JP3536222B2 - Magnetic reader - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic reader for reading a magnetic recording medium used for railway tickets and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the railway industry, information having the same content as the information printed on a ticket such as various tickets issued to passengers is used as magnetic data on a magnetic recording surface on the back side of the ticket. It is recorded in. As a result, passengers are able to read tickets, etc. with automatic ticket gates, automatic checkout machines, etc., and are working unattended and simplifying operations. As one of the magnetic recording methods in this case, the MFM (modified frequency modulation) method is used. In this MFM system, there are cases where the synchronization bit is provided and cases where the synchronization bit is not provided. The sync bit indicates a start position and an end position of data, and is composed of a bit string of a predetermined pattern. Whether the synchronization bit is provided or not depends on the railway company or the like, and different types of magnetic readers are used for each railway company depending on the presence or absence of the synchronization bit.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following problems. That is, there may be cases where a plurality of railway companies have mutual access, and in that case, it is necessary to settle the fares of other railway companies. However, if each of the railway companies operating in each of them uses the method with the synchronization bit and the method without the synchronization bit, the types of magnetic readers are different between the two railway companies. Therefore, the ticket of one railway company cannot be read by the magnetic reader of the other railway company, and vice versa. For this reason, there is a problem that due to the subtle differences in the magnetic recording methods, mutual automatic settlement machines and the like cannot be used, and the settlement and the like must be done manually.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the magnetic reader of the present invention is characterized by the following points. That is, the present invention is capable of writing on a magnetic recording medium.
The stored data with the sync bit data prepared in advance
Sync bit that determines whether or not there is a sync bit
The discriminating means and the synchronous bit discriminating means
If it is determined that there is a
Read the data and it is determined that there is no sync bit,
Equipped with reading control means to read from the beginning of data
In the magnetic reader, the synchronization bit discriminating means
Is all if there are multiple sync bit patterns
Synchronous bit data of
Is sequentially compared with the data written on the magnetic recording medium.
It is characterized by

In the present invention, whether the preceding magnetic recording medium is a ticket
And a sync byte at the beginning of the magnetic data of the magnetic recording medium.
If there is a ticket, the data following the synchronization bit will be sent to the ticket purchase information.
If there is no synchronization bit, the magnetic data
A recognition means for recognizing the data from the beginning as the purchase information.
It is further characterized by being provided.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the magnetic reading apparatus of the present invention. The illustrated apparatus includes a synchronization bit discriminating means 1 and a reading control means 2. The reading control means 2 comprises a CPU 3 and a program memory 4. C
The PU 3 sequentially reads the programs stored in the program memory 4 and controls the entire device. A magnetic recording medium such as a ticket is read by the magnetic reading head 5 via the magnetic reading means 6. The magnetic read head 5 converts a change in magnetic flux on the magnetic recording medium into a current. Magnetic reading means 6
Converts an analog signal output from the magnetic read head 5 into a digital signal. Then, the presence / absence of a synchronization bit is determined by the synchronization bit determination means 1. The result of this determination is sent to the CPU 3.

The CPU 3 causes the magnetic reading means 6 to read the magnetic recording medium according to the presence / absence of a synchronization bit.
That is, when there is a sync bit, the CPU 3 recognizes the data following the sync bit as information such as ticket purchase information. On the other hand, when there is no synchronization bit, the CPU 3 recognizes the data from the portion where the first magnetic flux change is detected as purchase information. The mechanism control unit 7 controls a mechanism of a transport system such as a transport roller that transports a ticket in the magnetic reading device. FIG. 2 shows an outline of the mechanism of the transport system. The transport system as shown in FIG. 2 is provided in an automatic checkout machine, an automatic ticket gate, and the like. The boarding ticket or the like inserted from the ticket insertion port 11 is conveyed to the inside of the device through the conveyance path 12. A transport roller 13 is provided in the transport path 12 to transport a ticket or the like. A magnetic read head 14 and a magnetic write head 15 are provided in the middle of the transport path 12.

The magnetic read head 14 reads magnetic recording data such as a ticket. The magnetic writing head 15 writes or updates data on a ticket or the like. A discharge stacker 16 is provided at the ticket insertion port 11 so that the ticket or the like discharged from the transport path 12 can be received and presented for return to the customer. A collection stacker 17 is provided in the middle of the transport path 12, so that tickets and the like that do not need to be returned to the customer are collected. A medium hopper 18 is provided at the end of the transport path 12, and an unissued ticket is stored in the medium hopper 18. Then, when a new ticket is issued, the ticket is paid out from the medium hopper 18 by the pay-out roller 19.

