EP0968479B1 - Systeme de traitement de transactions - Google Patents

Systeme de traitement de transactions Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0968479B1
EP0968479B1 EP97915658A EP97915658A EP0968479B1 EP 0968479 B1 EP0968479 B1 EP 0968479B1 EP 97915658 A EP97915658 A EP 97915658A EP 97915658 A EP97915658 A EP 97915658A EP 0968479 B1 EP0968479 B1 EP 0968479B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
transaction
partner
incoming
signal
communications
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EP97915658A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0968479A1 (fr
Inventor
Patrick Clarke
George Burne
Hubert O'donoghue
Eoin Flood
Timothy O'sullivan
Francis O'rourke
David O'neil
John Trintech Limited McGUIRE
Christopher Meehan
Cyril Mcguire
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Trintech Ltd
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Trintech Ltd
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
    • G07G1/00—Cash registers
    • G07G1/12—Cash registers electronically operated
    • G07G1/14—Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a transaction processing system, and more particularly to host or central processing of point-of-sale transaction in real-time in communication with point-of-sale terminals.
  • the transaction processing systems operated by card issuers must be capable of comfortably handling many simultaneous transactions in which the data size per transaction may be up to 1KB.
  • transaction processing system be expandable in a modular manner to handle different levels of simultaneous transactions.
  • system be easily modified for handling different transaction types.
  • PCT Patent Specification No. WO 95/12269 discloses that the general objective of providing a transaction processing system which would accommodate improved data handling capabilities required by developments in card technologies is well known and that the problem has been apparent for some considerable time.
  • This particular patent specification discloses a transaction card network, a communications system and a transaction processing means, all of which are well known in the art. The specification is directed towards providing a more efficient communication system used in the processing of such payments. However, it does not address the serious problem of how the actual transactions are to be handled. The need is to handle a large number of transaction signals simultaneously.
  • US Patent Specification No. 5280625 discloses a communications network which is satellite linked such that point-of-sale terminals in the form of transaction or credit card readers are linked to a host computer. Again, the invention is directed towards the communications problems rather than the data handling problems.
  • British Patent Specification No. 2281648 discloses an in-house credit card authorisation method and while it may be relatively successful for a small number of transactions, unfortunately it does not overcome the major problem that the present invention addresses.
  • the invention provides a transaction processing system according to claim 1.
  • the use of the communication handlers, the incoming and outgoing partners, and the variable database in this way breaks the processing down to separate communications and transaction logic-based elements.
  • the system may be easily upgraded/expanded. Further, high simultaneous throughput may be easily controlled.
  • each incoming partner comprises means for transmitting only a general section of the signal to the outgoing partner, and writing the balance of the data to the variable database. This minimises internal signal traffic and required processing capacity.
  • each outgoing partner comprises means for monitoring contents of the received general signal according to transaction logic and means for appending variable fields retrieved from the variable database to the signal to generate a transaction processing signal. This allows a large degree of flexibility.
  • each outgoing partner additionally comprises means for retrieving static data from a static database to generate the transaction processing signal.
  • the data break-down between the variable and static databases allows fast data retrieval.
  • each outgoing partner comprises means for transmitting a transaction processing signal to a remote host system for transaction processing according to transaction logic. This also provides excellent flexibility.
  • data is stored in the database in a series of linked strings, each string having a set of data fields and an identifier for the next string in the chain, the first strings in the chain relating to more general information.
  • components of the system reside on physically separate data processing hardware machines and signals are communicated between tasks on different machines via a message server which comprises means for reading a queue identifier and routing the signal to a queue associated with the receiving task.
  • a message server which comprises means for reading a queue identifier and routing the signal to a queue associated with the receiving task.
  • the system further comprises a status server which stores global data relating to all available tasks in the system and provides functions to access the global data. This allows universal dissemination of information across the system among all components - particularly important for a distributed environment.
  • each machine of the system comprises a task server comprising means for controlling performance of tasks on its associated machine.
  • each task server comprises means for providing said message queue identifier.
  • the system further comprises a monitor comprising means for transmitting messages to the status server and to the task servers from a user interface.
  • said communication handlers are each directly linked to a particular port. This feature allows very fast communications routing.
  • said transaction processor is also an outgoing partner.
  • the system may have some dedicated transaction processors, all internal processing may be performed by the outgoing partners, or there may be a mix.
  • said transaction processor comprises means for routing the output signal to the point-of-sale terminal via the outgoing partner, the incoming partner, the communications handler, and the associated port.
  • said transaction processor comprises means for routing the output signal to the point-of-sale terminal via the outgoing partner, the incoming partner, the communications handler, and the associated port.
  • the system 1 comprises local and wide area network links 2 which interconnect communications machines 3 and a transaction handling machine 4.
  • the machine 4 is connected to a database 7.
  • the links 2 which interconnect the different parts of the system 1 are based on a TCP IP Protocol, with an EthernetTM hardware link.
  • the network link may alternatively be of the FDDI or Token Ring types, for example.
  • the system 1 communicates in real-time with a large number of point-of-sale terminals 8 and also with external processors 10, 11 and 12.
  • the terminals 8 may be single point-of-sale devices or point-of-sale systems handling many transactions.
  • the system 1 operates to communicate with the point-of-sale terminals 8 in real-time to receive transaction signals, either processes the transactions itself ("on-us"), or directs the signals to an external system 10, 11 or 12 depending upon the particular requirements.
  • the output is then routed back to the relevant point-of-sale terminal 8. All this takes place in real-time.
  • the communication machines 3 form sub-systems which provide primary routing in a symmetrical manner, each end providing two-way communication via ports and communication devices such as modems.
  • the machine 4 provides secondary routing based on transaction logic, again in a symmetrical manner and acts as a buffer between the communication sub-systems 3 and a transaction processing sub-system 4(b) residing on the machine 4.
  • the communication sub-systems 3 direct signals to the external processors 10 and also receive the results back for communication to the relevant point-of-sale terminals.
  • Both the transaction logic routing and the transaction processing is carried out in conjunction with the database system 7, which has a variable database 7(a) and a static database 7(b).
  • the variable database 7(a) stores data generated in real time and associated with particular transactions.
  • the static database 7(b) stores data which is pre-set, such as a credit card limit or person's address.
  • the router 3 has ports 15, up to several hundred in number. Each port is directly associated with a particular communications handler 18, to which it transmits every received signal. Received signals are thus immediately routed to a particular communications handler 18.
  • Each communications handler 18 is programmed to relay the received signal, without modifying it in any way, to a particular incoming partner on a transaction logic sub-system 4(a) after completing communication tests such as LRC checks.
  • communication handlers 18 There is a many-to-one relationship of communication handlers 18 to incoming partner for each major type of signal. In this case it is approximately four to one.
  • the types of signal include authorisation requests and data/batch capture requests.
  • the handlers 18 have sufficient intelligence to filter according to the signal type, without processing message contents.
  • a transaction logic sub-system 4(a) operation of a transaction logic sub-system 4(a) is illustrated.
  • the incoming partner 20 writes to the database 7.
  • an incoming partner 20 receives a full transaction signal 21 and validates it according to transaction-based logic.
  • An important aspect of the incoming partner 20 is that it retrieves certain fields from the incoming signal and generates a generic signal 22 which it immediately transmits to an associated outgoing partner 23.
  • the fields 24 of data which are not transmitted to the outgoing partner 23 are written to the variable database 7(a) by the incoming partner 20.
  • the outgoing partner 23 reads the data fields within the generic signal 22 and determines according to transaction logic whether or not additional data is required for processing of the signal. Most often, such data is not required, however, if it is required, some or all of the variable data (indicated as 26) which was written to the variable database 7(a) is retrieved. In addition, the outgoing partner 23 receives data from the static database 7(b). This data includes additional data which can be retrieved by "hooks" in the message. An example is a category code for a merchant.
  • the outgoing partner 23 re-constitutes a signal 28 which is transmitted to a processor for processing of the transaction.
  • the decision as to which processor processes the transaction is based on transaction logic.
  • the processor may be internal to the system 1, namely in the sub-system 4(b) (possibly on a different hardware machine).
  • the processor may alternatively be remote, in which case the transaction processing signal is routed through the other side of the system 1 to the external processor.
  • the outgoing partner may perform the processing - giving more distributed internal processing and thus a higher throughput. This may require provision of multiple databases. Whichever element processes the transaction uses the static database to firstly authorise the transaction, and secondly to update data such as the credit limit. This data is indicated as S.
