JPH0582623B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field This invention relates to a card authentication terminal group management device,
In particular, a group of card authentication terminals that are connected to a credit card company's host computer and manage multiple card authentication terminal devices that authenticate credit cards and transmit data to the host computer when selling credit cards. Regarding a management device.

Summary of the Invention The present invention is a card authentication terminal group management device that performs internal processing based on instructions of the specific data when the data transmitted from the card authentication terminal device is specific data.

Conventional Technology As is well known, with the spread of credit cards, card authentication terminal devices called CATs (Credit Authorization Terminals) have been put into practical use in order to automate credit card authentication and transaction processing. ing. Conventionally, the above-mentioned CAT has been directly connected to the host computer of each credit card company, and since many card authentication terminals are connected to the host computer, data communication from multiple card authentication terminals at the same time has been difficult. , a problem arises in that it takes time for the host computer to receive and process all the transmitted data. In order to solve this problem, we manage these card authentication terminal devices and
It is also conceivable to provide a card authentication terminal group management device that mediates data communication between the card authentication terminal device and the host computer to facilitate data communication between the two.

By the way, the card authentication terminal group management device as described above includes a communication device that performs data communication between the card authentication terminal device and the host computer.
A storage device that stores the data received by these communication devices and a control device that controls the operation of each of the devices described above are provided. In order to perform internal processing such as memory tests and hardware tests, it is necessary to connect peripheral devices such as consoles, displays, and printers.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In order to connect the above-mentioned peripheral devices to the above-mentioned card authentication terminal group management device, an interface with the peripheral device and a program to operate it must be installed in the card authentication terminal group management device. Although it is necessary to provide a storage device for storing information, the provision of such a device complicates the configuration, resulting in problems such as a decrease in the reliability of the card authentication terminal group management device and an increase in price.

Therefore, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide a system comprising a plurality of card authentication terminal devices and a card authentication terminal group management device that is connected to both the plurality of card authentication terminal devices and a host computer and controls communication between the two. To provide a reliable, low-cost card authentication terminal group management system that allows a card authentication terminal group management device to perform internal processing without complicating the configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems A card authentication terminal group management system according to the present invention includes a plurality of card authentication terminal devices having a console function, and is connected to both the plurality of card authentication terminal devices and a host computer, so that communication between the two is possible. and a card authentication terminal group management device that controls communication of the card authentication terminal device, and when data is transmitted from the transmission means of each card authentication terminal device to the reception means of the group management device and received, the discrimination means of the group management device determines whether or not the received data includes specific data indicating that the card authentication terminal device functions as a console, and the data processing means of the group management device determines that the received data contains specific data. If the data is included in the received data, the processing specified by the specified data is performed, and if it is determined that the data is not included, the normal processing is performed based on the received data. .

Effect In this invention, the card authentication terminal group management device includes:
When specific data is received from the card authentication terminal device, internal processing is performed based on the instruction data received together with the specific data.

Embodiment FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram including a card authentication terminal group management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, multiple CAT2 units are connected to one connection terminal of a card authentication terminal group management device (hereinafter referred to as cluster controller) 1, and the other connection terminal is connected to a credit card company's host via a dedicated line 4. Connected to computer 3. The CAT 2 is a terminal device for performing credit authentication and transaction processing, but it is also a terminal device for issuing internal processing commands to the cluster controller 1 and inputting data for internal processing. Here, multiple
All of the CATs 2 may function as consoles for the cluster controller 1, but only one of them may be used as a console. The host computer 3 of the credit card company performs credit authentication and transaction processing based on the data and processing requests input from the CAT2. The cluster controller 1 controls data transmitted from a plurality of CAT2 units and transmits the data to the host computer 3, and transmits data transmitted from the host computer 3 to the CAT2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the cluster controller 1 shown in FIG. 3. In Figure 4, cluster controller 1 has
It is equipped with CPU5. CPU5 has ROM6 and
The RAM 7, the clock signal generation circuit 8, the upper transmission section 9, and the lower transmission section 10 are connected. ROM
6 stores an operating program for the CPU 5 based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 1, which will be described in detail later. RAM 7 includes a storage area in which data sent from CAT 2 and host computer 3 is stored. A clock signal generation circuit 8 provides a specific time interval signal to the CPU 5. The upper-side transmission section 9 is connected to the host computer 3 via the dedicated line 4 and performs data communication with the host computer 3, and the lower-side transmission section 1
0 is connected to CAT2 and performs data communication with CAT2.

