FR2638265A1 - Information medium and system for managing such media - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a memory card which has the external shape of an ISO-type electronic memory card, but includes a magnetic-type memory module. The module comprises magnetic cores T, which can take a "written" state when an appropriate voltage is applied via the conductors 72 to 82 between the terminal 0 and a terminal 2 to 7 of the card. Reading is done by applying a voltage to the conductor 70 and by detecting a signal peak on the conductors 72 to 82.

Description

INFORMATION MEDIUM AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
SUCH MEDIA
The present invention relates to information carriers, in particular memory cards, and a system for managing such information carriers.

Electronic memory cards are well known now. They essentially comprise a semiconductor patch in which an integrated circuit is produced, the patch being fixed in a card body made of plastic material.

For the simplest uses of the card, for example for the payment of telephone charges, the integrated circuit essentially consists of a non-volatile memory, a memory point of which is "burned out" each time a unit of telephone charge must be acquitted.

Such cards are much more secure than magnetic stripe cards since the "toasting" of a memory point is irreversible while it is possible to falsify the data recorded on a magnetic stripe by reading the latter. However, compared to magnetic cards, they have the drawback of being of a significantly higher cost, this cost being very largely linked to that of the integrated circuit which they contain. This additional cost may appear all the more difficult & accept that the fiduciary value contained in the card is low and that the card cannot be recharged.

In addition, a card service delivery system also includes processing devices into which the card is inserted and which authorize or not the provision of the service to the user holding a card. These are, for example, public telephone sets activated by the introduction of a card. These devices include a card reading and writing device which is an integral part of the machine which delivers the service. These devices can be quite expensive.

When a company wants to set up a complete system for providing services with electronic memory cards, it must therefore bear the cost of acquiring and setting up the machines for providing services, but also those relating to the purchase of a large number of memory cards to put them into circulation. However, it is not certain, when such a system is implemented in a new region or in a new country, that it will be accepted by users.

It would therefore be interesting to be able to offer companies that want to set up a system for providing card services, a system in which cards would have a manufacturing cost very significantly lower than that of current electronic memory cards but in which cards would have exactly the external appearance and external characteristics of real electronic memory cards in order to be able to be used in card processing devices identical or substantially identical to those which use real electronic memory cards.

An object of the invention is to provide information carriers and a card management system which meet the conditions set out above.

To achieve this object, the invention relates to an information medium comprising a card body having a flat main face and in said main face n external electrical contact pads characterized in that it has the external appearance of a card å electronic memory and in that it comprises at least n - 2 bistable magnetic elements having a first binary state or a second binary state and n - 1 electrical conductors, each electrical conductor being mounted between two of said external contact pads, each electrical conductor passing near at least one magnetic element so that, when a suitable electrical signal is applied to at least one electrical conductor, the binary state of the magnetic element in the vicinity of which the electrical conductor or conductors is modified. Preferably the information carrier comprises p x q bistable magnetic elements with p + q = n - 1.

According to a first embodiment, the information carrier is characterized in that the pxq magnetic elements are arranged in p rows and q columns, in that each conductive element is mounted between a common external contact pad and another of said external pads , and in that each conductive element passes close to the magnetic elements arranged in the same line or close to the magnetic elements arranged in the same column.

In this first case, the information carrier management system is characterized in that it comprises at least one device for processing information carriers comprising a processing assembly and a connection assembly & n electrical contacts for establishing a connection. electric between said processing assembly and said external contact pads when said support is in the processing position, said processing assembly comprising a) for reading information stored in said support,
means for successively applying to
conductors associated with the lines an amplitude signal I
able to switch the first binary state
magnetic elements that were in the second state
binary and means to detect simultaneously with
the application of said signal in each conductor
associated with a column the possible appearance of a
electrical signal resulting from the passage of the element
corresponding magnetic of said second binary state
said first, and b) to write information in said medium of the
means for applying an electrical amplitude signal
I / 2 to the conductors associated with the line (s) and the (x)
column (s) passing respectively near the
magnetic elements to swing from the first state
binary to the second binary state, the electrical signal
of amplitude I being able to cause said tilting
whereas the electrical signal of amplitude I / 2 is not
not able & cause said tilting.

According to a second embodiment, the information carrier is characterized in that p = 1 and q = n - 2, in that each of the n - 1 conductors is mounted between a common external contact pad and one of the other pads of external contact, one of the so-called reading conductive elements passing close to the pxq magnetic elements, the n - 2 other so-called write conductors each passing near one of the magnetic elements. In other words, the matrix is reduced to a line of magnetic elements.

