FR2634300A1 - System controlled by a keyboard such as a payment window - Google Patents

Abstract

a) Payment card system. b) System comprising a card 24 with a keyboard 22 and contacts 80 for cooperating with the automatic payment window 10, each card containing a sum of money which can undergo subtractions or additions for payments, each card carrying out a validation process by comparing the number inserted by the keyboard 72 and a secret number written in a read-only memory 78. c) The invention relates to techniques for payment by bankers cards in shops or automatic payment systems, telephone, road tolls, etc.

Description

E634300

  "System controlled by a keyboard such as a window" The present invention relates to a system controlled by a keyboard such as a window comprising

  a keyboard and a device controlled by the keyboard.

  The invention relates particularly to systems

using a customer card.

  Most of the facilities are

  transferable from the public uses a numeric or alpha-numeric keyboard. As an example we have the l0 counters

  1 automatic, public telephones, cash registers

  registrars and point of sale terminals. Such facilities are also generally (but

  not necessarily in a particular way) character-

  entered by a currency exchange item or a means

  to limit the authorized use.

  When money is used in connection with equipment there is always the risk of theft. The

  keyboards that exist in accessi-

  bles a6 + public always present the risk of vanda-

  lism and damage. The present invention seeks to

  to avoid such risks by creating a system in

  which the integrity of the equipment is the responsibility of

bility of each user.

  The present invention relates to a system formed of an apparatus intended to be controlled by a keyboard c634300, a removable card in which a keyboard is integrated; receiving means for receiving and storing the card in connection with the apparatus; a link means for connecting the card to the device and an interface for detecting the operation of the keyboard and transferring the detected commands from the keyboard to the device.

  A first embodiment of the invention

  tion is represented in its application at a counter

  automatic. The invention limits the risks of vanda-

  lism to a minimum because the counter only presents the user with a single slot. The invention creates a slot for receiving the card and a transfer means for transferring the card to the working position in which the connecting means and the interface means cooperate with the card. The card keyboard can be operated when it is in the working position. To further facilitate the use of the window, according to the invention, the transfer means is

  consists of a drawer which is pulled when the car arrives

  to the work position to allow the user

  reader to access the card keyboard when the

  card is in working position. So all the ele-

  The sensitive counter elements are kept, sealed and protected in the drawer until the card is put into the working position and itself provides protection to sensitive elements when it is in the working position. The sensitive elements are

  card contacts, optical or analog couplers

gues.

  To carry out a transaction without the exchange

  Money age, the invention provides a card with an account memory. The account memory contains a representation of the amount of money kept on the

  card and usable with the card. The ATM

  tick transfers the money to the card account memory or debits the card account memory for payment. This way we have a card without money exchange which avoids the risk of money theft

in the counter.

  In this embodiment and in all the other embodiments of the invention, the card includes a validation memory containing the personal identification number, the card being able to execute

  its self-validation check by indicating whether a name-

  bre introduced by the keyboard is identical or not to

  personal identification number and the card can in-

  tell at the counter or other device if the number

  ro entered is or is not identical to the identification number

  personal information; the counter (or other device) responds to card orders if, and only if, the

  number is indeed identical to the identification number

  personal tion. In this way, the device can only be accessed if, and only if, the presenter of the card is the real holder. Only the real holder knows the personal identification number written on the card. Only the real holder can order a self-validation of the card. The self-validating data are stored internally in the card. No exchange takes place at the border between the card and the counter (or any other device) so that attempts to fraudulently use a card cannot succeed if one simply examines the input and output data

from the menu.

  The indication made at the counter (or at all

  be device) that the card has self-validated may

  do this by providing a card at the counter

  tre card identification number (similar to nu-

  personal identification number of the user) so as to identify the card itself. The counter (or any other device) can then request another personal identification number from the user, who must verify the identification number by crossing

  cation of the card. In this way, even if a user

  fraudulent reader succeeds c convince the counter

  (or any other device) that their card has auto-

  validated, the counter (or any other device) will refuse to cooperate with the card. Finally, the card itself does not function as a keyboard for the front device

that it is not self-validated.

  The present invention provides that the counter (or any other device) destroys access to the personal identification number written in the card if the user tries more than a predetermined number of

  times entries to the personal identification number

  staff and if no entry is correct. In this way, a card used fraudulently sees its functioning destroyed so that it does not

  can no longer be used. The counter (or any other app-

  the same) then has the option of swallowing and keeping

to the card.

  The present invention provides that the card can self-validate if it is not in a counter

  (or other device). In this case, the correct card-

  self-validated displays the fault symbols on

  the display area and the map not correctly validated

  dee displays error symbols in the display area

  chage. A person who wants to make a transaction

  money with a cardholder can then ensure

  rer that the person presenting the card to him is the

real owner.

  For the personal identification number

  nel of the card cannot be easily determined by attempts or as a result of incidents, the invention relates to a means by which the card in self-validation control, not necessarily in a counter or other device, stops working during a determined time (in this example it is five minutes) if a personal identification number was entered - incorrectly more than a predetermined number of times so that it would take a time

  unusual to try all ID numbers

  tion and the card would not accept any new

  new attempt to enter identification number

  tion before the end of the predetermined time.

  According to another embodiment of the in-

  vention, the system device is a telephone and the

  card keypad can be used as a remote keypad

  phone. In this way, the phone receives each

  times a new keyboard presented by each user

  the phone itself does not have a display

  vier. The telephone is thus protected against any act

of vandalism on the keyboard.

  The present invention also provides that the telephone responds only to a card which has successfully self-validated. In this way, access to

  phone use is limited to actual ti-

card holder.

  When it is desired that the user pay for the call as in the public telephone, it is provided according to the invention that the card includes a memory for

  account with a representation of the sum of ar-

  gent provided for the use of the card so that the phone checks the displayed number and determines the

  unit cost per unit of call time made; the t

  the telephone subtracts the unit cost of the representation

  tion in the account memory whenever a uni-

  Time has passed during the call.

  According to another embodiment of the in-

  vention, the system device is a terminal

  transfer and the card is a first card; the ter-

  transfer minal cooperates to simultaneously receive the second card and the first and the second card each having an account memory which records a

  digital representation of money on account; then ---

  the transfer terminal cuts off the representative

  tion of a sum of money from the account memory of the first card, and adds it to the sum of money

  from the account memory of the second card.

  In this way we. can transfer from

  background between cards. The invention provides that the ter-

  transfer minal can be a point of sale terminal

  sale intended for a store or other sales outlets.

  For a transaction to be carried out correctly, it is expected that the counter terminal will cooperate with the cards if, and only if, the two cards are

  are correctly self-validated. It is also pre-

  since the transfer terminal or point of sale terminal transfers money between cards if, and only if, a sum of money entered by the keyboard of the first card corresponds to the sum

  silver introduced by the keyboard of the second car-

  you. In this way the transfer of funds can be

  only do if the price is accepted.

  According to a second mode of operation, the invention provides that all the money contained in the first card is transferred to the second card. Of

  this way, at the end of the exchange day, the re-

  from the different point of sale terminals of a shop or a store can be transferred to a cashier or cashier master card to be presented and deposited in a counter (like that of the first embodiment). This system results in a completely cashless trading system based on

  only on the data entered in a card.

  In the preferred embodiments

  briefly described here, the card (s) are covered

  connected to the device by electrical contacts or capacitive contacts. The invention also provides that a card can communicate with the device using an optical method, the display on the card being in accordance with the serial data and the corresponding device using an optical reader to detect the modulation of the signal. 'display. In this way, if the normal communication process of the

  card must have failed for any reason

  sound, we could nevertheless recover the card data to allow the user to restore

funds correctly.

  The present invention will be explained in detail.

  more detailed with an example in the

  following description made in conjunction with the drawings

  appended in which: - Figure 1 shows a window according to a first embodiment of the invention as well as

  the first stage of implementation of the window.

  - Figure 2 shows the window of Figure

  i and a second step in its operation.

  - Figure 3 shows a third step in

  operation of the window of Figures i and 2.

  - Figure 4 shows a fourth and final

  operating state of the window of FIGS. 1, 2, 3.

  - Figure 5 is a cross section of

  drawer of the windows of Figures i to 4.

  - Figure 6 is a plan view of the drawer

Figures i to 5.

  - Figure 7 is a block diagram of the components

sants of a card.

