A card reader for reading a bank card and a method of use thereof is disclosed. The card reader housing has a card entry slot where a customer inserts a bank card, either a magnetic stripe card or a chip-based smart card. A camera is mounted adjacent to the card entry slot in a position to allow an image to be taken of an upper surface of a bank card inserted into the card entry slot. A chip reader unit reads the chip-based smart card. A controller is coupled to the camera and to the chip reader unit. The controller processes an image received from the camera to determine that the inserted bank card is a chip-based smart card in a proper orientation. The controller enables the chip reader unit upon determining that the inserted bank card is a chip-based smart card in proper orientation.

A recording control system includes a storage medium and a control device that is detachably connectable to and controls reading/writing of data to/from the storage medium. The storage medium stores a first authentication code corresponding to at least one first attribute of the storage medium among attributes regarding reading and writing. The control device includes: a readout unit that outputs first request information to the storage medium to read therefrom at least one common authentication code each corresponding to a respective one of at least one common attribute of the first authentication code and the first request information, the first request information corresponding to at least one second attribute of the control device; an identification unit that identifies the at least one common attribute according to the at least one common authentication code; and a control unit that controls the reading/writing according to the at least one common attribute.

A connector comprises a base, a plurality of terminals and a detection portion. The detection portion comprises a first contact piece and a second contact piece. The first contact piece has a contact target portion. The second contact piece has a contact main portion and an intersecting portion. The contact main portion is resiliently deformable. The resilient deformation changes a contact state of the contact main portion relative to the contact target portion. The intersecting portion is, at least in part, positioned in a card accommodating portion. The intersecting portion intersects with both an up-down direction and a horizontal plane perpendicular to the up-down direction. When a card pushes the intersecting portion downward in the up-down direction upon accommodation of the card within the card accommodating portion, the intersecting portion resiliently deforms the contact main portion in the horizontal plane so that the contact state is changed.

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for processing electronic payments for customer purchases. In some implementations, a system receives a payment request from a merchant, and transmits payment information to a mobile computing device associated with the merchant. The payment information includes a transaction ID to identify the purchase, a purchase amount, and instructions that cause the mobile computing device to activate a card reader, present a notification of the purchase amount to the customer, receive an acceptance of the purchase amount from the customer, and authorize the card reader to process an electronic payment for the purchase amount. The system receives payment confirmation from the mobile computing device, and provides the parameter confirmation to the merchant.

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for processing electronic payments for customer purchases. In some implementations, a mobile computing device receives a payment request identifying a sales transaction between a merchant and a customer. The payment request indicates a purchase amount owed by the customer to the merchant, and carries a set of instructions. The mobile computing device activates a card reader based at least in part on the set of instructions, receives customer authorization for electronic payment of the purchase amount, instructs the card reader to process a credit card for the purchase amount based on receiving the customer authorization, and receives confirmation of payment of the purchase amount from the card reader.

The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems, including a method for placing a card into an alert state. An alert detection indication is received during an attempted data exchange using a permanent account number (PAN) associated with a card. The alert detection indication is received by an electronic controller embedded in the card and is received through an interface. The alert detection indication indicates that the PAN has an alert state identified for the PAN by an entity that issued the card. An operational mode of the card is modified into the alert state by the electronic controller and is based on receipt of the alert detection indication. An electronic display indicating that the card is in the alert state is displayed by the electronic controller.

A key entry device including a housing, a keypad array disposed within the housing and including a plurality of keys, a key contact array disposed within the housing below the keypad array and including a plurality of contact pairs, a dome array underlying the keypad array and the key contact array and including a plurality of domes, and a protrusion array underlying the dome array and including a plurality of protrusions, whereby depression of one of the plurality of keys of the keypad array causes a corresponding one of the domes of the dome array to be displaced downwardly and to be deformed by pushing engagement with a corresponding one of the protrusions of the protrusion array into contact with at least one of the contact pairs of the key contact array.

A payment reader is provided for use in a payment system. The payment reader includes a housing, a non-conductive cover covering the housing and forming an internal compartment, electronic circuitry within the internal compartment and surrounded by the cover, and a mesh of conductive traces provided on the cover and in communication with the electronic circuitry. The cover has an upper wall and interconnected side walls depending downwardly from the upper wall. The lower surface of the upper wall which faces the internal compartment has its entire surface area which is formed of at least one three-dimensional shape which extends outwardly from an x-y plane in the z-direction.

An information processing apparatus includes a card slot; a circuit board; a flat card connector mounted on a main face of the circuit board; a first contact provided on the main face of the circuit board; a cover covering the card connector and the first contact on the circuit board; a second contact provided on a bottom face of the cover and contacting the first contact; a tampering detection wiring for tampering detection arranged on the cover and connected to the second contact; and an opening formed at a front end of the cover lager than an opening of the card slot. The cover is shaped so that a height from the circuit board to an area with the second contact on the bottom face of the cover is lower than a height from the circuit board to a top face of the card connector.

A patterned smart card module includes a chip module and a patterned ink layer coated on a conductive surface of the chip module. The IC chip of the chip module stores chip data therein, and the chip data includes holder-related data. The patterned ink layer has a pattern relating to the holder-related data.