AU9510901A - IC chip read-write device - Google Patents

Description

1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Amano Corporation Mr Yasushi Kawahara CULLEN CO Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street Brisbane QId 4000 Australian IC Chip Read-Write Device Name of Applicant Actual Inventor Address for Service: Invention Title: Details of Associated Basic Application JP 2001-012079 19 January 2001 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it, known to us: IC CHIP READ-WRITE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an IC chip read-write device which can advantageously be used for administration of entry into various types of facilities including a parking area as well as for control over payment of fee for the facilities.

PRIORART

As a system for control over entry into various types of facilities and payment of fee for the facilities, there have been a processing system using a S magnetic card, a processing system based on a non-contact system using an IC coin with an IC chip incorporated therein, and a processing system based on a non-contact system using a read-write IC tag.

eeeee PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION In the processing system using a magnetic card described above, a magnetic card made from paper or plastics is used as a medium for writing data therein, and a 0 magnetic head is contacted to magnetic stripes on this magnetic card to read data from or write data in the magnetic card, so that the card may be bent or damaged during use and magnetic data may disadvantageously be damaged or lost.

Therefore there have been the problems that the magnetic card can not be used many times repeatedly, and that, when a card inserted first is temporally reserved in the stand-by state and then a second card is inserted successively for a fee to be discounted, at most only one card can be reserved in the stand-by state, and it is mechanically impossible to further insert a plurality of card so that the fee is discounted more.

In the case of the non-contact processing system using the IC coin or an IC tag, as a IC coin or an IC tag with an IC chip incorporated therein is used, a quantity of data which can be controlled is substantially larger as compared to the case of processing system using a magnetic card and the system has excellent durability enabling its use for a long time because the system is based on a non-contact system, but the processing unit using the IC coin executes read/write operations for rotating and moving the IC coin from up to down, so that the unit is lengthy in the vertical 10 direction and the size is relatively large. In addition, there is also the problem that a technologically complicated structure is required to realize such operations as $0$oo temporally setting the coin in the stand-by state and then returning the IC coin in S the operating state and the production cost is disadvantageously high.

i .In a processing unit using the IC tag, as a belt conveyor is used therein as a transfer means, the structure is further complicated, and the processing speed is too low to enable a quick response to user's demands.

ooooo Therefore, it is a technological object of the present invention to provide an IC chip read-write device which uses, in place of a paper card or a plastic card, an IC chip capable of reading and writing data therefrom or therein and having a solid structure, and also which have various functions such as receiving therein an IC chip, reading and writing data therefrom or therein, setting the IC chip in the stand-by state, and recovering the IC chip installed in a compact form and also enables down sizing of the device as a whole and a quick response to executed operations demanded by users.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS To solve the technological problem described above, the present invention provides, as described in claim 1, an IC chip read-write device for reading or writing various types of information including time data from or into a non-contact IC chip loaded into the device and also for sending back the IC chip having finished the read or write step to outside of the device or recovering it into the device the IC chip, and the IC chip read-write device comprises a distribution disk having at least two accommodation chambers each for accommodating therein a non-contact IC chip loaded into the device and turned by a motor in the regular or reverse peripheral 0. 10 direction to transfer the IC chip accommodated in the accommodation chamber to a required position; a non-contact read-write section positioned on an orbit on ooooo which the distribution disk is turned and communicating the IC chip accommodated in the accommodation chamber in a non-contact mode to read or write various types of information from or into the IC chip; a discharge means for discharging the IC chip accommodated in an accommodation chamber of the distribution disk to outside of the device; and a recovery means for recovering the l3 IC chip accommodated in said accommodation chamber into the device.

In the present invention, as described in claim 2, a distribution disk having at least two accommodation chambers is provided on a receiving plate provided in said device so that the disk can be turned in the regular or reverse direction, and a position for receiving an IC chip, an access position for reading or writing various types of information from or into the IC chip in a non-contact mode, a stand-by position for making the IC-chip stand-by for a certain period of time, a discharge position for discharging the IC chip to outside of the device, and a recovery position for recovering the IC chip into inside of the device are provided on a orbit on which the distribution disk is turned so that the motor locates the IC chip in the accommodation chamber at any of the positions described above by turning or without turning the distribution disk according to contents to be read from or written in the IC chip.

In the present invention, as described in claim 3, the distribution disk is provided in the inclined state with the accommodation chambers oriented in the diagonally upward direction; a guide path is provided for distributing an IC chip along an upper surface of this inclined distribution disk to a position for receiving the distribution disk; and a chip stopper capable of temporally locking an IC chip :10 distributed to the guide path and sending out the locked IC chip in response to a request for issue to the receiving position is provided on this guide path.

