JP3248869B2 - Prepaid card system and relay device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for processing a prepaid card in accordance with the consumption of money, and more particularly to a prepaid card system for communicating information of a prepaid card by a communication system. It relates to a relay device. 2. Description of the Related Art A prepaid card system has been realized in which a prepaid card storing money amount information corresponding to a monetary value is used for monetary settlement. In the prepaid card system, it is desirable that information existing in the reading device can be immediately notified to the relay device. This is also because it is desired to promptly use the payment data for the payment process. However, if, for example, an unauthorized prepaid card is detected by any one of the reading devices, the information of the unauthorized prepaid card is immediately transmitted to all the reading devices. This is because it is desired to easily detect and eliminate the corresponding prepaid card. Conventionally, a relay device transmits a command to a reading device by a so-called polling method, and the reading device transmits a response to the command.
One-to-one communication is performed. Then, at the stage where the response from the reading device is returned, the relay device checks whether or not the length of the response is as specified.
If the result of the check indicates that the received response is normal, then the response is written to a file in the relay device. After the above processing is completed, the relay device transmits the next command. [0004] In this case, the time required for processing from receiving data at the relay device to checking and writing the data, and the time required for processing for generating a response after receiving a command at the reading device are both long. , Can not be ignored. [0005] As described above, in the conventional system, due to the processing time in the relay device and the like,
It has been difficult to approach data collection in the relay device in real time. That is, there is a limit to the reduction of the time for checking data and writing to a file in the relay device. [0006] For this reason, there is a demerit that it takes time for a method of performing communication between a relay device and a certain reading device and then performing communication with the next one reading device. Was. However, in this method, after performing communication with a certain reading device, communication is performed with another reading device, so that communication can be performed reliably and the logic is simple. There are also benefits. [0007] Next, the relay device requests transmission of payment data and the like to all the reading devices at once, and the reading device responds to the relay device after a predetermined waiting time elapses. Consider the method of transmitting.
In this method, after a command is transmitted from the relay device to the reading device in a lump, data of the reading device is simultaneously transmitted to the relay device. For this reason, it is very difficult to perform a retransmission, that is, a retry, which is performed when communication, particularly transmission of a command from the relay device, cannot be performed normally. In a store with a small number of reading devices, settlement data is transmitted from the reading device in a relatively short time, but in a store with a relatively large number of reading devices, communication time is very long. It may take time. In this case, the reading device prepares to transmit the payment data when the transmission request for the payment data is transmitted from the relay device. Therefore, the longer the time is required until the actual communication, the longer the transmission to the relay device. At this point, the data at the previous timing is transmitted. [0009] However, there is a demand to know the state of the reading device when the settlement data is transmitted to the relay device as much as possible. For example, if the number of reading devices installed is 500
Suppose you have one store. It is assumed that one command transmission and a response thereto take about 0.5 seconds. In the case of this store, the information of the reading device is received after elapse of 500 (units) × 0.5 (seconds) = about 250 (seconds). In this case, the settlement data received by the relay device is the information of the reading device at a point in time approximately 250 seconds ago. For this reason, the consumption may be continued and the data may be updated during the waiting time until the payment data is prepared by the reading device and transmitted to the relay device. [0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to reduce the processing time when data from a plurality of reading devices are collected by a relay device, and to collect data with a small time delay. It is an object of the present invention to provide a prepaid card system and a relay device. In order to achieve the above object, a prepaid card system according to a first aspect of the present invention stores predetermined card information including money amount information corresponding to a monetary value. A plurality of reading means for processing the prepaid card according to the amount of consumption, and a higher-level processing means for collecting consumption information including the amount of consumption from the plurality of reading means,
In the prepaid card system comprising: a communication control means for grouping the plurality of reading means, transmitting a command indicating a data request for each group, and sequentially performing communication processing for receiving data corresponding to the command; Responding to the command by the communication control means.
Check the returned response data, and
Is detected, it is necessary to resend data to the corresponding group.
