JPH02299087A - Information reader/writer for card like recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read/write information from/in a card like recording medium in capable of alteration by using materials which are modified from ferromagnetic materials to nonmagnetic materials by heating and materials which are modified from nonmagnetic materials to ferromagnetic materials with mechanical deformation. CONSTITUTION:Stripes of information recording parts made of a ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel and an information recording part 4 made of a nonmagnetic austenitic steel are formed on a supporting body 5. Main information is recorded on the strip 2, and timing information is recorded on the stripe 3. The information recording part 4 is mechanically deformed in plural positions to form ferromagnetic parts 6, and positions and the number of them are controlled to the record information, and the information is read from them. The intensity of irradiation of a laser beam is controlled to form ternary information consisting of ferromagnetic part '2', halfway modified part '1', and overall modified part '0', and timing information is recorded on the information recording part by another laser beam at the time of issuing a medium 1. Main information is recorded on the information recording part 3 simultaneously with the recording of timing information. Magnetic modification cannot be discriminated from the external to keep the medium safe, and the device to accurately write/read the information is obtained.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Purpose of the Invention; (Industrial Application Field) The present invention is applicable to prepaid cards, credit cards,
Information reading/reading of card-shaped recording media such as IC cards, etc., on which necessary information is recorded or read.
Regarding a writing device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, information recorded on a card-shaped recording medium, such as the number of cards left behind and the number of times the card has been used, has often been magnetically recorded on a magnetic stripe provided on the medium.

There was also a system in which a magnetic substance was embedded in a recording medium, the surface of which was covered with an invisible material, and the embedded magnetic substance was punched out each time the recording medium was used (for example,
6595).

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, there is a fear that all of the information recorded on the above-mentioned recording medium may be easily tampered with. That is, when recording on a magnetic stripe, the recorded information can be deciphered by collecting and analyzing recorded information from a large number of media, and therefore it is easy to give value to worthless media.

Furthermore, in a recording medium such as that described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-16595, the value can be easily recovered by filling the punched hole with a magnetic material and gluing it. Furthermore, although IC cards are currently said to be highly secure, it is clear that they are not necessarily perfect.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to produce a metal or alloy that undergoes a magnetic transformation from ferromagnetic to non-magnetic by heating, and a metal or alloy that undergoes magnetic transformation from non-magnetic to ferromagnetic by mechanical deformation. An object of the present invention is to provide an information reading/writing device for a card-like recording medium that cannot be tampered with by using metals or alloys that generate the same.

Structure of the Invention; (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention relates to an information reading/writing device for a card-shaped recording medium, and the above object of the present invention is to change the magnetic property from a strong 611 property to a non-magnetic property by heating with a heat supply means. The first magnetic transformation occurs in
a conveyance means for receiving and conveying a cart-shaped recording medium comprising a recording member and a second recording member that undergoes magnetic transformation from non-magnetic to ferromagnetic through mechanical deformation; a first reading means for reading information; a second reading means for reading information recorded on the second recording member;
This is achieved by providing a determination control means that determines each read information of the first reading means and the second reading means and controls the conveying means.

(Function) When steel is quenched from the austenite region at a critical cooling rate or higher, martensite is obtained. The temperature at which martensite occurs is called one point, and it depends on the chemical composition of the steel. However, even if unstable austenite is processed, martensite may be 8-shot, and the temperature at which this occurs deviates to a higher temperature than the M point, but if it becomes much higher than the M1 point, martensite formation will not occur due to processing. . This point is called the Md point, and the martensite formation caused by processing is called processing-induced transformation. In this case, stress is applied to process austenite, and this process strain induces and progresses martensitic transformation. Large plasticity occurs as martensitic transformation progresses, but this is called transformation-induced plasticity.
d plasticity (abbreviated as TRIP), and this transformation-induced plasticity is a type of superplasticity. That is, the austenite-martensitic transformation occurs during processing, and the stress concentration that caused the processing-induced transformation is alleviated by the occurrence of the transformation, resulting in considerably high ductility.

By the way, stainless steel is as follows 9. It is classified as shown in Table 1.

Also, austenitic stainless steel is: 101,304,
The stainless steel used in this invention is a stainless steel that has a metastable austenitic phase at room temperature, that is, the Md point is above room temperature, and the M1 point is below room temperature. It is steel. and rolled at room temperature.

By subjecting the austenitic stainless steel to mechanical deformation such as embossing or punching holes, a magnetic transformation occurs from non-magnetic austenite to ferromagnetic martensite, but this is irreversible unless heated above several hundred degrees Celsius. . Depending on the carbon content, it returns to non-magnetic state at about 400°C to 1000°C.

On the other hand, austenitic stainless steel undergoes magnetic transformation due to mechanical deformation below the Md point and becomes a ferromagnetic martensitic structure. When such steel is heated with a heat supply means such as a laser beam or a thermal head, it undergoes magnetic transformation and returns to a non-magnetic austenitic structure at room temperature.

FIG. 3 shows this situation. When the thermal head 11 is pressed against the surface of a card-shaped ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel 10 and heated, the heated portion 12 becomes non-magnetic, and the non-magnetic The depth D of the curved portion depends approximately on the heating energy. Therefore, when the thermal head 11 is moved over the ferromagnetic stainless steel 10 while controlling its heating energy, information corresponding to the ternary state (0, 1°2) can be obtained, for example, as shown in FIG. Can be recorded. The same applies when a laser beam is used instead of the thermal head 11, and in the case of a laser beam, not only the energy but also the beam diameter and shape can be changed arbitrarily. In addition, Fig. 5 (^) shows the recess 2 of the austenitic stainless steel 20 by embossing.
1 shows how it has become ferromagnetic, and FIG. 1B shows how the area around the punched hole 22 has become ferromagnetic. In this way, magnetic recording can be performed by forming non-magnetic portions in a multivalued manner on the ferromagnetic layer placed on the cart, or by forming ferromagnetic portions on the non-magnetic layer.

The present invention includes the above-mentioned processing transformation, in which a first metal or alloy undergoes a magnetic transformation from ferromagnetic to non-magnetic by heating, and a first metal or alloy undergoes a magnetic transformation from non-magnetic to ferromagnetic by mechanical deformation. This is an information reading/writing device for a card-like recording medium using the metal or alloy of No. 2 as a part of a card or cart, and further provided with a magnetic recording layer such as a magnetic stripe as necessary. It also deals with recording media.

(Example) Fig. 1 shows the appearance of a card-shaped recording medium 1 according to the present invention, and the entire card has a rectangular card structure similar to a magnetic card, etc., and is made of ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel. Information recording sections 2 and 3 made of steel and information recording section 4 made of non-magnetic austenitic stainless steel are provided in a stripe shape. The information recording section 2 records main information such as the value of the medium and the expiration date, and the information recording section 3 records timing information for timing detection during writing/reading. The A-^ cross section is shown in Figure 2, in which a thin plate 4 of austenitic stainless steel having a metastable austenite phase as described above at room temperature is layered on a card support 5 made of PET, paper, etc. It is set up. Therefore, by applying mechanical deformation to the information recording portion 4 such as rolling, embossing, punching holes, markings with wire dots, etc., the mechanically deformed portion of the thin plate 4 on the upper surface is shown in FIG. Since it is made into a ferromagnetic material as shown in (B), this magnetic transformation can be magnetically read by a magnetic sensor such as a magnetic head or a magnetoresistive element.

FIG. 1 shows how the information recording section 4 is mechanically deformed at a plurality of locations to form a plurality of ferromagnetic sections 6. By controlling and recording the position and number of such ferromagnetic parts 6 and reading this, the remaining amount, the number of times of use, etc. can be detected. By controlling the irradiation intensity of the laser beam on the information recording section 2, for example, as shown in FIG.
Then, a three-value record can be made of the part partially transformed "1°" and the part completely transformed by strong energy "0". Timing information required when reading/writing the information recording section 2 is transmitted to the information recording section 3 at the time of issuance of the recording medium l using a laser beam different from the laser beam that records on the information recording section 2.
to be recorded. Main information is simultaneously recorded in the information recording section 2 in synchronization with recording of timing information. Alternatively, only the timing information may be recorded in the information recording section 3 in advance, and the main information may be written into the information recording section 2 while detecting the timing information when the recording medium 1 is issued. Alternatively, the timing information may not be recorded on the recording medium/body 1, but a timing signal may be obtained from a pulse motor drive pulse, a rotary encoder, etc. in synchronization with the conveyance of the recording medium 1.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a magnetic head 30 in which a primary coil 32 and a secondary coil 33 are wound around a magnetic core 31, in which the reading section of the magnetic head 30 is a strong 6n-enhanced section of the information recording section 2;
The output V of the secondary coil 33 depends on whether it is in the semi-magnetic part or the non-magnetic part. Since the LIT is different, the information recording section 2
information can be read. In addition, FIG. 7 shows punch holes 4A when the information recording section 4 is conveyed in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface.
An example of a magnetic head 40 for detecting ferromagnetism in the vicinity is shown, in which magnetoresistive (14R) elements 42 and 43 are connected in series, a DC bias 08 is applied between them, and the magnetic head is magnetized by a permanent magnet 41. ing. In this case, the M11 element 42 acts as a canceler, and the output V of the MR element 43. Since the LIT changes depending on the ferromagnetic portion near the punch hole 4A, the recorded information in the information recording section 4 can be read by this.

FIG. 8 shows an example of reading information from the information recording section 4 using the magnetic head 30, and FIG.
An example is shown in which after magnetizing the recording medium I, the recording medium I is transported and read by a magnetic head 30^ around which an output coil 33 is wound.

In this case, since the ferromagnetic part 4B is magnetized by the magnet 34, the ferromagnetic part 4B is magnetized by the magnetic head 34.
Output voltage V of the output coil 33 when it comes to the A position. u'
r changes, and thereby the ferromagnetic portion 4B can be detected. Figures 1θ to 12 show a 6N resistance element (
10 shows an example of a detection device using a detection MR element 70 and a cancellation MR element placed in the magnetic field of an electromagnet 72, and FIG. One MR element 73 is placed in the magnetic field of an electromagnet 74 and driven via a resistor 75. Further, the example shown in FIG. 12 is an example in which two MR elements 76 and 77 are separated via an electromagnet 78.

Next, information is written on the card-like recording medium 1,
An example of the information reading/writing device of the present invention that reads information will be explained.

Figure 13 (A) shows the side structure of the reading/writing section.
) shows its planar structure. The recording medium l is inserted into the insertion port 101 of the device. and the insertion is the optical sensor pH
1, and then taken into the interior by conveyance rollers 102, 103, etc. The recording medium 1 taken into the interior is further detected by an optical character sensor PH2, and a punching means 104 for punching a hole in the information recording section 4 is provided between the roller 102 and the optical sensor PH2. , a light emitting means 1 for partially heating the information recording section 2 with a laser beam;
05, and a magnetic sensor MR as shown in FIG. 7 for reading the recorded information of the information recording section 4, and a magnetic sensor MR as shown in FIG. 6 for reading the recorded information of the information recording sections 2 and 3. Magnetic sensors MDI and MD2 are provided. Note that recording of information in the information recording units 2 and 4 is as follows:
This is performed sequentially from the right side of the medium 1 to the left side in the figure, and the position of the recording medium 1 within the apparatus is determined by the optical sensors PHI and PH2.
This is detected by a timing signal from the magnetic sensor MD2.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the control system of the information reading/writing device, and the read signal from the magnetic sensor MDI is sent to the amplifier I.
The signal St is amplified by 1, inputted to the reading circuit 112, and binarized based on the thresholds T and TH2.
and S2 are manually input and stored in the first information storage means +10. The read signal from the magnetic sensor MD2 is sent to the amplifier +13.
The timing signal TS, which is inputted to the reading circuit 114 via the ! 10 and second information storage means 120, as well as a control means 131 comprising a CPU or the like. In addition, magnetic sensor MR
The read signal from the read circuit 1 is amplified by an amplifier 121 and
22 and based on threshold T) 13
The digitized signal S3 is manually input and stored in the second information storage means 120. Each piece of information stored in the first information storage means 110 and the second information storage means 120 is manually input to the determination means 130, and the determination result O5 is input to the control means 131,
Detection signals DTI and D of optical sensors PH1 and P)12
T2 is also manually controlled by the control means 131. Control means 13
1 controls the conveyance means 133 such as rollers 102 and 103, the perforation means 104, and the light emitting means 105 via the beam control means 132. Further, if the recording medium 1 is genuine and usable, the control means 131 outputs a completion signal 0 after processing the necessary information, performs the necessary processing, and then outputs a signal RN indicating the end of the operation. It is now done manually from other devices.

In such a configuration, its operation is shown in FIGS. 15 to 17.
This will be explained with reference to each timing chart in the figure.

When the recording medium 1 is inserted into the insertion slot 101, it is detected by the optical sensor PH1, and when the detection number 18 [ITl is manually inputted to the control means 131, the control means 131 drives the conveying means 133, and the rollers 102 and The recording medium 1 is taken into the apparatus by being rotated in the 103 m direction. Note that the detection signal DTI is output from the optical sensor P H1.
When inputted manually, the control means 131 outputs a clear signal CL to clear the first information storage means 110 and the second information storage means 1.
Clear 20 previous information. Then, the leading edge of the recording medium 1 is detected by the optical sensor PH2, and the detection signal DT2 is detected by the optical sensor PH2.
is manually inputted to the control means 131, the read signal of the magnetic sensor MD2 provided on the information recording section 3 is input to the amplifier 113 in the relationship shown in FIG. 15 (8). This read signal R5T, 6<read circuit 11
4, full-wave rectification is performed as shown in FIG. 4(C). This full-wave rectified signal is compared with a threshold THO and converted into a timing signal TS shown in FIG. In addition, the magnetic sensor MDI is the 16th
For the ternary information in the information storage unit 2 as shown in FIG. 8, a read signal R5F as shown in FIG.
Output from 1. The read signal R5F is manually input to the read circuit +12, integrated as shown in FIG. 16(C), and binarized at thresholds Tl11 and T112.No. 13 Sl and S2 are the first information storage means! 10 and stored according to the timing signal TS. Furthermore, the magnetic sensor MR as shown in FIG. 7 provided on the information recording section 4 generates a read signal as shown in FIG. 17(B) for recorded information as shown in FIG. 17(A). By outputting the signal 115R and comparing it with the threshold Tll3 in the reading circuit 122, a binarized No. 18 S3 as shown in FIG. be remembered.

The recording medium 1 is conveyed while reading the information as described above, and the rear end of the recording medium 1 is detected by the optical sensor PH2. 131 stops the conveying means 133 and activates the determining means 130. Determining means 130
reads the information stored in the first information storage means 110 to determine whether the amount, expiration date, etc. are correct, and also reads the information stored in the second information storage means +20 to determine the frequency information. Determine whether the maximum number of uses has been exceeded, and whether there is any remaining amount after subtracting it from the issued amount.
If it can be used, a determination result O5 of 0 is output to the control means 131. If the recording medium 1 cannot be used, the judgment result DS of NG is input to the control means 131, and the rollers 102 and 103 are rotated in the n direction via the conveying means 133 to return the recording medium 1 and a message to that effect is displayed or the recording medium 1 is returned. Sometimes the perforation means 10
41 Record the invalidity with the light emitting means 105 and then return it in the same way. Note that when the password is manually input, the determining means 130 compares it with the manual data and outputs 011.6) NG.

When the control means 131 receives an OK completion signal as the determination result DS, it performs a predetermined operation of the separately connected equipment,
To sell goods or provide services.

In the case of dispensing a single product, the return signal RN is manually input to the control means 131 at the time of dispensing the product, or when the checkout button is pressed in the case of making it possible to purchase multiple products in various ways. The means 131 gives a return command to the conveying means 133 to return the recording medium 1, but in this case, based on the timing signal TS obtained from the magnetic sensor MD2, when the recording medium 1 reaches a predetermined position, Perforation means 10
4 to punch holes in the information recording section 4. In addition, when recording the remaining amount, etc. in the information recording section 2, the light emitting means 105 is controlled via the beam control means 132 based on the timing signal TS, and the irradiation intensity of the laser beam is controlled and laser heating is performed. Recording is performed, and then the recording medium l is returned. Here, recording is performed in the return direction of medium 1 (recording starts from the end of the information to be recorded this time, and control is performed so that the beginning of the information to be recorded this time is adjacent to the previous data) However, the recording means is provided further inside, and the recording medium 1 is returned once (at this time, the leading edge of the medium does not come out from the insertion slot 101), and the information is recorded when moving in the loading direction again, and then the information is returned. Also good.

(Modified Example) In the above embodiment, the information recording sections 2 and 3 and the information recording section 4 are made of metal 9 alloy of different materials, but Mffl (amount of martensite) is adjusted in advance as shown in Fig. 18. By doing so, a recording medium having the functions of the above-mentioned two types of metal 9 alloys can be obtained using a single sheet of metal or alloy. For example, if Mffi is adjusted to the old value, Mffi can be increased by punching (L1 direction) or M amount can be decreased by laser heating (L2 direction). The old position is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 18, and may be set as appropriate. In addition to being attached to a card base material such as PET, this metal or alloy can also be formed on PET by vapor deposition or powder application, and furthermore, this metal or alloy itself can be formed into a card shape. It is possible. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, two parts are made of ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel and non-magnetic austenitic stainless steel.
As shown in FIG. 19, it is equipped with a magnetic stripe 51 for performing schiteresis writing and reading, and an information recording section 52 made of ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel. The card-shaped recording medium 50 may have an information recording section 53 made of non-magnetic austenitic stainless steel. Such a recording medium must further be provided with reading/recording means for magnetic stripes.

Furthermore, in the above description, three-value recording is performed on the recording portion of austenitic stainless steel that has been made into strong 611 martensite, but it is also possible to record multi-value (N) information of two values or four or more values. is also possible. Multivalued (N) information can be read by setting (N-1) different thresholds. Also,
It is also possible to provide a protective layer or an aesthetic layer on each recording member to make each recording layer invisible from the outside.

Note that the recording density can be much higher in ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel than in non-magnetic austenitic stainless steel. Further, the carbon content of the information recording section 2.3 is made non-magnetic at least at a relatively low temperature (for example, about 400 degrees Celsius), while the carbon content of the information recording section 4 is increased. It is also possible to make it non-magnetic unless the temperature is high (for example, around 1000° C.).

Effects of the invention: As described above, in the card-shaped recording medium used in the present invention, a non-magnetic portion can be formed by applying heat to ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel, and the transformed non-magnetic portion can be formed by strong processing. On the other hand, stainless steel that has been transformed into ferromagnetic due to mechanical deformation of austenitic stainless steel will not return to its original non-magnetic state unless it is heated to several hundred degrees Celsius or higher. It is extremely difficult to return each recording member to its original state by subjecting it to severe processing or heating in the opposite manner to that used during recording, and tampering is virtually impossible. Since each of the above 6n metamorphoses cannot be seen from the outside and cannot be copied, it is possible to obtain a card-shaped recording medium with extremely high safety.

The information reading/writing device of the present invention can not only read accurate information but also write necessary information from such a highly secure card-shaped recording medium that cannot be tampered with. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an external view showing an embodiment of a card-shaped recording medium used in the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a state in which ferromagnetic martensitic austenitic stainless steel is heated. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how magnetic transformation occurs due to heating, and FIGS. 5 (A) and (B) are diagrams each showing how magnetic transformation occurs in a non-magnetic material due to mechanical deformation. 6, 8 and 9 are structural diagrams showing an example of a magnetic head, and FIGS. 7 and 10 to 12 are diagrams showing an example of a detection device using a magnetoresistive element, respectively. Figure 13 (8) is a side structural diagram of the reading/writing section of the recording medium, Figure 13 (B) is a planar structural diagram thereof, and Figure 14 is a block configuration showing the control system of the information reading/writing device of the present invention. 15 to 17 are timing charts showing an example of the operation, FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the card-shaped recording medium, and FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the card-shaped recording medium. It is an external view showing an example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Card-shaped recording medium, 2, 3.4... Information recording part, 30.40... Magnetic head, 31... Magnetic core, 34.41... Permanent magnet, 42.43... ...MR element, 104...perforation means, +05...light emitting means, 1
10,120... Information storage means, 112°114.1
22...Reading circuit, t3O...determination means, 131.
...control means. Applicant's agent Yasugata Yu Sangei l Zurikusu 2 Zumu 3 Eyes (A) (B) B Diagram 6 Zukan 7121 躬6P2 No. 9 Zujin 10 Figure 7 MD2 ototototototot (A) Mouth] "2 Figure 17 CBIR5F ”-'-TI
-4f3 people 16 Figure z Hair 19 Hard

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A card-shaped recording medium comprising a first recording member that undergoes magnetic transformation from ferromagnetic to non-magnetic by heating by a heat supply means, and a second recording member that undergoes magnetic transformation from non-magnetic to ferromagnetic by mechanical deformation. a first recording member for reading information recorded on the first recording member;
a reading means, a second reading means for reading information recorded on the second recording member, and a determination control for determining each read information of the first reading means and the second reading means and controlling the conveying means. 1. An information reading/writing device for a card-shaped recording medium, comprising: means. 2. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first writing means and a second writing means controlled by the determination control means and for writing necessary information to the first recording member and the second recording member, respectively. An information reading/writing device for the described card-like recording medium. 3. 2. The information reading/writing device for a card-shaped recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the first reading means and the second reading means are used in combination.