JP2003141464A - Reader/writer for contactless ic card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reader/writer for contactless IC card allowing a data communication with an IC card when the data communication is not allowed with the contactless IC card located at a specified communication position. SOLUTION: When the control board 9 of the reader/writer 1 cannot read from the IC card 4 located at the specified communication position, the control board 9 drives a stepping motor 6 to move the position of the IC card 4 from the communication position. Thus, an interconnection between an antenna coil 4 and an antenna board 10 can be increased, a resonance frequency becomes close to a target resonance frequency, and reading from the IC card 4 is allowed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a non-contact type IC card reader / writer for performing data communication by mutual coupling between a non-contact type IC card located at a predetermined communication position and antenna means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, instead of a magnetic card, a radio wave type I
C cards are being offered. Since such a radio wave type IC card communicates with the reader / writer in a non-contact manner,
It has excellent environmental resistance and is not easily broken.

[0003]

However, the structure standards of the non-contact type IC card are not unified, and each manufacturer manufactures with different structure standards. Therefore, even if the IC card has the same outer shape, I
Although the C card is located at a predetermined communication position, the antenna coil of the reader / writer and the antenna coil of the IC card are displaced from each other, which makes it impossible to perform data communication with the IC card.

The antenna coil of the reader / writer and I
Even if the antenna coil of the C card is facing,
Under the influence of the interaction of both antenna coils, or the surrounding environment (mainly in the presence of metal that is a magnetic substance),
The resonance frequency may deviate from the target resonance frequency, and as with the case described above, it may not be possible to perform data communication with the IC card located at the predetermined communication position.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to allow data communication with a non-contact type IC card located at a predetermined communication position when the data communication cannot be performed. Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-contact type IC card reader / writer.

[0006]

According to the invention of claim 1, when the non-contact type IC card is located at a predetermined communication position, the reader / writer side antenna means and the IC side antenna means face each other and are coupled to each other. Therefore, data communication can be performed without contact with the IC card.

Depending on the structure standard of the IC card, mutual communication between the reader / writer side antenna means and the IC card side antenna means may be weakened, or the mutual resonance frequency may deviate from the target resonance frequency, and data communication may be performed. May not be possible. In such a case, the re-communication operation is executed. That is, the IC is moved in a state where the relative position between the IC card and the reader-side antenna means is shifted by the moving means.
Data communication with the card. Then, the relative position between the reader-side antenna unit and the IC card-side antenna unit is displaced, mutual coupling between the antenna units is increased, and the resonance frequency is displaced, so that data communication with the IC card is possible. Becomes

According to the second aspect of the present invention, even if the re-communication operation is repeated a predetermined number of times and the data communication with the IC card is not possible, it is highly possible that the communication with the IC card is impossible. Therefore, the re-communication operation is stopped and the communication error is notified by the notification means. As a result, it is possible to prevent the re-communication operation from being unnecessarily continued, and to notify the user of the communication failure.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the moving means moves the easily movable IC card relative to the antenna means. Therefore, the moving means can be easily moved as compared with the structure in which the reader side antenna means is moved. Can be configured to.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the carrying mechanism for carrying the IC card to the communication position moves the IC card along the carrying path when performing the re-communication operation. Therefore, special means is provided. The moving means can be configured without using it.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. 2 and 3 are a longitudinal sectional view and a lateral sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the reader / writer for the non-contact type IC card. 2 and 3, a card insertion opening 3 is provided on the front surface of a case 2 that forms the housing of the IC card reader / writer 1, and a case continuous with the card insertion opening 3 is shown in the case 2. A transport path that does not exist is formed. This transport path is composed of a rail that supports the end of the IC card 4, and the IC card 4 is guided with both sides supported by the rail. The carrying roller 5 is provided so as to sandwich the carrying path from above and below, and the carrying roller 5 is rotated according to the driving of a stepping motor (corresponding to a moving unit and a carrying mechanism) 6.

A first card sensor 7 is installed in the case 2 so as to correspond to the card insertion slot 3 so as to detect the end position of the IC card 4 inserted in the card insertion slot 3. ing. In addition, the second card sensor 8 is installed corresponding to the end position of the transport path, and the IC card 4 is moved to a predetermined position by detecting the end position of the IC card 4 transported along the transport path. It is designed to detect that it is located at the communication position.

