Abstract: A method of recording information in a card and reading the information therefrom and recording an image in the card by using a card reader and writer, which card has a rewritable information recording portion, and a rewritable image recording portion employing a reversible thermosensitive recording material.

Abstract: An IC card for credit transactions and a credit transactions apparatus and method using the IC card are provided. In an IC card for credit transactions includes a data memory portion and a controlling portion for reading out or recording data in the data memory portion, the data memory portion includes a user information area for recording information on the identification of a user, a transaction limit information area for recording information on the off-line transaction limit of the user, and a transaction particulars information area being divided into a plurality of sub-areas and for recording information on the transaction particulars of the user.

Abstract: A reproduction equalizer including a linear equalizer for linearly equalizing a source signal read from a recording medium, a nonlinear cancellation means for cancelling intersymbol-interference (ISI) contained in the reproduction signal, a decoder for decoding the ISI free signal to reproduce a digital signal prior to storing into the recording medium and means for automatically calculating and/or updating the ISI data held in the nonlinear cancellation means on the basis for the equalized source signal for each address defined by the reproduced digital signal. The nonlinear cancellation means includes a lookup table storing the ISI data, a circuit for generating an address for reading out the ISI data from the lookup table, and a circuit for subtracting the ISI data read out from the lookup table from the equalized source signal. At an initial stage, the calculation means calculates the ISI data, and in a normal operation mode, the calculated ISI data is used.