Abstract: A card reader may include a card passage where a card inserted into an insertion port for the card is passed, a shutter member for closing the card passage, a magnetic head disposed on a rear side relative to the shutter member and structured to perform reading of magnetic data recorded in a magnetic stripe of the card and/or recording of magnetic data to the magnetic stripe, and a foreign matter detection mechanism which is structured to detect a foreign matter attached to the card passage. The foreign matter detection mechanism is disposed on a rear side relative to the shutter member and is disposed at a position in the width direction of the card where the magnetic stripe is passed. The foreign matter detection mechanism may be structured of an electrostatic capacitance sensor.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a card reader that can prevent the illegal acquisition of magnetic information recorded on a magnetic stripe, based on an output signal from a pre-head. More specifically described, in a card reader having a card insertion slot for guiding a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe to a transport passage and a pre-head arranged in the vicinity of the card insertion slot for detecting the presence of the magnetic stripe, the pre-head is equipped with a head portion having at least one pair of magnetic cores arranged to be opposite from each other having a magnetic gap between them and coils wound around a pair of the magnetic cores; and a signal different from that of the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic stripe is output from the pre-head.

Abstract: An information reproduction device for use with a magnetic recording medium storing information may include an analog/digital (AD) converter structured to convert an analog signal, which is reproduced from the information recorded in the magnetic recording medium, into a digital signal; a peak detecting unit structured to detect a peak point of the reproduced signal, from the digital signal, according to a threshold as a judgment level in accordance with an output of the AD converter; and an information generating unit for generating structured to generate a rectangular waveform signal of the reproduced signal, waveform-shaped according to interval information of peak points detected by the peak detecting unit.

Abstract: A card reader may include a card passage where a card inserted into an insertion port for the card is passed, a shutter member for closing the card passage, a magnetic head disposed on a rear side relative to the shutter member and structured to perform reading of magnetic data recorded in a magnetic stripe of the card and/or recording of magnetic data to the magnetic stripe, and a foreign matter detection mechanism which is structured to detect a foreign matter attached to the card passage. The foreign matter detection mechanism is disposed on a rear side relative to the shutter member and is disposed at a position in the width direction of the card where the magnetic stripe is passed. The foreign matter detection mechanism may be structured of an electrostatic capacitance sensor.

Abstract: A demodulation method of magnetic data may include a first data creating step which creates a preliminary data string for creating the demodulation data on a basis of an interval that is a time interval between peaks of a read signal of an analog-shaped magnetic data, and a second data creating step which creates a demodulation data creating data for creating the demodulation data on a basis of the preliminary data string created in the first data creating step. When a peak of the read signal is not detected for a predetermined time, a pseudo-peak is generated and a pseudo-interval is stored in a data storage section, and steps similar to the first data creating step and the second data creating step are executed, and the pseudo-peak is generated until the demodulation data creating data corresponding to a final interval is created.

Abstract: A demodulation method of magnetic data may include a first data creating step which creates a preliminary data string for creating the demodulation data on a basis of an interval that is a time interval between peaks of a read signal of an analog-shaped magnetic data, and a second data creating step which creates a demodulation data creating data for creating the demodulation data on a basis of the preliminary data string created in the first data creating step. When a peak of the read signal is not detected for a predetermined time, a pseudo-peak is generated and a pseudo-interval is stored in a data storage section, and steps similar to the first data creating step and the second data creating step are executed, and the pseudo-peak is generated until the demodulation data creating data corresponding to a final interval is created.

Abstract: A data demodulation method may include converting an analog signal into a digital signal; detecting a peak point of a reproduced signal; creating a plurality of preliminary data rows for creating demodulated data; and creating demodulated data. The preliminary data rows may include the first individual data to be identified on the basis of the interval, and are formed of the first individual data of plural bits. Creating a plurality of preliminary data rows may use a template listing part of, or all of, a plurality of bit patterns being formed of second individual data.

Abstract: A data demodulation method may include converting an analog signal into a digital signal; detecting a peak point of a reproduced signal; creating a plurality of preliminary data rows for creating demodulated data; and creating demodulated data. The preliminary data rows may include the first individual data to be identified on the basis of the interval, and are formed of the first individual data of plural bits. Creating a plurality of preliminary data rows may use a template listing part of, or all of, a plurality of bit patterns being formed of second individual data.

Abstract: An information reproduction device for use with a magnetic recording medium storing information may include an analog/digital (AD) converter structured to convert an analog signal, which is reproduced from the information recorded in the magnetic recording medium, into a digital signal; a peak detecting unit structured to detect a peak point of the reproduced signal, from the digital signal, according to a threshold as a judgment level in accordance with an output of the AD converter; and an information generating unit for generating structured to generate a rectangular waveform signal of the reproduced signal, waveform-shaped according to interval information of peak points detected by the peak detecting unit.

Abstract: A card printing device may include a card conveying mechanism which conveys the card through a card conveying passage; a printing mechanism which transfers and prints ink applied to an ink ribbon on the card which is conveyed along the card conveying passage; and a print control section which controls printing on the card. The print control section may divide a printing image into a plurality of divided images in a conveyance direction of the card, rearrange an arrangement order of the divided images in the conveyance direction, control the card conveying mechanism to move the card forward or backward so that the divided images are printed on the card in a rearranged order and, so that the card is printed with the divided images in an original arrangement order before having been rearranged and then, perform printing on the card by the printing mechanism.

