JPS62189601A - Card using method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the foul use of cards with forgery, falsification, etc. by using the optional function value including the non-reversible information as a variable to the collating information. CONSTITUTION:The card use state information 11, for example, is recorded to the 1st recording magnetic layer 3 as the non-reversible information A in a form that is shown in the number of pieces of magnetic inverse bursts. While the balance information 12 on a card 1, for example, is recorded to a certain area of the 2nd recording magnetic layer 5 as the information B. Then a function F(A,B) including both information A and B as variables is recorded to the other part of the layer 5 as the collating information 13 (information C). A comparator 37 judges that the card 1 is correct through a control part 30 as long as the coincidence is obtained between the reference information R and the information C. Thus a new information producing circuit 39 produces the new collating information C'=F(A',B') from the new balance information B' and the non-reversible information A' showing the new use state of the card 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method of using a card, in which the card is used like a ticket whose value decreases each time it is used for public telephone calls, shopping, etc.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional methods for using this type of card include recording valuable information such as the amount of money on the magnetic layer of the magnetic card, and magnetically rewriting information such as the remaining amount with a magnetic head each time the card is used. Ta. However, the magnetic card used in this case has the drawback that it is easy to directly reproduce information using general technology, and the card is easily forged and used. Furthermore, since the recorded information can be easily rewritten, there is a drawback that the used magnetic card is easily tampered with, such as by writing initial information before use or information advantageous to the user.

Another conventional technique involves recording valuable information such as amount information on a card using a plurality of holograms, and erasing the number of holograms corresponding to the amount spent each time with a laser beam each time the card is used. However, with this technology that records monetary information on the irreversible recording medium (hologram) itself,
If you try to offer a high-priced card, you cannot have a large number of holograms, so one hologram 5 ram must correspond to a high unit price, and as a result, the fine grain of the wood [
Purpose of the Invention The purpose of the present invention is to provide a card usage method that can prevent the use of counterfeit or tampered cards, is difficult to use, and allows fine-grained payment methods. .

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention records an irreversible information person on a substantially irreversible recording medium, records information B on a reversible recording medium, and records the irreversible information person and information B. Regenerate the irreversible information person and information B from the card in which the values of the function F (A, B) as variables are recorded as information C,
The reference information 几 = F (A, B) is calculated using the reproduced information, and this reference information 几 is compared with the reproduced information O to determine whether the card is correct or not. It is determined whether the information stored in the card can be used, and depending on the usage status of the card, irreversible information A,
NIIm Rb nntm n new fr % i
b M change% Ml publication a' and information B'
This is a method of using a card characterized by rewriting it to information C'.

[For production]

In the present invention, among the information recorded in a distributed manner, the information person is irreversibly recorded in a substantially irreversible manner in which the information person cannot be rewritten to information advantageous to the card user. Since the card cannot be rewritten to the previous state and the function value cannot be known, unauthorized use such as forgery or falsification of the card can be prevented. In addition, since the amount information is recorded separately from the verification information in the card, the amount information can be recorded in small units, making it possible to make fine-grained payments.

In the present invention, irreversible means that even if the device used to use the card is misused after the information person is changed to information A', information A' can be changed from the information person before the card use or information A' to the card user. This means that it cannot be rewritten to a state advantageous to .

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained below using examples.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which a magnetic card is used. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the magnetic card l has a first recording magnetic layer 3.0 on a substrate λ having a coercive force that enables magnetic recording. The intermediate layer has a coercive force that enables magnetic recording, and has a structure in which layers are stacked on top of each other.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a part of the state in which information is recorded on the first recording magnetic layer 3 of this magnetic card 1. In the first recording magnetic layer 3, irreversible information such as card usage information 11 is recorded in a form expressed by the number of magnetic reversal bursts as shown in FIG. One magnetic reversal burst can be recorded in the form of many fine magnetic pole reversals as shown in Figure 3, and the distance between the magnetic reversal bursts is appropriately wide, and the number of magnetic reversal bursts becomes information ll. There is. 9. Second recording magnetic layer j
In a certain part, information B, such as card balance information /, 2, is recorded, and in another part, a function F(A) with irreversible information person and information B as variables is recorded.

B) is recorded as verification information/3C information 0).

