JPH04195272A - Magnetic card reader with security protection function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep secrecy by providing a means to detect whether or not a character is a specific character, and a control means to output information by a parameter different from a data communication parameter decided in advance when the specific character is detected. CONSTITUTION:Parallel data detects the specific character X by a specific character detection circuit 6, and when no specific character is detected, a control circuit 5 issues serial data by a serial I/F control circuit 8 and an external I/F circuit 9 under a communication condition decided in advance with a central device. Also, when the specific character X is detected by the circuit 6, the circuit 5 outputs the data to a communication velocity control circuit 7, for example, at fast 14,40Obit/sec, not according to the communication condition decided in advance with the central device. Thereby, no input to the central device can be performed even without prohibiting data output to the central device, therefore, the secrecy can be kept.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a magnetic card reader having a security function.

(Prior Art) Magnetic cards are widely used as cash cards for banks and credit cards for department stores. These magnetic cards are read by a magnetic card reader, and the code contents (information) of the magnetic card are sent to a solid device (host), and after the contents are queried, cash payments or monetary transactions are made for those that match. However, if there is a mismatch, the above process cannot be performed.

Although the code contents written on the magnetic cards are different in the writing positions and order of various numbers and information, the size of the magnetic cards and the code writing positions are almost the same.

In this way, in the conventional system, the code contents are sent from the magnetic card reader to the solid device, and the solid device can output the code contents by means such as display or printing means, and this can prevent unauthorized use. This was a factor.

Therefore, in order to avoid unauthorized use, a unique character is inserted at a specific position in the data section to be transmitted, and this unique character is inspected. If there is a discrepancy, the information is transferred from the magnetic card reader to the solid device. Sending was prohibited (Tokuko Sho 6)
1-29033).

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, conventional magnetic card reading devices have a general-purpose function that allows them to read magnetic cards for banks, department stores, etc. that have similar configurations. Therefore, it had the above-mentioned transmission prohibition means.

In view of these points, it is an object of the present invention to prevent a solid device from easily receiving a magnetic card, such as a bank magnetic card, that is not intended for its intended use.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems and achieve the objects, the present invention provides a means for reading information on a magnetic card, and a method for identifying a specific position of a data section of the information read by the reading means. means for detecting whether or not a character is a predetermined unique character; and if the detecting means does not detect a unique character, outputs information in accordance with predetermined data communication parameters; In this case, the apparatus is characterized by comprising a control means for outputting information with parameters different from predetermined data communication parameters.

(Function) When a unique character located at a specific position in a data section is detected, the present invention outputs information to a solid device with parameters different from predetermined data communication parameters. As a result, it is not possible to input magnetic card information on the solid device side, and it becomes difficult to display or print information on magnetic cards containing unique characters as in the past, making it difficult to maintain the confidentiality of magnetic cards. I can do it.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a magnetic head for reading recorded information (data) on a magnetic card shown in FIG. 2, 2 is a head amplifier, and 3 is a binarization circuit, 4 is a serial/parallel conversion circuit, 5 is a control circuit, 6 is a peculiar character detection circuit, 7 is a communication speed control circuit, 8 is a serial I
/F control circuit, 9 is external I/F with solid device (host)
It is a circuit.

Prior to explaining the operation of this embodiment, an example of the recording format (data) recorded on the magnetic card will be explained with reference to FIG.

As shown in Figure 2, a timing code (○0) 21 that separates data and a clock and correctly discriminates data, a start code (FF) 22 that indicates the beginning of the data section, and a data section (DT) consisting of arbitrary data characters. ) 23, a check character 24 for checking whether data is odd or even, a termination code (FF) 25 indicating that all data has been completed, and a timing code (00)
26 is recorded, and a unique character X indicating the uniqueness of the card that can be used between specific subscribers is recorded at a specific position (nth character) in the data section (DT) 23.

A magnetic head 1 shown in FIG. 1 reads an analog signal in a magnetic card (recorded in FIG. 2), a head amplifier 2 amplifies it, and a binarization circuit 3 converts it into a serial digital signal. This serial digital signal (data) is converted by a serial/parallel conversion circuit 4 into a parallel signal (data) that is easy to process.

Each of these circuits 2, 3.4 is gain controlled, threshold controlled, and timing controlled by a control circuit 5, respectively.

The above-mentioned parallel data is detected by the peculiar character detection circuit 6 for the peculiar character X (Fig. 2), and if the peculiar character Data communication conditions, e.g. 1,200.2
, 400.4, 800.9, 600 bit/sec, etc. according to the R3-232C standard.
The F control circuit 8 and the external I/F circuit 9 output serial data.

Further, when the peculiar character X is detected by the peculiar character detection circuit 6, the control circuit 5 causes the communication speed control circuit 7 to
For example, the serial I/F control circuit 8 and the external I/F circuit 9 output serial data at a high speed of 14,400 bits/sec without following the predetermined communication conditions with the solid device (host). .

In this way, this magnetic card reading device outputs magnetic card data containing special characters to the solid device (host) side, but the performance of this solid device makes it difficult to input data, which is difficult to do in the conventional method. We are disclosing data on magnetic cards that contain unique characters such as In other words, in the present invention, if there is a unique character in the data on the magnetic card, the data cannot be input to the solid device without prohibiting data output to the solid device, so that confidentiality can be maintained.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention prevents a solid device from easily receiving a magnetic card such as a bank card that has no intended use date, and therefore prevents data disclosure from the solid device. Confidentiality will be maintained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an example diagram showing the recording formation of data recorded on a magnetic card. 1...Magnetic head, 2...Head amplifier, 3.
...Binarization circuit, 4...Serial/parallel conversion circuit, 5...Control circuit, 6...Special character detection circuit, 7...Communication speed control circuit, 8...Serial I/F Control circuit, 9...external I/F circuit. Patent applicant Ricoh Electronic Industries Co., Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] means for reading information on a magnetic card; means for detecting whether or not a character at a specific position in a data section of the information read by the reading means is a predetermined unique character; The control means outputs information in accordance with predetermined data communication parameters when a unique character is not detected, and outputs information with parameters different from the predetermined data communication parameters when a unique character is detected. A magnetic card reader having a security function, characterized in that: