JPS6148081A - Ic card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an IC card with high reliability by supplying a power for driving a circuit in a card and giving and taking data between a card and an externl processor through light in all. CONSTITUTION:An IC microprocessor and an internal circuit 1 including a memory are built in a card A, and a photovoltaic element 2 with comparatively large areas, a light emission element 3 and a light receiving element 4 are installed on a card surface. To an external processor B, when the card A is inserted to the card inserting part of the card using a terminal equipment, a light source 5 emitting a strong light is installed at the position corresponding to the photovoltaic element 2, voltage is generated at the photovoltaic element 2 by the outgoing light and electric power for drive is supplied to the internal circuit 1. Data outputted from the internal circuit 1 of the card A are converted from an electric signal to a light signal by a light emission element 7, is incident to a light receiving element 6, converted to the electric signal again, inputted to a circuit 8, and adversely, the data outputted from the circuit 8 are inputted by a light emission element 7 through the light receiving element 4 to the internal circuit 1. Thus, since the data are given and taken by using light in all, occurrence of a trouble due to faulty contact of electric connecting points as conventionally can be completely dissolved.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to cards such as so-called credit cards and cash cards, and relates to an electric circuit (hereinafter abbreviated as "internal circuit") including a special KIC processor and a memory element. ) and has the function of exchanging data with an external processor.

Conventionally, the above-mentioned types of cards have mainly been magnetic cards in which a magnetic band is provided on the surface of the card, and data such as a personal identification number is magnetically recorded on the magnetic band. However, magnetic cards have a problem in that the amount of data recorded is small, and it is difficult to completely prevent card misuse or tampering. For this reason, the above-mentioned IC card has been put into practical use, and the amount of data recorded is significantly large, and the recorded data can be rewritten at any time.

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention] Conventional IC cards have electrical contacts on the surface of the card to supply power for driving the card's internal circuits and to exchange data between an external processor and the card. Everything is configured to be done electrically.

However, this structure has the problem that poor contact is likely to occur due to deformation of the electrical contacts, dirt on the contact surfaces, or deterioration over time.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a photovoltaic element, a light emitting element, and a light receiving element on the surface of the card, and supplies power for driving internal circuits and transfers data to and from an external processor. I configured to perform using light
It provides a C card.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an IC card according to the present invention and an interface between it and an external processor of a card-using terminal, where A is an IC card and B is a diagram showing an interface between the IC card and an external processor of a card-using terminal.
indicates an external processor.

The IC card A has basically the same shape and dimensions as a conventional magnetic card. However, since it contains an electric circuit, it is thicker than a magnetic card, about 2 mm thick, and the card is also slightly more rigid. Card A includes an IC microprocessor, ROM, R
An internal circuit 1 including memories such as AM and FROM (none of which are shown) is built-in. On the surface of the card is a relatively large photovoltaic element (Photovoltaic element).
A light emitting element 3 such as a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode (LD), and a light receiving element 4 such as a photodiode (PD) are provided. These internal circuit 1, photovoltaic element 2, light emitting element 3, and light receiving element 4 are all interconnected by printed wiring within the card.

On the other hand, in the external processor B, when the card A is inserted into the card insertion part C of the card usage terminal as shown in FIG. A light source 5 emitting strong light such as a semiconductor laser or a high-power light emitting diode is provided, and a light receiving element 6 and a light emitting element 7 similar to these are provided at positions corresponding to the light emitting element 3 and light receiving element 4 of the card A, respectively. ing.

Reference numeral 8 indicates an electric circuit including a microprocessor, a data interface, etc., and the light receiving element 6 and the light emitting element 7 are connected to this circuit 8.

