Some embodiments include a smart card reader system that includes a card reader cavity that is impervious to liquid. The card reader cavity includes a secure card reader (SCR) holder bonded to a printed circuit board (PCB), to provide a liquid barrier between the SCR holder and the PCB. The PCB includes an SCR spring contact connector. The card reader cavity can receive a smart card including an integrated circuit (IC), where the IC is coupled to the SCR spring contact connector. A processor coupled to the SCR spring contact connector, can receive an input regarding a transaction using data of the smart card, and execute the transaction. In some embodiments a roller system seals the card reader cavity when the smart card reader system is not in use.

A card reader for a point-of-sale system that is configured to accept both magnetic strip-type and integrated circuit (IC) chip-type payment cards. The card reader is a component of a point-of-sale system including a portable computing device in communication with the card reader that is configured to present a first graphical user interface (GUI) when a magnetic stripe-type card is detected and a second GUI when an IC chip-type card is detected in the card reader. The card reader comprises a slot configured to receive the payment card, a magnetic reading device and an IC chip reading device. The card reader also includes a discriminator contact disposed within the slot that is configured to conduct across a surface of a metal pad of the IC chip-type card prior to the CI chip reading device making contact with the IC chip.

A card reading device (20) for a self-service terminal has an intake compartment (13) for a card (11) containing data to be read. The intake compartment (13) has at least one linearly extending sensor arrangement (6A, 6B) and an evaluator device (4) connected thereto to protect the card reading device (20) against manipulation attempts. The evaluator device (4) checks at least one spatial dimension (l,b) of the card via the sensor arrangement (6A, 6B), namely a dimension in a first direction (X) or a second direction (Y) in relation to the card (11) retracted into the intake compartment (13). Thus, it can be determined effectively whether a retracted card is a genuine card or if a manipulation is present that targets the inside of the card reading device.

Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, devices, methods, data structures, and software for skimmer device detection within self-service terminals, and more particular with regard to card reading devices. One such embodiment is a method that includes monitoring a card position within a card reader device based on signals received from a plurality of card position sensors of the card reader device in view of an expected card travel pattern data structure to identify card reader tampering. This method further includes declaring a card reader device tampering event when at least one signal received from at least one of the card position sensors does not match data of the expected card travel pattern data structure. The method then executes at least one card reader device tampering event process upon a declared card reader tampering event.

A payment card receiver including at least one element defining a payment card receiving slot, a shutter, pivotably mounted with respect to the payment card receiving slot for selectably blocking the payment card receiving slot and a card-operated shutter movement restricting switch operative to retain the shutter in a shutter movement restricting operative orientation, in which the shutter blocks the payment card receiving slot, in the absence of at least partial insertion of a payment card in the payment card receiving slot.

A transaction card reading system, which includes: a transaction card reader having a slot for inserting a transaction card; and a protective flap movable between two positions: a closed position wherein the flap closes the insertion slot, and an open position wherein the flap is disposed at least partly outside the insertion slot. The protective flap includes a closure element integrally mounted on a one-piece support element, the closure element being shaped and dimensioned to close the insertion slot in the closed position. The one-piece support element includes at least one elastically deformable portion so as to allow switching from the closed position to the open position and vice versa.

A card reader may include a card insertion part which is formed with an insertion port for the card; and a conveying passage for the card which is connected with the insertion port. The card insertion part may include a shutter member disposed on a rear side with respect to the insertion port is movable between a closed position an open position; and a protruding member which is attached to the shutter member and is protruded from the shutter member to an insertion port side. An insertion port side of the protruding member may be formed with a card abutting face. A distance between the insertion port and the card abutting face in a conveying direction of the card may be set to be shorter than a width in the short widthwise direction of the card.

The present invention is to provide a card reader that can prevent the illegal acquisition of magnetic information recorded on a magnetic stripe, based on an output signal from a pre-head. More specifically described, in a card reader having a card insertion slot for guiding a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe to a transport passage and a pre-head arranged in the vicinity of the card insertion slot for detecting the presence of the magnetic stripe, the pre-head is equipped with a head portion having at least one pair of magnetic cores arranged to be opposite from each other having a magnetic gap between them and coils wound around a pair of the magnetic cores; and a signal different from that of the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic stripe is output from the pre-head.

An electronic transaction device including a chip card reader and a shut-off mechanism for shutting off a slot for the introduction of a chip card as far as the card reader, the slot being formed by two lateral guide rails for guiding the card, the mechanism including a first shut-off flap and a second shut-off flap for shutting off the slot, the shut-off flaps being able to adopt a closed position preventing a non-compliant object from being introduced into the slot as far as the card reader, and an open position allowing the chip card to be introduced into the slot as far as the card reader, the shut-off flaps each including an actuating element which is situated respectively in the vicinity of one of the two lateral guide rails.