Magnetic card and card reader apparatus utilizing a pseudo bar code and an address information code

• US 5,545,883 A
• Filed: 07/12/1994
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tamura Electric Works., Ltd. (SAXA Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tamura Electric Works., Ltd. (SAXA Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Takumi, Sasou, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRECH, KARL D
• Application Number:
  US08/273,835
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 235/440, 235/468, 235/449, 235/448
• US Class Current: 235/449
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state

Abstract

A magnetic card includes a magnetic layer, a bar code, a protection layer, and a pseudo bar code. The magnetic layer is formed on a substrate, records magnetic information, and reflects light. The bar code is formed on a predetermined area of the magnetic layer by a light absorption material and detected by a lack of reflected light from the magnetic layer. The protection layer is formed on the predetermined area of the magnetic layer and protects the bar code. The pseudo bar code is formed on the magnetic layer and intermingled with the bar code. An address information code is provided on the card for determining the bar code form the pseudo bar code. A card reader apparatus using this magnetic card is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A magnetic card comprising:

a magnetic layer formed on a substrate for recording magnetic information and for reflecting a light radiated on said magnetic card;

a bar code formed on a predetermined area of said magnetic layer, said bar code comprising a light absorption material, said bar code being detected by a lack of reflected light from said magnetic layer;

a protection layer formed on said predetermined area of said magnetic layer for protecting said bar code;

a pseudo bar code formed on said magnetic layer, said pseudo bar code being mixed with said bar code;

an address information code formed in said predetermined area, for indicating a specified position of said pseudo bar code, said address information code comprising a light absorption material, said address information code being arranged on the same read line as said bar code and said pseudo bar code; and

wherein said pseudo bar code is arranged with respect to said bar code in said specified position, and said bar code is detected on the basis of a presence or absence of reflected light from said magnetic layer and said specified position of said pseudo bar code;

wherein said pseudo bar code has similar visual characteristics providing a camouflage against visual recognition of said bar code;

whereby said magnetic card is made more difficult to be counterfeited because said pseudo bar code can be separated from said bar code using said address information code.

2. A magnetic card according to claim 1, wherein said light absorption material for forming said bar code and said pseudo bar code is an infrared absorption material, and infrared rays are radiated on said bar code and said pseudo bar code to detect said bar code on the basis of the presence or absence of reflected infrared light and said specified position of said pseudo bar code.

3. A magnetic card according to claim 1, wherein said address information code is formed on said protection layer.

4. A magnetic card according to claim 1, wherein said address information code is formed on said magnetic layer.

5. A magnetic card according to claim 1, wherein said light absorption material for forming said bar code, said pseudo bar code, and said address information code is an infrared absorption material, and said bar code is detected on the basis of the presence or absence of reflected infrared light from said bar code and said pseudo bar code, and said specified position of said pseudo bar code indicated by said address information code.

6. A magnetic card according to claim 1, wherein said specified position of said pseudo bar code is recorded at a downstream position of said bar code in a card insertion direction.

7. A magnetic card according to claim 1, further comprising an overcoat formed on said magnetic layer including said protection layer, said overcoat for protecting all underlying layers including said magnetic layer.

8. A card reader apparatus comprising:

read and write means for reading and writing information on and from a magnetic layer of a magnetic card on which a bar code, a pseudo bar code arranged and mixed with said bar code, and an address information code, said magnetic layer of said magnetic card reflecting a light;

an optical sensor for optically reading said bar code, said pseudo bar code and said address information code on the basis of a reflected light from said magnetic layer relating to at least one of said write and read operations of said read and write means;

means for identifying said bar code from said pseudo bar code read by said optical sensor on the basis of a preset position information of said pseudo bar code to detect only said bar code; and

an address information code storage memory for storing said preset position information of said pseudo bar code, wherein said identifying means detects said bar code information on the basis of said preset position information stored in said memory.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising position information read means for reading out said preset position information of said pseudo bar code from said magnetic card, wherein said preset position information is recorded on said magnetic card, and said identifying means detects said bar code information on a basis of said preset position information read by said position information read means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an address bar code indicating said position information is formed by a light absorption material in said magnetic card on a read line for said bar code and said pseudo bar code, said position information read means is constituted by said optical sensor, and said optical sensor commonly reads said bar code, said pseudo bar code, and said address bar code.

11. A magnetic card comprising:

a magnetic layer formed on a substrate for recording magnetic information and for reflecting light;

a bar code formed on a predetermined area of said magnetic layer containing significant data information, said bar code comprising a light absorption material, said bar code being detected by a lack of reflected light from said magnetic layer;

a protection layer formed over said predetermined area of said magnetic layer for protecting said bar code;

a pseudo bar code formed on said magnetic layer, said pseudo bar code being mixed with said bar code, such that said pseudo bar code has similar visual characteristics thereby providing a camouflage against visual recognition, said pseudo bar code arranged with respect to said bar code in a predetermined specified position, said bar code further being detected on the basis of a presence or absence of reflected light from said magnetic layer and said predetermined specified position of said pseudo bar code; and

an address information code, formed on a second predetermined area of said magnetic card separate from said bar code for indicating said predetermined specified position of said pseudo bar code, thereby allowing separation of said bar code from said pseudo bar code such that said bar code can only be determined separate from said pseudo bar code using said address information code.