Compagnie Internationale Pour L'informatique Cii-honeywell Bull (societe

Bertrand J De Pommery

Jean-Paul C Goupil

Michel Ugon

Jean-Claude E Vergne

Gerard L Petiot

A connector for a portable object particularly adapted for credit cards having an IC chip thereon comprises an element incorporating a chamber having an opening adapted to receive the portable object along a predetermined direction. Means for grasping the portable object are contained in the chamber and actuable by the displacement of the portable object. The means for grasping the portable object comprises a first jaw and a second jaw formed by a member which is not integral with the element and cooperating with a guiding device such that it is displaced in the chamber along the predetermined direction between a stable idle position close to the opening and an operating position away from the opening. The member is tipped with respect to the portable object between the idle and operating positions. The member comprises an entrainment device disposed to receive an extreme portion of the portable object and for entrainment of the member between idle and operating positions by the sole displacement imparted to the portable object along the predetermined direction. Magnetization means may be included for retaining the jaws in the operating position. At least one of the jaws may include electrical contact elements arranged to make contact with corresponding output terminals on the chip. The electrical contact elements are flexible having one end fixed to the second jaw and its other end free.

Connector for portable objects such as credit cards

A system and method for distribution of articles or services, especially adapted to be secure against use by unauthorized personel, receives first and second data carriers. Each data carrier includes a processor, data storage, and interfacing circuits. A random number generator feeds a random number to each of the data carriers which use a program to generate a resultant based on the random number, a secret code and an identification number. The secret code and identification number are stored in the data storage of each data carrier. The resultants are compared to determine if they are equal, in which case access is allowed.

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St-Nom-La-Breteche, France

Bertrand J De Pommery