JPH0234075B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for inspecting an ID card when manufacturing an ID card incorporating an IC module into a credit card, identification card, or the like.

In recent years, ID cards have been used in many fields such as credit cards, bank cards, driver's licenses, and identification cards, but in the past, data was written magnetically in order to be automatically verified by terminals. However, magnetically written data can be demagnetized or changed by nearby magnets or alternating magnetic fields, and it is also easy to read, so it can be forged or forged.
Some of them were easily tampered with and lacked security and reliability. Recently, attempts have been made to manufacture ID cards with built-in IC circuits to improve safety and reliability.

However, the data written on an ID card is of course different for each individual, and is written by the ID card issuer (for example, the bank for a bank card), so the ID card manufacturer Cannot be written to. Manufacturers write data that identifies individuals in a ROM (this state is called a "blank state").
The card is sold as an ID card (including the state where it is written on the circuit), and the purchaser (bank, etc.) writes various necessary data including identification onto it and uses it as an ID card. In this way, ID
As an IC circuit for a card, a PROM circuit must be used instead of a ROM for identification data.

On the other hand, it is usually known in various fields
PROM circuits are erased using ultraviolet light, so a transparent window made of quartz glass or the like is provided on the top of the package.

On the other hand, in order to prevent tampering, forgery, and tampering with ID cards, it is desirable that the positions of the IC circuits and external terminals in the ID cards are not visible from the outside. Therefore, in appearance
It is undesirable to provide a transparent erasing window that would obscure the position of the IC circuit, and the front and back sides of the IC circuit are covered with an opaque layer. Therefore, written data cannot be erased by ultraviolet light.

Therefore, the manufacturer's inspection method has been forced to carry out a sampling inspection as described below, and it has been impossible to carry out a complete inspection. In other words, to test the functionality of an IC circuit, after writing specific data for testing, it is read and compared with the specific data, and the quality of the writing and reading functions is determined based on whether they match. do. However, as mentioned above, the written data cannot be erased, and the manufacturer must leave the memory blank at the time of sale. Therefore, the inspection by writing and reading the specific data as described above cannot be carried out on all products. However, it was not possible to do so, and sampling inspections had to be carried out.

In this way, the reliability of conventional ID cards, which is guaranteed only by sampling inspection, depends only on the reliability of the IC manufacturing process and module manufacturing process, and it is not necessary to test the reliability of the entire final product. I couldn't. However, the ID card is a bank,
Since it is often used in fields where there is a lot of input/output of money-related data such as credit cards, where errors in written data must not occur at all, 100% inspection is necessary. In spite of this, conventional products have the disadvantage that 100% inspection cannot be carried out for the reasons mentioned above, and it is extremely difficult to guarantee the reliability of the product.

The present invention performs a write/read function test on all products, then erases non-defective products with X-rays or β-rays, and then tests whether complete erasure has been performed, thereby eliminating the above-mentioned conventional method. The purpose of this invention is to provide an ID card inspection method that can remove defects and inspect all products, thereby significantly increasing product reliability.

The present invention provides a method for inspecting an ID card in which an EPROM circuit is covered with an opaque layer, in which specific data is written in the EPROM circuit, and then the written data is read and compared with the specific data. After determining the quality of the writing/reading function and selecting a non-defective product, the data written on the non-defective product is erased using X-rays or β-rays, and then read again to ensure that the written data is completely erased. This is an ID card inspection method characterized by determining that the card is a good product.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the figure, S is a system control unit, 1 is an ID card sending mechanism, 2 is an appearance inspection mechanism, 3 is a writing/reading verification function inspection mechanism, 4 is an erasing mechanism, 5 is an erasure confirmation mechanism, 6 is a sorting mechanism,
7 is a conveyor.