In this case, the information carrier management system is characterized in that it comprises at least one device for processing information carriers comprising a processing assembly and a connection assembly with n electrical contacts for establishing a connection. electric between each external contact pad of a support and said processing assembly when said support is in the processing position, said processing assembly comprising a) for reading information stored in the support,
means for applying to the external contact pads
associated with the reading conductor an electrical signal
able & pass the magnetic elements in the
second binary state to the first binary state, and
means for detecting between the contact pads
external associated with other conductors the onset
of an electrical signal resulting from the passage of
the corresponding magnetic element of the second state
binary to the first binary state, and b) for writing information in said medium
of information, means for applying to the ranges of
external contact associated with magnetic elements which
have to take the second binary state a signal
electric capable of passing the magnetic elements
correspondents of said first state to said second state.

In any case, the invention will be better understood on reading the following description of several embodiments of the invention given by way of non-limiting examples. The description refers to the attached drawing in which
- Figure l is a top view of a support
information according to the invention
- Figure 2 shows in vertical section the structure
general of a device for processing information carriers
- Figure 3 is a partial top view of the
Figure 2 processing device
- Figure 4 shows the electrical circuit of a first
embodiment of the information carrier
- Figure 5 shows the main circuits of a
treatment set usable with a support
information according to Figure 4 ;;
- Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the circuit
Figure 5 processing
- Figure 7 shows the electrical circuit of a
second embodiment of the support
of information
- Figure 8 shows the main circuits of a
treatment set usable with a support
information according to figure 7.

- Figure 9 shows an embodiment of the circuit
Figure 4;
- Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view along the
line X - X in Figure 9; and
- The figure is a view similar to that of the
Figure 10 showing an alternative embodiment of
the magnetic element of figure 10.

FIG. 1 shows an information medium (subsequently called a card) according to the invention. The card comprises a body 10 of plastic material (PVC or ABS for example) of generally rectangular parallelepipedal shape having two main faces: the face 12, visible in FIG. 1; and the side 14 not visible. The card body can also be made of polyester or paper. In the face 12 are disposed external electrical contact pads 16 & 30 which are connected to an electrical circuit mounted inside the card. These external areas are intended, when the card is inserted into a card reader, to allow the establishment of an electrical connection between the circuit of the card and the processing circuit of the card reader.

According to the invention, the shape of the card body as well as the dimensions and positions of the external areas 16 & 30 are exactly identical to those of the corresponding elements of an electronic memory card. In other words, externally, the card according to the invention is identical to a real electronic memory card. In the specific case of France, electronic memory cards must comply with either the ISO standard or the standard
AFNOR. These standards define in particular the dimensions of the card body, the dimensions of the outer areas 16 & 30 and their position relative to the edges 32 and 34 of the card body. If the card according to the invention is intended to be used in France, it therefore complies with one of these two standards. However, the thickness of the card body is not a critical parameter for the use of a card in a reader conforms to the above standards. The thickness of the body of a card according to the invention may therefore, on this point, deviate from the standard. The only constraint from this point of view being that the card can be processed in a standard card reader.

Before describing several embodiments of the electrical circuit of the card, we will describe a card processing device (hereinafter called card reader) usable with cards according to the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 show the general organization of such a reader which is identical to that of an electronic memory card reader. I1 comprises a slot 40 for introducing the card 10 which is extended by a guide passage 42 of the card. The corridor 42 is limited by a floor 44 and by side walls not shown. Inside the corridor 42 is mounted a connector 46. The connector 46 essentially comprises an insulating support 48 on which flexible conductive blades 50 & 64 are fixed. The number of blades is equal to the number of external areas of the card c ' is to say eight in the example described.

The card is brought into the treatment position either manually or by a drive system represented in FIG. 2 by a roller 66. When the card is in the treatment position, each external pad 16 to 30 of the card 10 is in contact electric with one of the conductive blades. In corridor 42 there is also mounted a card presence detector 68 which delivers a signal when the card has arrived in the processing position. The eight flexible blades 50 to 64 and the detector 68 are connected to a processing circuit 70 by electrical connections.

The processing circuit 70 comprises parts already existing in the readers of electronic memory cards and specific parts which will be described in connection with FIG. 4.

In addition, as the reader must be able to process standard cards and cards according to the invention, the latter can be provided on the face 12 of their body with a magnetic or optical mark. The reader is provided with a suitable detector 71 which triggers the specific process when a card according to the invention is inserted into the reader.

In FIG. 4, for simplification, the conductors coming from the conductive blades 50 9 64 have been identified by the numbers 1 to 8, these conductive blades themselves being in electrical contact with the external pads 16 & 30 when the card is in position of reading.

As already indicated, according to the invention, the storage circuit installed in the card body and connected to the external pads 16 to 30 is not produced in a semiconductor chip, but they are elements bistable magnets connected by electrical conductors. Each magnetic element forming a memory point can take two stable states of magnetization, the passage from one to the other being controlled by the application of an electric current in conductors arranged & near magnetic elements whose intensity is sufficient and the sign of which is suitable.

Figure 4 shows a first arrangement of the magnetic elements. Each element consists of a torus made of magnetic material. There are six which are referenced T1 to T6. To simplify the description, reference has been made to O & 7 the eight external electrical contact areas of the card. Tracks O and 1 are connected to an electrical conductor 70 which passes inside the six toroids T1à
T6. The conductor 70 is said to be "read conductor".

Each range 2 to 7 is connected by a conductor 72 & 82 to terminal 0. Each conductor 72 to 82 passes inside one of the toroids T1 9 T6. The conductors 72 & 82 are called "write conductors". If we admit that all the toroids T1 to T6 have the magnetization state corresponding to the binary value O, to write information, we apply a current + I & that or those of the conductors 72 to 82 which is or are associated with the toroids having to pass to the binary state 1. The state of magnetization of the corresponding toroids passes to the state of magnetization corresponding to the value 1, the other toroids remaining in their initial state. To read information already entered, a current of intensity - I is passed through the conductor 70.

This current switches the toroids which are in state 1, from state 1 to state 0, while the toroids which are in state
O are not changed. At the same time, on the write conductors 72 to 82, the possible appearance of a voltage peak resulting from the tilting of the magnetic core from state 1 to state 0 is detected. This is deduced as well as the cores associated with of the conductors on which a current pulse was detected were in binary state 1 while the others were in binary state 0. We can thus read the information which was previously recorded, each torus being associated with a binary weight of information. Of course the reading destroys the information since, after this reading, all the toroids find themselves in the state of magnetization associated with the binary value 0. With such a memory one can write all the information from O to 63.

Figures 5 and 6 show the circuits of a reader for processing cards comprising the memory circuit of Figure 3. In these figures we have shown only the specific elements corresponding to the particular type of memory. In FIG. 5, the electrical contacts coming into contact with the external areas of the card bearing the same references have been referenced from O to 7.

The reader comprises a control circuit 90 whose outputs 92 and 94 are connected respectively to the control inputs 96 and 98 of current generators 100 and 102. The generator 100 is connected to contacts 0 and 1 and delivers the reading current - I The generator 102 delivers the write current + I between its terminals 1020 and 102i.

Each contact 2 to 7 of the reader is connected to a transfer circuit. The transfer circuits are respectively referenced 104 to 114. They are all identical. The circuit 104 will therefore only be described in detail. This comprises a switch 116, an input-output 118 of which is connected to the contact 2. The circuit 104 also includes a sense amplifier 120, the input of which is connected to the terminal 122 of the switch 116. A third terminal 124 of the switch is connected to the output 1021 of the current generator 102. The switch 116 also includes a control input 126 which makes it possible, according to the value of the control signal applied to it, to isolate terminal 118 of the other terminals, to connect terminal 118 & terminal 124 for writing, or to connect terminal 118 to terminal 122 for reading. Each control input 126 of the transfer circuits 104 to 114 is connected to a corresponding output 1302 to 1307 of the control circuit 90.

The output of each sense amplifier 120 of the transfer circuits 104 & 114 is connected to a corresponding input 1322 & 1327 of a processing circuit 134. The output 136 of the processing circuit 134 is connected to an input 138 of the control circuit 90. Finally, the control circuit 90 has an input 140 on which it can receive information coming from the outside.

FIG. 6 shows in more detail the control circuit 90. It comprises a microprocessor 142 which is connected to the inputs / outputs 92, 94, 138 and 140 of the control circuit 90. It also comprises a program memory 144, for example of the ROM type, and a working memory 146, for example of the RAM type. Finally, it includes a demultiplexer 148 for sending the control signals of the transfer circuits 104 to 114 to the appropriate output or outputs 1302 to 1307.

We will now describe the operation of the reader of FIG. 5 or at least of its part which is specific to the type of cards according to the invention. When a card is inserted into the reader, the microprocessor 142 of the control circuit 90 initializes a reading phase. For this, it controls the current generator 100 and it controls, by its outputs 1302 and 1307, the transfer circuits 104 to 114 so that each contact 2 to 7 is connected to the sense amplifier 120 which is associated with it. The processing circuit 134 receives an electrical signal on its inputs 1322 to 1327 if the toroid of the card associated with the corresponding contact has switched under the effect of the reading current (binary state 1) or no signal otherwise (binary state 0). The processing circuit 134 thus receives in binary form the information stored in the card. All the toroids T1 to T6 of the card are then found in binary state 0. This is for example the balance still available to obtain the provision of a service. This information is transmitted to the control circuit 90 and temporarily stored in the working memory 146. If the card holder wants to obtain a service, he enters directly or indirectly the amount of this service. The control circuit receives this amount on its input 140. The microprocessor 142 then calculates the new balance from the old balance stored in the memory 146.

To write this new balance, the control circuit successively transmits on its outputs 1302 to 1307 associated with toroids which must pass to state 1 a pure control signal connecting the terminals 118 to 124 of the corresponding switches 116. Then the circuit 90 emits on its output 94 a signal to activate the current generator 102.

Thus the writing current + I is applied successively, via the contacts 2 9 7, 7; & those of the conductors 72 & 82 of the card which are associated with toroids which must pass to the binary state 1. The other conductors 2 to 7 of the card receive no current.

The new balance is thus stored in the card. This can be removed from the reader and the service can be provided to the card holder.

To avoid fraud, it goes without saying that the order of binary weights of the memory points used to store the information does not correspond to the order of the external contacts of the card. However, if we still want to reduce the risk of fraud, we plan on writing each of the conductors 72 to 82 a fuse element F2 &
F7. They are represented by dotted lines in FIG. 4.

If it is assumed that the card memory is used to store available balances, the amount of available balances decreases after each use of the card. So when, to write a new balance, the torus corresponding to the highest binary weight must remain & zero, it will remain for all the following balances until the card is exhausted. When the reader control circuit detects that the new balance to be written has its highest binary weight equal to zero, after the writing step described above, the control circuit 90 controls the current generator 102 so that it delivers the write current + I but for a longer time, for example 1 second, capable of "blowing" the fuses
Fi. Of course, for writing, the current I is applied for a time insufficient to melt the fuses. Simultaneously the control circuit 90 controls the transfer circuits 104 to 114 in such a way that only contact 2 to 7 associated with the toroid with the highest binary weight receives current I. The corresponding fuse is blown and the associated toroid will remain at binary state 0 since the corresponding write conductor is "open". As the new stored balances decrease, the same will be done for the other fuses according to the decreasing order of the binary weights of the memory points with which they are associated.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10 we will describe a method of manufacturing the electrical circuit of Figure 4. The reference 200 identifies the body of the card or, if the electronic module is produced separately, the insulating support of the electronic module. Firstly, 6 elements E1 to E6 of magnetic material of rectangular shape are deposited on the support 200. The magnetic material is hard and preferably chosen from the type with very strong rectangularity. The six magnetic elements are deposited on the support by transfer as is well known in the field of the production of magnetic stripe cards. The magnetic material is covered with an insulator. In the next step, a first set of electrical conductors is produced by screen printing. These conductors include the eight external electrical contact pads referenced 0 to 7. The pads 0 to 7 have the dimensions defined by the ISO standard as well as the relative positions provided by the latter. The assembly also includes a central conductor 202 and seven connection conductors 204 to 216 which connect the central conductor 202 to the contact pads 0 and 2 to 7. As shown in FIG. 9, each of the connection conductors passes over a magnetic element E1 to E6. Each area 2 to 7 is thus connected to area 0. Then a layer of insulating material 218 is deposited by screen printing on this set of conductors with the exception of the external areas of electrical contact. In the next step, a second conductor bearing the general reference 220 is produced, a first end 222 of which is connected to track 1 and the second end 224 of which is connected to track 0. The second conductor 220 comprises six useful portions 226 to 234 Each useful portion 226 to 234 extends above one of the connecting conductors 206 to 216 at least in its part which is arranged above a magnetic element.
E1 to E6. The useful portions 226 to 236 are connected to each other and to the ends 222 and 224 in such a way that a current flowing from range 1 & range 0 flows in each useful portion 226 to 236 in a direction which, especially goes from the central conductor 202 to the corresponding external contact range. The condition of direction of current flow in read and write is thus thus satisfied. The conductor 220 corresponds to the read conductor 70 of FIG. 4, the central conductor 202 and the connection conductors 204 to 216 corresponding to the write conductors. 72 to 82 of FIG. 4. Finally, all the electrical conductors are covered with an insulating material 238, by screen printing, with the exception of the external areas 0 to 7.

According to the embodiment which has just been described, the magnetic elements are analogous to magnets. FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment in which the magnetic elements are analogous to toroids. In this case, the embodiment is identical to that of FIGS. 9 and 10 until the step of depositing the insulated conductor 220. Then above each magnetic element E'1 to E'6 identical to the first.

The assembly of the two magnetic elements E and E 'constitutes the equivalent of a magnetic toroid with two very reduced air gaps constituted by the very thin insulating material which covers each magnetic element.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the memory of the card in which the toroids, or more generally the bistable magnetic elements, are arranged in rows according to rows and columns.

If the number of external contact areas of the card is equal to n, if the number of lines is equal to q, we must have the relation p + q = n-l. The number of tori, that is to say the number of memory points, is of course equal to p x q. It can be seen that the embodiment of FIG. 4 corresponds to the particular case where p = 1.

 In Figure 7, we have p = 3 and q = 4, which corresponds to the maximum number of memory points if n = 8.

As shown in FIG. 7, the external range O of the card is the common terminal, ranges 1 to 3 are associated with the rows of the memory and ranges 4 to 7 with the columns. A torus is referenced Tilt, i representing the line and j the column. Each row range 1 to 3 is connected to the common terminal 0 by one of the conductors 150 & 154, and each column range 4 to 7 is connected to the common terminal 0 by one of the conductors 156 to 164. To write a point of memory, that is to say to pass from the initial magnetization state (binary state 0) to a second magnetization state (binary state 1) the toroid Tri j is made to flow in the conductor associated with the line i and in the associated conductor & the column j a current + I / 2. Near each torus the conductors are arranged in such a way that the magnetic fields created by the circulation of the two currents + I / 2 are added in order to pass the torus in the second state of magnetization.

Information is read line by line.

To read the information contained in a line, we proceed exactly as in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 4. We circulate in the conductor associated with the current line 1 - I and on each conductor associated with the columns we detect the possible appearance of a current pulse resulting from the switching of a torus from its second magnetic state to its initial magnetic state.

When all the lines have been read, all of the information stored is available. In the example described, the information can range from 0 to 212, i.e. 4096.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a card reader capable of operating with cards provided with the memory circuit represented in FIG. 7. In FIG. 8, the references of FIG. 6 have been used to designate the common elements in in particular the control circuit 140, the processing circuit 134, the reading current generator 100, and the transfer circuits 110 to 114 connected respectively to terminals 5 to 7. A transfer device 109, identical to the transfer devices 110 & 114 is connected to terminal 4. The transfer circuits 104 d 108 of FIG. 6 are replaced by switching circuits 104 'to 108', and the write current generator 102 of FIG. 6 is replaced by the generator current 102 'which delivers on its outputs 102'1 and 102'2 the write current I / 2.

Each switching circuit 104 '& 108' includes a switch 116 'having a first terminal 118' connected to the corresponding line contact 1 to 3, a second terminal 122 'connected to one of the outputs of the current generator 100 and a third terminal 124 'connected to terminal 102'2 of the current generator 102'. Finally, each switch 116 ′ comprises a control input 126 ′ connected to the corresponding control output 1301 s 1307 of the control circuit 90.

We will now describe the operation of the reader of FIG. 8. When a card provided with the memory circuit of FIG. 7 is inserted into the reader, the control circuit 90 triggers a phase of reading the information stored in the card. . For this, the circuit controls the current generator 100 and the switches 116 and 116 'in such a way that the first line contact 1 is connected to the current generator 100, that the other line contacts are open, and that the column contacts 4 to 7 are connected to the reading amplifiers 120. The reading of the first toroid line is done as described in connection with FIG. 6. Then the control circuit 90 causes the connection between the generator 100 and the terminal of line 2 to read the second line of toroids and finally the link between the generator 100 and the terminal of line 3 to read the third line of toroids.

The control circuit 90 then has in its working memory all the information which was stored in the card, and all the toroids of the card are in binary state 0. The control circuit 90 calculates the new information at write to the card memory and initialize the corresponding writing phase. Writing is also carried out line by line. If 1s must be written on the first line, line terminal 1 is connected by switch 104 'to output 102'1 of generator 102' and column terminals 4 to 7 corresponding to the columns where a 1 must be entered are also successively connected to the output 102'2 of the generator 102 'by switches 116. Thus the toroids which are at the intersections of line 1 and columns successively connected to the generator 102' are subjected to a magnetic field created by the sum of the two currents + I / 2; they switch to state 1. On the contrary, the other tori of line 1 are only subjected to a magnetic field created by the current I / 2. This magnetic field is insufficient to switch the toroid which remains in the state O. Then the circuit 90 commands the possible writing of 1 on lines 2 and 3 by the same process.

If the number of toroids is redundant taking into account the information to memorize in the card, it is possible to foresee that one or two toroids, will not be used to write the information and that they will always have to remain at binary being 0, for example the toroids T2 2 and T3.3. If, during a reading phase, it is detected that these toroids are not at state 0, this is because the card has been the subject of an attempted fraud, and it is refused by the reader.

Claims (7)

1. Information carrier including a card body  having a flat main face and in said  main face n external electrical contact pads  characterizes in that it presents the external appearance  an electronic memory card and that  includes at least n - 2 bistable magnetic elements  having a first binary state or a second state  binary and n - 1 electrical conductors, each  electrical conductor being mounted between two of said  external contact pads, each electrical conductor  passing near at least one magnetic element  pure that when a suitable electrical signal is  applied to at least one electrical conductor, the state  binary of the magnetic element near the pass  the electrical conductor (s), be modified. 2. Information carrier according to claim 1,  characterized in that it comprises p x q elements  magnetic bistable with p + q = n - 1. 3. Information carrier according to claim 2,  characterized in that p = 1 and q = n - 2, in that  each of the n - 1 conductors is mounted between a range  of external common contact and one of the other ranges of  external contact, one of the conductive elements called  reading passing nearby from p x q elements  magnetic; the n - 2 other so-called conductors  of writing each passing near one of the elements  magnetic. 4. Information carrier according to claim 1,  characterized in that the p x g magnetic elements  are arranged in p rows and q columns, in that  each conductive element is mounted between a range of  common external contact and another of said ranges  and that each conductive element passes  near the magnetic elements arranged in a  same line or near magnetic elements  arranged in the same column. 5. Information carrier according to any one of  claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said  external contact pads, said magnetic elements  bistable and said conductive elements are produced  in an electrical module which is then fixed in the  body of the information carrier. 6. Information media management system according to  claim 3, characterized in that it comprises at  minus a media handling device  information including a set of processing and  a connection set with n electrical contacts for  establish an electrical connection between each range of  external contact of a support and said set of  treatment when said support is in position  processing, said processing assembly comprising  a) to read information stored in the  support; means to apply to the ranges of  external contact associated with the read conductor a  electrical signal able to pass the elements  magnetic in the second binary state at the first  binary state, and means for detecting between the  external contact areas associated with others  conductors the appearance of an electrical signal  resulting from the passage of the magnetic element  correspondent of the second binary state to the first state  binary, and  b) to write information in said medium  of information, means for applying to the ranges of  external contact associated ill magnetic elements which  have to take the second binary state a signal  electric capable of passing the magnetic elements  correspondents of said first state to said second state. 7. Information media management system according to  claim 4, characterized in that'1 comprises at  minus a media handling device  information including a set of processing and  a connection set with n electrical contacts for  establish an electrical connection between said set of  processing and said external contact areas  when said support is in the treatment position,  said processing assembly comprising  a) to read information stored in said  support, means for successively applying to  conductors associated with the lines an amplitude signal I  able to switch the first binary state  magnetic elements detect simultaneously with  the application of said signal in each conductor  associated with a column the possible appearance of a  electrical signal resulting from the passage of the element  corresponding magnetic of said second binary state  audit first, and  b) to write information in said medium of the  means for applying an electrical amplitude signal  I / 2 to the conductors associated with the line (s) and the (x)  column (s) passing respectively near the  magnetic elements to switch from the first state  binary to the second binary state, the electrical signal  of amplitude I being able to cause said tilting  whereas the signal of electrical amplitude I / 2 is not  not able to cause said tilting.