JPH05262017A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a recording device capable of enhancing the legibility of the current usage information while recording and storing the usage information in the past, for example, in a stored value card. A storage value card 1 having a display portion (recording medium) 8 on which recording or erasing of a visible image can be repeated by making it cloudy or transparent by controlling thermal energy is performed. Then, in a recording device that sequentially records new information obtained as a result of the card use, the current use information 33 obtained as a result of the current card use is recorded at a normal density, and at that time, the previous use is recorded. By making the visible information 31 and 32 at that time translucent to reduce the density, the readability is reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stored amount subtraction recording system used in, for example, transportation facilities.
In a card processing device that processes a value card,
Visible images such as card usage information can be recorded on a recording medium that can be recorded or erased repeatedly by making it cloudy or transparent by controlling thermal energy provided on the stored value card. The present invention relates to a recording device for recording.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in the case of a prepaid card, which is a money-reduction-type card used in telephones, ticket vending machines, etc., even if there is a large amount of money for which the number of times of use cannot be limited, there is a balance. The update record (printing) such as the balance is not adopted because the printing area is no longer available and it is difficult to print small characters.

Therefore, the remaining balance (or the usable frequency) is generally notified by punching or the like. Therefore, there is a problem that it is impossible to know the usage history and the accurate balance.

On the other hand, recently, a card provided with a recording layer (recording medium) capable of reversibly causing a color change or a light transmittance change on one side by heat has been proposed. (For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 63-136357)
No.).

The structure of this card is such that a printing layer is provided on one surface of a substrate made of plastics or the like, and a reversible recording layer (variable display) composed of a magnetic recording layer and a heat sensitive material is provided on the other surface. Layers) are stacked. In the cloudy state, the reversible recording layer changes from the cloudy state to the transparent state when the temperature is increased from T1 to T2, and the transparent state is maintained even when the temperature returns to T1. Then, when the temperature of the reversible recording layer is increased from T1 to T4 over T2 and returned to T1 again, the transparent state becomes a cloudy state.
The cloudiness is maintained as it is. This change can be repeatedly reproduced.

According to the card having such a recording layer, the usage information and the balance information can be visually recorded on the recording layer, so that the usage history and the accurate balance can be easily known. ..

FIG. 7 shows a stored value card in which usage information and the like are printed and recorded by using a card processing device relating to a fare charge in a conventional transportation facility. In this example, the boarding date and time, boarding place, and fare are printed and recorded as visible information at any time when the card is used. In addition, the visible information recording area is divided into two parts on the left and right sides, and the first area is printed and recorded on the left side, and when the left area is full, it is printed and recorded on the right side area.

[0008]

When recording usage information and the like on such a stored value card at any time, if the amount of information is increased, the recording area for each piece of information becomes small, which is inevitable. In addition, the font size becomes smaller, making it difficult to read. Further, when the amount of recorded information increases as the usage period increases, the readability of the information decreases, and it becomes difficult to distinguish the past usage history from the current usage information.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording device, such as a stored value card, which can record and store past usage information while improving the readability of the current usage information. To do.

[0010]

The recording apparatus of the present invention has at least first and second areas in which a visible image can be recorded, and the second area can be formed after the first area. Recording means for sequentially recording a visible image on the first and second areas of a recording medium on which a visual image is recorded, and the recording means for recording the visible image on the second area by the recording means. The visible image recorded in the area 1 is provided with a readability reducing processing means for performing a process of reducing the readability.

[0011]

For example, when sequentially recording the usage information on a stored value card or the like, the current usage information is normally recorded, and the past usage information is processed by a process for reducing the readability. It is possible to make the usage information of the item relatively conspicuous so that the information can be easily confirmed. Therefore, the readability of the current use information can be improved while recording and storing the use information in the past, and the use information can be easily distinguished.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a stored value card according to this embodiment. This card 1
Consists of a low molecular weight / polymer composite film recording material that repeatedly shows both cloudy and transparent states depending on the temperature history, and has a display section (recording medium) capable of repeatedly recording and erasing a visible image, For example, it is configured as follows.

That is, the printing layer 3 is formed on the lower surface (front surface side) of the substrate 2 made of plastics or the like, and the upper surface (rear surface side) is colored with a magnetic recording layer 4, a metal thin film or black. A shielding layer 5 composed of a colored layer or the like, a recording layer 6 reversibly showing two states of white turbidity and transparency, and a protective layer 7 are sequentially laminated, and these shielding layer 5, recording layer 6,
The display portion (recording medium) 8 is constituted by the protective layer 7.

