JP3401670B2 - IC card that can be used or not used - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is an IC card used for telephone cards, prepaid cards, etc., for visually, tactilely and electrically determining whether it is in use or not. The present invention relates to an IC card having the above-mentioned means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For a so-called magnetic card for recording data by magnetic recording represented by a telephone card, for example, it has recently been proposed to use an IC card having an IC chip for storing data embedded in a layer of the card. It is being put to practical use.

By the way, in a conventional magnetic card, for example, a telephone card, as shown in FIG. 8, a punch hole 2 is formed in the card 1 in a card reader / writer at the time of use.

Since data reading / writing on a magnetic card is performed by bringing the magnetic head and the magnetic card into contact with each other, the card reader / writer requires a card carrying mechanism. The method of sharing the mechanism and providing a mechanism for adding punch holes was an effective means in terms of system configuration.

Since it is easy to visually and mechanically confirm the presence of the punched hole 2 as a physical mark, it is determined whether the magnetic card is in use or not. It was used as a means to determine.
Here, the usage status of the card means a status after the usage of the card is started, and the unused status means a status before the usage is started. In use, it can be used repeatedly as long as the card is valid (for example, during the period of validity or while the paid amount has a balance).

On the other hand, in the IC card, the present situation is that no means for determining whether the card is in use or not is used.

However, the presence of a physical mark that allows the IC card to be visually or electrically or mechanically discriminated as to whether the IC card is in use or not, is
It is indispensable in the real world. For example, I
When the C card is sold to the general public, the presence of the physical mark that can easily visually determine whether the card is an unused card or a card that has been used even once is It has a very important position in terms of promoting the development of a healthy industry in the sense of preventing unauthorized use of.

[0008]

In the case of the IC card, there are a contact type and a non-contact type as a data writing / reading system. For example, in a contact type IC card, an IC card reader / writer for reading / writing data to / from the card is used, but a reading power source and signal input / output are brought into contact with a metal terminal on the card surface and a connection terminal of the IC card reader / writer. The data can be read / written just by making it necessary, and the IC card reader / writer does not need a special card transport mechanism.

Further, the non-contact type IC card does not have a power supply and a signal input / output terminal, and has an antenna I
Data can be read / written only by bringing it closer to the C card reader / writer, and the IC card reader / writer does not need any mechanical system.

Therefore, in both the contact type and non-contact type IC cards, providing a mechanism for adding a punch hole in the IC card reader / writer has no advantage in the system configuration, and the original convenience of the IC card. However, there is a problem that the cost is also increased.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card having a used / unused discriminating function regardless of the method of punching holes with a card reader / writer as in the conventional magnetic card.

[0012]

According to the present invention, in an IC card in which an IC chip is embedded in the card, a part of the IC card is cut out from the card body including the IC chip at the start of use. Is provided integrally with the IC chip, and the IC chip is provided with a conductive pattern that is electrically coupled to the IC chip and has different electrical characteristics before and after the cutting of the cut portion. A detection means for detecting the electrical characteristic of the pattern is provided, whereby the use state of the IC card is determined from the electrical characteristic of the conductive pattern after the cutout portion is cut , and the I
When the usage status of the C card is determined, the usage of the IC card
There is a means for storing and holding the usage state.
Even if the disconnected conductor pattern is reconnected, the IC card concerned
Operates as a used state without determining
Occupied / unoccupied distinguishable IC card is obtained, characterized in that that.

[0013]

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conductive pattern extends to above the cutout portion and is cut by cutting out the cutout portion, and after cutting the cutout portion, The IC
When the card is used, the detection means of the IC chip detects disconnection of the conductive pattern.

According to one aspect of the present invention, in order to allow the cutout portion to be cut off by hand, the cutout portion for discriminating the used / unused state has a groove along the cutoff line, This is characterized in that the cut-out portion can be easily cut out.

According to the present invention, the form of the cut line of the cut portion for determining whether the card is used or not is used.
It is uneven as seen from the body side and cuts with the card body.
The recessed portion is connected to each other at the concave portion, and at the convex portion
Are separated from each other by slits
According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the burrs generated after the cut-out portion from being cut off from being caught on the user's skin or clothing, and it is possible to discriminate between used and unused ICs.
You get a card.

