JPH0582624B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field This invention relates to a card authentication terminal group management system, and in particular, when connected to a credit card company's host computer to sell credit cards.
Card authentication terminal group management consisting of multiple card authentication terminal devices that authenticate credit cards and transmit data to a host computer, and a card authentication terminal group management device that manages these card authentication terminal devices. Regarding the system.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a card authentication terminal group management system in which a card authentication terminal group management device receives and stores data transmitted from at least one of a plurality of card authentication terminal devices. The card authentication terminal device requests data transmission and receives the data from the card authentication terminal group management device, thereby reducing the time required to load the data and also reducing the time required between the card authentication terminal group management device and the host computer. This makes it possible to reduce the line occupancy rate.

Conventional Technology As is well known, with the spread of credit cards, card authentication terminal devices called CATs (Credit Authorization Terminals) have been put into practical use in order to automate Credit Guard authentication and transaction processing. ing. Conventionally, multiple CATs are directly connected to a credit card company's host computer via a telephone line, configuring a system that performs card authentication.

By the way, the above-mentioned CAT can individually set the data regarding the credit card company and the data regarding the member stores necessary to process the credit transaction, but since the processing is complicated,
Normally, these data are stored in the host computer, and when the host computer receives a data transmission request from the CAT, it transmits the data to the CAT.

There are also systems in which a card authentication terminal group management device is installed between a host computer and multiple CATs to mediate data communication between the two, and communication between the two is performed via a dedicated line. , Even in this case, the host computer sends the request for data transmission from CAT.
Data is being sent to the relevant CAT.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Incidentally, since the amount of information regarding credit card companies and information regarding affiliated stores sent from the host computer to CAT is large, it takes several seconds for each terminal device to send the information. For this reason,
If multiple card authentication terminals are each directly connected to a host computer via a telephone line, sending data to multiple card authentication terminals may interfere with transaction processing at other card authentication terminals. In addition to taking a lot of time, there were problems in that telephone bills increased.

Furthermore, when communicating via the card authentication terminal group management device, there is no problem with telephone charges, but there is a problem in that the line occupancy rate between the card authentication terminal group management device and the host computer increases. It was hot.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a card authentication terminal group management system that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Means for Solving the Problems This invention includes a plurality of card authentication terminal devices,
This is a card authentication terminal group management system that includes a card authentication terminal group management device that is connected to both a plurality of card authentication terminal devices and a host computer via a communication line and mediates communication between the two.

At least one of the plurality of card authentication terminal devices described above includes a first storage means for storing data consisting of information regarding a credit company, information regarding a member store, or a combination of these information; and a first transmitting means for transmitting data stored in the storage means to the card authentication terminal group management device, each card authentication terminal device comprising:
A command means for instructing a card authentication terminal group management device to request data transmission, a receiving means for receiving data transmitted from the card authentication terminal group management device, and a second storage means for storing data received by the receiving means. It is composed of:

When the above-mentioned card authentication terminal group management device receives data transmitted from at least one card authentication terminal device, it includes a third storage means for storing the received data, and a third storage means for storing the received data, and a third storage means for storing data transmitted from a plurality of card authentication terminal devices. a reading means for reading data from the third storage means when receiving a transmission request command; and a second transmitting means for transmitting the data read by the reading means to the card authentication terminal device that has issued the transmission request command. It consists of

Effect: In this invention, at least one card authentication terminal device transmits information about credit companies, information about affiliated stores, or data consisting of a combination thereof to the card authentication terminal group management device, and the card authentication terminal management device stores the data sent from the card authentication terminal device. When each card authentication terminal device issues a command to send the data to the card authentication terminal group management device, the card authentication terminal management device reads the data and sends the data to the card authentication terminal group management device in accordance with the command. The card authentication terminal device stores the transmitted data.

Embodiment FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a card authentication terminal group management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, one connection terminal of a card authentication terminal group management device (hereinafter referred to as cluster controller) 1 is connected to multiple CAT2 units, and the other connection terminal is connected to a credit card company's host computer via a dedicated line 4. Connected to 3. CAT2 is a terminal device for credit authentication and transaction processing.
The credit card company's host computer 3 is CAT.
Based on the data and processing requests input from 2.
It performs credit authentication and transaction processing.
The cluster controller 1 sends the data sent from CAT2 to the host computer 3, and the data sent from the host computer 3 to the CAT.
2.

By the way, at least one of the multiple CAT2s transmits data related to credit card companies as shown in FIG.
When a data transmission request is received from the cluster controller 1, the cluster controller 1 transmits the data to the CAT 2, and the CAT 2 stores the transmitted data. In the following explanation, sending the above data from CAT2 to cluster controller 1 and storing it in memory by cluster controller 1 is referred to as ULL (up line loading).
2 and CAT2 stores the data in memory.
loading).