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 denotes a reproducing head for reproducing six pieces of information /I recorded on the first recording magnetic layer 3. In the reproduction head 21, for example, as shown in FIG. φ, an outer yoke 23 provided with two coils is provided on the outside of an inner yoke 3 provided with two coils. Of these, the yoke 23 can reproduce the information ii in the first recording magnetic layer 3, but it is desirable that the structure is such that it cannot generate a magnetic field strong enough to write information there. Also, Yokoko outside! When reproducing the irreversible information person of the first recording magnetic 11iiJ,
It is used to magnetically saturate the second recording magnetic layer and, if necessary, the intermediate layer. 2.O is the erasing head,
This magnetic head generates a strong magnetic field capable of erasing arbitrary magnetic reversal bursts of irreversible information in the first recording magnetic layer 3. The core is the recording/reproducing head, and the second recording magnetic layer! It can generate a magnetic field sufficient to write information on the second recording magnetic layer! This magnetic head is capable of reproducing information of 200 ms, but cannot generate a magnetic field strong enough to record magnetic reversal bursts in the first recording magnetic layer 3.

30 is a control section. 31 is a reproducing circuit connected to the reproducing head 1, 3λ is an erasing circuit connected to the erasing head 2B, and 33 is a recording/reproducing circuit connected to the recording/reproducing head 27. The recording/reproducing circuit 33 is connected to the recording/reproducing head, , 27, and the recording circuit 3! It consists of 36 is an arithmetic circuit, and a reproduction circuit 3
It receives information B from the irreversible information person and reproduction circuit j4c, calculates a function F (person - B), and sends the output to the comparison circuit 37 as reference information =F (A, B).

The comparison circuit 37 further calculates information C=F(A
, B), compares it with the reference information, and sends the result to the control unit 30. 31 is another comparison circuit,
It receives the usage amount information ■ and the information B from the reproduction circuit 3≠, compares the image information, and sends the result to the control section 30. Irreversible information A1 from the reproduction circuit 31 Information B and usage amount information ■ from the reproduction circuit 3≠ are also input to the new information creation circuit 3, and new information B' and information are input from the new information creation circuit 3. 0' is sent to the recording circuit 3≠. Hiro O is a conveyance control unit that controls mechanical systems such as card insertion, conveyance, and delivery. ! O schematically shows the card transport mechanism.
! l is a card insertion slot, j2 is a card delivery port, j3 is a card insertion detector, jII- is a card delivery detector, jjt
! T6 and j7 are drive mechanisms for transporting cards.

The conveyance control unit μ0 receives detection signals from the card insertion detector j3 and the card delivery detector 31, as well as control signals shown by dotted lines from the control unit 30, and controls the drive mechanisms jJ- to j7.

The control section 30 controls each of the circuits 37 to 3F using control signals indicated by dotted lines. Each of the above-mentioned controls/calculations, etc. may be performed using a microprocessor.

Figure 3 shows jjl! / FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in the figure. Drive mechanism for card l! ! and j6, while controlling the reproducing circuit 31 and reading the irreversible usage status information in the first recording magnetic layer 3 through the reproducing head 21.
/ (information person), and also controls the recording/reproducing circuit 33 to read the second recording magnetic layer j through the recording/reproducing head 27.
The remaining amount information/2C information B) and verification information 13 (information C) are reproduced. Next, the arithmetic circuit 36 converts the reproducing circuit 31
Receives irreversible information A from the source and information B from the recording/reproducing circuit 33 as inputs, and generates a predetermined function F(A,B).
Calculate the reference information 几=F (A, B) based on
The calculation result is sent to the comparison circuit 37. Comparison circuit 31
receives the reference information box and information O as input, compares the image information, and sends the result to the control section 30. the result,
If the reference information 几 and information 0 match, the control unit 30 determines that the card 1 is correct. Next, the comparison circuit 31r receives the usage amount information V and the information B as input, compares the two reports, and sends the results to the control unit 30. If the usage amount is smaller than the remaining amount, the control unit 30
It is determined that the card can be used, and the control circuit 30
controls the erasing circuit 3.2, and erases a part of the irreversible information A representing the usage status of the erasing head 2B, and changes it to irreversible information λ' representing the abandoned usage status. This modification is accomplished, for example, by erasing one of the magnetic reversal bursts with an erase head, 24.

As mentioned above, when it is determined that the card is correct and the amount spent is within the remaining amount, the new information creation circuit 3 generates new remaining amount information B by subtracting the amount used from the recorded remaining amount.
′ is created. Then, the new remaining amount information B' is written through the recording circuit 3j and the recording/reproducing head 27 at the location where the remaining amount information B was recorded, replacing the remaining amount information B. Further, the new information creation circuit 3 creates new verification information a'=F (A', B') based on new balance information B' and irreversible information A' representing new usage status. Then, the new collation information C' is stored in the recording circuit 3!
Then, through the recording/reproducing head 27, the verification information O is written at the recorded location in a form that replaces the verification information 0. In addition, in the comparison circuit 37, if the reference information box does not match the verification information C, it is ejected out of the transport mechanism jO or the card is collected. In addition, in the comparison circuit 3r, if the usage amount exceeds the remaining amount, the control unit 3r
ejects the card out of the transport mechanism jO.

Here, we will briefly explain how to change the irreversible information person that represents the usage status. The irreversible information A representing the usage status can be changed by passing, for example, a direct current through the coil of the erasing headcoder B for a required period of time to change the fine magnetic pole of one magnetic reversal burst in the first recording magnetic layer 3. One magnetic reversal burst can be erased by eliminating the reversal. As a result, irreversible information A representing the usage status is changed to irreversible information A' representing the new usage status (for example, A'=A
−/). Note that the erasing head 24 and the recording/reproducing head 27 are installed on the same base, and the second
Magnetic layer for recording! If either information B or information 0 therein is recorded using an FM recording method that includes a synchronization bit, the timing for erasing from information B or information C can be obtained and the seventh recording magnetic layer can be made accurately.

Further, it is preferable that the end of the magnetic core of the erasing head 26 is processed into an arc shape as shown in the figure. Even if the card supply device itself were to be stolen, the erase head 26 within the device would not be able to be used to counterfeit or tamper with the card because it is not possible to record the fine magnetic pole reversals of magnetic reversal bursts.

Furthermore, in the present invention, by using a magnetic layer made of a soft magnetic material with a small coercive force as the intermediate layer, it is possible to magnetically shield irreversible information in the first recording magnetic layer 3. It becomes almost impossible to directly reproduce the data using ordinary technology. And in the present invention.

Valuable information in the first recording magnetic layer 3 and the first recording magnetic layer! The collation information 0=F(A, B) with irreversible information person and information B as variables, which is dispersed throughout the network and, as mentioned above, is almost impossible to directly reproduce using general technology, is used. Therefore, let us assume that the second recording magnetic layer! Even if the information inside is tampered with information B' and/or information C', the reference information calculated from tampered information B' and irreversible information A that cannot be tampered with when using the card is F(A, B ') is different from the recorded collation information 0=F (A', B'), so it is possible to prevent unauthorized use of the tampered card.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which usage information is recorded as irreversible information A in the first recording magnetic layer 3 and the irreversible information person is changed each time the card is used. The irreversible information person may be changed every time the value information such as the remaining amount falls below a predetermined value, instead of every time the information is used.

Also, record high-value information as irreversible information A, and record information B.
Low amount information may be recorded as .

Further, in the above embodiment, the usage information is recorded in the first recording magnetic layer 3 as an irreversible information person, but a random number X may be recorded as an irreversible information person. In this case, the irreversible change of the information A is completed by erasing a part of the random number X with the erasing head 26 every time it is used or every time a predetermined condition is satisfied. As a result, a new random number X' is stored in the first recording magnetic layer 3 as new irreversible information A'. It is difficult to counterfeit or tamper with cards that use such random numbers for the same reasons as in the previous embodiment. Furthermore, in this modification, by recording a different random number for each card as irreversible information, it becomes more difficult to tamper with the card. That is, information B and information 0 of a card with the random number X as the irreversible information person are decoded, and the second recording magnetic layer of another card with the other random number Y as the irreversible information person! Even if recorded in , the random number Y
The reference information calculated when the card is used is F
(A, Y), and the falsified information C becomes F'(A,
), it is possible to determine whether the card is being used fraudulently.

In the above embodiment, the magnetic card used has the structure shown in FIG. 2, but as shown in FIG. 6, the second recording magnetic layer j of the structure shown in FIG. A magnetic shielding layer 7 made of a soft magnetic material with a small coercive force is further provided thereon.
Needless to say, the intermediate layer 3 in the structure shown in FIG. 6 may be a magnetic layer made of a soft magnetic material with a small coercive force. , is the same as in Figure 1. In addition, a magnetic card with the structure shown in Figure @6
'Second recording magnetic layer! When reproducing information B and C inside, it is necessary to saturate the magnetism of the magnetic shielding layer 7, so as shown in Fig. 7, a double-structured recording/reproducing layer similar to that shown in Fig. 7 is used. The inner yoke AjFi provided with the coil 62, which must be used with the head lIl, the second magnetic layer for recording! It can generate a magnetic field that is sufficient to write information inside.
'Also, a magnetic layer 63 is provided outside the inner yoke 63, which can reproduce the information in the second recording magnetic layer j, but cannot generate a magnetic field strong enough to record a magnetic reversal burst in the first recording magnetic layer 3. The outer yoke 6j provided with the coils 6≠ is used to magnetically saturate the magnetic shielding layer 7 when reproducing information B and information O from the first recording magnetic layer. In the magnetic card l' having the structure shown in Fig. 6, the valuable information (information A, B, and .
, -h a) mat:m Hashihi 5?4 TL
Vt'j'm-1...噌-ゆ r + +-6th, compared to the magnetic card l shown in Figure 2, it is more difficult to forge or tamper with, and it is possible to prevent unauthorized use of the card. .

The six embodiments described so far have described examples in which irreversible information is recorded in the first recording magnetic layer 3 so that information cannot be easily rewritten. The information person may be recorded on the medium.

Also, the verification information 0 is set to the second recording magnetic layer! without recording it in
The data may be recorded on a non-volatile reversible recording medium such as a rewritable programmable read-only memory.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, information such as usage status information can be stored in a substantially irreversible recording medium in an irreversible state in which information cannot be rewritten into information advantageous to the card user. Record the information person, record information B and information C on a reversible recording medium, set information 0 as the value of a function FCk*B) with irreversible information person and information B as variables, and record the information reproduced when the card is used. Reference information R,=F(A,B) from person and information B
is calculated and this reference information is compared with the reproduced information C. Therefore, it is difficult to forge or tamper with the card, and unauthorized use of the card can be prevented.

Additionally, since the amount information is recorded separately from the verification information within the card, detailed payment processing becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

wJ1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of an example of a card used in the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cross section of an example of a card used in the present invention. A diagram schematically showing one of the magnetic reversal bursts, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the reproducing head used in the present invention, and Fig. 5 is for explaining the operation of Fig. 1 of the present invention. , FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of another card used in the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a recording/reproducing head used in the present invention. l...Card, -...Substrate, 3...First recording magnetic layer, D...Intermediate layer,! ...first magnetic layer for recording, 6
...Surface layer, 7...Magnetic shielding layer, 21...Reproducing head, 2t...Erasing head, -7...Recording/reproducing head, 3o...Control unit! A0...Transportation control unit, jo...Transportation mechanism.

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) Record irreversible information A on a substantially irreversible recording medium, record information B on a reversible recording medium, and function F(A ，
B) The irreversible information A, the information B, and the information C are reproduced from a card recorded on a reversible recording medium with the value of information C as information C, and the reproduced irreversible information A and the reproduced information B are reproduced. Calculate a function F (A, B) with variables, set this as reference information R = F (A, B), and check whether the card is correct by comparing this reference information R with the reproduced information C. At the same time, it is determined whether or not the card can be used within the range of the recorded information, and the irreversible information A before the use of the card is determined depending on the usage status of the card.
, the information B and the information C are respectively changed to new irreversible information A', and the information B' and the information C' are rewritten. (2) The change from the irreversible information A to the irreversible information A' is performed every time the information B changes or every time the information B falls below a predetermined value. How to use the card described in Scope 1. (3) The irreversible recording medium is a first recording magnetic layer having a recordable coercive force, and the information B and the information C
are recorded in different locations on the same reversible recording medium,
The reversible recording medium is a second magnetic recording layer having a coercive force smaller than the coercive force of the first magnetic recording layer, and the card has a substrate on which the first magnetic recording layer is made of a soft magnetic material with a small coercive force. Use of the card according to claim 1, characterized in that the card has a structure in which the intermediate layer consisting of the intermediate layer, the second recording magnetic layer, and the magnetic shielding layer consisting of a soft magnetic material with a small coercive force are laminated in this order. Method. (4) When reproducing the irreversible information A, the first
A reproducing head that can reproduce information in the recording magnetic layer but cannot generate a magnetic field large enough to record information in the first recording magnetic layer is used to reproduce the information B and the information C and the information. When writing information B' and information C', information can be recorded and reproduced in the second recording magnetic layer, but a magnetic field sufficient to record information cannot be generated in the first recording magnetic layer. 4. The method of using a card according to claim 3, wherein an erasing head is used when changing the information A'. (5) The irreversible information A is a plurality of magnetic reversal bursts, and the irreversible information A is changed to the irreversible information A' by erasing one of the magnetic reversal bursts. A method of using a card according to claim 4, characterized in that: (6) The method of using a card according to claim 5, wherein the erasing head has a shape that makes it impossible to record fine magnetic pole reversals of the magnetic reversal bursts. (7) The timing of changing the irreversible information A to the irreversible information A' is obtained from at least one of the information B and the information C. How to use the card. (8) The card usage method according to claim 1, wherein the irreversible information A is a random number.