In exemplary embodiments, a reader device is powered on only when a card is inserted in the reader device, thereby reducing the amount of time the reader device is powered and consequently reducing the amount of power consumption by the reader device. In some embodiments, inserting the card causes power-on of the reader device, while in other embodiments, insertion of the card plus other criteria are required to power on the reader device (e.g., having the reader device connected to the host device, or operating a manual switch while the card is inserted in the reader device).

A host apparatus, into which a card having a nonvolatile semiconductor memory is inserted, issues a check command to the card. The check command instructs to send information on whether the card supports a termination process in which the card shifts into a state ready for a stop of power supply from the host apparatus.

A host apparatus, into which a card having a nonvolatile semiconductor memory is inserted, issues a check command to the card. The check command instructs to send information on whether the card supports a termination process in which the card shifts into a state ready for a stop of power supply from the host apparatus.

A host apparatus, into which a card having a nonvolatile semiconductor memory is inserted, issues a check command to the card. The check command instructs to send information on whether the card supports a termination process in which the card shifts into a state ready for a stop of power supply from the host apparatus.

A card scanner has a card support mechanism for receiving a card and a camera system. A first mirror is mounted so that a first image of a first side of the card reflects to the camera system when the card is within the card support mechanism. A second mirror mounted is so that a second image of a second side of the card reflects to the mechanism camera when the card is within the card support mechanism. Once the card is within the scanner, the camera system captures the first image of the first side of the card and the second image of the second side of the card.

The present solution provides a method for card reading, the method includes: turning on a read head of the magnetic stripe card, a read head of the contact IC card, and a coil of the non-contact IC card; detecting card reading actions; turning off, if the card inserting action is detected, the coil of the non-contact IC card; powering on the card when the card reaches a bottom of a card slot of the payment terminal; controlling, if the card is successfully powered on, the read head of contact IC card to read the card; controlling, if the card fails to be powered on, the read head of the magnetic stripe card to read the card when the card swiping action is detected; and controlling, if the card waving action is detected, the coil of the non-contact IC card to read card.

An inspection apparatus for optical inspection of a card insertion slot of a card reader. The apparatus includes a housing holding a magnifier lens assembly, the magnifier lens assembly being mounted through the housing, from a back face to a front face of the housing; at least two guiding elements, protruding outwards the front face of the housing; and at least two light sources located on a front side of the inspection apparatus. The inspection apparatus is further configured so that the at least two guiding elements, the at least two light sources, and an optical axis of the magnifier lens assembly are substantially contained in a same plane.

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 shimmer detection apparatus for detecting a shimmer within a chip card reader is provided. The shimmer detection apparatus comprises processing circuitry, memory, and a first sensor in electronic communication with the processing circuitry. The first sensor comprises at least one sensor coil. The at least one sensor coil of the first sensor is disposed proximate to contacts of the chip card reader and is operative to generate a first magnetic field when electrical current flows through the at least one sensor coil. The first sensor is operative to measure at least one electrical value from the first magnetic field. The processing circuitry is operative to receive information representative of at least one electrical value of said first sensor. The memory comprises stored therein information representative of at least one predetermined electrical value. A multiplexer and hand-detection functionality is provided. Tampering-detection methods are also provided.

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.