In the present invention, as described in claim 4, a position for receiving an o IC chip, a position for accessing the IC chip, and a discharge position for discharging the IC chip to outside of the device are provided at the same position on a orbit on which said distribution disk is turned; a portion of a receiving plate "i constituting a bottom plate of each accommodation chamber of the distribution disk corresponding to the above-described positions respectively is opened; a discharge S. gate capable of discharging the IC chip in the accommodation chamber to outside of the device so that the discharge gate can freely be opened or closed; and further a read-write section based on a non-contact system is provided in said discharge gate.

In the present invention, as described in claim 5, two guide ports for distributing an IC chip therefrom are provided to the position for receiving the distribution disk; of these two guide ports, one guide port with a guide path having a chip stopper communicated thereto is used for distributing a new IC chip; and the other guide port is used for receiving an IC chip loaded from outside of the device.

In the present invention, as described in claim 6, a plurality of read marks are provided with a prespecified space between adjoining two ones along the periphery of said distribution disk; and a positioning sensor for detecting a position of the distribution disk by reading the read marks above is provided in the device on which the distribution disk is rotatably set.

In the present invention, as described in claim 7, chip injection sensors each capable of detecting a loaded IC chip are provided on the IC chip guide path communicated to either one of the guide ports and on the other guide port respectively.

:o In the present invention, as described in claim 8, only one guide port fro distributing an IC chip therefrom is provided to the position for receiving said distribution disk; and this one guide port is also used for receiving both a new IC chip and an IC chip loaded from outside of the device.

With the means described in above, when an IC chip is accommodated in an accommodation chamber of the distribution disk, a motor turns the distribution i disk, which makes it possible to read or write data from or into a memory in the IC chip and also to discharge and recover the IC chip, and a non-contact read-write section for reading or writing data, a discharge means for discharging an IC chip, and a recovery means for recovering the IC chip can be provided in a compact form on an orbit on which the distribution disk is turned, and therefore down sizing of the entire device and quick responses in processing are made possible, and the durability enabling repeated use of the IC chip having a solid structure is enabled.

With the means described in above, when an IC chip is loaded, data read/write is performed to the IC chip memory at a prespecified position with the distribution disk turned according to contents of the read or written data, which in turns moves the IC chip accommodated in the accommodation chamber to any of the discharge, recovery, and stand-by positions to execute required processing.

Especially the distribution disk is capable of stand-by processing for positioning the IC chip in the accommodation chamber at the stand-by position, so that, for instance, after an IC chip for entry is injected at first, one or more sheets of IC chips for services can successively be injected to execute the fee processing such as that for discounted service, and further by turning the distribution disk in the regular or reverse direction, a plurality of sheets of IC chips for service (the number is practically infinite) can be injected successively while the IC chip for entry is held in 10 the stand-by state, and the injected IC chips for service can be read or recovered one by one, so that fee computing and processing can be performed in response to various situations, and further as the distribution disk can be turned in the regular or reverse direction, the time required for moving an IC chip accommodated in each chip can be minimized to realize a faster processing speed.

With the means described in above, as the distribution disk is installed in the inclined state, when an IC chip is injected, the IC chip never stands at the upright posture inside the accommodation chamber, which enables storage of the IC S" chip under stable conditions, and further a mechanism for turning this distribution disk or a guide path structure for distributing an IC chip into an accommodation chamber can relatively easily be constructed, and in addition, IC chips to be injected from the guide path into the accommodation chamber can accurately be injected one by one because of the temporally stopping effect by the chip stopper, which can prevent a malfunction caused when a plurality of IC chips are simultaneously injected into one accommodation chamber.

With the means described in above, a bottom section of a receiving section for receiving an IC chip therein can freely be opened or closed to receive an IC chip therein or discharge an IC chip to outside of the device, and further as a function for reading or writing data from or into the IC chip is provided in this receiving section, so that various types of processing such as checking an injected chip and reading or writing data from or into the IC chip and discharging the IC chip to outside of the device can be performed quickly.

With the means described in above, two guide ports for guiding injection of an IC chip are provided, and one of the guide ports is used for issuing a new IC chip, and the other one is used for receiving an IC chip injected from outside of the device, so that the structure is very simple, and the device can be used as a machine for issuing IC chips for parking in a parking area or machine for settling payment of 0$o.oi a parking fee in which IC chips for services may be used, thus response to various applications being enabled.

