Card reader having discriminator contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9424445-B2
Application number	US-201514947162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

A card reader for a point-of-sale system that is configured to accept both magnetic strip-type and integrated circuit (IC) chip-type payment cards. The card reader is a component of a point-of-sale system including a portable computing device in communication with the card reader that is configured to present a first graphical user interface (GUI) when a magnetic stripe-type card is detected and a second GUI when an IC chip-type card is detected in the card reader. The card reader comprises a slot configured to receive the payment card, a magnetic reading device and an IC chip reading device. The card reader also includes a discriminator contact disposed within the slot that is configured to conduct across a surface of a metal pad of the IC chip-type card prior to the CI chip reading device making contact with the IC chip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A card reader that is a component of a point-of-sale system that includes a portable computing device in communication with the card reader, wherein the portable computing device is configured to present a graphical user interface when a payment card is received at the card reader, the card reader comprising:
a slot configured to receive an integrated circuit (IC) chip-type card during a point-of-sale transaction, the IC chip-type card having an IC chip embedded therein and a metal pad on an exterior surface of the IC chip-type card;
an electrical contact positioned on an interior surface of the slot and that is configured to conduct across an exterior surface of the metal pad of the IC chip-type card and detect the IC chip-type card when the metal pad of the IC chip-type card completes a circuit with the electrical contact, and the electrical contact is further configured to create an electric signal when the electrical contact is in electrical communication with the metal pad of the IC chip-type card;
a plurality of IC chip reading protrusions positioned on the interior surface of the slot and configured to read data from the IC chip embedded within the IC chip-type card; and
a controller in electrical connection with the electrical contact, the controller configured to interpret the electric signal when the electrical contact is in electrical communication with the metal pad of the IC chip-type card, the controller is further configured to cause the portable computing device to present the graphical user interface when the IC chip-type card is received in the slot.

2. The card reader of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetic reading device included in the slot that is configured to read data off a magnetic stripe of a magnetic stripe-type card.

3. The card reader of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact is separated from the plurality of protrusions on the interior surface.

4. The card reader of claim 3 , further comprising:
a second electrical contact positioned proximate the electrical contact on the interior surface, wherein the electrical contact and the second electrical contact are configured to detect the metal pad of the IC chip-type card when the electrical contact and the second electrical contact are in electrical communication with the metal pad of the IC chip-type card.

5. The card reader of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact is positioned adjacent to one of the plurality of IC chip reading protrusions.

6. The card reader of claim 5 , wherein the electrical contact and the one of the plurality of IC chip reading protrusions are configured to detect the metal pad of the IC chip-type card when the electrical contact and the one of the plurality of IC chip reading protrusions are in electrical communication with the metal pad of the IC chip-type card.

7. The card reader of claim 1 , further comprising:
a contactless antenna for reading data wirelessly from the IC chip embedded with the IC chip-type card.

8. The card reader of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a pair of diodes that generates a signal when the metal pad of the IC chip-type card is detected.

9. A payment terminal, the payment terminal including a portable computing device that is configured to present a graphical user interface, the payment terminal comprising:
a card reader configured to receive a payment card during a point-of-sale transaction;
an integrated circuit (IC) chip reading device included in the card reader that is configured to read data off an IC chip embedded within an IC chip-type card;
an electrical contact included in the card reader that is configured to detect a metal pad on an exterior surface of the IC chip-type card that covers the IC chip; and
a controller in electrical communication with the electrical contact and configured to interpret the electric signal when the electrical contact is in electrical communication with the metal pad of the IC chip-type card, and cause the portable computing device to present the graphical user interface when the IC chip-type card is received.

10. The payment terminal of claim 9 , wherein the IC chip reading device comprises a plurality of IC chip reading protrusions configured to read data from the IC chip embedded within the IC chip-type card.

11. The payment terminal of claim 9 , wherein the IC chip reading device comprises a contactless antenna configured to read data wirelessly from the IC chip embedded within the IC chip-type card.

12. The payment terminal of claim 9 , further comprising:
a slot, the slot having an interior surface that includes the IC chip reading device.

13. The payment terminal of claim 12 , wherein the electrical contact is positioned on the interior surface of the slot.

14. The payment terminal of claim 9 , further comprising:
a magnetic reading device included in the slot that is configured to read data off a magnetic stripe of a magnetic stripe-type card.

15. The payment terminal of claim 9 , wherein the electrical contact determines when the IC chip-type card is inserted in the card reader by conducting an electrical signal across the metal pad on an exterior surface of the IC chip-type card.

16. A card reader configured to communicate with an integrated circuit (IC) chip card via a contact array of the IC chip card, the contact array including a plurality of contact pads, the card reader comprising:
a first electrical contact configured to contact a contact pad of the plurality of contact pads;
a second electrical contact configured to contact the contact pad; and
a controller in electrical communication with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact that is configured to detect a closed circuit including the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, and the contact pad while the first electrical contact is contacting the contact pad.

17. The card reader of claim 16 , wherein the first electrical contact is further configured to communicate with an IC chip of the IC chip card via the contact pad of the plurality of contact pads.

18. The card reader of claim 16 , further comprising:
a magnetic reading device that is configured to read data off a magnetic stripe of a magnetic stripe card.

19. The card reader of claim 16 , further comprising:
a slot having an interior surface, wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are positioned on the interior surface of the slot.

20. The card reader of claim 16 , further comprising:
a contactless antenna within the card reader, the contactless antenna configured to read data wirelessly from the IC chip embedded within the IC chip card.

Assignees

• Square Inc

Inventors

• Lamfalusi Michael C
• Lamba Kartik

Classifications

• G06K7/0026

  the galvanic contacts of the connector adapted for landing on the contacts of the card upon card insertion · CPC title

• G06K7/084

  sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state · CPC title

• G06Q20/20

  Point-of-sale [POS] network systems · CPC title

• G06K7/0004 Primary

  Hybrid readers · CPC title

• G06K7/0086 Primary

  the connector comprising a circuit for steering the operations of the card connector · CPC title