Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Masanobu Katsumura

Takanori Muranaka

Tsutomu Harada

Hidekazu Hata

Kazutaka Sakamoto

Hitoshi Shimaoka

Shinji Arase

Makoto Yonemura

Shigeki Maeda

A card reader has a main body and a card reader unit provided within the main body for executing at least one of recording and reproducing data on a card inserted in the card reader unit. A first communication unit is provided within the main body for executing at least one of inputting and outputting a signal, a power supply unit is provided within the main body for supplying electric power to each unit, and a controller is provided within the main body for controlling each unit. An accessory device can be removably attached to the main body for having at least one of the functions among a printing function, a data communicating function and a display function. A second communication unit is provided within the accessory device for having at least one of the functions of receiving a signal from the first communication unit and sending a signal to the first communication unit.

Card reader

When a visible image on a printing area of a rewritable recording medium is erased by an erase head, a control unit and an erasing control device, respectively, control the electric current supplied to the erase head, based on a power supply pattern recorded in a storage device and a temperature information from a first temperature detecting device for measuring the ambient temperature.

Rewritable medium recording apparatus

A portable card reader is provided which reads data stored in a card inserted thereinto and/or records given data on the card. The card reader includes upper and lower casings which are pivotably supported so that they are opened to expose a card feeding path defined in the card reader for facilitating easy removal of the card if jammed. The card reader also includes a memory for storing therein the data read out of the card and an input/output terminal for establishing data communication with an external device such as a computer.

Card reader with pivoting casing

Growing community of inventors

Kumamoto, Japan

Masanobu Katsumura