If no abnormality is detected, the response data
It is characterized by comprising data check means for storing in a file . [0014] The prepaid card system may be a system for settling payment for lending pachinko balls or metal as a game medium in a pachinko parlor. Ma
The prepaid card system uses prepaid cards
Reading means for processing; and
And a higher-level processing means for collecting data.
In the host system, the upper processing means includes
Selected for the plurality of reading means.
Selectively switch and send a command indicating data request
Communication processing for receiving data corresponding to the command.
Communication control means and a command by the communication control means.
Check the response data returned in response
If an error is detected, the data is sent to the appropriate reading device.
Requests retransmission and, if normal, returns the response data
Data check means for storing data in a file.
May be used. In addition, the prepaid card system has a function of processing a prepaid card in accordance with a consumption amount.
Grouping a number of reading means and said plurality of reading means,
A command indicating a data request is transmitted for each group,
Perform communication processing to receive data for the command sequentially
A communication control unit that responds to a command from the communication control unit.
Check the returned response data,
If an error is detected, resend the data to the corresponding group
If no error is detected, the response data
Data check means for storing data in a file.
May be performed. Further, the relay device according to the second aspect of the present invention is provided with a plurality of reading means for processing a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including money amount information corresponding to a monetary value in accordance with a consumption amount. A relay device that collects consumption information including the consumption amount and transmits the collected information to a center, wherein the relay device groups the plurality of reading units, transmits a command indicating a data request for each group, and Communication control means for sequentially performing communication processing for receiving data for the communication means ;
Check the response data sent and detect any abnormalities.
Request to resend data to the corresponding group
If no abnormality is detected, the response data
Data check means for storing the data in a file . [0017] The prepaid card may be a card for paying for a pachinko ball or metal loan as a game medium in a pachinko parlor. Prepaid car
Collect data from multiple reading devices that process
The relay device for transmitting to the data reader is a
Group, and selectively switch the group
And a command indicating a data request.
Send to loop and receive data for the command
Communication control means for sequentially performing communication processing, and said communication control means
Response data returned in response to a command by
Data, and if an error is detected,
Request to send data again, and if no error is detected
If the response data is stored in a file,
And a check means. Also,
Consumption from multiple reading devices that process repaid cards
A relay device that collects consumption information including money and sends it to the center
The device groups a plurality of reading methods, and
Sends a command indicating the data request and responds to the command.
Communication control means for sequentially performing communication processing for receiving data
And returned in response to a command by the communication control means.
Check the response data received and detect abnormalities.
Request to resend the data to the corresponding group,
If no response is detected, the response data
Data check means to be stored in the
You may. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a prepaid card system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The main part of the prepaid card system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of reading devices 2 and a relay device 3 as shown in FIG. The plurality of reading devices 2 are grouped into a plurality of groups G of a predetermined number. As will be described in detail later, when the reading device 2 receives the data request command from the relay device 3, it generates a response including payment data and unauthorized prepaid card information in response to the data request command, and transmits the response to the relay device 3. The relay device 3 includes a group switching unit 31, a group communication control unit 32, a data request transmission unit 33, a response reception unit 34, a data check unit 35, and a write control unit 36.
And a file storage unit 37. The group switching unit 31 sequentially and selectively switches the group G of the reading device 2 and designates the group G as a communication target. The group communication control unit 32 controls the group G via a data request transmission unit 33 and a response reception unit 34.
