JPH07175878A - Method and device for recording use history of information recording card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the method and device for recording the use history of an information recording card such as a high-security prepaid card by forming a pattern on the information recording card with plural conductive deposite films and recording the use history by conductively destroying one part of it. CONSTITUTION:On the magnetic recording layer plane of a rectangular substrate 1, conductor patterns 11-16... formed by a pair of circular parts and a linear part linking those circular parts are installed in one line so that their linear parts can be almost parallel. Then, this magnetic card touches a conductive terminal at two contact parts 11a and 11b, a destruction part 11c of the conductive pattern is destroyed by letting a current flow, and there is no conduction between two contacts. Since such an operation is performed synchronously with the number of times to use the card, the number of times using the card is marked. When reading information recorded in the magnetic recording layer, the number of conducted contacts is investigated and collated with magnetic information, and it is decided whether the card is regular or not.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording a use history of an information recording card having a function of preventing forgery and a remaining number confirmation function of a prepaid card or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for preventing forgery of an information recording card such as a magnetic card, there has been a method of punching a card by punching or a method of displaying a marking or a character with a thermal ink.

[0003]

The above-mentioned punching type has the drawbacks that punching dust is generated, the punching unit is large, and a photo sensor or a punch hole detecting head is required.

On the other hand, the heat-sensitive type has drawbacks such that it is difficult to confirm the remaining number except by visual inspection, and it is unstable with respect to chemicals, ultraviolet rays, temperature and the like.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in order to eliminate these drawbacks, the pattern of the vapor deposition film is electrically destroyed so that dust on the punching dust is not generated, and the continuity of the card is measured by measuring the conductive state of the pattern. It is possible to obtain a quantity of data, and by matching this data with the recorded data other than this data, the method and apparatus for recording the usage history of an information recording card such as a prepaid card which has a high security and prevents forgery of the card. To provide.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a pattern is formed on a surface or a printing surface of an information recording card with a plurality of conductive vapor deposition films for determining the number of remaining cards to be used,
A use history recording method for a card is obtained, in which a use history is recorded by electrically breaking some of the patterns.

Further, according to the present invention, in a use history recording device for an information recording card, wherein a plurality of conductive vapor deposition film patterns are formed on the surface or printed surface in order to determine the remaining number of used cards, It is provided with a pattern destruction short circuit for conducting current destruction and a continuity inspection circuit for inspecting the continuity of the pattern, and the pattern destruction short circuit and the continuity inspection circuit share an energization terminal for energizing the pattern. A use history recording device for an information recording card is obtained.

Here, in the present invention, a pattern corresponding to the number of times of use is formed on a magnetic recording layer surface or a printing surface of an information recording card, for example, a magnetic card, by using a conductive vapor deposition film of Al (S), Sn, Cu or the like, Each time you use the card, you apply a current to the pattern to destroy it.

When confirming the remaining number, it is configured to check the conduction of each pattern and read depending on how many patterns are conducting. It is a destructive formula and cannot be reused. The remaining number is the magnetic data and the number of patterns. The security is high because it can be verified with.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment of the present invention, a magnetic card will be described as an information recording card, and a recording / reproducing apparatus for this magnetic card will be described as an example of a usage history recording device.

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a magnetic card used in a usage history recording method according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is FIG. 1 and FIG. It is a top view which shows the vapor deposition pattern of. A rectangular substrate 1 in FIG.
Conductor patterns 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, formed of a pair of circles and a line connecting the circles on the magnetic recording layer surface 4 of
16 are provided in a line so that the line portions are substantially parallel.

It should be noted that this pattern can be formed on the printing surface 5.

Al for the deposition material for the pattern
-A conductive material such as An / Cu is used to form a pattern by providing a mask.

In FIG. 2, the substrate comprises a magnetic recording layer 3 formed on a plastic support 2, and conductor patterns 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 are formed on the surface of the magnetic layer 3.
Are formed by vapor deposition or the like. In FIG. 3, the pattern is composed of substantially circular contact portions 11a and 11b and a destruction portion 11c connecting them.

The cross-sectional area of the destroyed portion 11c is preferably 1/10 or less of the cross-sectional area of the contact portion, and the thickness of the vapor deposition film forming this destroyed portion is preferably 1 μm or less and 2 mm or less in width.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the recording / reproducing apparatus for the magnetic card of FIG.

In FIG. 4, a recording / reproducing circuit 21 for recording and reproducing information on the magnetic recording layer of the magnetic card, a card position sensing circuit 22 for detecting the magnetic card position, and a magnetic card transfer for transferring the magnetic card. A motor control circuit 23 for controlling the motor, a pattern destruction short circuit 24 for destroying the destroyed portion of the magnetic card, and a continuity inspection circuit 25 for confirming the presence or absence of contact destruction of the destroyed portion of the magnetic card are provided. These are controlled by the control circuit 26.

The short circuit 24 for destroying the pattern and the terminals 27 and 28 which come into contact with the contact portion of the magnetic card of the continuity inspection circuit 25 are shared.

The magnetic card has two contact points 11a, 11
By bringing the conducting terminals 26, 27 (not shown) into contact with b and passing an electric current, the destruction portion 11c of the conduction pattern is destroyed and the conduction between the two contacts is lost.

This operation is performed in synchronization with the number of times the card has been used, and the number of times the card has been used is marked.

Further, when reading the information recorded on the magnetic recording layer, the number of conductive contacts is checked, and it is checked with the magnetic information to determine whether the card is a normal card. As a result, it is possible to distinguish a genuine card from a forged card that does not have a contact point, or a modified card that copies a magnetic signal and reuses it.

The magnetic card used in the embodiment of the present invention can be applied not only to the forgery prevention of the magnetic card but also to a ticket, a coupon ticket, a weak current fuse, and the like.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the pattern of the vapor-deposited film is electrically destroyed so that dust on the punching dust is not generated, and the continuity of the card is measured by measuring the conductive state of the pattern. It is possible to obtain a quantity of data, and by matching this data with the recorded data other than this data, the method and apparatus for recording the usage history of an information recording card such as a prepaid card which has a high security and prevents forgery of the card. It has become possible to provide.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a magnetic card used in a usage history recording method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a vapor deposition pattern of FIGS. 1 and 2.

4 is a block diagram showing a recording / reproducing apparatus for the magnetic card of FIG. 1. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 substrate 2 plastic support 3 magnetic recording layer 4 magnetic recording layer surface 5 printing surface 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 pattern 11a, 11b contact part 11c destruction part 27, 28 terminal

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location G11B 33/10 F

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pattern is formed on a surface or a printed surface of an information recording card by a plurality of conductive vapor deposition films for determining the remaining number of cards to be used, and a part of the pattern is electrically broken to be used. A method for recording a history of use of an information recording card, characterized by recording a history. 2. A use history recording device for an information recording card, wherein a pattern of a plurality of conductive vapor-deposited films is formed on a surface or a printed surface to determine the remaining number of used cards. A short circuit and a continuity inspection circuit for inspecting the continuity of the pattern,
The use history recording apparatus for an information recording card, wherein the pattern destruction short circuit and the continuity inspection circuit share an energizing terminal for energizing the pattern.