With the means described in above, turning of the distribution disk by a ••go motor in the regular or reverse direction is controlled by reading a read mark i provided on the distribution disk with a positioning sensor to accurately move an IC chip accommodated in each accommodation chamber to a required position.

*"With the means described in above, new IC chips injected from one of the guide ports and IC chips from outside of the device injected from the other guide port are detected by a chip injection sensor respectively, so that the number of injected IC chips can be counted or the timing for IC chip injection can be controlled.

With the means described in above, one guide port is used for both injecting new IC chips and injecting IC chips from outside of the device, so that the entire device can further be simplified.

As described above, with the means to described above, it is possible to achieve the technological object and to overcome the problems in the conventional technology.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an IC chip read-write device according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a flat view showing the same; Fig. 3 is a flat view showing a key section of the same; 1.0 Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a key section of the same; Figs. 5A, 5B, 5C are explanatory views showing a sequence of operations for receiving, reading data from, and recovering an IC chip in association with turning of the distribution disk; Figs. 6A, 6B, and 6C are explanatory views showing a sequence of operations for receiving, reading data from, and discharging an IC chip in another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D are explanatory views showing a sequence of operations for receiving, reading data from, and recovering an IC chip in still another embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing electrical configuration of the present invention.

(Description of Signs) MC, SC: IC chip 1: Read-write device 1A: Receiving plate 3: Guide path 4,9: Chip injection sensor Chip stopper 6: Feeder solenoid 7: First guide port 8: Second guide port Distribution guide loM: Read mark loA: Accommodation chamber 11: Stepping motor 12: Issue/return solenoid 14: Discharge gate Read-write section 16: Positioning sensor 17: Recovery port Guide port DR: Receiving position

EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the IC chip read-write device according to the present invention are described below with reference to the related drawings. Fig. i is a side cross-sectional view showing general configuration of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flat view showing the same, Fig. 3 is a flat view showing a key section of the present invention, Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the same, and the read-write device generically indicated by the reference numeral 1 in these figures has the configuration, in which a distribution disk 1o having a plurality of accommodation chambers loA is rotatably attached onto a receiving plate 1A installed above a base 1K in the diagonally and downwardly inclined posture, and by transferring an new IC chip MC injected into any of the accommodation chambers loA or an IC chip SC loaded from outside of the device to any of the access position, stand-by position, discharge position, and recovery position provided on an orbit of the distribution disk lowith a stepping motor 11, such operations as reading or writing various types of data from or into a memory of each IC chip MC or SC (IC chip) in a non-contact form, setting each of these IC chips MC or SC in the stand-by state, discharging the IC chip to outside of the device, or recovering the IC chip into the device 1 are performed.

Further in the figures, designated at the reference numerals 2, 2 are left and right frame plates attached to an upper surface of the receiving plate 1A so that the $ooo frame plates span over an upper surface of the distribution disk lo, and at the I reference numeral 3 is a guide path formed between the left and right frame plates 2, 99*99* 2 for a new IC chip MC, and a tip side (lower edge side) of this guide path 3 formed with a slide plate 3A and a shooter cover 3B provided in parallel to each S.i other is communicated via a lower slide plate 3C linked to the slide plate 3A to a first guide port 7 formed between the left and right plates 2, 2 with two sheets of guide plates 7A, 7B for injecting a new IC chip MC sent via the guide path 3 to the accommodation chamber loA of the distribution disk 1o located at the receiving position indicated by the sign DR in Fig. 3.

Further in this figure, designated at the reference numeral 4 is an injection sensor provided in said guide path 3 for detecting an IC chip, at 5 an open/close lever rotatably attached with an attachment shaft 5C to a notched section 3D provided in the lower slide plate 3C, at 6 a feeder solenoid capable of switching positions of the open/close lever 5 between the lock position indicated by a solid line in Fig. 1 and a release position indicated by a virtual line in the figure when a tip section 6A of a plunger is connected to a lower edge section of this open/close lever and normally the open/close lever 5 is set at the lock position indicated by a solid line in Fig. 1 with the chip stopper 5A locking movement of the IC chip MC, but when the feeder solenoid 6 is turned ON and the open/close lever 5 is turned to the position indicated by the virtual line, the chip stopper 5A is pulled from on the lower the lower slide plate 3C, which in turn makes it possible for the IC chip MC to drop (inject) into the first guide port 7.