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the cluster controller 1 shown in FIG. 2. In Figure 3, cluster controller 1 has
It is equipped with CPU5. CPU5 has ROM6 and
The RAM 7, the clock signal generation circuit 8, the upper transmission section 9, and the lower transmission section 10 are connected. ROM
6 stores an operating program for the CPU 5 based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 1B, which will be described in detail later. The RAM 7 includes a storage area shown in FIG. 9, which will be explained later. The clock signal generation circuit 8
It provides a specific time interval signal to the CPU 5. The upper transmission unit 9 is connected to the host computer 3 via the dedicated line 4 and performs data communication with the host computer 3, and the lower transmission unit 10 is connected to CAT2 and performs data communication with the host computer 3. It is used for data communication.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of CAT2 shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 4, the CAT 2 is equipped with a printer 11, a display 12, a keyboard 13, and a card reader 14. The printer 11 prints data on a slip, and the display 12 displays operation guide characters and key input data. The keyboard 13 includes business keys 22 and a numeric keypad 23, as will be explained later in FIG. The card reader 14 reads number data identifying a credit company and information regarding the credit company from a credit card. Further, a pin pad 15 is connected to CAT2. Pinpad 15
is used to enter a password, etc.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the electrical configuration of CAT2 shown in FIG. 4. In Figure 5,
The CPU 16 includes the printer 11 mentioned above, the display 1
2, the keyboard 13, card reader 14 and pin pad 15 are connected. Further, a ROM 17, a RAM 18, a timer 19, a buzzer 20, and a transmission control section 21 are connected to the CPU 16. ROM
17 stores an operating program for the CPU 16 based on a flow diagram as shown in FIG. 1A, which will be described in detail later. The RAM 18 includes a storage area shown in FIG. 8, which will be explained later. The timer 14 measures the current time. The buzzer 20 issues a warning when an error occurs. The transmission control unit 21 is connected to the cluster controller 1 and performs data communication with the cluster controller 1.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a key layout diagram of the keyboard 13 shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 6, the keyboard 13 includes business keys 22 and a numeric keypad 23. As shown in FIG. The business key 22 is for instructing business content, and the sales key 22 is for instructing sales registration.
1, and a pre-approval key 222 that instructs pre-approval.
, an inquiry key 223 for instructing an inquiry, a cancellation/return key 224 for instructing a cancellation/return, and an other key 225 for instructing other operations. The numeric keypad 23 is used to input product code number data and amount data when CAT2 is used for normal transactions, which will be explained later in Fig. 14.
When creating a ULL message and instructing it to be sent from CAT2 to the cluster controller 1, or creating a DLL request message, which will be explained later in Figure 12, and instructing the cluster controller 1 to send it. is for entering a predetermined code number.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the key layout of the pin pad 15 shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 7, pin pad 15 includes numeric keys 0 to 9 and a correction key.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the storage area of the RAM 18 shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 8, storage area 180 includes a company table 181, affiliated store information storage area 182, and terminal information storage area 183. In the company table 181, data regarding credit companies that can process transactions in CAT2 is stored for each credit company. In FIG. 8, for example, data for 10 companies can be stored, but any number may be stored as needed. Data regarding each credit company, for example,
It includes company code number data, data indicating a password check method, data indicating a credit payment method, and lower limit amount data. The company code number data is, for example, 4-byte code number data that specifies a credit company. The data indicating the password checking method is, for example, 1-byte data indicating whether or not the password data input from the pin pad 15 is to be locally checked within the CAT2. The data indicating the credit payment method is, for example, 1-byte data for each credit payment method, which indicates whether each of the credit payment methods from lump-sum payment to bonus payment is possible. The lower limit amount data is, for example, 5-byte data indicating the lower limit amount when credit transaction processing is performed online.

The member store information storage area 182 includes printer 1.
The information of the affiliated store No. 1 printed on the slip is stored.
An example of member store information is the data ``Mido Arigato Gozaimas.'' The terminal information storage area 183 stores, for example, 5-byte terminal number data that specifies CAT2.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a storage area of the RAM 7 shown in FIG. 3. The storage area 70 stores the company table and member store information shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the transaction processing message 24 sent from the CAT 2 to the host computer 3 via the cluster controller 1. In FIG. 10, the transaction processing message 24 is composed of terminal number data, transaction classification code number data, classification code number data, and data regarding each transaction. The terminal number data is the CAT that sends the transaction processing message 24.
This is, for example, 5-byte number data that specifies number 2.

The transaction classification code number data is, for example, 1-byte code number data indicating the business designated by the input key of the business keys 22. For example, if the transaction classification code number data is “1”,
Indicates sales registration, for example "2" indicates pre-approval, for example "3" indicates inquiry, for example "4" indicates cancellation return, for example "5" indicates , and others.

The classification code number data is, for example, 2-byte code number data that specifies the credit payment method when the sales key 221 or the cancellation return key 224 of the 22 business keys is operated, and when other keys are operated. In this case, it is, for example, 2-byte code number data predetermined corresponding to each transaction. Data regarding each transaction includes card data read by the card reader 14, amount data input from the keyboard 13, and product classification number data.

Figure 11 shows cluster controller 1 or host computer 3 to cluster controller 1.
Processing result message 25 sent to CAT2 via
FIG. In FIG. 11, the processing result message 25 is composed of display data and print data separated by a separator. Display data is
For example, 0 displayed on the display 12 of CAT2
The print data is 16 bytes of data, and the print data is, for example, 0 to 300 bytes of data printed by the printer 11.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a DLL request message sent from CAT2 to cluster controller 1.
The DLL request message 26 is sent from CAT2 to the cluster controller 1.
This message indicates a request to transmit the data shown in FIG. 9 stored in the RAM 7.
The DLL request message 26 is the CAT2 keyboard 13
It is created when the other key 225 is pressed and "91" is then input from the numeric keypad 23, and is sent to the cluster controller 1. 1st
In Figure 2, the DLL request message 26 includes, for example, 5-byte terminal number data that specifies the CAT2 that sends the DLL request message, transaction classification code number data "5" indicating that it is a DLL request message, and classification code number data "91". ” data.

Figure 13 shows the data from cluster controller 1.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a DLL message sent to CAT2.
DLL message 27 is the 12th message sent from CAT2.
When the cluster controller 1 receives the DLL request message 26 shown in the figure, the cluster controller 1
is the message sent to the relevant CAT2. In FIG. 13, the DLL message 27 is composed of company number data and company table or affiliated store information as one unit. Company number data is “01” to “10”
If so, it is the company's registration number data, and the 15-byte data following the company number data, for example, is data related to the credit card company stored in one of the company tables that make up the company table 181 as shown in FIG. . Further, if the company number data is "00", the 40 bytes of data following the company number data is affiliated store information as shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a ULL message sent from CAT2 to cluster controller 1. ULL
Message 28 is created with at least one CAT2,
This is a message sent to the cluster controller 1. The ULL message 28 is generated when the other key 225 of the keyboard 13 is pressed and "90" is subsequently input from the numeric keypad 23. For example, the ULL message 28 is generated when the other key 225 of the keyboard 13 is pressed and "90" is input from the numeric keypad 23. It is created based on data etc. and sent to the cluster controller 1. In Figure 14, the ULL telegram 28 is
Identify the CAT2 that sends the ULL message. For example, the data consists of 5-byte terminal number data, transaction classification code number data "5" indicating that it is a ULL message, and classification code number data "90" as shown in Figure 13. The contents of the company table 181 or the member store information storage area 1 read from the RAM 18 from data related to credit companies similar to the data or data including member store information.
It consists of 82 contents.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are flowcharts for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention. first,
The operation of the CAT constituting the card authentication terminal group management system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1A and FIGS. 2 to 14.

First, the CPU 16 of CAT2 displays on the display 12 that the business key 22 should be operated, and
Wait until it is operated. When the business key 22 is operated, the CPU 16 performs processing according to the key input, but when the other key 225 is operated, the CPU 16 displays a message on the display 12 indicating that a classification code should be input. , it will wait for the classification code to be input.

To create a ULL message and send it to the cluster controller 1, the operator inputs, for example, "90" from the numeric keypad 23 and operates the set key, while creating a DLL request message and sending it to the cluster controller 1. To do so, input, for example, "91" from the numeric keypad 23 and operate the set key.

When "90" is input, the CPU 16 displays on the display 12 that processing is in progress, and for example, the CPU 16 displays data input in advance from the keyboard 13, data read from a predetermined card by the card reader 14, and data read from the RAM 18. company table 1
81 contents or member store information storage area 182
The ULL message 28 is created based on the contents of
Send to. Subsequently, the CPU 16 waits until the processing results are sent from the cluster controller 1. When the CPU 16 receives the processing result message 25,
The processing results are printed by the printer 11 and displayed on the display 1.
2 and return to the initial state.

