JPH02130761A - Magnetic recording method for magnetic card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a data error due to abrasion of a device of terminal equipment by recording reference control data in advance in a 2nd recording area provided on a magnetic card and setting intervals of variable data as equal intervals in accordance with intervals measured for the reference data at the time of writing the variable data in a 1st recording area. CONSTITUTION:The terminal equipment 1 of a rectangular parallelepiped is provided in its front panel part with an inserting hole 4 for inserting the magnetic card 2 having the 1st magnetic recording area 2A and the 2nd recording area 2B, and a key board 5 for key-inputting a settlement amt. of accounts is provided above the inserting hole. The recording area 2A of this magnetic card 3 is for the area of recording the variable data, and the recording area 2B is recorded in advance with the reference control data. Then, when the recording area 2A is recorded with the variable data, the reference control data recorded in the recording area 2B are read out to measure the reference intervals, and the variable data are recorded at equal intervals based on these reference intervals.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention compensates for discrepancies in recording intervals caused by a recording device when recording variable data on a magnetic card, and records variable data accurately at equal intervals. This invention relates to a magnetic recording method for a magnetic card that allows magnetic recording.

[Conventional technology]

The system that allows payments to be made using a magnetic card uses a magnetic card that magnetically records variable data such as the prepaid amount.
It is known as a payment system that allows you to settle payments. In such a system, a person pays cash or the like in advance, receives a magnetic card, and then pays for the purchase using the magnetic card. Therefore, when adopting such a system, a terminal device is required that can read the variable data of the magnetic card and rewrite the variable data after payment to the magnetic card.

Such a terminal device reads and writes variable data to and from a magnetic card by relatively moving a magnetic recording/reproducing head and a magnetic card. Therefore, in a terminal device, the magnetic card and the magnetic recording/reproducing head must be moved relative to each other at an accurate speed, both when writing variable data to the magnetic card and when reading variable data from the magnetic card.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, in the conventional terminal device described above, a rotary encoder is provided on a roller for moving the magnetic card, etc., in order to cause the magnetic card and the magnetic recording/reproducing head to move relative to each other at an accurate speed, and the detection signal from the rotary encoder is The rotation of rollers, etc. was controlled to be constant. However, in such terminal devices, the rollers and the like may wear out, or slip may occur when the magnetic card is moved, and the magnetic card may not be moved accurately. As described above, the terminal device has disadvantages in that it is not possible to send the magnetic card accurately, and errors occur in the data from the magnetic card.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and provides a magnetic recording system for magnetic cards that allows variable data to be recorded accurately and at regular intervals.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, a magnetic card magnetic recording method according to the present invention provides a magnetic card magnetic recording method in which payment can be made using a magnetic card on which variable data such as an advance payment amount is magnetically recorded. A first magnetic recording area is provided for recording variable data such as the prepayment amount, and a second magnetic recording area is provided for recording reference control data. This method is characterized in that variable data is magnetically recorded at equal intervals based on the intervals of reference control data.

[Effect]

The magnetic card is provided with a first magnetic recording area and a second magnetic recording area. Reference control data is recorded in advance in the second magnetic recording area of the magnetic card. When writing variable data to the first magnetic recording area of the magnetic card, the interval between the reference control data is measured, and the intervals of the first control data are adjusted so that the interval between the variable data becomes equal according to the range of variation in the interval. Record variable data in the magnetic recording area. By doing so, it is possible to prevent data errors due to wear and tear on the equipment of the terminal device.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

1 to 6 are diagrams shown for explaining one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a terminal device that implements an embodiment of the magnetic recording method for a magnetic card according to the present invention.

In FIG. 3, the terminal device 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape,
A first magnetic recording area 2 is located on the front panel of this rectangular parallelepiped.
A. A card slot 4 into which a magnetic card 3 having a second magnetic recording area 2B is inserted is provided, and an input keyboard 5 is provided above the card slot 4 for inputting the payment amount manually. A display device 6 for displaying information is provided, and a cash input lower for inputting cash is provided on the right side of the input keyboard 5 as shown in the figure, and a change tray 8 is provided for receiving and receiving change after payment is completed. Further, on the left side of the input keyboard 5 in the drawing, there are provided an acoustic alarm 9 for notifying the user that a card has been left out or other sounds, a cancel button 10 for canceling the payment, and a call button 11 for calling an attendant. It is set up.

