JPS62154301A - Card reader/writer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read/write data quickly even when a card in which magnetic stripe of different size of different position is formed is inserted by stopping the magnetic stripe of a card at a moving head moving position, detecting the length of magnetic stripe of the card and moving the moving head by the detected length. CONSTITUTION:A flight ticket 9 or a credit card 10 is carried by a carrying roller 6 normally. When a card sensor 1 detects that the card is inserted to the position of the carrying roller 6, starts driving of the carrying roller 6. When a card tip sensor 3 is made on, a carrying motor is made off. when the card sensor 2 is on, a moving head is driven from the left end to the right end and data processing is made as the flight ticket is inserted. When the card sensor is off, the moving head 4 is driven from the position of the left end guide 7 to the right end 10b of the credit card and the data processing is made as the credit card 10 is inserted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a card reader/writer that reads magnetic stripes of cards of different sizes by means of a moving head.

(b1 Summary of the Invention The card reader/writer according to the present invention stops an inserted card by means of a card setting means so that the magnetic stripe is in a fixed position, that is, at a moving position of a moving head head, and The length of the stripe is detected by a magnetic stripe length detection means.The moving head is moved by this length to read the data on the magnetic stripe.By doing this, the magnetic stripe of multiple types of cards of different sizes can be detected. In addition to being able to read the magnetic stripe, it is also possible to determine the length of the magnetic stripe when setting cards, eliminating unnecessary movement of the moving head.

(C) Conventional technology and its drawbacks At present, cashless transactions and automatic card processing are progressing.For example, airport boarding procedures (check-in)
In , customers bring their pre-purchased airline tickets or their Turret card to purchase tickets on the spot and exchange them for boarding passes. A magnetic stripe is formed on the airline ticket, and airline ticket data regarding this airline ticket is stored. The check-in counter is equipped with a boarding pass issuing device that accepts airline tickets and automatically issues boarding passes. On the other hand, in order to accommodate customers who bring credit cards, a credit card 1' authentication device is required, and multiple devices had to be installed within a check-in counter with limited space. Furthermore, since the staff member must operate multiple devices, the operation becomes complicated.

(d) Purpose of the Invention In view of the above drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to provide a card reader/writer that can read the magnetic stripes of multiple types of cards of different sizes, such as airline tickets and credit cards, with a single device. (G) Structure and Effects of the Invention The present invention is a cart reader/writer having a card set section that receives different nice magnetic carts, and a moving head that moves over the card set section, the card set a card setting means for stopping a magnetic strip of a cart inserted into the moving head at a moving position of the moving head; and a magnetic stripe length detection means for detecting the length of the magnetic stripe of the inserted card; The present invention is characterized by comprising a moving distance setting means for reading data on the magnetic stripe by moving the moving head by the length of the detected magnetic stripe.

With the above configuration, when a card is inserted into a part of the card sensor 1, the magnetic stripe of the card is stopped at the moving head movement position by the card setting means. Next, the magnetic stripe length detection means detects the length of the magnetic stripe of the card. The moving head moves by the detected length and reads the data on the magnetic stripe.

As a result, even if a card of a different size or a card with a magnetic stripe formed in a different position is inserted, the magnetic stripe of this card will stop at the moving head movement position, and the moving head will move to transfer the data. Can be read. Further, since the moving head moves only by the length of the magnetic stripe, there is no waste, so there is an advantage that data can be read/written quickly. Furthermore, if the type of card to be inserted is determined, the type of card can be roughly determined at the time of card insertion, and the processing speed of the cart can be improved.

(fl Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a card reader/writer that is an embodiment of the present invention. The same figure is a plan view of the above-mentioned cart reader/writer. This is a rear view.This card reader/writer is installed in a boarding pass issuing device at an airport check-in counter.The card reader/writer is installed in a boarding pass issuing device at an airport check-in counter. , the boarding pass or credit card is inserted in the direction of the arrow (see Figure (Al)). There is a display on the operation panel surface indicating that the card should be inserted along the left edge of the insertion slot. Because the device is viewed from the opposite direction, the left and right sides are reversed.

The card setting section is formed in a portion surrounded by the left end guide 7, spacer 8, and right end guide, and when a card is inserted according to the display on the operation panel, the card is inserted along the left end guide 7. and 1 general delivery. Into this card set section are inserted an advance-sold airline ticket 9 and a credit card 10 of a customer checking in directly. The magnetic stripes 9a and 10a formed on the airline ticket 9 and the credit card 1O are formed equidistant from one side of the leading end of the card in the insertion direction.

