SWITCHING DEVICE OF COIN-BOX TELEPHONE Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: coin-box telephones with non-cash payment for services, specifically, with use of debit card. SUBSTANCE: proposed switching device controls operation of equipment rendering services for payment with use of debit payment card. It includes debit card made in the form of printed-circuit board that carries cells of card assets and at least one section with identification codes of card. Switching device also incorporates card- taking unit with facilities for contact-free reading and contact-free destruction of cells of card assets, facility for contact-free reading of identification codes of debit card, indication facility, electronic circuit determining condition of cells of assets of debit card, determining identification codes of debit card, testing position of debit card in card-taking unit, detecting substitutes of card, forming signals for control over actuating units in equipment rendering paid services, forming signals for destruction of cells of assets of debit card and forming signals for indication facility. Facility for destruction of cells of assets of debit card is meant for destruction of mentioned cells by induction method and is integrated with facility for contact-free reading of cells of assets of debit card. Cell of assets of debit card is manufactured in the form of at least one conducting circuit having one section as minimum designed for thermal destruction under action of electric current induced by facilities for contact-free reading and destruction of above-mentioned cells. Codes of debit card are read by optoelectronic technique. EFFECT: raised operational reliability of switching device, decreased cost of debit card, enhanced handling convenience of coin-box telephone, provision for territorial limitation of validity of debit card, prevention of unauthorized use of debit card in obtainment of unpaid services and increased degree of protection of debit card against forgery. 16 cl, 4 dwg