JP2719223B2 - Prepaid card system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a prepaid card system used in a hospital or the like for charging a television receiver or the like.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various prepaid card systems have been proposed, and viewing / listening of a television receiver and use of a washing machine are charged by a charging device. When a prepaid card is inserted into this paying device, the device becomes usable, and after using the device, the prepaid card is paid for the device usage time at the rate set by the rate setting switch, and the prepaid card is used. There are things that emit.

For example, in a fee-charging device that charges for viewing of a television receiver, when a prepaid card is inserted as shown in FIG. 12, it is determined whether or not the prepaid card is valid, and the prepaid card is valid. If not, eject the prepaid card. If the prepaid card is valid, turn on the power of the television receiver to enable viewing of the television receiver, and broadcast signals of each program to the television receiver according to the channel selection signal from the operation unit. To select. Then, the frequency with respect to the viewing time of the television receiver is counted at the rate arbitrarily set by the rate setting switch, and the frequency count result read from the prepaid card is used to calculate the frequency count result to obtain the remaining frequency. It is determined whether or not the remaining frequency is valid (more than frequency data per unit viewing time of the television receiver). If the remaining frequency data is more than frequency data per unit viewing time of the television receiver, When the television receiver is set to remain viewable and the television receiver has been viewed and the television receiver viewing end signal is input from the operation unit, the frequency data of the prepaid card is rewritten to the remaining frequency data. Discharge the prepaid card. If the remaining frequency data is less than the frequency data per unit viewing time of the television receiver, the frequency data of the prepaid card is rewritten to the remaining frequency data and the prepaid card is discharged.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above prepaid card system, the rate is arbitrarily set by a rate setting switch, so when changing the rate due to price fluctuations, the owner of the prepaid card system can change the rate with the rate setting switch. it can. However, if the rate setting switch can be operated by the user of the device, the device is illegally used. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly protect the switch from being operated by the user of the device.
This requires a large rate change operation when the owner of the prepaid card system changes the rate using the rate setting switch, which is inconvenient and increases the cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive prepaid card system which can improve the above-mentioned drawbacks and can easily change the rate.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention enables a device to be used when a prepaid card is inserted, and after using the device, performs a payment process for a device usage time on the prepaid card at a predetermined rate and discharges the prepaid card. In a prepaid card system having a paying device, as shown in FIG. 1, a rate setting card 1 on which data relating to a desired rate is recorded, and recorded on the rate setting card 1 when the rate setting card 1 is inserted. Rate setting means 2 for setting the predetermined rate based on the data related to the rate.

(Operation)

When the rate setting card 1 is inserted, the rate setting means 2 sets the rate based on the data relating to the rate recorded on the rate setting card 1.

〔Example〕

 FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment is a hospital prepaid card system used by hospitalized patients and their attendants in a hospital,
The viewing of the television receiver 11 is charged by the charging device 12.

The antenna 13 receives a television broadcast signal of a plurality of channels, and the television broadcast signal from the antenna 13 is selected by the tuner 15 via the distributor 14. The independent broadcasting device 16 has a video tape recorder, a television camera, a microphone, and the like for recording and reproducing a television broadcast signal from the distributor 14. A reproduction signal from the video tape recorder and a video signal from the television camera are provided. And an audio signal from the microphone as a broadcast signal of a channel H different from the television broadcast channel. Either the broadcast signal from the independent broadcast device 16 or the broadcast signal from the tuner 15 is selected by the control signal from the control unit 18 by the RF switch 17 and input to the television receiver 11, and The control unit 19 turns on / off the power of the television receiver 11 according to a control signal from the control unit 18. The display / operation unit 20 has a television button 21, a channel down button 22, a channel up button 23, a channel display 24, a remaining number display 25, etc. as shown in FIG. Made through mouth 26. As shown in FIG. 2, a card reader / writer 27 used for paying for viewing of the television receiver 11 inserts and discharges a prepaid card and a rate setting card from the card insertion slot 26. The rate setting card is a rate (ratio between viewing time and frequency of the television receiver 11)
Of a plurality of rate setting cards in which data indicating each rate is recorded in advance and data indicating a desired rate is recorded (or data indicating a desired rate is used for setting or changing the rate). (Written by the data writer) is inserted from the card insertion slot 26. The rate is set so that, for example, the viewing time of the television receiver 11 is 36 seconds, 54 seconds, 72 seconds, etc. per unit frequency.

