Device and method for personalizing, in particular, a card reader terminal

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic terminal, in particular a payment terminal, characterized in that it comprises a housing (2) and a screen (3), the screen having a front face (3S) that is accessible to a user, the housing comprising means (20) for optionally receiving a peripheral strip (6).

Description

Device and method for customizing, in particular, a card reader terminal.

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electronic terminals, particularly payment terminals, including those used as bank card readers or contactless payment readers. These terminals can be fixed or portable, wired or wireless. The invention relates more specifically to the personalization and identification of such terminals.

[0002] Sometimes, such a terminal is specific to a payment processor, for example, to a particular payment card system. In this case, it is advisable to customize the terminal. Furthermore, several terminals, each specific to different processors, may be available from the same merchant; it is therefore important to be able to differentiate one terminal from another.

[0003] Customization options are offered by terminal manufacturers. Such customization can include a different shape or color for the terminal's outer casing. However, these customizations must be implemented very early in the manufacturing process, under secure conditions. This necessitates small production runs, specific to each customization, which significantly increases manufacturing costs. Consequently, delivery times for terminals with such customization are lengthy.

[0004] One aim of the invention is to offer personalized terminals with reduced costs and lead times compared to prior art terminals and to facilitate the rapid identification of a terminal among others.

[0005] According to the invention, an electronic terminal, in particular a payment terminal, comprises a casing and a screen having a front face accessible to a user, the casing including means for optionally receiving a peripheral strip.

[0006] Advantageously, the housing forms a peripheral rebate around the screen, said rebate forming an edge around the screen, and the strip being intended to be placed in said rebate.

[0007] The rebate can be formed by an outer surface of the edge and a shoulder formed between the edge and a wall of the case.

[0008] Preferably, the terminal includes means for attaching the headband. These attachment means can be located in the rebate.

[0009] These fastening means are advantageously snap-on means for the headband, gluing means or screwing means.

[0010] Advantageously, the case forms around the screen an edge which extends in front of said screen by a non-zero distance preferably about equal to one millimeter or more.

[0011] Also, the housing can be designed so that there is a clearance distance between the headband and an opening or element penetrating through the housing, the clearance distance preferably being about one millimeter or more.

[0012] The invention also relates to a terminal which includes the peripheral strip.

[0013] Preferably, the band is fringed and fixed to the case so that it cannot be removed without being broken.

[0014] Advantageously, the headband includes areas of weakness, to facilitate its breakage.

[0015] The invention also relates to a headband intended to be mounted on a terminal according to the invention.

[0016] Embodiments and variations will be described below, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

[0017] is a perspective view of a payment terminal according to the invention;

[0018] is a schematic view of the terminal, in which a terminal body and a terminal banner are shown separately from each other;

[0019] is a schematic cross-section of a housing for the terminal body;

[0020] is an enlarged view of the cross-section of the ; and,

[0021] is a partial schematic perspective and cross-sectional view of a lateral extension for a headband according to the invention

[0022] In this description, in particular the terms "front", "back", "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower" and other terms of the same type may be used arbitrarily and generally refer to the usage positions of the described terminal without having a limiting meaning.

[0023] The figures illustrate an electronic terminal 1 which, in the example shown, is portable and designed to record bank card or contactless payments. The terminal comprises a housing 2 and a screen 3. The screen and the housing together form a substantially sealed enclosure containing electronic and mechanical components—not shown—necessary for the terminal's operation. The screen is not shown in Figures 2 and 3. The terminal 1 further includes a peripheral bezel 6 arranged around the screen 3.

[0024] In the illustrated example, the housing 2 includes, in particular, an upper side cover 11, a lower side cover 12, and a rear cover 13. The side covers 11 and 12 together form a peripheral edge 14 that surrounds the screen. The rear cover 13 seals against the side covers 11 and 12, and the side covers provide a watertight seal between the rear cover 13 and the screen.

[0025] The lower shell 12 includes a slot 16 for physically inserting a payment card. The slot 16 is formed in the lower part of the lower side shell 12, this lower part forming a transverse edge of the housing 2. The upper side shell 11 includes a set of buttons 17 for controlling certain functions of the terminal 1, in particular for turning the terminal on or off. A clearance distance DG is provided between the strip 6 and the set of buttons 17 and between the strip and the slot 16. Advantageously, the distance DG is approximately one millimeter or more. The clearance distance DG may be provided at any other opening or element penetrating through the side shells 11, 12 in the vicinity of the strip 6. It should be noted that the strip 6 partially or totally covers at least one of the side shells 11, 12.

[0026] In addition to the peripheral edge 14, the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12 together form a peripheral side wall 18 of the housing 2, and, between the side wall 18 and the edge 14, a shoulder 19. Figure 1 schematically represents a cross-section of a shell, which may be the upper shell 11 or the lower shell 12. The peripheral edge 14 extends perpendicularly to a front face 3S of the screen 3, from an inner edge 19N of the shoulder 19. The front face of the screen 3 is the one accessible to a user's view; generally, this face is touch-sensitive. The shoulder 19 extends substantially parallel to the face 3S of the screen, from its inner edge 19N, outwards from the housing, to an outer edge 19E of this shoulder. The side wall 18 extends substantially perpendicularly to the face 3S of the screen 3, in a direction opposite to that of the peripheral edge 14, towards the rear from the outer edge 19E of the shoulder 19.In the illustrated example, the guard distance DG is measured from shoulder 19.

[0027] As particularly illustrated in the figure, the peripheral band 6 is arranged in a peripheral rebate 20 formed by the edge 14 and the shoulder 19 together, outside the housing 2.

[0028] In the illustrated example, the peripheral edge 14 forms an edge 14A that protrudes forward beyond the front face 3S of the screen 3 by a distance D3; preferably, the distance D3 is approximately one millimeter or more. Thus, the edge 14 provides protection for the screen in case the terminal is dropped.

[0029] Also, the bezel 6 can extend towards the rear casing 13 until it covers, totally or partially, the side panel 18. Thus, the bezel can have, at least locally, a greater apparent thickness EA than that illustrated in the figure. Also, the bezel 6, instead of being substantially flush with the front face 3S of the screen, can, for example, be mounted further back on the side casings 11, 12.

[0030] As illustrated in Figure 1, the peripheral edge 14 includes one or more protruding sockets 22 extending from the outer edge of the peripheral edge 14. The sockets 22 are designed to interlock with additional means – not shown – of the strip 6. Preferably, the strip is designed to be frangible, meaning that the strip 6 is destroyed if it is removed. This prevents an operator's strip from being removed from a corresponding terminal to falsely personalize another terminal 1 that does not belong to that operator. Advantageously, the strip includes areas of weakness that facilitate its breakage and destruction in the event of removal or attempted removal.

[0031] Figure 1 illustrates a possible lateral extension 24 for a headband according to the invention. In the example shown in this figure, the extension is an integral part of the headband; it extends from the rebate towards the rear, along the side wall 18. In this example, the extension forms a frame 25 around the buttons 17. The extension is shaped so that there is a clearance distance DG between the buttons and the frame 25.

[0032] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples just described. On the contrary, the invention is defined by the claims that follow.

[0033] It will indeed become apparent to the man of the art that various modifications can be made to the methods of implementation described above, in the light of the teaching which has just been disclosed to him.

[0034] Thus, the headband may have a cross-sectional profile that is not triangular, contrary to what is schematically illustrated in the figure. The headband may also be made of one or more materials. It may also be one or more colors. Advantageously, it includes raised details and / or inscriptions allowing the terminal to be personalized and to identify the logo or name of the operator, for example, a specific bank.

[0035] The previously described strip is designed to snap into place. Other fastening methods may be used, for example by screwing or by gluing with adhesive tape or glue.

[0036] Also, the headband may not have a constant cross-section; extensions may be included, as illustrated in the figure. Such an extension may be designed to form a window around the card slot. Alternatively, such an extension may not include a window.

[0037] It should be noted that a peripheral device is defined as a strip that may only be placed on a part of the periphery of the terminal.

[0038] Thus, the peripheral strip may only be located on a portion of the terminal's periphery; for example, it may include a central section positioned between the slot and the screen, and two branches extending from opposite ends of this section along the screen. It may also not include such branches. List of references:

[0039] 1: terminal 2: casing 3: screen 3S: front face of screen 6: bezel 11: upper side cover 12: lower side cover 13: rear cover 14: casing edge 14A: edge of the bezel 16: payment card slot 17: control buttons 18: side panel 19: shoulder 19N: inner edge of the shoulder 19E: outer edge of the shoulder 20: bezel rebate 22: bezel socket on the bezel edge 24: bezel extension 25: frame formed by the extension D3: distance from the edge of the bezel to the front of the screen DG: clearance distance EA: apparent bezel thickness

Claims

Electronic terminal (1), in particular payment terminal, characterized in that it comprises a housing (2) and a screen (3), said screen having a front face (3S) accessible to a user, said housing comprising means (20) for optionally receiving a peripheral strip (6). Terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (2) forms a peripheral rebate (20) around the screen, said rebate forming an edge (14) around the screen (3), and the band (6) being provided to be disposed in said rebate. Terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that the rebate (20) is formed by an outer surface of the edge (14) and a shoulder (19) formed between said edge and a wall (18) of the housing (2). Terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it includes means (22) for fixing the headband thereto. Terminal according to claim 4, characterized in that the fastening means include snap-on gripping means (22) for the headband (6), gluing means or screwing means. Terminal according to claim 3 taken in combination with one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the fixing means are arranged in the rebate. Terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the housing forms around the screen an edge (14A) which extends to the front of said screen by a non-zero distance (D3) preferably about equal to one millimeter or more. Terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises the peripheral band (6). Terminal according to claim 8, characterized in that it is designed so that there is a guard distance (DG) between the band (6) and an orifice (16) or an element (17) penetrating through the housing (2), said guard distance preferably being about one millimeter or more. Terminal according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the band (6) is frangible and fixed to the housing so that it cannot be removed without being broken. Terminal according to claim 10, characterized in that the band (6) includes areas of weakness, to promote its breakage. A headband characterized in that it is intended to be mounted on a terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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