The communication to the reading device 2 is controlled. That is, the group communication control unit 32 transmits a data request command from the data request transmission unit 33 to all the reading devices 2 in the group G specified by the group switching unit 31 at a time. Then, after a predetermined time, the response data transmitted from each reading device 2 in response to the data request command is received by the response receiving unit 34. If no response is received after a predetermined time has elapsed after the transmission of the data request, the data request transmission unit 33 transmits a data request command again to retry. When the check result of the response is given from the data check unit 35, if the check result is abnormal, the group communication control unit 32 retries the transmission of the data request command, and if the check result is normal. If there is, the write control unit 36 transfers the response data from the data check unit 35 to the file storage unit 37, and writes the response data in the file stored in the file storage unit 37. At the time of this retry, when the reading device 2 to which no response has been received by the response receiving unit 34 exists in the target group G, the data request transmitting unit 33 transmits the data to the group G as a whole. Retry of request command transmission may be performed. Alternatively, the data request transmission unit 33 may retry transmission of a data request command only to a specific reading device 2 for which no response has been received by the response reception unit 34. The data request transmission unit 33 simultaneously transmits a data request command to the reading device 2 of the target group G specified by the group switching unit 31 under the control of the group communication control unit 32. Response receiving unit 34
Receives a response from the reading device 2 of the target group G to which the data request command has been transmitted by the data request transmission unit 33 after a predetermined time under the control of the group communication control unit 32. The data checker 35 checks the response data received by the response receiver 34 to see whether the data length of the response data is in accordance with the standard. The abnormality of the response is notified to the group communication control unit 32, and a data request command is transmitted again from the data request transmission unit 33 and retried as in the case of the response failure. If the check result of the data check unit 35 is normal, the group communication control unit 32 is notified that the response is normal. The write control unit 36 includes the group communication control unit 3
2, the response data when the check result of the data check unit 35 is normal is written to the file stored in the file storage unit 37. The file storage unit 37 stores a file in which payment data of each subordinate reading device 2 and unauthorized prepaid card information are stored. The prepaid card system according to the embodiment of the present invention including the data collection communication processing system configured as described above has a recording device 1, a reading device 2,
A relay device 3 and a settlement center 4 are provided. Recording device 1
The settlement center 4 is installed at a card issuer D such as a card issuing company or a card manufacturing factory. In general, there are a plurality of stores S corresponding to the card issuer D, and each store S is provided with a plurality of reading devices 2 and a relay device 3 for connecting these reading devices 2 to the settlement center 4. The number of the relay devices 3 is not limited to one in each store S. For example, one relay device 3 may be provided in a predetermined area in the store S, for example, in each hall or floor. That is, the relay device 3 includes a plurality of reading devices 2 for each store S, a plurality of reading devices 2 for each hall in the store S, or a plurality of reading devices 2 for each floor in the store S, and the settlement center 4. It is provided between. In this prepaid card system, a prepaid card manufactured and issued by the card issuer D is sold to the store S, and further sold to the user at the store S.
At the store S, the user can pay for the provision of a service such as lending of a game medium by using a prepaid card. This service provision and payment is performed using the reading device 2 installed in the store S, and the amount stored as the amount information on the prepaid card is consumed. The store S counts the information on the amount of money consumed in the relay device 3 and transmits the information to the settlement center 4 of the card issuer D. The card issuer D pays each store S an amount corresponding to the amount information received from each store S at the settlement center 4 as sales. A prepaid card used in the prepaid card system will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the prepaid card C has a magnetic information storage unit A using a magnetic layer, for example.
It has an amount information area A1 and another information area A2. In the price information area A1, price information such as a balance is recorded, and in the other information area A2, card identification information (card ID) of the prepaid card C, a manufacturer code indicating a manufacturer, manufacturing date (encoding date) information, And an error code when an error occurs. The recording device 1 is a device for issuing a prepaid card C at a card issuer D. The reading device 2 is connected to, for example, a vending machine (not shown) for renting out a game medium or the like, and reads the value of the game medium or the like provided by the vending machine to the user from the amount information stored in the prepaid card C. This is a device for realizing the consumption of the prepaid card C by subtracting. The reading device 2 checks whether there is any inconsistency in the information stored in the information storage unit A of the prepaid card C, and if there is any inconsistency, determines that the prepaid card C has any injustice or defect. In such a case, the reading device 2 transmits the detection data including the card identification information and the like of the unauthorized prepaid card to the relay device 3 and prevents the use of the prepaid card and discharges it. Further, the reading device 2 receives the notification data of the prepaid card information determined as the unauthorized prepaid card by the other reading device 2 from the relay device 3, and immediately receives the prepaid card C based on the notification data, when the prepaid card C is loaded. The prepaid card C is discriminated, the use is stopped, and the card is discharged. The relay device 3 aggregates the amount information processed as the consumption amount in each of the reading devices 2 in the store S, and transmits the information to the settlement center 4. Next, a data collection process in the above-described prepaid card system will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. The process shown in FIG. 4 is started each time data collection is required, that is, for example, at a predetermined cycle. When the processing is started, the group G is selected by the group switching unit 31 (step S11). When the group G is selected, the data request transmission unit 33 is controlled by the group communication control unit 32,
A data request command is transmitted to the reading devices 2 of the target group G in a lump (step S12). After the transmission of the data request command, when a predetermined time has elapsed, a response from each reading device 2 is received by the response receiving unit 34 (step S13), the received data is checked by the data checking unit 35, and the check result is controlled by the group communication control. It is supplied to the unit 32 (step S14). When a predetermined time has elapsed without receiving a response by the response receiving unit 34, the group communication control unit 32 checks it. Next, the group communication control section 32 determines whether or not to retry (step S15).
Retry should be performed when the response is not received by the response receiving unit 34 and when the check result of the data check unit 35 is not normal. Otherwise, normal data is received. Control unit 3
6, the received data is written to the file in the file storage unit 37 (step S16). Then, it is determined by the group communication control unit 32 whether transmission / reception has been completed for all the groups G (step S17). If the transmission / reception has been completed for all the groups G, the processing is terminated and the main routine is terminated. Return to If it is determined in step S15 that retry should be performed, the process returns to step S12,
For example, a data request is again transmitted to all the reading devices 2 in the target group G all at once. If it is determined in step S17 that transmission / reception has not been completed for all groups G, the process returns to step S11, and the next unselected group G is selected. By the above-described processing, the reading devices 2 are grouped into a plurality of groups G, and the batch transmission / reception is performed for the group G, instead of transmitting the reading devices 2 to all the reading devices 2 collectively. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the relay device 3 groups the reading devices 2 in the store S into ten groups G, as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in the drawing, assuming that there are the reading devices 2-1, 2-2 to 2-21,..., The reading devices 2-1 to 2-10 are set as a group G-1, and the reading devices 2-11 to 2-2-1. 20 is a group G-2, and a reading device 2
1,... Are sequentially grouped into groups of 10 reading apparatuses. Then, the relay device 3 transmits a data transmission request command such as payment data collectively to one group of the reading devices 2. In FIG. 5, for example, the reading devices 2-1 to 2-10 of the group G-1
Shows a state in which a data transmission request command is transmitted. At this time, a certain waiting time until a response is returned from the reading device 2 is set according to the number of reading devices 2 installed per group. If it is normal, after a predetermined time, a response from the reading device of the group is received. For example, as shown in FIG.
When a response is returned from the reading devices 2-1 to 2-10, the relay device 3 receives the response. Next, as shown in FIG. 7, a data transmission request command is transmitted collectively to the next group of readers 2-11 to 2-20, for example, group G-2. If it is normal, after a predetermined time, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, a response is returned from the reading devices 2-11 to 2-20 of the group G-2 and received by the relay device 3. If accurate data is not transmitted in the same group, retry is performed only for the reading devices in that group. For this reason, the retry process is relatively simple. In addition, this reduces waiting time,
As a result, data such as payment data can be received at a timing closer to the timing at which a data transmission request such as payment data is issued from the relay device 3. The present invention may be applied to a pachinko system. In this case, the game medium is a pachinko ball or metal, the store is a pachinko parlor, or the like, and the prepaid card is a prepaid card for a pachinko system. A reading device and a vending machine (not shown) are incorporated in a pachinko machine, and the vending machine includes a lending button for receiving a supply of pachinko balls or metal, and when the button is pressed, a predetermined amount of pachinko balls or While the metal is supplied, a consumption request for a predetermined amount is transmitted to the reading device connected to the vending machine, and the reading device sends, for example, the amount information of the inserted pachinko prepaid card according to the consumption request. Update. As described above, according to the present invention,
By limiting the number of readers and grouping them, batch communication is performed for each group to reduce the processing time when data from multiple readers is collected by the relay device, and to reduce the data delay. , A prepaid card system and a relay device capable of collecting the information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a data collection communication system which is a main part of a prepaid card system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a prepaid card system into which the configuration of FIG. 1 is incorporated. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a functional configuration of a prepaid card used in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a data collection process in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of an operation in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of an operation in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of an operation in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1; FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining an outline of an operation in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1; [Description of Signs] 1 Recording device 2 Reading device 3 Relay device 4 Payment center 31 Group switching unit 32 Group communication control unit 33 Data request transmission unit 34 Response reception unit 35 Data check unit 36 Write control unit 37 File storage unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] A plurality of reading means for processing a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including money amount information corresponding to a monetary value in accordance with a consumption amount; A pre-paid card system comprising: a high-level processing unit that collects consumption information including the consumption amount from a reading unit. Communication control means for sequentially performing communication processing for transmitting and receiving data corresponding to the command;
Check the response data returned in response to the
If an error is detected and the
Requesting retransmission of the response, and if no abnormality is detected,
Data check means for storing
Prepaid card system to obtain, characterized in that. The prepaid card system is a system for settling payment for lending pachinko balls or metal, which is a game medium in a pachinko parlor.
The prepaid card system according to claim 1 . 3. A reading means for processing a prepaid card;
Higher-level processing for collecting the data from a plurality of reading means
Means, the higher-level processing means comprises:
The above group is selectively switched to
Sends a command indicating the request of the
A communication control means for performing communication processing for receiving data, sent back in response to a command by said communication control means
Checks incoming response data and detects any abnormalities.
If this is the case, request the applicable reader to resend the data.
If there is, store the response data in a file.
And a data check unit . 4. A prepaid card is processed according to a consumption amount.
A plurality of reading means, and the plurality of reading means are grouped, and data is grouped into groups.
Sends a command indicating the request of the
A communication control means for performing communication processing for receiving data sequentially sent back in response to a command by said communication control means
Checks incoming response data and detects any abnormalities.
Request to the corresponding group to resend the data,
If not detected, the response data is stored in a file.
Prepaid card cis to the data check means for paying, in that they are composed of, wherein
Tem. 5. Collecting consumption information including said consumption amount from a plurality of reading apparatuses for processing a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including money amount information corresponding to a monetary value in accordance with the consumption amount and sending said information to a center. A relay device for transmitting, wherein the relay device groups the plurality of reading means, transmits a command indicating a data request for each group, and sequentially performs a communication process of receiving data corresponding to the command. And respond to a command by the communication control means.
Check the returned response data
Resend data to the corresponding group
Request and if no abnormality is detected, the response data
A data check unit for storing the data in a file . Wherein said prepaid card claims characterized in that it is a card for paying pachinko balls or exchange for lending metal is a game medium in the pachinko parlor 5
3. The relay device according to claim 1. 7. A plurality of reading devices for processing a prepaid card.
A relay device that collects data from devices and sends it to the center.
Thus, the reading devices are divided into two or more groups,
Switching means for selectively switching the group, transmitting a command indicating a request for data to the group,
Serially executes communication processing for receiving data for the command
Communication control means and a command by the communication control means.
Check the response data returned in response
If an error is detected, data is
If retransmission is requested and no abnormality is detected,
And a data check means for storing data in a file . 8. A plurality of reading devices for processing prepaid cards.
Collects consumption information including the consumption amount from
A relay device that transmits , groups a plurality of reading means, and transmits data for each group.
Sends a command indicating the request and sends the data for the command.
Communication control means for sequentially performing communication processing for receiving data, and
Checks incoming response data and detects any abnormalities.
Request to the corresponding group to resend the data,
If not detected, the response data is stored in a file.
A relay device comprising: a data check unit for storing data .