JP2003168096A - Card and processor therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print prescribed contents in an embossed card such as a bank card. <P>SOLUTION: A processor comprises a reading means for reading data recorded on a hard card such as a bank card and a credit card inserted into the main body of a card processor, a printing means for printing the prescribed contents on the card, and a printing controlling means for printing the prescribed contents on the card on the basis of the read data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hard card such as a bank card and various credit cards which is basically used semipermanently, and a card processing device for processing the card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, cards such as bank cards and various credit cards generally have no expiration date,
It is used semi-permanently by a specific user, and is therefore thicker than a magnetic ticket that is used in a relatively short period of time, such as a well-known telephone card.
It is hard. Also, in the body of the card,
Predetermined contents such as name are displayed by embossing so that the owner of the card can visually recognize the card and that it cannot be easily erased.

[0003]

However, a hard card such as the conventional bank card described above has a disadvantage that the contents of the card body and the information related to the card body cannot be printed. Therefore, for example, to know the current balance of a bank card, the bank card
Insert it into the screen and perform a predetermined operation to display it on the display screen,
Alternatively, it is necessary to print out, and it is also necessary to provide it by a telephone service using a telephone.

Furthermore, in recent years, with the advent of the card society, the use of IC cards has progressed.
It is hard and is designed to be used semi-permanently,
In order for the user to know the contents stored therein, there is a drawback that a dedicated device is required.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and an object thereof is to print a predetermined content on a main body of a hard card and to process the card. The object is to provide a card processing device that can do this.

[0006]

The card according to the present invention comprises:
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is
It is characterized in that a printing unit for printing predetermined contents is provided on the main body of a hard card such as a bank card or a credit card. The card according to the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the printing portion is a rewrite type. The card according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that the main body of the card is provided with an embossing portion for displaying predetermined contents of the holder of the main body of the card by embossing. A card according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an IC chip capable of performing predetermined arithmetic processing is built in the main body of the card.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a card processing device according to the present invention is a card processing device according to claim 5, which is a hard card such as a bank card or a credit card inserted in the main body of the card processing device. The reading means for reading the data recorded on the card, the printing means for printing the predetermined content on the card, and the print control means for printing the predetermined content on the card based on the read data. It is characterized by that.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card according to an embodiment, in which the main body of the card (hereinafter,
The card will be explained including the main body of the card. ) C is the same card size as a well-known bank card and various credit cards, and is formed of a hard plastic card having a predetermined thickness.

The card C is provided with the magnetic data storage unit 1 as in the conventional card. The magnetic data storage unit 1 is usually formed on the card C so that it cannot be visually observed, and the magnetic data storage unit 1 has a predetermined number such as an owner of the card C or an identification number (card ID) of the card C. The contents are recorded as magnetic data.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 is a holder of the card C and a card No. of the card C. Is a part of the front surface of the card C (lower part of the front surface in the illustrated example) for displaying a predetermined content by embossing, and when the card C is issued to the user, Printed by the issuer.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a printing portion provided at the center of the front surface of the card C. At least a portion corresponding to the printing portion 3 has a reversible thermosensitive recording material layer provided on the substrate of the card C. Has been. Of course, this reversible thermosensitive recording material may be provided on the entire front surface of the card C.

This reversible thermosensitive recording material comprises, for example, a card C substrate provided with a thermosensitive layer in which an organic low molecular substance such as higher alcohol or higher fatty acid is dispersed in a resin such as polyester. 54-119377 and JP-A-5
It is disclosed in gazettes such as 5-154198. The printing unit 3 made of this reversible heat-sensitive recording material prints at a predetermined color development temperature through a thermal head described later, erases characters at a predetermined decolorization temperature, and writes and erases predetermined characters and symbols. It is configured to be repeatable.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a card processing section a of a card processing machine A such as an ATM. L is a card (not shown) inserted from a card insertion port 10 provided in the card processing machine. Is a conveyance path for taking in (1) into the card processing machine, and is constituted by a pair of endless belts driven by a motor (not shown), or by a large number of rollers.

A magnetic head H is provided on the card insertion port 10 side in the middle of the transport path L so that the contents stored in the magnetic data storage unit 1 of the card C can be read. Further, a thermal head T is provided on the transport path L so that the printing portion 3 of the card C can print predetermined contents.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a controller, which is constructed so as to control the entire card processing machine as a whole. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the controller 11, which has a CPU 13 that performs a predetermined arithmetic processing using the system program data and working data stored in the memory 12. This CPU 13
Includes a read driver 14 for controlling the drive of the magnetic head H.
And a print driver 15 for driving and controlling the thermal head T
And a communication control unit 16 for communicating with a host computer (not shown). The CPU 13
In addition to this, a motor driver that drives the transport path L, a sensor amplifier of a sensor that detects the transport position of the card C, and the like are connected to the above, but they are omitted here.

