In a storage system including a semi-permanent database there is provided apparatus for updating said database comprising: instrumentalities for reading magnetically recorded data and storing said data in said database; a rotatable drum having an exterior circumferentially-extending surface, said drum including a plurality of protrusions extending beyond said exterior surface; a flexible magnetic card including database updating data magnetically recorded on a major surface thereof, said card having opposed side edges extending lengthwise thereof and having a leading edge and a trailing end edge respectively extending transverse to the length thereof, the length of said card being such that one of said end edges is disposable in overlapping relationship with respect to the other of said end edges when said card is wrapped around said drum, said card having a plurality of apertures formed therein, said apertures located to permit registration of a sufficient number of said apertures with said drum protrusions when said card is wrapped around said drum with said major surface facing outwardly and with said end edges disposed in said overlapping relationship for aligning said card on said drum for rotation therewith; an adhesive material affixed to at least one of said end edges for removably adhering said overlapping edges to one another, whereby said card is removably mounted on said drum; and said reading means being disposed in reading relationship with respect to said card's major surface while said card is mounted on said drum.
A recording medium is used in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a rotational motor and a recording and/or reproducing circuit. The recording medium comprises a main body having a substantially cylindrical part, and a hollow part open at least at one end thereof, a recording surface formed at least on a peripheral surface of the cylindrical part, and a coupling part provided at the main body and to be coupled to the motor. The recording medium is loaded into the recording and/or reproducing apparatus in a state where at least a part of the motor is relatively inserted into the hollow part.
A recording and/or reproducing apparatus is loaded with a recording medium which comprises a substantially cylindrical part, a hollow part at least open at one end thereof, and a recording surface formed at least on a peripheral surface of the cylindrical part. The apparatus comprises a rotational motor having at least one part thereof relatively inserted within the hollow part of the recording medium which is loaded, to be coupled to the recording medium, a recording and/or reproducing transducer for recording and/or reproducing an information signal onto and/or from the recording surface of the recording medium which is rotated by the motor, and a feeding circuit for feeding the recording and/or reproducing transducer along the recording surface.
A mail metering machine having the ability to allocate postage costs among designated accounts. A bar code is assigned to each designated account and is applied to that accounts mailing envelopes. A bar code scanner is incorporated into the mail metering machine and identifies the account as the mail is fed through the machine. The amounts are totaled for each account and charged back to the account.
A data card recording system having a rotatable drum for supporting a plurality of data cards on its circumferential surface. A laser light source emits a beam which is modulated in response to data and directed to the cards on the rotating drum. The beam produces data spots in a plurality of parallel tracks aligned in the direction of drum rotation. The focussing optics may be moved transversely to record in adjacent tracks. A data segment accessed from a data source and stored in a register of a microprocessor is recorded on a track on each card on the drum. A data control, controlling modulation rate, and a position detector unit are provided to synchronize the light beam modulation with the drum rotation rate. Drums and optical system embodiments are described for both reflectively and transmissively read data cards.
A data card recording system having a rotatable drum for supporting a plurality of data cards on its circumferential surface. A light source emits a beam which is modulated in response to data and directed to the cards on the rotating drum. The beam produces data spots in a plurality of parallel tracks aligned in the direction of drum rotation on a recording strip whose length is parallel to the drum axis. The focusing optics may be moved transversely to record in adjacent tracks. A data segment accessed from a data source and stored in a register of a microprocessor is recorded on a track on each card on the drum. A data control, controlling modulation rate, and a position detector unit are provided to synchronize the light beam modulation with the drum rotation rate. Drums and optical system embodiments are described for both reflectively and transmissively read data cards.