[0017]

[0018]

According to the present invention, the presence or absence of a cutout portion provided in a part of an IC card in which an IC chip is embedded inside the card makes it possible to determine whether the card is in use or not in use from the appearance. It is possible visually and tactilely.

Further, since the conductive pattern electrically connected to the IC chip and having different electric characteristics before and after the cutting of the cut portion is provided, whether the card is used or not is used. The IC chip determines the electrical characteristics of different conductive patterns before and after the cutout.

Further, since the IC chip stores and holds the used state of the chip, even if the used / unused discriminating portion is reconnected, the IC card is not determined to be the unused state.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conductive pattern extends to above the cutout portion and is cut by cutting out the cutout portion. When the IC card is used, the IC chip detects disconnection of the conductive pattern, and thereby stores and holds the usage state of the IC card. Therefore, even if the cut conductor pattern is reconnected, the IC card is not judged to be in an unused state, and unauthorized use is prevented.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the card is provided with a groove (a so-called half cut) along a cut line of the cut portion for judging whether it is used or unused. This allows the cut portion to be easily cut along the groove with a hand or the like.

Further, according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the card has an injury due to a burr that occurs after cutting out the cut-out portion for judging whether it is used or unused,
It has a structure that prevents it from being caught on clothing. For example, the shape of the cutoff line of the cutout portion is made uneven as viewed from the card body side, the card body and the cutout portion are connected to each other at the concave portion, and the convex portion is separated from each other by the slit. Since it has a structure, the burr generated by the cutting of the cutout portion is limited to only the concave portion, and the convex portion prevents the burr from being caught by an object around it.

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An IC card having a used / unused discriminating function according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The appearance of the embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. I
The C card 11 has a structure in which a cutout portion 12 for discriminating use / non-use which can be separated from the card body is integrally provided at the − portion. In the embodiment of the present invention, the cutout portion 12 is arranged at a part of the four corners of the IC card 11.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the cut-out portion 12 for use / non-use discrimination and a portion in the vicinity thereof. The slits or notches 13 are provided at three positions so that the cut portion 12 for distinguishing the used / unused state can be cut from the card body by hand without using a special tool, and the distance to be cut is minimized. That is, the used / unused cutout portions 12 are integrally connected to the card body at two locations along the cutoff line, and are separated from each other by the notches 13.

In the present embodiment, the notches 13 are provided at three places, but if the distance to be cut is made too short, the state holding force of the cut portion for determining whether it is used or unused before cutting becomes weak, and the IC card is cut. Depending on the material and structure of the IC card 11, it may be cut inadvertently in some cases due to trouble in manufacturing and carrying, and depending on the case,
The position, number and size of the notches 13 may be changed.

Further, in this embodiment, the form of the cutoff line is
When viewed from the card body side, it is uneven, and the notch 13 is provided along the convex portion 16, and a cut portion for discriminating used / unused is integrally connected in the concave portion between the convex portions.
The numbers of the convex portions 16 and the concave portions (that is, the connecting portions) are three and two in this embodiment, respectively, but in consideration of the manufacturing cost, the state-holding force before cutting, the ease of cutting, and the like. Can be selected. Further, as in the present embodiment, by providing the convex portions 16 and the cuts 13 along the convex portions 16 on both end sides of the cut line, stress at the time of cutting is easily concentrated on the connection portion, which facilitates cutting.

To further facilitate cutting, a half cut or groove 14 is provided at the connection along the cutting line.
Is provided. In this embodiment, the groove 14 is formed from the upper and lower surfaces at the two connecting portions. However, in consideration of the above-mentioned problem of maintaining the state, the groove 1 may be formed depending on the material and structure of the IC card 11.
It is also possible to dispose 4 on only one surface on the upper surface side or the lower surface side, or as a perforation as shown in FIG. 3, and in some cases, no groove may be provided. In addition, this IC card 1
In the case of No. 1, characters, photographs, patterns, etc. are usually printed on the surface thereof, but the groove 13 by half cutting has almost no effect on these printings.

