GB2191029A - Electronic pass - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic ticket or pass (1) has a processor unit 2, a display unit 3, addressable memory 4 and first, second interface 5, 8, respectively. The memory has a first group of memory locations arranged for use to store details of transactions for which the pass has been used. The contents of at least the first group of memory locations only are variable by means of a separate read-write equipment and the first interface, 5. The second interface is a keyboard 8 operable to allow the user to provide through operation of the processor unit, a display on the display unit of the contents of selected locations of the memory including information from the first group of memory locations. The pass is intended for use on a transport system or for permitting access to car park or sports centre. It may be used as a receipt. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electronic pass This invention relates to an electronic pass or ticket.

Known are passes having a memory, which may be in the form of a magnetic field pattern encoded onto a strip of magnetic material on the surface of the pass and which may be read by suitable machines to allow access to certain areas to pass holders only.

Known also are plastic cards with integrated circuits having memory and calculation functions which allow the card to be used for electronic funds transfer or ticket charging. In such a card, the memory of the integrated circuit contains an initial figure which corresponds to the value of the card. Passing such a card into a suitable machine and correctly accessing the memory allows that figure to be decremented and the corresponding figure in the machine to be incremented. Such a process is equivalent to the transfer of funds from the card-holder to the owner of the machine.

It is anticipated, however, that these cards will be of limited practical use, due to mistrust by potential customers.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a pass which may be used for electronic funds transfer, and which will provide a record of all or some transactions made in this way.

The field of public transport is one in which the device of the present invention may be used to great advantage. It is often a legal requirement, and is in any event an important advantage with regard to passenger confidence and fraud elimination, that a receipt be supplied for all journeys made. Thus, the present invention seeks to provide an electronic ticket device which can act as such a receipt, eliminating the need for paper ticketing systems.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an electronic pass or ticket, the pass comprising: a processing unit; a display unit, capable of displaying numeric or alphanumeric characters; a first interface means capable of receiving signals from, and sending signals to, a separate read/write equipment; an addressable memory, comprising a plurality of memory locations, the contents of at least a first group of memory locations of said memory only being variable by means of said read/write equipment and the first interface means; a second interface means, manually operable by a user to enable the user to produce using the processing unit a display on the display unit of the contents of selected memory locations of said memory including information from said first group of memory locations.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a ticket or pass system comprising an electronic ticket or pass and a machine for reading said ticket or pass and/or varying stored contents of said pass, wherein the electronic pass comprises a display, a processing unit, a memory, a machine interface and a manually operable user interface, the pass or ticket being such that the user can, by means of the user interface, display information contained in said memory and such that certain information for display and stored in a said memory can, and can only, be varied by the machine via the machine interface.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of ticketing on a transport service, using a system according to the invention, wherein said electronic ticket can be validated, using said machine, for example as a pass for specific routes or as a ticket for a single journey wherein a stored monetary value is reduced by said machine by an amount corresponding to the cost of said journey, wherein the user can as desired display the journey information, the amount deducted for the journey, and also the reduced monetary value on said display, and wherein said machines are positioned to be used to authorise or control or charge for access to the transport service.

In a development of this third aspect of the present invention, said ticket may have two stored values, a first value being reduced when said ticket is validated, and a second value being reduced, at the same time as a corresponding increase in the first value, only on proof of identity of the ticket holder.

Since in accordance with the invention the pass, which may be in the shape of a card or may be cylindrical, has a display, it is possible to display the contents of at least part of the memory, and as such there may be displayed, for example, the areas or times for which the pass is valid, and the times when decrements to the value of the card have been made and the size of such decrements. This allows the pass to act as an electronic ticket or receipt.

Advantageously, the first interface means will be such that it is capable of transmitting signals to, and receiving signals from, said separate read/write equipment without requiring physical contact with that equipment. In a preferred embodiment, said first interface means comprises two coils, one to transmit signals, and one to receive.

Advantageously also, the second interface means comprises a touch-sensitive keyboard, which may have two, three, four, five or more keys.

The power source which is included in the pass may comprise a battery, or, alternatively, it may comprise one or more solar cells, which convert at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation which reaches the sur face of the pass into electrical energy. If the power source comprises solar cells, then it is advantageous for said read/write equipment to include a strong source of electromagnetic radiation which can be converted into the electrical energy needed.

The powe source may alternatively or additionally comprise a means for magnetically or RF coupling with a suitable power source in the read/write equipment.

Advantageously, said memory is non-volatile and, in a preferred embodiment, said memory comprises an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). In an alternative preferred embodiment, said memory comprises a RAM (Random Access Memory) to which power is supplied by a battery, which is included in the pass. Additionally, for those memory contents which do not need, in use of the pass, to be altered, the memory may include a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory).

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which the Figure shows a block circuit diagram of one embodiment of an electronic pass or ticket according to one aspect of the present invention.

Naturally, many changes may be made to the pass or ticket as described hereunder, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The electronic pass or ticket 1 comprises an integrated circuit 2 which preferably is designed especially for this application, to reduce the possibilities for fraud, and which co-ordinate the functioning of the pass. Although only a single integrated circuit 2 is represented, this could, of course, comp-rise one or more coupled integrated circuits and/or other components if appropriate. The display unit 3 is capable of displaying eight alphanumeric characters, and the memory 4 is a nonvolatile EEPROM, e.g. capable of storing 1024 bytes of information. The first interface means 5 comprises two coils 6, 7, one of which is intended to transmit signals to a separate read/write equipment not shown in the figure), and the other of which is intended to receive signals from that read/write equipment.In an alternative embodiment, the first interface means may include only one coil, used both to transmit and to receive signals, in conjunction with suitable switching circuitry to allow the two functions to be performed.

The second interface means 8 comprises a keyboard, which includes five touch-sensitive keys. Obviously, the number of keys may be different, depending on the application for which the pass is to be used, and the keys may be other than touch-sensitive, e.g. push button.

Each of the display unit 3, the memory 4, the keyboard 8 and the transmit and receive coils 6, 7 are connected to an integrated circuit 2. The pass receives its power input from solar cells 9 which convert the electromagnetic radiation which falls on them into electrical energy. To minimise the size of the pass, the surface area of the solar cells has been chosen to be relatively small. As a result, normal levels of light, although providing enough power to illuminate the display, cannot provide all of the power needed when the contents of the memory are being varied by the read/write equipments. Therefore, the read/write equipment (not shown), for use with this embodiment of the present invention, is provided with a means for supplying energy to the pass by magnetic or RF coupling, and the pass is provided with a means for utilising this energy.Alternatively, the read/write equipment may be provided with a strong light source positioned such that, when the pass is inserted into the equipment, the light falls on the solar cells, which are then able to provide sufficient power for the memory contents to be varied.

In a further alternative embodiment, the ticket or pass may be provided not with solar cells, or with a means for utilising magnetic energy, but with a battery. This latter is not favoured, however, as, if the battery were not replaceable, a system would be needed for use when the battery is exhausted, while if the battery were replaceable, the ticket would be more expensive and open to fraud, as it would be necessary to refund to the user the whole purchased value of the ticket, no matter how little of that value might remain, when the memory contents were lost for any reason.

The electronic pass or ticket described above may be used in a ticket or pass system according to a second aspect of the invention.

The ticket or pass may be purchased by a user, and the purchase price corresponds to a certain "value" which is stored in the memory, and may be displayed at any time. In use in the system thereafter in conjunction with a transport network, the ticket or pass may be taken to a location where is situated a separate read/write equipment. There, the pass or ticket may be inserted into the equipment and be validated, i.e. the contents of one area of the memory are altered to show a journey for which payment has been made, or a route or group of routes, or time periods, for which the pass allows free or reduced rate travel while the value is decremented. Several areas of the memory are provided for this purpose, and the contents of all of them, and of the area wherein the value is stored, may be summoned to the display by use of the keyboard.

The system may be such that, when the value of the pass or ticket is reduced to zero no further validations are possible. Alternatively, the value can be increased again, on payment to the controlling authority of the appropriate sum.

As part of a system according to a second aspect of the present invention, the ticket or pass may be further provided with memory locations whose contents may not be displayed on the display unit via the keyboard.

These memory locations may contain a code, known only to the authorised user of the ticket or pass, which may be compared, by the read/write equipment or by the integrated circuit, with the code entered into that equipment by the user at the time of each use of the ticket or pass. The transaction will then not be permitted if the correct code is not entered, as this will show that the user is unauthorised.

In a further modification, the system may be such that a "current value" is stored in one area of the memory and a "reserve value" is stored in a different area. The purchase price of the ticket or pass may correspond to the sum of these two values, while the ticket or pass may be used initially for transfers of funds up to the current value only. An increase in the current value, and an equal decrease in the reserve value, may be effected by the user at any time on suitable proof of identity, which might involve the correct entry of a code, as described above.

Although the ticket or pass is described above as being intended primarily for use in conjunction with a transport system, naturally, it may be used whenever it is required to provide a purchaser of goods or services with a receipt, or to check that a user of a service is entitled to do so.

For example, as well as being validated as a pass for use on a transport system, the electronic pass may be validated to allow access to a car park or a sports centre or one of a large number of areas. Entrances to these areas may be provided with read/write equipment to allow a stored monetary value of the ticket or pass to be decremented either on entry, by a fixed entrance fee, or on exit, by an amount depending on the time spent within the area. Of course, if the latter alternative is chosen, then the time of entry into the area may be entered into the memory of the ticket or pass, and recalled to the display at any time thereafter.

Alternatively, for example, for use of car parking facilities, a monetary value could be entered into an area of the memory of the ticket or pass, at a location with suitable read/write equipment, on payment to the operator of the system of the appropriate sum.

Then, when a car is left in a zone designated by said operator, the ticket or pass may be set in operation such that said stored monetary value decreases at a rate corresponding to the rate payable for car parking in that zone. To enable checks to be made, that all cars parked in that zone are parked validly, the ticket or pass will be required to be displayed in the car, such that its display is readable outside the car. It may be desirable for the display to show, successively the time elapsed since the ticket or pass was set in operation, the size of the decrease in the stored monetary valve during that time, and the rate of decrease of the monetary value.

Alternatively, and preferably, the driver can set a maximum amount, less than or equal to said stored value, which amount is decremented at the appropriate rate and displayed on the display. This prevents an excessive amount being decremented accidentally. Of course, having set the ticket or pass in operation on leaving the car, the driver can, on his return, stop the operation and stop the decrease in the stored monetary value.

In this application and the others described above, a major advantage is that details of all or some transactions may be stored in the memory, and may be recalled by the holder of the ticket or pass via the second interface means, to the display. In this way, the ticket or pass acts as a receipt for all or some transactions, and thus eliminates the need to provide paper tickets as receipts.

Claims (14)

1. An electronic pass or ticket, the pass comprising: a processing unit; a display unit, capable of displaying numeric or alphanumeric characters; a first interface means capable of receiving signals from, and sending signals to a separate read/write equipment; an addressable memory, comprising a plurality of memory locations, the contents of at least a first group of memory locations of said memory only being variable by means of said read/write equipment and the first interface means; a second interface means, manually operable by a user to enable the use to produce using the processing unit a display on the display unit of the contents of selected memory locations of said memory including information from said first group of memory locations.

2. An electronic pass as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first interface means is capable of sending and receiving signals which depend upon the variation of a magnetic or electromagnetic field, without requiring physical contact with the equipment with which it is in communication.

3. An electronic pass as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first interface means comprises a first coil, for the transmission of signals, and a second coil, for the reception of signals.

4. An electronic pass as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said second interface means comprises a touch-sensitive keyboard.

5. An electronic pass as claimed in claim 4, wherein said touch-sensitive keyboard has a number of keys which is in the range of from two to five.

6. An electronic pass as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a battery is provided a power source.

7. An electronic pass as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein one or more solar cells, or other forms of transducer which are capable of converting electromagnetic energy or magnetic energy into electrical energy, are provided as a power source.

8. An electronic pass as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said memory is nonvolatile.

9. A ticket or pass system comprising an electronic ticket or pass and a machine for reading said ticket or pass and/or varying stored contents of said pass, wherein the electronic pass comprises a display, a processing unit, a memory, a machine interface and a manually operable user interface, the pass or ticket being such that the user can, by means of the user interface, display information contained in said memory and such that certain information for display and stored in said memory can, and can only, be varied by the machine via the machine interface.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said machine comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation which may, in use of the machine to read said ticket or pass, be directed onto at least a portion of the surface of said ticket or pass.

11. A method of ticketing on a transport service, using a system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said electronic ticket can be validated, using said machine, for example as a pass for specific routes or as a ticket for a single journey wherein a stored monetary value is reduced by said machine by an amount corresponding to the cost of said journey, wherein the user can as desired display the journey information, the amount deducted for the journey, and also the reduced monetary value on said display, and wherein said machines are positioned to be used to authorise or control or charge for access to the transport service.

12. A method of ticketing using a system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said electric ticket can be validated, using said machine, to allow entry, on one occasion or on any occasion, at no extra charge or at a reduced charge, to any specified area, wherein a stored monetary value is reduced by said machine by an amount corresponding to the cost of said validation, wherein the user can, as desired, display information about the validation, the amount deducted therefor, and the reduced monetary value on said display, and wherein said machines are positioned to be used to authorise or control or charge for access to said specified area.

13. A method of ticketing as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein said ticket has two stored monetary values, a first value being reduced when said ticket is validated, and a second value being reduced, at the same time as a corresponding increase in the first value, only on proof of identity of the ticket holder.

14. An electronic pass or ticket, or a ticket or pass system, or a method of ticketing, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

14. An electronic pass or ticket, or a ticket or pass system, or a method of ticketing, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1-14 above have been deleted or textually amended.

New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:

1. An electronic pass or ticket, the pass comprising: a processing unit; a display unit, capable of displaying numeric or alphanumeric characters; a first interface means capable of receiving signals from, and sending signals to a separate read/write equipment; an addressable memory, and a second interface means, wherein the addressable memory comprises a plurality of memory locations, a first group of memory Icoations being able to be used to store details of transactions for which the pass has been used, and the contents of at least the first group of memory locations of said memory only being variable by means of said read/write equipment and the first interface means; and wherein the second interface means is manually operable by a user to enable the user to produce using the processing unit, a display on the display unit of the contents of selected memory locations of said memory including information from said first group of memory locations.

2. An electronic pass as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first interface means is capable of sending and receiving signals which depend upon the variation of a magnetic or electromagnetic field, without requiring physical contact with the equipment with which it is in communication.

3. An electronic pass as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first interface means comprises a first coil, for the transmission of signals, and a second coil, for the reception of signals.

4. An electronic pass as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said second interface means comprises a touch-sensitive keyboard.

5. An electronic pass as claimed in claim 4, wherein said touch-sensitive keyboard has a number of keys which is in the range of from two to five.

6. An electronic pass as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a battery is provided a power source.

7. An electronic pass as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein one or more solar cells, or other forms of transducer which are capable of converting electromagnetic energy or magnetic energy into electrical energy, are provided as a power source.

8. An electronic pass as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said memory is nonvolatile.

9. A ticket or pass system comprising an electronic ticket or pass and a machine for reading said ticket or pass and/or varying stored contents of said pass, wherein the electronic pass comprises a display, a processing unit, a memory, a machine interface and a manually operable user interface, the pass or ticket being such that the user can, by means of the user interface, display information contained in said memory and such that certain information for display and stored in said memory can, and can only, be varied by the machine via the machine interface.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said machine comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation which may, in use of the machine to read said ticket or pass, be directed onto at least a portion of the surface of said ticket or pass.

11. A method of ticketing on a transport service, using a system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said electronic ticket can be validated, using said machine, for example as a pass for specific routes or as a ticket for a single journey wherein a stored monetary value is reduced by said machine by an amount corresponding to the cost of said journey, wherein the user can as desired display the journey information, the amount deducted for the journey, and also the reduced monetary value on said display, and wherein said machines are positioned to be used to authorise or control or charge for access to the transport service.

12. A method of ticketing using a system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said electric ticket can be validated, using said machine, to allow entry, on one occasion or on any occasion, at no extra charge or at a reduced charge, to any specified area, wherein a stored monetary value is reduced by said machine by an amount corresponding to the cost of said validation, wherein the user can, as desired, display information about the validation, the amount deducted therefor, and the reduced monetary value on said display, and wherein said machines are positioned to be used to authorise or control or charge for access to said specified area.

13. A method of ticketing as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein said ticket has two stored monetary values, a first value being reduced when said ticket is validated, and a second value being reduced, at the same time as a corresponding increase in the first value, only on proof of identity of the ticket holder.