JPH05325111A - Magnetic recording medium confirming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To confirm matching of magnetic characteristics of a recording medium with a magnetic head, by recording test data. generated from a test data generating section in a reader/writer unit, on a magnetic recording medium and eventually reading out the test data and collating with a recorded test data. CONSTITUTION:In an information storing system combining a plurality of types of magnetic recording medium having magnetic layers of different magnetic characteristics, a test data generating section 10 incorporating a test data memory section 11 and the like outputs a write data which is transmitted, as a write signal, through a test data memory section 13 and written into a test data recording area of the magnetic recording medium. A test data read out section 14 reads out read data and write data which are then collated at a test data collating section 15 thus preventing such trouble as the data can not be rewritten because a magnetic head having mismatched magnetic characteristics is employed inadvertently.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention determines whether the characteristics of a magnetic recording medium inserted in a reader / writer device match those of a magnetic head mounted in the reader / writer device. The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium confirmation method for confirmation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A magnetic recording medium having a magnetic layer for magnetically recording data, and a reader / writer device for reading and writing data from the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium. In some information recording systems, a plurality of types of magnetic recording media having different magnetic properties of magnetic layers are used together.

In such an information recording system, it is necessary for the reader / writer device to read and write information by using a magnetic head having a magnetic characteristic that matches the magnetic characteristic of each magnetic recording medium. Information is read and written by checking the magnetic characteristics and selecting the magnetic head.

Conventionally, in such an information recording system, a user of the system himself / herself confirms the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic recording medium and selects an appropriate magnetic head to read / write information.

[0005]

However, when the user of the system selects the magnetic head by himself as described above, there is a risk that he or she may erroneously select an inappropriate magnetic head. When an inappropriate magnetic head is selected, for example, when a magnetic head for a magnetic layer having a low coercive force is selected for a magnetic recording medium having a magnetic layer having a high coercive force, information can be rewritten. There wasn't. Furthermore, there is a possibility that a prepaid card such as a telephone card may be used improperly such that the prepaid card is used many times without rewriting information.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems and provides a means for confirming whether or not the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic recording medium match the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic head before reading or writing information. To aim.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the magnetic recording medium confirmation method of the present invention is a magnetic recording medium having a magnetic layer for magnetically recording data, and the magnetic recording medium. The reader / writer device reads and writes data to and from the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium, and the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium has an information recording area for recording data according to the purpose of use and a predetermined test. And a test data recording area for recording data, wherein the reader / writer device records data in the test data recording area of the magnetic recording medium when the magnetic recording medium is inserted. A test data generating section for generating the test data, a test data recording section for recording the test data generated in the test data generating section in the test data recording area, and Test data in which the test data recording section reads the test data recorded in the test data recording area. And a test data collating unit for collating the read test data read by the test data reading unit with the test data generated by the test data generating unit. Characterize.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the test data generating section is
A test data storage unit that stores a plurality of types of test data;
The test data storage unit further comprises a data selection unit for selecting and generating any of the test data stored in the test data storage unit.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the test data reading section reads the test data recording area of the magnetic recording medium when the magnetic recording medium is inserted into the reader / writer device. A test in which the read data is sent to the test data generating section, and the data selecting section of the test data generating section is not recorded in the test data recording area according to the read data. It is characterized in that it is generated by selecting data.

In each of the above inventions, the test data recording section also serves as a magnetic recording section for recording data according to the purpose of use in the information recording area of the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium. The test data reading section also serves as a magnetic reading section for reading the data recorded in the information recording area according to the purpose of use.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the magnetic recording medium confirmation method according to the embodiment of the present invention, an example in which a magnetic card is used as the magnetic recording medium will be described. However, it goes without saying that the present embodiment can be applied to other magnetic recording media such as magnetic disks and magnetic tapes in the same manner.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a magnetic card used in this embodiment. On the magnetic layer 2 of the magnetic card 1 shown, an information recording area 20 for recording normal data according to the purpose of use
And a test data recording area 21 for recording predetermined test data
And are provided. The test data recording area 21 may be provided as a part of the information recording area 20.

FIG. 2 shows a structure for confirming the magnetic card 1 mounted on the reader / writer device of the magnetic card 1. As shown in the figure, the reader / writer device (not shown) used in this embodiment is provided with a test data generator 10 for generating predetermined test data to be recorded in the test data recording area 21 of the magnetic layer 2 of the magnetic card 1. , Test data generator 10
The test data (write data) generated in
The test data recording section 13 for magnetically recording in the test data recording area 21 and the test data (read data) obtained by reading the test data recorded in the test data recording area 21 by the reading section 14 by the test data generating section 10. A test data collating unit 15 that collates the generated write data is installed.

The test data generation section 10 is a test data storage section 1 which stores a plurality of types of test data as shown in the figure.
1 and a data selection unit 12 for selecting and transmitting predetermined test data from the test data storage unit 11 as required. The test data generator 10 does not necessarily have to have the configuration shown in the figure, and may send only a single piece of test data.

The test data recording section 13 and the test data reading section 14 are composed of a modulator, a magnetic head and the like. Further, it can also serve as an ordinary magnetic recording unit or magnetic reading unit used when recording or reading data according to the purpose of use of the magnetic card 1 in the information recording area 20 of the magnetic layer 2 of the magnetic card 1. ..

The test data collating section 15 collates the write data generated by the test data generating section 10 with the read data read by the test data reading section 14 and outputs the collation result. A magnetic head (not shown) that matches the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic layer 2 of the magnetic card 1 is selected based on the output collation result.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. When the magnetic card 1 of FIG. 1 described above is inserted into the reader / writer device having the configuration of FIG. 2 (step S1), first, the test data a already recorded from the test data recording area 21 of the magnetic card 1 is It is read by the test data reading unit 14 (step S2). Of course, when nothing is recorded in the test data recording area 21, no data is read.

Next, the data selection section 12 of the test data generation section 10 refers to the read test data a and refers to the test data stored in the test data storage section 11 and selects a test data b different from the test data a. Is selected (step S
3). Then, the selected test data b is transferred to the test data recording area 21 of the magnetic card 1 by the test data recording unit 13.
(Step S4).

After that, the test data b recorded in the test data recording area 21 is read by the test data reading section 14 (step S5). Then, the test data matching unit 15 matches the read data x with the write data b. When the two data match, the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic head and the magnetic layer 2 of the magnetic card 1 match, and it can be determined that information can be rewritten (step S7). Then, data processing is performed based on the information in the information recording area 20 of the magnetic card 1 (step S8).

On the other hand, when read data x write data b do not match (for example, read data x is test data a
(Equal to), the magnetic characteristic of the magnetic head does not match the magnetic characteristic of the magnetic layer 2 of the magnetic card 1, and it can be determined that information cannot be rewritten (step S9). And
Processing for other types of magnetic cards is performed (step S1).
0). Here, as the processing for the other type of card, there is a processing of replacing the magnetic head with another magnetic characteristic and restarting the operation from step S2, or discharging the magnetic card without performing data processing as it is.

As described above, when the test data is already recorded in the test data recording area 21, the test data different from the test data is selected, recorded, and collated to determine the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic layer 2 of the magnetic card 1. False positives can be prevented.

When the test data generator 10 is simplified to generate only a single test data, the reading of the test data a (step S2) is unnecessary. In this case, the erroneous recognition as described above can be prevented by previously erasing the test data before the collation inspection or by erasing the test data after the collation inspection.

[0023]

As described above, the magnetic recording medium confirmation method of the present invention surely determines whether or not the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium match the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic head of the reader / writer device. Since it can be confirmed, even in an information recording system that can use a plurality of types of magnetic recording media having different magnetic characteristics, data cannot be rewritten by mistake by using a magnetic head having different magnetic characteristics. The effect is that it can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a magnetic card 1 used in a magnetic recording medium confirmation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration for confirming magnetic characteristics of a magnetic layer of the magnetic card 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Magnetic Card 2 Magnetic Layer 10 Test Data Generation Section 11 Test Data Storage Section 12 Data Selection Section 13 Test Data Recording Section 14 Test Data Reading Section 15 Test Data Matching Section 20 Information Recording Area 21 Test Data Recording Area

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic recording medium having a magnetic layer for magnetically recording data, and a reader / writer device for reading and writing data from and to the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium. The magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium comprises an information recording area for recording data according to the purpose of use and a test data recording area for recording predetermined test data. The apparatus includes a test data generating section for generating predetermined test data to be recorded in a test data recording area of the magnetic recording medium when the magnetic recording medium is inserted, and a test data generating section. The test data generated in the
A test data recording section for recording in the data recording area, a test data reading section for reading the test data recorded in the test data recording area by the test data recording section, and the test data. A magnetic recording medium confirmation system characterized by comprising a test data collating unit for collating the read test data read by the data reading unit with the test data generated by the test data generating unit. .. 2. The test data generating section is one of a test data storage section storing a plurality of types of test data and a test data storage section stored in the test data storage section. 2. The magnetic recording medium confirmation system according to claim 1, further comprising a data selection unit that generates by selecting the. 3. The test data reading section reads the test data recording area of the magnetic recording medium when the magnetic recording medium is inserted into the reader / writer device to read the read data. To the test data generating section, and the data selecting section of the test data generating section reads the read data.
The test data not recorded in the test data recording area is selected and generated according to the data.
The magnetic recording medium confirmation method described in. 4. The test data recording section also serves as a magnetic recording section for recording data according to the purpose of use in the information recording area of the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium. 4. The magnetic recording medium confirmation system according to claim 1, wherein the reading section also serves as a magnetic reading section for reading data recorded in the information recording area according to a purpose of use.