Card personalization system and method

Abstract

A system and method for personalizing cards and other secure identification documents. The card personalization system and method provide improved data integrity, system reliability, and system performance. Improvements to card handling and processing within the modules, improved card transfer between modules, improvements to control of the modules, and other improvements are set forth, all of which contribute, individually and collectively, to achieving these goals.

1 . A card personalization system, comprising:
 an operator station;   a card input that inputs cards into the system, a plurality of card processing mechanisms, and a card output that collects processed cards; and   a first stop button disposed on the card input, the card output, or on one of the card processing mechanisms, the first stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed.   
     
     
         2 . A card personalization system comprising:
 a card input configured to hold a plurality of cards and that inputs cards into the system;   a card output that collects processed cards;   a plurality of card processing stations between the card input and the card output, each processing station configured to perform a card processing operation;   an operator station disposed upstream of the card input, the operator station including an operator interface by which a user inputs commands to control the system; and   a stop device disposed downstream of the operator station on the card input, on one of the card processing stations, or on the card output, the stop device is capable of stopping operation of the system when the stop device is triggered.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the stop device is a stop button that can be pressed to stop operation of the system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the operator station includes a stop button that is capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a second stop button disposed downstream of the operator station, the second stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of additional stop buttons disposed downstream of the operator station, each additional stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the stop button is disposed on one of the card processing stations, and further comprising a second stop button on another card processing station. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the stop button is disposed on one of the card processing stations, and further comprising a second stop button disposed on the card input or on the card output. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a support pole connected to the operator station, and a status indicator on the support pole that is capable of indicating an operational status of the system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the card input is disposed adjacent the operator station and the card output is adjacent one of the card processing stations located furthest downstream from the operator station, and
 further comprising the stop button and additional stop buttons each being disposed on a respective one of three of the card processing stations, the stop buttons each being capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed.   
     
     
         11 . A card personalization system comprising:
 a card input configured to hold a plurality of cards and that inputs cards into the system;   a card output that collects processed cards;   a plurality of card processing stations between the card input and the card output, each processing station configured to perform a card processing operation;   an operator station disposed upstream of the card input, the operator station including an operator interface by which a user inputs commands to control the system; and   a first stop button disposed on the operator station and a second stop button disposed downstream of the operator station, the first stop button and the second stop button are each capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a third stop button disposed downstream of the operator station, the third stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of additional stop buttons disposed downstream of the operator station, each additional stop button is capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second stop button is disposed on a card processing station, and further comprising a third stop button disposed on a card processing station that is capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second stop button is disposed on a card processing station, and further comprising a third stop button disposed on the card input or on the card output, the third stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         16 . A card personalization system comprising:
 a card input configured to hold a plurality of cards and that inputs cards into the system;   a card output that collects processed cards;   a plurality of card processing modules, each processing module configured to perform a card processing operation;   an operator station, the operator station including an operator interface by which a user inputs commands to control the system; and   a stop button disposed on one of the card processing modules, the stop button is capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operator station includes a stop button that is capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a second stop button disposed on the card input, on a different one of the card processing modules, or on the card output, the second stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second stop button is on the different one of the card processing modules. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising additional stop buttons wherein each additional stop button is disposed on respective one of the card processing modules, each stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a second stop button, wherein the second stop button is disposed on the card input or on the card output, the second stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the card processing modules are disposed downstream of the card input and upstream of the card output and the operator station is disposed upstream of and adjacent to the card input,
 wherein a second stop button is disposed on the card input or the card output, the second stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the card input is disposed adjacent the operator station and the card output is adjacent the card processing module located furthest downstream from the operator station,
 wherein an additional stop button is disposed on an additional one of the card processing modules, the additional stop button capable of stopping operation of the system when pressed.