Abstract: A magnetic head device which suppresses output fluctuation even though the output changes in part of an output waveform from the magnetic head. The magnetic head device includes a magnetic head for reproducing information recorded in a magnetic information recording medium; an amplifier section for amplifying a reproduced signal that the magnetic head has reproduced, by using a gain; an A/D converter section for converting the reproduced signal that has been amplified, to a digital signal, by sampling the signal at predetermined intervals, in order to output the converted digital signal; a signal comparator section for comparing a digital signal output value with a predetermined output criterion value; and a gain control section for adjusting the gain in such a way as to make the output value closer to the output criterion value, in the case where the output value is either greater or smaller than the output criterion value.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a card reader that can prevent the illegal acquisition of magnetic information recorded on a magnetic stripe, based on an output signal from a pre-head. More specifically described, in a card reader having a card insertion slot for guiding a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe to a transport passage and a pre-head arranged in the vicinity of the card insertion slot for detecting the presence of the magnetic stripe, the pre-head is equipped with a head portion having at least one pair of magnetic cores arranged to be opposite from each other having a magnetic gap between them and coils wound around a pair of the magnetic cores; and a signal different from that of the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic stripe is output from the pre-head.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a card reader that can prevent the illegal acquisition of magnetic information recorded on a magnetic stripe, based on an output signal from a pre-head. More specifically described, in a card reader having a card insertion slot for guiding a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe to a transport passage and a pre-head arranged in the vicinity of the card insertion slot for detecting the presence of the magnetic stripe, the pre-head is equipped with a head portion having at least one pair of magnetic cores arranged to be opposite from each other having a magnetic gap between them and coils wound around a pair of the magnetic cores; and a signal different from that of the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic stripe is output from the pre-head.

Abstract: A card printing device may include a card conveying mechanism which conveys the card through a card conveying passage; a printing mechanism which transfers and prints ink applied to an ink ribbon on the card which is conveyed along the card conveying passage; and a print control section which controls printing on the card. The print control section may divide a printing image into a plurality of divided images in a conveyance direction of the card, rearrange an arrangement order of the divided images in the conveyance direction, control the card conveying mechanism to move the card forward or backward so that the divided images are printed on the card in a rearranged order and, so that the card is printed with the divided images in an original arrangement order before having been rearranged and then, perform printing on the card by the printing mechanism.

Abstract: A method for demodulation where a plurality of preliminary data rows for creating the demodulated data are created according to intervals, each of which is a interval between peaks in a read signal coming from a magnetic head. Each preliminary data row includes first individual data identified according to the intervals, wherein a plurality of bits constitute the first individual data. At the time of creating the preliminary data row, standard intervals are identified for judging a first individual datum to be either “0” or “1”, and the standard intervals are assigned in a template saved beforehand. Then, intervals for judgment are compared with the standard intervals assigned in the template, with respect to each bit of each bit patterns. A bit pattern in relation to the preliminary data row is identified according to the comparison result, in order to set the preliminary data row with the identified bit pattern.

Abstract: A magnetic head device which suppresses output fluctuation even though the output changes in part of an output waveform from the magnetic head. The magnetic head device includes a magnetic head for reproducing information recorded in a magnetic information recording medium; an amplifier section for amplifying a reproduced signal that the magnetic head has reproduced, by using a gain; an A/D converter section for converting the reproduced signal that has been amplified, to a digital signal, by sampling the signal at predetermined intervals, in order to output the converted digital signal; a signal comparator section for comparing a digital signal output value with a predetermined output criterion value; and a gain control section for adjusting the gain in such a way as to make the output value closer to the output criterion value, in the case where the output value is either greater or smaller than the output criterion value.

Abstract: A method for demodulation where a plurality of preliminary data rows for creating the demodulated data are created according to intervals, each of which is a interval between peaks in a read signal coming from a magnetic head. Each preliminary data row includes first individual data identified according to the intervals, wherein a plurality of bits constitute the first individual data. At the time of creating the preliminary data row, standard intervals are identified for judging a first individual datum to be either “0” or “1”, and the standard intervals are assigned in a template saved beforehand. Then, intervals for judgment are compared with the standard intervals assigned in the template, with respect to each bit of each bit patterns. A bit pattern in relation to the preliminary data row is identified according to the comparison result, in order to set the preliminary data row with the identified bit pattern.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a card reader that can prevent the illegal acquisition of magnetic information recorded on a magnetic stripe, based on an output signal from a pre-head. More specifically described, in a card reader having a card insertion slot for guiding a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe to a transport passage and a pre-head arranged in the vicinity of the card insertion slot for detecting the presence of the magnetic stripe, the pre-head is equipped with a head portion having at least one pair of magnetic cores arranged to be opposite from each other having a magnetic gap between them and coils wound around a pair of the magnetic cores; and a signal different from that of the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic stripe is output from the pre-head.

Abstract: A magnetic data read circuit includes a differentiation circuit and an integration circuit which are individually connected to a magnetic head, and a means of read judgment for pass/fail judgment on reading operation of magnetic data detected at the magnetic head. The read judgment means has first and second storage sections in which data relating to an output signal of the differentiation circuit and the integration circuit, respectively, are stored. The read judgment section obtains data from at least one of the first storage section and the second storage section and makes a pass/fail judgment on reading operation of the magnetic data. Such a magnetic data read circuit improves accuracy of reading magnetic data stored in a magnetic recording medium from a single transfer of the magnetic recording medium data.

Abstract: A magnetic data read circuit includes a differentiation circuit and an integration circuit which are individually connected to a magnetic head, and a means of read judgment for pass/fail judgment on reading operation of magnetic data detected at the magnetic head. The read judgment means has first and second storage sections in which data relating to an output signal of the differentiation circuit and the integration circuit, respectively, are stored. The read judgment section obtains data from at least one of the first storage section and the second storage section and makes a pass/fail judgment on reading operation of the magnetic data. Such a magnetic data read circuit improves accuracy of reading magnetic data stored in a magnetic recording medium from a single transfer of the magnetic recording medium data.