The reference numeral 8 indicates a second guide port comprising one of the guide plates 7A each constituting the first guide port 7 and a bottom guide plate 8A, and an IC chip SC fed in from outside of the device 1 is injected into this second s-'15 guide port 8 provided below the first guide port 7 in parallel to the first guide port 7, and the IC chip is further injected into the accommodation chamber loA of the S distribution disk 1O positioned at the receiving position DR. The reference numeral 9 indicates an injection sensor counting a number of injected IC chips SC S by protruding an actuator 9A onto a path for the second guide port 8, and the sign 1C indicates a mount bracket for fixing the left and right frame plates 2, 2 to a base 1K.

The distribution disk 10 mounted on the receiving plate iA inclining downward is attached thereto diagonally along the receiving plate 1A, and this receiving plate 1A functions as a bottom plate of each accommodation chamber loA and makes it possible to accommodate IC chips MC or SC injected from the guide ports 7, 8 in the accommodation chambers 1oA, and the receiving plate 1A is notched in the position of the receiving position DR as well as in the section of a recovery port 17 shown at the upper right position in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1, Fig. 3, and Fig. 4, designated at the reference numeral A' is a notched port formed at the position corresponding to the receiving position DR on the receiving plate 1A, at 14 a discharge gate based on a flapper structure and opening or closing the notched port 1A' from the bottom face side, at 13A a rotation shaft for rotatably attaching a vane edge section 13 of the discharge gate 14 to the base 1K, at 12 an issue/ return solenoid for opening and closing the discharge gate 0 o 14 by connecting a tip side of the plunger 12A to a lower edge of the vane edge *e S-section 13, at 15 a read-write section, and various types of data is read or written from or into an IC chip MC or SC accommodated in the accommodation chamber IoA of the distribution disk 10 positioned at the receiving position DR by the S read-write section 15 at the position corresponding to this receiving position DR in the non-contact mode.

Therefore, in the present invention, the IC chip receiving position DR also functions as an access position for reading or writing data therefrom or thereto and a discharge position where the discharge gate 14 is opened and the IC chip is o a discharged to outside of the device, and this configuration enables realization of a compact structure of the device as a whole. Further in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the positions opposite to the left and right accommodation chambers loA, 1oA are stand-by positions where an IC chip MC or SC is set in the stand-by state, and the upper right position corresponding to the recovery port 17 functions as a recovery position for recovering the IC chip MC or SC through a shooter 17S shown in Fig. 4 to inside of the device i.

In Fig. 3, the reference number loM indicates read marks provided on a peripheral surface of the distribution disk lo to transfer an IC chip MC or SC accommodated in each accommodation chamber loA to each of the positions described above, and operations of the stepping motor 11 turning the distribution disk lo are controlled by reading the read marks loM with the positioning sensor 16 mounted on the upper side section of the receiving plate 1A.

In Fig. 1, designated at the reference numeral n1A is a rotation shaft of the distribution disk lO, at loS a central attachment section of the distribution disk lO with the rotation shaft 11A attached thereto, at 1B a frame plate provided on the .1 :0 base 1K for mounting thereon the rotation shaft 1A, stepping motor 11, and S issue/return solenoid 12, and at iB' a bracket rotatably supporting the rotation shaft 13A of the discharge gate 14, and the bracket is connected to the frame lB. The space L shown in Fig. 4 is used, when a small matter such as a small coin other than the specified IC chip MC or SC is injected for mischief or by mistake, to discharge the coin.

•With the configuration according to the present invention as described above, a new IC chip MC injected from the first guide port 7 via the guide path 3 to the accommodation chamber loA of the distribution disk lO positioned at the receiving position as shown in Fig. 5A is determined whether the IC chip MC is a regular one or not by reading IC data therefrom with the read-write section provided at a bottom surface of the discharge gate 14, and when it is determined that the IC chip is a regular one, the necessary data is written therein and a drive signal is sent to the issue/return solenoid 12, and the discharge gate 14 is opened downward to issue the IC chip MC with necessary data (such as time data) written therein to outside of the device 1. When it is determined that the IC chip is not a regular one, a drive signal is sent to the stepping motor 11 to turn the distribution disk lO by 3/8 in the counterclockwise in Fig. 5A, and the IC chip MC having been determined as an irregular one is dropped into a recovery port 17 and recovered into the device 1.

Also when the IC chip MC issued as described above is injected from outside of the device 1 through the second guide port 8 into the accommodation chamber loA at the receiving position DR as shown in Fig. 5A, determination is made as to whether the injection IC chip is a regular one or not, and when it is determined that the IC chip is an irregular one, the discharge gate 14 is opened and the IC chip MC 0..10 having been determined as an irregular one is sent to outside of the device 1.

