JPS61132389A - Magnetic card - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a magnetic card, and more particularly to a magnetic card improved to prevent counterfeiting.

[Summary of the Invention 1 This invention records a unique mark on a magnetic card to prevent counterfeiting.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, by using a magnetic card reader/writer, it has been possible to copy data recorded on the magnetic stripe of a magnetic card to another card in its entirety. Therefore, magnetic cards could be easily duplicated.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, conventional magnetic cards can be easily duplicated, but devices that handle conventional magnetic cards cannot distinguish between genuine magnetic cards and duplicate magnetic cards. I couldn't. Therefore, there is a problem in that conventional magnetic cards may be copied and misused.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic card that cannot be easily duplicated.

Means for Solving the L Problem 1 In the magnetic card according to the present invention, a mark unique to the magnetic card is recorded in an area different from the magnetic stripe.

Function 1: A unique mark recorded on a magnetic card can be used to determine authenticity.

[Embodiment] FIG. 18 is a front view showing a magnetic card according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along line IB-48 in FIG. 1A. In the figure, a magnetic card 1 has a magnetic stripe 2 and, for example, three marks 31.
, 326 and 33 are formed. Mark 31-3
3 is a mark unique to the magnetic card 1, and is formed in a different arrangement relationship for each magnetic card. These marks 31 to 33 are preferably invisible, and are formed by, for example, embedding ultraviolet-reactive ink or small magnets. Note that the marks 31 to 33 may be formed by making small holes, but in this case, since they are visible, it will be easier to forge them than invisible marks. On the other hand, the magnetic stripe 2 has a relatively thick magnetic layer compared to the magnetic stripe of a conventional magnetic card, and is configured to perform so-called two-layer recording. That is, as shown in FIG. 1B, in the magnetic stripe 2, information regarding marks 31 to 33 (hereinafter referred to as mark information) is recorded in the deep part 2a of the magnetic layer, and information about the marks 31 to 33 (hereinafter referred to as mark information) is recorded in the shallow part of the magnetic layer (surface layer ) 2b is recorded with normal data similar to that of a conventional magnetic card.Here, the mark information is, for example, the ratio a:b:c of the distances between the three points where the marks 31 to 33 are formed. Moreover, 1 normal data includes, for example, an account number, a personal identification number, a store number, and the like.

Here, two-layer recording will be briefly explained.

First, mark information is written using a magnetic head with a wide gap so that the entire magnetic layer of the magnetic stripe 2 is magnetized. After that, the surface m2b of the magnetic layer is demagnetized and normal data is recorded on this surface layer. However, since the normal data recording/reproducing head has a narrow gap width and the signals handled are high frequency, when recording the data, the mark information is No impact. As a prior art related to such two-layer recording, there is a ``method of embedding head positioning information of a flexible magnetic disk at the bottom of the data track'' proposed by IBM of the United States (Haynes, M, K.).

fNTERMAG' 81.12-1.12-2゜Ma
y 1981).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a card reading device for reading information from the magnetic card 1 as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In the figure, a magnetic card (for example, cash card or credit card) inserted through a card insertion slot 5 is conveyed by a conveyor belt 6 in the direction indicated by the arrow. Then, the surface of the card 1 is irradiated with ultraviolet light by the ultraviolet lamp 7. As a result, the marks 31 to 33 formed with the ultraviolet-reactive ink glow, and are detected by the CCO sensor 8. The reading output of the COD sensor 8 is
It is given to a microcomputer, etc. (not shown). When the magnetic card 1 is further conveyed in the direction of arrow A, the information on the magnetic stripe 2 is read by the magnetic head 9. This magnetic head 9 is a magnetic head that can read deep parts of the magnetic layer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit for separating two pieces of data from the magnetic head 9. As shown in FIG. In the figure, the reproduction output of a magnetic head 9 is applied to an amplifier 10 and amplified. The output of amplifier 10 is applied to two filters 11 and 12. The center frequencies of these filters 11 and 12 are selected to be the normal data recording frequency [and the mark data recording frequency r2. Therefore, the filter 11 passes only the normal data recorded on the surface layer 2a of the magnetic layer shown in FIG. 1B, and the filter 12 passes the mark data recorded on the deep portion 2b of the magnetic layer. The outputs of the filters 11 and 12 are applied to amplifiers 13t3 and 14, respectively, where they are amplified and then output as recording data 1 (normal data) and recording data 2 (mark data).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operations performed by a microcomputer (not shown) to determine whether the magnetic card 1 is genuine or false. This authenticity determination operation will be explained below.

