JPH038122A - Optical card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the optical card reader being small in size and convenient for carrying, and also, to read out the recording contents of an optical card even in a place where no host computer exists by containing a reading light source consisting of an LED, etc., and other necessary means in a housing. CONSTITUTION:An optical system 30 consisting of an LED, etc., is used as a reading light source of information recorded in an optical card 3, therefore, this card reader can be miniaturized. A servo-CPU 14 is provided as a control means for controlling this optical system 30. Also, a photodetector, a demodulating circuit 16, and an LCD 9 are provided as a means for reading in and outputting the data, an A/D converting means, and a means for displaying the data which is read in, respectively. Moreover, a changeover switch 8 is provided as an input/output operating means for storing the information displayed on the LCD 9, and also, operating an input and an output of the stored information. Furthermore, an interface circuit 20 is provided as a data switching means which can execute data switching to a host CPU. These means are contained in a housing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of the Invention) The present invention relates to an optical card reader that is compact enough to easily read out optical cards that optically record information.

(Summary of the Invention) This invention makes an optical system compact by using a light source such as an LED for reading information data recorded on an optical card. Output means for reading and outputting;
A/D conversion means, display means 2 for displaying read data; input/output operation means for storing the information data displayed on the display means and manipulating the output of the stored information; external host A data exchange means that enables data exchange between computers, etc. is integrated into one housing, making it compact and portable, making it possible to read and write information on optical cards even in places where there is no host computer. It is designed so that it can only be read and data can be exchanged with various host computers.

(Prior art and its problems) Conventionally, optical card reading technology uses reader/writer devices that connect to a host computer such as a personal computer and operate while exchanging communications such as information data and output commands; Reading devices such as dedicated gluer devices have been developed.

However, in a reader/writer device used as such a conventional reading device, an optical system B having a configuration as shown in FIG. 4 is used. That is, in order to record information data by drilling holes on the surface of the optical card 40,
A light source X such as a powerful laser is used, and the light emitted from the light source X is passed through a diffusing lens 41. Polarized lens 42. Prism 44a.

The optical card 40 is made more powerful through the focusing lens 45.
Also, when reading information data recorded on the surface of the optical card 40, the light is irradiated onto the surface of the optical card 40 through the process described above, and the horizontal lens 46 and reflector 47 The light receiving element 48 for reproduction and tracking control and the light receiving element 49 for focus control on the photodetector 50 side are configured to detect the light.

Therefore, even if you simply want to read information data from the optical card 40, writing to the optical card 40 requires a high-output laser mechanism and a highly accurate and complicated feeding mechanism, which poses the problem of increasing the size of the device itself. Ta.

In addition, although the reader device for reading VJ can be made smaller, there is no means of displaying information data and the data cannot be confirmed. This poses a problem in terms of usability, as it becomes an obstacle when you want to use it.

(Purpose of the Invention) This invention was made by focusing on two consecutive problems.The purpose of this invention is to make it compact so that it can be carried, and to record information on an optical card even in places where there is no host computer. To provide an optical card reader that can easily memorize information data while visually confirming it, and also enables data exchange with each scale computer, providing ease of use, versatility, and reliable manual input of information data. be.

(Structure and Effects of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical system having a light source such as an LED for reading information data recorded on an optical card, and a control means for controlling the optical system. 2. An output means for detecting and outputting the information data manually inputted from the optical system; a conversion circuit for converting the analog signal of the information data output from the output means into a digital signal; a display means for displaying information data of a digital signal; an input operation means for storing the information data displayed by the display means and reading out the stored information data; a data exchange means that enables data exchange with information data of a host computer such as a personal computer;
The present invention is characterized in that each of the above means is housed in a housing.

This invention with the above configuration uses an optical system consisting of an LED or the like as a light source for reading information data recorded on an optical card, so it can be made compact and can be controlled together with the optical system. control means for reading and outputting data; output means for reading and outputting data; A/D conversion means; display means for displaying the read data; Since the input operation means for manipulating the output and the data exchange means for enabling data exchange with an external host computer are integrated into one housing, further compactness can be achieved.

Therefore, since it can be carried around independently, it is possible to read out the recorded contents of the optical card while confirming it on the display even in places where there is no computer, and it is also possible to exchange data with various host computers, improving usability and versatility. Enables you to expand and input reliable information data.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the card reader according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the optical card reader of the present invention. The first card reader 1 is formed of a housing 2 having a rectangular external shape that can be held by hand, and the housing 2 has an optical card 3. An insertion opening 2a is formed into which the holder is inserted.

On the top surface of the housing 2, there is a liquid crystal display section 4 capable of displaying color, a start switch 5 for turning on and off the optical card reader 1, a fast forward key 6, a return key 7, and a button for reading out the contents recorded on the optical card 3. A read key 8 is attached.

Note that the read key 8 is used when you want to store information data displayed on the LCD 9, which is a liquid crystal display means, in the RAM 18 (described later), or when you want to select it from among the information data on the optical card 3 stored in the RAM 18. It is set to be used when you want to display certain information, and also serves as a selection key for storing information data displayed on the LCD 9 in the RAM 18, so that page number conversion etc. can be performed depending on the number of times the readout key 8 is pressed. It is composed of

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the overall circuit configuration of this optical card reader 1 will be explained using a circuit block diagram.

As shown in FIG. 2, the LCD 9, which is the display means of the liquid crystal display section 4 on two sides of the housing 2, has a driver circuit 9a.
Connected to BUSIO via.

Also, a start switch 5 and a fast forward key 6 for turning the optical card reader 1 ON-OFF. The return key 7 and the read key 8 are connected to the BU via the CPU II for switch control.
Connected to SIO.

