Registers – Records – Magnetic
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-23
2004-01-27
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
Magnetic
C235S375000, C235S379000, C235S380000, C235S382000, C235S449000, C902S008000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06681996
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a passbook printer, and more particularly to a passbook printer installed at a financial institution and a maintenance method thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When a passbook is inserted into a passbook printer for printing data regarding deposits and savings at a financial institution, in general, the printer operates as follows:
1) a magnetic stripe reading/writing unit reads user account data written in a magnetic stripe provided as a magnetic recording medium stuck to the backside of the passbook;
2) the result of reading is transferred to a host computer;
3) printing is carried out on a specified place of the passbook according to a printing command transferred from the host computer; and
4) data on the magnetic stripe is updated by the reading/writing unit, and then the passbook is ejected.
There are adjusting and setting values, e.g., a printer mechanism adjusting value, a communication speed setting value and so on, which need to be set for each individual printer. Usually, such adjusting and setting values are stored in a nonvolatile memory (NVRAM) mounted on a control board provided to control a printing speed of the printer, and then the printer is shipped. The passbook printer installed at the financial institution executes a printing operation based on the adjusting and setting values stored in the nonvolatile memory.
The control board having the nonvolatile memory mounted thereon needs to be replaced by a new one when it gets out of order. Conventionally, such replacement of the control board has been carried out by entry of setting and adjusting values in the nonvolatile memory mounted on the new control board.
This adjusting value setting operation has occupied a considerable period of time in the overall control board replacing work.
Therefore, it is object of the present invention to provide a passbook printer capable of reducing the burden of reentering adjusting and setting values thereof, and a maintenance method of the passbook printer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a reading/writing unit provided in the passbook printer is utilized to enter the adjusting and setting values.
Specifically, as described above, the passbook printer is provided with a unit for reading/writing data in a magnetic stripe stuck to a passbook. When a control board is replaced, the adjusting and setting values (in this specification, the expression of operation control data is used as a concept including the both) of the passbook printer stored in a memory are written in a separately prepared magnetic stripe by using the reading/writing unit. Then, the operation control data written in the magnetic stripe after the replacement of the control board is read by using the reading/writing unit, and stored in the memory of a new replacement control board.
Therefore, the present invention provides a passbook printer for performing printing on a passbook having a beltlike magnetic recording layer provided therein. In this case, the passbook printer comprises: a memory for storing operation control data used to control an operation of the passbook printer; a magnetic head for executing reading of data from, alternatively writing of data in the beltlike magnetic recording layer provided in the passbook; and a control unit for instructing the magnetic head to read the operation control data from a saving magnetic recording medium when the saving magnetic recording medium storing the operation control unit is received from an external unit, and to store the read the operation control data in the memory.
According to the passbook printer of the present invention, by making use of the magnetic head originally provided in the passbook printer, the operation control data of the passbook printer can be stored temporarily in an external magnetic storage medium, i.e., in the saving magnetic recording medium. After the replacement of the control board, the operation control data stored in the saving magnetic recording medium can be read by the magnetic head, and stored in the memory on a replaced control board. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the burden of complex work placed on a maintenance engineer to enter the operation control data all over again after the replacement of the control board like that in the conventional case.
No particular limitation is placed on the shape of the saving magnetic recording medium of the present invention, and the magnetic stripe stuck to the passbook can be used for such a purpose. In practice, however, since the magnetic stripe by itself cannot be used for the passbook printer, it is desired to use the magnetic stripe in combination with a holder. Accordingly, the present invention provides an operation control data storage medium consisting of a magnetic stripe for storing the operation control data of the printer and a holder for holding the magnetic stripe.
The operation control data of the passbook printer may be changed after its installation at a financial institution. Thus, the passbook printer of the present invention should preferably be provided with operation control data change displaying means for displaying the change of the operation control data from initial setting.
In the passbook printer of the present invention, the control unit should preferably make determination as to whether the operation control data stored in the memory has already been stored in the saving magnetic recording medium provided from the external unit.
The present invention also provides a passbook printer for performing printing on a passbook having a beltlike magnetic recording layer provided therein. In this case, the passbook printer comprises: a magnetic head for executing reading of data from, alternatively writing of data in the beltlike magnetic recording layer; a memory for storing operation control data used to control an operation of the passbook printer; and a control unit for instructing the magnetic head to write the operation control data stored in the memory in a saving magnetic recording medium received from an external unit.
According to the described passbook printer, the operation control data stored in the memory can be written in the saving magnetic recording medium as an externally provided magnetic recording medium before the replacement of the control board. Accordingly, it is possible to store the operation control data in a new replacement memory by using the saving magnetic recording medium after the replacement of the control board.
In the passbook printer of the present invention, it is desired that the control unit makes determination as to whether the operation control data stored in the memory has been changed from initial setting or not, and when determining a change, the control unit instructs writing of the operation control data stored in the memory in the saving magnetic recording medium provided from the external unit.
The saving magnetic recording medium of the present invention is received by the passbook printer as in the case of the passbook. Accordingly, the writing of the operation control data in the saving magnetic recording medium is performed while the saving magnetic recording medium is arranged in a position for executing reading/writing of the data on the passbook.
The foregoing passbook printer of the present invention uses a magnetic recording system as a precondition, but the present invention is not limited to such a recording system. The present invention can be applied as long as the printer includes a unit for reading or writing data from/in a data recording medium provided in a printed matter as a medium for printing. Then, according to the present invention, by using the reading/writing unit, control data regarding the operation of the printer can be read or written from/in the data storage medium outside the printer.
Therefore, in the present invention, a printer is provided for printing a specified item on a predetermined place of a printed matter having an data storage portion. In this case, the printer comprise
Herzberg Louis P.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lee Michael G.
Lee Seung H
LandOfFree
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