JP4350569B2 - IC card housing - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an IC card housing that obstructs communication between a reader / writer unit that reads and writes an IC chip and an IC card that performs communication.

  In recent years, with the progress of cashlessness and the spread of electronic money, various services and systems using IC cards are provided in various fields such as distribution. Among them, a non-contact type IC card is attracting attention particularly in terms of ease of use (for example, see Patent Document 1). In addition, electronic value information (electronic value) of electronic money and electronic tickets (commuter pass, boarding ticket, airline ticket, etc.) is stored in an ultra-small IC chip built in the non-contact type IC card. Various payments, such as payments at ticket vending machines at stations, payments at vending machines such as beverages, payments at stores, admission to various facilities, etc. are considered. In general, an IC card reading / writing device capable of transmitting / receiving data to / from a non-contact type IC card as described above has also been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2).

These are supplied with electric power (electromagnetic waves) supplied from the reader / writer device when the IC card holder holds the IC card close to the IC card reader / writer. The IC card to which power is supplied can read information recorded on the internal IC chip or write new information on the IC chip and perform various payments using the electronic money described above.
JP 2002-133378 A JP 2003-141463 A

  However, data in the IC card can be read and written simply by bringing the non-contact type IC card close to the IC card reading / writing device (reader / writer unit). For this reason, the IC card holder may access the data stored in the IC card regardless of his / her intention. As a result, there is a problem that the data stored in the IC card is illegally used such as changing or falsification.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an IC card case that can regulate communication between a reader / writer unit and an IC card with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.

  The IC card storage body of the present invention is an IC card storage body that can store an IC card that performs wireless communication with the reader / writer unit, and the communication efficiency between the reader / writer unit and the IC card is normal communication. It is characterized by comprising a communication restricting means for lowering compared to the state.

  In the IC card storage body according to the present invention, in the state where the IC card is stored, it is impossible to receive the high frequency signal transmitted from the reader / writer unit by the communication restricting means. It is possible to prevent communication with a reader / writer unit that does not have any. Further, when using the IC card, it is possible to normally communicate with the reader / writer unit by taking it out from the IC card housing.

  Further, the IC card housing of the present invention is characterized in that the communication restricting means has a resonance circuit that resonates with a high frequency signal used for the wireless communication or a frequency in the vicinity of the high frequency signal.

  In the IC card storage body according to the present invention, when the reader / writer unit approaches the IC card in a state in which the IC card is stored, the IC card and the IC card storage body receive a high-frequency signal transmitted from the reader / writer unit. An induced magnetic field is generated. At this time, since the magnetic field generated from the reader / writer unit is absorbed by the IC card storage body, the electromotive force generated in the antenna unit provided in the IC card is reduced. Accordingly, an electromotive force sufficient to drive the antenna unit of the IC card cannot be obtained, and reading of information in the IC card from the reader / writer unit can be suppressed.

  Moreover, the IC card storage body of the present invention is characterized in that the communication restriction means includes a switching unit that switches the resonance circuit to an open state or a closed state, and a switch unit that drives the switching unit.

  In the IC card storage body according to the present invention, when communication is performed with the reader / writer unit or communication is refused with the IC card stored, switching of the resonance circuit is performed by operating the switch unit. The part is switched to an open state or a closed state. Therefore, communication with the reader / writer unit can be controlled with a simple operation while the IC card is stored in the IC card storage body.

  According to the IC card storage body of the present invention, communication with the reader / writer unit can be restricted by providing the communication restricting means. Therefore, it is possible to prevent fraud due to data change or alteration.

  Hereinafter, an IC card storage body according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an IC card case (IC card storage body) 1 according to this embodiment can store an IC card 2 formed in a rectangular shape. Further, the IC card reader / writer (reader / writer unit) 3 can communicate information including at least the amount of money with the IC chip in a non-contact state with respect to the IC card 2. That is, the IC card reader / writer 3 and the IC card 2 can transmit power between the IC card reader / writer 3 and the IC card 2 by holding the IC card 2 above the portion of the IC card reader / writer 3 where the loop antenna is disposed (for example, within 100 mm). Data transmission is performed. In this way, the IC card 2 operates with the power transmitted wirelessly from the IC card reader / writer 3, and information such as write data to the IC card 2 is transferred from the IC card reader / writer 3 to the IC card 2. In addition to being communicated wirelessly, the IC card 2 is communicated wirelessly to the IC card reader / writer 3.