  • the output from the processor which processes the signal is routed through the outgoing partner 23, the incoming partner 20, the handler 18 and then back to the originating point-of-sale terminal via the relevant port 15.
  • the original signal 21 may include:-
  • variable signal 24 which is written to the variable database 25 may be represented as:-
  • data is stored in the database system 7 in a chained arrangement in which there is an initial record having main data followed by an outgoing identifier.
  • the main data may be regarded as the primary data for a record.
  • the outgoing identifier is a chain link to a next sequence of fields which begins with the identifier, followed by specific data and one or more outgoing identifiers.
  • Each of the outgoing identifiers links this sequence to a next sequence beginning with the identifier and followed by the data.
  • Each of the individual strings is of a fixed length to provide simple database control. However, as is clear from this structure, the overall record is of indefinite length.
  • Each sequence includes a merchant identifier, and a terminal identifier for easy retrieval and access.
  • Fig. 5 the manner in which signals or messages are communicated between the different components of the system 1 is now illustrated.
  • the machine 3 has a number of communication handlers 18, an RPC message server 30 and an RPC task server 40.
  • the machine 4 also has an RPC message server 30 and an RPC task server 40.
  • the partners on the machine 4 are indicated generally by the numerals 20 and 23 and are implemented by software tasks, each having both an incoming partner and the associated outgoing partner.
  • the tasks illustrated are all incoming/outgoing partner pairs and all transaction processing of the system is performed by these tasks, unless performed remotely.
  • the machine 4 may have tasks which only perform transaction processing upon receipt of signals from an outgoing partner.
  • the function of the message server 30 in the machine 4 is to receive variable length messages from the communication handlers 18 and to route them to a specified local message queue, namely an incoming partner 20. Communication between a communication handler 18 and an incoming partner 20 is indirect, via the two message servers 30.
  • the receiving message server uses a message queue identifier embedded in the signal by the client in order to direct the signal to the appropriate queue.
  • the message server 30 does not need to know the contents of the message.
  • the following is the structure of a message which is passed between a communications handler and a partner:- nMsgType is the type of the message being sent. nMsgQID is the ID of the message queue the remote procedure writes to. nMsgLen is the length of the message being sent. cMsg is the buffer being sent across and MBUFSIZE is the maximum size of the buffer.
  • the client In order for the client to determine the queue identifier to be inserted in the signal, it must pass to the task server the task identifier it wants to communicate with and the machine name that the task is running on.
  • the task server 40 keeps information on all tasks and so returns the appropriate message queue identifier to the client. The client is then able to transmit the signal to the message server 30.
  • the task server 40 is particularly effective at providing control in the distributed environment of the transaction processing system 1.
  • the main message-handling processes in the system include a status server 60, several task servers 40, a monitor 50, and a user interface 70 which transmits commands to the monitor 50.
  • the other processes are the communications handlers 18 and the partners 20 and 23.
  • the status server 60 holds global data about all available tasks in the system 1 and provides functions to access this data.
  • a user interacts with the system 1 through the interface 70, which in turn interacts with the monitor 50.
  • the status server 60 manages a static global array of shared memory which contains details about all the tasks in the system 1. Any communication with the status server 60 is performed through RPC function calls.
  • the global memory array is read from or written to indirectly by any task on any machine by calling the status server's public RPC functions, or by the tasks themselves writing directly to the status server's shared memory.
  • the size of the array is hard-coded to hold information about 300 task processes. This size cannot be changed at run-time.
  • the status server 60 -
  • the invention provides a system which operates very effectively to handle a large number of transaction signals simultaneously. This level of control is achieved by distributing the tasks between the communications handlers, the incoming partners, the outgoing partners, and the internal transaction processors (task processors). By directly linking communications handlers with ports there is a very fast protocol-based routing within the system. Further, by use of incoming and outgoing partners which use transaction logic to process the signals with reference to the variable and static databases, the size of the messages being handled is minimised and the signal may be processed very efficiently.
  • the processor which performs the transaction processing is able to handle the signal very efficiently because of the manner in which the message is handled before it is received. The implementation of these processes on machines connected in a distributed manner is achieved very effectively by use of the task servers, the message servers, the status server and the monitor.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
  • Financial Or Insurance-Related Operations Such As Payment And Settlement (AREA)
  • Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
  • Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)

Claims (14)

  1. Un système de traitement de transactions du type comprenant :
    un sous-système de communications relié à des terminaux de point de vente externes et possédant des gestionnaires de communications ;
    un moyen de valider des signaux entrants reçus des gestionnaires de communications selon une logique de transaction ;
    une base de données variable (7a) ;
    un moyen d'écrire les signaux entrants reçus en temps réel dans la base de données ;
    un moyen intégré au système de générer un signal de traitement de transactions ;
    un processeur de transactions associé à ces derniers ; et
    un moyen intégré au sous-système de communications pour l'acheminement subséquent vers le terminal de point de vente d'origine des signaux provenant du processeur de transactions caractérisé par les points suivants :
    le sous-système de communications (3) possède une pluralité de ports (15) pour communiquer avec les terminaux de point de vente (8), chaque port (15) étant directement relié à un gestionnaire de communications spécifique (18) formant partie d'un sous-système à logique de transaction (4a), au moins deux partenaires entrants de gestionnaire de communications (20) etant reliés à chaque gestionnaire de communications pour former partie du sous-système à logique de transaction (4a), chaque partenaire entrant (20) étant adapté pour gérer un type spécifique de signal entrant reçu du gestionnaire de communications ;
    un partenaire sortant (23) associé du gestionnaire de communications (23) et relié à chaque partenaire entrant (20) pour un signal (22) reçu du partenaire entrant (20) et pour transférer des signaux en aller-retour avec le partenaire entrant (20), le processeur de transactions et les terminaux de point de vente (8), le moyen de validation des signaux entrants étant inclus dans le partenaire entrant (20).
  2. Un système selon la Revendication 1 où chaque partenaire entrant (20) comprend un moyen d'extraire une section générale (22) du signal entrant (21) pour une transmission subséquente en tant que signal reçu (22) vers le partenaire sortant associé (23) et d'écrire le reste des données (24) dans la base de données variable (7a).
  3. Un système selon la Revendication 2 où chaque partenaire sortant (23) comprend un moyen de surveiller le contenu du signal général reçu (22) selon la logique de transaction et un moyen d'ajouter des champs variables (26) récupérés de la base de données variable (7a) au signal (22) pour générer un signal de traitement de transactions (28).
  4. Un système selon la Revendication 3 où chaque partenaire sortant (23) comprend additionnellement un moyen de récupérer des données statiques d'une base de données statique (7b) pour générer le signal de traitement de transactions (28).
  5. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes où chaque partenaire sortant (23) comprend un moyen de transmettre un signal de traitement de transactions (28) vers un système hôte distant pour le traitement de la transaction selon la logique de transaction.
  6. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes où les données sont enregistrées dans la base de données (7) sous la forme d'une série de suites reliées, chaque suite possédant un ensemble de champs de données et un identificateur pour la suite suivante de la chaíne, les premières suites de la chaíne concernant des informations d'ordre plus général.
  7. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes où les composants du système résident sur des machines matérielles de traitement des données physiquement distinctes (4) et les signaux sont transmis entre des tâches résidant sur différentes machines via un serveur de messages (30) qui comprend un moyen de lire un identificateur de file d'attente et d'acheminer le signal vers une file d'attente associée à la tâche de réception.
  8. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes comprenant en outre un serveur d'états (60) qui héberge des données globales relatives à toutes les tâches disponibles sur le système et qui offre des fonctions permettant d'accéder aux données globales.
  9. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes où chaque machine du système comprend un serveur de tâches (40) comprenant un moyen de contrôler les performances des tâches sur sa machine associée.
  10. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications 7 à 9, où chaque serveur de tâches (40) comprend un moyen de fournir ledit identificateur de file d'attente de messages.
  11. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes comprenant en outre un moniteur (70) comprenant un moyen de transmettre des messages au serveur d'états (60) et aux serveurs de tâches (40) à partir d'une interface utilisateur.
  12. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes où lesdits gestionnaires de communications (18) sont tous directement reliés à un port particulier (15).
  13. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes où ledit processeur de transactions est également un partenaire sortant (23).
  14. Un système selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes où ledit processeur de transactions comprend un moyen d'acheminer le signal sortant vers le terminal de point de vente (8) via le partenaire sortant (23), le partenaire entrant (20), le gestionnaire de communications (18) et le port associé (15).
EP97915658A 1997-03-19 1997-03-19 Systeme de traitement de transactions Expired - Lifetime EP0968479B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IE1997/000020 WO1998041940A1 (fr) 1997-03-19 1997-03-19 Systeme de traitement de transactions

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EP0968479A1 EP0968479A1 (fr) 2000-01-05
EP0968479B1 true EP0968479B1 (fr) 2005-07-13

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EP (1) EP0968479B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2001519941A (fr)
AT (1) ATE299607T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2305097A (fr)
DE (1) DE69733718D1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998041940A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2075751A1 (fr) * 2007-12-17 2009-07-01 Axalto S.A. Procédé pour communiquer depuis un terminal de transaction à un serveur, terminal, serveur et système électroniques correspondants

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5280625A (en) * 1992-06-26 1994-01-18 Hughes Aircraft Company Communication system and method for linking data terminals and their host computers through a satellite or other wide area network
IES930648A2 (en) * 1993-09-06 1994-02-09 Turquoise Holdings Ltd Method and apparatus for authorising credit cards and other¹cards
US5526409A (en) * 1993-10-26 1996-06-11 Visa International Service Association Adaptive communication system within a transaction card network

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0968479A1 (fr) 2000-01-05
JP2001519941A (ja) 2001-10-23
ATE299607T1 (de) 2005-07-15
AU2305097A (en) 1998-10-12
DE69733718D1 (de) 2005-08-18
WO1998041940A1 (fr) 1998-09-24

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