When “91” is input, the CPU 16 displays on the display 12 that processing is in progress, and based on the terminal number data stored in the terminal information storage area 183 and the data input from the keyboard 13, DLL request message 26 as shown in Figure 12
and send it to the cluster controller 1.
Subsequently, the CPU 16 waits until it receives the DLL message 27 from the cluster controller 1. CPU
16 is DLL message 2 from cluster controller 1
When 7 is received, it is transferred to RAM 18 and stored,
Subsequently, the processing results are printed by the printer 11,
It is displayed on the display 12 and returns to the initial state.

Next, the operation of the cluster controller 1 will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1B to 14.

CPU5 of cluster controller 1 is CAT2
Or, it waits until it receives a message from the host computer 3, and when the message from the host computer 3 is received via the upper-side transmission section 9, it is sent to the CAT2 via the lower-side transmission section 10.
When receiving the message from CAT2, it is determined whether the transaction classification code included in the received message is "5" indicating "other key". CPU5 is
When it is determined that the transaction classification code is not “5”,
The message from CAT2 is sent to the host computer 3 via the upper-side transmission unit 9, but when it is determined that the transaction classification code is "5",
It is determined whether the classification code is "90", "91", or something else.

Here, if the classification code is “90”, the CPU
5, the CPU 5 reads the data included in the ULL message 28 sent from CAT 2, that is, the contents of the company table 181 of the RAM 18 or the contents of the affiliated store information storage area 182.
It is stored in the storage area 70 of RAM7. continue,
The CPU 5 transmits the processing result to the CAT 2 via the lower transmission unit 10, and waits for reception again.

On the other hand, when the CPU 5 determines that the classification code is "91", the CPU 5 reads the DLL message 27 from the data stored in the storage area 70 of the RAM 7.
and sends the DLL message 27 to the CAT2 that has sent the DLL request message 26 via the lower-side transmission unit 10.
Send. Subsequently, the CPU 5 waits for reception again.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, at least one card authentication terminal device transmits information related to credit, information related to member stores, or data consisting of a combination thereof to the card authentication terminal group management device. , and the card authentication terminal group management device stores the data transmitted from the card authentication terminal devices, and the card authentication terminal group management device stores the data sent from the card authentication terminal devices, and
When a command is given to the card authentication terminal group management device to send the data, the card authentication terminal group management device reads the data and sends it to the card authentication terminal device in accordance with the instruction. Since it stores the transmitted data, it is possible to reduce the line occupancy rate between the card authentication terminal group management device and the host computer, and it is also possible to shorten the time required for DLL. There is an effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1A is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of a CAT that constitutes a card authentication terminal group system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of a cluster controller that constitutes a card authentication terminal group management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a card authentication terminal group management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the cluster controller shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the CAT shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the CAT shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a key layout diagram of the keyboard shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the key arrangement of the keypad shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a storage area of the RAM shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a storage area of the RAM shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a transaction processing message sent from the CAT to the host computer via the cluster controller. 11th
The figure shows a processing result message sent from the cluster controller or host computer to the CAT via the cluster controller. 12th
The figure shows a DLL request message sent from CAT to the cluster controller. Figure 13 shows the DLL sent from the cluster controller to CAT
It is a figure showing a telegram. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the ULL message sent from CAT to the cluster controller. In the figure, 1 is the cluster controller and 2 is the cluster controller.
CAT, 3 is host computer, 5 is CPU, 6
is ROM, 7 is RAM, 9 is upper-side transmission section, 10
is the lower transmission section, 16 is the CPU, 17 is the ROM, 1
8 is a RAM, 21 is a transmission control unit, 22 is a business key, and 23 is a numeric keypad.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of card authentication terminal devices, and a group of card authentication terminals that are connected to both the plurality of card authentication terminal devices and a host computer via a communication line and mediate communication between the two. A card authentication terminal group management system comprising a management device, wherein at least one of the plurality of card authentication terminal devices is composed of information regarding a credit company, information regarding a member store, or a combination of these information. a first storage means for storing data, and a first storage means for transmitting the data stored in the first storage means to the card authentication terminal group management device.
each card authentication terminal device includes: a command device for instructing the card authentication terminal group management device to request the transmission of the data; and a command device for receiving the data transmitted from the card authentication terminal group management device. and a second storage means for storing the data received by the receiving means, and the card authentication terminal group management device receives the data transmitted from the at least one card authentication terminal device. a third storage means for storing the received data when the data is received; and a readout means for reading the data from the third storage means when a command to request the transmission of the data is received from the plurality of card authentication terminal devices. A card authentication terminal group management system comprising: means; and second transmitting means for transmitting the data read by the reading means to a card authentication terminal device that has issued a transmission request command.