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of CAT2 shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 5, the CAT 2 is equipped with a printer 11, a display 12, a keyboard 13, and a card reader 14. The printer 11 prints out documents, etc., and the display 12 displays operation guide characters and key input data. The keyboard 13 includes business keys 22 and a numeric keypad 23, as will be explained later in FIG. card reader 1
Reference numeral 4 reads out the number data identifying the credit company and the number data identifying the customer from the credit card. Further, a pin pad 15 is connected to CAT2. The pin pad 15 is used by the customer to input a personal identification number and the like.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the electrical configuration of CAT2 shown in FIG. In Figure 6,
The CPU 16 includes the printer 11 mentioned above, the display 1
2, the keyboard 13, card reader 14 and pin pad 15 are connected. Further, a ROM 17, a RAM 18, a timer 19, a buzzer 20, and a transmission control section 21 are connected to the CPU 16. ROM
17 stores an operating program for the CPU 16 based on a flowchart as shown in FIG. 2, which will be described in detail later. The RAM 18 stores data input from the keyboard 13, data sent from the class controller 1, and the like. The timer 14 measures the current time. The buzzer 20 issues a warning when an error occurs. The transmission control unit 21 is connected to the cluster controller 1 and performs data communication with the cluster controller 1.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a key arrangement diagram of the keyboard 13 shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 7, the keyboard 13 includes business keys 22 and a numeric keypad 23. As shown in FIG. The business key 22 is for instructing business content, and the sales key 22 is for instructing sales registration.
1, and a pre-approval key 222 that instructs pre-approval.
, an inquiry key 223 for instructing an inquiry, a cancellation/return key 224 for instructing a cancellation/return, and an other key 225 for instructing other operations. The numeric keypad 23 is used to enter product code number data and amount data when CAT2 is used for normal transactions, but when used as a console for the cluster controller 1, it is used to enter data for internal processing, code numbers, etc. It is something to do.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the key layout of the pin pad 15 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the pin pad 15 includes numerical keys 0 to 9 and a correction key.

Figure 9 shows cluster controller 1 from CAT2
It is a figure showing the composition of the telegram 25 transmitted to. In FIG. 9, the message 25 is composed of terminal identification number data, business classification code number data, and business data. The terminal identification number data is, for example, 5-byte number data that specifies the CAT2 that transmits the data. The business classification code number data is, for example, 1-byte code number data indicating the business designated by the input key of the business keys 22. For example, if the business classification number data is "1", it indicates sales registration, if it is "2", it indicates pre-approval, and if it is "3", for example,
For example, "4" indicates a cancellation/return, and "5" indicates other. The business data is data corresponding to each business designated by the input key of the business keys 22.

In Figure 10, the business classification code mentioned above is “Other”.
9 is a diagram showing the structure of the business data 26 shown in FIG. 9 when the value is "5" indicating . In FIG. 10, business data 26 is composed of number data indicating classification code 1 and classification code 2, and data 1 to data 3 separated by separators. If classification code 1 is “99”, message 25
CAT2 specified by the terminal identification number data contained in the terminal indicates that the terminal functions as the console of the cluster controller 1. Classification code 2, data 1, data 2, and data 3, which will be explained later in FIG. 11, indicate the types and contents of internal processing performed by the cluster controller 1. The separator separates each data, and for example, "@" is used.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating internal processing performed by the cluster controller 1. In Figure 11,
The internal processing performed by the cluster controller 1 includes:
Contains constant setting, constant confirmation, memory change, memory dump, and memory test. Category code 2 above
is a code that specifies the internal processing performed by the cluster controller 1.

For example, when classification code 2 is "1", data 1 is device number data consisting of 5 bytes, data 2 is terminal number data consisting of 2 bytes, and data 3 is upper side number data consisting of 2 bytes, for example. This is transmission speed data. When these data are input from the CAT2 keyboard 13 and sent to the cluster controller 1,
The CPU 5 stores these data in the RAM 7 of the cluster controller 1. When the classification code 2 is, for example, "2", the CPU 5 reads constant data stored in the RAM 7 of the cluster controller 1 and transmits it to the CAT 2, and the CAT 2 displays the transmitted data on the display 12. When the classification code is, for example, "3", data 1 is, for example, 4-byte data indicating the address of RAM 7, and data 2 is, for example, 4-byte change data to be stored at that address.
When these data are sent from CAT2 to the cluster controller 1, the CPU 5 of the cluster controller 1 uses the RAM based on these data.
Change the data stored in 7. Classification code 2
is, for example, "4", data 1 is, for example, 4-byte data indicating the start address of RAM 7 where data to be dumped is stored,
Data 2 is, for example, 4-byte data indicating the number of bytes of data dumped from the start address. When these data are sent from CAT2 to cluster controller 1, CPU 5 of cluster controller 1 reads these data from RAM 7 and sends them to CAT2, and CAT2 dumps the data sent by printer 11. For example, when classification code 2 is “5”, the CPU
5 performs a memory test of RAM7.

Figure 12 shows the CAT from cluster controller 1.
FIG. 12th
In the figure, the message 27 is composed of terminal identification number data, display designation code number data, display data, print designation code number data, and print data. The terminal identification number data is sent to CAT2, which receives the message 27 sent from cluster controller 1.
This is number data that specifies, for example, 5 bytes of data. The display specification code number data is
This is an instruction to display display data on the CAT2 display 12, and is, for example, 2-byte data. Printing specification code number data is
This instructs the CAT2 printer 11 to print print data, and is, for example, 2-byte data.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display example displayed on the display 12 of the CAT2 that received the message 27 and a print example printed by the printer 11 for each classification code 2.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of CAT2 shown in FIG. Next, the operation of CAT2 will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 13.

First, the CPU 16 of CAT2 displays on the display 12 that the business key 22 should be operated, and
Wait until it is operated. When the business key 22 is operated, the CPU 16 performs a process according to the key input, but when the other key 225 is input, the CPU 16 subsequently displays a message on the display 12 indicating that classification code 1 should be input. The screen will be displayed and the system will wait for the classification code 1 to be input. Here, if the operator inputs "99" from the numeric keypad 23 of the keyboard 13, CAT2 functions as a console for the cluster controller 1, and if any other code is input, it performs processing according to each classification code. .

Subsequently, the CPU 16 displays on the display 12 that the classification code 2 should be input, and waits for the input of the classification code 2. When the operator inputs the classification code 2 corresponding to the internal processing shown in FIG. 11 from the numeric keypad 23 of the keyboard 13, the
displays on the display 12 that data 1 should be input, and waits for input of setting data. The CPU 16 repeats this loop until data 1 to data 3 are input, and transmits the input data to the cluster controller 1 when the data input is completed.

When the CPU 16 receives the processing results from the cluster controller 1 shown in FIG. 12, it displays the display data on the display 12 based on the display designation code and the print designation code, and prints the print data using the printer 11.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of a cluster controller 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Next, the operation of the cluster controller 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13.

CPU5 of cluster controller 1 is waiting until it receives data from CAT2, and
When data from 2 is received, the received message 2
It is determined whether the business classification code included in 5 is "5" indicating "other", and if the business classification code is not "5", the message from the lower level is sent to the host via the higher level transmission unit 9. The message is transmitted to the computer 3, and if data is received from the higher level, the message from the higher level is transmitted to the CAT 2 via the lower side transmission unit 10.

If the business classification code is “5”, the CPU 5 will change the classification code 1 included in the business data 26 to “99”.
Determine whether or not. Classification code 1 is “99”
Otherwise, it operates as a normal cluster controller, but if the classification code 1 is "99", the CPU 5 subsequently performs internal processing according to the classification code 2.

Here, if the classification code 2 is, for example, "1", data 1 to data 3 sent from CAT are set in the corresponding area of RAM7, and data 1
The content of the data 3 is transmitted to the CAT 2 via the lower transmission section 10. For example, if the classification code 2 is "2", the CPU 5 reads data 1 to data 3 from the corresponding area and transmits them to the CAT 2 via the lower transmission section 10. Classification code 2 is “3”
If so, the 4-byte data from the address indicated by data 1 is changed to the data indicated by data 2 and stored, and the address and the contents of the data are transmitted to CAT 2 via the lower-side transmission section 10. Classification code 2
If, for example, is "4", data of the number of bytes indicating data 2 is read from the address indicated by data 1 and transmitted to CAT 2 via the lower-side transmission section 10. For example, if the classification code 2 is "5", perform a memory test and send the result to the lower transmission unit 1.
0 to CAT2. If the classification code 2 is not one of "1" to "5", it is an error, so the error message is sent via the lower transmission unit 10.
Send to CAT2. When transmission to CAT2 is completed, it waits until data is received from the next lower level.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, when the terminal group management device receives specific data from the card authentication terminal device, it performs internal processing based on the instruction data received together with the specific data. Therefore, the card authentication terminal device can also function as a console for the terminal group management device. Therefore, the terminal group management device can perform its own internal processing with a simple configuration that does not require special peripheral devices, and the card authentication terminal group management system can be
This has the effect of increasing its reliability and providing it at a low price.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of a cluster controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of CAT. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system including a cluster controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a cluster controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is
It is an external perspective view of CAT. FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of CAT. FIG. 7 is a key arrangement diagram of the keyboard shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a key arrangement diagram of the pin pad shown in FIG. 5. 9th
The figure shows the structure of a message sent from CAT to the cluster controller. FIG. 10 is an illustrative diagram showing the business data shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing processing contents and data contents for each classification code 2 shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the structure of a message sent from the cluster controller to the CAT. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display example displayed on the CAT display and a print example printed by the printer. In the figure, 1 is the cluster controller and 2 is the cluster controller.
CAT, 3 is host computer, 5 is CPU, 6
is ROM, 7 is RAM, 9 is upper-side transmission section, 10
indicates the lower transmission section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of card authentication terminal devices having a console function, connected to both these plurality of card authentication terminal devices and a host computer,
A card authentication terminal group management system comprising: a card authentication terminal group management device that controls communications between the two sides; each card authentication terminal device has specific data indicating that its own device functions as a console; , a transmission means for transmitting specification data specifying processing contents when functioning as a console to the card authentication terminal group management device in correspondence with this data, the card authentication terminal group management device comprising: receiving means for receiving data transmitted from a terminal device; determining means for determining whether the data received by the receiving means includes the specific data; and determining means for determining whether the received data includes the specific data or not. If it is determined that the received data contains the specific data, the process specified by the specified data corresponding to the received data is performed, and if it is determined that the received data does not include the specific data. and processing means for performing normal processing based on the received data, a card authentication terminal group management system.