Conveyance rollers 6 are vertically installed slightly to the left of the center of the card set section. By installing the conveyance roller 6 in this position, the airline ticket 9. Both credit cards 10 can be transported normally. Further, a cart sensor 1 is installed near the left end of the card setting section and slightly in front of the conveyance roller 6 (near the card insertion slot). The card sensor 1 is a sensor that detects when a card is inserted along the left end guide 7 and when the card is inserted to the position of the conveyance roller 6. When a card is inserted and the card sensor 1 is turned on, the transport roller 6 starts to be driven. Further, a card sensor 2 is installed on the right side of the card set section. This card sensor 2 is
This is to detect that the airline ticket 9 has been inserted. That is, since the tare card 10 is short in length and width, it cannot be detected by this sensor, but the airline ticket 9 is large in length and width, so this cart sensor 2 cannot detect it.
It can be detected by

A certain distance from the stopper 8 (the airline ticket 9°, the magnetic stripe 9a of the credit card 10).

10a (stop position)).
is provided. The moving head 4 is attached to a guide screw 5, and is driven left and right by a motor (not shown) rotating the guide screw 5.

Further, a portion of the stopper 8 is cut out, and the actuator of the card tip sensor 3 protrudes from this cutout toward the card setting section. This card tip sensor 3 is a micro-sinch, and turns on when the tip of the card presses the actuator. When this sensor is turned on, the transport ports 6 to 6 are stopped.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control section of the card reader/writer. The CPU 20, which is a control device, has a ROM 21.
In addition to being connected to the RAM 22, a card transport device 25 including the transport roller 6, the card tip sensor 3. Card sensor l, 2° A magnetic stripe reader/writer 23 including the moving head 4 and a magnetic head drive device 24 for driving the moving head 4 are connected. FIG. 3 shows the operation of the control section of the card reader/writer. It is a flowchart which shows. In step n1 (hereinafter, step ni will be simply referred to as ni), the process waits until the cart sensor l is turned on. If this card sensor 1 turns on, it can be determined that the card is correctly inserted. When the card sensor 1 is turned on, the conveyance motor (included in the card conveyance device 25) is turned on and the conveyance roller 6 is rotated, and if it is determined by n3 whether the card tip sensor 3 is on, then
Turn off the transport motor (n4). The card is now set in place. Here, it is determined whether the card sensor 2 is on or off. If the card sensor 2 is on, the airline ticket 9 has been inserted, and the moving head 4 is driven from the left end to the right end to perform data processing (n6). If the card sensor 2 is off, the Fresino 1-Card 10 has been inserted, so the moving head 4 is driven from the left end guide 7 position to the right end 10b of the credit card to perform data processing (n7). After data processing, the card is ejected (n8) and the operation ends.

The left end guide 7, the stopper 8. Card tip sensor 3 and n3. n4 corresponds to the card setting means of the present invention, card sensors 2 and n5 correspond to the magnetic stripe length detection means of the present invention, n6. n7 corresponds to the head movement distance setting means of the present invention.

Since an airline ticket or a Turret card is inserted into this car 1 reader/writer, it can be determined whether the inserted card is an airline ticket or a Turret card based on the length of the card. In this way, if the inserted cards are all different sizes, the length of the card is 1
The type of card can be detected by the width, etc. Furthermore, in a card in which a magnetic stripe is formed from one end of the card to the other end, detecting the length of the card means detecting the length of the magnetic stripe.

Also, the two types of cards used in this example are JIS
The standards are called I and I ATAATB, and the magnetic stripe is set at the same position, so if you stop the force with a fixed stopper, you can stop the magnetic stripe in the fixed position. . On the other hand, in the case of a device in which cards with different magnetic stripe positions are inserted, a mechanism is provided to move the stopper, and when the type of inserted card is determined, the stopper is moved back and forth to change the magnetic stripe stop position to the moving position. All you have to do is match it.

In addition, in this embodiment, the magnetic stripe length is detected based on the card length detection, but the magnetic stripe reading operation is performed without detecting the magnetic stripe length, resulting in data loss or STX, ETX code. You can judge it by looking at it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a card reader/writer which is an embodiment of the present invention, and the figure 1 is a plan view. Figure (B) is a rear view. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control section of the card reader/writer, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control section. ■, 2-Card sensor, 3-Card tip sensor, 4-Moving head, 9-Airline ticket, 10-Credit card.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A card reader/writer having a card set section that accepts magnetic cards of different sizes, and a moving head that moves over the card set section, the card reader/writer being capable of reading the magnetic stripe of a card inserted into the card set section. a card setting means for stopping the moving head at a moving position; a magnetic stripe length detecting means for detecting the length of the magnetic stripe of the inserted card; and a magnetic stripe length detection means for moving the moving head by the length of the detected magnetic stripe. A card reader/writer comprising a head movement distance setting means for reading data on a magnetic stripe.