JPH07193649A - Card reader with built-in modem - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the card reader with built-in MODEM suitable for utilizing information written on a card. CONSTITUTION:An equipment 11 is constituted of major components such as a card read section 12, an MPU 13, a MODEM 14, an LED 15 and a buzzer 16 and specifies the operation of the MPU 13 to send a content of a card to a destination in response to the content of the card read by the card read section 12. The LED 15 and the buzzer 16 are used to inform the user of reply information with respect to the sent information. The card read section 12 and the MPU 13 are connected to each other with an interrupt signal line 21 and only when the card read section 12 provides an output of an interrupt signal, the MPU 13 is operated and stops its own operation in other cases. Thus, the transmission/reception of the information using the card is executed with simple configuration and low power consumption.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card reader with a built-in modem and, for example, to a card reader with a built-in modem for reading a magnetic card and connecting a telephone line to a location corresponding to the information written on the card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, information processing devices such as computers have come to be used in various fields, and accordingly, various information input techniques for inputting information into computers have been developed. An example of this technology is
Information input technology using magnetic cards.

Magnetic cards are used, for example, in computer systems to supply information such as user names and passwords to the system. In this case, information such as a user name and password is written on the magnetic card, and the user causes the host computer to read the information on the card by passing the card through a card reader connected to the terminal. . This allows
It becomes possible to access the host computer without inputting the user name and the like from the keyboard. In such a system, the connection between the terminal and the host computer is usually made by a LAN (Local Area Network), but the connection may be made by using a telephone line.

The configuration of the system when a telephone line is used will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, the system is composed of a card reader 31, a computer 32, and a modem 33, and between the card reader 31 and the computer 32, and
The connection between the computer 32 and the modem 33 is, for example,
The transmission path 35 such as RS232C cable
The information output by the computer 32 is output to the telephone line 36 via the modem 33 and transmitted to the host computer (not shown).

In the card reader 31, as a card reading process, the information recorded as a magnetic pattern on the card is converted into an electric signal, and as a result, the card data obtained as an 8-bit digital signal is converted. A process of converting into serial data is performed. In the computer 32, serial data is converted into parallel data that can be handled by a central processing unit (CPU), and based on the parallel data, the contents are judged and the operation to be executed is decided. Then, the determined operation content is converted into serial data and supplied to the modem 33. The modem 33 modulates the received serial data into a form suitable for information transmission using a telephone line and transmits it on the telephone line.

Depending on the form of the transmission path 35, conversion of parallel data and serial data may not be performed. Conventionally, when a card reader is used, as shown in this figure, a computer is mainly used. The system was configured.

[0007]

As described above, the conventional
Since the system using a card was formed mainly of a computer, various processes can be executed, but it is too costly to perform only a certain process based on the information written on the card. And the problem that power consumption is too high.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a card reader with a built-in modem suitable for utilizing the information written in the card.

[0009]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A modem for exchanging information via telephone line,
The reading means for reading the information written on the card, the specifying means for specifying the transmission information to be transmitted and the destination of the transmission information based on the information read by the reading means, and the modem By controlling, the information transmitting means for transmitting the transmission information to the destination, the detecting means for detecting whether or not the reading means is reading the card, and the detecting means for not reading the card And a control means for stopping the operation of the specifying means when it is detected and starting the operation of the specifying means when it is detected that the card is being read.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the control means for instructing stop and start of the operation is provided to the specifying means for specifying the operation content by using the information output by the reading means. When the operation of the specifying means is not required by the means, the operation is stopped. As a result, the current consumption of the device is reduced when the card is not input, so that the average current consumption of the device can be reduced. When a card is input, the specifying unit specifies the destination and the information to be transmitted based on the information written in the card, and the information transmitting unit calls the information via the modem. Since it is automatically transmitted on the line, the destination can be made to execute a specific process according to the contents of the card. The information in the card used by the identifying means to identify the destination may be a telephone number or information that indirectly designates a telephone number.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a modem for transmitting and receiving information through a telephone line, a reading means for reading the information written in the card, and a transmission based on the information read by the reading means are transmitted. Specifying means for specifying transmission information which is information to be transmitted and a transmission destination of the transmission information, information transmitting means for transmitting the transmission information to the transmission destination by controlling the modem, and response information which is a response to the transmission information And a light emitting means for changing its light emitting state according to the content of the response information received by the receiving means.

