JP2002279356A - Wireless card processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wireless card processor, capable of miniaturizing a device as a whole and shortening the time for issuing a wireless card. SOLUTION: This wireless card processor 11 has a printing region 46, rollers for sandwiching and carrying the wireless card 25 having information recorded by wireless along a prescribed carrier passage 39, a printing means installed in the carrier passage and printing image information in the print region 46 of the wireless card 25, and a writing means incorporated in the rollers and wireless transmitting prescribed information to the wireless card 25.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless card processor for issuing and processing a wireless card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An IC card is used as a card medium for personal authentication such as a credit card and an employee card. In the print area provided on the surface of this IC card, a face image and the like are printed, and an integrated circuit (IC) chip that records personal information such as name, address, date of birth, personal identification number is embedded. . There are two types of IC cards: contact type IC cards that are inserted into a reader or the like, and non-contact type IC cards (wireless cards) that are used close to the reader.
There are three types of compound IC cards that combine the two methods. The user authentication method is IC read by the reader.
This is performed by collating the personal identification number of the card with the personal identification number input to the input unit connected to the reading device by the user. The wireless card processing machine that issues and processes wireless cards includes a customer service section where purchasers operate wireless cards, a card hopper section where wireless cards are stored, transport rollers for holding and transporting wireless cards, and wireless cards for users. And a reader / writer that records the user's personal information and the like on a wireless card. Each unit is installed on a transport path on which the wireless card is transported. The wireless card is printed in a printing area by each part constituting the wireless card processor, and after the information is recorded on the IC chip, the wireless card is issued.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned wireless card processing machine, information is recorded after printing a user's face image or the like on the wireless card, so that a transport mechanism from the printing unit to the reader / writer is required. And it is difficult to reduce the size of the entire apparatus. In addition, there is a problem that it is difficult to shorten the issuance processing time including the printing time, transport time, and data writing time of the reader / writer of the wireless card. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless card processor capable of reducing the size of the entire apparatus and reducing the time for issuing and processing a wireless card.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a wireless card processor according to claim 1,
A roller having a print area and holding and transporting a wireless card on which information is wirelessly recorded along a predetermined transport path; and a roller installed on the transport path to print image information on a print area of the wireless card It is characterized by comprising printing means and writing means built in the roller and wirelessly transmitting predetermined information to the wireless card.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wireless card processing machine, comprising: a transport means for holding a wireless card having a print area and wirelessly recording information along a predetermined transport path; A printing unit that is installed in the printer and prints image information on a print area of the wireless card;
With respect to the transport path, a platen roller that is installed at a position facing the printing unit and that supports and transports the wireless card on the printing unit side, and is provided inside the platen roller and has a predetermined position with respect to the wireless card. Writing means for wirelessly transmitting information.

A wireless card processor according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, the wireless card processor further comprises a control means for simultaneously operating the printing means and the writing means.

The wireless card processor according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in claim 1 or claim 2, the roller according to claim 1 and the platen roller according to claim 2 are made of nonmetal. And

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The wireless card processing machine of the present invention issues and processes a wireless card (non-contact IC card) based on a purchaser's instruction. For example, a wireless ticket, a commuter pass used in transportation or the like is used. Is used for a part of a ticket vending machine or the like that sells the "."

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a customer service unit 13 for a purchaser provided on the front of a wireless card processor 11 for issuing and processing a wireless card. Here, as an example of the wireless card processing machine 11 that issues and processes a wireless card, a ticket vending machine that sells prepaid tickets used in transportation and the like is mentioned.

A charge input unit 15 provided in the customer service unit 13 receives the charge input from the purchaser and counts the charge by a sensor. Here, although the fee input unit 15 in FIG. 1 is illustrated to accept only coins, it is assumed that bills can be inserted and counted.

A fee display unit 17 provided in the customer service unit 13 conveys information to the purchaser by displaying the fee, change, and the like counted by the fee input unit 15.

A card purchase button 19 provided in the customer service section 13
Is a button for the purchaser to select a wireless card that can be purchased at the fee input to the fee input unit 15. For example, in the case of issuing and processing a prepaid ticket (wireless card), the card purchase button 19 has a price of 1000 yen, 3000 yen, 50 yen.
A button is displayed for purchasing a prepaid ticket for ¥ 00.

