JPH0636201B2 - Parallel signal reading processor - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a reading / processing apparatus for parallel signals sent from a so-called multi-channel sensor in which a plurality of magnetic sensors are arranged.

[Conventional technology]

A so-called multi-channel sensor in which a plurality of magnetic sensors are arranged is widely used for reading a magnetic card and the like. Normally, as shown in FIG. 4, the necessary information 1 is regularly arranged (in 5 rows in FIG. 4) using a magnetic material on the magnetic card in the form of dots or the like, and the information is arranged in each row. Magnetic sensors 2a to 2e for reading are provided. In such a configuration, the magnetic sensor 2a for reading the card information in the first row is a one-channel sensor, and similarly,
The magnetic sensors 2b to 2e for reading the card information in the columns 5 to 5 are sensors from the second channel to the fifth channel. Then, the sensors of the first to fifth channels are combined to form the multi-channel sensor 3.

In general, information 1 is detected by passing a magnetic card on the opposite side of the magnetic sensors 2a to 2e, and detection signals are output from the magnetic sensors 2a to 2e of each channel.

This detection signal is amplified by the amplifier circuit and then shaped into a rectangular wave signal by the waveform shaping circuit in order to facilitate signal processing. The waveform shaping circuit outputs a rectangular wave signal having a pulse width in a section in which the signal level of the detection signal exceeds a certain level. The rectangular wave signal is read by the reading unit of the signal reading device and the read information is read. Based on the above, desired signal processing is performed at the downstream position.

FIG. 5 shows an explanatory view of an example of signal reading by this kind of signal reading device. In the figure, waveforms 1 to 3 indicate rectangular waveform signals of one channel to one channel which are waveform-shaped by the waveform shaping circuit.

The signal reading unit of the conventional device focuses on the signal of one channel, and reads the signals of other channels only in the pulse section of the signal of the focused channel, that is, the pulse section of the low level L in the figure.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, the following inconvenience arises in the method of reading the signal of the other channel only in the pulse section with reference to the signal of one channel. For example, in the case of reading the signal in the section A with reference to the signal of channel 1 in FIG. 5, if the low level is L and the high level is H, 1
From channel to channel 5, L, H, L,
L and L are read, and in this case, the signals of each channel can be read accurately. On the other hand, when the signals of all channels in section B are read based on the signals of 4 channels, they are sequentially read from 1 to 5 channels. L,
It becomes H, L, L, H, which is different from the actual signal (the signal of channel 5 is left unread) and a read error occurs.

This reading error is caused by the fact that the low-level positions of the signals of the respective channels are not aligned in the vertical direction in FIG. 5, that is, the detection signals of the respective channels deviate on the time axis, and the unread portion of the signal due to this deviation is left. Occurs. The deviation of the detection signal occurs due to the positional deviation of the arrangement of the magnetic sensors 2a to 2e and the installation deviation of the information 1. Therefore, in the conventional reading method, the installation positions of the magnetic sensors 2a to 2e and the information 1 are slightly small. However, if it is misaligned, it will lead to a read error, which will cause a problem in reading reliability.Also, to prevent such an error, pay close attention to the attachment of the magnetic sensors 2a to 2e and There was an inconvenience that the information 1 had to be installed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to perform parallel signal reading capable of performing accurate signal reading even if the magnetic sensor mounting position or the information mounting position is slightly displaced. It is to provide a processing device.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. That is, the present invention provides a signal reading means for reading a parallel signal composed of a plurality of rectangular wave signal trains; an information storing means for storing and storing signal information of each train at a designated address of a memory; The writing address of the signal information is designated to the means, and whether or not the information is input is determined based on the reading result of the signal reading means, and when the information is input in any column, the signal reading means is continued. A command is issued to read the parallel signal, and it is further determined whether or not the input information is written at the designated write address position of the information storage means. If not, the writing of the information is written to the information storage means. And a control means for instructing.

