A magnetic ink reader includes a conveyance mechanism for a sheet, a magnetizing mechanism configured to magnetize magnetic ink on the sheet and including a magnet having a first side of a first magnetic polarity, that is arranged to face a first surface of the sheet, and a yoke that is formed of a soft magnetic material and includes a base portion attached directly to a second side of the magnet, and an extension portion extending from the base portion such that an end surface of the extension portion faces a second surface of the sheet, and a magnetic detection head along the conveyance path and configured to detect magnetism of the magnetized magnetic ink on the sheet. A first distance between the conveyance path and the first side of the magnet is less than a second distance between the conveyance path and the end surface of the yoke.

In accordance with an embodiment, a magnetic ink reading device comprises a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sheet-like medium printed by using magnetic ink along a conveyance path; a magnetizing mechanism configured to magnetize the magnetic ink on the medium along the conveyance path; a magnetic detection head, arranged in the vicinity of the magnetizing mechanism along the conveyance path, configured to read magnetism of the magnetized magnetic ink; a cylindrical roller member, arranged to face the magnetic detection head across the conveyance path, configured to press the medium conveyed along the conveyance path against the magnetic detection head to be capable of rotating along the surface of the medium; and a rotating shaft configured to rotatably support the roller member and contact an inner wall of the roller member at the axial center of the roller member.

An intermetallic or iron aluminide magnetically readable medium and a method of forming and reading the same are provided herein. Also provided is an identification card or tag, a key, an anti-counterfeiting measure, an anti-forging measure. The intermetallic or iron aluminide magnetically readable medium includes a magnetically readable surface, wherein the magnetically readable surface contains one or more first magnetically readable regions of the intermetallic or iron aluminide surrounded by one or more second magnetically readable regions. Additionally, the intermetallic or iron aluminide magnetically readable medium can be coated, encapsulated or concealed within a material.

A card processing device may include a card reader and a printer. The printer may include an ink ribbon cartridge; a thermal head; and a cover member. The ink ribbon cartridge may include a supply roll and a take-up roll. The thermal head may heat the ink ribbon and transfer ink to the card. The card reader may be on a front side of the thermal head, and a part of the card reader may be on a lower side of the supply roll or the take-up roll. The cover member may pivot between a closed position and open position. A conveyance path may be provided inside the card reader and the printer. A part of the conveyance path inside the card reader may be a first conveyance path. The card reader may include an upper frame. The upper frame may pivot between a closed position and open position.

A magnetic ink reader includes a conveyance mechanism for a sheet, a magnetizing mechanism configured to magnetize magnetic ink on the sheet and including a magnet having a first side of a first magnetic polarity, that is arranged to face a first surface of the sheet, and a yoke that is formed of a soft magnetic material and includes a base portion attached directly to a second side of the magnet, and an extension portion extending from the base portion such that an end surface of the extension portion faces a second surface of the sheet, and a magnetic detection head along the conveyance path and configured to detect magnetism of the magnetized magnetic ink on the sheet. A first distance between the conveyance path and the first side of the magnet is less than a second distance between the conveyance path and the end surface of the yoke.

A system for marking objects using an electromagnetic marking device includes a first electromagnetic marking device, including a body having a top surface and a bottom surface. The body includes a first part having a through-hole in the first part, the through-hole having a first opening in the top surface of the body and a second opening in the bottom surface of the body, and a first member disposed within the through-hole, the first member including a first proximal end attached to the body and a first distal end not attached to the body. The body includes a second part attached to the first part. The electromagnetic marking device includes a signal generator attached to the second part, the signal generator further including a wave generator circuit and a wave modulator circuit.

A magnetic ink reader includes a conveyance mechanism for a sheet, a magnetizing mechanism configured to magnetize magnetic ink on the sheet and including a magnet having a first side of a first magnetic polarity, that is arranged to face a first surface of the sheet, and a yoke that is formed of a soft magnetic material and includes a base portion attached directly to a second side of the magnet, and an extension portion extending from the base portion such that an end surface of the extension portion faces a second surface of the sheet, and a magnetic detection head along the conveyance path and configured to detect magnetism of the magnetized magnetic ink on the sheet. A first distance between the conveyance path and the first side of the magnet is less than a second distance between the conveyance path and the end surface of the yoke.

A magnetic-ink-character recognizing device includes a magnetic head, a conveying section configured to convey a medium on which magnetic ink characters are printed, an acquiring section configured to acquire a magnetism detection signal read by the magnetic head, a segmenting section configured to segment waveform data of the magnetic ink characters from the magnetism detection signal, a first calculating section configured to compare the waveform data segmented by the segmenting section and reference waveform data and calculate similarities of both the data, respectively, a second calculating section configured to compare the waveform data segmented by the segmenting section and extended waveform data obtained by compressing or expanding length in a time axis direction of the reference waveform data and calculate similarities of both the data, respectively, and a recognizing section configured to recognize the magnetic ink characters of the waveform data segmented by the segmenting section.

A system for marking objects using an electromagnetic marking device includes a first electromagnetic marking device, including a body having a top surface and a bottom surface. The body includes a first part having a through-hole in the first part, the through-hole having a first opening in the top surface of the body and a second opening in the bottom surface of the body, and a first member disposed within the through-hole, the first member including a first proximal end attached to the body and a first distal end not attached to the body. The body includes a second part attached to the first part. The electromagnetic marking, device includes a signal generator attached to the second part, the signal generator further including a wave generator circuit and a wave modulator circuit.

A magnetic ink reader includes a conveyance mechanism for a sheet, a magnetizing mechanism configured to magnetize magnetic ink on the sheet and including a magnet having a first side of a first magnetic polarity, that is arranged to face a first surface of the sheet, and a yoke that is formed of a soft magnetic material and includes a base portion attached directly to a second side of the magnet, and an extension portion extending from the base portion such that an end surface of the extension portion faces a second surface of the sheet, and a magnetic detection head along the conveyance path and configured to detect magnetism of the magnetized magnetic ink on the sheet. A first distance between the conveyance path and the first side of the magnet is less than a second distance between the conveyance path and the end surface of the yoke.