A card purchase button 19 corresponding to the charge input to the charge input unit 15 or the charge displayed in the charge input unit 15 is displayed, and the card can be purchased. For example, when 3,000 yen is inserted, buttons for 1,000 yen and 3,000 yen are displayed, and a ticket for 1,000 yen and 3,000 yen can be purchased. At this time, the button for 5000 yen, which is higher than the input fee, is not displayed, and the purchase cannot be performed.

The card ejection unit 21 provided in the customer service unit 13 includes:
Discharge the wireless card (prepaid ticket) of the amount selected by the purchaser.

The change release section 23 provided in the customer service section 13
If the amount selected by the purchaser with the card purchase button 19 is smaller than the amount that the purchaser has inserted into the fee input unit 15, the difference is returned to the purchaser by releasing the change.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the wireless card 25. The wireless card 25 has a card shape, has a print area 27 on the surface, and has a semiconductor integrated circuit 29 built-in.

The semiconductor integrated circuit 29 comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 31, a read-only memory (ROM) 33, and a writable / readable memory (RAM) 35. The CUP 31 has an arithmetic function and performs calculations, judgments, collation, and the like according to a program recorded in the ROM 33. The ROM 33 is a memory for recording a program used by the CPU 31, and is read-only. The RAM 35 is a data memory, and records a personal identification number and the like input from an interface external to the wireless card 25.

The loop-shaped antenna 37 is connected to the semiconductor integrated circuit 29.
And wirelessly exchange information with an external interface. Since the wireless card 25 is used close to a reader or the like, it is also called a non-contact card.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the wireless card processor 11 for issuing and processing the wireless card 25 and the devices installed therein.

The wireless cards 25 are stacked and stored in a card hopper section 41 provided in the transport path 39 of the wireless card processor 11. The wireless card 25 stored in the card hopper section 41 is a card that has not been processed for printing, recording information, and the like.

An ejection section 43 provided below the card hopper section 41 ejects the wireless card 25 to the transport path 39. The take-out section 43 is in the form of a roller, and takes out the wireless cards 25 one by one to the transport path 39 by rotating.

A plurality of transport rollers 45 are provided on the transport path 39 of the wireless card processor 11, and transport the wireless card 25 by pinching and rotating the wireless card 25. The transport means includes a transport path 39 and a plurality of transport rollers 45.

A printing section 46 is provided in the transport path 39 of the wireless card processor 11, and prints on the print area 27 of the wireless card 25 transported by the transport rollers 45. This is a wireless card 25
Then, the purchase information of the card selected by the purchaser is printed so that the card can be visually checked.

FIG. 4 shows the wireless card 25 and the thermal head 4
7 is a diagram schematically showing a print control unit 49, a platen roller 51, a reader / writer antenna 53, and a reader / writer unit 55. FIG.

The printing section 46 includes a thermal head 47 for printing on the wireless card 25, a thermal head control section 49 for transmitting a signal for controlling the operation of the thermal head 47, and a platen roller 51 for holding and transporting the wireless card 25. . A thermal recording method is used for the printing method.

A thermal head 47 provided on the transport path 39
Are arranged in a line on the transfer surface of the wireless card 25 at right angles to the transfer direction. The thermal head controller 49 is connected to the thermal head 47 and sends a signal for controlling the operation of the thermal head 47. Platen roller 51
Is disposed at a position facing the thermal head 47 in the transport path 39, and pinches and transports the wireless card 25.

Thermal head pressed against wireless card 25
The heat generating portion 47 performs printing by selectively generating heat in the print area 27 of the wireless card 25 by a signal sent from the thermal head control portion 49. Further, by moving the printed portion of the wireless card 25 with the platen roller 51, image information is printed on the print area 27 of the wireless card 25. Here, the image information includes images such as characters, symbols, and face photographs.

A reader / writer antenna 53 provided inside the platen roller 51 and a reader / writer unit 55 connected to the reader / writer antenna 53 perform radio transmission with the antenna 37 of the radio card 25, and
The information is recorded in the RAM 35.

A reader / writer antenna 53 provided inside the platen roller 51 records information in the RAM 35 of the wireless card 25 by wirelessly transmitting a signal output from the reader / writer unit 55 to the antenna 37 of the wireless card 25. I do.

A reader / writer unit 55 provided on the transport path 39 of the wireless card 25 and connected to the reader / writer antenna 53 controls the operation of the reader / writer antenna 53.

The information wirelessly transmitted by the reader / writer antenna 53 and the reader / writer unit 55 is mainly transmitted by the purchaser to the customer service section 13.
Passenger ticket (wireless card 2
5) Type, purchaser's name, PIN, etc.

The reader / writer antenna 53 is a platen roller
Since it is provided in the inside of the device 51, unlike the conventional wireless card processing machine, a transport path and a transport means from the printing unit 46 to the reader / writer are not required, and the entire apparatus can be downsized. Further, the platen roller 51 is made of a material (non-metal) that does not absorb radio waves, such as a resin. Therefore, the influence on the radio wave transmitted and received from the reader / writer antenna 53 can be reduced, and the reader / writer antenna 53 and the reader / writer unit 55 can be operated efficiently.

The information recorded on the wireless card 25 is read by the reader / writer antenna 53 to check (verify) whether correct information is recorded. Furthermore, the radio card 25 is transmitted by radio waves emitted from the reader / writer antenna 53.
Supply power to

Here, by installing the reader / writer unit 55 inside the platen roller 51, the overall size of the apparatus can be further reduced.

As one embodiment of the present invention, it is described that the reader / writer antenna 53 is installed inside the platen roller 51, but the installation location of the reader / writer antenna 53 is as follows.
It is not limited to the inside of the platen roller 51. Specifically, the reader / writer antenna 53 is connected to the platen roller 51.
It is also possible to dispose it inside the transport roller 45 adjacent to.

The control unit 57 provided in the wireless card processor 11
Controls the operations of the customer service unit 13, the take-out unit 43, the transport roller 45, the thermal head control unit 49, the platen roller 51, the reader / writer unit 55, and the like.

The control section 57 operates the thermal head control section 49, the platen roller 51, and the reader / writer unit 55 simultaneously or in parallel. The control unit 57 causes the thermal head 47, the thermal head control unit 49, and the platen roller 51 to start a printing operation on the wireless card 25 conveyed to the printing unit 46. At the same time that the printing operation is started, the control unit 57
Causes the reader / writer antenna 53 and the reader / writer unit 55 to start the writing operation on the wireless card 25, thereby performing both operations simultaneously. Alternatively, the control unit 57 causes the reader / writer antenna 53 and the reader / writer unit 55 to start the writing operation after a predetermined time has elapsed since the printing operation of the thermal head 47 or the like on the wireless card 25 is started. Causes both operations to be performed concurrently. Alternatively, the control unit 57 may cause the thermal head 47 or the like to start a printing operation after a predetermined time has elapsed after the reader / writer antenna 53 and the reader / writer unit 55 start the writing operation on the wireless card 25. Causes both operations to be performed concurrently.

When the longer operation of the time required for printing on the wireless card 25 and the time required for the writing operation is completed, the other operation is also terminated. For this reason, in the conventional wireless card processor, the time required to transport the wireless card from the printing means to the reader / writer and the time required for either the printing operation or the writing operation can be reduced.

Here, the timing for starting each operation is as follows.
It does not need to be simultaneous. For example, when the time required for the printing operation is longer than the time required for the writing operation to the wireless card 25, the timing for starting the writing operation may be appropriately delayed.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing a signal transmission path of each section centering on the control section 57.

The printing method does not need to be a thermal recording method, but may be any printing method using a platen roller.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention including the operation of each unit and the mutual relationship will be described with reference to FIGS. As an example of an embodiment of the present invention, a prepaid ticket (wireless card 25) issuance process of a transportation facility will be described.

A customer who purchases a ticket (wireless card 25) pays a fee to the fee input unit 15 of the customer service unit 13 provided on the front of the wireless card processing machine 11 (ticket vending machine), and charges the inserted fee. Confirm on the display of the display unit 17.

[0045] The purchaser wants to purchase the ticket
The type of (wireless card 25) is selected, and the card purchase button 19 provided in the customer service section is pressed. Then, the wireless card processor 11
The purchaser inputs information such as a name and a personal identification number by using the input device provided in.

Information such as the fee charged by the purchaser, the type of the ticket (wireless card 25) selected by the purchaser, and the name input by the purchaser is input to the control unit 57. Based on these pieces of information, the control unit 57 outputs an instruction for performing each operation to the take-out unit 43, the transport roller 45, the thermal head 47, the reader / writer unit 55, and the like.

In response to the card removal instruction output by the control unit 57, the removal unit 43 provided below the card hopper unit 41 in which the wireless card 25 before the issuing process is stored operates to remove the wireless card 25.

The wireless card 25 taken out of the card hopper section 41 is transported by a transport roller to which a transport instruction is output from the control section 57.
The print unit 45 holds the wireless card 25
Transported to 46.

The wireless card 25 conveyed to the printing unit 46 is sent to the thermal head 47 and the platen roller 51 to which a printing instruction has been output from the control unit 57. Is printed on the print area 27 of the wireless card 25.

At the same time as the printing operation of the printing unit 46 is started, the reader / writer antenna 53 to which the writing instruction is output from the control unit 57 transmits the card type and purchase Information (name, password, etc.) input by the customer is recorded (written) by wireless transmission.

The recorded information is received (read) by the reader / writer antenna 53 to which the reading instruction has been output from the control unit 57, and the control unit 57 checks whether correct information has been recorded (verify).

The wireless card 25 after each operation is completed,
The card ejection unit 21 provided in the unit 13 and having the ejection instruction output from the control unit 57 is issued to the purchaser. At this time, if there is a change, the change is returned from the change releasing unit 23 to the purchaser. The above is a series of basic wireless card 25 issuing processes.

For the printing section 46, a rewritable printing apparatus capable of repeatedly recording and erasing image information by heat can be used. With this rewritable printing device, the wireless card 25 can be reissued, and the wireless card 25 that has exceeded the usage limit or the wireless card 25 in which a printing error or the like has occurred during the card issuing process can be reused. .

By incorporating a reader / writer antenna for writing information on the wireless card into the platen roller, the size of the wireless card processor can be reduced.

Further, a printing unit for printing on the wireless card, a reader / writer antenna and a reader / writer unit for writing information to the wireless card, and a control unit for simultaneously operating the printing unit, the reader / writer antenna and the reader / writer unit allow the wireless card to be operated. On the other hand, since printing and writing of information can be performed at the same time, it is possible to shorten the processing time for issuing a wireless card.

When the platen roller is made of a non-metal, information can be efficiently written to the wireless card.

[0057]

As described above, according to the wireless card processor of the present invention, the reader / writer antenna is built in the platen roller, and the printing unit and the reader / writer antenna can be operated at the same time. It is possible to reduce the size and shorten the processing time for issuing a wireless card.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a service section of a wireless card processing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a wireless card according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a wireless card processor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a device and the like of a wireless card processor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a wireless card processor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11… Wireless card processing machine, 13… Customer service department, 15… Charge input department,
17 ... Charge display section, 19 ... Card purchase button, 21 ... Card ejection section, 23 ... Change ejection section, 25 ... Wireless card, 27 ... Print area, 29 ... Integrated circuit, 31 ... Central processing unit, 33 ... Read only Memory, 35… Writable and readable memory, 37…
Antenna, 39: transport path, 41: card hopper, 43: take-out unit, 45: transport roller, 46: printing unit, 47: thermal head, 49: print control unit, 51: platen roller, 53: reader / writer antenna, 55 ... Reader / writer unit, 57 ... Control unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A roller that has a printing area and that sandwiches and conveys a wireless card on which information is recorded wirelessly along a predetermined conveying path; A wireless card processing machine comprising: printing means for printing image information; and writing means built in the roller and wirelessly transmitting predetermined information to the wireless card. 2. A transport unit that includes a print area and that holds and transports a wireless card on which information is wirelessly recorded along a predetermined transport path, and that is provided on the transport path, and that is provided on the print area of the wireless card. A printing unit that prints image information, a platen roller that is installed at a position facing the printing unit with respect to the conveyance path, and that supports and conveys the wireless card to the printing unit side, and provided inside the platen roller. A writing unit for wirelessly transmitting predetermined information to the wireless card. 3. The wireless card processor according to claim 1, further comprising control means for simultaneously operating the printing means and the writing means. 4. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein
3. The wireless card processor according to claim 2, wherein the roller and the platen roller are made of nonmetal.