Next, the control operation of the card processing apparatus A will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Now, when the card C is inserted into the card insertion slot 10 (step 100
Affirmative, hereinafter, the step is referred to as "S". ), The data stored in the magnetic data storage unit 1 of the card C is read via the magnetic head H (S102). CPU13
Communicates with the host computer that manages the card C based on the read data (S104), and the validity of the card C is determined. For example, if it is determined that the balance of the account related to the card C is sufficient to carry out the predetermined transaction and the transaction is possible, the predetermined transaction is executed (S106).
Yes, S108). Then, when the transaction is deducted from the account and a new balance is generated, the remaining balance up to the present is erased via the thermal head T, and the new balance via the thermal head T. Is printed (Yes at S110, S112; see print unit 3 in FIG. 1). The new balance printed card C is discharged to the card insertion slot 10 and returned to the user (S114).
Therefore, the user can easily know the current balance by the returned card C.

In the above example, the balance of the account related to the card C is printed on the printing unit 3, but when the card C is a credit card, the usage amount within a predetermined period may be printed. . In the above example, the card C
Although the magnetic card has the magnetic data storage unit 1 as its own storage unit, a contact type IC card capable of performing predetermined arithmetic processing inside the card C and having an IC chip having a storage unit of a predetermined capacity built-in. (IC card that exchanges data by contacting a card processor) or non-contact type I
It can be a C card (an IC card that wirelessly communicates with a card processing device to exchange data). When such an IC card is used, for example, an IC
Predetermined contents such as the remaining amount stored in the memory of the card can be printed on the printing unit.

Further, in the above-mentioned example, the printing portion 3 is formed by providing the layer of the reversible thermosensitive recording material, but the printing portion is provided with the window containing the magnetic powder, and the numeral or the like is formed by the magnetic head in the window. It is also possible to adopt a display format known as so-called Bismac (registered trademark), which is formed and displayed.

[0019]

The card according to claim 1 of the present invention has a printing unit for printing predetermined contents on the main body of a hard card such as a bank card or a credit card. It is possible to know the predetermined content.
In the card according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the printing portion is printed in a rewrite type, it is possible to easily perform printing and erasing. In the card according to claim 3 of the present invention, the card body is provided with an embossing portion for displaying predetermined contents of the card body holder or the like by embossing, so that the card holder or the like can be easily carried out. You can check. The card according to claim 4 of the present invention has a built-in IC chip capable of performing predetermined arithmetic processing in the main body of the card, and thus can be a card having a large storage capacity.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card processing device including a reading means for reading data recorded on a hard card such as a bank card or a credit card inserted in the main body of the card processing machine. Since the printing means for printing the predetermined content on the card and the print control means for printing the predetermined content on the card based on the read data, the predetermined content can be printed on the card.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a card processing unit of the card processing device.

FIG. 3 is a blog diagram of a controller.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

C card (card body) 1 Magnetic data storage 2 embossed section 3 printing section A card processing device a Card processing section 10 Card slot 11 controller L transport path H magnetic head T thermal head

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Takashi Matsuzaki             2-4 Komatsubara-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture             Main Signal Osaka Branch F term (reference) 2C005 HA22 HA24 HB04 HB09 JA08                       JA09 JA26 JC02 KA27 KA40                       LA26 LA29 LB08 LB26 MA33                       MB02 MB08 PA21 QB03 QC12                       SA04 SA05 TA21 TA22                 3E044 AA09 BA05 BA10 CA05 CA06                       EA06 EB01                 5B035 AA00 BA05 BB02 BB04 BB09                       BB12 BC00 CA06

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A card comprising a main body of a hard card such as a bank card or a credit card, which is provided with a printing unit for printing predetermined contents. 2. The card according to claim 1, wherein the printing portion is rewritable. 3. The card according to claim 1, wherein a main body of the card is provided with an embossing portion for displaying predetermined contents of a holder of the main body of the card by embossing. . 4. The card according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an IC chip capable of performing predetermined arithmetic processing is built in the main body of the card. 5. A reading means for reading data recorded on a hard card such as a bank card or a credit card inserted in the main body of the card processing machine, and a printing means for printing predetermined contents on the card. A card processing device for printing predetermined contents on the card based on the read data.