JPH02184989A - Ic card read and write mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To vary the usage of information stored in an IC card between a case in which the IC card is inserted with its surface upward and another case in which the IC card is inserted with its surface downward by positioning and installing two contact terminals so that reading and writing for the IC card can be executed in both the case in which the IC card is inserted with its surface upward and the case in which the IC card is inserted with its surface downward. CONSTITUTION:A control part 3 of a read and write device contacts a contact terminal 1 with the magnetic stripe of the IC card and checks whether communication for the IC card is possible or not. When the communication is possible, the control part 3 informs a host device through an interface 6 that the currently inserted IC card is inserted with its surface upward. When the communication is impossible, the control part 3 contacts a contact terminal 2 with the magnetic stripe of the IC card and checks whether the communication for the IC card is possible or not. When the communication is possible, the control part 3 informs the host device through the interface 6 that the IC card is currently inserted with its surface downward. Thus, it can be detected that the IC card is inserted with its surface upward or with its back upward, and the detected result can be grasped as usage information about the IC card.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides an IC card comprising an IC card and a read/write device.
The present invention relates to a C card read/write mechanism, and particularly relates to an IC card reader/write mechanism that can detect whether an IC card is inserted on the front or back side and use the front and back sides of the IC card as information.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in an IC card read/write machine consisting of an IC card and a read/write device, a groove is provided with a magnetic stripe for recording owner information etc. on the surface of the IC card. One read/write contact terminal (hereinafter abbreviated as "contact terminal") that allows the read/write device to read and write the magnetic stripe provided on the surface of the IC card.
It was configured to install.

Therefore, in the conventional IC card read/write mechanism,
Read/write is possible only when the IC card is inserted into the read/write device with the magnetic stripe of the card in the same direction as the contact terminals of the read/write device, usually with the magnetic stripe of the card facing upward.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional IC card read/write S structure described above, the read/write device had only one contact terminal, so the insertion direction of the IC card was limited to one direction. .

Therefore, if the magnetic stripes of the IC card are not in the same direction as the contact terminals of the read/write device, the IC card must be reinserted.

Also, when the surface of the contact terminal of the IC card is viewed as the front side,
It has not been possible to change the way the information stored on an IC card is used depending on whether the IC card is inserted with the front side facing up or when the IC card is inserted with the front side facing down.

[Means for Solving the Problems] An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and to solve the problems of the prior art described above.
To provide an IC card read/write mechanism capable of detecting whether a C card is inserted with its face up or down, and using it as usage information of the IC card.

The present invention provides an integrated circuit comprising an IC card and a read/write device.
The C card read/write mechanism is equipped with a magnetic stripe on one side of the IC card to record owner information, etc.;
A pair of contact terminals are positioned and installed so that the magnetic stripe of the IC card can be read and written when the IC card is inserted with the side with the magnetic stripe or the side without the magnetic stripe facing in a predetermined direction. It is characterized by what it did.

[Example] Next, an IC card read/write mechanism according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an IC card read/write mechanism according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a contact terminal when the IC card is inserted with the front side, that is, the side on which the magnetic stripe for recording owner information, etc. is placed facing up. 2 is a contact terminal when the IC card is inserted with its surface facing down. 3 is a control section of the read/write device, and 4 is a mechanism section for transporting the IC card and bringing the contact terminal into contact with the magnetic stripe of the IC card, which operates according to instructions from the control section 3.

As is well known in conventional read/write devices, the mechanism section 4 is
It detects that the IC card has been inserted and transports the IC card to a position where it can be read and written.

The control unit 3 of the read/write device brings the contact terminal 1 into contact with the magnetic stripe of the IC card, and checks whether communication with the IC card is possible. If possible, the control unit 3 notifies the host device through the interface 6 that the currently inserted IC card is inserted with its surface facing up. If communication is not possible, the control unit 3 connects the contact terminal 2 to the IC card. Touch the magnetic stripe to check whether communication is possible with the IC card. If possible, the control unit 3 is currently
The host device is notified through the interface 6 that the card is inserted with its surface facing down.

Subsequent reading and writing of information to and from the IC card is executed by the host device through the interface 5.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention has two contact terminals positioned and installed so that when the IC card is inserted with its surface facing upward or downward, it can read and write.
It is possible to detect whether the C card is inserted face up or down, and this can be used as IC card usage information.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an IC card read/write mechanism according to the present invention. 1. 2... Contact terminal 3... Control section 4... Mechanism section 5. 6...Interface

Claims (1)

[Claims] An IC card read/write mechanism consisting of an IC card and a read/write device, in which a magnetic stripe is provided on one side of the IC card to record owner information, etc.
On the other hand, when the IC card is inserted into an IC card read/write device with the side with the magnetic stripe or the side without the magnetic stripe facing in a predetermined direction, the magnetic stripe of the IC card is An IC card read/write device, characterized in that a pair of contact terminals are positioned and installed so that the IC card can be read and written, thereby detecting that the IC card is inserted on the front or back side, and making it possible to use the front and back sides of the IC card as information. mechanism.