The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 20, 1998
Don Charles McCall, Round Rock, TX (US);
Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A system and method to adapt a fuel dispenser and related facilities to accept bar coded cards in addition to or instead of magnetic strip cards. A standard bar code reader is used in conjunction with a magnetic strip card reader. The bar code reader includes a light detector and a light source. The light detector and light source are secured so that they may visually access a card in the magnetic strip card reader. This allows the light detector to access bar coded data that is printed on a bar coded card. Furthermore, the addition of the bar code reader does not prevent the magnetic strip card reader from also reading a magnetic strip if it is present on the card. When a bar coded card is slid into the magnetic strip card reader, the bar code reader interprets the signals generated thereby and 'decodes' the signals into corresponding numbers. These numbers are then sent over a data bus to a controller, where they are interpreted. Once interpreted, the numbers can be used similarly to numbers conventionally produced by a magnetic strip card, or can be used separately to provide additional services and/or advantages, such as updating a frequent purchase account.