(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,715,678 Bi
Sion et al. (45) Date of Patent: Apr. 6,2004
(54) PORTABLE READER FOR READING
MODULES OF THE MINI-CARD FORMAT
CONNECTION TO A PERSONAL
COMPUTER
(75) Inventors: Jerome Sion, Paris (FR); Jean-Claude Perrin, Saint Cloud (FR); Michael A. Montgomery, Cedar Park, TX (US)
(73) Assignee: Schlumberger Systemes, Montrouge (FR)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/009,706
(22) PCT Filed: May 12, 2000
(86) PCT No.: PCT/FR00/01300
§ 371 (c)(1),
(2), (4) Date: Mar. 28, 2002
(87) PCT Pub. No.: WO00/70533 PCT Pub. Date: Nov. 23, 2000
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data
May 12, 1999 (FR) 99 06122
(51) Int. CI. G06K 7/06
(52) U.S. CI 235/441; 235/492
(58) Field of Search 235/441, 442
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
2,802,188 A 8/1957 Badders
The invention relates to a portable reader (1). The reader is characterized in that it comprises a part (2) for electric connection to the port of a computer, whereby said part (2) exhibits four conduction lines (8, 9, 10, 11) in addition to a part (4) for the insertion of a module (5) which is removable and which can store confidential information, comprising the body (27) of a plastic module which is substantially parallelepipedal and rectangular whereby the dimensions thereof are 25 mm long, 15 mm wide and 0.76 mm thick, further comprising an integrated circuit chip provided with contact pads which are electrically connected to contact pads (28) which are flush with one of the surfaces of said module, whereby the insertion part comprises a connector which has pins which are electrically connected to the electric connection lines of the reader and, when the module (5) is inserted into said reader (1), to the contact pads (28) of said module (5). The invention is specifically designed for readers (1) which are to be connected electrically to a USB port in, a computer.
9 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