  - Figure 8 is a block diagram of the components

counter health.

  - Figure 9 is a front view of a car-

  you. - Figure 10 is a cross section of the card of Figure 9 made along the line XX '

  looking in the direction of the arrows.

  - Figure 11 is a rear view, made at

  as an example, from the map of Figures 9 and 10.

  - Figure 12 shows a flowchart of

operation of the counter.

  - Figure 13 shows a flowchart of the operation of the card when it is in the window.

  - Figure 14 is a flow chart of the function

  operation of the card when it is not in the

  counter; this figure showing in particular the example

  full of a self-validating check.

  - Figure 15 is a view of a transfer terminal or a point of sale terminal according to a

  another embodiment of the invention.

  - Figure 16 is a cross section of the transfer terminal of Figure 15 taken along the

  line Y-Y 'looking in the direction of the arrows.

  - Figure 17 is a block diagram of the termi-

  point of sale or transfer terminal

Figures 15 and 16.

  - Figure 18 is a flowchart of the function-

  operation of the transfer terminal or point of sale terminal in Figures 15 to 17 during a

  transfer of funds to a master cash card

is lying.

  FIG. 19 is a flow chart of the function

  operation of the point of sale terminal according to the

  gures 15-17 working on the transfer of an amount

  accepted during a sales transaction.

  - Figure 20 shows another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus being a telephone set. - Figure 21 shows the telephone set

  in Figure 20 with a card in place.

  - Figure 22 is a block diagram of the par-

  interactive links with the telephone set card

Figures 20 and 21.

  FIG. 23 is a flow chart of the function

  operation of the telephone set in Figures 20 and 21

in use.

  While the previous description and the

  The following description of the invention has been limited to

  three examples, it is clear that the invention encompasses any system using a keyboard; the examples are

  simply given by way of illustration, without limitation

  ve of the invention as defined in the claims

cations.

  Figure 1 shows a first embodiment

  preferential sation of the invention in the form of a

counter using a card.

  A counter 10 is built into a wall 12

  accessible to the public through an environment

  ge 14. The window 10 includes a lighting means 16 in its upper part of the cavity 18 as will be described later; it not only ensures

  lighting to be visible but can also be used

  vir to activate a presented card, using

solar cells.

  A drawer 20 is provided with a slot 22 through which a card 24 is introduced.

  also has a display panel 26

  tout, as is known in the art, for

  display messages for the user to read.

  During a first action, the card 24 is inserted into the slot 22 in a predetermined orientation as indicated by a first arrow 28. When the card 24 is inserted into the slot 22 it is driven into the window 10 and is

  temporarily out of access for the user.

  Figure 2 shows the second stage of operation.

  counter 10. Once the card 24 has been entered

  pick in drawer 20, it is in a window

  be central 30 in the middle of the upper face 32, with cavity of the drawer 20. The drawer 20 is then advanced by

  a motor (not shown) or drive means

  ment (not shown) as indicated by the

  second arrow 34 to move to the open position

  ture as shown; card 24 is then ac-

  transferable to the user in the central window 30

  but it cannot be extracted from this central window

  30 by the user. The drawer 20 can only be opened by introducing a correct type of

map 24.

  If an incorrect type of card 24 was

  presented in slot 22, this card would be simple-

  returned to the user through slot 22 without

opening the drawer 20.

  When the drawer occupies the position shown

  shown in FIG. 2, the user of drawer 10 is free to start transactions with the window 10

  using card 24 (as will be described later

  laughing) by cooperating with messages posted on

  the display panel 26 of the window 10.

  Figure 3 shows a third stage of operation of the window 10 at the end of a successful or unsuccessful transaction attempt. The card 24 is retained in the central window 30 of the drawer 20 which is returned back to the counter as is

  indicated by the third arrow 36.

  - Figure 4 shows the operating step-

  final window 10; card 24 is returned to

  user, as indicated by a fourth

  arrow 38, through the slot 22. As described later, if the card 24 were to prove to be suspicious or defective, the window 10 would retain the

  card and would not return it to the user.

  Figure 5 is a cross section of the window 10 in the position shown in Figure

  2; the cut is made along the line A-A 'in regar-

  in the direction of the arrows.

  Figure 6 is a plan view of drawer 10

  in Figure 2. For simplicity, the figure

  gure 5 shows the drawer 10 without the card; figure 6

  shows drawer 20 with card 24 in phantom.

  It should be noted that each time the slide 20 is in the advanced position, like that shown in FIG. 2, the card 24 which has been presented, occupies in

makes the central window 30.

  A pair of rear rollers 40 is spaced a distance slightly less than the width of the card 24 and each supports a belt of

  transport 42, respectively, cooperating so as to in-

  troduire the card 24 in the drawer 20 through the slot 22. A photodetector 44 detects the introduction of the card 24. The conveyor belts 42 are supported at their nearest end

  slot 22 by a common roller 46. As soon as the pho-

  to-detector 44 detects the introduction of a card 24,

  an electric motor drive means (not

  shown) controls the conveyor belts 42 to return the card 24, under a guide 48, in the drawer to be placed as shown in FIG. 6. The central window 30 is of smaller dimensions than the overall dimensions of the card 24. As the card 24 is rigid and the central window 30 is smaller than the card 24, it is not possible to remove the

  card 24 of drawer 20 as shown in Figure 6.

  According to the description made later, it suffices

  that the keyboard of the card 24 is accessible through

  towards the central window 30. Likewise, as described later

* subsequently, a counter contact 30 ensures the connection

  electric sound with the card 24. The set of contacts 50 of the counter is presented through the opening 52 of the

  card support plate 54 by electromechanical means

  standard 57 once the card 24 is under the central window 30. Given the arrangement of the rollers 40, 46, it suffices to feed a roller 40, 46

  to introduce the card 24 evenly into the

laugh 20.

  In Figure 5, the mechanical means 57 which causes the sets of contacts 50 of the window to cooperate with the card 24 is shown in the raised position by an electromagnet and a lever arm. Eh recovery mode, if the contact set of the card 80 has somewhat failed to transfer the serial data, it

  that the communicator 82, serial, from the card,

  activates the selected element of the map display 74 at a speed corresponding to the response speed of a liquid crystal display means. Data from

  series type are then slowly transferred from the

  te 24 in the window 10. In this way, using

  sant a so-called specialized counter, a ban-

  caire can recover data from a damaged 24 card

  magic. As a card 24 (as will be described later

  represents a source of money, it is important for the user of the card to have the possibility of recovering the sums of money from his card even if an error has occurred. He is not

  each counter 10 must be equipped with a reader

  optics 100. Only the counters that make the recovery

  cards must have an optional card reader

than 100.

  As a variant, the card 24 itself may include an optical reader 100 designed to cooperate with a modulated light source or source of reflection in the window 10. In this way, a two-way communication is carried out between a

  card 24 and a counter 10 without there being any

  direct electrical tacts. Similarly, while the set of window contacts 50 and the set of

  card contacts 80 as described above and above

  after with electrical contacts, it is clear that if it is not necessary to transfer significant amounts of power to a card 24 during use, by capacitive or inductive means,

  the contact set 50 can be lifted or put in place

  this by an electromechanical means capable of being

  activated separately as is known in the art

  than. To insert the card 24 into the drawer, the conveyor belts 42 move as indicated by the fifth arrows 56. On returning from the

  card 24 towards the user, as shown in figure

  gure 4, the conveyor belts 42 move as indicated by the sixth arrows 58. In the event that a card 24 does not have to be returned to the user, the conveyor belts 42 do not move in the direction of the fifths arrows 56 but for

  place the card 24 in a receptacle 60 from where the

  The counter 10 can recover the card 24 to return it to its true owner. The card 24 is ejected by the rear rollers 44 on a fall of

  guide 62 in the retaining element 60. As shown

  felt in FIG. 5, the guide drop 62 allows a card 24 to arrive in the retention element 60, the drawer 20 being in the retracted position according to FIGS. 1 and 4. If one wishes to retain the card 24 and the slide 20 in the advanced position as shown in FIG. 2, the retaining element 60 is moved so that when the transport belts move, as indicated by the fifth arrows 56, the card 24 is deposited directly in the retention element 60 avoiding the fall with guide 62. Such a case can arise

  occur if drawer 20 is blocked for some reason

  sound, in the extended position shown in Figure 2. It is clear that this situation is abnormal and that

  such an error state does not exist during operation

regular counter 10.