That is, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the information transmitting means emits light whose light emission state changes in response to a response signal from the transmission destination corresponding to the information transmitted to the transmission destination according to the contents of the card. A means is provided to enable simple exchange of information between the transmission destination and the user who inputs the card. The light emitting means is, for example, an LED (LightE
It is composed of a light emitting element such as a mitting diode) and its control circuit.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a modem for transmitting and receiving information through a telephone line, a reading means for reading the information written in the card, and a transmission means based on the information read by the reading means Specifying means for specifying transmission information which is information to be transmitted and a transmission destination of the transmission information, information transmitting means for transmitting the transmission information to the transmission destination by controlling the modem, and response information which is a response to the transmission information Is received via a modem, a light emitting means for changing the light emitting state according to the content of the response information received by the receiving means, and whether or not the reading means is reading the card And a detection means that stops the operation of the specifying means and detects that the card is not read. When it is detected that,
Control means for starting the operation of the specifying means.

That is, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the control means for instructing stop and start of the operation is provided to the specifying means for specifying the operation content by using the information output by the reading means. When the operation of the specifying means is not required by the means, the operation is stopped. As a result, the current consumption of the device is reduced when the card is not input, so that the average current consumption of the device can be reduced.

When a card is input, the destination and the information to be transmitted are specified on the basis of the information written in the card, and the information is transmitted by the information transmitting means via the modem. Since the information is automatically transmitted on the line, the destination can be made to execute a specific process according to the contents of the card. Further, since the light emitting means that changes the light emitting state according to the response signal from the transmission destination is provided, it becomes possible to easily exchange information between the transmission destination and the user who inputs the card. The information in the card used by the identifying means to identify the destination may be a telephone number or information that indirectly designates a telephone number.

[0016]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples.

1 and 2 respectively show the structure and appearance of a card reader with a built-in modem according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration of the card reader with a built-in modem according to the embodiment will be described with reference to these drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the card reading device 11 with a built-in modem of the embodiment has a card reading section 12 and an MPU (Mi.
cro Processor Unit) 13, modem 14, LED (Ligh
t Emitting Diode) 15, buzzer 16, ROM (Read O
nly Memory) 17 and RAM (Random Access Memory) 1
It is composed of 8. The card reading unit 12 is a circuit that outputs an electric signal according to the information written on the card. In this card reading device with a built-in modem, JIS X 630 is used.
2 I am using a type II magnetic card that can be read.

The MPU 13 is a processor that comprehensively controls this card reader with a built-in modem.
An interrupt signal line 21 from the card reading unit 12 is input to the. A program defining the operation procedure is stored in the ROM 17, and in the card reader with a built-in modem of the embodiment, the ROM 17 is a memory whose contents can be rewritten using ultraviolet rays. Further, the MPU 13 uses the RAM 18 as its work area.

The modem 14 is a circuit for converting a TTL (Transistor Transistor Logic) level signal supplied from the MPU 13 into an electric signal of a form suitable for information transmission through a telephone line, and a telephone line 36 and a connector (not shown). )). The LEDs 15 ₁ and 15 ₂ and the buzzer 16 are connected to the MPU 13,
3 drives these mainly in response to the information received via the telephone line 36.

Of these components, those which interface with the user are the card reading unit 12 and
The LEDs 15 ₁ and 15 ₂ and the buzzer 16 are arranged as shown in FIG. In the card reader with a built-in modem 11 of the embodiment, as the LED 15, an element capable of displaying three states (red, green, orange) (an element in which two kinds of LEDs are combined) is used.

Next, the operation of the card reader with a built-in modem of the embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 shows an outline of the operation of the card reader with a built-in modem of the embodiment. When the power is turned on, MPU1
First, the device 3 initializes its own device in accordance with the program stored in the ROM 17 (step S101). After this initialization is completed, the card reader with a built-in modem repeats the card data input operation (step S102), the card data transmission operation (step S103), and the command reception operation (step S104).
During each operation, when a phenomenon that there is a possibility of abnormality due to a malfunction of each circuit that constitutes the card reader with built-in modem occurs, the initialization operation is performed as indicated by the dotted arrow in the figure. It is configured to take place again.
The details regarding the determination of the device abnormality will be described later. First, the card data input operation will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a flow of operation of the card reader with a built-in modem at the time of card data input processing. In the figure, steps surrounded by dotted lines are processes performed by the card reading unit 12, and other steps are processes performed by the MPU 13.

In the card reader with a built-in modem of the embodiment,
When it is not necessary to operate the MPU 13 in order to reduce power consumption, the operation is stopped. For this reason,
After the initialization process, the MPU 13 temporarily stops its operation (step S201). Note that this stop processing is performed by stopping the supply of the clock that defines the operation timing of the MPU 13, and this stop state is released by the input of an interrupt signal from the card reading unit 12.

While the operation of the MPU 13 is stopped, only the card reading unit 12 continues to monitor the presence / absence of a card input (step S202), and when the card input is made (step S202; Y). , Conversion of the magnetic information written on the card into an electric signal (step S2
03) is performed and an interrupt signal is output to the MPU 13 (step S204).

MP started operation by inputting interrupt signal
The U13 receives the card data, which is the information written in the card, from the card reading unit 12 and inspects the content of the card data (step S205).
If the data does not comply with the predetermined format, it is determined that the card data is not normal (step S206; N), and the LED 15 and the buzzer 16 are driven (step S207) to cause an abnormality to the user. Is notified, and the process returns to step S201. Also,
When it is determined that the card data is normal (step S206; Y), the process shown in this figure is ended.

The current consumption of the card reader with built-in modem when the operation of the MPU 13 is not stopped is 45 mA.
(Milliamperes), and when stopped it is 2
It is 5 μA. The usage mode of the card reading device with a built-in modem will be described later, but in this device, the time during which the reading of the card is not executed is much longer, and the average current consumption is the same when the MPU 13 is stopped. The consumption current may be 25 μA, and the effect of reducing the consumption current by this processing can be said to be great.

FIG. 5 shows an outline of the operation performed subsequent to the flow shown in FIG. Upon receiving the normal card data, the MPU 13 controls the modem 14 to connect the telephone line (step S301). The connection destination of the telephone line in this step is designated by the telephone number included in the card data, and the connection process is CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee) V.6. 25.

Then, after receiving the test command from the host to which the telephone line is connected (step S302), the MPU 13 transmits the identification information and version of its own device (step S303). A data transmission instruction, which is a response to this transmission information, is received (step S30
4) The MPU 13 that has performed 4) executes the transmission of the card data (step S305). Then, the operation of receiving a command from the host and executing the processing according to the command (steps S306 to S308) is repeated.

The processes that can be executed by the card reader with a built-in modem according to the embodiment include a process of driving the LED 15 and the buzzer 16, which is an information output function for the user, and a process of transmitting the status of the device itself to the host. There is a process of retransmitting data, and these processes are repeated in response to a command from the host in steps S306 to S308. For example, the command for controlling the buzzer 16 has time as an operand, and the MPU 13 receiving this command sounds the buzzer 16 for the designated time. In addition, in the command for controlling the LED 15, the color to be emitted is an operand.

Such processing is performed without disconnecting the telephone line, and when a command for disconnecting the line is sent from the host (step S307; Y), M
The PU 13 controls the modem 14 to disconnect the telephone line (step S309), and shifts to a card input standby state (proceeding to step S102 in FIG. 1).

The flow shown in FIG. 5 is for the case where no error occurs during the information transmission through the telephone line. In the actual operation, the transmission error is dealt with in the following manner. There is.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an information transmission procedure between the host and the card reader with a built-in modem. The flow shown here corresponds to, for example, the operation actually performed in steps S303 and S305 of FIG.

The MPU 13 sets "0" in the counter C used for storing the number of times of retransmission (step S40).
1) and data is transmitted (step S402). Then, the response to the transmission is monitored, and when the response is the retransmission instruction (step S403; Y),
"1" is added to the counter C (step S404),
When the counter C is less than the preset constant C _LMT (which is set to “10” in this device) (step S405; Y), the process returns to step S402 and the data is retransmitted.

When the counter C is equal to or more than the constant C _LMT (step S405; N), the line disconnection instruction is set to 3
It is transmitted once (step S406) and the line is disconnected (step S407). Then, "1" is added to the retry counter R (step S408), and the retry counter R is less than the constant R _LMT (which is set to "3" in this device) (step S409; Y).
The card input waiting (step S102 in FIG. 1), and if it is greater than or equal to the constant R _LMT (step S409;
For N), the initialization (step S101 in FIG. 1) is performed again.

This card reader with a built-in modem can be used in the following forms. For example, when the credit card is used for credit inquiry, a telephone number connected to the host computer of the credit company is put in the credit card, and the host computer has a predetermined pattern of information (for example, in step S305 of FIG. 5). When receiving (transmitted card data), a predetermined command is transmitted as a response signal. For example, as this setting, the sent information is used as a card number, the state of the card is investigated,
When the card cannot be used, a control command for turning on the LED in red is transmitted to the card reader with built-in modem, and when the card is available, the control for turning on the LED in green It is possible to send a command.

With this configuration, it is sufficient to install only the card reading device with a built-in modem having the above-described simple structure at the place where the credit card credit inquiry is made. It becomes possible to easily and inexpensively make a credit inquiry of a card. Further, it becomes easy to provide the branch office with this device so that the head office can manage the time when the branch employees come and go.

In the card reader with a built-in modem of the embodiment,
Although the telephone number, which is the information that specifies the destination, is directly read from the card information, the correspondence between the information that specifies the destination and the phone number of the destination is shown in the card reader with a built-in modem. The memory may be stored in the memory and the correspondence may be used to specify the destination telephone number. However, in this case, in order to use the new card with the card reader with built-in modem, it is necessary to rewrite the information in the memory, so specify the telephone number directly in the card. The device configured is more versatile.

[0040]

According to the invention of claim 1, in addition to being able to automatically connect a telephone line to a destination corresponding to the information written in the card and transmitting the information to the destination, Normally, only the circuit (means) for monitoring the card input is operated, so that the average current consumption can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the telephone line can be automatically connected to the destination corresponding to the information written in the card, and the information can be transmitted to the destination.
Since the light emitting means for changing the light emitting state according to the information from the destination is provided, it is possible to easily exchange information with the host.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the telephone line can be automatically connected to the destination corresponding to the information written in the card, and the information can be transmitted to the destination.
Since the light emitting means for changing the light emitting state according to the information from the destination is provided, it is possible to easily exchange information with the host. In addition to this, since only the circuit (means) for monitoring the card input is normally operated, the average current consumption can be reduced.

If the telephone number of the transmission destination is directly written on the card as in the fourth aspect of the invention, when the use of a new type of card is started, the host computer which is the transmission destination is started. It is only necessary to port necessary programs to the card reader with built-in modem, and there is no need to make any changes to the card reader with built-in modem, and a card reader with built-in modem with high versatility can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a card reader with a built-in modem according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view showing the external appearance of the card reader with a built-in modem of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the card reader with a built-in modem according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a card reading device with a built-in modem according to an embodiment,
9 is a flowchart showing an outline of a card data reading operation.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a card reading device with a built-in modem according to the embodiment,
6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a transmission / reception operation using a telephone line.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a card reading device with a built-in modem according to an embodiment;
7 is a flowchart showing details of a transmission / reception operation using a telephone line.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a system using a conventional card reader and a modem.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Card Reader with Built-in Modem 12 Card Reader 13 MPU 14, 33 Modem 15 LED 16 Buzzer 17 ROM 18 RAM 21 Interruption Signal Line 31 Card Reader 32 Computer 35 Transmission Line (RS232C Cable) 36 Telephone Line

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A modem for transmitting and receiving information through a telephone line, a reading unit for reading information written in a card, and a transmission which is information to be transmitted based on the information read by the reading unit. Specifying means for specifying information and a transmission destination of the transmission information; information transmitting means for transmitting the transmission information to the transmission destination by controlling the modem; and reading of the card by the reading means. Detecting means for detecting whether or not there is a card, and when the detecting means detects that the card is not being read, the operation of the specifying means is stopped to detect that the card is being read. A card reading device with a built-in modem, comprising: a control means for starting the operation of the specifying means when the card reader is operated. 2. A modem for transmitting and receiving information through a telephone line, a reading means for reading information written in a card, and a transmission which is information to be transmitted based on the information read by the reading means. Specifying means for specifying information and a transmission destination of the transmission information; information transmitting means for transmitting the transmission information to the transmission destination by controlling the modem; and response information as a response to the transmission information, A card reading device with a built-in modem, comprising: a receiving means for receiving via a modem; and a light emitting means for changing the light emitting state according to the content of the response information received by the receiving means. 3. A modem for transmitting and receiving information through a telephone line, a reading means for reading the information written in the card, and a transmission which is information to be transmitted based on the information read by the reading means. Specifying means for specifying information and a transmission destination of the transmission information; information transmitting means for transmitting the transmission information to the transmission destination by controlling the modem; and response information as a response to the transmission information, Receiving means for receiving via a modem, light emitting means for changing the light emitting state according to the content of the response information received by the receiving means, and detecting whether or not the reading means is reading the card And a detection unit that stops the operation of the specifying unit when the detection unit detects that the card is not being read. When the take that is being performed is detected, the modem built card reading apparatus characterized by comprising a control means for starting the operation of a particular unit. 4. The card reader with a built-in modem according to claim 1, wherein the destination is identified by the identifying means based on a telephone number written in a card.