JPS6385889A - Memory card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the same host computer to process easily plural kinds of memory cards by providing each memory card with a data storage part for identifying the kind of the card by the host computer in addition to a main storage part. CONSTITUTION:The memory card is provided with a memory 1, an address counter 2, a control circuit 3, a selector 4 and an identification (ID) register 5. When the user utilizes the IC card, ID data for identifying the kind of the IC card is written in the ID register 5 to initialize the IC card. The IC card has plural I/O ports and whether data on a data line 7 are to be applied to the memory 1, the address counter 2 or the ID register 5 can be distinguished by specifying a port address. In case of executing initializing, a port address for specifying the ID register 5 is applied and ID data are written in the ID register 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a memory card, and particularly to a memory card used in a host computer that reads and writes data to and from a plurality of types of memory cards.

(Prior Art) In recent years, memory cards have become popular as a new information medium. Memory cards have been widely used ranging from those using magnetic or optical recording media as information recording media to those using large-capacity IC memory elements. Data is read from and written to these memory cards by a host computer.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, conventional memory cards have a problem in that it is difficult to handle multiple types of memory cards with the same host computer.

As mentioned above, with the spread of many types of memory cards, there is a desire for a system that can handle multiple types of memory cards in a unified manner.

For example, in the case of a memory card used as an ID card for employees, it is accessed from a host computer via a time recorder. Currently, such ID cards exist in various formats.
Currently, the format to be used must be input into the host computer in advance, and access must be performed in accordance with this format. If you decide to use an ID card with a different format, you will have to re-enter the new format manually into the host computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a memory card that allows the same host computer to easily handle multiple types of memory cards.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a memory card for use in a host computer that reads and writes data to and from multiple types of memory cards, which includes a main memory section for storing data to be recorded, and a main memory section for storing data to be recorded. The present invention includes an identification data storage section that stores data for allowing the host computer to identify the type of card, so that the same host computer can easily handle a plurality of types of memory cards.

(Function) The host computer can recognize the type of memory card currently being accessed by reading the data in the identification data storage section. Therefore, the main storage section can be accessed based on this recognition result.

(Example) The present invention will be described below based on two illustrated examples.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an IC card. Like conventional IC cards, this IC card has a memory 1, an address counter 2, a control circuit 3,
and a selector 4, and is further characterized by an identification register 5. A control signal is given to the control circuit 3 from the host computer via the control line 6, and based on this control signal, the memory 1,
Address counter 2, selector 4, and identification register 5 are controlled. On the other hand, data (including address data) is supplied from the host computer to these memories, counters, and registers via the data line 7, and these memories and counters also receive data (including address data).

Data from the register is selected by selector 4 and provided to the host computer via data line 7.

When a user uses this IC card, he/she may initialize it by writing identification data for identifying the type of this IC card into the identification register 5. This IC card has multiple I10 ports. That is, it is possible to distinguish whether the data on the data line 7 is to be applied to the memory 1, the address counter 2, or the identification register 5 by specifying the port address. Therefore, when performing this initialization, it is sufficient to give a port address specifying the identification register 5 and write identification data to the identification register 5.

If such initialization is performed, the type of memory card currently being accessed can be recognized by reading the data from the host computer.

Therefore, it is possible to write/read data to/from memory 1 by giving an address value corresponding to this type to address counter 2. In addition, by writing new identification data into the identification register 5 as needed, initialization can be reset.

In the above embodiment, a memory card using an I10100 identification register has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a memory bus type memory card. In addition to RAM type memory cards, R
It can also be applied to OM type memory cards.

Second Embodiment FIGS. 2 and 3 are recording format diagrams in an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a magnetic memory card, particularly a personal ID card. FIG. 2 is a typical format of a magnetic stripe on an ID card before writing ID data. In this example, the magnetic stripe consists of 72 bytes of storage. The first byte contains the start code, the second byte contains the identification mark, the 71st byte contains the end code, and the 72nd byte contains the horizontal parity check data (
Since LPG) is written, the recording area that can actually be used for ID data is from the 3rd byte to the 70th byte.

FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) show the format after actually writing the ID data. Both have different formats and form different types of ID cards. That is, in the format shown in FIG. 5(a), the ID area 8 for writing ID data is a total of 6 bytes from the 8th byte to the 13th byte, whereas in the format shown in FIG. Here, the ID area 8 has a total of 4 bytes from the 13th byte to the 16th byte. In this way, the starting position and data length of the ID area 8 are different between the two.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a start position recording area 9 and a data length recording area 10 are provided separately from the ID area 8, and the start position and data length of the ID area for the ID card are recorded in each of these areas. That's what I do. However, the positions where the recording areas 9 and 10 will be provided must be determined in advance (in this example, the 4th byte to the 7th byte).
.

By recording the start position and data length of the ID area 8 in the recording areas 9 and 10 in this manner, it becomes possible to read any type of ID card. That is, the host computer constantly reads the 4th to 7th bytes through a reading terminal device (for example, a time recorder) to read the ID area 8 of the ID card.
location information can be recognized. Figure 3 (a
), it can be recognized that ID area 8 starts from the 8th byte and is 6 bytes long, as shown in Figure (b).
In the ID card, it can be recognized that the length starts from the 13th byte and is 4 bytes long.

Therefore, unlike conventional ID cards, there is no need to input format information into the host computer every time the format of the ID card changes. Furthermore, there is no need to provide a register for storing this format information in the time recorder.

In this embodiment, a magnetic recording type ID card has been described, but an optical recording type ID card can be similarly implemented.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in a memory card,
In addition to the main storage section, a data storage section for allowing the host computer to identify the type of memory card is provided, so that the same host computer can handle multiple types of memory cards in a package.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment in which the invention is applied to an IC card, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are recording format diagrams in an embodiment in which the invention is applied to an ID card. 1...Memory, 2...Address counter, 3...
control circuit, 4... selector, 5... identification register,
6...Control line, 7...Data line,
8... ID area, 9... Start position recording area, 1o.
...Data length recording area. Applicant's agent: Yu Sato Figure 1 (b) 3 B Written amendment to the procedure October 29, 1985

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A memory card used in a host computer that reads/writes data to/from multiple types of memory cards, the main storage unit storing data to be recorded and the type of the memory card being identified by the host computer. An identification data storage section that stores data on the memory card. 2. 2. The memory card according to claim 1, wherein the main storage section has an IC memory element, and the identification data storage section has a register. 3. 3. The memory card according to claim 2, wherein the IC memory element and the register are configured to be switched and accessed by a host computer. 4. 2. The memory card according to claim 1, wherein the main storage section and the identification data storage section are formed on a magnetic or optical information recording medium. 5. 5. The memory card according to claim 4, wherein the identification data storage section stores data indicating a recording area of specific data in the main storage section. 6. 6. The memory card according to claim 5, wherein the memory card is used as an ID card, and the identification data storage section stores data indicating an ID data recording area in the main storage section. 7. 7. The memory card according to claim 6, wherein the start position and data length of the ID data recording area are used as the data indicating the ID data recording area.