JPH07105331A - Card and card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect properly a fault of the card reader and to inhibit the use of the failed card reader. CONSTITUTION:An equipment number of a card reader recording residual amount data when the use of a card 2 is finished is recorded on a variable track of plural cards, plural equipment numbers to be recorded are read and compared with an equipment number at recording and when the comparison indicates abnormal recording, the fault of the card reader is informed. As a result, the card reader detects automatically the fault by itself to inform it and then the succeeding use of the reader is inhibited.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card and a card reader for recording and reproducing value information on the inserted card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic vending machine that sells various items by using a card is equipped with a card reader.
Such a card reader, when a card is inserted,
The card is carried to the position of the head in the carrying path by the rotation of the motor, the value information is read by the head, and the read value information of the card is displayed. Here, when the user operates the article selection button of the vending machine to purchase the article, the article is sold. At this time, the card reader subtracts the value information of the sold article from the read value information, writes the remaining amount information on the card by the head, and then returns the card.

[0003]

In such a card reader, if the head or the like fails, for example, normal data will not be written to the card when the balance information is recorded on the card, and the card will not be used thereafter. It becomes impossible, and by using a defective card reader,
There is a problem that abnormal data is written to subsequent usage cards one after another.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to accurately detect a failure of a card reader and to prohibit the subsequent use of the failed card reader.

[0005]

In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a writing device number recording area for recording the number of a writing device for writing value information on a variable track of a card. It is a thing. Further, a plurality of the writing device number recording areas are provided. Also, recording means for recording a plurality of writing device numbers for recording the value information on the variable track when the use of the card is finished, and a plurality of writing device numbers recorded by the recording means are read and recorded. The determination device for determining whether or not each writing device number is normally recorded on the variable track by comparing with the writing device number at the time, and notifying the abnormality of the device when the determination output of this determination device is no. The abnormality notification means is provided in the card reader.

[0006]

The number of the writing device for recording the value information on the card is recorded on the card. Therefore, it is possible to detect the failure of the card reader from the writing device number recorded on the defective card. A plurality of recording areas for writing device numbers are provided in the variable tracks of the card. As a result, when recording the value information, for example, if the same writing device number is recorded in each recording area, it is possible to easily detect the failure of the writing device, that is, the card reader, according to the recording situation of each recording area. can do. Also, a plurality of writing device numbers for recording the value information when the use of the card is finished are recorded on the variable track, and the plurality of recorded writing device numbers are read out to write at the time of recording. It is compared with the device number, and if it is not recorded normally, an abnormality of the device is notified. As a result, the card reader can automatically detect its own failure.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the card reader according to the present invention.
In the figure, 1 is a card reader and 2 is a card.
Here, the card reader 1 is configured as follows. That is, 11 is a card insertion slot, 12 is a card transport path, 13 is a motor, 14 and 17 are belts, 15 is a pulley, 16A,
16B is a roller. By the way, when the card 2 is inserted into the card insertion slot 11, the motor 13 rotates normally (forward rotation).
Then, by transmitting this rotational force to the pulley 15 by the belt 14, the pulley 15 rotates. The rotation of the pulley 15 causes the roller 16A fixedly arranged coaxially therewith to rotate, and as a result, the roller 16B also rotates via the belt 17. Therefore the inserted card 2
Are conveyed in the card conveying path 12 by the belt 17 based on the rotation of the motor 13.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, an insertion detection sensor 21 for detecting the insertion of the card 2 is provided in the card conveyance path 12,
Shutter 2 for prohibiting double capture of card 2
2, position sensors 23A and 23B for detecting the position of the card 2 in the transport path 12, a punch unit 24 for punching the card 2, and a head unit 25 for recording and reproducing data on the card 2 are provided. ing.

Next, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control unit for controlling the card reader configured as described above. In the figure, 30 is a CP for controlling the entire card reader.
The control circuit is composed of U and is connected to a control unit 32, which is a higher-level device, via a transmission / reception circuit 31. The control circuit 30 is connected to the motor 13, the insertion detection sensor 21, the shutter section 22, the position sensor 23 (23A and 23B), the punch section 24, and the head section 25. In addition, an optical sensor 26 for detecting a bar code printed on the card 2, an encoder 27 for detecting the rotation speed of the motor 13, an EEPROM 33 for storing various data of the apparatus and capable of electrically recording and erasing, control. A ROM 34 for storing a program executed by the circuit 30 and a RAM 35 for temporarily storing data are connected.

When the card 2 is inserted and the tip of the card 2 is detected by the insertion detection sensor 21, the control circuit 30
Opens the shutter 22 and rotates the motor 13 in the forward direction to take in the card 2. Card 2 is card transport path 1
2, the control circuit 30 controls each position sensor 2
Based on the detection outputs of 3A and 23B, the card is conveyed in the card conveying path 12 to the position of the head portion 25. In this case, the conveyance from the detection of the rear end of the conveyed card 2 by the position sensor 23B to the arrival of the magnetic data recording area of the card 2 is controlled based on the rotation speed of the motor 13 via the encoder 27.