In the card reader / writer 27, as shown in FIG. 4, a prepaid card or a rate setting card is inserted into the card insertion slot.
26, the prepaid card or the rate setting card is conveyed (inserted and ejected) along a card conveying path 28 by a conveying system (not shown), and the magnetic head 29 reads and reads data from the prepaid card. Writing and reading data from the rate setting card are performed magnetically, and a mark is recorded on the prepaid card by the thermal head 30. The sensors 31, 32, and 33 detect a prepaid card or a rate setting card at each predetermined position in the card transport path. As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5D, the magnetic head 29 includes a write magnetic head 29a and a read magnetic head 29b.
The modulation / demodulation circuit 34 modulates the data from the control unit 18 in synchronization with the write clock from the write clock generation circuit 35 and outputs the modulated data to the write magnetic head 29a via the amplifier 36, thereby transferring the data to the prepaid card. Write. Also, the data is read from the prepaid card or the rate setting card by the reading magnetic head 29b,
A read signal from the read magnetic head 29b is demodulated by a modulation / demodulation circuit 34 via an amplifier 37, and
Output to The motor drive circuit 38 drives the card transport DC motor 39 for driving the transport system by the motor forward rotation signal MF and the motor reverse rotation signal MB from the controller 18. The card position detection circuit 40 sends card detection signals from the sensors 31, 32, and 33 to the control unit 18, and the thermal head drive unit 41 drives the thermal head 30 according to a signal from the control unit 18 to record a mark on the prepaid card. Let it. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, a magnetic stripe 43 having a width of 3 mm is provided on the lower surface of the prepaid card 42 at a position 9 mm from one side end.
The data is read from and written to the magnetic stripe 43 by the magnetic head 29. The rate setting card is a prepaid card 42
A magnetic stripe is provided in the same manner as described above, and data of a desired rate and data indicating a card type (data indicating that the card is a rate setting card) are provided on the magnetic stripe.
Are recorded. The magnetic stripe 43 of the prepaid card 42 records ID data unique to each prepaid card, frequency data corresponding to time, data indicating the type of card (data indicating that the card is not a rate setting card), and the like. Initially, certain frequency data is recorded. As shown in FIG. 7, on the upper surface of the prepaid card 42, ten mark recording positions P1 to P10 are provided at regular intervals in parallel with the insertion direction of the prepaid card 42, and
In step 18, the thermal head driving unit 41 drives the thermal head 30 in accordance with the remaining number of the prepaid card 42 to record marks at the mark recording positions P1 to P10.

The control unit 18 controls the tuner 15 and the RF switch 17 based on signals from the channel down button 22 and the channel up button 22 to switch the reception channel (channel to be viewed) of the television receiver 11 each time the channel down button 22 is pressed. The television broadcasts 1, 2, 3,..., 11 and 12 and the independent broadcast channel H are selected to be sequentially moved downward, and each time the channel up button 22 is pressed, the television broadcasts 1, 2, 3... The channels 11 and 12 and the independent broadcast channel H are selected so as to sequentially move upward, and the selected channels are displayed on the channel display 24. Further, the control unit 18 causes the residual frequency indicator 25 to display the residual frequency of the prepaid card inserted from the card insertion slot 26.

FIG. 8 shows a part of the processing flow of the control unit 18. When the prepaid card 42 or the rate setting card is inserted from the card insertion slot 26 and detected by the sensor 31, the control unit 18 sends a card detection signal PH1 from the sensor 31 as shown in FIG.
When the card is turned on, the motor forward rotation signal MF is output to the motor drive circuit 38 to rotate the card transport DC motor 39 in the card loading direction, and after the card detection signal PH3 from the sensor 33 is turned on, the card detection from the sensor 31 is performed. When the signal PH1 is turned off, the card transport DC motor 39 via the motor drive circuit 38
The loading of the card is terminated by applying a brake to and stopping. While the card is being loaded, when the card detection signal PH3 from the sensor 33 is on, data is read from the prepaid card 42 or the rate setting card by the reading magnetic head 29b, and the data is read by the amplifier 37 and the modem. The data is input to the control unit 18 via the circuit 34, and the control unit 18 determines whether or not the inserted card is a rate setting card based on the data indicating the card type in the input data. When the inserted card is a rate setting card, the control unit 18 writes (rewrites) the data indicating the rate in the input data into the rate storage area of the memory, and outputs the motor reversing signal MB to the motor drive circuit 38. The card transport DC motor 39 is rotated in the ejection direction to eject the rate setting card from the card insertion slot 26. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, the controller 18 stops the card transport DC motor 39 via the motor drive circuit 38 about two seconds after the prepaid card detection signal PH1 from the sensor 31 is turned off.

When the inserted card is not a rate setting card, the control unit 18 stores the frequency data in the input data in the memory and checks the ID data and the frequency data in the input data, and the inserted card is a valid prepaid card. It is determined whether or not. If the control unit 18 determines that the inserted card is not a valid prepaid card from the ID data, or determines that the frequency data in the input data is not more than the frequency data corresponding to the unit viewing time of the television receiver 11, Motor reverse rotation signal as described above
Outputs the MB to the motor drive circuit 38, and the card transport DC motor
The prepaid card 42 is ejected from the card insertion slot 26 by rotating 39 in the ejection direction.

When it is determined that the inserted card is a valid prepaid card from the ID card in the input data, and that the frequency data in the input data is greater than or equal to the frequency data corresponding to the unit viewing time of the television receiver 11, The control unit 18 allows the power supply control unit 19 to turn on the power of the television receiver 11 so that the television receiver 11 can be viewed, and the channel down button 2 on the display / operation unit 20.
2. By controlling the tuner 15 and the RF switch 17 according to the input signal from the channel up button 23, a television broadcast signal from the antenna 13, the independent broadcast device 16 to the television receiver 11, and an independent broadcast signal are selected. I do. The control unit 18 counts the frequency corresponding to the viewing time of the television receiver 11 based on the rate stored in the rate storage area of the memory while watching the television receiver 11, and inputs the counting result. It is determined whether or not the frequency is equal to or less than the frequency data in the data and the remaining frequency (the value obtained by subtracting the counting result from the frequency data in the input data) is higher than the frequency corresponding to the unit viewing time of the television receiver 11. If the remaining frequency does not exceed the frequency corresponding to the unit viewing time of the television receiver 11, the control unit 18 reads from the prepaid card 42 at the time of insertion of the prepaid card 42 and reads the frequency data stored in the memory from the television receiver. The count result corresponding to the eleventh viewing time is subtracted, and the result is output as residual frequency data to the write magnetic head 29b via the modulation / demodulation circuit 34 and the amplifier 36 and written to the prepaid card 42. In this case, the controller 18 outputs the motor reverse rotation signal MB to the motor drive circuit 38, rotates the card transport DC motor 39 in the ejection direction, and inserts the prepaid card 42 into the card insertion slot.
After returning to the vicinity of 26, the motor forward rotation signal MF is output to the motor drive circuit 838 as shown in FIG.
Prepaid card by rotating motor 39 in the loading direction
Then, after the card detection signal from the sensor 33 is turned on, the remaining frequency data is written to the prepaid card 42 (frequency data is rewritten). In addition, the control unit
18 outputs a motor reversal signal MB to the motor drive circuit 38, rotates the card transport DC motor 39 in the ejection direction, ejects the prepaid card 42 from the card insertion slot 26, and
19 causes the power of the television receiver 11 to be turned off.

If the remaining frequency is equal to or more than the frequency corresponding to the unit viewing time of the television receiver 11, the control unit 18 keeps the power of the television receiver 11 turned on until the television button 21 is pressed, and the channel down button 22, The tuner 15 and the RF switch 17 are controlled in accordance with the input signal from the channel up button 23, and the frequency corresponding to the viewing time of the television receiver 11 is counted by the rate stored in the rate storage area of the memory. . Therefore, the viewer of the television receiver 11 can select a channel with the channel down button 22 and the channel up button 23 to view the television broadcast or the independent broadcast on the television receiver 11, and when the viewing ends. Press the TV button 21. The control unit 18 determines whether or not the viewing of the television receiver 11 has ended based on a signal from the television button 21. When the viewing of the television receiver 11 is finished, the control unit 18 reads the frequency from the prepaid card 42 when the prepaid card 42 is inserted and stores the frequency corresponding to the viewing time of the television receiver 11 from the frequency data stored in the memory. The counting result is subtracted, and the result is used as residual frequency data.
The data is output to the write magnetic head 29a via the amplifier 36 and written to the prepaid card 42. In this case, the control unit
Reference numeral 18 denotes a motor drive circuit 38 which outputs a motor reverse rotation signal MB as described above.
After the card transfer DC motor 39 is rotated in the ejection direction to return the prepaid card 42 to a position close to the card insertion slot 26, a motor forward rotation signal MF is output to the motor drive circuit 38 to output the card transfer DC The motor 39 is rotated in the take-in direction to take in the prepaid card 42, and after the card detection signal from the sensor 33 is turned on, the remaining frequency data is written into the prepaid card 42 (rewrite of the frequency data). Further, the control unit 18 controls the prepaid card in the same manner as described above.
42 is ejected from the card insertion slot 26, and the power control unit 19 turns off the power of the television receiver 11.

In this embodiment, when the rate setting card is inserted through the card insertion slot 26, the data indicating the rate recorded in the rate setting card is written into the rate storage area of the memory. Can be changed to For this reason, the rate can be changed without increasing the cost as hardware, and the rate setting switch can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Moreover,
The rate can be easily changed simply by inserting a rate setting card.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but includes refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, shower devices, ice makers,
The same applies to the case where the use of a water heater or the like is charged.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the device can be used when the prepaid card is inserted, and after the device is used, the prepaid card is paid at a predetermined rate for the device usage time and the prepaid card is discharged. In a prepaid card system having a digitizing device, the predetermined rate is determined by a rate setting card in which data relating to a desired rate is recorded, and data relating to the rate recorded in the rate setting card when the rate setting card is inserted. Since a rate setting means for setting is provided, the rate can be changed easily with a rate setting card, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a block diagram showing the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a front view showing a display / operation unit of the embodiment, and FIG. Plan view showing a part of the card reader / writer in FIG.
(D) is a block diagram showing each part of the card reader / writer, FIGS. 6 and 7 are bottom and plan views showing a prepaid card used in the embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a control unit in the embodiment. Flowchart showing a part of the processing flow of
9 to 11 are timing charts of the card reader / writer, and FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of a control unit in a conventional prepaid card system. 1 ... rate setting card, 2 ... rate setting means.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An apparatus is provided which enables a device to be used at the time of insertion of a prepaid card, and after the use of the device, performs a payment process on the prepaid card for a device usage time at a predetermined rate and discharges the prepaid card. In a prepaid card system, a rate setting card on which data relating to a desired rate is recorded, and a rate setting for setting the predetermined rate by data relating to the rate recorded on the rate setting card when the rate setting card is inserted. And a prepaid card system.