal encoded with the identifying code upon receiving an interrogation signal. The system also includes a container (220) having an opening funnel (224) for allowing objects to deposited into the container (220). An antenna assembly (230) having a shape in conformity with the shape of the opening is mounted on the opening. A tag reader (236) is positioned outside the container (220). The reader (236) contains electronic circuits to generate the interrogation signal (which could provide power to the tag) and receive the encoded signal from the tag.
Abstract:
A reader (1) is provided for smart cards, i.e. cards that control the execution of their own transactions. The reader is characterised in that it includes means for alternately generating, for a connected smart card (2), requests for issuing data and instructions developed therein and report statements associated with report messages on the execution of instructions previously received by said smart card (2). The reader is particularly advantageous in that it is not specialised and is suitable for various smart cards, adapted to different types of transactions.
Abstract:
An intelligent card reader is provided to replace existing magnetic stripe readers, bar code readers, and Wiegand effect readers (403) without the need for expensive retrofitting of computer systems which are coupled to the existing readers. The intelligent reader can replace the aforementioned readers and yet remain compatible with their existing interfaces (406) by emulating a magnetic card reader, a Wiegand effect reader, or a bar code reader (402). Moreover, the card reader can accept smart cards having different functions and/or software interfacing techniques (405), thus allowing different types of smart cards to be used in the same reader. A reprogramming feature allows the unit to be easily reprogrammed to support new features and smart card types without rewiring or removing the unit.