Furthermore, the photodetector 12 that inputs and outputs the information data recorded on the optical card 3 is connected to an optical system 30 such as a lens, which will be described later, via an autofocus circuit 13 and an autotracking circuit 15 arranged in parallel. It is connected to a servo CPU 14 for drive control, and the CPU 14 is connected to BUSIO.

On the other hand, a photodetector 12 that reads information data recorded on the first card 3 by a light-receiving element 35, which will be described later, is connected to a demodulation circuit 1 which is a conversion circuit that converts an analog signal into a digital signal.
6 to BUSlo.

In the figure, 17 is a program ROM, 18 is a RAM as a storage means for storing information data read by the light receiving element 35, and 19 is a main CPU, which includes the driver circuit 9a, a CPU II for controlling the switch,
CPU14° demodulation circuit for servo 1.6. ROM17.
It is set to centrally control the RAM 18.

This main CPU 19 has an interface (I/F
)Circuit 20. It is configured to be able to exchange data with a host computer (not shown) via the R3-232C21.

Here, the structure in which the optical system 30 reads information data recorded from the previous card will be explained based on FIG.
An optical system 30 is disposed on one side of the optical card 3 inserted into the optical system 3a.

This optical system 30 includes a focusing lens 3 formed on an optical card 3.
1 and an LED 34 serving as a backlight light source is disposed above it via a prism 32, and on the side of the prism 32, the prism 32 receives information data from the optical card 3 via a focusing lens 31. A light receiving lens 33 is provided.

A photodetector 12 having a light-receiving element 35 is disposed opposite to the light-receiving lens 33, and the optical system 30 and the photodetector 1
2 is configured to be housed in a rectangular compact housing 2.

The operation of the destination card reader 1 having the above configuration will be explained.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, insert the optical card 3 into the card insertion slot 2a, and press the start switch 5 of the optical card reader 1.
When turned ON, the optical card 3 is irradiated from the LED 12 shown in FIG. is manually converted into analog data.

The information data input manually is converted into a digital signal by the demodulation circuit 16 and inputted to the BUS 10, and the information data input manually to the BUSIO is displayed from the screen of the liquid crystal display unit 4 via the driver circuit 9a. At the same time, it is temporarily stored in the register of the main CPU 19.

Then, the main CPU 19 is the servo CPU 1
4, the CPU 14 gives a command to a transport means (not shown) to cause the optical system 30 to move sequentially over the destination card 3, and the information data recorded on the optical card 3 is sequentially transferred to the register of the main CPU 19. Temporary memory.

Then, the main CPU 19 displays the information data manually entered from the previous card 3 page by page on the LCD 8 using the built-in register, and sequentially stores the information data. If you want to keep it, press the read key 8 to read the main C
The information is transmitted to the PU 19, and the main CPU 19 controls the RAM 18 to sequentially store information data to be stored in the RAM 18 page by page.

After the reading of the information data stored in the optical card 3 is completed, if you want to check the contents stored in the RAM 18 again, for example, if you want to immediately check the location corresponding to the 10th page of the optical card 3, , optical card reader 1
If you press the fast forward key 6 located on the top of the CPU
The command signal is sent to the main CPU 19 via the main CPU 19, and under the control of the main CPU 19, the desired page information is
It can be searched and taken out from M18 and displayed on LCD9.

For example, if you want to go back and check the information data on the second page from the information on the 10th page, press the return key 7, and the information data on the second page will be retrieved from the RAM 18 by the reverse operation described above. Then, take it out and display it on the LCD 9.

Furthermore, if you want to read out, for example, 2 out of the recorded information of a plurality of optical cards 3 stored in the RAM 18, press the read key 8 twice in succession and the signal will be sent to the CPU.
It is transmitted to the main CPU 19 via I1, and the main CPU
The U19 reads the information from the RAM 18, and the information data recorded on the two-slot optical card 3 is displayed on the LCD 9 via the driver circuit 9a.

In addition, the information data of the destination card 3 stored in the RAM 18 can be input manually to a host computer (not shown), or the information data stored in the host computer can be input manually.
If you want to store in AM18, interface circuit 2
If you connect the R8-232C21 cable to 0, you can easily exchange data.

As described above, according to the optical card reader of the present invention, by using an optical system that uses a light source such as an LED when reading information data on an optical card, it is possible to achieve miniaturization and compactness by simplifying the structure of the optical system. ''Secondly, since it is equipped with a storage means, the optical card reader itself can be stored in one /'% Uzing as a portable device, and can be carried anywhere by itself.It is also equipped with a display means, so the optical card reader can The stored information data can be stored without errors as needed, improving usability, and since it is also equipped with an interface circuit, data can be exchanged with various external host computers, increasing versatility. be able to.

Furthermore, the input operation means can save on storage capacity and further expand versatility.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the optical card reader according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing the overall circuit configuration of the optical card reader according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the optical card reader according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of an optical system used in a card reader. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional optical system. 1...Optical card reader 2...Housing 3...Optical card 4...Display section 8/Switching screen (operating means) 10...L
CD (display means) 12... Photodetector (output means) 14... Servo CPU (optical system control means) 16...
・Demodulation circuit (D/A conversion means) 18...RAM (storage means) 19...Main CPU 20...Interface circuit 30...Optical system 34...LED (light source) 35...Light receiving element

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An optical system having a light source such as an LED for reading information data recorded on an optical card, and a control means for controlling the optical system; an output means for detecting and outputting; a conversion circuit for converting an analog signal of information data outputted from the output means into a digital signal; and a display means for displaying information data of the digital signal converted by the conversion circuit; an input operation means for storing the information data displayed on the display means and reading out the stored information data; and data between the information data input by the input operation means and the information data of an external host computer such as a personal computer. An optical card reader comprising: data exchange means for enabling data exchange, and each of the means described above is housed in a housing.