According to the above structure, when the card A is inserted into the card insertion part C as shown in FIG. Supplied. The electromotive voltage of one photovoltaic element currently in practical use is approximately 1 to 1.2 V, whereas a voltage of approximately 5 V is required to drive the card internal circuit 1. There are many. Therefore, a plurality of photovoltaic elements (for example, four) are connected in series to obtain the necessary voltage. On the other hand, the data output from the internal circuit 1 of card A is converted into light from an electrical signal by light emitting element 3. The light is converted into a signal, and the light enters the light receiving element 6 of the external processor B, where it is converted again into an electrical signal and input into the circuit 8. Conversely, the data output from the circuit 8 of the external processor B is converted into an optical signal by the light emitting element 7, and the light is sent to the light receiving element 4 of the card A.
The signal enters the circuit, is converted into an electrical signal again, and is input to the internal circuit IK.

In this manner, power supply for driving the internal circuit 1 of the card A and data exchange between the card A and the external processor 3 are all performed using light.

Note that in order to prevent malfunctions due to crosstalk, noise, and abnormal signals during data exchange between the card and external processor, it is desirable to take the following measures.

First, the distance between elements 2, 3, and 4 of card A is made as large as possible. In particular, when the photovoltaic element 2 and the light receiving element 4 are close to each other, the light from the light source 5 enters the light receiving element 4 and noise or abnormal signals are generated.
As shown in the figure and FIG. 2, the light emitting element 3 is arranged between the photovoltaic element 2 and the light receiving element 4 so that they are separated as much as possible. Furthermore, when a plurality of light-emitting elements 3 and light-receiving elements 4 are provided, if the light-emitting elements 3 or the light-receiving elements 4 are close to each other, light may enter or respond to the light-receiving element 6 at a position other than the corresponding position of the external processor B. Since crosstalk occurs due to light reception from light emitting elements 7 at other positions, the separation distance is also made as large as possible in this case. For this purpose, although not shown, it is effective to alternately arrange the light emitting elements 3 and the light receiving elements 4.

However, even if you want to increase the separation distance within the card specifications, there is a limit, and in that case, the following measures may be effective. One of them is to make the light from the light source 5 and the light emitting elements 3 and 7 different in wavelength. Note that when a white lamp is used as the light source 5, it is also possible to remove light having a wavelength that is the same as or similar to the light from the light emitting elements 3 and 7 using a filter.

Another method is to provide a light-shielding plate IO in the card insertion part C of the terminal as shown in Fig. 2, and close the gaps between each pair of the photovoltaic element and the light source, and the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element late. good.

Next, the card AO photovoltaic element 2, light emitting element 3, and light receiving element 4 may be provided in a pot on one side of the card as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or as shown in FIG. It is also possible to appropriately distribute the numbers on both sides of the card. Furthermore, various modifications are possible, such as arranging the elements 2.3.4 point-symmetrically as shown in FIG. 4, so that there is no problem even if the card A is inserted with the front and back or left and right reversed. be.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to supply power for driving the card's internal circuits and to exchange data between the card and an external processor all through light, and therefore problems caused by poor electrical contact as in the past can be avoided. This makes it possible to completely eliminate the occurrence of problems and realize a highly reliable IC card.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an IC card according to the present invention and an interface between it and an external processor of a card-using terminal, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the card insertion part of an IC card-using terminal. A view seen from the insertion direction, Figure 3 is a side view of a modified example of the IC card, and Figure 4 is an IC card.
It is a top view of another modification of a card. A...IC card, 1...Electric circuit (internal circuit),
2... Photovoltaic element, 3... Light emitting element, 4... Light receiving element, B... External processor, 5... Light source, 6...
- Light receiving element, 7... Light emitting element, 8... Electric circuit, C
... Card insertion section, 10... Light shielding plate.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An IC card that has a built-in electric circuit including an IC-based processor and a memory element, and has the function of exchanging data with an external processor, and has a photovoltaic element, a light-emitting element, and a light-receiving element on the surface of the card. 1. An IC card characterized in that supply of power for driving internal circuits of the card and data exchange between the card and an external processor are all performed via light.