JPS6234292A - Ic card device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the reliability for transfer of data by performing the starting of a power supply and the readout of data with no contact with each other. CONSTITUTION:An IC card device 10 consists of a photodetecting part 11, a light emitting part 12, a control part 16, a storage part 17, a battery 18 and a switch circuit 19. A light source 22 of a reading device 20 emits the light by the electric power supplied from a power supply part 21. When receiving this light, the part 11 produces a voltage to turn on the circuit 19. Then the voltage of the battery 18 is supplied to the part 16. The part 16 reads the data out of the part 17 and drives the part 12 according to the readout data for transmission of the light modulated by the data. This modulated light is received by a photodetecting part 23 of the device 20 and processed by a processing part 24. In such a way, both the supply of electric power and the transfer of data are carried out through the optical transmission. Thus it is possible to perform the starting of a power supply and the transfer of data with no contact with each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an IC card device that performs power activation and data transmission in a non-contact manner.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional IC card device has an IC built therein that has a control function and a data storage function. When reading data stored in this IC card device, the card must be placed in a predetermined position of a predetermined reader, and the contacts of the reader must be brought into mechanical contact with the contacts (electrodes) exposed on the surface of the card. This supplies power to the IC card device and operates the IC inside the card.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in such conventional devices, power is supplied and data is read through mechanical contacts, so the contacts tend to wear out with use, resulting in a decrease in contact reliability. However, it has drawbacks such as the need for careful handling as care must be taken not to contaminate the material.

In order to eliminate this drawback, it is conceivable to install a solar battery as a power source or to build a battery into the IC card device, but since the solar battery occupies most of the surface of the IC card device, the owner There is no space left for printing information for the handler, making handling inconvenient. If a battery is built in, a switch must be provided in the IC card device to prevent battery consumption when not in use, resulting in a complicated structure. Furthermore, since contacts must be used to read data, these methods do not fundamentally solve the drawbacks caused by using contacts.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve these drawbacks, the present invention incorporates a power supply into the IC card device, enables the power supply to be activated from the outside without contact, and also enables data transmission to be performed without contact.

[Effect]

Signals and data to activate the power supply are transmitted through space.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 10 is an IC card device, and 11 is an IC card device.
A light receiving section 12 is provided on the surface of the card device 10 and is composed of a light receiving diode or the like, and a light emitting section 12 is composed of a light emitting diode or the like. Reference numeral 13 indicates a contact point for data writing, but a contact point for successive data output may be provided in this portion if necessary to ensure compatibility with conventional IC cards. 14 is an IC embedded in the card.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the IC cart device and the reading device. In the figure, 10 is an IC card device, 20 is a reading device, and the IC card device 10 is composed of a light receiving section 11, a light emitting section 12, a control section 16, a storage section 17, a battery 18, and a switch circuit 19. There is. battery 1
8 has a capacity to cover the power of the IC card device.

The reading device 20 includes a power supply section 21, a light source 22 consisting of a light emitting diode, etc., a light receiving section 23 consisting of a light receiving diode, etc.
It is composed of a processing section 24 that processes the data received.

The operation of the device configured as described above is as follows.

In the reading device 20, the light source 22 emits light due to the power supplied from the power supply section 21, so a voltage is generated from the light receiving section 11 of the IC card device 10 in response to this light. This voltage turns on the switch 19 and controls the voltage of the battery 18 by the controller 17.
supply to.

When the control section 16 is supplied with voltage, it reads out the data stored in the storage section 17 and controls the light emitting section 1 according to the data.
2 and sends out light modulated by data. This light is received by the light receiving section 23 of the reading device 20, and is supplied to the processing section 24 and processed. In this way, since power is supplied and data is exchanged by optical transmission, power and data are exchanged without contact.

With this configuration, the light receiving section 11 that starts the power source only needs to have a capacity to turn on the switch circuit 19, and that capacity can be extremely small. Although the embodiment uses a photodetector diode, the capacity is small, so even if a solar cell is used, it can be used with a small area, and even if it is attached to the surface of an IC card device, it will not be a problem for the owner or handler. Enough space to print information can be secured.

Note that since the battery 18 is built-in, if power is supplied directly from the battery 18 to the memory element without going through the switch circuit 19, it is possible to use a type of memory element that requires constant voltage application to retain data. You can also use

By providing the switch circuit 19 with a timer function and transmitting data for a predetermined time, the battery 18
It is also possible to reduce the amount of consumption. In addition to using light as in the embodiment, the power source may be activated by a method such as electromagnetic induction using a coil. If the reading device is equipped with a function to detect the approach of the IC card device, and the reading device operates only when the IC card device approaches, the reading device will not operate when it is not needed, thereby preventing reading errors. can. Contacts are used to write data as before, but since the number of writes is sufficiently smaller than the number of successive writes, wear of the contacts is not a problem.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained below, in this invention, the power supply is started and the data is read out without contact, so there is no need to use mechanical contacts as in the past, and reliability is improved. I don't have to pay attention to dirty people, so I
This has the effect of making the C card device easier to handle.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the relationship between a reading device and an IC card device. 10 ・ ・ ・ ・ IC card device, 11.23
・ ・ ... Light receiving section, 12. ...Light emitting part, 13...
... Contact, 15 ... Power supply section, 16 ... Control section,
17... Recorded section, 18... Battery, 19 Switch circuit, 22... Light source,

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In an IC card device that reads stored data when inserted into a reading device, there is a starting means for starting power from an external device in a non-contact state, and for sending data to the external device in a non-contact state. An IC card device comprising: data sending means for transmitting data. (2) The IC according to claim 1, wherein the activation means operates the switch circuit by receiving an external signal and supplies power from a battery built into the device. card device. (3) The IC card device according to claim 1, wherein the data sending means is performed by optical communication.