Card reader

Abstract

The invention relates to the design of card readers for cards equipped with memory. Such cards, and also the data stored in the memory of such cards, are generally utilized to produce and/or maintain operating states of technical devices. It is also known that the user personally can store data in certain areas of the memory. However, as the memory design and usage has been standardized for the most part and the memory capacity reserved for use by the user is relatively small, the memory capacity reserved for the user can only be increased by providing the device with additional cards equipped with memory. However, as all cards used in a device to supply the full functionality mast operate together in a prescribed manner, it is the task of the invention to specify a card reader that organizes this operation. To accomplish this, it is specified that a monitoring device 17 or a closing device 24 is present that prevents the insertion of a second card 11.1 when there is a first card 11.2 inserted in the first slot 12.2, or that ensures, when there are two cards 11 in the slots 12 , that the first card 11.2 is removed from its corresponding slot 12 before second card 11.1 is removed.

1. A card reader comprising
 a first slot containing an insertion aperture for inserting a card equipped with a memory;  
 a second slot also containing an insertion aperture for inserting another card equipped with memory; and  
 a monitoring device that prevents the logging on of a second card inserted in said second slot when said first slot already has a first card inserted in said first slot that, when said second card has been inserted in said second slot, monitors said second card's position in said second slot and logs off the first card located in said first slot when said first card's position changes.  
 
     
     
       2. The card reader according to  claim 1  such that:
 said first slot and said second slot are arranged one over the other, whereby the insertion apertures of said first slot and said second slot point in the same direction.  
 
     
     
       3. The card reader according to  claim 1  further comprising a closing device that is a moveable cover equipped with a stop base that exposes the insertion aperture of said second slot when in said cover's first position and that blocks said insertion aperture when in said cover's second position, whereby the stop base is seated against said first card located in said first slot to prevent the cover from moving when said first card has been inserted in said first slot. 
     
     
       4. The card reader according to  claim 1  further comprising an ejection device on  of said second slot that ejects said second card inserted in said second slot from the insertion aperture when a closing device allows access to the insertion device on  of said second slot. 
     
     
       5. The card reader according to  claim 4  such that:
 said ejection device is formed by a mechanism that supplies the mechanical energy required to eject said second card inserted in said second slot on  after closing and/or  opening said closing device.  
 
     
     
       6. The card reader according to  claim 5  such that:
 said ejection device has a cradle that moves in the direction of insertion and of ejection of the second card insertable in the second slot;  
 a gear located on a rotatable shaft that can be slid in the direction of the shaft axis whose teeth with even numbered ordinal numbers are wider in the direction of the shaft axis that  than the teeth with odd-numbered ordinal numbers;  
 a cam connected to the cradle whose front edge makes physical contact with the teeth with even-numbered ordinal numbers and whose longitudinal edge always remains a shorter distance from the teeth with odd-numbered ordinal numbers;  
 a tongue connected to said closing device that can be moved not only in the direction of the shaft axis, but also in the direction of rotation of the shaft and that has a lug on its free end to mesh in the space between an even and an odd-numbered tooth of the gear;  
 two stationary ramps located one behind the other in the direction of rotation of the shaft that are periodically in physical contact with the front surface of the teeth with even numbered ordinal numbers and that has a first energy storage device connected to the cradle.  
 
     
     
       7. The card reader according to  claim 6  further comprising a second energy storage device that is connected to the closing device that, when the closing device is open, contains stored energy. 
     
     
       8. The card reader according to  claim 7  further comprising a sliding tongue connected to said cradle that follows the movements of said cradle whose free end is formed as a moveable hook;
 and a pin on said closing device that, when said closing device is open to insert the second card in the second slot, is secured by a moveable hook to prevent the release of the energy stored in said second energy storage device.  
 
     
     
       9. A method of controlling a login procedure of a plurality of cards inserted in card slots of a device, the method comprising:
   detecting a first insertion of a first card in a first slot of a device;        logging the first card into the device after the detected first insertion;        detecting a second insertion of a second card in a second slot of the device after logging the first card into the device;        detecting a change in a position of the first card in the device;        logging the first card out of the device based on the detected change in the position; and        logging the second card into the device after logging the first card out of the device.     
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  further comprising monitoring a second position of the second card in the device. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  wherein the change in the position is detected using a light sensor. 
     
