JPS6262478A - Processing method for magnetic card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make difficult the reading, decoding and rewriting of a magnetic card to be used unjustly by recording a key code on the first magnetic track and recording the information data coded by the key code on the second magnetic track. CONSTITUTION:During issuing a card, a magnetic card 10 is carried in a direction indicated by an arrow B, the data of both tracks T1, T2 is read by reading heads R11 and R20 to recognize a new card on which nothing is written. Then, while carrying the magnetic card retracted to the innermost part in a direction indicated by an arrow C oppositely, the first data (key code data) is written in a two layer track T1 by a writing head W12 and the second data (information data coded by key code data) is written in a single layer track T2 by a writing head W21. At the same time, the writing condition of the data written by the reading heads R11 and R20 is recognized. Further, at the same time, only the first data written in a low coercive force layer 16 is erased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a method for processing magnetic cards used as credit cards, cash cards, and the like.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

The magnetic cards used in current credit card and cash cards have a single magnetic stripe formed on a base such as polyester, and the stripe is a single magnetic track on which information data is stored. It is recorded as is without any special processing. In other words, the structure of the magnetic card itself (hardware) and the information recording method (software) were extremely simple.

Therefore, it is relatively easy for someone with a little knowledge to read, decipher, or rewrite the data on magnetic cards, and it cannot be said that the ability of transaction processing systems using magnetic cards to prevent unauthorized use is very high. .

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide a highly secure magnetic card processing method that makes it more difficult to read, decipher, and rewrite magnetic cards intended for unauthorized use. Our goal is to provide the following.

[Summary of the invention]

Therefore, in the present invention, a magnetic card having a first magnetic track and a second magnetic track is used, and when the card is issued, the key code data is stored in the first magnetic track, and the key code data is stored in the second magnetic track. Records information data encrypted by When reading the card, the key code data read from the first magnetic track is used to decode the information data read from the second magnetic track.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Figure 1 shows a magnetic card 10 used in an embodiment of the invention.
It shows. This magnetic card 10 has a magnetic material 1114 with a sufficiently high coercive force on one side of a base 12 made of polyester or the like.
(This corresponds to the first recording layer and is referred to as the high coercive force layer 14) is uniformly formed over the entire surface, and a low coercive force magnetic layer 16 (roughly placed at a predetermined position on the high coercive force layer 14) is formed uniformly over the entire surface.
This corresponds to the second recording layer (referred to as a low coercive force layer 16) and is formed in a stripe shape.

Further, an ink layer 18 is applied to the remaining surface of the high coercive force layer 14, and an arbitrary printing surface is formed by this ink layer 18.

In the magnetic card 10 described above, the portion where the high coercive force layer 14 and the low coercive force layer 16 overlap is a two-layer track T1 corresponding to the first magnetic track. Further, in this embodiment, a single layer track T2 corresponding to the second magnetic track is set in a portion where only the high coercive force layer 14 is provided. The stripes of the low coercive force layer 16 have a clearly distinguishable appearance from the ink layer 18, whereas the high coercive force layer 14 has a distinct appearance from the ink layer 18.
Since the single layer track T2 is covered with the printed surface, the single layer track T2 cannot be visually observed.

Data can be simply written to and read from the single layer track T2 (of its high coercive force M14) using the same reader/writer configuration as in the past. The data written on the single layer track T2 will be referred to as second data.

The two-layer track T1 has a first layer on the high coercive force layer 14 by the structure and processing method of the reader/writer described in detail below.
Write data, and write random data for first data concealment to the low coercive force J116.

In the present invention, the first data is encrypted key code data, and the second data is information data encrypted using the encryption key.

Therefore, when reading card data, the first data and the second data are read out, and the second data (information data) is decrypted according to the first data (encrypted key code data).

Writing the first data in the high coercive force layer 14 of the two-layer track T1 and writing random data for concealing the first data in the low coercive force layer 16 is performed as follows.

First, first data is simultaneously written to both layers of the two-layer track T1. This is done with a write head that generates a strong magnetic field matched to the high coercivity layer 14.

Next, only the first data written in the low coercive force layer 16 is erased. This is done by a write head (erase head) which generates a weak magnetic field matched to the low coercivity layer 16.

Next, random data for first data concealment is written only in the low coercive force layer 16. This is also done by a write head that generates a weak magnetic field tailored to the low coercivity layer 16.

The weak magnetic field generated by the write head for the low coercivity layer 16 hardly changes the magnetization state of the high coercivity layer 14. Therefore, the first data written in the high coercive force layer 14 is not erased, and the data itself does not change even when random data is written.

The two-layer track T1, in which first data is written in the high coercive force layer 14 and random data is written in the low coercive force layer 16, cannot normally read the data even if it is applied to a device with a normal read head. . 2
To read the data written in the layer track T1, particularly the first data written in the high coercive force Fm14, the following processing is performed.

First, only the concealment random data written in the low coercive force layer 16 is erased. This is done by a head without generating a weak magnetic field. Next, the first data written in the high coercive force layer 14 is read by the read head. Then, before returning the magnetic card 15, the concealment data is written only in the low coercive force layer 16 again. This is done by a write head that also generates a weak magnetic field.

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the magnetic heads of the reader/writer of the magnetic card 10 that implements the processing method described above. The reader/writer 20 has a reciprocating card transport mechanism that takes in the magnetic card 10 inserted from the insertion slot in the direction of the arrow B, and transports the magnetic card 10 in the direction of the arrow C, which is the return direction. It has been incorporated. The write head W10 for the low coercive force layer 11116, the read head R11, and the write head W12 for the high coercive force layer 14 are arranged in this order at a position corresponding to the first track T1 of the magnetic card 10 conveyed by this conveyance mechanism. has been done. Also, corresponding to the single layer track T2, the reading head R20 and the coercive force! 214 write heads W21 are arranged in order.

When issuing a card, while conveying the magnetic card 10 in the direction of arrow B, the reading spatula 1: R11 and R20 are used on both tracks T1. Read the data on T2 and confirm that it is a new card with nothing written there. Next, while transporting the magnetic card that has been pulled in to the farthest point in the opposite direction in the direction of arrow C,
1, and write the second data (°
Write the information data (encrypted with the above key code data). At the same time, the write state of the data written by the read heads R11 and R20 is checked. Furthermore, at the same time, only the first data written in the low coercive force layer 16 by the write head W10 is erased.

Next, while conveying the magnetic card 15 again in the direction of arrow B,
Confirm that the first data is left unwritten in the high coercive force m14 with the read head F (11).Next, while transporting the magnetic card 10 in the direction of arrow C, write head W1
0, random data for first data concealment is written only in the low coercive force layer 16. The above processing procedure is organized and shown in the flowchart of FIG.

The processing when using the magnetic card 10 is as follows. When the magnetic card 10 is inserted into the reader/writer 20, the random data written in the low coercive force 1116 is first erased by the write head W10 while the card 10 is being conveyed in the direction of arrow B. At the same time, the read head R11 reads the first data, and the read head R20 reads the first data.
Read the second data. A decryption process is performed on the first data and the second data to decode the data and send it to the host computer. If the first data and the second data are not to be rewritten, the write head WIO is used to write the low coercive force layer 16 while transporting the magnetic card 10 in the direction of arrow C.
Write random data for concealment to. Furthermore, if the second data is to be rewritten, the process is performed in the same manner as when issuing the card described above. The above processing procedure is organized and shown in the flowchart of FIG.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above in detail, according to the magnetic card processing method according to the present invention, a key code is recorded on the first magnetic track, and information data encrypted with the key code is recorded on the second magnetic track. Since the data is recorded, it is not easy to read or rewrite it illegally because it requires a 2-track reader/rider, and furthermore, the contents cannot be deciphered simply by reading the recorded data. , Therefore, it is also impossible to write invalid data in a state that is compatible with the system.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a magnetic card according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a magnetic head arrangement configuration of a reader/writer that processes the same magnetic card, and FIG. 3 is a view when the above magnetic card is issued. Flowchart showing the processing procedure, No. 4
The figure is a flowchart showing the processing procedure when using the same magnetic card. 10... Magnetic card 12... Base 14... High coercive force if (first recording layer) 16... Low coercive force layer (second recording layer) 18... Ink layer T1... Double-layer track T2...Single-layer track 20...Reader/writer Wlo...Low coercive force layer 16 write head R11.
...Read head W12...Write head R20 for high coercive force layer 14.
...Read head W21...Write head for high coercive force layer 14 Fig. 1 Fig. 3

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A magnetic card having a first magnetic track and a second magnetic track is used, and when the magnetic card is issued, the key code data is stored in the first magnetic track and the key code data is stored in the second magnetic track. Information data encrypted by the data is recorded, and the information data read from the second magnetic track is decrypted by the key code data read from the first magnetic track when reading the magnetic card. How to process magnetic cards. (2) The first magnetic track has a first recording layer with a high coercive force in which key code data is recorded, and a second recording layer with a low coercive force provided on the first recording layer and in which concealment data is recorded. A method for processing a magnetic card according to claim 1, comprising a layer. (3) The method for processing a magnetic card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second magnetic track is printed on its upper surface in the same manner as the portion other than the magnetic track and is therefore invisible to the naked eye. .