Title: Data carrier, method and apparatus for placing data on the carrier, and device for reading data from the carrier

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Abstract: A nonconductive data carrier has arrays of ring-shaped metallic lamina in each data location, on one surface thereof, for providing information to be inductively read. The information or data is placed on the carrier by removing a portion of predetermined rings to separate the ring. A ring which is not separated will reduce the magnetic coupling when the rings are placed in a magnetic field during inductive reading of the data, while a separated ring will not reduce the magnetic coupling. The ring portions may be removed mechanically, by milling or grinding, or by melting the ring portion. The ring portion may be melted by a capacitive discharge between two electrodes placed on the ring portion to be removed or by inducing a sufficiently strong short-circuit current in the ring to melt the ring portion. A device for inductively reading information or data from the carriers, in the form of cards having channels or rows of rings, includes an array of transmitting coils, one coil corresponding to each channel of rings. An array of receiving and reference coils are placed opposite the transmitting coils so the carrier cards may be moved between the transmitting and the receiving coils. The reading device detects voltages induced by the magnetic fields from the respective transmitting coils in the respective receiving and reference coils. The rings without a portion removed will couple a magnetic signal of less magnitude than those with a portion removed. A control switches the information received into a memory device for further use. The cards may also include control channels and orientation lamina to indicate to the control the position the card is in and the location of the card in the reading device so the information or data will be correctly read.


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