Magnetic card reader

A magnetic card reader, which is configured to support reading of magnetic data from a magnetic card having one to three tracks on a magnetic stripe, the magnetic card reader comprising:

• a magnetic head configured to read, from the magnetic card, the magnetic data of each of tracks present on the magnetic stripe;
• a single demodulation circuit configured to produce, based on the magnetic data, a single common card running signal obtained by ORing card running signals of the tracks present on the magnetic stripe, first to third clock signals of the three tracks present on the magnetic stripe, and first to third data signals of the three tracks present on the magnetic stripe;
• a card running signal generation circuit configured to generate, by using the single common card running signal and one of the first to third clock signals of a specific track, an individual card running signal of the specific track present on the magnetic stripe, and generate, by using the single common card running signal and two of the first to third clock signals of remaining two tracks, a combined card running signal which is common to card running signals of the remaining two tracks present on the magnetic stripe;
• and
• a data analysis processing unit configured to determine presence or absence of a track on the magnetic stripe based on presence or absence of the individual card running signal and the combined card running signal and to perform processing of analyzing the data signal only for the track determined to be present on the magnetic stripe.