JPH02212194A - Card with rewritable display and card reader/writer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a highly convenient and inexpensive card of high reliability by using a memory medium whose content can not be confirmed visually and a photosensitive material possible to write a signal pattern or hue by light as constitutional members. CONSTITUTION:This card is formed by arranging a photosensitive material (photochromic material) display part 3 to an IC card having a semiconductor element 1 built therein and equipped with a magnetic stripe having a strip like magnetic body 2. The photosensitive material can write and erase a pattern such as a character, a figure or a mark and/or hue. Therefore, since the history of transaction can be recorded and erased, if necessary, a card owner can check the content of the card at any time and the card itself requires no special electri cal display means and a design card having a degree of freedom not only in various dimensions, thicknesses and display positions but also in the combination of patterns or hues can be formed extremely at a low cost.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a card and its reader/writer for information processing used in distribution, logistics, FA, OA, HA, service industry fields, etc. be.

(Prior Art) Semiconductor elements as shown in FIG. 3(A) have been used as cards and card readers/writers for information processing used in distribution, logistics, FA, OA, HA, service industries, etc. 11 embedded therein, a magnetic card having a strip-shaped magnetic material 12 attached to its surface as shown in FIG. 3(B), and card readers/writers for these cards have been used. This IC card contains, for example, a personal identification number (
PIN number) and the history of various transaction information, etc.
It was used to update historical information according to transactions. In this case, the user cannot know the balance as it is, so the user inserts the card into the card reader/writer and displays the contents on the card reader/writer to check the balance, but the card itself has an LCD display function. The method used was to create a card with a name and display it there. In addition, when using a magnetic card as a retail prepaid card, for example, the balance after the transaction is sequentially printed on the front of the card using a printer.
It was to be printed and displayed at the positions shown at 1°13-2 to 13-n.

Further, as a means for accessing the semiconductor element 11, a contact and a control circuit that supply power and necessary signals to the contact connected to the semiconductor element 11 have been used.

As is well known, a magnetic head and its signal processing circuit have been used as means for reading and writing the strip-shaped magnetic material. In addition, display means such as printers and LCDs are used to display the recorded contents of storage media (for example, semiconductors and magnetic strips) that cannot be read (visually recognized) as they are, and these read/write elements, processing circuits, and displays are used. Card readers and writers were constructed from various means.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional example, when a cardholder wants to view the transaction details, since the cardholder cannot see the details of the transaction as it is with a general IC card, the cardholder must use a card reader/writer with a display function to view the transaction details. IC cards with an LCD display function have problems with bending strength, and the cards themselves are extremely expensive. In the case of magnetic cards, transaction history is recorded on the surface of the card, but the printing space is limited, so much cannot be recorded, and the card has received unfavorable reviews due to its design and quality.

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional characters.

A light-sensitive material (photochromic material) that can write and erase patterns such as figures and symbols and/or colors is provided on the surface of the card, allowing the cardholder to record and erase transaction history as needed. An excellent display card that allows you to check the contents, does not require any special electrical display means, is extremely inexpensive, has various dimensions and thickness, has a high degree of freedom in display position, and has extremely good display accuracy. and to provide card readers and writers.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A rewritable display card of the present invention comprises at least a storage medium whose contents are not visible and a photosensitive material on which a signal pattern and/or color can be written by light. It has a light-sensitive material on its surface that can write and erase signal patterns and/or colors with light, and has a built-in semiconductor integrated circuit. , or has on its surface a photosensitive material on which color can be written and erased, and a strip-like magnetic material, and furthermore, a photosensitive material on which a signal pattern and/or color can be written and erased by light. It has a strip-shaped magnetic material on its surface and has a built-in semiconductor integrated circuit.

The card reader/writer of the present invention has means for writing to and reading from the photosensitive material of the display card, and means for accessing the semiconductor integrated circuit,
It also has a means for writing to and reading from the photosensitive material of the card with a display, a means for writing and/or reading from the magnetic strip, and a means for writing and reading from the photosensitive material of the card with the display. , means for accessing the semiconductor integrated circuit, and means for writing to and/or reading from the magnetic strip.

(Function) According to the present invention, a light-sensitive material (photochromic material) capable of writing and erasing patterns such as one character, one figure, symbol, and/or color is provided on the surface of the card, and transaction history can be recorded as needed. Since the information can be recorded and erased, the cardholder can check the contents at any time, and the card itself does not require any special electrical display means, and can be displayed in various sizes, thicknesses, and two display positions at an extremely low cost.

You can also create design cards with a lot of freedom in terms of pattern and color combinations. In addition, the display accuracy can theoretically go down to the molecular level, allowing for more detailed expression. Furthermore, since it can be written and erased, cyclic display (replay display) is also possible.

Furthermore, by adding the function of reading and writing the display of this photosensitive material (photochromic material) to a conventional IC card and/or magnetic card reader/writer, a card reader/writer for the above-mentioned card can be constructed. .

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the card of the present invention. Figure 1 (A
) is a card in which a light-sensitive material (photochromic material) display section 3 is arranged on an IC card with a magnetic stripe, which has a built-in semiconductor element 1 and a strip-shaped magnetic material 2 . For example, when this card is used for cashless shopping, the photosensitive material display section 3 can display the transaction balance. Furthermore, when this card is used for a credit card phone call, it becomes possible to make a call using the personal identification code on the magnetic strip 2, and the display section 3 can display, for example, the number of calls made at that time, the total number of calls made that month, or the amount. It has become.

In FIG. 1(B), a photosensitive material (photochromic material) display section 4 is arranged on a prepaid card having a strip-shaped magnetic material 2, and transaction history is sequentially displayed at positions 4-1, 4-2 to 4-n. The cards are recorded up to 4-n, and when the card is full, they return to 4-1 and are recorded cyclically (an example is shown). It can be applied in all fields such as OA and FA.

In addition, it is particularly effective in applications where only colors are rewritten, such as in determining expiration dates and validity periods.

FIG. 2 is an example of a card reader/writer for a card having a display portion (magnetic + ICIC photosensitive material (photochromic material) shown in FIG. 1(A)). Here, 5 is a magnetic reading head that reads (or writes) the strip-shaped magnetic material, and 6
7 is a contact part for accessing the IC contact; 7 is a light irradiation part for writing a symbol pattern and/or color on the display part 3 made of a photosensitive material (photochromic material);
It writes by scanning condensed light with a wavelength of 400 to 750 nm two-dimensionally with a polygon mirror like a laser printer, and the writing accuracy is 0.12 fls. Erasing is also possible with an accuracy of 0.12 m, but when erasing the entire display area at once, a method is adopted in which the entire surface is irradiated with erasing light without using a polygon scanning system. 8 is a scanning system control unit for writing and erasing, and 9 is a magnetic reading head 5.
．． Contact part 6. It is a microcomputer that controls the scanning system control section 8 and controls communication with an external personal computer, etc., and 10 is a card reader/writer. Although not shown in this example, if a two-dimensional image sensor is added to read the display contents of the light-sensitive material (photochromic material) display section, the display contents can be read and verified using the same principle as an OCR reader. . Colors can also be detected by adding photodiodes with optical filters for each of the three primary colors. Note that the wavelength and intensity of light for writing and erasing vary depending on the photosensitive material (photochromic material) used;
Light with a peak at 0n is used. In addition to electromagnetic wave energy such as light, writing and erasing can also be performed using energy such as heat and ultrasonic waves. Further, in this embodiment, a reader/writer corresponding to FIG. 1(A) is shown, but
By combining the magnetic reading head 5 and the light irradiation section 7, it is also possible to use the card shown in FIG. 1(B), and the embodiment shown here is not limited thereto.

In addition, a barcode-like pattern is also possible as the display content, and various applications are possible by combining it with a barcode reader.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, a light-sensitive material (photochromic material) is used to display symbols and patterns for transaction history, access contents, etc., or color display for identifying periods of use, sections, etc. , by adding this material to magnetism, IC cards, etc.

It is possible to construct a system including a card, a card reader/writer, etc. that is extremely convenient for cardholders, inexpensive, and highly reliable, and its industrial effects are also extremely high.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a card of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows an example of a card reader/writer using the invention, and FIG. 3 shows an example of a conventional card. 1...Semiconductor element, 2...Strip-shaped magnetic body, 3.4
...Photosensitive material (photochromic material) display section,
5... Magnetic reading head, 6... IC contact section, 7... Photosensitive material (photochromic material) writing light irradiation section, 8... Scanning system control section for writing and erasing, 9...・Microcomputer, 10...Card reader/writer. Patent applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (7)

[Claims] (1) A rewritable display card characterized by comprising at least a storage medium whose contents are not visible and a photosensitive material on which signal patterns and/or colors can be written using light. (2) At least a recording medium whose contents are not visible, a photosensitive material on the surface of which a signal pattern and/or color can be written and erased by light, and a rewritable display with a built-in semiconductor integrated circuit. card. (3) A rewritable display card having at least a recording medium whose contents cannot be visually recognized, a photosensitive material on which a signal pattern and/or color can be written and erased by light, and a strip-shaped magnetic material on its surface. (4) At least a recording medium whose contents are not visible, a photosensitive material and a strip-shaped magnetic material on the surface of which a signal pattern and/or color can be written and erased by light, and a semiconductor integrated circuit built therein. Card with rewritable display. (5) A card reader/writer characterized by having means for writing to and reading from a photosensitive material of a card with a display, and means for accessing a semiconductor integrated circuit. (6) A card reader/writer having means for writing to and reading from a photosensitive material of a card with a display, and means for writing to and/or reading from a strip-shaped magnetic material. (7) A card reader/writer having means for writing to and reading from a photosensitive material of a card with a display, means for accessing a semiconductor integrated circuit, and means for writing to and/or reading from a strip-shaped magnetic material.