That is, the rear end of the card 2 is the position sensor 23B.
Then, the number of rotations of the motor 13 is counted. When this reaches a predetermined number, the control circuit 30 causes the motor 13
At the same time, the head unit 25 is driven to reproduce and record data in the data recording area of the card 2. Then, after that, the motor 13 is rotated in the reverse direction, the card 2 is punched by the punching section 24 as necessary, and then the card 2 is ejected to the card insertion port 11.

In such a card reader 1, if, for example, the head section 25 or the like fails, abnormal data are written and defective cards that cannot be used thereafter are generated one after another. The variable track is provided with a storage area for the number of the card reader used together with the storage area for the amount data. And the card reader
When you record the amount data, record your own number as well. If the card 2 is configured in this way, and if this card becomes a defective card due to a defective card reader, the defective card reader can be identified from the number of the card reader, and therefore this can be collected and repaired. it can.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of a totaling device (not shown) for processing a customer complaint card which is such a defective card. First, in step ST1, a card survey is performed to detect the number of the card reader that records the amount data, that is, the writing device number, in step ST1, and then in step ST2, the writing of past complaint cards registered in the memory is performed. Perform registration data survey to detect device number. Then, in step ST3, it is determined whether or not there is a card having the same writing device number as that detected in step ST1 among the past complaint cards, and if it is "N", this complaint is received in step ST4. The writing device number of the card is newly registered in the memory.

If the same number as the writing device number of the complaint card is already registered and the determination in step ST3 is "Y", the number is increased by 1 and the process proceeds to step ST5. It is determined whether there are n or more cases. If the number is n or more, the writing device (card reader) that has written the amount data on the complaint card is instructed to be collected in step ST6. As a result, the writing device is collected and the defective portion is investigated and repaired, so that writing by the defective card reader is prevented.

Next, FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a concrete structure of the card 2, in which the fixed track 3 in which fixed information such as the card number and the like are recorded, the amount data and the like. A variable track 4 for recording is provided. The variable track 4 is divided into five areas A, B, C, D and E in which the same data is recorded.

Next, FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the operation of the control circuit 30 when the card 2 having the above-mentioned structure is inserted into the card reader 1. . It is assumed that the card 2 has already recorded data in each of the above five areas by the card reader. The card 2 is inserted and step ST1 in FIG.
When it is determined to be “Y” in 1, the card 2 is taken in and conveyed in the card conveying path 12 to the arrangement position of the head portion 25. Subsequently, in step ST12, areas A to E of the card 2 are
Each data is read via the head unit 25, and it is determined in step ST13 whether or not there are three or more blocks of normal data among the read data in each of the five areas (five blocks). If this is less than 3/5, the card 2 is returned in step ST14.

When the number of normal blocks is 3/5 or more and the determination in step ST13 is "Y", step S
Move to T15. Then, for example, a call or the like is performed using the card 2, and when this call ends, step ST1
At 5, the remaining number is written to the card 2. The remaining frequency is written to each of the areas A to E, and the same frequency is written. After that, the verify read process of reading the frequency data written in each area and comparing it with the write data is performed in step ST16, and the number of blocks in which the data is normally written is determined in step ST17.
Done in.

Here, when the number of normal blocks is 3/5 or more [for example, in the case of FIG. 3B], this card reader 1 can normally write data to the card 2, and therefore is normal. Judge that it is step ST18
Then, a normal termination notification is sent to the control unit 32, which is a higher-level device, via the transmission / reception circuit 31, and then the card 2 is returned in step ST19. As a result of the verify read, if the number of normal blocks is 1/5 to 2/5 [for example, in the case of FIG. 3C], it is determined that the data cannot be normally written to this card. ST2
At 0, a write error notification is sent to the control unit 32, and then the card is returned at step ST21. In addition, when no data can be written to the card 2 and the number of normal blocks is “0” [for example, in the case of FIG. 3D]
Sends a write error in step ST22, and, in step ST23, sends a device error notification indicating that the device cannot be written due to an error in the device, and moves to step ST24 to move to the card 2 Will be returned. Then, the subsequent operations are stopped until the writing device is repaired.

As described above, the card 2 is provided with a plurality of data recording blocks, the same data is recorded in each block when writing the data, and the data recorded in each block is read out and compared with the write data to confirm that the data is normal. The correctness of the writing device is detected according to the number of blocks recorded and reproduced. In the present embodiment, an example of monetary amount data is described as data to be written in each block, but a plurality of card reader numbers for writing this monetary amount data may be recorded together with the monetary amount data.

Next, in each area A to E of the variable track 4 shown in FIG. 3A of the card 2, the number of the writing device (that is, the card reader) for writing the amount data together with the amount data can be recorded. To configure. Then, at the time of writing the data, the same amount data and the writing device number are recorded in each area (each block), and each of the above-mentioned data recorded in each block is read and compared with the write data, and the data is normally recorded. And detect the number of blocks played. If the number of normal blocks is small and it is determined in this case that the same writing device has written data, this device is determined to be abnormal.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the third embodiment of the present invention, and shows the operation of the control circuit 30 which performs the above control operation. Here, each step ST when the card 2 configured as described above is inserted
The operation of 31 to ST34 is performed in each step ST1 shown in FIG.
Although the operation is the same as that shown in 1 to ST14 and its description is omitted, the number of normal blocks is 3/5 or more, and step ST
If the determination of 33 is “Y”, the writing device number of the read data is stored in the RAM 35.

Then, for example, a call or the like using the card 2 is performed, and at the end of this call, the remaining number is written in the card 2 in step ST35. The remaining frequency is written to each of the areas A to E, and the same frequency data and the same writing device number are written. After that, the verify read process of reading the frequency data written in each area and comparing it with the write data is performed in step ST36, and the number of blocks in which the data is normally written is determined in step ST37.

If the number of normal blocks is 3/5 or more [for example, in the case of FIG. 3 (b)], the card reader 1 can normally write data to the card 2 and is therefore normal. Judge that it is step ST38
Then, a normal termination notification is sent to the control unit 32, which is a higher-level device, via the transmission / reception circuit 31, and then the card 2 is returned in step ST39.

As a result of the verify read, the number of normal blocks is 0/5 to 2/5 [see FIG.
In the case of (c) and (d)], first in step ST40, R
The previous writing device number stored in the AM 35 is compared with the writing device number which is the number of this card reader to determine "Is the previous writing device this device?". If the previous writing device is this device, it is determined that the card 2 was normal before, and it has become defective due to the writing operation of the previous and present devices, and the control unit 32 is determined in step ST41.
Is notified of a device abnormality, a write error notification is given in step ST42, and then the card 2 is returned in step ST43. If the previous writing device is not this device and the determination in step ST40 is "N", a writing error notification indicating a writing error to the card is issued to the control unit in step ST42,
Then return the card.

If the previous writing device is not this device and the determination in step ST40 is "N", an error counter provided in the device is counted, and if the number is consecutive n times, the device is determined to be abnormal. It may be configured to do so. In addition, the control unit 3 which is a higher-level device of this card reader
If 2 and the above-mentioned totalizing device are configured to be connected by a communication line, a repair request can be made by transmitting an abnormality of the device to the totaling device via the control unit 32. If the previous writing device is not this device when the defective data is written in the card, the user brings this defective card to the totalizing device. Then, the totaling device reads and totals the writing device numbers that have written these defective cards, and when the number is n or more, the writing device is determined to be defective and the card reader is activated by the communication function described above. Can be prohibited.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the area for recording the number of the writing device for recording the value information on the card is provided on the card, when the card becomes defective. The failure of the card reader can be detected from the writing device number recorded on the defective card. Further, since a plurality of recording areas for writing device numbers are provided on the variable tracks of the card, if the same writing device number is recorded in each recording area when recording the value information, each recording area can be recorded. The failure of the writing device can be easily detected from the result of the recording status of the area. Also, a plurality of writing device numbers for recording the value information when the use of the card is finished are recorded on the variable tracks, and the plurality of recorded writing device numbers are read out to be used as the writing device numbers at the time of recording. In comparison, when the data is not recorded normally, the device is notified of the abnormality, so the card reader can automatically detect and notify of its own failure, and therefore prohibit the subsequent use of this card reader device. It becomes possible to do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a card reader according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a situation of investigating a defective card caused by a defect of the card reader.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a card used in the card reader.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the card reader.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the card reader.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the card reader.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Card Reader 2 Card 3 Fixed Track 4 Variable Track 12 Card Conveying Path 13 Motor 21 Insertion Detection Sensor 23A, 23B Position Sensor 25 Head 27 Encoder 30 Control Circuit 31 Transmitter / Receiver Circuit 32 Control Unit (Upper Device) AE Area

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display area G07F 7/08

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A card having a variable track on which value information such as amount data is recorded, wherein the variable track has a writing device number recording area for recording the number of a writing device that writes the value information. Card characterized by. 2. The card according to claim 1, wherein the card has a plurality of writing device number recording areas. 3. When a card on which value information such as amount data is recorded is inserted into a variable track, the value information is read from the card, and when the use of the card is finished, the value information according to the usage status of the card is read. In a card reader for reducing and recording the balance information on the variable track, recording means for recording a plurality of writing device numbers for recording the balance information on the variable track when the use of the card is finished, and the recording means. Determining means for reading out a plurality of writing device numbers recorded by the means and comparing with the writing device numbers at the time of recording to determine whether or not each of the writing device numbers is normally recorded on the variable track; A card reader comprising: an abnormality notifying unit for notifying an abnormality of the device when the judgment output of the judging unit is negative.