Method of manufacturing card

A method of manufacturing a card, comprising a first step of photographing objects and storing the photographed objects as image data, a second step of storing object data associated with the objects, and a third step of reading out desired image data from the image data and part of the object data corresponding to the desired image data. A step for synthesizing the desired image data and the part of the object data, and printing out the synthesized image and object data on a sheet is included.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a card and, more 
particularly, to a method of manufacturing a card such as an IC card with 
a photograph. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
An employee's portrait is adhered to an IC card with a photograph used for 
managing company employees, and employee data such as employee numbers and 
names are stored in the IC card. 
Such an IC card is manufactured as follows. A face of each employee is 
photographed on a film camera, and a film unloaded from the camera is 
developed, printed, and enlarged A portrait of each employee is printed on 
a peelable print, and this peelable print is filed in a photograph 
register. 
In this case, an employee number and name are also listed together with the 
peelable print in the photograph register. 
The above operations are performed in units of employees. 
On the other hand, an employee register is separately prepared. Data of the 
name, number, and date of birth of each employee are described in this 
employee register. 
When an IC card for a predetermined employee is to be formed while the 
employees' photographs and their name list are managed, the photograph of 
this employee is searched in the photograph register. The searched 
photograph is adhered to a transparent sheet. 
Data such as the name, number, and date of birth of this employee are also 
searched in the employee register and are typed on another sheet serving 
as an IC card base. 
These two sheets are transferred to a card manufacturing process. In this 
process, these two sheets overlap still another sheet, interposing an IC 
module therebetween. These three sheets are heat-pressed to obtain an IC 
card. 
The employee data such as the name, number, and the like of this employee 
are written in the IC module in the IC card by a data write-in unit. 
Another card manufacturing method is described in Published Unexamined 
Japanese Patent Application No. 63-120696. 
According to this card manufacturing method, an ID (identification) card is 
manufactured from laminated plastic sheets, and a portrait embedded in the 
plastic sheets. 
In a card in which a portrait is embedded in plastic sheets, the portrait 
is separated from the plastic sheets when the plastic sheets receive an 
excessive force and are bent. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of 
manufacturing a card, which allows the manufacture of a high-strength card 
with excellent operability without any operation errors. 
In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, there is 
provided a method of manufacturing a card, comprising the steps of 
photographing a plurality of objects and storing the photographed objects 
as image data, storing object data associated with the objects, reading 
out desired image data from the image date and part of the object data 
corresponding to the desired image data, and synthesizing the desired 
image data and the part of the object data on a base sheet, thereby 
performing data editing. 
According to the above method, preparation of a photograph register and 
adhesion of photographs can be eliminated to facilitate the card 
manufacturing operations. In addition, when portraits of employees are 
collated with their data, image data are not erroneously identified with 
wrong employee data Input errors of employee data can also be minimized. 
Only one operator who operates both a data input personal computer and a 
data editing computer can manufacture a card. Furthermore, separation 
between a photograph and a card base can be prevented.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail 
with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of the present invention. 
A card manufacturing method of this embodiment consists of a photographing 
process A, a data storage process B, and a data editing process C. 
The photographing process A is performed using a floppy disk camera 1. This 
floppy disk camera 1 is an apparatus using a floppy disk as a recording 
medium. The floppy disk camera 1 comprises an image pickup device such as 
a CCD image sensor. 
The floppy disk camera 1 converts a light signal input to the image pickup 
device through an optical system such as a zoom lens into an electrical 
signal. The floppy disk camera 1 stores image data in a floppy disk 
incorporating in a magnetic disk. 
The floppy disk camera 1 can pick up a still image. The floppy disk camera 
1 can store several tens of image data in one floppy disk. 
A reproduction scheme of the floppy disk camera 1 complies with a high-band 
scheme. A video signal of the floppy disk camera 1 complies with an NTSC 
(National Television System Committee) color scheme and an EIA 
(Electronics Industries Association) standard scheme. 
The floppy disk camera 1 is connectable to, e.g., a VTR, a liquid crystal 
television set, and a monitor television set. The floppy disk camera 1 is 
connectable also to a wordprocessor or a personal computer through an 
interface. 
In the photographing process A, an image data floppy disk 2 is inserted 
into the floppy disk camera 1 and stores a photographed object, e.g., 
portrait image data of an employee 3 as image data. Portraits of employees 
are photographed by the floppy disk camera 1, and data of these portraits 
are stored in the image data floppy disk 2. 
The data storage process B comprises a data input personal computer 4. The 
data input personal computer 4 comprises a computer body 6 including a 
CPU, an internal memory, and a keyboard 5, and a plasma display unit 7. 
