JP2005182560A - Credit card system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve economic efficiency, management efficiency, and safety without influencing systems of member stores, a joint data center, and a credit card company when handling two or more deposit accounts for payment by a single credit card. <P>SOLUTION: A credit card system has; a storage means which registers a plurality of accounts for payment in a single credit card contract by associating them with information indicated by a customer; a means which discriminates an account for payment on the basis of information indicated by the customer when performing credit card transaction; and a means which stores the discriminated account for payment and the credit card transaction by associating them with each other. In this system, credit card transaction processing in the specific account for the payment of the customer is performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention belongs to the technical field of a settlement system for transaction charges using a credit card.

The credit card system credits the price of products purchased by a customer at a store (a store affiliated with a credit card company) within the limits of the credit limit approved by the credit card company according to the credit level of the customer. This is a system in which a credit card company pays in advance, and a customer pays the credit card company all at once on a predetermined date or pays in installments.
The credit card system consists of a credit card company that issues credit cards to customers, customers who receive credit card issuance, and member stores that accept credit card contracts with credit card companies. .
Merchant credit card processor, such as a CAT (C redit A uthorization Abbreviation T Erminal) terminal or POS (P oint O f S ales Abbreviation) terminal for performing handling of the credit card is installed in the credit card company However, most credit card merchants have contracts with multiple credit card companies, so the processing equipment installed in the merchant is not compatible with multiple credit card companies. Must be able to communicate with the system.
Therefore, in operation of such a credit card system, a joint data center actually controls communication between a credit card member store and a credit card company system.
Therefore, there are millions of processing units installed at member stores, joint data centers, and dozens of credit card companies' systems, all of which are processed by a common communication procedure. There are situations where it is not practical to incorporate unique credit card processing requirements into this system.
As a method for the customer to pay the purchase price to the credit card company, a method of transferring from the customer's deposit account (referred to as account transfer) has become widespread as a general method, and payment is made when the customer applies for a credit card. When a customer uses a credit card by specifying a deposit account for credit card, the usage fee is transferred from the deposit account for payment to the account of the credit card company. Yes.
Since a credit card is owned and used by an individual, there has conventionally only been the idea of registering one deposit account for one credit card number (one credit card). It was.
In addition, since the household account can be registered as a deposit account for payment of credit cards owned by the family, managing family payments with a single deposit account can also be realized with conventional systems. it can.
The password is information used to determine whether the credit card holder is the actual owner when using the credit card, and the password is used for other purposes. It does n’t exist.
In addition, the number of payments always asked from the store when using a credit card is information that functions as the number of times to pay the credit card transaction price to the credit card company, for example, when the number of payments is designated as one. For example, if the transaction amount is paid once and if the number of payments is specified as 3 times, 1/3 of the transaction price is divided into 3 times.
In other words, the number of payments is not considered other than being used to specify how many transaction prices are divided and paid to the credit card company.
Under such circumstances, conventionally, (1) a plurality of payment accounts are associated with one payment card, and the center device (corresponding to the “joint data center” of the present invention) when the payment card is used. A message request to designate a settlement account to the store side transaction device, and a method for determining a settlement account for the transaction by receiving a designation input of the settlement account from the store side transaction device, and (2) At the time of transaction, a default payment account is temporarily determined and stored in the transaction file of the center device, and the payment card holder accesses the center device within a certain period of time and changes the transaction file payment account itself Has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-83145 JP