[Action]

In the present invention configured as described above, the information of the rectangular wave signal of each column is read by the signal reading means.

Then, based on the reading result of the rectangular wave signal information of each column, the control means observes whether or not the information is read for each column, and when the information is read in any column,
It is checked whether or not the information in that column has already been written in the predetermined address position designated by the information storage means, and if it has not been written, this is written, and if it has already been written, it is written. Directs you to write down information.
Then, as long as the information of one of the columns is read, the rectangular wave signal information of each column is read one after another in synchronization with the timer signal, and the same write processing is continued. And let them do it.

As described above, in the present invention, as long as the information is read in one column of the rectangular wave signals of a plurality of columns, the signals of all columns are continuously read, so that the width of the signal reading time is substantially long. Therefore, even if the rectangular wave signals in each column are slightly shifted on the time axis, the signal information in each column can be accurately read without being left unread.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a basic circuit showing an embodiment of a parallel signal reading device according to the present invention.

In the figure, the multi-channel sensor 3 is formed by arranging a plurality of magnetic sensors as described above. In this embodiment, five magnetic sensors 2a to 2e are arranged in the same manner as described above.
The card information 1 of the first to fifth channels shown in FIG. 4 is detected by each magnetic sensor.
Then, these detection signals are amplified by the amplifier 4 and then added to the waveform shaping circuit 5.

The waveform shaping circuit 5 creates a rectangular wave that falls when the level of the detection signal exceeds a certain reference level and rises when the level falls below the reference level. FIG. 2 shows an example of the output form of these waveform-shaped signals. In the figure, indicates one channel, and similarly, indicates each of channels 2, 3, 4, and 5. The rectangular wave signal of each of these channels is applied to the parallel signal reading processor 6.

The parallel signal reading processing device 6 includes a signal reading means 7
And an information storage means 8 and a control means 10. In the present embodiment, each of these means 7, 8 and 10 is configured in a one-chip microprocessor (hereinafter referred to as CPU), and the output from the waveform shaping circuit 5 is an input / output device (I / O device) not shown. Is added to the signal reading means 7 in the CPU via.

The signal reading means 7 is a ROM (Read Only) of the CPU.
Based on the program command written in (Memory),
In response to a command from the control means 10 to be described later, the maximum read setting time T
In synchronization with the timer in the CPU, at every minute time interval, for example, in FIG. ₂ , at each time t ₁ , t ₂ , t _3, ... Read a square wave signal (of 5 channels). This read operation is continued one after another as long as information is contained in one column of the rectangular wave signals of each column (each channel).

For example, in FIG. 2, in the rectangular wave signal of each column, the information is shown at the L level, and at time t ₀ , since the information of the 4-channel signal is included, this reading is performed,
Subsequently, at time t ₁ , information on channels 1 and 4 is read. In this way, the information is read at successive time positions unless the information is interrupted at each read time.

The information storage unit 8 is a RAM (Random Acce
The information of each column read by the signal reading means 7 is written and stored in a predetermined storage address position according to a command from the control means 10.

The control means 10 instructs the signal reading means 7 to read in accordance with the program in the ROM, specifies the writing address of the read signal information of each column in the information storage means 8 and reads the signal. The read result of No. 7 is observed, and it is determined whether the rectangular wave signal of each column contains information. When the rectangular wave signal of any column contains information, it is determined whether or not the information has already been written and stored in the information storage means 8. If it has not been written, the writing is instructed. If it is already written, write down the written information.

In this embodiment, the observation of the reading result of each column and the writing of information for each column are performed by the logical sum operation. For example, in FIG. 2, before reading at time t ₀ , the information of the A block (L level) is stored in the information storage means 8.
Is not written, and therefore the level of the write position of each column in the RAM 8 is at the H level. Therefore, focusing on one channel, at the read position of t ₀ , the logical sum H of the read level H and the write position H in the RAM 8 is obtained, and information writing (L level writing) is performed. Absent. At time t ₁ , information of the same channel is read, so this information level L
And the level L at the write position of the RAM 8 are obtained, and this L is written at the write position of the first channel. Once L is written, the logical sum of the level L at this write position and the read level is always L.
Therefore, at the subsequent read times t ₂ , t ₃ …, RA
Information level L is set at the write position of one channel in M8.
Is left unwritten.

Hereinafter, the writing of channels 2 to 5 is similarly performed by the logical sum operation. Therefore, the values of L, H, L, L, and L in the information storage means 8 are sequentially set as the data of the A block from channel 1 to channel 5. It will be accurately written in the predetermined position.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a specific flow chart in this embodiment, which will be described below.

First, the start condition is powered up apparatus in step S _1. Step S whether each column of the input signal applied from the waveform shaping circuit 5 to _2, the signal reading unit 7 (rectangular wave signal) is present or not. When there is no input signal is a state signal waiting, when the input signal is present at Step S _3, performs clearing address sets and data counter data storage RAM. The address setting of the data storage RAM means designating a writing position of information in the RAM 8 of the information storage means 8. Further, clearing the data counter means clearing a counter that counts the number of input data (information) to zero. After working in this step S ₃ is completed, the process proceeds to the next step S _4.

In step S ₄ , the timeout counter is set and R
AM clear is performed. The setting of the timeout counter means that when no information is input after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first reading time when no information is contained in any channel, for example, the time of t ₁₁ in FIG. It is determined that the reading of the data etc. has been completed, and the next magnetic card, etc. is read, but the reading completion judgment time which is the judgment standard is input to the timeout counter. RAM clear means clearing the area of the RAM 8 that has been designated to write information so that incoming information can be written at any time.

After working in this step S ₄ is completed, the step S ₅
Then, the input signal (rectangular wave signal) by the signal reading means 7
Is read in accordance with a command from the control means 10 at a minute time interval t ₀ , t
It is done in ₁ …. Next, in step S ₆ , step S
Based on the read result in ₅ , it is determined (observed) whether or not the input signal of any column (channel) includes information (L level). This judgment is made by the control means 10 as described above.

In step S ₇ when included information in the input signal, the information is judged whether it is written in the writing position of the specified RAM8 is, when not yet been written and writes this information. In this writing operation, as described above, the logical sum of the L level of the information and the signal level of the writing position of the information is actually calculated, and the calculation result (logical sum) is stored in the designated writing position. Written. For example, at the position of t ₀ in FIG. 2, the information level L of 4 channels and the level H (RA of the writing position of the RAM are
(There is no information written in M yet, so it is at H level).
The level is written to the specified writing position. Similarly, at the next read position t ₁ , the information of channel 1 is written at the specified position, and at channel 4, the logical sum of the read information L and the previously written L is calculated, and the sum L Is written (as a result, the data L once written is left as it is). As for this reading and writing, as long as information is contained in any column of the input signal, the work from steps S ₅ to S ₇ is repeated, and
By the time t ₁₀ , the information of the A blocks of L, H, L, L, and L is written in the RAM of the information storage means 8 in order from channel 1 to channel 5.

On the other hand, if it is determined not to contain even information which input signal in step S ₆ (e.g., time position of the second view of t ₁₁₎
The counts the time-out in step S _8. Count for this timeout is done, for example, by counting the clock signal as a starting point when it is determined to contain no information on the input signal in step S _6.

In step _{S 9} based on the count value of the step _{S 8,}
It is determined whether or not the time is out. The timeout determination of whether the when the counted count value in step S ₈ has exceeded the count S loading end determination time given by ₄ is determined as a timeout, when less than the determination time "Timeout Not ". When it is determined that the time-out, as the reading and writing of information of the magnetic card or the like which is sent to the multi-channel sensor from the card insertion slot or the like is completed, it is terminated in step S _10, introduction of such next card I will be waiting.

In contrast, when it is judged "not time out" has already whether the information stored in the information storage means 8 of the RAM in step S ₁₁ is determined. in this case,
After reading / writing the information of A block, at the position of t ₁₁ , the information of A block of each channel is already in RAM.
Since it is written in No. 8, it is judged that “there is stored information”, and in step S ₁₂ , the data counter is added to obtain the number of input data (information). Then, proceed address, for example, address 1 of the information writing position of RAM information storage unit 8 in step S _13, specifies a data write position of the next block B (information). Then, in step S _4, the timeout counter set and RAM clear for information of the B block is performed, reading of the signal is performed in step S _5.

Here, the information is still read previous time position of the signal of the B block, timeout is counted in step S _8. Then, by (time from the information of the A blocks is finished loading until the information of the B block is read is sufficiently smaller than the read end determination time) determined not timed out in step S _9, then step S ₁₁
In whether the data (information) is within RAM8 but is determined, in this case, it is determined that there is no data stored because not done yet reads and write of the B block, in step S ₅ The signal is read again. As described above, until the information of the B block is read, the required operation is repeatedly performed in the order of steps S ₅ , S ₆ , S ₈ , S ₉ , and S ₁₁ , and the information read waits.

Then, once the information of the B block is read, the work from steps S ₅ to S ₇ is repeated as long as the reading of the information continues, and as in the case of the information of the A block, B information is stored in the designated position of the RAM 8. The block information will be written.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modes of implementation can be adopted. For example, in the above embodiment, the waveform shaping circuit 5 shapes the information at the L level.
On the contrary, it is also possible to perform waveform shaping with the H level as information data.

Further, in the present embodiment, in the flowchart of FIG.
The signal read in step S _5, the input signal is being read as it is (information L level), unlike this, it may be read by reversing the level. in this case,
By the level inversion, the information of the input signal is converted from the L level to the H level and the downstream signal processing is performed. Thus, if inverting the level, since the count start timeout in step S ₈ may be started when the L level (zero voltage), the signal processing becomes facilitate.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention is configured to continue reading the input signal as long as one column of the plurality of columns of the input signal (rectangular wave signal) contains information in the signal, Since the reading is performed for a relatively long time, even if the rectangular wave signals in each column are slightly deviated on the time axis, there is no unread portion, and reading reliability can be greatly improved.

Also, for example, when detecting multi-channel information of a magnetic card with a magnetic sensor for each channel, waveform-shaping this detection signal to obtain a rectangular wave signal, and reading this rectangular wave signal, As described above, even if the rectangular wave signal is slightly deviated on the time axis, it can be reliably read.
This means that even if the installation position of the information set on the magnetic card or the arrangement position of the magnetic sensor is slightly deviated, it is possible to displace these positions during the installation of the information or the arrangement of the magnetic sensor. Therefore, it becomes possible to alleviate the need to pay close attention to the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to improve the workability and efficiency of the work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a basic circuit showing an embodiment of a parallel signal reading and processing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram of a rectangular wave signal of channels forming a parallel signal, and FIG. 3 is the same embodiment. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of detection of magnetic card information by a multi-channel sensor, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of reading a multi-channel rectangular wave signal and an error. 1 ... Information, 2a-2e ... Magnetic sensor, 3 ... Multi-channel sensor, 4 ... Amplifier (amplifier), 5 ... Waveform shaping circuit, 6 ... Parallel signal reading / processing device, 7 ... Signal reading means, 8 ... Information storage means, 10 ... Control means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A signal reading means for reading a parallel signal composed of a plurality of rectangular wave signal trains; an information storing means for storing and storing signal information of each train at a designated address of a memory; the information storing means. In addition to designating the writing address of the signal information, the presence or absence of the information input is determined based on the reading result of the signal reading means, and when the information is input in any column, the signal reading means is continuously connected in parallel. It issues a command to read the signal, determines whether or not the input information is written at the designated write address position of the information storage means, and if it is not written yet, issues a command to write the information to the information storage means. Parallel signal reading and processing apparatus having: