JPH0470992A - Card system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable settlement by either of cash, credit card or a prepaid card by equipping a magnetic card having plural functions for the credit card, prepaid card, and service point accumulation totals. CONSTITUTION:Credit information 15 and prepaid information 16 is stored in a magnetic card 13 to enable the settlement by either of the cash, credit card, or prepaid card. Service point information 17 is stored in the magnetic card 13 to enable the purchase of merchandise and service point processing with the identical card. As a system, a POS 1 at a store, a service counter 4, and a host computer 3 are connected to smoothly operate the card system with the exchange of the information between them. Thus, the system is realized enabling the settlement by either of the cash, credit card, or prepaid card.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a card system using a card with multiple functions.

[Prior Art] There are three types of purchasing methods for products and services: cash, credit, and prepaid. Credit card and prepaid payments are often processed using magnetic cards. Credit and prepaid are originally intended to increase the purchase amount. For this reason, many sellers issue cards, and recently cards have become increasingly diverse, with one seller issuing multiple cards, and cards that function as bank cash cards emerging.

However, from the customer's point of view, this complication of payment methods is not desirable, as it makes it inconvenient to use the card, and there are problems such as the customer exceeding the credit limit without realizing it. For sellers, card competition will only intensify.
There is a problem that there is a limit to the spread of cards because customers do not actively want to use them, and that customer information cannot be fully grasped.

On the other hand, in order to retain customers and increase sales, service points such as discounts and prizes are often introduced depending on the purchase amount. This mainly involves giving customers a score ticket in the form of service points when they make a payment with cash or credit.

These benefits are attractive to customers, but since they are handed a score ticket every time they make a purchase, they are likely to lose it, and they also have to store it by pasting it on a mount, which is a burden.

Japanese Patent Application No. 60-116.249 proposes recording cumulative points in accordance with the cumulative purchase amount on a magnetic card. However, it does not disclose that the three types of payment functions, cash, credit, and prepaid, can be combined and service points can be processed using the same card.

[Purpose/Effect] The problems of this invention are as follows: (1) One magnetic card can store credit, prepaid,
In addition to having multiple functions for accumulating service points,
To provide a card system that allows payments to be made with cash, credit, or prepaid; (2) To realize a card system that connects storefronts and service counters with a host computer in order to enable the use of composite cards. (3) By using the above card system, it is possible to increase and fix the number of customers, and to easily understand customer information.

[Structure of the Invention] In the card system of the present invention, the card number, the cardholder's PIN number, name,
Write in four types of information: personal information such as expiration date and date of birth, credit information indicating the credit line, prepaid information indicating the prepaid balance, and service information indicating the service points. This information is read from the card holder, and payments are made in cash, credit, or prepaid, depending on the cardholder's choice. The product purchase amount is subtracted from the prepaid balance, and service points corresponding to the product purchase amount are added to the service information when paying under any conditions, and the POS device stores this information and sends it to the host computer. , the host computer stores and manages information equivalent to cards in two duplicate databases, one for each store and one for each cardholder, and the service counter issues cards and accepts deposits. A prepaid balance according to the amount is put into the card, a premium according to the service points is paid to the card holder, and an amount equivalent to the service points used for the premium is subtracted from the service information.

In this invention, credit information and prepaid information are stored in one magnetic card, so that payments can be made with cash, credit, or prepaid. In addition, service point information is stored in the magnetic card so that service points can be processed at the same time as purchasing products using the same card.

The system connects a POS and service counter at a store to a host computer, and exchanges information between them to enable smooth operation of the card system.

[Example] FIG. 1 shows a system of an example. In the figure, 1 is a POS system installed at each store, and 2 is a one-time memory that stores the day's transactions. 3 is a host computer, which is connected to POSI and service counter 4; The service counter 4 performs processing such as issuing cards to customers, accepting prepaid cards, and settling service points. The service counter 4 and the host computer 1 are connected in real time. The service counter 4 is installed by the card operator, and only one service counter is required for a plurality of stores.

The host computer 3 is provided with an interface 5, and in addition to exchanging data with the POS 1 and the service counter 4,
Processes such as debiting the credit card price from the customer's bank account 6 and issuing invoices are performed.

8 is a credit processing section, 9 is a prepaid processing section, IO is a service point processing section, 11 is a database for each store, and 12 is a database for each customer. Database 1
The data of 1.12 substantially overlaps with the data of the magnetic card 13.

13 is a magnetic card whose contents are shown in FIG. The magnetic card 13 is a JISn type, and has ID data 14, credit data 15. It stores four types of data: prepaid data 16° and service point data 17. The type of magnetic card is arbitrary, and it may be replaced with an IC card or the like.

FIG. 3 shows the data of the magnetic card 13 in more detail.

The ID data 14 includes the customer's name, date of birth, PIN number,
Customer information such as expiry date is written in the service counter 4 when the card is issued. Credit data 15 indicates a credit rank of credit, and this rank corresponds to a credit limit. The initial value of the credit data 15 is entered at the service counter 4 when the card 13 is issued, and is subsequently changed by the host computer 3 according to the credit balance, payment status, etc. The prepaid data 16 indicates the prepaid balance, which is added by depositing prepaid money at the service counter 4, and subtracted by Po5l each time a product is purchased. Service point data 17 indicates the cumulative total of service points, which are added when purchasing a product and subtracted when payment is made at the service counter 4 (receipt of premium).

The effect of the example is shown. Customers use card 13 when purchasing products.
Present it at the store and freely choose the payment method from cash, credit, or prepaid. Payment may be made by a combination of credit and prepaid. Magnetic card 1 on the store side
3 ID information 14. Credit information 15. The prepaid information 16 is read by the POS 1 and it is determined whether sales can be made by credit or prepaid. There is no problem with cash sales even if you do not have a credit limit, and there is no problem with credit or cash sales even if you do not have a prepaid balance as long as you have a credit limit. - The time memory 2 stores data related to black cards (cards that have been stolen, lost, or have had credit card payments unpaid), and is sent from the host computer 3 and stored therein. Determine whether or not. In the example, black cards are divided into two types: those that cannot be used at all stores, and those that can only be used at specific stores (stores where the owner of the car is personally known and provides credit at their own risk). There are two types:

If it is possible to sell using the payment method selected by the customer, POS
1 updates the prepaid data 16 and service point data 17 of the magnetic card 13. Also, in -time memory 2,
The cash sales amount, credit sales amount, and prepaid sales amount are stored for each card.

Service points are not simply proportional to the sales amount, but are based on the type of payment (cash, credit, prepaid).
It's okay to be different. A receipt is issued to the customer in which the details of the purchase, accumulated service points, prepaid balance, etc. are recorded.

-The data in the memory 2 is sent in batches to the host computer 3 at night when line charges are low, and the host computer 3 updates the databases 11 and 12, and the credit data 1
5. Change the credit limit. Also detects black card,
This information and credit limit information are transmitted to each POS 1.

POSI sells the next day using the previous day's credit limit and the previous day's black card information.

Each store is periodically distributed with a printout of the contents of the store-specific database 11 from the host computer 3, so as to be useful for understanding customers and totaling sales at the store.

The service counter 4 performs processing such as issuing a magnetic card 13, accepting prepaid advances, and settling service points. When issuing a card 13, ID data such as the customer's name, PIN number, date of birth, and expiration date are
If the customer desires a credit function, the credit limit is determined and the rank is written in the credit data 15. Also, depending on the advance payment received,
Enter the prepaid data 16. The prepaid balance is added when the card is returned at a store, and the prepaid balance is added again by accepting the prepaid amount at the service counter 4 at any time, not only when the card is issued, so that the prepaid function can be maintained even after the initial prepaid amount has been used. .

Service point data 17 is magnetic card 1 every time it is sold.
3, you can redeem service points even immediately after shopping. Furthermore, special points can be added to the service points for each customer, and special deductions can be made for late payments or returns. At the time of payment, premiums such as product discounts, exchanges for service items, and cash payments are given to the cardholder, and service points are subtracted by an amount equivalent to the premium.

The data in service counter 4 is host computer 3
The card 13 is connected online in real time so that the card 13 can be used at the same time as being issued, prepaid payment can be used at the same time as depositing advance money, and service points can be settled at the same time as purchasing products. Furthermore, credit card payments and prepaid refunds can be made at the service counter 4.

The host computer 3 stores data from the POSI and service counter 4 in databases 11 and 12 for each customer and card, and performs credit settlement, black card processing, prepaid processing, and service point processing. The contents of the customer database 11 are periodically sent to the store and used by the store to understand the customers.

[Effect of the invention] This invention provides credit cards, prepaid cards,
By integrating three types of service cards, we will create a system that allows payments to be made with cash, credit, or prepaid.

Further, the card of the present invention is convenient for customers, and effective for sellers in expanding and fixing customers, grasping sales information, etc.

In this invention, a system is constructed by connecting a POS at a store, a service counter, and a host computer, and a system compatible with three types: credit, prepaid, and service points is constructed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the magnetic card of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the card. In the figure, I POS゜3 host computer, 4 service counter, 13 magnetic card. Figure Figure Figure Figure

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Personal information such as the card number, cardholder's PIN, name, expiration date, date of birth, etc., credit information indicating the credit limit, and prepaid information indicating the prepaid balance are stored on the magnetic recording surface of one card. The POS device at the store reads this information from the card and accepts cash, credit, or prepaid payment depending on the cardholder's choice. When paying by credit card, we decide whether or not to accept credit according to the credit information, and when making prepaid payments, we subtract the product purchase amount from the prepaid balance, and when paying under any conditions, the product purchase amount is calculated according to the credit information. The service points are added to the service information, and the POS device stores this information and sends it to the host computer.The host computer stores the same information as the card in two duplicates, one for each store and one for each cardholder. The service counter issues cards and accepts deposits, records the prepaid balance on the card according to the deposit, and also gives the cardholder a premium according to the service points. A card system in which the amount equivalent to the service points used for premiums is subtracted from service information upon payment. (2) The card system according to claim 1, wherein the card is an IC card.