First, in step S1, marks 31 to 31 are displayed on the CCD 8.
33 is read, and based on the reading output of the CCD 8, the distance ratio a:b between the three marks 31 to 33 is determined.
:c is calculated. Next, the process proceeds to step S2, where the recording data on the magnetic stripe 2 is read by the reproducing head 9. Then, record data 1 and record data 2 output from the circuit of FIG. 3 are stored. Next, the process proceeds to step S3, where it is determined whether the mark data calculated by actually reading the marks 31 to 33 matches the mark data recorded in the deep part 2b of the magnetic layer of the magnetic stripe. . If both mark data do not match, the process advances to step S4 and a comparison process is performed for the host 1-combi coater.

Subsequently, in step S5, it is determined whether the verification result is OK or not. If the verification result is OK, the process advances to step $6, where a termination process is performed and then the operation is terminated.

Here, in step S3 mentioned above, 7-k3 is actually
If the mark data obtained by reading 1 to 33 does not match the mark data read from the magnetic stripe 2, it is determined that the magnetic card 1 is a duplicated card,
In step $7, abnormality processing such as reporting is performed.

Thereafter, in step S8, an rS is filled in for failure of the transaction, and the operation ends. Also, if the host verification is not OK in step $5, step S
At step 8, the transaction failure is processed and the operation is changed to Hiiragi? do.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, a reading device was described in which the marks 31 to 33 were formed using ultraviolet-reactive ink. However, if the marks are formed by embedding a small magnet, for example, a Hall element or the like may be used as the mark reading means. Just use it. In other words, it is sufficient to use a mark reading means depending on the manner in which the mark is formed.

Further, in the above embodiment, mark data is recorded in advance on the magnetic stripe 2, but this mark data may be registered in the host side. In this case, it may be determined whether the mark data calculated by reading the marks 31 to 33 matches the mark data transmitted from the host side.

[Effect of the invention 1 As described above, according to the present invention, even if the data recorded on the magnetic stripe is copied to another magnetic card, it is possible to copy even the unique mark formed on the card itself. This makes replication extremely difficult. Therefore, crimes caused by copying magnetic cards can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1A is a front view showing a magnetic card according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15-IE3 shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an apparatus for reading marks and magnetically recorded data from the magnetic cards shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit for separating data from the reproducing head 9 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation for determining the authenticity of a magnetic card. In the figure, 1 is a magnetic card, 2 is a magnetic stripe, and 3 is a magnetic card.
1 to 33 are marks, 7 is an ultraviolet lamp, 8 is COD, 9
10, 13 and 14 are amplifiers, and 11 and 12 are filters. Funeral diagram 4

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a magnetic card that has a magnetic stripe and predetermined information is recorded on the magnetic stripe, a unique mark for determining the authenticity of the magnetic card is recorded in an area different from the magnetic stripe. A magnetic card characterized by: (2) The magnetic card according to claim 1, wherein the mark is recorded in an invisible manner. (3) The magnetic card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein information regarding the mark is recorded in the magnetic stripe in addition to the predetermined information. (4) The magnetic stripe according to claim 3, wherein information regarding the mark is recorded in a deep part of the magnetic layer, and the predetermined information is recorded in a shallow part of the magnetic layer. card.