JP2002024717A - Card system for small amount payment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a card system for small amount payment capable of performing an efficient credit service by reducing a treatment cost for each payment and reducing labor and treatment time even when a user ordering the products and services presented by credit card member stores performs a small amount payment. SOLUTION: This card system for small amount payment comprises a terminal having cards for small amount payment issued to the users of credit service, a reading means for reading the identification codes recorded or stored in the cards, an input means for inputting price data, a storage means for storing the identification codes read by the reading means and the price data inputted by the input means related to each other, a data summarization means for summarizing the price data for each identification code stored in the storage means after a specified period is passed, and a communication means for transmitting the price data summarized for each identification code by the data summarization means to the host computer of a credit company through a communication line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for ordering goods and services provided by a credit card member store when the user pays a small amount as the order price.
Provided is a small payment card system capable of transmitting the payment information from a terminal device installed at a credit card member store to a host computer of a credit company via a communication line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a settlement system using a credit card, a credit card member store can pay a small amount by presenting the credit card. However, in general, cash is often used to pay for relatively small daily purchases of 1,000 yen or less, and if a small purchase of 1,000 yen or less is frequently made, payment by credit card is frequent. In this case, the ratio of the commission to the processing cost such as the slip cost and communication cost for one payment becomes relatively high, and it is expected that the profit of the credit company will be adversely affected.

[0003] For example, payment at a convenience store, a laundry shop, a video rental shop, etc., which is used on a daily basis, is about several hundred yen at a time, and the user is required to use a credit card for these payments. When the payment processing is performed by using the processing, there is a problem that the processing cost for the commission of the credit company becomes relatively expensive, and it is expected that the profit of the credit company is adversely affected.

[0004] Further, if a large number of customers frequently use a credit card at a store where a large number of customers pay a small amount of money on a daily basis, it takes time and effort to read the credit card and process a slip. Takes a long time to process
There is a problem that it is inconvenient compared to cash payment processing.
In addition, as a user, it is troublesome and cumbersome to use a credit card to sign a voucher, etc., even when making small purchases on a daily basis, so it is common to pay in cash. It is.

[0005] However, if the ratio of the commission to the processing cost of one payment is improved so as not to be relatively expensive, even if a credit card is used even for a small purchase of about several hundred yen per transaction, a credit company is required. Is expected to be a source of commission revenue, and is expected to improve processing costs. Also, for credit card franchisees, if the payment service at the cash register can provide the credit service without the hassle and time, there is a possibility that the number of users will increase, and for the user, the cash register Since it is convenient if a credit service can be received without taking time and effort for the payment processing, a system capable of efficiently performing the payment processing is expected.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to allow a user who places an order for a product or service provided by a credit card member store to pay a small amount as an order price. Provided is a small payment card system capable of performing an efficient credit service by reducing processing costs of payment and reducing labor and processing time.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A small payment card system according to the present invention provides a credit card payment system for a user who purchases a product or a service provided by a credit card member store and pays a small payment. A small payment card system for transmitting the payment information from a terminal device installed in a member store to a host computer of a credit company via a communication line, for payment of a small payment issued to a credit service user. Card, reading means for reading an identification code recorded or stored on the card, input means for inputting price data, and a relation between the identification code read by the reading means and the price data input by the input means. Storage means for attaching and storing, and after a lapse of a predetermined period, price data for each identification code stored in the storage means. And a communication device for transmitting, via a communication line, the payment data totalized for each identification code by the data totaling unit to a host computer of a credit company. And

Further, the host computer has storage means for storing personal information of a user corresponding to the identification code, communication means, and output means, and is provided from a credit card member store via a communication line. The personal information corresponding to the personal information is extracted from the storage means based on the received identification code, and a bill in which the personal information and the price data are output by the output means is created.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a small payment card system of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram of the small payment card system of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the small payment card system of the present invention.

An outline of the small payment card system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Credit company 1
Issues a small payment card 3 to the user 2 separately from a normal credit card. This small payment card 3 may be used also as a member card issued by each member store 4 to the customer. In this case,
The data management can be performed by associating the membership number of the credit card issued after the user has signed the contract with the credit company 1 with the management number of the card 3 for the payment of the small amount. Thus, by registering as a member at the member store 4, the user 2 can immediately receive the card 3 for paying a small amount, which also serves as a membership card, from the member store 4.

[0011] The case where the user 2 purchases a product or receives a service by using the card 3 for paying a small amount of money will be described. Is submitted to the member store 4 and the payment slip is signed for confirmation. Merchant 4
Is to mechanically read the identification code recorded or stored on the small payment card 3 and store it in the computer together with the payment data. Then, for example, on a predetermined settlement date every month, the payment data for each identification code for the one month is totaled and a payment request is made to the credit company 1. The credit company 1 makes a payment based on a payment request from the member store 4. Next, the credit company 1 issues an invoice to the user 2 and receives payment from the user 2 to end all the payment processing.

A feature of the small payment card system of the present invention is that the member store 4 does not make a payment request to the credit company 1 every time the user pays each time, as in the prior art. After the expiration of the period, the payment request for the period is put together, and the payment is made to the credit company 1. Therefore, even if the user 2 frequently pays a small amount using a card, the number of billing requests for the credit company 1 is small, so that the amount of work is reduced and the processing cost is reduced. Can be done.

Next, a system configuration of a card system for paying a small amount of money of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First,
The card 3 for paying a small amount of money is provided with recording or storage means capable of recording or storing various data such as a magnetic stripe or an IC storage unit. Are recorded or stored. The identification code is
It is not always necessary to record or store the information in the recording or storage means. In this case, the card can be specified by providing a machine-readable code display record such as a barcode on the card.

Then, the credit card member store 4
Reading means 5 for reading an identification code recorded or stored on a small payment card 3; input means 6 for inputting payment data of a price paid by the user 2 for purchasing a product or providing a service; Storage means 7 for associating the identification code of the card read by said reading means 5 with the price data inputted by said input means 6 and storing the identification code stored in said storage means 7 after a predetermined period of time A data summarizing unit 8 for summing up price data for each, a communication unit 9 for transmitting the price data summed up for each identification code by the data summing up unit 8 to the host computer 14 of the credit company 1 via the communication line 13, Means 10
And a terminal device 12 including a control unit 11 for controlling each of the units.

Further, the credit company 1 transmits to the communication line 13 the payment data totalized for each identification code from each member store.
Communication means 15 for receiving data via a personal computer, and storage means 16 for storing personal information of a user corresponding to the identification code.
The host computer 14 includes an output unit 17 such as a printer, an input unit 18 such as a keyboard, a display unit 19 such as a CRT, and a control unit 20 for controlling the above units. The storage means 16 has an identification code recorded or stored on the card, and a card having the identification code for each identification code, so that it is possible to specify who uses the card as a user.
Each identification code is registered in advance in association with personal information such as a user's name, address, telephone number, and occupation.
Therefore, after the payment data totalized for each identification code from each member store is received via the communication line 13, personal information such as the name and address of the user associated with each identification code is output to an output unit 17 such as a printer. To print out and create a bill.

Next, the processing procedure of the small payment card system of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the user 2 purchases a small amount of goods, receives a small amount of service, and performs payment processing at a cash register or the like using the small payment card 3, the card 3 is first read by the reading means 5. Then, the identification code recorded or stored is read (S1). In this case, the identification code may be read by passing the card 3 to a cashier at the member store, or the user 2 may perform the reading operation by the reading means 5 provided at the member store.

Further, the payment data is inputted from the input means 6 (S2). The identification code read by the reading means 5 and the price data input from the input means 6 are stored in the storage means 7 (S3). Then, for example, 1
If the predetermined date is set to once a month,
The payment data at the time of payment until the closing date,
The data are organized for each identification code, stored and stored in the storage means 7, and after a predetermined period of time, each payment data for each identification code is totalized by the data totaling means 8 (S4). next,
The communication means 9 transmits the price data for each identification code to the computer 14 of the credit company via the communication line (S5).

In the computer 14 of the credit company,
Based on each identification code received via the communication line,
The personal information associated with each identification code, for example, an address, a postal code, a name, is extracted and read from the storage means 16 (S
6). Then, using output means 17 such as a printer,
The payment data for one month is printed out in the billing section of the bill form, and the personal information such as the address, zip code, and name is printed out in the address section of the bill form (S7), and is printed on the windowed envelope. The bill sheet is enclosed and sent to the user as a bill (S8).

The user who receives these bills pays the bills once a month, even if the payment processing is performed using the card several times in a predetermined period, for example, one month. Arrives and pays the credit company based on the request. Payments to credit companies
Any method such as bank transfer, bank transfer, or payment at a credit company window may be used.

[0020]

As described above, according to the small payment card system of the present invention, a user who places an order for a product or service provided by a credit card member store pays a small payment as the order price. Even in such a case, since the payment request from the credit card member store to the credit company only needs to be made once in a predetermined period, the processing cost of the payment for one time can be reduced, and no effort is required. Since the processing time can be reduced, an efficient credit service can be performed, which is effective. Furthermore, since the personal information stored in association with the identification code is extracted from the storage means of the host computer and the output means outputs the personal information and the price data, a bill can be created. Can be effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a small payment card system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of a small payment card system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the small payment card system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Credit company 2 User 3 Card for small price payment 4 Each member store 5 Reading means 6, 18 Input means 7, 16 Storage means 8 Data totaling means 9, 15 Communication means 10, 19 Display means 11, 20 Control means 12 Terminal device 13 Communication line 14 Host computer 17 Output means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G07G 1/14 G07F 7/08 R F-term (Reference) 3E042 CC02 CC03 EA01 3E044 AA20 BA04 BA05 CA04 CA05 CA06 DA05 DC01 DE01 5B035 AA13 BB02 BB09 BC00 BC01 CA38 5B055 BB10 CC00 EE02 EE03 EE05 KK01 KK05 5B058 CA31 KA01 KA05 KA08 KA11 KA31 KA37

Claims (2)

[Claims] When a user who purchases a product or a service provided by a credit card franchisee pays a small amount, the terminal device installed at the credit card franchisee uses a credit card via a communication line. A small payment card system for transmitting said payment information to a company host computer, comprising: a small payment card issued to a credit service user; and an identification code recorded or stored on said card. Reading means for reading, input means for inputting payment data, storage means for storing the identification code read by the reading means and the payment data input by the input means in association with each other, A data summarizing means for summing up the price data for each identification code stored in the storage means; Small payment card systems and terminals, characterized in that it consists of having a communication means for transmitting the price data aggregated for each de via the communication line to the credit company of the host computer. 2. The host computer has a storage unit for storing personal information of a user corresponding to the identification code, a communication unit, and an output unit. Extracting corresponding personal information from the storage means based on the received identification code,
2. A small payment card system according to claim 1, wherein the output means creates a bill in which the personal information and the payment data are output.