JPH0521169Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Summary] An IC card reader/writer periodically checks for poor contact even when an IC card is not input, and issues an alarm notification if a poor contact is detected.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an IC card reader/writer, and more particularly to an IC card reader/writer configured to check the contact state of a brush that makes contact with the IC card with the contacts of the IC card.

[Conventional technology]

The IC card 20 shown in FIG. 4 is a known one, and the IC card has a CPU 21 and a memory 21.
a built-in, and the contacts 22 are arranged in an exposed state. When reading (reading) and writing (writing) the IC card 20, the IC card reader/
Predetermined reading and writing are performed while the lead brush 12 of the writer is in contact with the contact 22.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

If the lead brush 12 is clogged with dirt or oil is attached, the lead brush 12 will close to the contact point 22.
Sometimes it is not possible to contact. Such poor contact of the lead brush 12 may cause data errors or may cause data stored in the memory 21a in the IC card to be lost.

The present invention was created in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card reader/writer equipped with a means for checking poor contact of the lead brush.

[Means for solving problems]

Figure 1 is a diagram of the embodiment of the present invention, in which a is a diagram before the IC card is inserted, b is a diagram with the IC card inserted, and c
1 is a diagram after the insertion is completed, and in the figure, 11 is an IC card reader/writer, 12 is a lead brush, 13 is a conduction plate, 14 is a spring, and 15 is a check circuit board.

In the present invention, before the IC card 20 is input, a current is passed from the lead brush 12 to the check circuit board 15 via the conduction plate 13 to periodically check continuity. When the IC card 20 is inserted, it moves in a direction that pushes the conductive plate 13. IC card 2 after the IC card has been completely installed.
The contact point 0 comes into contact with the lead brush 12, making it possible to read and write to the IC card.

[Effect]

A check contact is arranged on the conduction plate 13 similarly to an IC card, and when the check contact and the lead brush 12 come into contact, a check circuit 15 detects whether or not there is continuity.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the present invention, the conductive plate 13 is placed in the path through which the IC card moves using a spring 14.
One end of the spring 14 is fixed to a suitable part inside the IC card reader/writer, and the other end is fixed to the conductive plate 13.

One embodiment of the conductive plate 13 is shown in FIG. 2, and is of the same thickness as the IC card 20.
A check contact 22a similar to the contact 22 of No. 0 is arranged in the same manner as the contact 22, and the surface of the contact 22a is exposed. Since the conduction plate 13 is only required to have an array of contacts 22a, its length in the left and right direction should be smaller than that of the IC card 20, as seen in FIG. 1, so as not to take up extra space. It's good to do that.

Referring to FIG. 1A, before inputting the IC card 20, the conduction state of the lead brush 12 is checked using the conduction plate 13. For this purpose, it is preferable to use an AC power source to operate the IC card reader/writer 11.

The contact point 22a of the conduction plate 13 penetrates the conduction plate 13 as shown in FIG. It is connected to a circuit (not shown) made up of transistors, so that if even one of the lead brushes has a poor contact, it is detected.

Next, when the IC card 20 is inserted, the conductive plate 13 is moved to the right as shown in FIG.
The state changes from a state of contact with a to a state of non-contact.

Further, the IC card 20 is inserted into an IC card reader/writer, where the lead brush 12 is inserted into the IC card reader/writer.
It contacts the contacts 22 of the card to perform predetermined reading and writing. Subsequently, when the IC card 20 is removed, the conductive plate 13 returns to the state shown in FIG. 1a.

It is advisable to check the contact state of the lead brush as described above periodically, for example, before using the IC card reader/writer. and,
If the check circuit board 15 detects a poor contact, an alarm notification is issued by lighting a lamp (not shown), thereby preventing data errors and loss of data in the IC card when using the IC card.

Note that the check circuit board 15 is not limited to the form shown in the drawings, and may have a check circuit constructed using other conventional techniques.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, according to the present invention, the contact state of the lead brush of the IC card reader/writer is
The IC card is reliably checked before inputting, which has the effect of preventing conventional accidents such as data errors and loss of IC card data.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 shows the embodiment of the present invention, in which a shows the state before the IC card is inserted, b shows the state during insertion, and c shows the state after the insertion is completed, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the conductive plate, and Fig. 3 shows the state before the IC card is inserted. FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of the conductive plate, is a diagram showing the contact between the contacts of the IC card and the lead brush. In Figures 1 to 4, 11 is an IC card reader/writer, 12 is a lead brush, 13 is a conduction plate, 14 is a spring, 15 is a check circuit board, 16 is a contact, 20 is an IC card, and 21 is a CPU. , 22 and 22a are contacts.

Claims (1)

[Claim for Utility Model Registration] In the IC card reader/writer 11 that reads and writes to the IC card 20, a conductive plate in which the same contacts 22a as the contacts 22 of the IC card 20 are arranged in the same way as the IC card 20 insertion path. 13 is fixed to an IC card reader/writer via a spring 14, and before inserting the IC card 20, the lead brush 12 of the IC card reader/writer 11 is brought into contact with the contact 22a to check the continuity between the two using the circuit board 15. An IC card reader/writer characterized in that the detection, writing and reading of the IC card 20 are performed after the IC card 20 is inserted into the IC card reader/writer 11.
lighter.