00 0 When it is determined that the injected coin MC is a regular one, such data as a charge computed based on the data read out from the IC chip is displayed on a t:o display section (now shown in the figure) provided outside the device 1, then the distribution disk 10 is turned clockwise by go90 degrees as shown in Fig. 5B to set the 15 IC chip MC having been determined as a regular one in the stand-by state at the 9 stand-by position with the device set in the state ready for acceptance of other IC -o000 chip SC (such as a service chip) into the accommodation chamber loA positioned at the receiving position DR.

o• When no other IC chip SC is injected, the distribution disk lO is returned to the home position, and the read-write section 15 executes the ticket invalidation processing to the IC chip MC with the distribution disk lo turned by 3/8 in the counterclockwise direction, and the IC chip MC having been subjected to the ticket invalidation processing is dropped into the recovery port 17 for recovery, but when other IC chip SC is injected and accommodated into the accommodation chamber 1oA at the receiving position DR, data is read by the read-write section 15 from the injected IC chip SC and the data is sent to a computing section. If the data is discount data, a new charge reflecting the discount rate is computed and the charge is displayed on the display section.

The other IC chip SC, from which data has been read out as described above, is immediately subjected to the ticket invalidation processing by the read-write section 15 with the distribution disk lO turned by 3/8 in the counterclockwise as shown in Fig. 5C, and the IC chip SC having been subjected to the ticket invalidation processing is dropped into the recovery port 17 for recovery, and also the IC chip MC injected first is subjected to the ticket invalidation processing. Then the distribution disk lo is turned in the counterclockwise direction like in the case of the a IC chip SC, and the IC chip MC is dropped into the recovery port 17 for recovery.

*.00.0 When two or more other IC chips SC (service chip) are used, the discount ~rate can further is increased by repeating the operations shown in Fig. 5Band Fig.

5 Although any of the devices according to the present invention shown in Fig.

1 through Fig. 5 has two IC chip guide ports 7, 8, the devices shown in Fig. 6 and Fig.

0 7 have the configuration in which a guide port 20 is used for all of such operations S. as issuing a new IC chip MC, injecting the used IC chip MC, and injecting other IC chips SC for services, and Fig. 6A, Fig. 6B, and Fig. 6C shows a sequence of operations for receiving a new IC chip MC, reading and writing data from and into the IC chip, and discharging the IC chip MC with new data written therein, and in these figures, the sign DX indicates a receiving position, DY indicates a position for access by the read-write section 15, and DZ indicates a discharge position, and further a position of the accommodation chamber loA in the right side of the figures is a recovery position where the recovery port 17 (Refer to Fig. 7) is opened.

Fig. 7 is an explanatory view showing a sequence of processing when, in addition to the issued IC chip MC described above, one or two IC chips SC for service are injected in the device having one guide port 20, and Fg. 7A shows the situation in which an IC chip SC for service is injected in succession to the used IC chip MC, while Fig. 7B shows the situation where the second service chip SC is injected. Further Fig. 7C shows the situation where the distribution disk lO is turned by 270 degrees in the counterclockwise from the state shown in Fig. 7A and the used IC chip MC having been subjected to the data read processing and ticket invalidation processing and is dropped into the recovery port 17 for recovery, and at o10 this point of time, data has been read from the two IC chips SC for service, and the

OS

06 0° charge computed and displayed in the state shown in Fig. 7A is discounted *se*: a.000 according to the data, and the discounted data is displayed in the display section 00 s. anew.

Further Fig. 7D shows the situation where two IC chips for service SC, SC %00 15 having been subjected to the data read processing and ticket invalidation processing 000.: are successively dropped into the recovery port 17 for recovery in association with 0 turn of the distribution disk lo in the counterclockwise, and the discount rate can be o0 0 0 made larger by successively injecting the service IC chips SC as described in the O oo embodiments described in relation to Figs 1 to 5 above.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing electrical configuration of the IC chip read-write device according to the present invention described above, and the feeder solenoid 6, read-write section 15, issue/return solenoid 12, two chip injection sensors 4, 9, stepping motor 11, and positioning sensor 16 each described above are connected to an interface 28 connecting the CPU 25 playing a central role in the control section via a bus 27 to a memory 26 storing a system program therein respectively, and each of the above-described operations is performed under control by the CPU 25 following the system program stored in the memory 26.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTIONS As described above, with the IC chip read-write device according to the present invention, an injected IC chip is accommodated in an accommodation chamber of a distribution disk, and such operations as reading and writing data from and into the IC chip, writing data into and issuing the IC chip, temporally setting the IC chip in the stand-by state, subjecting a used IC chip or an irregular IC chip to the ticket invalidation processing and recovering the CI chip into a recovery S port can be performed while this distribution disk is turning, and therefore the o• general structure of the device can be made more compact and simple as compared 0 to the conventional type of device in which the operations described above are $oo: performed while moving an IC coin downward or carrying an IC tag with a conveyor, .0 .15 and in addition time required for the processing is substantially reduced, so that the device according to the present invention is well adapted, in association with use of 0oo00: IC chips which can repeatedly be used, to use for control and management of a parking area or similar facilities.