On the other hand, a control board 9 is arranged in the case 2, and detection signals from the first and second card sensors 7 and 8 are given to the control board 9 through the lead wires 7a and 8a. The drive signal from the control board 9 is output to the stepping motor 6 through the lead wire 6a.

Here, the antenna board 10 is mounted on the control board 9 so as to face each other with a predetermined distance therebetween, and a transmission signal or a reception signal is exchanged between the control board 9 and the antenna board 10 through the connector 11. . The antenna substrate 10 is positioned so as to face the IC card 4 located at a predetermined communication position.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the antenna substrate 10. In FIG. 4, the antenna substrate 10 is formed by forming a spiral antenna coil (corresponding to the reader / writer side antenna means) 13 on a printed wiring substrate 12 in a wiring pattern. In this case, the antenna coil 13 is densely formed so that the number of turns is greater than that shown in FIG. 4, and the portion where the wiring patterns intersect is
It is connected to the connector 11 by a wiring pattern (shown by a dotted line in the drawing) formed on the back surface via a through hole (not shown).

FIG. 5 schematically shows the IC card 4. 5, the IC card 4 is formed by embedding an antenna coil (corresponding to an IC card side antenna means) 15, a resonance capacitor 16 and an IC chip 17 (see FIG. 1) in a plastic card 14, and the antenna coil 15 Is operated by being supplied with power to the IC chip 17 while receiving the power signal. In this case, the antenna coil 15, the resonance capacitor 16, and the IC chip 17 form a resonance circuit.

FIG. 1 shows the electrical construction of an IC card reader / writer. In FIG. 1, the power supply unit 18 is
Power is supplied to each circuit while power is being supplied from the commercial AC power supply. CP
The U unit (corresponding to the notification unit) 19 superimposes the transmission signal on the electric power signal in a state where the electric power signal is output from the transmission unit 20 and outputs the superposed transmission signal so that the transmission signal is transmitted to the IC card 4 by mutual coupling. It has become. Also, the CPU unit 1
9 receives the reception signal from the IC card 4 by extracting the signal superimposed on the power signal in the reception unit 21 while the power signal is transmitted from the transmission unit 20. In this case, the resonance circuit is formed by the transmitter 20 and the antenna coil 15 of the antenna substrate 10.

The motor control section 21 controls the conveyance of the IC card 4 by driving the stepping motor 6 in response to a command from the CPU section 19. Card sensor 7, 8
Is detected by the CPU section 19. The external interface 23 controls communication between the CPU unit 19 and, for example, an external personal computer.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU unit 19 of the reader / writer 1. In FIG. 6, the CPU unit 19
Based on the detection state of the first card sensor 7, it is determined whether the IC card 4 has been inserted into the card insertion slot 3 (step S01).

Now, when the non-contact type IC card 4 is inserted into the card insertion slot 3 of the reader / writer 1, this is
Card sensor 7 detects (step S01: Y
ES), the CPU section 19 normally rotates the stepping motor 6 (step S02). As a result, the carrying roller 5 rotates in the forward direction, so that the IC card 4 inserted into the card insertion slot 3 is drawn into the reader / writer 1 by the carrying roller 5.
It is transported along the transport path.

Then, the IC card 4 carried on the carrying path
Reaches the predetermined communication position, the second card sensor 8 detects the end of the IC card 4 (step S0
3), the CPU unit 19 stops driving the stepping motor 6 (step S04). This allows the IC
The card 4 stops at a predetermined communication position, and in the stopped state, the antenna coil 13 of the IC card 4 and the antenna coil 15 of the antenna substrate 10 face each other and are in a mutual coupling state.

Subsequently, the CPU section 19 causes the antenna substrate 1
Power is supplied to the IC card 4 by outputting a power signal to 0. Then, since the IC card 4 operates in response to the power supply, the data can be read from the IC card 4 by non-contact communication (step S06: YES).

However, since the structure standard of the antenna coil 15 of the IC card 4 differs depending on each manufacturer, in the special IC card 4 in which the size, shape and position of the antenna coil 15 are biased, the IC card 4 is Even if it is located at a predetermined communication position, as shown in FIG.
The position of the antenna coil 15 of the C card 4 may be displaced, and reading from the IC card 4 may become impossible. That is, the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10
Is the IC when the IC card 4 is in the communication position.
Although it is usually opposed to the antenna coil 15 of the card 4, when the positions of the antenna coil 15 of the IC card 4 and the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10 are deviated, the mutual coupling of the antenna coils is weak and the IC It becomes impossible to read from the card 4.

Therefore, the CPU section 19 of the reader / writer 1
When the IC card 4 cannot be read as shown in FIG. 6 (step S06: NO), the number of retries “N” is set (step S07), and then the stepping motor 6 is reversed by a predetermined step. Yes (Step S
08). As a result, the IC card 4 is retracted in the direction opposite to the transport direction by a predetermined distance (2 to 5 mm).
As shown in (b), the IC card 4 retracts with respect to the antenna substrate 10, and a part of the antenna coil 15 of the IC card 4 faces the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10.

When communication with the IC card 4 is executed in this state (step S09) and the reading from the IC card 4 is still not possible (step S10: NO),
Decrement the number of retries N (step S
11) After confirming that the number of retries N is not "0" (step S12: NO), the stepping motor 6
Is further reversed by a predetermined step (step S08),
In that state, the IC card 4 is read (step S09). At this time, when the antenna coil 15 of the IC card 4 completely faces the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10 as shown in FIG. 7C, reading from the IC card 4 can be performed.

On the other hand, when the position of the antenna coil 15 is biased to the side opposite to the carrying direction as in the IC card 4 shown in FIG. 8, the IC card 4 is sequentially retracted as described above and the IC is moved. Even if the card 4 is read, the IC card 4 cannot be read, and eventually the IC card 4 cannot be read even if the retry count is executed. In such a case, the CPU unit 19
Determines YES in step S12, rotates the stepping motor 6 forward (step S13), and when the second card sensor 8 is in the detection state (step S1).
4: YES), the stepping motor 6 is stopped (step S15). As a result, the IC card 4 returns to the predetermined communication position.

Then, after the number of retries is set to "N" (step S16), the stepping motor 6 is rotated forward by a predetermined number of steps (step S17). As a result, the IC card 4 moves forward in the carrying direction by a predetermined distance, and recommunication with the IC card 4 is performed in the forward moving state. As a result of performing the communication with the IC card 4 in the forward state of the IC card 4 for the number of retries, the antenna coil 15 of the IC card 4 becomes the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10 as shown in FIG. To face each other,
Reading from the IC card 4 becomes possible.

If communication with the IC card 4 is not finally possible despite repeated execution of re-communication in the moving state of the IC card 4 as described above (step S21: YES), After setting the error status (step S22), error processing is executed (step S23). Therefore, when an error is reported, the user can confirm the error content by confirming the error status.

On the other hand, the antenna coil 15 of the IC card 4
Even when the antenna coil 13 faces the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10, the resonance frequency deviates from the target resonance frequency due to the interaction between the two and the surrounding environment, and the communication with the IC card 4 becomes impossible. However, even in such a case, as described above, I
Move the C card 4 to move the antenna coils 13 and 15 to each other.
By making the resonance frequency of 1 close to the target resonance frequency, reading from the IC card 4 becomes possible.

That is, when the target resonance frequency is the frequency shown in FIG.
Even when the IC card 4 is displaced as shown in FIG. 9B due to the interaction of 15 or the influence of the surrounding environment, the IC card 4 is moved to move the IC card as shown in FIG. 9C. Therefore, the resonance frequency can be brought close to the target resonance frequency, and reading from the IC card 4 becomes possible.

According to the present embodiment as described above, when the IC card 4 located at the predetermined communication position cannot be read, the IC card 4 is moved from the communication position to perform communication. Since the process is re-executed, the IC card 4 may be displaced due to the displacement of the antenna coils 13 and 15 from each other.
Even if communication with the IC card cannot be performed, the IC card 4 can be read.

Further, the communication with the IC card 4 is re-executed while the IC card 4 is moved in the carrying direction and the opposite direction with respect to the communication position.
Even when the antenna coil 15 of the IC card 4 is positioned in the front-back direction with respect to the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10 in a state where is located at the communication position,
It becomes possible to read from the IC card 4.

Moreover, in order to move the IC card 4, the stepping motor 6, which is a carrying mechanism for carrying the IC card 4 to a predetermined communication position, is used as a structure which produces such an excellent effect. No special means is required, and the overall configuration can be simplified.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The second embodiment is characterized in that the antenna substrate 10 is moved when the IC card 4 cannot be read.

In the reader / writer 1 according to the second embodiment, the antenna substrate 10 is supported by a moving mechanism (not shown), and the horizontal direction and the vertical direction according to the driving of the moving mechanism by the CPU section 19. It can be moved in any direction. Such a moving mechanism can be implemented by combining two XY tables.

When the CPU section 19 cannot read from the IC card 4 located at the predetermined communication position, the CPU section 19 moves the antenna substrate 10 in the horizontal direction.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, it becomes possible to read from the IC card 4 when the positions of the antenna coils 13 and 15 overlap each other as the antenna substrate 10 is moved.

When the resonance frequency deviates from the target resonance frequency due to the interaction between the antenna coils 13 and 15 or the influence of the surrounding environment, the movement of the antenna substrate 10 causes the resonance frequency to become the target resonance frequency. It becomes possible to read from the IC card 4 when it substantially matches. When the IC card 4 cannot be read regardless of the horizontal movement with respect to the antenna substrate 10, the CPU unit 19 causes the antenna substrate 10 to read.
The reading from the IC card 4 is executed in a state where the is moved in the vertical direction.

Further, the CPU section 19 is provided with the antenna substrate 1
If it is not possible to read from the IC card 4 with 0 moved in the vertical direction, the antenna substrate 10
In addition to moving in the horizontal direction, reading is also performed from the IC card 4 in the state in which it is also moved in the vertical direction.

According to such an embodiment, when the communication with the IC card 4 located at the predetermined communication position cannot be performed, the antenna substrate 10 is moved horizontally and vertically. Since the IC card 4 is read while moving in the same direction, the IC card 4
The relative positions of the antenna coil 15 and the antenna coil 13 of the antenna substrate 10 can be three-dimensionally changed,
The possibility that the IC card 4 can be read can be increased.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be modified or expanded as follows. The IC card 4 or the antenna substrate 10 may be rotated in the horizontal direction or the mutual position of the IC card 4 and the antenna substrate 10 may be changed by rotating the IC card 4 or the antenna substrate 10 about the horizontal axis.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical configuration of a reader / writer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a reader / writer.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a reader / writer.

FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing an antenna substrate.

FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing an IC card.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU unit of the reader / writer.

FIG. 7: IC when reading from a non-standard IC card
Diagram showing card movement

FIG. 8 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 7 showing reading from a different non-standard IC card.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a moving state of a resonance frequency.

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7, showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a reader / writer for IC cards, 3 is a non-contact type IC card, 6 is a stepping motor (moving means, conveying means),
7 is the first card sensor, 8 is the second card sensor, 9
Is a control board, 10 is an antenna board, 13 is an antenna coil (reader / writer side antenna means), 16 is an antenna coil (IC card side antenna means), and 19 is a CPU section (notifying means).

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C005 TA12 TA22 TA24                 5B035 BB09 CA23                 5B058 CA02 CA15 KA12 KA24                 5B072 CC08 DD10                 5K012 AA03 AB03 AB05 AB12 AC06                       AC08 AC10 BA02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A non-contact type IC located at a predetermined communication position.
Equipped with reader / writer side antenna means facing the card,
In a reader / writer for a non-contact type IC card, which performs data communication with the IC card by mutual coupling between the IC card side antenna means and the reader / writer side antenna means, there is provided between the IC card and the reader / writer side antenna means. When the IC card is unable to perform data communication with the IC card, the IC card is moved in a state where the IC card and the reader / writer-side antenna means are moved relative to each other when the IC card cannot perform data communication.
A non-contact type IC card reader / writer characterized by executing a re-communication operation for data communication with a card. 2. A notification means for stopping the re-communication operation and notifying a communication error when the data communication with the IC card is not possible even after the re-communication operation is repeated a predetermined number of times. The reader / writer for a non-contact type IC card according to claim 1. 3. The non-contact type IC card according to claim 1, wherein the moving means moves the IC card with respect to the antenna means. 4. The moving means is a transport mechanism for transporting the IC card inserted from an insertion port to the communication position, and the transport mechanism transports the IC card along a transport path to re-load the IC card. The reader / writer for a non-contact type IC card according to claim 4, which executes a communication operation.