     
       12. A method of controlling a logout procedure of a plurality of cards inserted in card slots of a device, the method comprising:
   detecting a first insertion of a first card in a first slot of a device;        logging the first card into the device after the detected first insertion;        detecting a second insertion of a second card in a second slot of the device after logging the first card into the device;        logging the second card into the device after the detected second insertion;        detecting a change in a position of the first card in the device;        logging the second card out of the device based on the detected change; and        logging the first card out of the device after logging the second card out of the device.     
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the change in the position is detected using a light sensor. 
     
     
       14. A card reader comprising:
   a first insertion slot configured to accept a first card;        a second insertion slot configured to accept a second card; and        a monitoring device configured to      detect a first insertion of the first card in the first insertion slot;        log the first card into a device after the detected first insertion;        detect a second insertion of the second card in the second insertion slot after logging the first card into the device;        log the second card into the device after the detected second insertion;        detect a change in a position of the first card;        log the second card out of the device based on the detected change; and        log the first card out of the device after logging the second card out of the device.       
     
     
       15. The card reader of  claim 14  wherein the monitoring device comprises a light sensor configured to detect the change in the position of the first card. 
     
     
       16. The card reader of  claim 14  wherein the monitoring device comprises a contact spring configured to indicate the first insertion of the first card based on an electrical contact with the first card. 
     
     
       17. The card reader of  claim 16  wherein the monitoring device logs the first card into the device by exchanging data with a memory of the first card using the electrical contact with the first card. 
     
     
       18. A card reader comprising:
   a first insertion slot configured to accept a first card;        a second insertion slot configured to accept a second card;        a monitoring device configured to        log the first card into a device after insertion of the first card in the first insertion slot; and        log the second card into the device after insertion of the second card in the second insertion slot and after logging the first card into the device; and        a cover configured to prevent removal of the first card from the first insertion slot before logging the second card out of the device, wherein the cover comprises a stop base extending from an edge of the cover to abut the second card if the second card is inserted in the second insertion slot and a handle extending from a front surface of the cover to abut a housing of the device if the second card is inserted in the second insertion slot.     
     
     
       19. The card reader of  claim 18  wherein the cover further comprises a cutout in a surface of the cover, and further wherein the cover is configured to move so that the cutout is positionable to allow access to the first insertion slot if the second card is not inserted in the second insertion slot. 
     
     
       20. A card reader comprising:
   means for accepting a first card;        means for accepting a second card; and        a monitoring device comprising:      means for detecting a first insertion of the first card into the means for accepting the first card;        means for logging the first card into a device after the detected first insertion;        means for detecting a second insertion of the second card into the means for accepting the second card after logging the first card into the device;        means for logging the second card into the device after the detected second insertion;        means for detecting a change in a position of the first card;        means for logging the second card out of the device based on the detected change; and        means for logging the first card out of the device after logging the second card out of the device.       
     
     
       21. The card reader of  claim 20 , further comprising means for covering the means for accepting the second card. 
     
     
       22. The card reader of  claim 21 , further comprising means for ejecting the second card when the means for covering allows access to the means for accepting the second card. 
     
     
       23. A card reader comprising:
   means for accepting a first card;        means for accepting a second card;        means for logging the first card into a device after insertion of the first card into the means for accepting the first card;        means for logging the second card into the device after insertion of the second card into the means for accepting the second card and after logging the first card into the device; and        means for preventing removal of the first card from the means for accepting the first card before logging the second card out of the device, wherein the means for preventing removal comprises a stop base extending from an edge of the means for preventing removal to abut the second card if the second card is inserted in the means for accepting the second card and a handle extending from a front surface of the means for preventing removal to abut a housing of the device if the second card is inserted in the means for accepting the second card.     
     
     
       24. The card reader of  claim 23 , further comprising means for ejecting the first card from the device.