IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,497,378
Granted Patent B2
US 7,497,378 · App. 11/636,369 · Granted Mar 3, 2009

Anti-tampering protection for magnetic stripe reader

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,497,378
App. No.
11/636,369
Filed
Dec 8, 2006
Granted
Mar 3, 2009
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2887
USPC
235/449
Abstract

A magnetic stripe reading device including a magnetic head assembly including a mounting element, at least one information reading sensor having output contacts, the sensor being mounted in the mounting element and a flat cable coupled to the output contacts of the at least one information reading sensor, a portion of the flat cable being arranged in a doubled-over configuration over the output contacts, thereby to provide anti-tampering protection to the output contacts.

Claims (45)

1. A magnetic stripe reading device comprising:

a magnetic head assembly including:

a mounting element defining a peripheral anti-tampering enclosure;

at least one information reading sensor having output contacts, said sensor being mounted in said mounting element; and

a flat cable coupled to said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor, a portion of said flat cable being arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts, thereby to provide anti-tampering protection to said output contacts,

said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor and said portion of said flat cable arranged in a doubled-over configuration being located within said peripheral anti-tampering enclosure.

2. A magnetic stripe reading device according to claim 1 and wherein said flat cable comprises multiple conductors arranged generally in a conductor plane and at least one protective wire grid arranged in a plane parallel to said conductor plane.

3. A magnetic stripe reading device according to claim 2 and wherein a layer of epoxy is formed over said portion of said flat cable arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts within said peripheral anti-tampering enclosure.

4. A magnetic stripe reading device comprising:

a magnetic head assembly including:

a mounting element;

at least one information reading sensor having output contacts, said sensor being mounted in said mounting element; and

a flat cable, comprising multiple conductors arranged generally in a conductor plane and at least one protective wire grid arranged in a plane parallel to said conductor plane, coupled to said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor, a portion of said flat cable being arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts, thereby to provide anti-tampering protection to said output contacts.

5. A magnetic stripe reading device according to claim 4 and also comprising a magnetic head assembly tamper detection and disabling circuit which is coupled to said at least one protective wire grid.

6. A magnetic stripe reading device according to claim 5 and wherein said magnetic head assembly tamper detection and disabling circuit is also coupled to at least one of said multiple conductors.

7. A magnetic stripe reading device according to claim 4 and also comprising a magnetic head assembly tamper detection and disabling circuit which is coupled to at least one of said multiple conductors.

8. A magnetic stripe reading device according to claim 4 and wherein said at least one protective wire grid comprises a plurality of wire grids arranged in at least two planes disposed on both sides of said conductor plane.

9. A magnetic stripe reading device according to claim 8 and wherein a layer of epoxy is formed over said portion of said flat cable arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts.

10. A point-of-sale device comprising:

a housing defining a keypad array location at which an array of keys are located and a display location at which a display is located; and

a magnetic card reader assembly associated with the housing and including a slot and magnetic stripe reading device, said magnetic stripe reading device comprising:

a magnetic head assembly including:

a mounting element defining a peripheral anti-tampering enclosure;

at least one information reading sensor having output contacts, said sensor being mounted in said mounting element; and

a flat cable coupled to said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor, a portion of said flat cable being arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts, thereby to provide anti-tampering protection to said output contacts,

said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor and said portion of said flat cable arranged in a doubled-over configuration being located within said peripheral anti-tampering enclosure.

11. A point-of-sale device according to claim 10 and wherein said flat cable comprises multiple conductors arranged generally in a conductor plane and at least one protective wire grid arranged in a plane parallel to said conductor plane.

12. A point-of-sale device according to claim 11 and wherein a layer of epoxy is formed over said portion of said flat cable arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts within said peripheral anti-tampering enclosure.

13. A point-of-sale device comprising:

a housing defining a keypad array location at which an array of keys are located and a display location at which a display is located;

a magnetic card reader assembly associated with the housing and including a slot and magnetic stripe reading device, said magnetic stripe reading device comprising:

a magnetic head assembly including:

a mounting element;

at least one information reading sensor having output contacts, said sensor being mounted in said mounting element; and

a flat cable, comprising multiple conductors arranged generally in a conductor plane and at least one protective wire grid arranged in a plane parallel to said conductor plane, coupled to said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor, a portion of said flat cable being arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts, thereby to provide anti-tampering protection to said output contacts.

14. A point-of-sale device according to claim 13 and also comprising a magnetic head assembly tamper detection and disabling circuit which is coupled to said at least one protective wire grid.

15. A point-of-sale device according to claim 14 and wherein said magnetic head assembly tamper detection and disabling circuit is also coupled to at least one of said multiple conductors.

16. A point-of-sale device according to claim 13 and also comprising a magnetic head assembly tamper detection and disabling circuit which is coupled to at least one of said multiple conductors.

17. A point-of-sale device according to claim 13 and wherein said at least one protective wire grid comprises a plurality of wire grids arranged in at least two planes disposed on both sides of said conductor plane.

18. A point-of-sale device according to claim 17 and wherein a layer of epoxy is formed over said portion of said flat cable arranged in a doubled-over configuration over said output contacts.

19. A method of manufacturing a magnetic head assembly including:

mounting at least one information reading sensor having output contacts in a mounting element, said mounting element defining a peripheral anti-tampering enclosure;

coupling a flat cable to said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor; and

doubling-over a portion of said flat cable over said output contacts, thereby to provide anti-tampering protection to said output contacts,

said output contacts of said at least one information reading sensor and said portion of said flat cable arranged in a doubled-over configuration being located within said peripheral anti-tampering enclosure.