External adapter for magnetic stripe card reader
US7357319B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 4, 2005 |
| Grant date | Apr 15, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 4, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F7/088
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An adaptor in accordance with the present invention allows a conventional magnetic stripe card POS reader to receive information from contact-based or wireless sources while maintaining the concurrent ability of the reader to interact with a magnetic stripe card. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the adaptor includes an inductor capable of generating a magnetic field of sufficient power to couple with a head of a magnetic stripe card reader through the housing of the reader device. In this manner, the adaptor can be positioned external to the reader device, leaving the slot of the reader accessible for conventional interactions with magnetic stripe cards. Selective inductive communication with individual heads of the reader device may exploit their differing sensitivity to external magnetic fields generated by the adaptor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.