  As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the IC card reader / writer 3 reads and writes data to and from the electromagnetically coupled non-contact IC card 2, and includes a CPU 31 that controls communication to the outside, an IC A transmitting unit 32 that transmits data to the card 2, a receiving unit 33 that receives data from the IC card 2, an antenna unit 34 that is electromagnetically coupled to the antenna unit 21 of the IC card 2, and the IC card 2 side and the antenna unit 34 And a matching circuit 35 for matching the impedance and preventing reflection so that optimum electromagnetic coupling is performed between them. The dimensions of the loop coil of the antenna unit 34 are 200 mm in the vertical direction and 100 mm in the horizontal direction. That is, the IC card reader / writer 3 transmits a high frequency signal (for example, 13.56 MHz) from the antenna unit 34 to the IC card 2 and receives the high frequency signal.

  The IC card 2 includes an antenna unit 34 of the IC card reader / writer 3, a modem unit 22 that performs data modulation / demodulation, a CPU 23 that controls power and data transmitted from the IC card reader / writer 3, and a memory that performs reading and writing. Part 24. The antenna unit 21 of the IC card 2 includes a coil 21a that receives a high-frequency signal transmitted from the IC card reader / writer 3, and a capacitor 21b that resonates with the received electromagnetic wave. The resonance frequency constituted by the coil 21a and the capacitor 21b is 13.56 MHz.

  The IC card case 1 has an opening 11 into which an IC card can be taken in and out, and has a box shape in which the IC card 2 can be stored through the opening 11.

  The IC card case 1 has a coil 13a and a capacitor 13b, which are connected to each other to form a resonance circuit (communication restricting means) 13. The resonance frequency of the resonance circuit 13 is 13.56 MHz as with the IC card 2.

  Next, a method of using the IC card case 1 configured as described above will be described.

In order to perform communication between the IC card 2 and the IC card reader / writer 3, first, the CPU 31 of the IC card reader 3 periodically detects the presence or absence of electromagnetic coupling with the IC card 2. Command data is transmitted to the second side. The command data is sent to the transmitting unit 32, it is modulated by the transmission unit 32. The modulated command data is transmitted to the IC card 2 side via the matching circuit 35 and the antenna unit 34 .

  Here, an AC voltage is applied to the antenna unit 34 of the IC card reader / writer 3 to generate an electromagnetic field. At this time, when the IC card 2 comes close to the antenna unit 34 of the IC card reader / writer 3 (about 100 mm above), the coil 21 a of the IC card 2 receives an electromagnetic field output from the antenna unit 34 of the IC card reader / writer 3. . As a result, electromagnetic induction occurs between the antenna unit 21 of the IC card 2 and the antenna unit 34 of the IC card reader / writer 3, and a current flows through the coil 21 a of the IC card 2. That is, the electromotive force is supplied to the IC card 2 side through the antenna unit 34 of the IC card reader / writer 3. As a result, the electromotive force is supplied to the modem unit 22, CPU 23, and memory 24 of the IC card 2, and the modem unit 22, CPU 23, and memory 24 become operable. Data transmitted from the IC card reader / writer 3 via the antenna unit 34 is received and demodulated by the modem unit 22 of the IC card 2 and output to the CPU 23. As a result, the CPU 23 receives the demodulated data as command data.

  Next, when receiving the command data from the IC card reader / writer 3, the CPU 23 of the IC card 2 outputs response data to the modem unit 22 after a predetermined time has elapsed. The modem unit 22 modulates the response data with amplitude and transmits the response data from the antenna unit 21 to the IC card reader / writer 3 side. The transmission data transmitted from the IC card 2 is received by the receiving unit 33 via the antenna unit 34 and the matching circuit 35 of the IC card reader / writer 3 and demodulated as response data. The response data is sent to the CPU 11.

  Further, when receiving the response data, the CPU 31 of the IC card reader / writer 3 recognizes that the IC card 2 is electromagnetically coupled to the IC card reader / writer 3. Then, data communication is performed with the CPU 23 of the IC card 2 that is electromagnetically coupled, and data stored in the memory 24 in the IC card 2 is read and data is written to the memory 24. This state is a normal communication state.

  Here, when the IC card reader / writer 3 approaches in a state where the IC card 2 is stored from the opening 11 of the IC card case 1, the magnetic field generated from the IC card reader / writer 3 is changed to the resonance circuit of the IC card case 1. 13 is absorbed. For this reason, the electromotive force generated in the antenna unit 21 provided in the IC card 2 is reduced. Therefore, an electromotive force sufficient to drive the antenna unit 21 cannot be obtained, and the communication efficiency between the IC card reader / writer 3 and the IC card 2 is reduced compared to the normal communication state described above. Become.

  As described above, according to the IC card case 1 according to the present embodiment, in the state where the holder of the IC card 2 stores the IC card 2 in the IC card case 1, the will of the holder of the IC card 2 is determined. It is possible to prevent data leakage unrelated to That is, it is possible to suppress reading and writing of information in the IC card 2 from the IC card reader / writer 3.

  In the present embodiment, in addition to the IC card case 1, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a switching unit 41 that switches the resonance circuit to an open state or a closed state, and a switching unit 41 are provided. It is good also as the card case 40 provided with the push switch (switch part) 42 to drive.

  The push switch (switch unit) 42 conducts a part of the electrical wiring of the coil 13a of the resonance circuit 13. As a result, the switch is a momentary type switch that opens the circuit only while being pressed and opens the circuit. In the case of this configuration, when the push switch 42 is not pressed, the resonance circuit 13 is formed, so that an electromotive force sufficient to drive the antenna unit 21 of the IC card 2 cannot be obtained. Thus, communication between the IC card reader / writer 3 and the IC card 2 cannot be performed. On the other hand, when the IC card 2 is used at the will of the holder, pressing the push switch 42 disconnects a part of the resonance circuit 13. Thereby, since the magnetic field generated from the IC card reader / writer 3 is not absorbed by the IC card case 1, the IC card reader / writer 3 and the IC card 2 can communicate with each other.

  In addition, the push switch 42 is used as a method of cutting the resonance circuit 13, but instead of this, a slide switch may be used to control cutting and connection of the resonance circuit 13.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the shape of the IC card case 1 may be a foldable card case 50. The card case 50 has an opening 51a through which the IC card 2 can be inserted and removed, and a card holding unit 51 that can store the IC card 2 and a communication disturbing unit 52 having the resonance circuit 13 form a hinge 53. It is connected so as to be swingable. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4A, communication with the IC card reader / writer 3 is possible when the folding card case 50 is opened, and communication is performed when the foldable card case 50 is closed as shown in FIG. 4B. Is impossible. Therefore, communication with the IC card reader / writer 3 can be controlled with a simple operation while the IC card 2 is stored in the IC card case 1.

  Furthermore, although the shape of the IC card is a rectangular shape, the shape is not limited to this, and may be an elliptical shape or a shape combining a straight line and an arc. In this case, the same effect can be obtained if the IC card case has a shape capable of storing and holding such an IC card.

  Further, the shape of the IC card case is a box shape, but is not limited to this, and it may be a purse bag shape, a storage such as a regular case, a wallet or a business card case that can store an IC card.

  The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which accommodated the IC card in the IC card case which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an IC card and an IC card reader / writer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The other modification of the IC card case which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) It is a perspective view of an IC card case, (b) is a schematic diagram. The other modification of the IC card case which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a schematic diagram of the state which can communicate with IC card reader / writer, (b) cannot communicate with IC card reader / writer. It is a schematic diagram of a state.

Explanation of symbols

1 IC card case (IC card case)
2 IC card 3 IC card reader / writer (reader / writer)
12 Housing 13 Resonant circuit (communication regulation means)
21 IC card antenna part 41 switching part 42 push switch (switch part)

Claims (1)

In an IC card storage body that can store an IC card that performs wireless communication with a reader / writer unit,
A resonance circuit having a resonance frequency similar to the resonance frequency of the IC card;
A switching unit that forms a part of the resonant circuit, the switching unit configured to switch the resonant circuit to an open state by leaving the resonant circuit closed by connecting to the resonant circuit ;
While pressed, so that the resonant circuit in the open state, the switching unit is driven so as to cut from the resonant circuit, during the non-pressing, the resonant circuit to a closed state, the switching and a switch portion you driven to be connected to the resonant circuit part,
When the switch unit is not pressed, the resonance circuit is closed by maintaining a connection between the switching unit and the resonance circuit , the reader / writer unit, and the IC card stored in the IC card storage body The IC card housing, wherein the communication efficiency between the two is reduced compared to a normal communication state.

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