Control method of card reader and card reader

A control method of a card reader, the card reader comprising a metal sensor for detecting an IC chip that detects an IC chip on a card inserted into a card insertion slot, an IC contact block that performs a communication operation with the IC chip, a card conveying passage that extends from the card insertion slot through an IC chip detection position of the metal sensor for detecting an IC chip and a communication position of the IC contact block in this order, and a conveyance mechanism that conveys the card in a first direction from the card insertion slot toward the communication position and in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the card conveying passage, when the IC chip is detected based on a signal from the metal sensor for detecting an IC chip, the card is conveyed in the first direction by the conveyance mechanism to be subjected to the communication operation at the communication position, and the card is then conveyed in the second direction to be ejected from the card insertion slot, the method further comprising:

• at a predetermined timing set in advance, regardless of whether the IC chip is detected, conveying the card inserted into the card insertion slot in the first direction to be subjected to the communication operation at the communication position and then conveying the card in the second direction to be ejected from the card insertion slot, and
• when communication between the IC contact block and the IC chip is successful in the communication operation but the IC chip is not detected based on a signal from the metal sensor for detecting an IC chip, determining that an abnormality occurs in the magnetic sensor.

A card reader comprising for use with a card having a magnetic stripe, the card reader comprising:

• a card detector structured to detect insertion of the card into a card insertion slot;
• a magnetic sensor structured to detect a magnetic stripe that detects on the card inserted into the card insertion slot;
• a magnetic head structured to perform a magnetic processing operation that is at least one of reading magnetic information from the magnetic stripe and writing magnetic information in the magnetic stripe;
• a card conveying passage that extends from the card insertion slot through a magnetic stripe detection position of the magnetic sensor a magnetic processing position of the magnetic head in this order;
• a conveyance mechanism structured to convey the card in a first direction from the card insertion slot toward the magnetic processing position and in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the card conveying passage;
• a storage unit;
• a magnetic stripe detection unit structured to detect whether the card has the magnetic stripe based on a signal from the magnetic sensor;
• a first conveyance control unit structured such that, when insertion of the card into the card insertion slot is detected and the magnetic stripe detection unit detects the magnetic stripe, the conveyance mechanism is driven to convey the card in the first direction to cause the card to pass through the magnetic processing position and then convey the card in the second direction to eject the card from the card insertion slot;
• a second conveyance control unit structured such that, when insertion of the card into the card insertion slot is detected at a predetermined timing set in advance, the conveyance mechanism is driven, regardless of whether the magnetic stripe detection unit detects the magnetic stripe, to convey the card in the first direction to cause the card to pass through the magnetic processing position and then convey the card in the second direction to eject the card from the card insertion slot;
• a magnetic head control unit structured to drive the magnetic head to perform the magnetic processing operation on the card passing through the magnetic processing position;
• a determination storage unit structured to determine whether the card has the magnetic stripe based on a signal from the magnetic head in the magnetic processing operation, and store and hold a determination result in the storage unit;
• and
• an abnormality determination unit structured to determine that an abnormality occurs in the magnetic sensor when the magnetic stripe detection unit does not detect the magnetic stripe in a state where the determination result that the card has the magnetic stripe is stored in the storage unit.

A card reader comprising for use with a card comprising an IC chip, the card reader comprising:

• a card detector structured to detect insertion of a card into a card insertion slot;
• a metal sensor structured to detect an IC chip on the card inserted into the card insertion slot;
• an IC contact block structured to perform a communication operation with the IC chip;
• a card conveying passage that extends from the card insertion slot through an IC chip detection position of the metal sensor for detecting an IC chip and a communication position of the IC contact block in this order;
• a conveyance mechanism structured to convey the card in a first direction from the card insertion slot toward the communication position and in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the card conveying passage;
• a storage unit;
• an IC chip detection unit structured to detect the IC chip based on a signal from the metal sensor for detecting an IC chip;
• a first conveyance control unit structured to, when insertion of the card into the card insertion slot is detected and the IC chip detection unit detects the IC chip, drive the conveyance mechanism to convey the card in the first direction to cause the card to pass through the communication position and then convey the card in the second direction to eject the card from the card insertion slot;
• a second conveyance control unit structured to, when insertion of the card into the card insertion slot is detected at a predetermined timing set in advance, drive the conveyance mechanism regardless of whether the IC chip detection unit detects the IC chip to convey the card in the first direction to cause the card to pass through the communication position and then convey the card in the second direction to eject the card from the card insertion slot;
• an IC contact block control unit structured to drive the IC contact block to perform the communication operation with the IC chip and obtains a communication result whether communication is successful;
• a communication result storage unit structured to store and hold a communication result whether communication is successful in the storage unit;
• and
• an abnormality determination unit structured to determine that an abnormality occurs in the metal sensor for detecting an IC chip when the IC chip detection unit does not detect the IC chip in a state where the communication result that the communication is successful is stored in the storage unit.