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:
Nov. 05, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2001
Bradley Dale Brown, Winnipeg, CA;
Shamir Nizar Mukhi, Winnipeg, CA;
Iders Incorporated, Winnipeg, CA;
Abstract
A method for decoding information contained in a waveform having a series of peaks is disclosed which is particularly directed to a method for reading a magnetic stripe for example on a card that allows the information on the stripe to be read without the need for unidirectional, single stroke swiping motion of the stripe. Features are disclosed that permit the accurate decoding of magnetic stripe data to define the bi-phase coded bits in the presence of signal degradations caused specifically, but not exclusively, by variations in the read speed including stop events and reversals. The method uses sampling of the waveform at a variable rate based upon the area of the waveform. The samples are used to locate peaks in the waveform, the profiles of which are then compared using various criteria with trained model peaks to classify the peaks into different types based upon the intersection between the different bits allowed under the bi-phase coding rules. The classified peaks are decoded into the bits and characters using confidence factors, windows of peaks, reverse gap closures and information from reversals to resolve areas of low confidence.