A card reader (1) is provided with: a pre-head (50) which detects change in the magnetic field by magnetoresistive elements (21, 22); a voltage applying circuit (23) which applies a voltage to the pre-head (50); and a reference voltage circuit (30) which superimposes a reference voltage (V0) onto the voltage signal (S1) from the pre-head (50); the card reader is also provided with a signal processing circuit (24) which outputs a detection signal (S4) on the basis of the difference between the voltage signal (S1) and the reference voltage V0. Further, the card reader (1) is provided with a coupling capacitor (26) which is inserted between the pre-head (50) and the signal processing circuit (24), and a switching circuit (27) which connects the coupling capacitor (26) and the signal processing circuit (24) at the same time that voltage is applied to the pre-head (50) from the voltage applying circuit (23).

A conveyance mechanism capable of attaining high conveyance performance and protecting a conveyance object and a mechanism itself, a medium processing device and a conveyance method using the conveyance mechanism are provided to solve the problem. The conveyance mechanism includes a conveyance passage which is a passage where a conveyance object is conveyed, a conveyance member moving the conveyance object along the conveyance passage, a motor driving the conveyance member, a control part controlling an output torque of the motor, a conveyance state identifying means identifying a conveyance state that is a position and/or a conveyance direction of the conveyance object in the conveyance passage, and a storage part which upper limit torque information which is an upper limit value of an output torque allowable for the motor or a parameter value required for calculation of the upper limit value is registered for each type of the conveyance state.

A conveyance mechanism capable of attaining high conveyance performance and protecting a conveyance object and a mechanism itself, a medium processing device and a conveyance method using the conveyance mechanism are provided to solve the problem. The conveyance mechanism includes a conveyance passage which is a passage where a conveyance object is conveyed, a conveyance member moving the conveyance object along the conveyance passage, a motor driving the conveyance member, a control part controlling an output torque of the motor, a conveyance state identifying means identifying a conveyance state that is a position and/or a conveyance direction of the conveyance object in the conveyance passage, and a storage part which upper limit torque information which is an upper limit value of an output torque allowable for the motor or a parameter value required for calculation of the upper limit value is registered for each type of the conveyance state.

A conveyance mechanism capable of attaining high conveyance performance and protecting a conveyance object and a mechanism itself, a medium processing device and a conveyance method using the conveyance mechanism are provided to solve the problem. The conveyance mechanism includes a conveyance passage which is a passage where a conveyance object is conveyed, a conveyance member moving the conveyance object along the conveyance passage, a motor driving the conveyance member, a control part controlling an output torque of the motor, a conveyance state identifying means identifying a conveyance state that is a position and/or a conveyance direction of the conveyance object in the conveyance passage, and a storage part which upper limit torque information which is an upper limit value of an output torque allowable for the motor or a parameter value required for calculation of the upper limit value is registered for each type of the conveyance state.

A conveyance mechanism capable of attaining high conveyance performance and protecting a conveyance object and a mechanism itself, a medium processing device and a conveyance method using the conveyance mechanism are provided to solve the problem. The conveyance mechanism includes a conveyance passage which is a passage where a conveyance object is conveyed, a conveyance member moving the conveyance object along the conveyance passage, a motor driving the conveyance member, a control part controlling an output torque of the motor, a conveyance state identifying means identifying a conveyance state that is a position and/or a conveyance direction of the conveyance object in the conveyance passage, and a storage part which upper limit torque information which is an upper limit value of an output torque allowable for the motor or a parameter value required for calculation of the upper limit value is registered for each type of the conveyance state.

A card reader may include a card passage where a card passed; a contact block including IC contact springs; a card insertion detection mechanism; a lock member; a lock member drive mechanism that moves the lock member between a pulling-out prevention position and a pulling-out feasible position; a lock member detection mechanism; and a control unit structured to control the card reader. The lock member may include a pulling-out prevention part. A distance between the front end of the IC card and the pulling-out prevention part may be shorter than a length of the IC card in the moving direction of the IC card. The control unit detects that insertion of the IC card has been completed the IC card has been inserted to the contact position and the lock member is located at the pulling-out prevention position.

A card reader includes a digital connector such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug or an Apple Lightning plug. The digital connector includes a corresponding connector interface, which provides voltage to at least a card reader interface and an integrated circuit (IC) of the card reader. The card reader interface outputs an analog transaction information signal upon reading the card. The IC generates a digital version of the analog transaction information signal, encrypts the digital version, converts that into an analog audio signal. The audio signal can then be sent to the connector interface, which converts it into a digital signal such as a USB or Apple Lightning signal that is sent by the digital connector to a mobile device. Alternately, the audio signal can be sent to a microcontroller that converts the audio signal to a digital format such as USB, and then to the digital connector.

A card reader may include a card passage where a card passed; a contact block including IC contact springs; a card insertion detection mechanism; a lock member; a lock member drive mechanism that moves the lock member between a pulling-out prevention position and a pulling-out feasible position; a lock member detection mechanism; and a control unit structured to control the card reader. The lock member may include a pulling-out prevention part. A distance between the front end of the IC card and the pulling-out prevention part may be shorter than a length of the IC card in the moving direction of the IC card. The control unit detects that insertion of the IC card has been completed the IC card has been inserted to the contact position and the lock member is located at the pulling-out prevention position.

A card reader may include a card slot a card path extending from the card slot and a magnetic head structured to reproduce information in the magnetic recording layer of the card. The card reader may include a first detector structured to detect the card; a second detector structured to detect an edge of the card on an inserting direction side reaching an innermost side of the card path; and a controller. The controller may be configured to continue processing the card when the first detector does not detect the card being inserted to the card slot and the magnetic head detects a magnetic signal or when the first detector does not detect the card being inserted to the card slot and the second detector detects the card reaching the innermost side.

A card reader includes a digital connector such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug or an Apple Lightning plug. The digital connector includes a corresponding connector interface, which provides voltage to at least a card reader interface and an integrated circuit (IC) of the card reader. The card reader interface outputs an analog transaction information signal upon reading the card. The IC generates a digital version of the analog transaction information signal, encrypts the digital version, converts that into an analog audio signal. The audio signal can then be sent to the connector interface, which converts it into a digital signal such as a USB or Apple Lightning signal that is sent by the digital connector to a mobile device. Alternately, the audio signal can be sent to a microcontroller that converts the audio signal to a digital format such as USB, and then to the digital connector.