FIG. 3 shows an example of specifications of the magnetic recording medium. FIG. 3 shows the structure of the recording surface of a commuter pass (so-called commuter pass), in which tracks A to D and G to J record gate information such as identification codes of ticket gates at stations. This gate information is shared by all railway companies in response to mutual entry between railway companies. On the other hand, on the tracks E and F, purchase information including the usable period of the commuter pass is recorded. This purchase information is recorded by the MFM method because it is necessary to increase the recording density.

As shown in FIG. 4, when recording information, the MFM system inverts the magnetic flux at the center of the bit cell when the data is "1" (time points t1, t2, t3, t4, t7, t9, t10). , t11),
When the data "0" continues, the magnetic flux is reversed at the bit cell boundary (time points t5, t6, t8). M like this
As described above, the FM system may be provided with the synchronization bit. The sync bit consists of a predetermined pattern such as "1" in which 8 bits are consecutive, and identifies a start point and an end point of data. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the synchronization bit as much as possible. However, even if the synchronization bit is not provided, the data can be read by using the magnetic reading device corresponding to that case.

As shown in FIG. 5, a magnetic recording medium such as a ticket is magnetized so that the magnetic flux is reversed according to FIG. That is, as is well known, when writing data, a current varying according to FIG. 4 is applied to the winding 21, and the magnetic head 22 magnetizes the magnetic surface 23. Further, when reading data, a current corresponding to a change in magnetic flux on the magnetic surface 23 appears in the winding 21.

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned device will be described. First, in FIG. 2, a magnetic recording medium such as a ticket inserted through the ticket insertion port 11 is conveyed to the magnetic reading head 14 by the conveying roller 13. Then, the magnetic recording data is read and the synchronization bit discriminating means 1 shown in FIG.
The presence or absence of the sync bit is determined by. That is, a comparison is made with the synchronization bit data for discrimination prepared in advance. That is, when all the 8 bits of the synchronization bit data are "1", it is determined whether or not the read bit string has such a pattern. Then, the magnetic recording medium is read according to the presence or absence of the synchronization bit. This makes it possible to read the magnetic recording medium with or without the sync bit.

Further, if there is a pattern other than "1" in all of 8 bits in the pattern of the synchronization bits, such a pattern is prepared in advance,
Compare. This makes it possible to detect the presence or absence of such a synchronization pattern even when the synchronization bit pattern differs depending on the railway company. After the reading of the magnetic data is completed, the magnetic recording medium is sent to the discharge stacker 16 or the recovery stacker 17 by the transport roller 13.

In this way, the railway companies are different and the MF
When the method of the sync bit of the M method is different, both the ticket with and without the sync bit can be read. As a result, it is possible to settle tickets for all other railway companies. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the case of reading a train ticket is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to the case of reading another magnetic recording medium using the MFM system.

[0015]

As described above, according to the magnetic reading apparatus of the present invention, the presence or absence of the synchronization bit is determined by the synchronization bit determination means, and the data is read according to the determination result. There is no obstruction to reading data due to differences in magnetic recording methods such as the presence or absence of
Any magnetic recording medium can be read with or without a sync bit. As a result, for example, in an automatic train adjustment machine, it is possible to prevent the machine from being disabled due to a difference between railway companies, and it is possible to eliminate the need for manual adjustment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a magnetic reader of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a recording format of a magnetic recording medium.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a transport system mechanism of the magnetic reading device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an MFM system.

FIG. 5 is a detailed explanatory diagram of a magnetic reading status.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Synchronous bit discrimination means 2 Reading control means 3 CPU 4 program memory 5 Magnetic read head

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Data recorded on a magnetic recording medium is stored in advance.
The same by comparing with the prepared sync bit data.
A synchronization bit discriminating means for discriminating the presence or absence of a period bit;
The sync bit determination means determines that there is a sync bit.
Read the data following the relevant sync bit,
When it is determined that there is no period bit,
Magnetic reading device including reading control means for reading
In the above, the synchronization bit discriminating means is
All sync bit data when there are multiple turns
Is prepared in advance, and each synchronous bit data is stored in the magnetic recording medium.
Characterized by successive comparisons with the data written in
Magnetic reader. 2. The magnetic recording medium as defined in the preceding paragraph comprises a ticket,
If there is a sync bit at the beginning of the magnetic data on the magnetic recording medium,
Recognize the data following the sync bit as ticket purchase information
If there is no sync bit, the magnetic data
Further includes a recognition means for recognizing the purchase information.
The magnetic reader according to claim 1, wherein: