Data storage card device, apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatus and method wherein a credit card sized high-memory card, composed of a magnetic storage medium, or alternatively of a nonmagnetic material such as plastic having a suitable magnetic recording medium inserted therein or placed thereon, can be inserted into an operative position adjacent to a read/write head, and the head can be moved relative to the high-memory card to permit the head to write data to or read data from the magnetic recording medium of the high-memory card while the card is rotated. In the preferred embodiment, a disk-shaped platen is provided, with a shallow channel in its upper surface sufficiently wide to accept a high-memory card placed lengthwise therein, such that the upper surface of the card will be level with the upper surface of the platen, and the geometric center of the high-memory card will be centered directly over the rotational axis of the platen. The platen can then be rotated so that the magnetic medium of the high-memory card rotates symmetrically with it under the read/write head which can be rotated in a limited arc about its own axis, which axis is situated outside the circumference of the platen, or alternatively, the read/write head can be movable radially of the central axis of the platen, whereby the read/write head is capable of writing to or reading from all portions of a circular area of magnetic medium centered on the high-memory card, the diameter of which area of the magnetic medium so used may be less than or equal to the width of the high-memory card.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A high density card reader apparatus comprising: 
 a housing having a card slot;    a thin high density recording card approximately the size of a credit or business card;    a driven rotatable platen having a recess in its surface approximately the length and width of said card and large enough to accept the card into said recess, said recess being located substantially symmetrical to the axis of rotation of said platen;    card retainer apparatus;    a movable read/write head located continuously proximate the surface of said card without crossing an interface between the recording surface of the card and the surface of the platen;    head actuator apparatus coupled to drive said head incrementally in a limited arc across the surface of said card;    a card slot in said housing; and    platen locating apparatus responsive to card entry or card withdrawal to position said recess in juxtaposition with said card slot.    
     
     
         2 . A high density card reader apparatus comprising: 
 a housing having a card slot;    a thin high density recording card approximately the size of a credit or business card;    a driven rotatable platen having a recess in its surface approximately the length and width of said card and large enough to accept the card into said recess;    card retainer apparatus;    a movable read head located proximate the surface of said card;    head actuator apparatus coupled to drive said head incrementally in an arc across the surface of said card; and    a card slot in said housing; and    platen locating apparatus responsive to card entry or card withdrawal to position said recess in juxtaposition with said card slot.    
     
     
         3 . The card reader apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said card is approximately the size of a credit or business card.  
     
     
         4 . The card reader apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said card retainer apparatus includes one or more projection ears about the surface of said recess.  
     
     
         5 . The card reader apparatus of  claim 2 , including an actuator for incrementally moving said head through an arc across the surface of said card.  
     
     
         6 . The card reader apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said platen locating apparatus includes an electromechanical actuator.  
     
     
         7 . The card reader apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said actuator includes a solenoid driving an actuator.  
     
     
         8 . The card reader apparatus of  claim 6  or  7 , wherein said actuator is a movable projection engaging notch in said platen.  
     
     
         9 . A method for recording and/or reading on a recordable medium provided on a rectangular card similar in size to a credit card, comprising: 
 placing said card on a rotatable platen substantially symmetrical to the axis of rotation of said platen and adjacent to a read and/or write head;    rotating said platen and incrementally moving said head along an arcuate path with respect to said card without crossing an interface between the recording surface of the card and the surface of the platen.    
     
     
         10 . A method for recording and/or reading on a recordable medium provided on a rectangular card similar in size to a credit card, comprising: 
 placing said card on a platen adjacent to a read and/or write head;    rotating said platen and incrementally moving said head along an arcuate path with respect to said card.