JPH02284279A - Information reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To release the punching precision of punched holes to a magnetic stripe and the skew precision for the read of a magnetic card by providing a first magnetic head and a second magnetic head whose effective width is narrower than that of a first magnetic head. CONSTITUTION:When magnetic information being first information on a mag netic stripe MS and the part of a punched hole H as second information whose form is different from that of the first magnetic information are read, the output signal of magnetic encode reading has a satisfactory output characteristic since the head width Lh2 of the second magnetic head in the second reading means 4 of a magnetic read head 1 is narrower than the encode width Lm of the mag netic stripe MS. Meanwhile, since the head width Lh1 of the first magnetic head in a first reading means 3 is approximately equal to the encode width Lm, the overall area of the punched hole H is read to surely detect the existence of the punched hole H. Thus, the allowable range of arrangement of the mag netic read head to the magnetic stripe is extended even when skew or the like is generated at the time of carrying the magnetic card.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an information reading method, and more specifically, it is applied to automatic ticket gates, ticket vending machines, card readers, etc., and is applicable to information recording media. The present invention relates to an information reading method for reading recorded magnetic information, etc.

(Prior Art) As shown in FIG. 4, an information recording medium (hereinafter also referred to as a "magnetic card") C used in automatic ticket gates, etc. has a magnetic stripe MS as a scanning area scanned by a magnetic reading head. is provided, necessary information is recorded in the form of magnetic information on this magnetic stripe MS, and punch holes H are often punched in the magnetic stripe MS as an indicator of the usage status of this magnetic card C.

Conventionally, an information reading method for reading such a magnetic stripe MS uses a magnetic reading head 20 for magnetic encoding that outputs a single output signal as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). The magnetic information of the magnetic stripe MS and the punch hole H portion as information different from this were read.

The output signal of the magnetic stripe MS by this magnetic reading head 20 is shown in FIG. 5(C).

Incidentally, the head width Lh at the gap 6 portion of the magnetic reading head 20 is generally equal to the encoding width of the magnetic stripe MS. , smaller (that is, Lh<L, n), so that even if a skew or the like occurs when the magnetic card C is conveyed, the portion of the head width Lh of the magnetic reading head 20 does not separate from the magnetic stripe MS. It has become.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the punch hole H punched in the magnetic stripe MS is
When there is a positional deviation of an interval Ls with respect to the center in the scanning direction of There is a problem that characteristic deterioration occurs due to the presence of magnetic information, and as the interval Ls becomes larger, the output signal eventually stops changing and the presence of the punched hole cannot be detected.

For this reason, conventionally, the accuracy of punching holes H with respect to the magnetic stripe MS and the skew accuracy when reading the magnetic card C had to be set strictly.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an information reading method that has a wide tolerance range when reading magnetic information and information in a different form, and can contribute to alleviation of reading accuracy. The purpose is to provide the following.

[Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides an area having a certain width in which first information is recorded as magnetic information, and an area different from the magnetic information provided in this area. a first reading means for reading together with second information recorded in the form with a first magnetic head;
This information reading method includes a second reading means for reading only the magnetic information using a second magnetic head having an effective width narrower than the width of the area read by the first reading means.

(for production) The reading operation of the above method will be explained below.

The first magnetic head of the first reading means has a certain width in which first information is recorded in the form of magnetic information and second information in a form different from the first information is recorded. Scan the area with 1st. The second information is read in combination.

Further, a second magnetic head having an effective width narrower than the width of the area in the second reading means reads only the magnetic information in the area.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The magnetic reading head 1 applied to this embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a) has a first reading means 3 and a second reading means 4 disposed in a head body 2 facing each other with a gap G therebetween. It is constructed by accommodating.

The first reading means 3 has a head width Lhl of a portion facing the gap G which is equal to the encoding width of the magnetic stripe MS of the magnetic card C, n and a first reading means 3 having a shape such as a gap (Lh1=L−).
The head includes a core 7 and a first coil 8 wound around the first core 7.

The first reading means 4 includes a second core having a head width Lh2 of a portion facing the gap G smaller than the encoding width of the magnetic stripe MS (Lh□×Lo);
It is equipped with a second head consisting of a second coil 6 wound around this second core 5. FIG. 2(b) shows an equivalent circuit of the magnetic reading head 1.

Next, an information reading method using the magnetic reading head 1 having the above configuration will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c).

As shown in FIG. 3(a), when the center of the magnetic reading head 1 in the head width direction is aligned with the center of the magnetic stripe MS in the scanning direction, the magnetic information that is the first information of the magnetic stripe MS is read. It is also assumed that a portion of the punched hole H, which is second information in a form different from this magnetic information, is read.

At this time, the head width L) of the second magnetic head in the second reading means 4 of the magnetic reading head 1. Since the encode width of the magnetic stripe MS is smaller than the encode width of the magnetic stripe MS, the output signal of the magnetic encode reading by the second reading means 4 is as shown in FIG.
As shown in b), good output characteristics are obtained.

On the other hand, even if the distance between the punch hole H and the center of the magnetic stripe MS in the scanning direction is larger than the distance Ls in the conventional example, the head width Lh of the first magnetic head in the first reading means 3 , is the encode width, and the path, etc., so the first magnetic head of the first reading means 3 can read the entire area of the punch hole H, and at this time, the output signal is as shown in FIG. 3(C). As shown in the figure, the attenuation of the output signal due to the presence of the punched hole H becomes noticeable, and the presence of the punched hole H can be reliably detected.

Even if a skew or the like occurs in the conveyance of the magnetic card C due to reading using such a magnetic reading head 1, the magnetic stripe M of the magnetic card C of the magnetic reading head 1 may
The permissible range of arrangement for S is expanded, and conversely, it becomes possible to reduce mechanical precision.

The present invention can be modified in various ways other than the embodiments described above.

For example, in the present invention described above, as in the embodiment, scheme 1, scheme 2
In addition to the case where both reading means are provided as a pair, it is also applicable when using a multi-stage structure in which a plurality of pairs of these reading means are arranged.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention described in detail above, with the above configuration, it is possible to provide an information reading method that can reduce the reading accuracy when reading information.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of an example of a magnetic reading head used in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2(a) is an external perspective view of the same, and FIG. 2(b) is an equivalent circuit diagram of the same. , Figure 3 (
a) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic stripe and the magnetic reading head, FIG. 3(b) is a waveform diagram showing the output signal of the second reading means, and FIG. 3(c) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic stripe and the magnetic reading head. 4 is a plan view of the magnetic card, FIG. 5(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic stripe and a conventional magnetic reading head, and FIG. 5(b) is a waveform diagram showing the output signal of the means. An equivalent circuit diagram of a conventional magnetic reading head, FIG. 5(C) is a waveform diagram showing an output signal of the conventional magnetic reading head. 1... Magnetic reading head, 3... First reading means. 4...Second reading means, MS...Magnetic stripe, C...Magnetic card, H...Punch hole. t (bl fig.(bl fig.(bl (C)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An area having a certain width in which first information is recorded as magnetic information, and second information provided in this area and recorded in a form different from the magnetic information. A first reading means that reads the information with a first magnetic head; and a second magnetic head that reads only the magnetic information with a second magnetic head having an effective width narrower than the width of the area read by the first reading means. An information reading method characterized by having a reading means.