The recording layer 6 has, for example, temperature-whitening / transparency characteristics as shown in FIG. That is, in the cloudy state, when the temperature is increased from T1 to T3, the cloudy state is changed to the transparent state, and even when the temperature returns to T1, the transparent state is maintained as it is. Then, when the temperature of the recording layer 6 is raised from T1 to T4 over T2 and returned to T1 again, the transparent state is changed to a cloudy state and the cloudy state is maintained as it is. This change can be repeatedly reproduced.

Recording of a visible image on the card 1 is performed by selectively making the recording layer 6 opaque while the recording layer 6 is transparent and the shield layer 5 is a background color, and then erased. Is performed by making the cloudy image transparent. The recording layer 6 used here has a temperature of about 60 ° C to 9 ° C.
It becomes transparent at 0 ° C, and the cloudiness becomes saturated at about 95 ° C or higher. The upper limit of the heating temperature is determined by the heat resistance of the protective layer 7 or the recording layer 6, and is about 180 ° C. for this card 1.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of a card processing device to which the recording device according to the present embodiment is applied, for example, a fare charge in transportation. This card processing device records the boarding date and time, boarding place, fare, etc. as visible information on the display unit 8 of the card 1 shown in FIG. 3 every time the card is used.

In the figure, 11 is a CPU (central
The processing unit) controls the entire device. 12 is a ROM (Read Only Memory), CP
The U11 control program and the like are stored. 13 is R
AM (random access memory) used to store various data. A timer 14 is used to obtain various control times. Reference numeral 15 is a character generator.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a thermal head as a thermal recording means, which applies thermal energy for recording or erasing a visible image to the display portion 8 of the card 1, and is orthogonal to the carrying direction of the card 1. It has a large number of heating resistors arranged in a line in the direction. Reference numeral 17 denotes a thermal head drive circuit, which controls energization of each heating resistor of the thermal head 16. A thermal head control circuit 18 controls the drive of each heating resistor of the thermal head 16.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a read magnetic head for reading the security-related data such as the authenticity of the card 1 recorded on the magnetic recording layer 4 of the card 1, the valid period, the balance, the magnetic information such as the visible information recording position. A write magnetic head 20 updates the magnetic information in the magnetic recording layer 4 of the card 1.
Write. A magnetic head control circuit 21 controls the reading of magnetic information by the read magnetic head 19 and the writing of magnetic information by the write magnetic head 20.

A carry motor 22 drives a carrying means such as a carry roller for carrying the card 1. 23 is a motor drive circuit for driving the carry motor 22, and 24 is the carry motor 2.
Reference numeral 2 is a motor control circuit, and 25 is a detector for detecting the position of the conveyed card 1.

Recording is started when the card 1 is conveyed, the tip of the card 1 is detected by the detector 25, and the predetermined position comes to the position of the heating resistor of the thermal head 16. First, under the control of the CPU 11, print image data corresponding to a print image to be printed is generated. The recorded image data is code data, and the code data is converted into bit data by the character generator 15 and the RAM 1
3 is stored.

After the code data is converted into bit data, the bit data is sequentially read from the RAM 13 by a recording command from the CPU 11. The thermal bit control circuit 18 determines the energization time of the read bit data. The thermal head drive circuit 17 selectively drives each heating resistor of the thermal head 16 to generate heat in accordance with the determined energization time,
A visible image is recorded on the display portion 8 of the card 1 and unnecessary visible images are erased.

Next, the operation of recording a visible image in such a structure will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the CPU 11 determines the read magnetic head 1
9, the magnetic information such as the balance of the card and the visible information recording position is read from the magnetic recording layer 4 of the card 1. CPU11
Determines whether or not the card 1 is unused based on the read magnetic information, and if not, jumps to the visible image recording process.

As a result of the above judgment, it is not unused, that is,
If the card has been used in the past, the CPU 11 uses the thermal head 16 to erase half the erasing energy (the temperature of the recording layer to be described later) from the previously used visible information portion already recorded on the display portion 8 of the card 1. Dead-clearing transition temperature range low temperature side energy by giving),
Decrease the density of characters in the past visible information.

Next, the CPU 11 shifts control to the recording process, and here, the whitening energy (corresponding to the temperature T4 in FIG. 4) is applied to the recording layer 6 of the card 1 to make the usage information visible this time. Record as information. Finally, the CPU 11 causes the write magnetic head 20 to record the balance and the visible information recording position that have been updated this time as new magnetic information on the magnetic recording layer 4 of the card 1.

FIG. 5 shows a specific example in which a visible image is recorded on the display section 8 of the card 1 by the above-mentioned operation. In FIG. 5A, the boarding date and time, the boarding place, and the fare are recorded as visible information at any time when the card is used. Further, the visible information recording area is divided into left and right, and is first recorded in the left area. When the left area is filled with the recording information, the visible information is recorded in the right area. In this case, the transparent state of the recording layer 6 is the non-recording state, and the cloudy state is the recording state.

FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of the latest visible information recording portion. Since the information 31 and 32 of [1-10-14 Kawasaki 120] and [1-10-15 Tokyo 120] in the upper two columns are past usage information, the readability is set so that they can be easily distinguished from the current usage information. As a process of reducing the temperature, the visible information 31 and 32 are heated so that the temperature is on the low temperature side of the transition temperature range described above, so that the characters are made semitransparent and the density is reduced. The information 33 [1-10-15 Kawasaki 120] at the bottom is
Since it is the latest usage information, the characters are recorded by heating to reach the cloudy saturation concentration.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the temperature of the transition temperature range (corresponding to the temperature range between T1 and T2 in FIG. 4) in which the temperature of the recording layer 6 changes from the dead temperature to the clearing temperature, particularly, When the treatment is performed so that the temperature is on the low temperature side, if the previous state is a cloudy state, it becomes a semitransparent state, but the transparent state is maintained for the transparent state.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Similar to FIG. 5, FIG. 6 shows a specific example in which a visible image is recorded on the display unit 8 of the card 1. In this embodiment, the temperature of the recording layer 6 is set to a temperature in a transition temperature range (corresponding to a temperature range between T3 and T4 in FIG. 4) in which the transparentization temperature changes to the clouding temperature, particularly a low temperature side temperature. It is utilized that, when the above treatment is carried out, when the previous state is a cloudy state, the cloudy density is lowered and the transparent state becomes a semi-cloudy state.

That is, the semi-opaque energy (energy for making the temperature of the recording layer transparent as described above-the temperature at the low temperature side in the transition region of the cloudiness) is applied to the previously used visible information portion by the thermal head 16. By giving
As shown in the enlarged view of (b), the last visible information 3
The characters of the past visible information are lightened by causing the background parts 34 of the 1,32 parts to be colored semi-white and reducing the density of the character part. The recording of the current usage information 33 is performed in the same manner as in the case of FIG.

In the above embodiment, the cloudiness of the recording layer was recorded, and the transparency of the recording layer was set as the background (non-recording). On the contrary, the transparency of the recording layer was recorded and the clouding of the recording layer was set as the background. It may be (unrecorded). In this case, the semi-opaque energy is applied to the previous use information portion to make the transparent characters semi-opaque, and the readability reduction process is performed to reduce the contrast with the background density. T3
(Corresponding to the temperature range between and), the current usage information is recorded.

Further, the recording material of the recording medium to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to the material of the above-mentioned embodiment, and for example, a leuco dye exhibiting a reversible color tone change only by controlling thermal energy is used as a color-forming source. It can also be applied to recording materials.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the visible image is recorded or erased on the recording medium provided on the stored value card has been described.
The present invention is not limited to this. For example, when recording or erasing a visible image on a recording medium provided on a prepaid card, an IC card, an optical card, or a single recording medium. Can be similarly applied.

[0035]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, for example, in a stored value card,
It is possible to provide a recording device capable of enhancing the legibility of the current usage information while recording and storing the past usage information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a card processing device to which a recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a visible image recording operation.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view showing the configuration of a stored value card.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a state of a recording material that can be changed to both a cloudy state and a transparent state depending on a history temperature.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a recording operation of a visible image on a stored value card.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a recording operation of a visible image on a stored value card according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a stored value card in which conventional usage information and the like are printed and recorded.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 …… Stored value card, 2 …… Base material, 3
...... Printing layer, 4 ... Magnetic recording layer, 5 ... Shielding layer, 6 ...
Recording layer, 7 ... Protective layer, 8 ... Display unit (recording medium), 1
1 ... CPU, 15 ... Character generator, 16
...... Thermal head (thermal recording means), 17 ...... Thermal head drive circuit, 18 ...... Thermal head control circuit, 3
1, 32 ... Visual information of previous use, 33 ... Visual information of current use, 34 ... Base part.

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location B41M 5/36 8305-2H B41M 5/26 102

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. At least a first device capable of recording a visible image
Recording having a second area and recording a visible image sequentially on the first and second areas of a recording medium on which a visible image is recorded after the first area And a readability reducing process for performing a process of reducing the readability of the visible image recorded in the first area when the visible image is recorded in the second area by the recording means. And a recording device. 2. The readability reduction processing by the readability reduction processing means reduces the density of the visible image recorded in the first area to be lower than the density of the visible image recorded in the second area. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein