JPS6355773A - Information reader - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a reading device that reads recorded information on a recording medium such as a magnetic card.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a type of information reading position in which a recording medium such as a magnetic card is moved to a reading position to read recorded information, and then moved to a standby position and waited.

[Conventional technology]

As such a manually operated information reading device.

At banks, securities companies, etc., for purposes such as maintaining confidentiality,
2. Description of the Related Art Card readers for reading ID information and the like from a magnetic card of a terminal operator are known.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of such a conventional card reader, and FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway schematic plan view thereof. Further, FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a standby card detection circuit of the card reader. A conventional card reader will be explained with reference to each episode.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the reader main body 1 is provided with a slit-shaped card running path 2 that is opened upward.

A reading head 3 is provided at a reading position in the middle of this card running path 2.

The magnetic card (recording medium) 6 is manually moved from the left end to the right side along the card running path 2, and while passing through the reading position, the information recorded on the magnetic stripe section 7 of the magnetic card 6 ( operator's ID information, etc.) is read by the reading head 3. This reading information is
The data is sent to a terminal (not shown) via a printed circuit board 8 and a cable 9.

The magnetic card 6 whose recorded information has been read in this manner is further moved to the right along the card running path 2, and finally placed in the card standby position shown in the figure.

At this card standby position, a photosensor (photointerrupter) consisting of a light emitting diode 4 and a phototransistor 6 arranged with the card running path 2 in between is provided. This photo sensor.

It is incorporated in the standby card detection circuit shown in FIG.

When the magnetic card 6 is in the card standby position as shown,
Since the light from the light emitting diode 4 is blocked by the magnetic card 6 and does not enter the phototransistor 5, the phototransistor 5 is turned off, and the potential of its collector rises to approximately the power supply voltage V. Therefore, the standby card detection signal S, which is the output signal of the gate 1 coupled to its collector, goes to the "1" level. Upon receiving this, the terminal determines that the magnetic card 6 is on standby.

On the other hand, if the magnetic card 6 that is on standby is pulled out.

Since the light from the light emitting diode 4 enters the phototransistor 5, the phototransistor 5 is turned on and its collector potential becomes the ground potential. Therefore, the standby card detection signal S becomes "0" level, and the terminal determines that the magnetic card 6 has been removed.

Note that known documents related to this type of card reader include, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 142674/1982,
-167162, etc.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Such conventional card readers have the following problems.

First, the magnetic card 6 in the card standby position is simply placed in the card track 2, and no special holding force is applied to it. Therefore, vibration or impact may be applied to the card reader while operating the terminal. If an operator or other object accidentally touches the magnetic card 6, the waiting magnetic card 6 will easily move. Due to the movement, if the light from the light emitting diode 4 enters the phototransistor 5 even momentarily, the standby card detection signal S changes to "O" level, so the terminal determines that the magnetic card 6 has been removed.
The process is aborted, and the operator must read the magnetic card again to start up the terminal.

Furthermore, while the width of the card running path 2 is generally about 3 mm, the thickness of the magnetic card 6 is 1 mm or less.
A gap of about 2 mm is created between the magnetic card 6 and the inner surface of the card running path 2. Therefore, at the card standby position,
A piece of paper or the like other than the magnetic card 6 can be inserted into the gap, and the waiting magnetic card 6 can be removed in this state. In this case, the light from the light emitting diode 4 is blocked by the inserted piece of paper or the like, so the standby card detection signal S remains at the "1" level even though the magnetic card 6 has been removed. In other words, the terminal cannot recognize that the magnetic card 6 has been removed.

Therefore, even if someone else uses such tricks to remove the waiting magnetic card 6 while the operator is away from his or her seat,
It is too late to realize this, and the magnetic card 6 is likely to be misused, which poses a problem in terms of confidentiality.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information reading device that eliminates such problems.

Measures to solve problem C] One aspect of the present invention is to achieve the above object.

In an information reading device of the type in which a recording medium is manually moved to a reading position to read recorded information from the recording medium and then moved to a standby position and on standby, the presence or absence of the recording medium at the standby position is detected. and a first detection means for.

a holding means for holding the recording medium in the standby position and requiring a release operation to release the holding;
and second detection means for detecting the release operation.

[For production]

In this way, since a means for holding the recording medium in the standby position is provided, even if shock or vibration is applied to the information reading device, or even if the operator or another person accidentally touches the recording medium while it is in standby, The recording medium will not be moved unless the holding means is released. Therefore, in such a case, the detection result by the first detection means does not change, so that malfunctions of the terminal or the like to which the information reading device is connected can be prevented.

Further, the holding means for the recording medium requires a release operation to release the holding, and furthermore, when the release operation is performed, it is detected by the second detection means. Therefore, even if the recording medium is removed after performing an operation (such as inserting the above-mentioned piece of paper) that makes the detection operation of the first detection means erroneous, the detection result by the first detection means indicates that the information reading device is The connected terminal device can immediately recognize that the recording medium has been removed.

As a result, theft of the recording medium can be prevented and confidentiality can be improved.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The information reading device of this embodiment is used for the same purpose as the card reader, and uses a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe section similar to the magnetic card 6 as a recording medium.

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway schematic front view of the information reading device. In this figure, reference numeral 21 denotes an apparatus main body. The apparatus main body 21 is provided with a slit-shaped medium running path 22 extending from left to right in the figure.

This medium running path 22 has a structure in which the upper and left and right ends are open, and only the front and rear surfaces and the bottom surface are closed.

A reading head 23 is provided at a reading position in the middle of this medium running path 22. The magnetic card 24 as a recording medium is manually moved from the left end to the right side along the medium running path 22, and while passing through the reading position, the information recorded on the magnetic stripe section 26 of the magnetic card 24 ( operator's ID information, etc.) is read by the reading head 23. This read information is
7 and cable 28 to a terminal (not shown).

Magnetic card 24 whose recorded information was stolen in this way
is further moved to the right along the media path 22,
Finally, it is placed in the standby position shown.

At this standby position, a photosensor (photointerrupter) 29 consisting of a light emitting diode and a phototransistor placed across the medium running path 22 is provided.

This photosensor 29 is incorporated into the detection circuit shown in FIG.

The standby position is provided with means for holding the magnetic card 24 in that position. To explain the structure of this means, 30 is a cover fixed above the medium running path 30. An elastic member 31 made of a spring material or the like is provided below the cover 30.

The central portion 31a of the elastic member 31 is a portion that engages with the upper end portion of the magnetic card 24 sent to the standby position and presses the magnetic card 24 against the bottom surface of the medium running path 22. Also, both ends 31b of the elastic member 31.

31c is shaped to bulge downward as shown in the figure, and engages with the upper left and right corners of the magnetic card 24 sent to the standby position, thereby suppressing the left and right movement of the magnetic card 24. It is a part.

In this way, the magnetic card 24 is held in the standby position by the elastic member 31, and a knob 32 for releasing the holding is attached to the cover 30 so as to be movable up and down. The lower end of this knob 32 is fixed to the right end 31c of the elastic member 31.

When holding the magnetic card 24 in the standby position, the magnetic card 24 is moved from the right side to the left side, and while pushing up the elastic member 31, it is sent to the standby position shown and held there. The magnetic card 24 held in this manner does not easily move due to the action of the elastic member 31 even if it is lightly touched or vibrations or shocks are applied to the main body 21 of the device.

To take out the magnetic card 24, the right end 31c of the elastic member 31 is released upward by pulling up the knob 32 to release the holding. In this state, the magnetic card 24 can be easily moved to the right and extracted from the free right end of the medium running path 22.

In order to detect the release of the holding of the holding means, the knob 32
A switch 33 interlocked with is provided. This switch 33 is also incorporated in the detection circuit.

Next, this detection circuit will be explained with reference to FIG.

Note that this detection circuit is mounted on the printed circuit board 27.

In FIG. 2, the light emitting diode 3 of the photosensor 29
The cathode of No. 4 and the emitter of phototransistor 35 are each connected to ground line G, and the anode of No. 1 light emitting diode 34 and the collector of phototransistor 35 are connected to power supply line V through resistors 36 and 37, respectively. The collector of phototransistor 37 is also connected to one input of AND gate 38.

The other input of this AND gate 38 is connected to a switch 33.
The movable terminal is connected. One fixed terminal of this switch 33 is connected to the ground line G, and the other fixed terminal is not connected anywhere. Further, the movable terminal is connected to the power supply line V via a resistor 39.

The output signal of the AND gate 38 is sent as a detection signal S via a buffer gate 40 via a cable 28 to a terminal or the like to which this information reading device is connected.

Next, the operation related to this detection circuit will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the magnetic card 24 is in the standby position and the knob 32 is also in the lowered position, the light from the first light emitting diode 34 is blocked by the magnetic card 24 and does not enter the phototransistor 35. , the phototransistor 35 is turned off, and the potential of its collector rises to approximately the potential of the power supply line V. Further, the movable terminal of the switch 33 is located on the non-connected fixed terminal side as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the two inputs of AND gate 38 are both 1"
Therefore, the detection signal S becomes "1" level.

A terminal or the like that receives this determines that the magnetic card 24 is on standby.

Then, as described above, the waiting magnetic card 24 is held by the holding means, and unless the knob 32 is pulled up, the waiting magnetic card 24 is held.
Since the magnetic card 24 does not move even if vibration or impact is applied or if the magnetic card 24 is carelessly touched, the detection signal S is at the level ""1"1". Therefore, the terminal will not malfunction even if subjected to vibration or shock, or if it is touched carelessly, and the terminal can be restarted by reading the magnetic card again as before. There will be no need.

On the other hand, when the knob 32 is pulled up to remove the waiting magnetic card 24, the light from the first light emitting diode 34 enters the phototransistor 35, so the phototransistor 35 is turned on, and the movable terminal of the switch 33 is connected to the ground side. Touch the fixed terminal. Therefore, and gate 3
Since both inputs of 8 become "0" level potential (ground potential) and the detection signal S becomes "0" level, the terminal determines that the standby magnetic card 24 has been removed.

Furthermore, even if a piece of paper or the like is inserted to block the optical path of the photosensor 29 and an attempt is made to remove the waiting magnetic card 24 in that state, the knob 32 must be pulled up. One input is “
0" level, and the detection signal S becomes "0" level.

Therefore, even if the magnetic card is pulled out with such manipulation, it can be immediately recognized by a terminal device, etc., and theft of the magnetic card by a person other than the operator can be reliably prevented.

In addition, since the cover 30 is provided on the holding means, it is difficult to search for such pieces of paper.

Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the AND signal of the detection signal from the switch 33 and the detection signal from the photosensor 29 is sent as the detection signal S to the terminal, etc., but each detection signal is sent separately to the terminal, etc. You may also send it to

Other sensors may be used instead of the photosensor 29.

The means for holding the recording medium can be changed as appropriate.

The means for detecting release of holding of the recording medium is not limited to the mechanical switch 33 as described above, but may also be a photo sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like.

In addition, the present invention may be modified and implemented in various ways without departing from the spirit thereof.

In addition, recording media other than magnetic cards, such as optical cards, I
The present invention can be similarly applied to devices using C cards and the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, even if a shock or vibration is applied to the information reading device, or even if an operator or another person carelessly touches the recording medium on standby, the holding means Since the recording medium will not be moved unless the holding release operation is performed, it is possible to prevent errors in the terminal device or the like to which the information reading device is connected in such a case.

In addition, in order to release the holding means, it is necessary to perform a release operation, and the release operation is detected, so even if you insert a piece of paper or the like and remove the recording medium as in the past, you can immediately remove it from the terminal. Since the L3 can be recognized by the user, theft of the recording medium can be prevented and confidentiality can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway schematic front view of an embodiment of an information reading device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a detection circuit of the information reading device, and FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a conventional card reader. 4 is a partially cutaway schematic front view of the same card reader, and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a detection circuit in a standby car of the same card reader. 22... Medium running path, 23... Reading head. 24...Magnetic card (recording medium). 29... Photo sensor, 31... Elastic member for holding, 32... Knob for holding release, 33... Switch for detecting release operation. Also HI-j2/

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) At an information reading position where a recording medium is manually moved to a reading position to read recorded information on the recording medium and then moved to a standby position to stand by, the presence or absence of a recording medium at the standby position. a first detection means for detecting, a medium holding means for holding a recording medium at the standby position and requiring a release operation to release the holding, and a first detection means for detecting the release operation. an information reading position characterized by comprising: a second detection means for detecting information;