Importance

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Abstract

A programmable data storage element includes a self-nucleating bi-stable magnetizable wire and a body of permanently magnetizable material such as barium ferrite. The bi-stable magnetic wire is normally readable in a magnetic reader constructed to cause state reversal of the magnetic wire to induce an output pulse in a sensing coil. The body of permanently magnetizable material can be selectively magnetized in the vicinity of the bi-stable magnetic wire to inhibit reading of the wire in the reader. A given wire can thus be programmed to store a binary bit of data by being selectively enabled or disabled for reading in a suitable magnetic reader. An improved passcard may be constructed by including an insert of barium ferrite in a passcard on which are disposed a plurality of bi-stable magnetic wires in a predetermined pattern. The passcard may be encoded with an identification number or other information at any time subsequent to manufacture by magnetizing selected portions of the barium ferrite insert. The encoded information may be altered thereafter by demagnetizing previously magnetized portions of the barium ferrite and magnetizing previously unmagnetized portions thereof. An interactive security system is possible with the programmable storage element of this invention.

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First Claim