FIG. 4 shows an outline view of the IC card 11 after the cutout portion 12 for discriminating use / non-use is cut out.
Since the physically unused / unused cutout portion 12 is eliminated, it is possible to easily visually and tactually determine that the device is in the used state.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the cut edge portion of the card body after the cut portion 12 for judging whether it is used or not is cut.
Shown in. A burr 15 is generated at the cut edge portion after the cut portion 12 for distinguishing used / unused is cut, but by providing the cut 13 along the convex portion 16,
The burr 15 generated by the cutting is limited to the concave portion. Therefore, in the normal handling of the IC card after the cut-out portion 12 for distinguishing the used / unused state, the burr 15 is prevented from coming into direct contact with the skin or clothing of the card user due to the presence of the convex portion 16. Even if the burr 15 becomes sharp, it is possible to prevent the user from being injured, the clothes to be frayed, and the card itself to be deformed.

The height of the convex portion 16 depends on the burrs 15 to be generated.
It is necessary to make it higher than the height of. The height of Bali is
It depends mainly on the material of the card, the length of the connecting portion, and the depth and length of the groove 14, so the height of the convex portion may be selected in consideration of these.

A perspective view showing the inside of the IC card 11 is shown in FIG. In the embodiment of the present invention, a non-contact type IC card is used, and the IC chip 17 embedded in the IC card 11 is
An antenna 18 is connected, and a sensing coil 19 of a conductor wire, which is wired in the cutout 12 for determining whether it is used or not, is connected to the IC chip 17. Both the antenna 18 and the sensing coil 19 are embedded in the layer of the IC card. In this embodiment, a conductive wire is used as the sensing coil 19, but the sensing coil 19 may be formed by printing with silver paste or the like, etching pattern, or the like.

In order to avoid inconvenience such as disconnection due to the provision of the groove 13 in the connection portion of the sensing coil 19 in the wiring portion to the cutout portion 12 for judging whether it is used or not, in order to avoid inconvenience such as disconnection as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the groove 13 is not provided continuously over the entire connecting portion, but the groove 13 is provided discontinuously as shown in FIG.
It is better to avoid the wiring part of 9. In that case, when the sensing coil 19 is formed in a linear pattern using silver paste, the width of the pattern is increased to some extent,
Even if the groove 13 is caught in the linear pattern, it is preferable that the conductive state be maintained without being completely cut.

In the unused state of the IC card 11, the sensing coil 19 is in a conductive state and is connected to the IC chip 17. However, when the IC card 11 is used, the cutout portion 12 for judging whether it is used or not is cut off. Thus, the sensing coil 19 is cut at the same time. IC card 11
By bringing it closer to the IC card reader / writer,
It is possible to electrically determine whether the sensing coil 19 is in a conducting state or an insulating state by generating induced power in the antenna 18 and operating the IC chip 17.

An outline of the operation flow of the IC chip 17 of this embodiment is shown in FIG. In the IC chip 17, EEPRO
M or OTPROM is configured, and an area in which a flag indicating a used state or an unused state is set is provided in the minus part. The IC chip 17 operated by bringing the IC card 11 close to the IC card reader / writer first confirms the state of the flag indicating the used state or the unused state (step S1), and if the flag is ON, the used state. (Y), the processing routine of the usage state is executed (step S2). When the flag is OFF (N), the state of the sensing coil 19 is confirmed (step S3), and when it is judged that the sensing coil 19 is disconnected (Y), the flag is turned ON (step S4) and the processing routine of the usage state is executed. (Step S2). If the flag is OFF and the sensing coil 19 is conductive (N), the unused processing routine is executed (step S5). Once the IC card 11 is in the used state, the state is retained inside the IC chip 17 by setting the flag to ON,
Even if the sensing coil 19 is connected again and becomes conductive, it does not return to the unused state and operates as a used card.

In the present embodiment, the cutouts for discriminating use / non-use are provided at the negative portions of the four corners of the IC card. It is possible to provide a plurality of cutouts, and there is no problem even if the cutouts are formed at any place on the card surface other than the four corners.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention,
An IC card having an IC chip embedded inside the card is provided with a part of the IC card, which is integrally provided with a cutout part that can be cut off from the card body including the IC chip at the start of use. And a conductive pattern having different electrical characteristics before and after cutting the cut portion, the IC chip detecting the electric characteristic of the conductive pattern after the cut portion is cut. The present invention is characterized in that it has a detection means, and thereby determines the use state of the IC card from the electrical characteristics of the conductive pattern after the cutout portion is cut off. Target, tactile,
It has become possible to supply an electrically distinguishable IC card.