In a credit card system, for example, an employer may purchase personal items as a personal credit card, or may purchase office supplies as a credit card as a business owner. There is a demand for paying from a personal deposit account and paying for the use of the credit card used by the business owner from a deposit account in the name of the business owner.
Even for individuals, for example, fixed costs such as internet connection fees, mobile phone fees, pay TV viewing fees, cable TV usage fees, daily food purchases, electrical appliances and clothing There is also a demand to manage living expenses by separating deposit accounts for payment of purchases.
However, in the conventional technology in which only one payment deposit account can be registered in one credit card contract, it is necessary to receive and own credit cards for the number of payment deposit accounts that you want to use separately, For credit card owners and credit card companies, such as theft, loss, damage, and corruption of credit cards, there are problems such as expenses, operations, and safety.
Furthermore, as described above, the processing equipment of the member store, the joint data center, and the system of the credit card company are operated by a common communication procedure, so that the unique requirements of a specific credit card company are reflected. There are circumstances in which the specification of this system cannot be changed.
In addition, there are millions of credit card member stores nationwide, and today most of the stores have CAT terminals that can process credit cards issued by credit card companies in a common procedure. . As for a large store, a POS terminal is installed at each sales floor, and these are controlled by a POS server.
These CAT terminals and POS terminals installed at credit card merchants are joint data centers ("CAFIS (registered trademark) centers provided by data communication companies" for communication with credit card company systems via communication lines) Is equivalent to this joint data center), and the credit card transaction data processing is executed by a common communication procedure.
In such a system environment, when trying to apply the method (1) described in Patent Document 1, it is possible for CAT terminals and POS terminals installed in the millions throughout Japan to specify a settlement account. Incorporates specifications that require system modifications and that sends a message requesting the designation of a settlement account to a CAT terminal or POS terminal in a joint data center operated by procedures common to many credit card companies And there is a problem that the system of all credit card companies that use the joint data center must be modified.
In the method (2) described in Patent Document 1, a system using an open network such as the Internet is newly provided so that the customer can correct the credit card transaction settlement account used within a certain period of time. If you forget to do this even if you intend to revise it at a later date, the credit card usage fee will be settled with the default payment account, and you may lose the original purpose of using different payment accounts. There is a problem.
The present invention solves these problems without affecting the processing apparatus of the member store in the credit card system, the system of the joint data center, and the system of other credit card companies, and is economical, operational, and safe. It is an object of the present invention to provide a credit card system capable of handling two or more deposit accounts for payment in a single credit card contract.

  The present invention determines a payment account on the basis of storage means for registering a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract in association with information instructed by the customer, and information instructed by the customer during the credit card transaction. And a means for storing the determined payment account and the credit card transaction in association with each other, and based on a credit card system for performing credit card transaction processing in the specific payment account of the customer, Storage means for registering a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract in association with information instructed by the customer, means for receiving credit card transaction information from the processing device of the credit card member store and information instructed by the customer Credit card transaction information received from the merchant's processing device and customer Means for associating the credit card transaction information with the payment account based on the information to be stored, and means for storing the credit card transaction information associated with the payment account. And a credit card system characterized in that the credit card system has means for generating account billing data for the credit card in units of payment accounts, and a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract are respectively associated with information instructed by a customer. Storage means for registering, means for receiving credit card transaction information from the processing device of the credit card member store and information instructed by the customer, means for determining the validity of the credit card based on the received credit card transaction information And the means for determining the effectiveness is determined to be effective The means for determining the payment account from the information instructed by the customer received from the processing apparatus of the member store, the credit card transaction information and the payment account determined by the means for determining the payment account A credit card system comprising means for storing and means for creating account billing data for each payment account based on the credit card transaction information stored in the storage means, and a plurality of information designated by the customer includes a plurality of information It includes a code number, information instructed by a customer, and information on the number of payments.

  The present invention enables registration of two or more payment accounts at the request of a customer in one credit card contract, and selects the PIN number and the number of payments when performing the credit card transaction, thereby enabling the credit card transaction. A highly convenient credit card system that can use different payment accounts sometimes can be realized.

   The best mode for carrying out the present invention is a system including communication means capable of receiving information from credit card system terminals placed in a plurality of stores, and includes a processing device and a storage device. Stores a storage area for registering a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract in association with information instructed by the customer, and a specific payment account and the credit card transaction including the instructions of the customer in association with each other. And the processing device determines a payment account based on information instructed by the customer during the credit card transaction, and when it is determined as the specific payment account, the credit card transaction in the specific payment account of the customer Process.

The first embodiment shows a case where an invention for selectively using a payment account of a credit card depending on a plurality of personal identification numbers designated by a customer is applied to a credit system.
The credit card system, as shown in the whole of the credit card system in FIG. 1, processes the data processing of the credit card 10 issued by the credit card company based on the application from the customer and the transaction by the credit card installed in the credit card member store. A CAT terminal 20, a POS terminal 30 and a server system 31, which are generally introduced by major distribution companies, a communication network 40, a joint data center 50 for processing credit card data between a member store and a credit card company, A credit card company system 60 constitutes a basic system.

