JPH0262695A - Balance standard displaying prepaid card system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To minimize an occupied area by giving the respective advantages of a standard display and a result display to a balance display. CONSTITUTION:The surface of a prepaid card includes a magnetic stripe 3, on which the balance of the prepaid card is to be recorded, an area 4, on which the balance is printed, and an area 5, on which the standard of the balance is displayed. A card rear surface 2 is made into an area for a brand and a design. After the prepaid card is used first, the balance is printed on the area 5 with a black circle, and when the prepaid card is used after that, the balance is printed with another black circle whenever the balance becomes lower than a separated amount to be the standard, and the standard of the balance is displayed. Further, when the balance becomes lower than an amount B, while the standard of the balance is displayed with the black circle on the area 5, the balance is also printed on the area 4 whenever the card is used after the balance of the card reaches the balance 9. The amount B is the one to be a reference to inform the user that the balance becomes small, previously determined, and assumes an amount necessary for using a mean amount to be used for one time several times. The user can grasp that the standard amount reaches the amount B by watching the area 5 or watching that the balance is printed on the area 4.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a prepaid Noribait card.

[Conventional technology]

With prepaid cards, the amount used or the remaining amount after reducing the number of uses is recorded on the card, and the user can use the card repeatedly until the remaining amount is used up. In this case, the most important thing for users is how to know the remaining balance. In order to know the remaining amount without using a special display device, a method of displaying the remaining amount on the card side of the ID card has been put into practical use.

One of the display methods is a guideline display using zefuchi hole or thermal printing, and the other is a performance display where the remaining amount is printed as is. And with this performance display, you can check the exact balance just by looking at your card.

You can also go back in time to some extent.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, displaying achievements takes up a large area of the card surface, which is disadvantageous in terms of design. The number of times it can be used is still limited.

There may also be a situation where the card becomes unusable due to the printing area being used up even though there is a balance remaining, and the balance must be transferred to a new card. On the other hand, if the guideline is displayed, there is no limit to the number of times the card can be used, but the exact remaining amount is not known. That is, 2
The display methods shown above all have advantages and disadvantages.

The present invention aims to provide a card system that is equipped with a guideline display and that occupies a small area.

[Failure to solve the problem]

The prepaid card system of the present invention is based on the prepaid system and includes an ID card and a data writer. The reader/writer has a first area on the card surface that can be printed and a second area on the card surface that can display predetermined delimited amounts by printing or engraving as a guide for the remaining amount, and the reader/writer is configured to read the prepaid card. A first function reads and writes data to the memory of the card, and a second function prints on the area of the card surface.
a third function of displaying the estimated remaining amount in an area of the card surface, and a fourth function of performing calculations related to the remaining amount, and displaying the estimated remaining amount in a second area of the card surface. Display and.

The present invention is characterized in that the reader/writer prints the remaining amount on a first area of the card surface when the remaining amount falls below a predetermined fixed amount or a fixed number of times.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prepaid card system for displaying an estimated remaining amount according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view of a reader/writer.

Referring to FIG. 1, f The shape of the repaid card 1 is currently in practical use, such as the JIS standard and the Cybernetic Standard, but is not particularly noteworthy. Its surface includes a magnetic stripe 3 for recording the remaining amount of the prepaid card, an area 4 for printing the remaining amount, and an area 5 for displaying a rough estimate of the remaining amount. The back side 2 of the card is the area for trademarks and designs.

The reader/writer 20 includes an information processing section 21, a card suction/ejection section 22 that controls card suction/ejection 2 positioning,
a read/write unit 23 that reads and writes the magnetic stripe f3;
A printing section 24 and a display section 25 that print in areas 4 and 5, and a communication section 2 that communicates information including the usage amount to the payment system.
It consists of 6. The information processing unit 21 is 5 of 22 to 26.
control and information processing of two parts.

The external view of the reader/writer shown in FIG. 2 is described from the viewpoint of operation, and includes a housing 11, a card insertion slot 12, a display surface 13 for displaying the remaining amount or used amount, and an operation button 14.

In this example, a prepaid card purchased for the amount A shown in 6 is printed with a black circle in area 5 after the first use, and every time the amount falls below the cutoff amount that is a guideline in subsequent uses, a black circle is printed, Is displayed. When the amount falls below the amount B indicated by 7, a black circle is displayed as a guide in area 5, and the remaining amount 9 is printed in area 4 each time the amount is used.

Amount B is a standard for notifying the user that the remaining amount is low, and is predetermined, and is assumed to be the average amount spent several times. The user knows whether the guideline has reached amount B in area 5 or the remaining amount is printed in area 4.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The remaining amount display according to the present invention has both the advantages of a guideline display and an actual result display. In other words, if the remaining amount is large, the user does not care about small values, so it is sufficient to display the approximate value. However, when the remaining balance gets low, users start paying attention to the detailed value in order to run out of money and prepare for the next card. The present invention satisfies all of the above conditions. There is also no limit to the number of times it can be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prepaid card system for displaying an estimated remaining amount according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view of a reader/writer. Explanation of symbols: l is a prepaid card, 2 is a car, amount is 0
(zero), 9 is the remaining amount, 11 is the housing, 12 is the card insertion slot, 13 is the display surface, 14 is the operation button, 20 is the reader/writer, 21 is the information processing, 22 is the card suction/ejection part, 23 is the readout 24 is a printing section, 25 is a display section, and 26 is a communication section. 11

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a prepaid card system including a prepaid card and a reader/writer, the prepaid card has a memory for storing the remaining amount after deducting the amount used or the number of times it has been used, and is capable of printing the remaining amount. The reader/writer includes a first area on the card surface and a second area on the card surface that can display predetermined delimited amounts by printing or engraving as a guide for the remaining amount, and the reader/writer is configured to store the memory of the prepaid card. a first function of reading and writing data to the card; a second function of printing in a first area of the card surface; and a third function of displaying the estimated remaining amount in the second area of the card surface.
and a fourth function to perform calculations related to the remaining amount, displaying an estimate of the remaining amount in a second area of the card surface, and displaying the remaining amount as a predetermined fixed amount or a fixed number of times. A prepaid card system for displaying an estimated remaining amount, characterized in that the reader/writer prints the remaining amount on a first area of the card surface when the amount is below.