The feeding mechanism 1 includes a tray 9 that stores an ID card 8 of a completed product with a built-in EPROM circuit;
It has a feeder 10 that pushes out ID cards 8 one by one from the lower end and supplies them to the conveyor 7. 1a is a sending control unit. Appearance inspection mechanism 2
The apparatus is equipped with video cameras 11 and 12, and has a visual inspection control unit 13. The write/read verification function testing mechanism 3 includes a probe unit 14 and a data write confirmation control unit 15. The probe unit 14 repeatedly advances, ascends, retreats, and descends as shown by the arrow, descends onto the ID card 8, contacts it at position A, and displays the ID card.
As the card 8 moves, the probe unit 14 also moves, and during that time, the EPROM installed in the probe unit is connected to the external terminal.
Write predetermined data for testing into the circuit. The data written before the probe unit 14 reaches position B is read and compared with predetermined data. If the data is the same, it is determined to be a good product and the product is transferred to the next step, and if it is different, it is removed as a defective product. The probe unit 14 rises at position B and returns to position A again. If there are a plurality of probe units 14, inspection can be performed continuously.

The erasure mechanism 4 consists of an X-ray erasure control unit 16 and an X-ray irradiator 18 installed in a lead partition wall 17, and is designed to irradiate only the IC portion of the ID card 8 with X-rays to erase data. ing. Instead of X-rays, beta-rays, gamma-rays, deep ultraviolet radiation, or other radiation that can penetrate the plastic layer of the card, erase the EPROM, and do not destroy the circuitry may be used. . Radiation emitted from radioactive substances may also be used. If the strength of the line you are using is too strong, you can weaken it with a filter or the like.

The erasure confirmation mechanism 5 is provided with an erasure confirmation control unit 19 and a probe unit 20 that repeatedly moves forward, upward, backward, and downward as shown by the arrow. The probe unit 20 descends and contacts the ID card 8 at position C, and moves together with it. During the movement, the presence or absence of partially erased data in the EPROM circuit is read, and the write/read verification function inspection mechanism 3 determines that the product is good if all the written data is erased and no data remains, and if any part remains, it is considered a defective product. Then, the next sorting mechanism 6 sorts them into a non-defective tray 21 and a defective tray 22. If there are a plurality of probe units 20, inspection can be performed continuously.

During operation, the ID cards 8 that are fed one by one from the tray 9 onto the conveyor 7 are continuously moved to the right, and the appearance inspection mechanism 2 checks the external dimensions of the front and back sides, the IC terminal position dimensions, and the magnetic stripe. Perform appearance inspection of position dimensions, patterns (design), etc.
When performing a visual inspection of the back surface, a transparent belt is used for the conveyor 8. Alternatively, a mechanism for reversing the cards may be provided. Rejected products are removed and passed products are moved.

A in the write/read verification function inspection mechanism 3
Test data is written at the position, read out and compared and verified up to position B, and those whose written data and read data do not match are rejected as defective products.
Transfer only good products.

The erasing mechanism 4 irradiates the IC portion with X-rays to erase data.

The erasure confirmation mechanism 4 reads the data through the external terminal, and the write/read verification function inspection mechanism 3 determines that the written data is good if it has been completely erased, and if there is any remaining data, it is classified as defective by the sorting mechanism 6. It's becoming like that.

According to the present invention, for the total number of product ID cards,
We provide an ID card inspection method that can significantly improve product reliability by performing write/read verification to test the write function, and also perform a test to confirm that the card has been erased and returned to a blank state. It can be done and has extremely great practical effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawing is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Send-out mechanism, 1a... Send-out control unit, 2... Appearance inspection mechanism, 3... Write/read verification function inspection mechanism, 4... Erase mechanism, 5...
...Erasure confirmation mechanism, 6... Sorting mechanism, 7... Conveyor, 8... ID card, 9... Tray, 10...
...Feeder, 11, 12...Video camera, 13...
...Appearance inspection control unit, 14...Probe unit, 15...Data writing confirmation control unit, 16...X-ray erasure control unit, 17...Lead bulkhead, 18...X-ray irradiator, 19...Erasure confirmation control unit, 2
0...Probe unit, 21...Good product tray,
22...Defective product tray.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In the inspection method for ID cards in which the EPROM circuit is covered with an opaque layer,
After writing specific data to said EPROM circuit,
The written data is read and compared with the specific data to determine whether the writing/reading function is good or not, and a non-defective product is selected.
An ID card inspection method characterized in that after erasing using β rays, deep ultraviolet rays, or γ rays, the card is read again and the written data is completely erased, thereby determining that the card is good.