Claims (8)

1. An IC chip read-write device for reading or writing various types of information including time data from or into a non-contact IC chip loaded into the device and also for sending back to outside of the device or recovering into the device the IC chip having finished the read or write step, said IC chip read-write device comprising: a distribution disk having at least two accommodation chambers each for accommodating therein a non-contact IC chip loaded into the device and turned by a motor in the regular or reverse peripheral direction to transfer the IC chip accommodated in the accommodation chamber to a required position; a non-contact read-write section positioned on an orbit on which the distribution disk is turned and communicating the IC chip accommodated in the accommodation chamber in a non-contact mode to read or write various types of information from or into the IC chip; 5 a discharge means for discharging the IC chip accommodated in an accommodation chamber of the distribution disk to outside of the device; and ooooo a recovery means for recovering the IC chip accommodated in said accommodation chamber into the device.

2. The IC chip read-write device according to claim 1, wherein a distribution disk having at least two accommodation chambers is provided on a receiving plate provided in said device so that the disk can be turned in the regular or reverse direction, and a position for receiving an IC chip, an access position for reading or writing various types of information from or into the IC chip in a non-contact mode, a stand-by position for making the IC-chip stand-by for a certain period of time, a 18 discharge position for discharging the IC chip to outside of the device, and a recovery position for recovering the IC chip into inside of the device are provided on a orbit on which the distribution disk is turned so that the IC chip in the accommodation chamber is positioned at any of the positions described above by turning or without turning the distribution disk by the motor according to contents to be read from or written in the IC chip.

3. The IC chip read-write device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said distribution disk is provided in the inclined state with the accommodation chambers oriented in the diagonally upward direction; a guide path is provided for *ee.e distributing an IC chip along an upper surface of this inclined distribution disk to a position for receiving the distribution disk; and a chip stopper capable of temporally S locking an IC chip distributed to the guide path and sending out the locked IC chip in response to a request for issue to the receiving position is provided on this guide eeeee path. :i

4. The IC chip read-write device according to claim 2, wherein a position for receiving an IC chip, a position for accessing the IC chip, and a discharge position for discharging the IC chip to outside of the device are provided at the same position on a orbit on which said distribution disk is turned; a portion of a receiving plate constituting a bottom plate of each accommodation chamber of the distribution disk corresponding to the above-described positions respectively is opened; a discharge gate capable of discharging the IC chip in the accommodation chamber to outside of the device is provided at this opening section so that the discharge gate can freely be opened or closed; and further a read-write section based on a non-contact system is provided in said discharge gate.

The IC chip read-write device according to claim 3, wherein two guide ports for distributing an IC chip therefrom are provided to the position for receiving the distribution disk; of these two guide ports, one guide port with a guide path having a chip stopper communicated thereto is used for distributing a new IC chip; and the other guide port is used for receiving an IC chip loaded from outside of the device.

6. The IC chip read-write device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and wherein a plurality of read marks are provided with a prespecified space between adjoining two ones along the periphery of said distribution disk; and a positioning sensor for detecting a position of the distribution disk by reading the read marks above is provided in the device on which the distribution disk is rotatably set. $o

7. An IC-chip read-write device according to claim 5, wherein chip injection sensors each capable of detecting a loaded IC chip are provided on the IC chip guide 000o0 path communicated to either one of the guide ports and on the other guide port respectively.

8. An IC chip read-write device according to any one of claims 1,2,3,4, and 6, wherein only one guide port for distributing an IC chip therefrom is provided to the position for receiving said distribution disk; and this one guide port is also used for receiving both a new IC chip and an IC chip loaded from outside of the device. DATED this 2 8 th Day of November 2001 Amano Corporation By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO