JPS61122968A - Magnetic card reader terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read magnetic cards of >=2 standards by one terminal equipment by disposing a change-over circuit for selecting one of plural magnetic card readers reading an information from the magnetic cards having different standards from one another, and providing a microcomputer for controlling this change-over circuit by a command from an external section. CONSTITUTION:Initially, a host computer 4 outputs, through a communication circuit 3, a type of a standard of a reading magnetic card and a magnetic card reading command to a microcomputer 2. Thereby, the microcomputer 2 outputs a magnetic card reader change-over command S to a change-over circuit 6, selects one of the first and the second magnetic card readers 1a, 1b to have a read mode, and waits for an output data Do from the change-over circuit 6. When the magnetic card is inserted into the selected magnetic card reader, an read result is outputted to the microcomputer 2, and the read result is transmitted to a host computer 4. Since, in this manner, according to the command from the host computer 4, the change-over circuit 6 selects the magnetic card reader, the reading from the cards of two standards by one terminal equipment can be done.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION The present invention relates to an optical card reader terminal used in the field of office automation equipment for managing customers and the like using magnetic cards.

Conventional configuration and its problems FIG. 2 shows a conventional magnetic card terminal.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a magnetic card reader, which is connected to a microcomputer 2. In FIG. The microcomputer 2 is connected to a host computer 4 via a communication circuit 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a magnetic card terminal machine comprising a magnetic card reader 1, a microcomputer 2, and a communication circuit 3.

In such a magnetic card terminal 15, when the host computer 4 outputs a card reading command to the microcomputer 2 via the communication circuit 3, the microcomputer 2
is in card reading mode and has an output from the magnetic card reader 1. When a magnetic card is inserted into the magnetic card reader 1, the reading result is transmitted to the host computer 4 via the microcomputer 2 and the communication circuit 3. With the above steps, a series of magnetic card reading is completed.

However, the conventional magnetic card reader 1 has the disadvantage that it can only read a single standard, and cannot read magnetic cards of the WJa standard.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic card reader terminal capable of reading magnetic cards of multiple standards.

Structure of the Invention The magnetic card reader terminal of the present invention includes a plurality of magnetic card readers that read information from magnetic cards of different standards, a switching circuit that selects one of the plurality of magnetic card readers, and a switching circuit that selects one of the plurality of magnetic card readers. A microcomputer is provided to control the switching state of the switching circuit based on a command given from the outside via a communication circuit, and the standard of the magnetic card to be read is specified by the command given from the outside. The present invention is characterized in that information can be read from magnetic cards of any standard.

*Explanation of m example An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

Components having the same functions as those in FIG. 2 will be described with the same reference numerals.

1a and 1b are first and second magnetic card readers that can read information from magnetic cards of different standards, respectively. Here, the standards of the magnetic cards that can be read by the first magnetic card reader 1a are A and the second magnetic card reader. Let B be the standard of the magnetic card that can be read by the magnetic card reader 1b. 6 is a switching circuit, and for data input, the first and second magnetic card readers 1a, 1b are connected.
The read data Da and Db are supplied from the microcomputer 2, and the read data Da or Db is outputted as the output data Do in response to a command S from the microcomputer 2.

Note that here, the output data Do is connected to the host computer 4 via the microcomputer 2 and the communication line 3.

Next, in the operation, first, the host computer 4 connects the communication circuit 3
The type of standard of the magnetic card to be read and a magnetic card reading command are output to the microcomputer 2 via the microcomputer 2. Upon receiving this, the microcomputer 2 outputs a magnetic card reader switching command S to the switching circuit 6, selects one of the first and second magnetic card readers 1a and 1b, enters the reading mode, and switches from the switching port m6. Wait for output data Oo.

When a magnetic card is inserted into the selected magnetic card reader, the reading result is output to the microcomputer 2 via the switching circuit 6, and the microcomputer 2 transmits the reading result to the host computer 4 via the communication circuit 3. . With the above steps, a series of magnetic card reading is completed.

Since the off W1 circuit 6 selects the magnetic card reader in response to a command from the host computer 4 in this manner, it is possible to read from either A or B standard magnetic cards with one terminal device.

In the above embodiment, two independent magnetic card readers are connected to the data input of the switching circuit 6, but the number is not limited to two, and any number of magnetic card readers may be used. Furthermore, the plurality of magnetic card readers do not need to be used individually; for example, they can be constructed in a head-switchable manner, such as a single two-head magnetic card reader compatible with two standards.

As described in the detailed description of the invention, the magnetic card reader terminal of the present invention includes a plurality of magnetic card readers that read information from mutually standard magnetic cards, and one of the plurality of magnetic card readers. Since it is equipped with a switching circuit to select and a microcomputer that controls the switching state of the switching circuit based on commands given from the outside via a communication circuit, it is possible to switch between two or more standards based on commands from the outside such as other devices. It is possible to read magnetic cards with a single terminal.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a magnetic card reader terminal according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional magnetic card reader terminal. 1a, 1b--first and second magnetic card readers, 2.
...Microcomputer, 3...Communication circuit, 4...
・Host computer, 5...Magnetic card reader terminal, 6...Switching circuit

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of magnetic card readers that read information from magnetic cards of different standards, a switching circuit that selects one of the plurality of magnetic card readers, and a communication circuit. A magnetic card reader terminal equipped with a microcomputer that controls the switching state of the switching circuit based on commands given from the outside. 2. A magnetic card reader terminal according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnetic card readers are multi-head magnetic card readers compatible with a plurality of standards.