  When window 10 operates normally-

  The opening 52, the card support plate 54 and the set of window contacts 50 are all housed inside the drawer 20 until the card 24 is placed there. It is only after the drawer 20 can

  moving forward. Thus, the card 24 creates a means of protection

  tion for the set of counter contacts 50 beau-

  more sensitive shot and prevents the user from accessing the contact set 50 while the drawer 20 is in

  advanced position. The drawer 20 is put in the position

  towed before card 24 is returned to the

  user. Sensitive elements 50, 52, 54 are again returned to the window 10 before the card 24 is removed from its position above these elements. When the window 10 is not used, it

  presents a clean surface whose only characteristic

  what is slot 22. This minimizes the risk

counter vandalism 10.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the card 24. The card 24, called the "efficient" card, comprises a low-power card processor 64 which makes it

  a low power miniature computer. The pro-

  card interrupter 64 and all related devices

  dants can be powered by a set of solar cells 66 or by a replaceable or rechargeable battery 68. A data and address bus 70

  distributes the signals (in a manner known to the speciA-

  lists) through the different elements of the card 24. The card 24 has an integrated keyboard 72,

  the actions on the keys are transferred from the

  72 through the address and data bus 70 to the card processor 64. Likewise, the card 24 includes a card display means 74 which can typically be a

  liquid crystal also controlled by the bus of-

dresses and data 70.

  The card processor 64 also uses the data and address bus 70 to access the random access memory 76 and the read-only memory 78. A set of card contacts 80 communicates via the data bus and addresses 70 with the card processor 64 and constitutes the electrical contact with a corresponding set of contacts of the window 10. The set of card contacts 80 also supplies the power

  electrical to the card processor 64 (derived from the

  chet 10) when the card 24 is placed in the guide

chet 10.

  A serial card communicator 82 receives data and exchanges data with the card processor 74 via the address and data bus 70. The serial card communicator 82 transforms parallel data from the card processor 64 into serial data for transmission by the card contact set 80. Similarly, the card serial communicator 82 transforms serial type data received from the card contact set 80 into

  parallel data for the car processor

  te 64 via the data bus and a-

  dresses 70. As described later, the communication

  82 card series may also provide data.

  born series-by display 74 of the card for

  modulate the selected elements of the display and allow the optical reading of serial data.

  FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the window 10. A window processor 84 as well as the

  other units of window 10 are supplied by the

  indication 86 of the counter from the main power supply or from a backup battery in

  main power failure. The-

  the counter supply 86 supplies electrical energy via the supply line 88 to the set of counter contacts 50 otherwise shown

  Figures 5 and 6. The overhead processor 84 is

  picnic with the different elements of the counter 10 by

  a data bus and address 90 counter. The pro-

  wicket stopper 84 is actually a small

  computer; it uses the data and address bus

  its 90 of the counter to communicate with the memory 92 of the counter. The counter processor 84 uses the counter address and data bus 90 for two channels

  communication with a modem 94 (i.e. a mo-

  dulator / demodulator) using a telephone line

  that 96 ensuring communication between the counter 10 and a bank computer, main, remotely for

  that the counter 10 can confirm the validity, the information

  validity, viability or unsustainability of no matter-

  what transaction desired by a user who

presents Map 24.

  The counter processor 84 is connected by the data and address bus 90 to a serial type communicator 98 of the counter used for communication between the counter 10 and the card 24. The set of contacts 50 of the counter corresponds to the set of contacts 80 on the card. The serial communicator 98 of the counter receives the parallel type data from the counter processor 84 and transforms them into serial type data; this data is transferred by the contact set of

  counter 50 at the set of card contacts 80 then at the

  card 82 serial communicator for presentation to card processor 64. Similarly, parallel data from card processor 64 is

  transformed into serial data by the se-

  item 82 of the card; this data is transferred by

  contact set 80 from card to contact set

  tacts 50 from the counter then to the serial communicator 98 from the counter which transforms them back into data

  parallel to be presented to the GUI processor

  chet 84. In this way, the window 10 can communicate

  with the card 24. If a failure occurs for any reason in the set of counter contacts 50, the card 24 can still communicate with the counter 10 using the optical reader 100

  (see also figure 5) cooperating with the display

  card ge 74, The optical reader 100 provides serial type data to the serial communicator 98 of the counter in response to the modulation of the card display 74. The

  82 series communicator on the board

  mittence a selected element of the map display 74 in accordance with the serial data to be transmitted to the

  window 10. The optical reader 100 includes a photo-

  detector by reflection (i.e. a light source

  and a photo-sensor used in the case of an af-

  card layout consisting of a liquid crystal display) which ensures detection when the element

  chosen from the map display 74 is in transparent mode

rent or in opaque mode.

  FIG. 9 is a top view of the card 24, the block diagram of which is shown in FIG. 7. As already indicated, the display means 74 of the card is a liquid crystal display means; in this figure there is shown a display means

  7-segment single-row decimal numeric.

  It is clear that the display means 74 of the card can include any other appropriate display means

for card 24.

  The card 24 is itself of general shape and thickness corresponding to a credit card

  usual, that is to say of the order of 8.5 cm in length

  width, 5.4 cm in width and between 1 and 3 mm thick

  sister. These dimensions are chosen simply for practical use so that the card is compatible with the other means of using credit cards. It is also clear that if the card 24 does not have to be compatible with other installations using credit cards, the above dimensions can be modified. The array of solar cells 64 is located directly above the keyboard 72 on one side of the card 24. When the card 24 is placed under the light 16 of the window 10, the array of solar cells 66 powers the card 24. In the case of a 68 battery,

  the array of solar cells 66 can be omitted.

  If the battery 68 is rechargeable, the energy supplied by the contact set 80 of the card via the contact set 50 of the counter can

used to recharge the battery 68.

  Figure 10 is a cross section of the card 24 of Figure 9 along X-X 'looking

in the direction of the arrows.

  Integrated circuits 102 mounted on a single surface constitute the elements of the block diagram of FIG. 7. These circuits are housed in the cavity formed between the hollow front element 104 and the rear element 106 of the card 24. The integrated circuits 102

  are connected to each other using imaging techniques

  thin film pressure. The rear element 106 is fixed to the front element 104 by glue 108 between the

  raised edge of the front element 104 and the rear element

  re 106. The keyboard 72-can be made as a keyboard

  with membrane communicating with internal circuits

  sandstone 102 using connection techniques for flexible printed circuit boards or thin films. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the card 24. The set of contacts 80 of the card consists of a certain number of conductive zones 110 placed in an insulating environment 112 and projecting with respect to the rear element 106. The card contact set 80 includes a small flange receiving the rear element 106 (the flange is not shown here) and the contact set can in fact be fixed on the same face in the front element 104 like the circuit. integrated 102.

  When the card 24 is placed in the

  see 20 as shown in Figure 6, the clearance

  tacts 80 of the card meets the corresponding electrodes

  of the set of contacts 50 of the counter when the electromechanical means 57 advances the sets of contacts 50 of the counter against the set of contacts 80 of

the map.

  Returning briefly to Figure 8, the

  window 10 further includes an electromedial interface

  standard 114 of a type known to specialists so that the counter processor 84 can order separately

  the electromechanical means 57, the electric motors

  individual control ques to advance the drawer or to bring it back; it also allows

  order electric motors separately which

  drag the conveyor belts 42 to perform the various mechanical functions chosen. Of the

  same way, the electromechanical interface can receive

  see the photodetector 44 signals to indicate

  the introduction of a card 24 through the slot 22.

  Such interfaces are generally realized in use.

  selective memory addressable positions

  ment, locking chips and selectively powered transistors whose output is derived from the contents of the locks. Likewise, the input data is applied to the counter processor 84 by addressing a selected memory location when it

  there is a buffer lock. The content of the worm

  buffer wheel is determined by the condition of the

  input signals and when addressing the position of

  selected memory transfers this data to the process

  counter 84 via the guide bus

chet 90.

  Figure 12 is a flowchart shown

  both the operation of the counter 10.

  During an initial operation 116.1e

  window 10 examines the photo-

  detector 44 to determine whether or not a card 24 has been inserted into the slot 22. The first test 116 continues to examine the presence of a card 24 in the slot 22 until the detection of a card 24. Then the

  command passes on a first operation 118 for the-

  which the window processor 84 uses the mechanical interface 114 to ensure that the card 24 has been transported through the slot 22 in the drawer 20 and until it is in the central slot 30. This is performed by the window processor 84 which controls the electromechanical interface 114 to actuate a motor or motors and drive the transport belt 42 until the card 24 is in the central window 30 The window processor 84 controls the play of conta: s of the counter 50 until it finds that the set of card contacts 80 is in contact with the previous set. This is

  done by looking for an electrical resistance predeter-

  mined (generally by conductivity but without short-

  circuit) between a selected pair of terminals 110 of the

window contact set 50.

  When the first operation 116 is completed

  born, the command passes to a second operation 120; in this operation the drawer 20 is pulled out by the

  counter processor 84 which issues an order for the

  electromechanical terface 114 so that the motors (not shown in the figures) bring the drawer 20 out on the rollers (also not shown in the drawings) and put it in the position shown in FIG. 2. When the drawer 20 is out, the control

  goes from second operation 120 to third operation

ration 122.

  Card 24 can be issued by a bank in any number of countries. Each country uses its

  own language and in countries like Japan its pro-

  pres characters. Window 10 should be able to

  answer each card 24 in the corresponding language

  to the user of the card. For this, each card 24 contains in memory 78, at a predetermined location, an indication of the bank or the country of issue of the card 24, this bank code is read from the card 24 by the counter 10 which issues an instruction

  via the GUI 98 series communicator

  chet and from the window contact set 50 to the card contact set 80 and the card serial communicator 82 for controlling the card processor 74 and examining the defined position. Card processor 64 reviews all requests for input information

  to determine if a request has been made for access

  der to a part of the read-only memory 78 in which the personal identification number of the card is located 24. If the counter 10 wishes to read this part of the read-only memory 78 in which the personal identification number of the card is located card 24, card processor 64 refuses to disclose this information. However, in the case of the bank code, the counter 10 can extract the data from the memory

  dead 78; window 10 responds by choosing the

  appropriate guide or symbol set for the sign

display 26.

  Whenever 24 cards are issued,

  the codes identified by the cards 24 received from the former

  or sent by cards 24 in response to outside orders or keyboard operations

  72 are the same. Each card 24 includes keys

  numeric keys, question and answer keys and -function keys on his keyboard 72. If a particular key is pressed, the same code is provided at the counter 10 whatever the country of origin of the particular card 24 Thus, while in English by pressing keys it is necessary to display "yes" or "no '", in the case of French it is necessary to display "yes" and "no" and in the case of Japanese the same two keys can be written on the front of card 24 with other characters, the codes remaining

  the same and the operation corresponding to all

  ches giving the corresponding codes. So, it is enough

  fit for window 10 to provide the pictorial codes

  different phiques on display panel 26 for each

that message to display.

  The third operation 126 being completed,

  the command passes to the fourth operation 124.

  During the fourth operation, the guide

  chet 10 indicates to the display panel 26 in the lan-

  an adequate request for the user to introduce his personal card identification number. Counter 10 also issues an order to

  card 24 so that it is ready to receive the nu-

  personal identification number of the card. Then the u

  user presses the corresponding keyboard keys 72

  laying after the numbers of the characters

  his personal card identification number.

  The command then passes to the fifth operation 126 for which the counter 10 interrogates the card 24 to determine whether the personal identification number of

  the card was or was not introduced and during a se-

  cond 128 it checks if the card 24 indicates that the nu-

  personal identification number is correct.

  If the second test 28 finds that the number

  personal identification card is not correct

  rect, the command passes to a third test 130 which

  check if this is the third wrong introduction

  the personal identification number of the card.

  If the third test 130 does not detect a third

  occasion of incorrect entry of the identification number

  personal fication of the card, the order goes to a sixth operation 132 in which the counter 10

  sends a message to its display panel 26 indi-

  as the personal identification number of the card must be reintroduced. Then the order comes back

on the fourth operation 124.

  If the third test 130 detects that it has

  git the third time the user attempted an incorrect entry of the identification number

  personal card, the order is placed on a sep-

  third operation 134 for which the window 10 comprises

  request the card to erase its identification number

  personal tion. This is simply achieved by the

  counter 10 which registers an order word in the meta

  random access memory 76 so that if the card processor 64 interrogates the read-only memory 78 at the place where the personal identification number of the card is written, the card processor 74 cannot do so

  because the watchword written in the RAM inter-

  says access to this particular address. So when

  that the card is again the subject of an validation process attempt, either in the counter 10, or in a self-validation process, it cannot access its personal identification number and the validity test cannot be done. The card 24 is thus effectively neutralized insofar as the device (in this case the counter 10) does not cooperate

  with the card unless it is validated by the nu-

  personal identification number of the corresponding card

  to the number entered by the keyboard 72. The seventh-

  me operation 134 also does that the processor

  counter 84 having ordered the card 24 to erase the ac-

  this personal identification number, it uses the electromechanical interface 114 to control the movement of the belts 42 to swallow the card by transferring it to the retaining hopper 60. The drawer 20

  is then removed at the same time and the user

  deceitful, suspect, is both deprived of the card and of any access to the counter 10. The seventh operation 134

  places the order on the first test 116.

  If the second test 128 finds that the se-

  quence of the numbers entered by the keyboard 72 of the

  card 24 is actually the identification number per-

  card staff 24 the order goes to the eighth

  me operation 136. The card 24 indicates the success of the correspondence of the sequence entered by the keyboard 72 and the personal identification number written in the read-only memory 78 by transmitting a code word to the counter 10, and which is unique for the

  card 24. In fact it is a second ID number.

  the personal information that card 24 provides to the guide

  chet 10. Counter 10 opens the transaction in use

  using modem 94 to send an encrypted message via telephone line 96 from the counter to the appropriate bank computer as indicated by the

  bank read on the card during the third operation-

* tion 122. Then the window 10 asks the user

  to enter another personal identification number

  nel using the keyboard 72 of the card 24; window 10 compares this other identification number

  personnel entered by the user at the i-number

  personal dentification received by telephone line 96 from the counter from the appropriate bank. Yes

  this other corresponding personal identification number

  pond, counter processor 84 opens transaction

  and allows the command to proceed to the ninth operation

  tion 138 for which the user makes a transaction

  tion directly with his bank via modem 94 and telephone line 96 at the counter to exchange funds with the RAM 76 on his card

24.

  The random access memory 76 of the card 24 is a non-fleeting memory. It contains a memory of

  account in which an indication number is registered

  tion of the amount of money kept in the card 24.

  Card 24 can be used in transaction 138

  to transfer the money to the appropriate bank, to re-

  receive money from the appropriate bank or for change

  manage money from one currency to another. For that the

  RAM 76 of card 24 is partitioned separately.

  different areas each containing the quantities in different currencies. Whenever it wishes to add money to the card 24, the card processor 64 in fact adds the adequate quantity to the adequate area of the RAM 76. Each time it wishes to use the card 24 to pay in money, the card processor 64 deducts the appropriate amount from the appropriate area of the RAM 76. When traveling abroad it is often necessary when changing countries, to access any counter 10 for

  exchange currency by the appropriate bank using

  the modem 94 and the telephone line 96 of the guide

  chet. As will become clear later, the same card 24 can be used for store purchases, bill payments or other situations

receiving money.

  A fourth test 140 verifies that the ninth

  operation 138 (transaction) is complete. If transaction 138 is completed, the fourth test 140

  places the order in a tenth operation 142 for the-

  which the window processor 84 uses the electromechanical interface 114 to remove the drawer 20 in the position shown in FIG. 4. Then, the control

  passes on an eleventh operation 144 during the-

  which the counter processor 84 again uses the electromechanical interface 114 to drive the conveyor belt 42 and return the card 24 to the user via the slot 38. The eleventh operation 144 places the order directly with the

back to the first test 116.

  FIG. 13 shows the operation of the card 24 when it is placed in the aperture 10. A fifth test 146 verifies that the card 24 is in the aperture 10 as indicated in FIG. 2. This is done by the card 24 looking at a particular, predetermined code word that it must receive from counter 10. If this word is received, the command passes to

  a sixth test 148. If the particular code word

  saying the presence on the go counter was not re-

  the command returns to a cleaning operation 150 of the internal functions for which the card 24

  may operate in any other suitable manner.

  As shown in Figure 9, the car-

  basically suits you as a calculator or

  little memory. The present invention makes the card 24 can be used for such a function. Of

  such functions are included in the metering operation

  swims 150. At the end of each part of the cleaning function 150, the command returns to the fifth test

  146 to see if card 24 is in the guide or not

chet 10.

  The command having passed on the sixth test 148, the fifth test 146 having detected the reception of the code word indicating that the card 24 is in the window 10, the sixth test 148 waits for the window

  10 asks for the bank card code 24 (corresponding to

  laying in the third operation 122 of FIG. 12).

  As soon as the counter 10 requests the bank code, the order goes to a twelfth operation 152 which supplies the bank code to the counter 10 in the form

  serial data through the console set

  card tacts 80. The twelfth operation 152 then places the command on a seventh test 154 which checks

  if the counter 10 has sent the card 24 to the card 24

  chosen culier, who asks card 24 to start

  a validation operation by entering on the

  vier 72 of the person identification card

nel of the card.

  Upon receipt of the order from the counter 10 to begin the validation operation, the command passes to a thirteenth operation 156 during which the card 24 checks the sequence of digits ordered on the keyboard 72 with respect to the sequence digits in a predetermined position of the read-only memory 78. Then the command passes to the

  eighth test 158 which verifies that the sequence of ac-

  operation of the keys on the keyboard 72 corresponds to the personal identification number stored in the

  the card's read-only memory 78. If the eighth operation

  tion 158 detects that there is no correspondence between the sequence of numbers or characters entered

  by the keyboard 72 and the identification number per-

  staff written to ROM 78, the command

  passes on a ninth test 160 which verifies that the guide

  chet 10 has or has not issued the particular code ordering the card 24 to erase access to the number recorded in the read-only memory 78 at the particular location where the personal identification number is written. Yes

  the ninth test 160 does not detect a request prov-

  from counter 10 to delete access to the i-number

  personal dentification, the command returns to the seventh test 154; at this time card 24 is waiting for a

  new request to enter the identification number

  personal cation via the keyboard 72. If the ninth test 160 does not detect the request from the counter 10 to erase access to the personal identification number, the command passes to the fourteenth operation 162 which actually erases. As already indicated, it is preferable, according to the present invention, that the refusal of access to the location (or locations) of the read-only memory where the personal identification number (s) are registered is done by registration of a prohibition watchword in the RAM 76. An alternative solution consists in applying a voltage level to one of the conductive areas 110 of the card contact set 80 to destroy a connection.

  its card fuse 24, link which, once

  trout, prohibits the passage of authorization signals

to read only memory 78.

  The fourteenth operation 162 places the order directly on the cleaning operation 150 which in full time returns the order to the fifth test 146.

  If the eighth test 158 discovers that the

  quence of the keys controlled from the keyboard 72 corresponds to the personal identification number written in the read-only memory 78, the command passes to a fifteenth

operation 164.

  During this fifteenth operation, the card processor 64 controls the card display 74 to display a row of fault characters

  indicating to the user that the identification number

  personal card 24 has been introduced corrected

  seriously. During the introduction of the code, the card 24 does not provide a display so that a spectator

  cannot learn the identification number per-

  card staff 24. The fifteenth operation 164 in-

  also forms the window 10 via the serial card communicator 82 and the card contact set 80 that the personal identification number of the card has been entered correctly. As described above, this is done by the card 24 which sends

  at counter 10 another personal identification number

  nel that the counter 10 then communicates to the appropriate bank and compares against another number

  personal identification entered by the user

  tor. According to the invention, the number which is passed to the counter 10 as a personal identification number

  intended for the bank to receive the identification number

  Additional personal information is encrypted to prevent any fraudulent user from easily discovering this number. It is preferable that the encryption key is sent from counter 10 to card 24 on each occasion and that counter 10 changes

  the encryption key from time to time for the user to

  fraudulent sator cannot know in advance the

appropriate code.

  The fifteenth operation 164 passes the

  order to a transaction operation 166 corresponding

  during transaction operation 138 of FIG. 12.

  Once the transaction has been completed, card 24 returns the

  request on cleaning operation 150 which in turn, in full time, sends the order on the fifth

test 146.

  Figure 14 shows a method of self-

  validation by which the card 24 can control its own personal identification number registered internally to show that the user is in

  made the real owner of the card.

  One of the keys 72 on the card 24 is pressed.

  peeled key of the personal identification number.

  When this particular key is pressed, the

  card 24 knows she has to run a program of

  to-check. A tenth test 168 checks whether the

  personal identification number key has been

  dark. The tenth test 168 advantageously forms part of the cleaning operation 150 of FIG. 13. If the number key

  personal identification had not been pressed, the tenth test 168 would pass the command to another cleaning operation 170 forming the residue of the cleaning operation 150 of the figure

2634300O

  13. As soon as the personal identification number 72 key has been pressed, the tenth test 168 passes the command to a sixth operation 172 for which the card processor 64 clears the card display 74 so that no characters are entered. displayed during a keystroke sequence 72 and which would correspond to the personal identification number of

  the card written in the read-only memory 78. Thus,

  no casual spectator can learn the number

  personal identification card.

  The command passes from the sixteenth operation 172 to the seventeenth operation 174 by which

  compare the sequence of numbers or other characters

  produced by keyboard 72 with identification number

  staff written to ROM 78. The tenth

  seventh transaction 174 places the order on a

  eleventh test 176 to check whether the sequence of numbers

  fre introduced actually corresponds to the identification number

  personal cation stored in memory. If there is no match, the eleventh test 176 passes the command to a twelfth test 178 which checks whether it is the

  third case in a row, unsuccessful attempt to

  production of the personal identification number. If the twelfth test 178 does not find that this is the third unsuccessful attempt to introduce the

  personal identification number, he places the order

  from to an eighteenth operation 180 which illuminates my-

  intermittent flag map display flag

  74 requesting a reintroduction of the identification number

  personal cation. The eighteenth operation 180 passes

  then the command to the seventeenth operation 174.

  If the twelfth test 178 finds that it has

  git actually the third attempt in a row not

  successful introduction of the personal identification number

  sonnel, the twelfth test 178 passes the command to a nineteenth operation 182 by which the card processor 64 displays an error message on

  the map display 74 and also starts a pro-

  five-minute waiting period, during which the card will not accept any other transaction. This five-minute wait includes the

  other attempts to enter the identification number

  personal cation. In this way, it is not pos-

  likely to repeatedly try to identify the nu-

  correct identification mero by testing and

  errors if not at a very slow speed. Ain-

  if the potential fraudulent user will be discouraged from

  attempt to find the personal identification number

  staff of card 24 found or stolen. Using a five-digit personal identification number

  decimals and a five minute timeout it takes

  looks like the fraudulent user is spending around 2,500

  hours to find the person identification number

nel correct.

  In the case of an alphanumeric keyboard (i.e. 26 letters and 10 numeric numbers, i.e. a total of 36 characters) included in

  the five digits, with a delay of five mid

  nutes, the period required above would be extended to approximately 5 million hours. You can choose a time delay longer or shorter than five minutes and the number of different keys concerned

  by the personal identification word can be modified

  trusted. Whatever the choice, the delay thus introduced

  creates considerable difficulty in determining the

  the identity of the personal card identification number.

  Similarly, the display error message indicates to all

  the people around you that the person undergoing the card check does not know the correct personal identification number and may be a

fraudulent user.

  The nineteenth operation 182 places the order directly back on the tenth test 168. If in fact the eleventh test 176 finds that

  the sequence of numbers entered through

  re on keyboard 72 does not correspond to the identification number

  personal fication written in the read-only memory 78, the command passes on the twentieth operation 184 by

  which the card processor 64 displays the

  fault indicators on display 74 of the indi-

  that the correct personal identification number has been entered. All these means confirm that by the introduction of the personal identification number it is certain that the person using the card 24 knows the correct personal identification number and that

  any transaction is probably valid and legal.

  The twentieth operation 184 passes the

  command on a twenty-first operation 186 which in-

  generally indicates that the transaction that the card 24 wants to make must be completed. In the case

  with a simple request (for example from the po-

  to prove the true ownership of the car-

  te, by pressing another key on the keyboard 72, the twenty-first operation 186 returns directly to the tenth test 168. Au.cas o as described below, the card 24 is used for an act of commerce, purchase or transfer of funds, card 24 waits for orders from the device to which it is connected before

to participate in the transaction.

  No 24 card will participate in transactions unless it has been correctly

  validated or self-validated as described above in re-

  refer to Figures 13 and 14. No card 24 which has not been validated, will not respond to orders from the corresponding device as described above and below except

  to start a validation process like the one

shown in Figure 13.

  When the twenty-first operation is completed, the card 24 returns the command on the tenth test 168 and resumes seven general cleaning operations 170, 150 until it is again

  called to execute a program.

  Figure 15 is a perspective view of a transfer terminal 188 usable as a point of sale terminal in a shop or other business. Figure 16 is a cross section of the terminal

  transfer from figure 15 along line Y-Y 'in -re-

keeping the direction of the arrows.

  The transfer terminal 188 consists of

  a first facade 190 and a second facade 192.

  Each facade is provided with a pair of angles 194 to receive a card 24. Each set of angles 194 is provided with a contact set 196, 198. The first facade 190 of the transfer terminal 188 is intended for use by the trader. The second facade 192 of the transfer terminal 188 is intended for the purchaser of the products. The first facade 190 of the terminal of

  transfer 188 includes a set of sales contacts

  rant 196 intended to cooperate with the set of card contacts 50 of the merchant card 24. In FIG. 16, the buyer card bears the reference 24 '. The second facade 192 of the transfer terminal 188 is provided with a set of buyer contacts 198 intended to establish the

  contact with contact set 80 on the purchase card

  24 '. The transfer terminal 188 transfers the

  inscribed representations of money between the card of a-

  hunter 24 'and the money card 24.

  FIG. 17 is a block diagram of the transfer terminal 88 of FIGS. 15 and 16. A terminal processor 200 communicates via a bus

  of terminal 202 both with the contact set of a-

  chedeur 198 and the seller contact set 196. A terminal supply 204 supplies electrical power both for the buyer's contact set 198 to supply the buyer's card 24 'and for the set of vendor contacts 196 to supply energy

to the seller's card 24.

  Figure 19 is a flow chart of the function

  operation of transfer terminal 188 during a

sale transaction.

  During a thirteenth test 206, the termi-

  Counter nal 188 interrogates the set of seller contacts 196 to verify that a seller card 24 is present. If a seller card 24 is present on the seller contact set 196, the command passes to the fourteenth test 208. If the thirteenth test 206 does not detect the presence of the seller card 24 on the seller contact set 196 , the

  terminal processor 200 continues to wait.

  The fourteenth test 208 examines the set of buyer contacts 198 to verify that the buyer card 24 'is placed on the second face 192 of the transfer terminal 188. If no buyer card

  24 'is not detected, the terminal processor 200

  keeps waiting. If a 24 'buyer card has been

  detected, the command passes to the twenty-second operation

ration 210.

  The twenty-second operation interrogates the two cards 24, 24 'to verify that the cards 24, 24' have been self-validated or not. Each card 24,

  24 ', once self-validated or if after being

  overwhelmed by the device, can receive a word of

  device encryption command and return a predetermined validation word to the device, encrypted according to the encryption command word. We can use any

  which of the multiple known encryption methods al-

  lant of the transposition of figures to processes by algorithm concerning the algebraic identities. It does not matter in the context of the present invention to know the exact way of encrypting; just know that the cards 24, 24 'can receive

  transfer terminal 188 a command word for

  request encryption then return the predetermined validation word, encrypted, in response to the command word

towards the device.

  Under these conditions, the trans-

  fert 188 provides an encrypted command word, chosen (and variable from time to time) to each card 24, 24 '; each card 24, 24 'responds by returning the encrypted version of the self-validation indication word. As

  the word to return varies from time to time, it is different

  it would be difficult for a fraudulent user to know the correct response to generate to order the transfer terminal. As the encryption password can

  vary from transfer terminal to trans-

  fert 188, a card successfully used fraudulently on a transfer terminal 188 risks

  cannot be used in the same way on another

  be. Having interrogated the two cards 24, 24 ', the twenty-second operation 210 places the order for a fifteenth test 121 which verifies that the word resend or not (now decrypted) from the seller card 24 was the expected word indicating that the card 24 has been successfully validated. If the word returned is not the expected word indicating the correction of the self-validation, the fifteenth test 212 passes

  the command on a twenty-third operation 214.

  The first facade 109 and the second facade

  192 of the transfer terminal each have a display

  terminal file 216 by which the transfer terminal 188 delivers messages to users located on both sides. The twenty-third operation 214 causes the transfer terminal 188 to display for the seller and for the buyer that the seller's card 24 is invalidated insofar as it has not been

  self-validated correctly. The twenty-third opera-

  tion 204 then returns the command on the thirteenth

test 206.

  If the fifteenth test 212 shows that the card

  of the seller has been correctly self-validated, the order

  pass on a sixteenth test 218 which performs exact-

  the same check regarding the self-validation of

  buyer's card. If the sixteenth test 218 detects

  that the code word returned by the buyer's card

  24 ', decrypted, is not the expected word, the com-

  command passes on a twenty-fourth operation 220 by which the transfer terminal 188 uses the terminal display means 216 to indicate to the buyer and the seller that the buyer card 224 '

  has not been properly validated. Then the sixteenth

  me test 220 returns the command on the thirteenth test

206.

  If the sixteenth test 218 finds that the

  the buyer 24 ′ has been correctly validated, the order goes directly to a twenty-fifth operation 222 by which the terminal processor 200 causes the buyer and seller to request via the terminal display 216 to introduce the amount of

  proposed transaction. At this level, the seller and the a-

  cheteur must use the keyboard 78 of their respective card 24, 24 'to enter the amount of the proposed transaction so that the two can

agree on the amount.

* The twenty-fifth operation 222 passes

  the command to the twenty-sixth operation 224 for the-

  which the transfer terminal 188 interrogates the two cards 24, 24 'to learn the amount introduced by

  the keyboard 72 in each case. The twenty-sixth opera-

  tion 224 places the order on a seventeenth

test 226.

  The seventeenth test 226 checks whether the mon-

  tants introduced on each of the cards 24, 24 'are equal. If the seventeenth test 226 finds that the amounts entered are different, the command passes to a twenty-seventh operation 228 by which the

  terminal processor 200 prompted by the affi-

  terminal 216 chage both the buyer and the seller to reintroduce the proposed amount because the amounts in each case were not equal. Operation 278 returns command

  on the twenty-fifth transaction 222.

  If the seventeenth test 226 finds that the amounts entered by the keyboards 72 of the buyer's card 24 'and the seller's card 24 are

  equal, he places the order on a twenty-

eighth operation 230.

  During the twenty-eighth operation 230, the terminal processor 200 commands the card processor 64 belonging to the buyer card 24 'to access the RAM 76 to recover from this RAM 76 (that is the account memory) the amount of money written into this memory in the appropriate currency and subtracts the amount from the '

  proposed transaction of the amount contained in the memo-

  re vive 76. Then the amount debited in RAM 76 is again written in RAM 76

  instead of the larger previous amount.

  The twenty-eighth operation 230 places the command on an eighteenth test 232 to see if there remains a negative residue in the random access memory 76 of the buyer card 24 '. If the eighteenth test 232 detects such a negative residue, the command passes to a twenty-ninth operation 234 by which the terminal processor 200 commands - card processor 64 to add the amount proposed back to the content of the RAM 76 to restore the amount that has been debited but which in fact cannot be debited due to insufficient funds. The terminal processor 200 then informs by the display 216 both the seller and the buyer that the funds present on the buyer card 24 'are insufficient for the transaction. Terminal processor 200 operation

  ends once the twenty-ninth operation ends

  born. If the eighteenth test 232 discovers that the residue which remains in the random access memory 76 of the purchaser's card 24 'is not negative, that is to say if it

  enough funds left to complete the transaction

  tion proposed, the eighteenth test 232 passes the com-

  calls for a thirtieth operation 236 by which the

  terminal processor 200 controls the yen card

  Deur 24 to add the amount of the proposed transaction

  entered at the amount entered in the respective RAM 76. At the end of the thirtieth operation 236 the activity

  of the terminal processor 200 stops.

  Thus, by using the two cards 24, 24 'and the terminal processor 188, it is possible to transfer money from one card 24' to another card 24. This can be done during a sale or any other transaction but also it is possible

  to simply transfer funds as loans or

  donations. In particular, a simplified and reduced version of the transfer terminal 181

  may be provided for such purposes.

  When the transfer terminal 188 is used as a point of sale terminal, the considerable advantage is that each seller with his own seller card 24 can be held responsible for his own sales. Besides, there is no money that

  actually circulates which reduces the risk of theft from

nice.

  At the end of a sales day, each Friday

  has a considerable amount of money written into

  its RAM 76 from its card. It is then necessary-

  re to transfer these funds to a bank or at least to another account. For this purpose, the transfer terminal 188 is used simply to transfer the

  backgrounds of vendor cards 24 to the main card

  body blade. FIG. 18 shows the behavior of the transfer terminal 188 when it is used in this mode. The seller card is then placed on the second facade 192 of the transfer terminal 188 and

  the cash master card is placed on the first side

  190 of the transfer terminal. The previous card

  seller 24 takes the place of any pre-

  24 'buyer card and the main card of

  cash register takes the place of the previous sales card

  Deur 24. The counter processor 200 first performs a nineteenth test 238 corresponding to the thirteenth test 206 of FIG. 19 to verify that the card 24 is present on the front panel 190 of the seller (in this case it is the main cashier card). Then the command passes to the twentieth test 240 corresponding to the fourteenth test 208 of FIG. 19; during this the terminal processor 200 checks that a

  card is present in the "buyer" slot of the se-

  second phase 192 of the counter terminal; at this time, the buyer card is the card previously used in the seller position of the first facade 190 of the

  transfer terminal 188 during the exchange

  thank you. When the two cards 24 are present, the twenty-first test 240 passes the command to a thirty-first operation 242 corresponding to the

  twenty-second operation 210 of Figure 19; the pro-

  terminal terminator 200 interrogates the previous vendor card 24 and the cash register master card 24 to see if the two have been self-validated correctly by the transfer of a validation indication word,

  encrypted at transfer terminal 188. Then the thirty-

  and operation 242 places the order with a

  twenty-first test 244 which checks whether the word mainte-

  decrypted, from the main map of

  checkout, is correct. If the word indicating validation

  tion, decrypted, of the main cash register card

  was not correct, the order goes on a thirty-

  second operation 246 for which the terminal processor 200 causes the display 216 to present to the two parties to the transaction that the validation of the

  master checkout was not performed correctly.

  If the twenty-first test 244 indicates that the main cash card (in seller's position

  on the first facade 190) has been validated correctly-

  ment, the command passes to a twenty-second test 248 for which the terminal processor 200 verifies that the word indicating the validation, coming from the card

  placed on the second facade 192 of the trans-

  fert 188, is correct; that indicated by the card of the previous seller has been correctly validated. If the twenty-second test 248 finds that the card of the second phase 192 of the transfer terminal 188 has not been validated correctly, the command proceeds to a thirty-third operation 250. If the twenty-second test 248 finds that the card placed on the second

  facade 192 of transfer terminal 188 is not

  the idea, the order goes to a thirty-fourth operation

  tion 252 for which the entire contents of the memory

  live 76 of the card of the second facade 192 of the termi-

  transfer nal 188 has been transferred -in a hidden memory of the terminal processor 200. Then the command

  passes on the thirty-fifth operation 254.

  During the thirty-fifth operation 254, the content of the hidden memory of the terminal processor 200 is added to the content of the random access memory 76 of the card placed on the first face 190 of the transfer terminal. In this way, we transfers the entire contents of the

previous seller card.

  If the master cash card was used to receive funds from all other vendor cards 24, using the transfer terminal 188 and, as in an option, all the master cash cards were emptied into one or more cards cash register, the card 24 containing all the funds thus collected and that can receive a terminal like that shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and the accumulated funds are transferred directly to the bank to be safe. We thus carried out a process of conducting business without money. Money can also be transferred from one card to another,

  if necessary using the window 10.

  Figures 20 and 21 show another embodiment of the present invention in the form

  a card telephone system. A TV set

  phone 256 has a base unit 258 and a handset 260. The base unit has a pair of angles

  262 and a set of telephone contacts 264.

  When a card 24 is inserted between the pair of angles 262 as indicated by a seventh arrow 266, it takes the position shown in FIG. 21, the set of card contacts 80 touching the set of telephone contacts 264 and the card 24 is itself held firmly between the angles of

  support which also constitute stops (not

  presented) to stop the introduction of card 24

in a correct position.

  By removing the keyboard on the base unit 258 from the telephone set 256, the risks of

  vandalism on the telephone set.

  Figure 22 shows a block diagram of the telephone set 256 in Figures 20 and 21. A processor

  268 handset fitted with a normal common microprocessor

  nics with a serial telephone communicator 270 via a data bus and telephone address 272. The serial telephone communicator 270 accepts data words in parallel from the processor 268 of the telephone set and returns them under the form of a serial bit stream to card 24 via the set of telephone contacts

  264. Similarly, the serial series communicator

  telephone 270 receives serial bits or digital digits

  of the 264 telephone contact set derived from the

  card 24 and returns them as parallel data

  them by the station's data and address bus 272

  to the 268 processor on the TV set

phone.

  A 274 telephone line interface provides

  nit electrical power and control signals

  a 276 telephone line.

  that is used to power the telephone game processor 268 as well as to supply the card 24 via the telephone contact set 264. Likewise, the tone signals and other signals derived from the telephone line 276

  can be sent to card 24.

  Figure 3 is a flowchart of the function-

  Phone extension 256 during a phone call. During the twenty-third test 278, the processor 268 of the telephone set first checks that the handset 260 has been lifted or not. If the handset 260 is still in its place on the cradle of the base 258 of the telephone set, the processor 268 continues

  wait until the handset 260 has been registered

  survey. If the thirty-third test 278 finds that the handset 260 has been lifted, the command passes to the twenty-fourth test 280. The twenty-fourth test 280

  checks that card 24 has been validated correctly -

  is lying. As previously described, this involves providing

  supply card 24 with an encrypted command word to be received

  see in return from the card an indication of the self-validation state, encrypted according to the encryption command word; then we decrypt the indication returned by

  the map and we compare the decrypted version of the re-

  response of the card to the expected response. If the card

  presented is validated, the order goes on the tren-

  te-sixth operation 282 for which the tone of the telephone line 276 is passed to the earpiece of the handset 260 to indicate that the telephone set 256 is ready for use. If the twenty-fourth test 280 does not detect a card validated correctly, it continues to seek the correct validation of the card and does not place the order for the thirty-sixth operation before a card 24 correctly validated

is not presented.

  Thirty-sixth operation 282 passes

  the command to a twenty-fifth test 284 during the

  which processor 268 of the telephone set is waiting for the card 24 to supply a code word indicating that

  the telephone number to be trained has been entered

  completely by the keyboard 72 of the card 24. At this time

  display 74 of the card displays the number which must be formed to inform the user. If the

  twenty-fifth test 284 finds that the number

  plet has been introduced, the command r; sse at the thirty-

  seventh operation 286 for which the telephone set processor 268 uses its serial telephone switch 270 and the telephone contact set

  264 to interrogate card 24 and derive the number

  phone ro that needs to be trained. The thirty-

  seventh operation 286 can then start the forma-

  number number via interface 274

of the telephone line.

  The thirty-seventh operation 286 passes the

  command to the thirty-eighth operation 288; by this-

  In operation, the telephone station processor 268 examines the number that has been formed and by examining the number codes used it determines the cost of the call per unit of time. At this time, the clock for the call begins to operate provided that the

  connection is established by the interface of the TV line

  phonic 274 with the other phone (i.e. if

the called telephone answers).

  The thirty-eighth operation 288 places the order on a thirty-ninth operation 290 which subtracts the cost of a call unit from the RAM 76 of the card 24. The thirty-ninth operation 290 places the order at thirty-one sixth test

  292 which checks whether the amount of money that remains

  stored in the RAM 76 of the card 24 is in fact negative. If the amount remaining in the RAM 76 has become negative, the thirtieth test 292 places the order in a fortieth operation 294 which adds the cost of a unit of time once more to the content of the RAM 76 of the card 24 to restore the old amount. Then the processor of the telephone set stops, the telephone line being cut and the call ended. If the thirty-sixth test 292 discovers that there is enough money written in the RAM

  76 of card 24, the order goes to twenty

  seventh test 296 which waits for a unit of time to be consumed. If the twenty-seventh test 296 detects that the time unit has been consumed, the command is transferred back to the thirty-ninth operation 290. Otherwise, the twenty-seventh test 296 transfers the command to a twenty-eighth test 298 which verifies that the handset 260 has again been replaced. If the handset 260 has been returned to the base unit 258, the call ends and the processor 268 of the

  telephone set hangs up and the operation is finished

  born. On the other hand, if the handset 260 has not been replaced, the twenty-eighth test 298 passes the

  command back on the twenty-seventh test 296 at-

  tending to be deducted from another unit of time.

  While the present invention has been described

  te above for three embodiments using a keyboard in combination with a device whose operation requires a financial transaction, it is clear that the invention can be used in

  same conditions on any device requiring a

  vier. The financial aspect is accentuated by the fact that there is not really any money present. The existence of the removable keyboard and the possibilities of financial transactions without the presence of money in the device are advantageous to avoid vandalism and theft. The present invention also relates to

  each element of novelty described here taken so separately

only in combination.

Claims (8)

  1) System characterized in that it comprises an apparatus intended to be controlled by a keyboard, a removable card provided with an integrated keyboard, a receiving means for receiving and holding the card in combination with the apparatus, a means of coupling to couple the card to the device, an interface means   to detect keyboard operation and transfer   rer the detected commands from the keyboard to the device.   2) System according to claim 1, charac-   The device is an automated teller machine. than.   3 ") System according to claim 2, charac-   characterized in that the receiving means comprises a slot for receiving the card and a transport means for transporting the card to the working position, the coupling means and the interface cooperating with the card.   ) System according to claim 3, charac-   Terérized in that the means of transport consists of a drawer capable of being put in the exit position, when the card arrives in the working position to allow the user to access the keyboard on the card.   5) System according to claims 2, 3 or   4, characterized in that the card includes a memory   of validation to keep an identification number   personnel, the card executing a self-test   validation by providing an indication of the identi-   whether or not the number entered and the identification number   personal cation, the card indicating at the counter if the   number entered is or is not identical to the number   personal dentification and the counter answering the card if, and only if, the number entered is   identical to the personal identification number.   6 *) System according to claim 5, charac-   terized in that the counter makes the card inoperative for a self-validation check if the counter undergoes more than a first predetermined number of number entry sequences when the number is not   identical to the personal identification number.   7 ') System according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that if the number entered is identical to the personal identification number, the card transfers to the data counter   that uniquely identify this card.   8 *) System according to claim 7, charac-   terrified in that having received the identifying data from   uniquely the card, the counter determines and de-   request that another number be entered in addition by the   keyboard and also responds to that card if, and only-   if, this other number corresponds to the intro number additionally by keyboard.   9 ') System according to any one of the re-   vendications 5 to 8, characterized in that when the   card is not in the counter, if the intro-   duit is not equal to the personal identification number   nel for control in a number of successive cases, greater than a second predetermined number, the card waits for a predetermined period before carrying out   again a self-validation check.   ') System according to any of the   vendications 5 to 9, characterized in that the card   comprising the display means, and in case the number   ro entered is identical to the personal identification number, the card places a fault symbol on the display and in case the entered number is not identical to the personal identification number, the   card places an error symbol on the display.   11l ') System according to claim 1, ca-   characterized in that the device is a telephone and the   card keypad can be used as a remote keypad phone.   12 ') System according to claim 11, ca-   characterized in that the card includes a memory of   account containing the representation of a sum of ar-   gent, the telephone controlling a number formed on the card and determining the unit cost per unit of call time and when the telephone is operating, the   card subtracts this cost unit from the representa-   tion of the amount of money each time a unit of time is up.   13) System according to claim 11 or the   claim 12, characterized in that the card   carries a validation memory to keep a nu-   personal identification code, the card executing a   self-validation control by providing an indication   tion on the identity or not of the number entered and the personal identification number and the card indicates on the telephone whether the number entered is identical or not to the personal identification number, the telephone answering the card if, and only if, the map   provides an indication of identity between the in-   product and personal identification number.   14 *) System according to claim 13, ca-   characterized in that the card includes a means of displaying   chage, and in case the number entered is identical to the personal identification number, the card   an acceptance symbol on the display and when   that the number entered is not identical to the personal identification number, the card puts a symbol display error.   -) System according to any one of the re-   vendications 11, 12, 13, 14, characterized in that when not connected to the telephone, if the number 263430O   entered is not equal to the personal identification number during the self-validation check for a second predetermined number of successive cases, the   card waits for a predetermined period before effecting   kill a self-validation check again.   16-) System according to claim 1, ca-   characterized in that the device is a terminal for   transfer and the card is a first card, the ter-   minimum transfer simultaneously receiving a second card and the first and second cards include a   money memory operational means for recording   a digital representation of an amount of   gent and the transfer terminal subtracts a representation   feeling the amount of money from the account memory in the first card and adding that amount of money   to the account memory of the second card.   17e) System according to claim 16, ca-   characterized in that the transfer terminal comprises   selectively requests either to transfer a predetermined amount of money from the first card to the second card, or to transfer the entire amount   money from the first card to the second card.   18-) System according to claim 17, ca-   characterized in that the predetermined amount of money   is equal to the amount entered by the keyboards   of the first and second cards and the predetermined amount is transferred if, and only if, the amount entered by the keyboard of the first card is equal to the amount entered by the keyboard of -the second card.   19-) System according to claim 16, ca-   characterized in that the transfer terminal is a point of sale terminal.   ') System according to any of the   vendications 16 to 19, characterized in that each of the first and second cards has a memory   validation, respectively containing an identification number   respective personal rating, each of the first   and second card running self check   respective validation by providing a respective indication that the number entered is identical to the person identification number.! respective and each   of the first and second card works respectively-   to indicate to the transfer terminal whether the nu-   introduced mero is identical to the identification number   respective personnel, the transfer terminal re-   laying both the first and the second card if, and only if, each of the numbers entered is   identical to his personal identification number pectif.   21) System according to claim 20, ca-   characterized in that each of the first and second   card when it is not in a trans-   fert and that a number which is not equal to the respective personal identification number is entered during a self-validation check for a number   successive times greater than a second pre-   determined, waits for a predetermined period before   perform a self-validation check again.   22) System according to claim 20 or   21; characterized in that each of the first and second   this card has a display means and each   first and second cards, in case the number   product is identical to the identification number per-   staff, places an acceptance symbol on the display and each of the first and second cards, in case the number entered is not identical to the personal identification number, places a symbol error on the display means.   23) System according to claim 1, ca-   characterized in that the card includes a validation memory to keep an identification number   staff and the card performs a self check   validation by providing an indication of the identi-   whether or not entered the number entered and the personal identification number, the card indicating to the device whether   the number entered is identical to the identification number   personal information and the device responding to the card if, and only if, the number entered is identical   personal identification number.   24) The system of claim 23, ca-   characterized in that the device renders the card incapable of carrying out a self-validation check if the device suffers more than a first predetermined number of cases   successive introduction of a number different from nu- personal identification code.   -) System according to any one of the re-   vendications 23 or 24, characterized in that when   the card is not in the device, if the number   product is not equal to the identification number per-   staff for a self-validation check for a name-   number of successive times greater than a second predetermined number, waits for a predetermined period before   perform a self-validation check again.   26 *) System according to any one of the re-   vendications 23 to 25, characterized in that the card includes a display means, and in case the number entered is identical to the personal identification number the card places an acceptance symbol on the display means and if the number entered is identical to the personal identification number, the   card places an error symbol on the display chage.   27 *) System according to any one of the re-   vendications 2 to 7, characterized in that the card   has an account memory containing a representation   tation of a sum of money and the counter, in response to keyboard commands, adds representations of selected quantity of money to the representation of the account memory or subtracts representations of selected sums of money from the representation of the account memory.   28 ') System according to claim 1 or   any one of claims 23 to 25, character-   laughed at in that the card has a display means   and the apparatus includes an optical detector for   monitor the state of part of the display means, the   card passing a series of data to the device   reii by modulating this part on the display means ge.   29 ') System according to claim 26, ca-   characterized in that the apparatus comprises an optical detector for monitoring the state of a part of the display means and the card passes serial data to the apparatus by modulating this part of the display means.