Here, when making a payment using the magnetic card 3, the terminal W1 inserts the magnetic card 3 into the card slot 4 and stores the variable data written in the first magnetic recording area 2A of the magnetic card 3. The information read from the first magnetic recording area 2A of the magnetic card 3 and the information input from the input keyboard 5 are displayed on the display 6 and a display that allows payment is displayed on the input keyboard 5. The calculation result is subtracted from the information with the settlement amount, and the calculation result is again written in the first magnetic recording area 2A according to the interval obtained from the reference control data read from the second magnetic recording area 2B of the magnetic card 3. The magnetic card 3 is configured to be ejected into a card insertion slot 4.

On the other hand, when paying with cash, when the necessary cash is inserted from the cash input lower, the terminal device 1 converts this into information and displays the information on the display 6, and also inputs a display that allows payment on the input keyboard 5. The cash information is then subtracted from the payment amount input from the input keyboard 5, and the change is discharged into the change tray 8 if necessary.

Note that since the present invention relates to a payment method using the magnetic card 3, a description of the payment method using cash will be omitted below.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are explanatory diagrams showing magnetic cards used in embodiments of the present invention.

This magnetic card 3 is a flexible one made of thin plastic, paper, etc., and has a fourth magnetic card on its surface.
As shown in the figure, an area 12 for displaying the payment amount and its payment status, and an error mark area 13 for error processing are provided, and other necessary information (
Sales amount, publisher name, etc.) are printed on it. Further, the ini card 3 is provided with a first magnetic recording area 2A and a second magnetic recording area 2B as a magnetic recording medium on the back side thereof, as shown in FIG. 5(1).

Further, in the first magnetic recording area 2A of the magnetic card 3, as shown in FIG.
B2, "Amount code 2bj, information necessary for reading and writing, etc. are magnetically recorded.

In addition, in the second magnetic recording area 2B of the magnetic card 3,
Reference control data of a reference bit interval (reference bit interval) is magnetically recorded in advance. Further, in the magnetic card 3, the error mark area 13 and the area 12 are provided in the same direction with respect to the insertion direction, and the issuer code 2a is the name of the issuer, and the amount code 2b The amount of money printed on the surface of the card when it was issued is magnetically written in a code.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the terminal device.

Inside the terminal Wll, the card insertion slot 4
A pair of feed rollers 20, 21 are rotatably provided in parallel at positions corresponding to . This feed roller 2
0.21, the magnetic head 22A and the magnetic head 2
2B is provided. The magnetic head 22A is capable of reading variable data recorded in the first magnetic recording area 2A, and is also capable of writing data after payment has been completed in the first magnetic recording area 2A. Further, the magnetic head 22B is capable of reading reference control data recorded in the second magnetic recording area 2B of the magnetic card 3.

Further, a reflective optical reading device 23 is provided next to the magnetic heads 22A, 22B. On the right side of the optical reading device 23 in the figure, a pair of feed rollers 24 and 25 are provided.
are arranged rotatably in parallel. A punch mechanism 26 is provided on the right side of the feed roller 24, 25 in the drawing, and the punch mechanism 26 is configured to punch holes in the area 12 and error mark area 13 of the magnetic card 3 in response to a punch command. It is a mechanism. Also, adjacent to this punch mechanism 26, a pair of rollers 27 are provided.
．． 28 is arranged rotatably in parallel and at a distance from this roller 27.28 a roller 29.30 is arranged. An endless belt 31 is wound between the roller 27 and the roller 29, and an endless belt 32 is wound between the roller 28 and the roller 30. The lower half of the outer circumference of the belt 31 is in contact with the upper half of the outer circumference of the belt 32. Said roller 29.3
A card contact detection sensor 33 which also serves as a stopper is provided on the right side of 0 in the drawing. The feed roller 20.21, feed roller 24.25, roller 27.28, and roller 29.30 are connected to a driving step motor 34 via a mechanism not shown.
It will rotate according to the rotation of 4.

The magnetic head 22A is electrically connected to the control circuit 35 via the write/read circuit 37, the magnetic head 22B is electrically connected to the control circuit 35 via the output circuit 38, and the optical reading device 23, punch mechanism 26, and card contact detection sensor 33. It is connected to the.

This control circuit 35 is configured to generate a rotation command to rotate the step motor 34. The control circuit 35 also includes an acoustic alarm 9, a card detection sensor 39 that uses light reflection to detect that the magnetic card 3 is inserted into the card slot 4, an input keyboard 5, and a display 6.
, the cancel button 10, and the ij] 11 are electrically connected.

The control circuit 35 may be configured by a computer system. The writing successive circuit 37 is connected to the Ei main air heater 22
The data from A is supplied to the computer system, and the data after payment from the computer system is sent to the magnetic head 2.
It is designed to supply 2A.

The write successive circuit 37 forms the reference control data from the magnetic head 22B into a waveform and can supply the same to the computer system of the control circuit 35. Data from the optical reader 23 and card detection sensor 39 is supplied to the computer system of the control circuit 35. Commands from the computer system of the control circuit 35 are converted into acoustic signals and supplied to the acoustic alarm 9.

Furthermore, the control 11 circuit 35 causes the punching mechanism 26 to perform a punching operation. Data from the input keyboard 5 can be supplied to a control circuit 35. The control circuit 35 controls the display 6 by display control 111.
It is supposed to be done. When the cancel button 10 and call button 11 are pressed, this can be supplied to the control circuit 35. The card contact detection sensor 33
A signal from the control circuit 35 can be supplied to the control circuit 35. When the control circuit 35 detects through the card detection sensor 39 that the magnetic card 3 is inserted into the card insertion slot 4, it drives the step motor 34 to rotate the first magnetic recording area 2A of the magnetic card 3. From magnetic to rad 2
2A, Mjl control data is taken in from the second magnetic recording area 2B through the magnetic head 22B, these data are stored, and the payment amount is taken in from the input keyboard 5, and the deduction is calculated here. Then, the variable data is sent to the write/read circuit 37, and based on the standard control data, it is written into the magnetic field of the magnetic card 3 and into the amount code 2b section of the RAD 22A, and the data is written into the magnetic card 3 via the punch mechanism 26. This operation is for punching a hole at a predetermined position in area 12. During this operation, is the computer system controlled? Below Il, the magnetic card 3 is placed under the feed roller 24.2.
5. It moves in the left-right direction in the drawing between the belts 31, 32, etc.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of this embodiment.

First, the terminal device 1 determines whether cash has been inserted from the cash input lower or whether the magnetic card 3 has been inserted into the card insertion slot 4 (step 5IOI). If it is cash, it performs the cash settlement process. Execute and end the process (step 5102).Furthermore, the fact that it is a card can be detected by the card detection sensor 39 detecting that the magnetic card 3 is inserted into the card slot 4 of the terminal device 1. Therefore, the control circuit 35 drives the step motor 34 to rotate. As a result, the magnetic card 3 is transferred to the feed roller 2.
0.21, feed roller 24.25, belt 31.32
In the process of moving between the magnetic cards 3 and 3, variable data and reference control data are read from the first magnetic recording area 2A and the second magnetic recording area 2B of the magnetic card 3 via the magnetic heads 22A and 22B, respectively (step 5103
). The read variable data and reference control data of the magnetic card 3 are temporarily stored in the storage section of the control circuit 35 (step 5LO4).

Next, the 871 i11 circuit 35 calculates the average value of the bit intervals of the reference control data and stores this in a predetermined area of the storage section (step 3105). Next, the control circuit 35 determines whether the amount is larger than the minimum settlement amount (step 5107).

Here, if the amount is larger than the minimum settlement amount value, that is, if the amount can be reduced, the amount data is displayed on the display 6 via the display control circuit 52, and the display part of the amount that can be settled according to the amount data is displayed. The input keyboard 5 is displayed (step 310B).

Next, the system waits for the amount to be input from the input keyboard 5 (step 5106).

Furthermore, when there is an input from the input keyboard 5, if the key force value is greater than the remaining amount of the variable data on the magnetic card 3 (step 5107), the message ``Payment cannot be made, please try again'' is displayed. Step S]08), the process moves on to the process described below.

On the other hand, when the key input amount from the input keyboard 5 is smaller than the remaining amount value of the variable data of the magnetic card 3 (step 5107), a reduction is calculated and this is stored in the storage section of the control circuit 35 (step 5109). ).

When the calculation is completed, the control circuit 35 rotates the step motor 34 to send the two magnetic cards 3 toward the card insertion slot 4 (step 5110). and,
The control circuit 35 controls the control circuit 35 when the magnetic card 3 reaches a predetermined position and when the punch hole is punched (step 5).
ill), the punch mechanism 26 is operated to punch a hole in the area 12 of the magnetic card 3 (step 5112), and the process moves to the next step.

Also, when it is not a condition to punch a hole, is there a restriction? 1 circuit 35 moves to the next step without doing anything (step 5
113).

At the timing when the magnetic card 3 passes the magnetic heads 22A and 22B, the control circuit 35 executes data writing (step 5113). This writing operation is performed as follows. That is, the control circuit 35 controls all data of the reference control data 200 stored in the storage unit (all bit intervals T1, T2, T1, -3 second
The average bit interval (bit interval T, see FIG. 2(II)) per one bit 210 of the reference control data is determined from the average bit interval (see FIG. 2(II)).

Suppose that all the reference control data 200 are N
The average bit interval T per 1 bit 210 of the reference control data is TII=(TI+Tt+T1+-...-+T, 1)
/! 'J, -...-(1).

Next, the control circuit 35 compares T and T1 at time t, as shown in FIG. Variable data is output so that the bits are arranged at equal intervals T0, and is written into the first magnetic recording area 2A of the magnetic card 3 via the magnetic head 22A.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (Iff), the control circuit 35 compares Tt and T at time t, and depending on the comparison result, one bit of the variable data is set at the next timing t. The variable data is outputted so as to have equal intervals T0, and is written into the first magnetic recording area 2A of the magnetic card 3 via the magnetic head 22A.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2(III)L, the control circuit 35 compares T and T at time t3, and according to the comparison result, one bit of the variable data The variable data is outputted so as to have equal intervals T0, and is written into the first magnetic recording area 2A of the magnetic card 3 via the magnetic head 22A.

Such an operation is performed when the Nth bit interval T,4
The comparison between and T continues until the comparison is completed.

Note that each bit interval T1, T1, T3, ...
It is desirable that the individual values of - and the average bit interval T match, and in this case, the terminal bag [1 is 1
This indicates that no wear and tear has occurred. On the other hand, if the individual values of each bit interval T7, T1, T1, etc. and the average bit interval T do not match, the terminal device 1 may be affected by wear or the like on the rollers, etc. It shows that there is.

Furthermore, each bit interval T I, T t, T3
, . . . - and the average bit interval T, when a difference occurs between the comparison results of the individual values of , . Each bit of variable data is arranged at equal intervals T0.

Next, f〃The magnetic card is further sent in the card insertion slot 4 direction (step 5114), and when the magnetic card 3 is detected by the card detection sensor 39, it stops and an audible alarm emits a sound alerting the user to receive the magnetic card 3. Generate with 9 (
Step 5115), and the magnetic card 3 is waiting to be received (
Step 5116), and when the answer is taken, the audible g notification by the audible annunciator 9 is stopped (step 5117), and the process ends.

On the other hand, if the amount cannot be reduced (step 5107), the control circuit 35 rotates the step motor 34 and reads the error mark area 13 of the magnetic card 3 via the optical reader 23.
(step 5120). Here, if there is no error mark in the error mark area 13 on the magnetic card 3 (step 5121), the message ``There is no balance, so payment cannot be made'' is displayed, and the insufficient amount is displayed.Step 5122)
, ends the process.

Furthermore, when the control circuit 35 detects, via the optical reading device 23, that the magnetic card 3 has the error mark area 13, it immediately ends the process.

Note that if an abnormality occurs for some reason or the amount cannot be reduced, the control circuit 35 stores this as an abnormality in the storage section of the control circuit 35 and processes the error. In other words, the control n circuit 35 rotates the step motor 34 to send the magnetic card 3 toward the card insertion slot 4. When the magnetic card 3 reaches a predetermined position, the punch mechanism 26 is operated to punch a hole EH in the error mark area 13 as an error processing.

Since such processing is executed, a punch hole EH is punched in the error mark area 13 of the magnetic card 3. As a result, the control circuit 35 causes the display 6 to indicate that the magnetic card 3 cannot be reused.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the magnetic card includes:
A first magnetic recording area is provided for recording variable data such as the prepayment amount, and a second magnetic recording area is provided for recording reference control data. During magnetic recording, the reference control data is read and the reference control data is recorded. Since variable data is magnetically recorded at equal intervals based on the data interval, it is possible to prevent data errors due to equipment wear of the terminal device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the embodiment, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a payment device that puts the embodiment into practice, and Figs. 4 and 5 are magnetic FIG. 6, which shows the card, is an internal configuration diagram of the payment device. l...terminal device, 2A...first magnetic recording area,
2B...Second magnetic recording area, 3...Magnetic cart', 4...Card slot, 5...Input keyboard,
6...Display device, 9...Acoustic alarm, 10...Cancel button, 11...Call button, 22A, 22B...Magnetic head, 23...Optical reader, 2G... Punch mechanism, 35...control circuit. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an information storage system using a magnetic card in which variable data is magnetically recorded and data can be rewritten, the magnetic card is provided with a first magnetic recording area for recording the variable data, and
A second magnetic recording area in which reference control data is recorded is provided, and during magnetic recording, the reference control data is read and variable data is magnetically recorded at equal intervals based on the intervals of the reference control data. Magnetic recording method for magnetic cards.