Manual noncontact IC card reader

[0015]In the case of a manual noncontact card reader (especially one of swipe type), the transport speed of the card is slower in the initial stage of inserting the noncontact card through the card insertion slot, and thus by locating the loop antennas in proximity to the card insertion slot as described above, communication between the loop antennas on the card reader side and a loop antenna on the noncontact card side may take place with the card moving at slow speed. A state of stable communication between the two is achieved thereby, and the information recorded on the noncontact card may be read accurately, even if the loop antennas on the card reader side are small. Furthermore, by connecting the loop antennas through a magnetic circuit which does not lie exposed within the transport path, of the magnetic fluxes produced in two directions with respect to the noncontact card from the loop antennas, one of them will be diverted through the magnetic circuit without interlinking to the card, and thus the magnetic flux interlinking with the card is constituted by magnetic flux in one direction only, thereby avoiding weakening of the interlinked magnetic flux. Accordingly, high transfer efficiency is achieved and, coupled with the fact that communication takes place with the card moving at slow speed as mentioned above, it is possible for communication to take place in a reliable manner even where small loop antennas are used. Furthermore, since there are no limitations as to the noncontact card transport direction or structure of the transport path, implementation is possible generally in a wide range of manual noncontact card readers.

[0017]As mentioned above, in the initial stage of card insertion the card transport speed is slow and thus a longer communication interval may be assured by initiating communication with the card while in proximity to the card insertion slot. Thus, where the second loop antennas are located to either side of the card insertion slot, generation of magnetic flux and interlinkage thereof with the card may take place to the front of the insertion slot, thereby ensuring a communication period of sufficient duration so that more stable communication may take place. Moreover, because the respective loop antennas are disposed to either side of the card insertion slot and in proximity to the card insertion slot of the transport path, the magnetic field generated by the loop antennas will be quite strong, and high transfer efficiency with the noncontact card may be achieved despite small size of each antenna.

[0020]According to the present invention, since communication with the antennas takes place with the card moving at slow speed during initial insertion of the noncontact card, card information may be read accurately through stable communication, even where the antennas on the card reader side are small. Moreover, as the present invention involves no limitations as to the card transport direction or structure of the transport path, implementation is possible generally in a wide range of manual noncontact card readers, whether of insertion type or swipe type.

However, with manual noncontact card readers, unlike motor-driven types, the card is manipulated by hand, and thus in some instances the card will not be transported at a uniform speed, making it difficult to accurately read the data.

Moreover, with swipe type units, since only part of the card passes through the card transport path, the opposed areas of the antenna on the reader side and the antenna on the card side are of small dimensions, creating the problem of poor transfer efficiency and inconsistent communication between the two.

However, the technology for the insertion type card readers cannot be implemented in swipe type or other card reader that lacks a fixed position where stable communication with the antenna can take place.

In the one swipe type card readers, owing to the special construction employed for the purpose of changing the card transport direction at midpoint, it would not be possible to implement the design in a swipe card reader that has a fixed transport direction.

The limitations imposed by this particular structure pose an obstacle to implementation in swipe card readers generally.

Therefore, it will be difficult to install such a large antenna in the limited space of a compact card reader.