JPH02202692A - Prepaid/credit card type vending machine system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a customer to use a prepaid/credit card with a simple constitution by erasing a card number stored in a host device at the time when the balance reaches zero and receiving stored contents from the host device by the vending machine side to calculate and transmit a new balance at the time of the use of the card. CONSTITUTION:When a card is issued, the serial number of the card and the amount of received money are supplied from a card money receiving machine 3 to a host device 2 connected to a personal computer 1 and are stored in an incorporated storage device. When the card is used for one of card type vending machines V1, V2, etc., stored contents of the device 2 are received, and sale is permitted and the amount of paid money is subtracted from the balance to transmit a new balance to the device 2 when a stored serial number coincide with the serial number of the card. Then, the stored balance in the device 2 is updated, and the stored serial number corresponding to this card is erased when the balance reaches zero. Consequently, a vendor system is obtained where write of the balance to the card is unnecessary and the prepaid/ credit card is used with the simple constitution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of Industry 1'] The present invention relates to a pre-pay/post-pay card type vending machine system that allows the use of pre-pay and post-pay cards with a simpler device.

[Prior Art] As a system for this scale, in a conventional prepaid/deferred payment shared system, in the case of prepayment, the card purchase amount is stored in the card, and the product price at the time of product purchase is subtracted from the amount in this card. It was made so that it could no longer be used when the balance reached zero.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in order to use the pre-pay and deferred payment method with conventional devices, it is necessary to use a reading preload type card reader when installing the vending machine, which requires about 10% more time than a card reader that only reads. The cost will be twice as high.

Furthermore, since II reading control was required, the card reader had to be automatic, and it was difficult to install it in a vending machine.

In addition, since one reading is performed on each card, there is also the problem of poor fortune telling.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a prepay/deferred payment card type vending machine system that can eliminate the problems described in -1 above, reduce costs, and improve card reliability.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a means for transmitting the serial number and purchase price of a prepaid card when purchasing a prepaid card in a vending machine system comprising a plurality of card type vending machines. receiving and storing the serial number and the deposited amount from the card depositing means, and storing the remaining amount when the prepaid card is used in a card-type vending machine; A host device that erases the serial number when the balance becomes zero, and a host device that erases the serial number and the balance when the prepaid card or postpaid card is used in a card-type vending machine. A card-type vending machine receives the serial number from the host device, confirms the serial number, and subtracts the sales amount from the remaining balance.

"Operation" According to this invention, in the case of a prepaid card, the serial number of the inserted card is compared with the number in the memory, and if there is a match, the amount is sent to the vending machine v2 and the automatic The vending machine v2 performs processing such as turning on the APi at that amount and is able to sell the item. After the product is sold, the remaining amount is sent to the host device, and if the remaining amount is insufficient, the serial number is erased and the card with that number is no longer usable. If there is any remaining money, it will be written into the memory.

[Embodiment] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the card-type vending machine system of the present invention. It is a host device (relay machine) that stores data, collects sales data on-line with the card-type vending machine that is the terminal, and checks the card ID when using the deferred payment type.

3 is a card deposit machine for prepaid cards, and 1 to Vn are a plurality of card-type vending machines that each accept cards.

The operation of the system shown in FIG. 2 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 3.

In such a configuration, first, in step 1, when a card is inserted into the card deposit machine 3 and coins (banknotes) are inserted,
The card deposit machine 3 sends the card serial number and deposit amount to the host device 2, and in step 2, the host device 2
+Q is written into memory at . Next, vending machine V1~
In step 3, it is confirmed that the card has been inserted into, for example, vending machine 2 of Vn, and then in step 4 it is determined whether it is a prepaid card or a deferred payment card.

In the case of deferred payment, the conventional process is performed as follows, the ID number is confirmed in step 12, and then, in step 13, the vending machine v2 is sent whether or not it can be sold. Perform sales operations according to procedures.

- [In the case of advance payment in Step 4 of 1, the serial number of the card inserted in Step 5) is checked against the number in the memory, and then in Step 6, if there is a match, In step 7, the amount in the memory is sent to the vending machine V2 (1-), and the vending machine V2 subtracts the selling product price from the amount, calculates the remaining amount, performs processing such as turning on the APL, and makes the vending machine ready for sale. After the product is sold, the remaining amount is sent to the host device 2 in step 8. In step 9, it is confirmed whether the balance is zero, and if there is, it is written in the memory in step 10 and the process returns to step 1. If it is zero, the balance is transferred to step 1.
In step 1, the serial number will be deleted and the card with that number will no longer be usable.

Note that the remaining amount can also be calculated by sending the selling product price to the host device 2.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, since the host device is set up so that the card IJi is stored in the host device and deducted every time it is sold, it is possible to reduce the cost and improve the reliability of the card. In addition, it is possible to easily transition from a prepaid and deferred payment card vending machine system to a prepaid and deferred payment card vending machine system.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram corresponding to the claims of this invention, Fig. 2 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of a prepaid/deferred payment card type vending machine system of this invention, and Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing a program of this invention. . 2...Host device'? ! , (relay machine), 3...Card deposit machine, 4...Card type vending machine. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) In a vending machine system comprising a plurality of card-type vending machines, a card deposit means having means for transmitting the serial number and purchase amount in the card when purchasing a prepaid card, and a a host device that receives and stores the serial number and the deposited amount, stores the balance when the prepaid card is used in a card-type vending machine, and erases the serial number when the balance becomes zero; When the prepaid card or postpaid card is used in a card-type vending machine, the serial number and the remaining amount stored are received from the host device, the serial number is confirmed, and the sales amount is subtracted from the remaining amount. A prepaid deferred payment card type vending machine system comprising a card type vending machine.