Further, the IC chip has means for storing and holding the usage status of the IC card when the usage status of the IC card is discriminated, thereby reconnecting the cut conductor pattern. Also, since the IC card is configured to operate in the used state without being determined to be in the unused state, with a simple configuration, it is possible to prevent a fraudulent use such as adding a cutout portion to the used IC card for reuse. be able to.

Further, the conductive pattern extends to above the cutout portion and is cut by cutting out the cutout portion. After cutting out the cutout portion, the IC chip is used when the IC card is used. Detects the disconnection of the conductive pattern, it is possible to electrically determine the usage state of the IC card with a simple configuration.

Furthermore, since a groove is formed along the cut line of the cut-out portion for distinguishing whether it is used or not, the cut-out portion can be easily cut out, which is convenient for use. It is possible to provide an IC card that can be determined as unused.

Also, burrs that occur after cutting out the cut-out portion for discriminating use / non-use are the skin of the user,
A structure for preventing the clothes from being caught, in particular, the shape of the cut line of the cut portion is uneven when viewed from the card body side, and the card body and the cut portion are connected to each other at the recess, and By having a structure in which the slits are separated from each other in the convex portion,
The burr does not protrude beyond the convex part, and therefore it is possible to determine whether it is used or unused, which eliminates the inconvenience such as injury to the user, frayed clothes, or deformation of the card itself due to catching burr during use. An IC card can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an unused state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an unused state according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an unused state according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a usage state of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a usage state of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the inside of an IC card according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an operation flow of an IC chip according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an external view of a magnetic recording telephone card.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Magnetic recording telephone card 2 ... punch holes 11 ... IC card 12 ... Cutout part for discriminating between used and unused 13 ... Notch 14 ... groove 15 ... Bali 16 ... convex portion 17: IC chip 18 ... antenna 19: Sensing coil

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Hiromi Sato, 6-7-1, Koriyama, Taichiro-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi Tokin Co., Ltd. (72) Toru Miura, 6-7-1, Koriyama, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi No. Tokin Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshinori Dobashi 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Toshiho Sonehara 3-19-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Akira Yamaguchi 3-19-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Shinji Nishimura 3-chome Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 19-2 Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Atsushi Watanabe 1-chome, Showa-cho, Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture DENSO CORPORATION (72) Inventor Tatsuya Hirata Showa, Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture 1-chome 1 Denso Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ryozo Yoshino 1 Horiyamashita Horiyamashita, Hadano City, Kanagawa Pref. Hitachi, Ltd. General Computer Division (56) Reference JP-A-10-302039 (JP, A) JP Heihei 6-115676 (JP, A) JP-A-11-73483 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06K 19 / 00-19 / 18

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An I having an IC chip embedded inside a card.
In the C card, a part of the IC card is integrally provided with a cutout part that can be cut off from the card body including the IC chip at the start of use, and is electrically coupled to the IC chip and The cutout portion is provided with a conductive pattern having different electrical characteristics before and after the cutout, and the IC chip has a detection means for detecting the electrical characteristic of the conductive pattern, whereby the cutout portion after the cutout is cut off. When the usage status of the IC card is determined from the electrical characteristics of the conductive pattern and the usage status of the IC card is determined , the IC card
Has a means for storing and retaining the usage state of the card,
Even if the cut conductor pattern is reconnected, the IC
Without using the card as an unused state,
IC that can be used / not used characterized by operating
card. 2. The IC card according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive pattern extends above the cutout portion and is cut by the cutout portion, After use of the IC card, the IC chip detecting means detects the cutting of the conductive pattern when the IC card is used after the cutout portion is cut out. 3. The IC card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a groove is formed along a cut line of the cutout portion for determining whether it is used or not, whereby the cutout portion can be easily cut out. An IC card that can be used / not used and is characterized by having a possible structure. 4. The IC card according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cutout portion is cut out to determine whether it is used or not.
The line shape may be uneven when viewed from the card body side.
The card body and the cutout part are in contact with each other in the recess.
And the protrusions are separated from each other by a slit.
Is by having a by that structure, the cut burr to be generated and the user's skin after was Tsu cut portion, used / unused distinguishable IC, characterized in that so as to prevent the hooked into clothes card.