FIG. 2 shows an arrangement of a control section 8 of the data input 
personal computer 4. In this control section 8, a ROM 9, a RAM 10, an 
interrupt controller 11, a DMA controller 12, a timer 13, a real-time 
clock 14, and a kanji ROM 15 are connected to a CPU 17 through a bus 16. 
A display controller 18 for controlling the plasma display unit 7, a floppy 
disk controller 20 for controlling a 3.5" floppy disk drive (3.5" FDD) 19, 
and a printer controller 21 are connected to the CPU 17 through the bus 
16. 
A keyboard controller 22 for controlling the keyboard 5 and a hard disk 
controller 24 for controlling a 3.5" hard disk drive (3.5" HDD) 23 are 
also connected to the CPU 17 through the bus 16. 
In the data input personal computer 4, a data floppy disk 25 is inserted 
into the 3.5" FDD 19 arranged in the computer body 6. 
In the data input personal computer 4, employee data as object data such as 
the name, number, and date of birth of each employee are input through the 
keyboard 5 and are stored in the data floppy disk 25. 
The data common to all of the employees, such as agreement, calculation 
formula, etc. can be located in the employee data. 
The employee data are stored in files of the data floppy disk 25 in units 
of employees. A database as a set of individual data of the employees is 
created in the data floppy disk 25. 
FIG. 3 shows a storage structure of the database created in the data floppy 
disk 25. 
Of all bytes of the data floppy disk 25, first 128 bytes are used as a 
header for storing entries and the like, and second 128 bytes are used for 
storing names of items and the like. 
The remaining storage area is divided in units of 128 bytes, and a 
plurality of data portions which store the employee data in units of 
employees are formed. Each data portion includes five item data areas 
corresponding to the respective names of items. A registration floppy disk 
number area and a registration film number area are formed in each item 
data area. 
A total number of bytes of the data floppy disk 25 is represented by 
256+128.times.(2+n) [bytes], where n is the number of registered entries, 
i.e., the number of employees stored in one data floppy disk 25. 
The data editing process C is performed using a data editing computer 26 
shown in FIG. 1. This data editing computer 26 is connected to an image 
data readout unit 28 through an A/D converter 27. The data editing 
computer 26 also connects a data floppy disk drive 29, a display unit 30, 
a keyboard 31, and a printer 32. 
A computer having the same control function as that of the data input 
personal computer 4 used in the data storage process B can be used as the 
data editing computer 26. 
That is, it is possible to use a computer of the same type as that of the 
data input computer 4 as the data editing computer 26. In addition, the 
data input personal computer 4 may also serve as the data editing computer 
26. 
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the relationship between a control section 33 
of the data editing computer 26 and a control section 34 of the image date 
readout unit 28. 
In this embodiment, since a control section similar to the data input 
personal computer 4 is used as the control section 33 of the data editing 
computer 26, the control section 33 of the data editing computer 2 is 
schematically illustrated. 
The control sections 33 and 34 are connected through adapters 35 and 36. 
The control section 34 of the image date readout unit 28 is connected to a 
CPU 37 in the control section 33 of the data editing computer 26. 
In the control section 34 of the image date readout unit 28, a frame memory 
38, an image processor 39, a color monitor controller 41 connected to a 
14" color monitor 40, and an ITV (Industrial Television) controller 43 
connected to a floppy disk camera 1 and an NTSC decoder 42 are connected 
to the adapter 36 through a bus 44. 
The control section 34 of the image readout unit 28 input the signal 
outputted from the frame memory 38, the image processor 39, the color 
monitor controller 41, and the ITV controller 43, to the control section 
33 of the data editing computer 26. 
In the data editing process C, the data editing computer 26 receives 
various image data from the image data readout unit 28 and individual 
employee data from the data floppy disk drive 29. The data editing 
computer 26 displays image data and employee data on the display unit 30. 
The data editing computer 26 synthesizes desired image and employee data 
displayed and selected on the display unit and lays out the synthesized 
data. The data editing computer 26 has print-out function for sending the 
image data and the employee data to the printer 32 and printing the sent 
data on a sheet 45 at the printer 32. 
In the manufacturing method having the above processes, in the 
photographing process A, the portraits of the respective employees are 
picked up by the floppy disk camera 1, and image data of the portraits are 
stored in the image data floppy disk 2. The image data floppy disk 2 is 
unloaded from the floppy disk camera 1 and is inserted into the image data 
readout unit 28. 
In the data storage process B, the employee data of the respective 
employees are stored in the data floppy disk 25 by the data input personal 
computer 4. In this case, film numbers of the image data floppy disk 2 are 
also stored in the data floppy disk 25. 
That is, as indicated on to the right side in FIG. 3, e.g., "employee 
number", "name", "birth" (date of birth), "division", and "extension" are 
stored in the data floppy disk 25 as item name of the names of first to 
fifth items. The first to fifth item data of the first data portion store 
"8907890", "TARO TOKYO", "89.1.1", "patent division", "110", "1", and "1". 
Individual employee data are similarly stored from the second data portion 
in units of 128 bytes. 
The data floppy disk 25 is then unloaded from the data input personal 
computer 4 and is inserted into the data floppy disk drive 29. 
FIG. 5 shows a flow of data synthesis performed in the data editing process 
C. 
In the data editing process C, when an editing command is input from the 
keyboard 31, the data editing computer 26 reads out image data from the 
image data readout unit 28 (step a1). 
Image extraction (step a2), size adjustment (step a3), and position 
adjustment (step a4) are performed. The data editing computer 26 reads out 
employee data from the data floppy disk drive 29 (steps a5 and a6). 
Assume that an IC card of an employee having an employee number "8907890" 
is manufactured. The data editing computer 26 reads the first image data 
of the plurality of image data stored in the image data floppy disk 2 and 
loads the first file corresponding to the image data from a plurality of 
employee data stored in the data floppy disk 25. The data editing computer 
26 synthesizes the first image data and the first employee data. 
When the data editing computer 26 reproduces n image data of the image data 
floppy disk as in the case of the first image data, it loads the 
corresponding n files from the individual data. 
The data editing computer 26 synthesizes n image data and n employee data. 
When the image data displayed on the display unit 30 does not coincide with 
the employee data, the data editing computer 26 judges the continuation 
(step a8). The data editing computer 26 selects and updates the data read 
out from the image data readout unit 28 and the data floppy disk drive 29 
in accordance with an instruction input at the keyboard 31. 
When image data coincides with employee data, data synthesis processing is 
ended, and the data editing computer 26 sends both the data to the printer 
32. The data editing computer 26 causes the printer 32 to print out the 
image and employee data at predetermined positions of the sheet 45. 
In this manner, a card having specific employee data and his/her portrait 
can be obtained. 
In the first embodiment described above, a plurality of employees are 
photographed, and their portraits are stored as image data. Employee data 
of the respective employees are stored independently of the image data. 
Desired image and employee data of these image and employee data ar 
synthesized under the control of the computer, and the synthesized data is 
printed out on the sheet 45. 
As compared with the conventional method which requires formation of a 
photograph register and adhesion of a photograph with a paste, the card 
manufacturing operations can be greatly facilitated. No operation errors 
occur when a portrait of an employee is collated with employee data. 
In addition, input errors for employee data can be greatly reduced. A card 
can be manufactured by one operator who operates the data input personal 
computer 4 and the data editing computer 26. 
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with 
reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The same reference numerals as in the first 
embodiment denote the same parts in the second embodiment, and a detailed 
description thereof will be omitted. 
This card manufacturing method consists of a photographing process A, a 
data storage process B, a data editing process C, a card forming process 
D, and a data write-in process E. The operations from the photographing 
process A to the data editing process C are the same as those in the first 
embodiment. In the data editing process C, a printer 32 prints out image 
data and employee data on a white polyvinyl chloride sheet 51. 
The white polyvinyl chloride sheet 51 printed with the image data and the 
employee data is conveyed to the card forming process D. In the card 
forming process D, the white polyvinyl chloride sheet 51 is placed on a 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 52 so as to interpose an IC module 53 serving as 
a data storage medium therebetween. The white polyvinyl chloride sheet 51 
and the polyvinyl chloride sheet 52 are heat-pressed to form an integral 
body. 
The white polyvinyl chloride sheet 51 may be constituted by a plurality of 
sheets including the IC module 53. 
The formed IC card is transferred to the data write-in process E. The data 
write-in process E is performed using a data write-in unit 54. 
FIG. 7 shows an arrangement of a control section 55 of the data write-in 
unit 54. 
In the control section 55, a RAM 56, a ROM 57, a floppy disk controller 59 
connected to a 3.5" FDD 58, and an IC module write-in head controller 61 
connected to an IC module write-in head 60 are connected to a CPU 63 
through a bus 62. 
The data write-in unit 54 receives a IC card formed in the card forming 
process D and a data floppy disk 25 prepared in the data storage process 
B. Employee data corresponding to the employee number "8907890" is read 
out from the data floppy disk 25 and is stored in the IC card memory. 
An IC card on which the portrait and employee data which correspond to the 
employee number "8907890" are printed and which stores the corresponding 
employee data is formed. 
In the second embodiment described above, a plurality of employees are 
photographed, and their portraits are stored as image data. The employee 
data of the respective employees are stored independently of the image 
data. Desired image and employee data of these image and employee data are 
synthesized under the control of the computer, and the synthesized data is 
printed out on the white polyvinyl chloride sheet 51. 
The IC module is sandwiched between the white polyvinyl chloride sheet 51 
and another polyvinyl chloride sheet to form an IC card with a photograph 
and characters. Employee data is stored in the corresponding IC module. 
An IC card with a photograph and characters can be formed with the same 
effect as in the first embodiment. 
The third embodiment of the present invention will be described with 
reference to FIG. 8. The same reference numerals as in the first and 
second embodiments denote the same parts in the third embodiment, and a 
detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
A card manufacturing method of this embodiment consists of a photographing 
process A, a data storage process B, a data editing process C, a white 
card forming process D, and a data printing/storing process E. Operations 
from the photographing process A to the data editing process C are the 
same as those of the first embodiment. 
The data editing process C includes data editing computer 26 and a write-in 
unit 71. 
FIG. 9 shows a connecting relationship of a data write-in unit 71. 
The data write-in unit 71 is connected to an 8" FDD controller 71a and is 
connected to a CPU 37 in a control section 33 of the editing computer 26 
through a control section 34 in a display unit 30. 
The data write-in unit 71 performs write access of data in the 8" floppy 
disk. A data write-in unit obtained by including the same control section 
as the control section 55 of the data write-in unit 54 of the second 
embodiment can be used as the data write-in unit 71. 
The data processing computer 26 has a function of causing the data write-in 
unit 71 to write the synthesized image and employee data as surface 
printing data in a surface printing floppy disk 72 upon completion of data 
synthesis processing. 
In the white card forming process D, a white polyvinyl chloride sheet 73, a 
white polyvinyl chloride sheet 75 having a hole 74, and a white polyvinyl 
chloride sheet 77 having a hole 76 are pressed while an IC module 78 
serving as a data storage medium is inserted into the holes 74 and 76. A 
white card 79 having the IC module 78 is formed. 
The data printing process E is performed using a data printing/storing unit 
80. The data printing/storing unit 80 connects data floppy disk drives 81 
and 82. 
FIG. 10 shows a control section 83 in the data printing/storing unit 80 and 
the data floppy disk drives 81 and 82. 
In the control section 83, a RAM 84, a ROM 85, and a frame memory 86 are 
connected to a CPU 88 through a bus 87. A floppy disk controller 89 
connected to the data floppy disk drives 81 and 82 and an IC module 
write-in head controller 91 connected to an IC module write-in head 90 are 
connected to the CPU 88 through the bus 87. 
A print head controller 93 connected to a print head 92, and an ink sheet 
feeder controller 95 connected to an ink sheet feeder 94 are also 
connected to the CPU 88. 
The data floppy disk drive 81 receives an 8" floppy disk drive, and the 
data floppy disk drive 82 receives a 3.5" floppy disk. 
The data printing/storing unit 80 has a printer function and prints surface 
printing data edited in the data editing process C on the white card 79. 
The data printing/storing unit 80 causes the IC module 78 to store 
employee data stored in the data floppy disk 25 in the data storage 
process B. 
In the data editing process C of the manufacturing method consisting of the 
above processes, when image data coincides with employee data and data 
synthesis processing is completed, the data editing computer 26 sends the 
image and employee data to the data write-in unit 71. 
The data write-in unit 71 causes the surface printing floppy disk 72 to 
store the synthesized image and employee data. The surface printing floppy 
disk 72 is inserted into the data floppy disk drive 81. 
In the white card forming process D, the white polyvinyl chloride sheets 
73, 75, and 77 are pressed, and at the same time, the IC module 78 is 
inserted into the holes 74 and 76 to form the white card 79. This white 
card 79 is set in the data printing/storing unit 80. 
In the data printing/storing process E, the surface printing floppy disk 72 
is inserted into the data floppy disk drive unit 81, the data floppy disk 
25 is inserted into the data floppy disk drive 82, and the white card 79 
is set. The data printing/storing apparatus 80 reads out surface printing 
data from the surface printing floppy disk 72 and prints it on the white 
card 79. The data printing/storing unit 80 reads out employee data from 
the data floppy disk 25 and stores it in the IC module 78. 
As a result, an IC card 96 with a photograph can be formed. 
In the third embodiment, the desired image and employee data are read out 
and synthesized under the control of the computer, and the surface 
printing data consisting of a desired employee are printed on the white 
card 79. At the same time, this employee data is stored in the IC module 
78. 
As compared with the conventional method requiring formation of a 
photograph register and adhesion of a photograph, the card manufacturing 
operations can be greatly facilitated. No operation errors between the 
image data and the employee data occur in collation between portraits and 
employee data. 
In addition, errors in employee data inputs can be greatly reduced, and a 
card can be manufactured by one operator who operates the data input 
personal computer 4 and the data editing computer 26. 
The fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with 
reference to FIG. 11. The same reference numerals as in the first to third 
embodiments denote the same parts in the fourth embodiment, and a detailed 
description thereof will be omitted. 
This card manufacturing method consists of a photographing process A, a 
data storage process B, a data editing process C, a card forming process 
D, and a data write-in process E. 
In the data write-in process E, a data printing/storing unit 80 is 
connected to a display unit 101. The data printing/storing unit 80 has a 
function of storing employee data stored in the data storage process B in 
an IC module 78, reading out the employee data from the IC module 78, and 
displaying the readout data on the display unit 101. The data 
printing/storing unit 80 has a function of printing on a white card 79 
surface printing data corresponding to the employee data displayed on the 
display unit 101. 
According to the fourth embodiment, in addition to the effect of the third 
embodiment, a correspondence between the surface printing data and the 
employee data can be checked. In addition, data editing operations which 
require a longer time than other processes can be performed independently 
of the manufacturing process, thereby reducing the manufacturing time. 
In the data editing process C, employee data corresponding to the employee 
number "8907890" may be read out from the data floppy disk drive 29 and 
the film number of the image data floppy disk may also be read out from 
the image data readout unit 28. The readout data may be synthesized, and 
the synthesized data may be displayed on the display unit 101. 
The fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with 
reference to FIGS. 12a and 12b. The same reference numerals as in the 
previous embodiments denote the same parts in the fifth embodiment, and a 
detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
A card manufacturing method of this embodiment consists of a photographing 
process A, a data storage process B, a data editing process C, a printing 
process D, a card forming process E, and a data write-in process F. 
The data editing process C is performed using a data editing computer 111. 
The data editing computer 111 is connected to an image data readout unit 
28 through an A/D converter 27. The data editing computer 111 is also 
connected to a data floppy disk drive 29, a CRT display unit 112, and a 
keyboard 31. 
The data editing computer 111 is connected to a printer 113 used in the 
printing process D. 
The data editing computer 111 has the same functions as those (FIG. 2) of 
the data input personal computer 4 and the data editing computer 26. 
The data editing computer 111 receives each image data from the image data 
readout unit 28 and each employee data from the data floppy disk drive 29, 
and displays these image and employee data on the CRT display unit 112. 
The data editing computer 111 synthesizes the image and employee data and 
generates print data. 
FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram of the printer 113. 
A print head 114 and a print head controller 115, an ink sheet feeder 116, 
and an ink sheet feeder controller 117 are connected to a CPU 119 through 
a bus 118. 
A frame memory 120, and an image data input/output controller 123 connected 
to input and output terminals 121 and 122 are connected to the CPU 119 
through the bus 118. 
The printer 113 employs a sublime dye heat transfer line printing scheme. 
The printer 113 combines Y, M and C components (Yellow, Magenta, and 
Cyanine) to set a desired gray scale level. 
The printer 113 comprises input terminals corresponding to a standard NTSC 
composite video signal, a Y/C separation composite video signal, an 
RGB-TTL signal, an RGB-analog signal, and a parallel data interface. 
The printer 113 comprises output terminals corresponding to a standard NTSC 
composite video signal, a Y/C separation composite video signal, an 
RGB-TTL signal, and an RGB-analog signal. 
The printer 113 is sent the generated print data from the data editing 
computer 111. 
The printer 113 has the CPU 119 independent from the data editing computer 
111, and data processing by the data editing computer 111 is performed 
without interruption by data processing by the printer 113. 
In the printing process D, the printer 113 transfers the print data to a 
transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124, thus printing the print data 
thereon. 
Note that the print data is printed on the lower surface of the transparent 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 124 and can be visually recognized from the upper 
surface of the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124 through the 
transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124. 
In the card forming process E, the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124 
having data printed by the printer 113, a white polyvinyl chloride sheet 
125 having common characters, symbols and decorative lines, a white 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 127 having a hole 126, and a transparent 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 129 having a hole 128 are pressed while an IC 
module 130 is inserted in the holes 126 and 128. 
The transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124 is bonded to a card body 131 
consisting of three other sheets 125, 127, and 129, and the print data are 
synthesized with common card design in a desired layout. Therefore, an IC 
card 132 having the four sheets 124, 125, 127, and 129 as base materials 
is formed. 
The data write-in process F is performed using a data write-in unit 133. 
The data write-in unit 133 comprises a data write-in personal computer 134 
and a card insertion unit 135. 
The data write-in unit 133 inserts the IC card 132 prepared in the card 
forming process E into the card insertion unit 13 and inserts into the 
data write-in personal computer 134 a data floppy disk 25 which stores 
each employee data in the data storage process B. 
The data write-in unit 133 reads out from the data floppy disk 25 the 
employee data corresponding to the IC card 132 inserted into the card 
insertion unit 135. The readout employee data is displayed on, e.g., a 
display unit 136 and is stored in the IC module 13 incorporated in the IC 
card 132. 
In the data editing process C of the manufacturing method consisting of the 
above processes, when data is input from the keyboard 31, the data editing 
computer 111 reads out image and employ data as in the previous 
embodiments and displays the readout data on the CRT display unit 112. 
When the image and employee data displayed on the CRT display unit 112 do 
not coincide with each other, the data editing computer 111 judges the 
continuation (step a8), as described with reference to FIG. 5. The data 
editing computer 111 selects and updates the data read out from the image 
data readout unit 28 and the data floppy disk drive 29. 
When the image and employee data coincide with each other, the data editing 
computer 111 sends both the data as print data to the printer 113. 
In the printing process D, the print data is transferred to a predetermined 
position on the lower surface of the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 
124 by the printer 113 and is thus printed out. 
In the card forming process E, the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 
124, the white polyvinyl chloride sheets 125 and 127, and the transparent 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 129 are pressed, and at the same time, the IC 
module 130 is inserted into the holes 126 and 128. The transparent 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 124 is formed integrally with the card body 131 
consisting of three other sheets 125, 127, and 129. 
At this time, the print data printed on the transparent polyvinyl chloride 
sheet 124 is combined with the common card design drawn on the next white 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 125. The IC card 132 is thus formed, and the 
synthesized print data and the common card design can be visually observed 
through the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124. 
The IC card 132 is fed to the data write-in process F. The IC card 132 is 
inserted and set in the card insertion unit 135 in the data write-in unit 
133. In this data write-in process F, the data floppy disk 25 is inserted 
into the data write-in personal computer 134. 
The data write-in unit 133 reads out from the data floppy disk 25 to the 
display unit 136 the employee data corresponding to the print data written 
in the IC card 132. The data write-in unit 133 sends the employee data to 
the card insertion unit 135 and writes it in the IC module 130 
incorporated in the IC card 132. 
As a result, the IC card 132 having the specific employee data stored 
therein and a portrait is obtained. 
In this fifth embodiment, the image data representing the portrait of each 
employee is stored, and employee data of each employee is also stored. 
These image and employee data are synthesized in a one-to-one 
correspondence to generate the print data. In addition, the print data is 
printed on the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124, and the sheet 124 
is formed integrally with three other sheets 125, 127, and 129 
constituting the uppermost layer of the IC card. 
The print data printed on the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 124 is 
synthesized with the common card design drawn on the white polyvinyl 
chloride sheet 125 next to the sheet 124 to obtain final design, thereby 
forming the IC card 132. The employee data is then stored in the IC module 
130 incorporated in the card body 131. 
The operations for forming an IC card with a photograph can be greatly 
facilitated, and the image data is not erroneously matched with the 
employee data. The errors in employee data inputs can be greatly reduced. 
An IC card can be formed by one operator who operates both the data input 
personal computer 4 and the data editing computer 111. 
More specifically, formation of the photograph table, collation and 
adhesion of photographs, and data write access, all which are required in 
the conventional apparatus, can be eliminated. Five or six operators are 
required to form 200 IC cards per day with the conventional apparatus. 
According to the above embodiments of the present invention, formation of 
the photograph registers, and collation and adhesion of photographs can be 
omitted, thus greatly reducing labor. 
The sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with 
reference to FIGS. 14a and 14b. The same reference numerals as in the 
previous embodiments denote the same parts in the sixth embodiment, and a 
detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
A card manufacturing method of this embodiment consists of a photographing 
process A, a data storage process B, a data editing process C, a printing 
process D, an identification card forming process E, and a card forming 
process F. 
The data editing process C is performed using a data editing computer 111. 
The data editing computer 111 is connected to an image data readout unit 
28 through an A/D converter 27. The data editing computer 111 also 
connects a data floppy disk drive 29, a CRT display unit 112, and a 
keyboard 31. 
The data editing computer 111 is connected to a printer 113 used in the 
printing process D. 
The data editing computer 111 receives each image data from the image data 
readout unit 28 and each employee data from the data floppy disk drive 29, 
and displays these image and employee data on the CRT display unit 112. 
The data editing computer 111 synthesizes the image and employee data and 
generates print data. The data editing computer 111 sends the generated 
print data to the printer 113. 
In the printing process D, the printer 113 prints out the print data on a 
transfer sheet 141. 
As shown in FIG. 15, the transfer sheet 141 has a multilayered structure 
consisting of a transparent PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sheet 142 and 
a dye applying layer 143 formed on one surface of the transparent sheet 
142 and having a uniform thickness. Thermosetting inks 144 for printing 
print data are applied to the dye applying layer 143 upon print-out at the 
printer 113. 
The following sublime dyes can be used in the inks 144. The inks 144 
contain organic dyes applied to fibers by an appropriate dyeing method. 
Examples of the dye are an azo dye, an anthraquinone dye, an indigoid dye, 
a sulfur dye, and a triphenylmethane dye. 
In the identification card forming process E, the transfer sheet 141 on 
which print data is printed by the printer 113 is overlaid on a print 
sheet 145 consisting of white polyvinyl chloride and printed with common 
card characters and symbols and decorative lines. The surface of the 
transfer sheet 141 having the dye applying layer 143 faces the print sheet 
145, and the inks 144 are brought into contact with the print sheet 145. 
The transfer sheet 141 and the print sheet 145 are performed first 
heat-press. The dye applying layer 143 and the inks 144 are heated and 
welded to the print sheet 145. The dye applying layer 143 and the inks 144 
are separated from the transparent sheet 142 and are transferred to a 
predetermined position on the print sheet 145. The print data consisting 
of the inks 144 are synthesized with the common card design and are 
applied to the print sheet 145. 
The transparent sheet 142 is separated from the dye applying layer 143 and 
the inks 144 and is then separated from the print sheet 145 while the dye 
applying layer 143 and the inks 144 are left on the print sheet 145. 
Therefore, an identification sheet 146 having the print data and the 
common card design thereon is obtained. 
In the card forming process F, the identification sheet 146, a transparent 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 147, a white polyvinyl chloride sheet 148, and a 
transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 149 are overlaid on each other while 
a data storage medium such as an IC module is clamped therein. The four 
sheets 146 to 149 are bonded by second heat-press, and an IC card 150 
having the four sheets 146 to 149 as base materials is formed. 
The data write-in process G is performed using a data write-in unit 133. 
The data write-in unit 133 comprises a data write-in personal computer 134 
and a card insertion unit 135. 
The data write-in unit 133 inserts the IC card 132 formed in the card 
forming process F into the card insertion unit 135 and inserts into the 
data write-in personal computer 134 a data floppy disc 25 which stores the 
employee data in the data storage process B. 
The data write-in unit 133 reads out from the data floppy disk 25 the 
employee data corresponding to the IC card 150 inserted into the card 
insertion unit 135. The readout data is displayed on, e.g., a display unit 
136 and is stored in the IC module incorporated in the IC card 150. 
The IC module is not illustrated. 
In the data editing process C of the manufacturing method consisting of the 
above processes, when data is input from the keyboard 31, the data editing 
computer 111 reads out image and employee data, and the readout data are 
displayed on the CRT display unit 112. 
When the image and employee data displayed on the CRT display unit 112 do 
not coincide with each other, the data editing computer 111 judges 
continuation (step a8) described with reference to FIG. 5. The data 
editing computer 111 selects and updates various data read out from the 
image data readout unit 28 and the data floppy disk drive 29. 
When the image and employee data coincide with each other the data editing 
computer 111 sends both the data to the printer 113. 
In the printing process D, the print data is printed out by the printer 113 
on the transfer sheet 141 having the transparent PET sheet 142. 
The inks 144 are applied to the transparent sheet 142 through the dye 
applying layer 143. 
In the identification sheet forming process E, the transfer sheet 141 
printed with the print data and the print sheet 145 consisting of a white 
polyvinyl chloride sheet and having common card design thereon are 
performed the first heat-press. 
The inks 144 of the transfer sheet 141 are thermally welded and transferred 
to the print sheet 145, and the print data is printed at a predetermined 
position on the print sheet 145. The transparent sheet 142 is peeled, so 
that the print data and the common card design can be formed on the 
identification sheet 146. 
In the card forming process F, the identification sheet 146, the 
transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 147, the white polyvinyl chloride 
sheet 148, and the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 149 are bonded by 
heat-press to form an integral body. In this case, the identification 
sheet 146 serves as the second layer and is covered with the transparent 
polyvinyl chloride sheet 147 serving as the first layer, thus obtaining 
the IC card in which characters and a graphic pattern printed on the 
identification sheet 146 can be seen through the transparent polyvinyl 
chloride sheet 147. 
The IC card 15 is conveyed to the data write process G. The IC card 150 is 
inserted and set in the card insertion unit 135 in the data write-in unit 
133. In the data write-in process G, the data floppy disk 25 is inserted 
into the data write personal computer 134. 
The data write-in unit 133 reads out from the data floppy disk 25 the 
employee data corresponding to the print data written in the IC card 150, 
and the readout data is sent to the display unit 136. The data write-in 
unit 133 sends the employee data to the card insertion unit 135, and the 
employee data is stored in the IC module incorporated in the IC card 150. 
The IC card 150 having a portrait of a specific employee is thus formed. 
The same IC module 130 as in the fifth embodiment may be utilized to 
incorporate the IC module 130 in the IC card 150 in the same method as in 
the fifth embodiment. 
In the sixth embodiment, the image data representing portraits of the 
respective employees are stored, and the individual employee data are also 
stored. The image data is caused to correspond to the employee data to 
generate the print data. 
The print data is printed out on the transfer sheet 141 consisting of the 
PET transparent sheet 142 and the dye applying layer 143, and the inks 144 
representing the print data are applied to the transparent sheet 142 
through the dye applying layer 143. 
The transfer sheet 141 and the print sheet 145 consisting of a white 
polyvinyl chloride are heat-pressed to transfer the inks 144 to the print 
sheet 145, and then the transparent sheet 14 is peeled to form the 
identification sheet 146 having the print data and the common card design 
in a predetermined layout. 
The transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 147, the white polyvinyl chloride 
sheet 148, and the transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet 149 are overlapped 
on each other by using the identification sheet 146 as the second sheet, 
and these four sheets 146 to 149 are secondary heat-pressed to obtain the 
IC card 150. 
The operations for forming the IC card with photographs can be greatly 
facilitated, and the image data is not mismatched with the employee data. 
In addition, errors in employee data inputs can also be greatly reduced. 
More specifically, formation of photograph registers and collation and 
adhesion of photographs, which are required in the conventional apparatus, 
can be eliminated, thereby greatly reducing labor. 
The image data and the employee data must be synthesized to prepare the 
print data, the print data must be printed out, and preliminary pressing 
are required in this embodiment. These operations require a total of only 
two operators, i.e., a data editing computer operator and an operator for 
pressing. 
Since a portrait of an employee is converted into image data, and the image 
data is transferred to the print sheet 145 upon its print-out on the 
transfer sheet 141, the portrait portion can be formed integrally with a 
base (i.e., the identification sheet 146 and the transparent polyvinyl 
chloride sheet 147) with high precision. Damage caused by differences in 
modulus of elasticity of different materials can be prevented. 
The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments 
described above. Various changes and modifications may be made without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
In each embodiment described above, the floppy disk camera 1 using a floppy 
disk as a recording medium is used to form a portrait of each employee. 
However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as 
shown in FIG. 1, an IC card camera 160 using an IC card as a recording 
medium can be used to form a portrait of an employee. 
In this case, write-in/read-out units are required in order to reproduce 
the image taken by the IC card camera 160. Since the arrangement of the 
write-in/read-out units of an IC card camera is generally more simple than 
that of a floppy disk camera, the explanation as well as the drawings 
thereof ar omitted here. 
Any other apparatus may be used if it provides the same effect as the 
floppy disk camera and the IC card camera. 
The method of the present invention is not limited to the method of 
manufacturing an IC card. 
The present invention is also applicable to all types of cards which have 
photographs and character data, and to the manufacture of ID cards. 
The present invention is further applicable to the manufacture of all cards 
for displaying photographs and character data, and all other cards having 
data recording media such as IC modules and magnetic stripes. 
In each embodiment, a material used as the card base is paper or plastics. 
Examples of the plastics are polyvinyl chloride, an acrylic resin, an ABS 
(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), and a liquid crystal polymer.