This system is used in common by many merchants and multiple credit card companies, and it is considered that it corresponds to individual specifications of a specific credit card company or individual specifications of a specific merchant. Not.
The storage means of the credit card company system 60 includes general attribute information such as the customer's name, address, date of birth, telephone number, office, etc. corresponding to the credit card number issued to the customer. A password for confirmation and a payment account for usage charges are registered.

In the present invention, like the credit card company master file 61 shown in FIG. 4, two or more different payment accounts can be registered in order to pay the credit card usage fee. It is associated with a plurality of PIN numbers used for.
For example, when a customer registers two payment accounts, the personal identification number 1 and the personal identification number 2 are registered in the personal identification number description column 61b in the master file 61 of FIG. 4, and the personal identification number 1 is registered in the payment account description column 61c. A corresponding first payment account is registered, and a second payment account is registered corresponding to PIN 2.

  When a customer purchases a product at a member store using the credit card 10, the member store inputs the credit card transaction information such as the number of the product to be sold, the quantity of the product, and the selling price at the member store. 22, after reading the recorded information of the credit card 10 presented by the customer from the card reading unit 21 of the CAT terminal 20, the customer inputs the password from the input unit 22 of the CAT terminal 20 and through the communication network 40. Credit card transaction information is transmitted to the joint data center 50.

  In the joint data center 50 that has received the credit card transaction information from the CAT terminal 20 of the member store, the credit card company is determined based on the information read from the credit card 10, and the system 60 of the corresponding credit card company is determined. Send the credit card transaction information. The determination of the credit card company may be based on the method of specifying the credit card company from the CAT terminal 20 of the member store in addition to the case of determining based on the recording information of the credit card. In the joint data center 50, when the credit card transaction information is received, the authentication information registered in the CAT terminal 20 of the member store is also received at the same time, and whether or not the CAT terminal 20 is a valid terminal. If the credit card transaction is invalid, the credit card transaction is invalidated and the CAT terminal 20 is notified of the invalidity, and data is not transmitted to the credit card company system 60 to prevent fraud. The process is also executed.

  In the credit card company system 60 that has received the credit card transaction information from the joint data center 50, in order to confirm the validity of the credit card, the credit card number, the expiration date of the credit card, etc. are verified by checking with the master file 61. Confirmation of necessary items, confirmation of theft or loss notification, confirmation of whether it is within the usage limit, confirmation of unpaid information, etc. are executed comprehensively to confirm the validity of the credit card To do.

When the confirmation of the validity of the credit card is completed, it is confirmed whether or not the received personal identification number matches either personal identification number 1 or personal identification number 2 registered in the master file.
If the PIN matches, the credit card is recognized as the owner, and at the same time, the payment account corresponding to the matching PIN is determined as the payment account for the credit card transaction and received. Credit card transaction information is associated with the determined payment account and registered in the storage means of the system.

  As a method of associating the credit card transaction information with the payment account, the master file is configured as an account determination index file 62 and a credit card master file 63 shown in FIG. 5, and the account determination index is included in the credit card transaction information. A method of assigning the account classification 62c of the file 62 or a master file having a hierarchical file structure as shown in FIG. 6, registering a payment account segment for each PIN segment, and a matching PIN segment A credit card transaction information record may be entered (linked and registered) below the payment account record.

  In the credit card company system 60, when the relationship between the credit card transaction and the payment account is completed and the credit card transaction is normally approved, the approval result is sent to the member store via the joint data center 50. The CAT terminal 20 is notified, the credit card transaction statement is output from the output unit 26 of the CAT terminal 20, a part is given to the customer, and the transaction process is terminated.

  The credit card transaction statement describes the transaction date, merchant name, transaction amount, number of payments, etc., but simultaneously outputs information that can identify the payment account using character strings, symbols, codes, marks, etc. By doing so, the customer can easily determine which payment account he / she will pay by simply looking at the credit card transaction statement at hand. Of course, outputting such identification information on the credit card transaction statement is not a requirement of the present invention.

  The credit card transaction details (customer) to be delivered to the customer are attached by e-mail (electronic document) to the e-mail address registered in advance by the customer with the credit card company without being output from the CAT terminal 20 of the member store as paper. In the present invention, the means for sending / notifying the credit card transaction details such as sending the file as a file or selecting a method for the customer to access the specific website for the customer to view and confirm the credit card transaction details can be selected. Is not particularly specified.

  Thus, as a result of the completion of the transaction by credit card, the individual credit card transaction information is registered in the storage means of the credit card company system 60 in association with the payment account as shown in FIG. The company calculates a charge amount (amount of payment to the credit card company from the customer's point of view) based on the credit card transaction information accumulated for a predetermined period.

Specifically, the credit card number and the payment account are aggregated as a unit, account billing data is created for each financial institution, and each financial institution is requested to transfer the credit card usage fee.
In the system related to credit card transactions, if the method of the present invention is used, there is no need to change the specifications of the CAT terminal operation at the member store, the function of the joint data center, and the system of each credit card company, and the implementation is easy. Is possible.

  In addition, since the use of payment accounts is completed on the spot when credit card transactions are performed, after completing the transaction with the default payment account, change the payment account for each transaction statement using the Internet etc. There is no problem such as forgetting to change as in the case of doing, and there is no need to newly develop a payment account changing system.

  When the password is used as selection instruction information instructed by the customer of the payment account, theoretically, payment accounts can be registered up to the number that can be registered, but the password also has a function of identity verification. For this reason, since the function as a personal identification number using all of the personal identification numbers that can be registered is impaired, it is reasonable to limit to only two or three types.

The second embodiment shows an example in which the invention for selectively using a credit card payment account according to the number of payments is applied to a credit system.
The configuration of the entire credit card system is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, but the configuration of files held by the credit card company system is slightly different from that of the first embodiment.
When purchasing a product, credit card is paid to the store on behalf of the customer by presenting the credit card if it is within the usage limit even if you do not have any cash, The customer pays the credit card company at a later date.

Payment methods to credit card companies are generally one-time payment (pay the entire amount in a lump sum in the following month), installment payment (three times, six times, twelve times, etc.), revolving payment (related to usage amount) Without paying a fixed amount every month).
When purchasing a product with a credit card at a member store, the payment method is selected by the customer. (Some merchants may only have a specific number of payments.)
Set up the first payment account registration area and the second payment account registration area in the credit card company master file, and the relationship between the number of payments and the first payment account and the relationship between the number of payments and the second payment account. Create a payment frequency file for payment account determination.
The number of payments is not different for each customer or each member store, but is information having a common function in the credit card system, and the payment number file is also handled as a common file in the system.

For example, the number of payments “1” corresponds to the first payment account, and the number of payments “41” corresponds to the second payment account. In this case, the number of payments “41 times” corresponding to the second payment account is processed as the same as “1 time” as the number of payments for the credit card usage fee.
Thus, “once” is paid once with the first payment account, and “41” is paid once with the second payment account.
“3 times” is 3 payments with the first payment account, and “43 times” is 3 payments with the second payment account.
After that, specify the number of payments and the payment account at the same time using the number of payments so that “12 times” is 12 payments with the first payment account and “52 times” is 12 payments with the second payment account. can do.
For special payment times such as revolving payments (which cannot be expressed in numbers), the number of payments such as “90 times”, which is not normally used for credit cards, may be associated.
As an example of the payment frequency file, a file structure as shown in FIG. 8 can be considered, but it is of course not limited to the structure shown in the present embodiment.

When a customer purchases a product with a credit card at a member store, the purchase product information is input from the CAT terminal 20 installed at the member store, the record information of the customer's credit card 10 is read, and the customer's desired number of payments is input or Select and enter the PIN and send these data to the credit card company system 60 via the joint data center 50.
The credit card company that has received the credit card transaction information from the member store via the joint data center 50 confirms the validity and identity of the credit card, and then stores the credit card transaction information based on the number of payments of the credit card transaction information. The payment number file of the means is searched to determine whether it is the first payment account or the second payment account, and the determination result is given to register the credit card transaction information in the storage means.

  The payment account determination process related to the credit card transaction may determine the payment account by searching the payment number file during the credit card transaction process as described above, or credit card transaction information accumulated in a predetermined period When creating billing data for a customer based on the number of payments, the billing data may be created after searching a payment number file and determining a payment account for each credit card transaction data.

In the first and second embodiments, the credit card processing apparatus installed in the member store is described as being the CAT terminal 20, but the POS terminal 30 and the POS that can handle credit cards, which are introduced in major supermarkets, etc. The scope of the present invention includes credit card transactions by the server 31 and cases where credit card processing is performed by directly connecting a member store host system and a credit card company system 60 via a communication line without going through the joint data center 50. It is.
Moreover, the communication between each system with a member store, a joint data center, and a credit card company does not specify the system regardless of wired or wireless.
In the present embodiment, the processing device of the credit card member store is described in the case of a CAT terminal or a POS terminal installed in a store where the store is actually set up. However, the credit card that opens a shopping site on the Internet is described. The member store system also executes processing similar to that of the CAT terminal, and is included in the credit card member store processing device of the present invention.

  The present invention makes it possible to specify a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract without changing the common specifications of a credit card system commonly used by many credit card member stores and many credit card companies. A remarkable effect can be expected when managing payment for credit card usage.

Overview of credit card system Figure of CAT terminal installed in member store Diagram of POS terminal system installed at member stores Figure of credit card company master file (1) Figure of credit card company master file (2) Figure of credit card company master file (3) Credit card company credit card transaction file illustration Illustration of credit card company payments file Processing diagram of Example 1 Processing diagram of Example 2

Explanation of symbols

10. credit card

20. CAT terminal 21. Card reader 22. Input unit 23. Storage unit 24. Communication unit 25. Display unit 26. Output unit 27. Communication line

30. POS terminal 31. POS server

40. Communication network

50. Joint data center

60. Credit card company system 61. Master file example (1)
61a. Credit card number entry column 61b. Security code description column 61c. Payment account information entry column 61d. Other attribute description columns

62. Account determination index file 62a. Credit card number entry column 62b. Security code description column 62c. Account category description column 62d. Payment account information column

63. Credit card master file 63a. Credit card number entry field 63b. Name entry column 63c. Address entry column 63d. Date of birth entry field 63e. Phone number entry field 63f. Work place description column

64. Other configuration examples of the master file 64a. Credit card number record (first level)
64b. PIN record (second level)
64c. Payment account record (third level)
64d. Transaction data record (4th layer)

65. Credit card transaction file 65a. Credit card number entry column 65b. Account classification entry column 65c. Store entry column 65d. Terminal ID entry column 65e. Transaction serial number entry column 65f. Purchase date column 65g. Purchase time entry column 65h. Purchase product description column 65i. Purchase amount entry column 65j. Payment times column

Claims (5)

  Storage means for registering a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract in association with information instructed by a customer, means for determining a payment account based on information instructed by a customer during a credit card transaction, A credit card system comprising means for storing the determined payment account and the credit card transaction in association with each other, and performing credit card transaction processing in the specific payment account of the customer.   Storage means for registering a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract in association with information instructed by the customer, means for receiving credit card transaction information from the processing device of the credit card member store and information instructed by the customer And means for associating the credit card transaction information and the payment account based on the credit card transaction information received from the processing apparatus of the member store and information instructed by the customer, and the credit card transaction information associated with the payment account And a means for creating account billing data for the credit card for each payment account based on the credit card transaction information stored in the storage means.   Storage means for registering a plurality of payment accounts in one credit card contract in association with information instructed by the customer, means for receiving credit card transaction information from the processing device of the credit card member store and information instructed by the customer And means for determining the validity of the credit card based on the received credit card transaction information, and a customer instruction received from the processing apparatus of the member store when the means for determining the validity is determined to be valid. Based on the credit card transaction information stored in the storage means, the means for determining the payment account from the information to be stored, the means for storing the credit card transaction information in association with the payment account determined by the means for determining the payment account Credit card having means for creating account billing data for each payment account System.   The credit card system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information designated by the customer is a personal identification number. The credit card system according to claim 1, wherein the information instructed by the customer is payment frequency information.

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