JPH0625996B2 - Card refueling system - Google Patents

Description

Description: (a) Technical Field The present invention relates to a card refueling system using a refueling card in which the amount of oil such as gasoline for which a fee has been paid in advance is stored, and particularly to a post-treatment at a refueling station where refueling is performed. Regarding the speeding up of the response in the case where no action is taken.

(b) Summary of the Invention A refueling card management system according to the present invention has a refueling card owned by a customer and a transaction processing device installed at a refueling station (gas station). Data for post-processing such as refueling card data and refueling amount, new remaining hot water amount calculated stored in the transaction processor until the end of processing (hereinafter,
It is called "post-processing data". ) Can be displayed arbitrarily. As a result, even if the refueling card that has completed the preprocessing and the unprocessed postprocessing is returned to the customer and the refueling card is brought to another gas station, it is possible to respond appropriately to the inquiry from that gas station. It was made possible.

(c) Conventional Technology and Its Deficiencies Currently, a card refueling system using a refueling card is proposed as a refueling system using a card.
The refueling card used in this system is a card in which the customer pays a certain amount of gasoline equivalent in advance and stores the amount of oil as the amount of remaining oil. In a refueling system using this refueling card, pre-processing such as card authentication and card data buffering is performed when refueling is started, and after refueling, the remaining oil amount is rewritten to a value obtained by subtracting the current refueling amount. Post-processing is performed.

By the way, in a general gas station, a plurality of weighing machines for measuring the amount of refueling are installed, and at the same time, one external reader / writer which is a device without a staff member into which the refueling card is inserted or one of the weighing machines is installed. A small number of units are installed, and one external reader / writer is configured to handle transaction processing for a plurality of weighing machines (weighing machines, external reader / writers and gas stations installed in gas station stores. The transaction processing device is composed of the POS terminal device that controls the machine and the external reader / writer.) Therefore, the external reader / writer has to accept the refueling of the other weighing machine while the refueling of the one weighing machine which it is in charge of is done. For this reason, the external reader / writer is designed to discharge the refueling card inserted at the start of refueling after the pretreatment and once to accept reinsertion for posttreatment after the refueling is completed.

However, at the gas station, many refueling cards are received from the customer at the same time, so it is easy to distinguish the refueling card before pretreatment, the refueling card after pretreatment and the reprocessing card after posttreatment. is not. Since the refueling card after post-processing has been completed and should be returned to the customer, there is no problem even if the staff member returns it to the customer. Also, even if the refueling card before pretreatment is returned to the customer, there is no problem because it is before the transaction, and the customer will notify the staff because the refueling card will be returned before receiving the refueling, and the transaction will not be hindered. It can be done. However, if the clerk mistakenly returns the pre-processing refueling card to the customer, the refueling station will not be able to deduct the refueling amount of the refueling card and the transaction will be interrupted halfway, and the sales will be recorded. There was a problem that I could not do.

In addition, the refueling card is in the middle of a transaction and has undergone preprocessing end processing (for example, storage of content indicating preprocessing end and printing of refueling date), which has the drawback that it cannot be used in the future. It was However, since the customer returns the refueling card after refueling, it is conceivable that he may leave without noticing that the post-processing of the refueling card remains unprocessed.

Therefore, when such a refueling card before post-treatment is brought into another gas station, ask the previous (non-processed) gas station to report the data of the refueling result and directly from the key. Although the post-processing is performed by inputting, in the conventional transaction processing device installed at the gas station, the post-processing data cannot be read freely, and in response to the inquiry from the other gas station, It was not possible to make an accurate report immediately.

(d) Object of the invention In view of the above drawbacks, the present invention can promptly respond to inquiries from other gas stations by allowing post-processing data before post-processing to be arbitrarily displayed at gas stations. The purpose is to provide a card refueling system.

(e) Structure and effect of the invention The invention is configured as follows.

A refueling card having a remaining oil amount storage area in which the amount of oil corresponding to the amount paid in advance is first stored is issued to the customer.

Each refueling station that performs refueling receives the refueling card at the start of refueling and performs pre-processing including a process of reading the remaining oil amount stored in the remaining oil amount storage area, and then temporarily discharges the refueling card. Then, after refueling, a new residual oil amount is calculated by subtracting this refueling amount from the residual oil amount, and the refueling card is accepted again to rewrite the residual oil amount storage area with the new residual oil amount. A transaction processing device for performing post-processing including is installed.

In such a card refueling system, the transaction processing device is provided with a post-processing data display means for arbitrarily displaying or printing data for post-processing for a refueling card that has completed the pre-processing and not undergoing the usage processing. It is characterized by that.

According to the present invention configured as described above, the refueling card is returned to the customer without post-processing being performed, and the other refueling station performing the next refueling inquires about the post-processing data at the time of the previous refueling. Even if there is, the post-processing data display means can display or print the post-processing data. If the post-processing data displayed or printed is reported to the other gas station, the post-processing of the previous refueling that has been left unprocessed can be manually input at the other gas station, Sales of the refueling can be recorded. Further, it is possible to enable the refueling card that has been disabled before the post-treatment.

(f) Embodiment FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a card refueling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system has multiple gas stations A
It is composed of one center B and a refueling card carried by the customer (see FIG. 4). There is a POS inside the gas station A
A terminal device 1 is installed, and a plurality of external readers / writers 2 for operating a refueling staff and a plurality of weighing machines 3 for measuring the amount of refueling are installed outside the store for refueling. The POS terminal device 1, the external reader / writer 2, and the weighing machine 3 correspond to the transaction processing device of the present invention.

The POS terminal device 1 includes a CPU 5 which is a control device.
And an RA which is connected to the CPU 5 and in which a ROM 6 for storing programs and the like and a buffer for card data and the like are set
M7, keyboard 8 for control, display 9, card reader / writer 10 for reading / writing control data, printer 11 for printing summary tables, floppy disk 12 for setting transaction data files, via line A communication control unit 13 for communicating with the center B, a weighing machine controller 14 for controlling the weighing machine 3, and the external reader /
An interface 15 for controlling the writer 2 is installed. The keyboard 8 includes a display / print key 8a.

On the other hand, in the center B, a center computer 16 as a control device, a communication control unit 17 connected to the center computer 16 for communicating with the POS terminal device 1, a storage device 18 in which a master file is set, a printer 19
And the indicator 20 is installed. The master file stores the sales status of each gas station A, the usage status of all the fuel cards issued, and the like. These data are updated by the sales data file.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the refueling card 4. This refueling card is sold at the above-mentioned refueling station A or the like, and is sold at a price substantially the same as the amount of refuelable oil. For example, a refueling card that can refuel 200 for 200 minutes of gasoline is sold.

FIG. 1A is an external view of the refueling card 4, in which the card number, the amount of remaining oil, etc. are recorded on the card surface.
0 and a print column 41 for printing the history of refueling with this refueling card are set.

FIG. 2B is a partial configuration diagram of the magnetic stripe 40. On the magnetic stripe 40, a card number (area 40a) which is an issue number of the refueling card, an expiration date (area 40b) of the card, an oil type (area 40c) and a residual oil amount (area 40d) are recorded. Note that the oil type indicates the type of regular gasoline, high octane gasoline, diesel diesel oil, etc., and is coded and recorded. The amount of remaining oil is the number of liters of oil that can be refueled with this refueling card.
00) is recorded. This refueling card
Each time fueling is performed at the fueling station A, the fuel is inserted into the external reader / writer 2, and the amount of fueling is subtracted from the amount of remaining oil. Further, in the area 40e, a gas station code storage area in which the code of the gas station is written when the pretreatment is completed at the gas station is set.

In the print field 41, the card number, the date of issue, the expiration date, the amount of face oil, etc. are printed when the code is issued, and the date, the amount of oil supplied, and the amount of residual oil are printed for each oil supply.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the external reader / writer 2. An operator's operation panel is installed on the front of the device. On the operation panel surface, there are a display 25, a keyboard 22, a printer 23, and a card reader / card for receiving the refueling card 4.
A writer 21 and a card reader 24 for scanning a conventional credit refueling card are installed. The keyboard 22 is a weighing machine selection key 22 for selecting a weighing machine.
0, a product selection key 221 for inputting a sales product, a ten key 222 for manually inputting a sales quantity, and a function key 223 for setting an operation mode.

At the time of refueling with the refueling card 4, the clerk who receives the refueling card of the customer inserts the refueling card into the card reader / writer 21 and sets the weighing machine 3 for refueling to the weighing machine selection key 2
Press 20 to select. After this, the refueling card is once discharged. This is because another refueling card can be accepted during refueling, and one external reader / writer 2 can manage a plurality of weighing machines 3. When the refueling card 4 is reinserted after refueling is completed, the slip is printed, the data stored in the magnetic stripe 40 of the refueling card 4 is updated, and the printing in the printing column 41 is performed. The discharged slip and refueling card 4 are handed to the customer by the staff, and the transaction is completed.

FIG. 5 is a partial block diagram of the RAM 7, showing an input / output buffer. When a refueling card is inserted into the card reader / writer 21 of the external reader / writer 2, the card data is stored in this input / output buffer via the interface 15. The input / output buffer is a card number storage area (area M1: hereinafter, "area Mi" is referred to as "Mi"), expiration date storage area (M2), oil type storage area (M3), residual oil amount storage area (M4). And corresponds to the stored contents of the magnetic stripe 40 of the card 4. The refueling amount storage area (M5) is an area for storing the refueling amount sent from the weighing machine 3 that measures the refueling amount. A new residual oil amount is calculated by subtracting this oil supply amount from the residual oil amount stored in the residual oil amount storage area (M4), and this new residual oil amount is stored again in the area M4. The residual oil amount data (area 40d) of the magnetic stripe 40 of the refueling card 4 reinserted in the card reader / writer 21 for post-processing is updated with the data of the area M4 (post-processing). The input / output buffers (M1 to M4) and the refueling processing storage area (M5) are cleared after the post-processing is performed.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit of the POS terminal device 1. Step n1 (hereinafter, step n
i is simply called ni. ) Determines whether the refueling card 4 is inserted in the card reader / writer 21 of the external reader / writer 2, or receives a signal of refueling completion from the weighing machine 3 in n18, or inquires about post-processing data. Then, the process waits until the display / print key 8a is pressed at n23.

When the refueling card 4 is inserted and the operation proceeds to n2 or less according to the judgment of n1, the magnetic stripe 4 of the refueling card 4 inserted
0 data is read (n2), and the expiration date (area 4
0b), remaining oil amount (area 40d), etc., to determine whether or not the card is valid (n3). At this time, at the same time, the gas station code storage area (area 40e) is read to determine whether the gas station code is written (n4). These data are stored in the input / output buffers (M1 to M4) and are distinguished from the buffering data of other refueling cards by the card number. If the card is a valid card and the gas station code is not stored, it is determined that the fueling card 4 has been inserted for the pre-processing of starting the fueling, and the process proceeds to the pre-processing operation of n5 or less.

In n5, the selection of the weighing machine 3 by pressing the weighing machine selection key 220 is accepted, and a refueling permission signal is output to the weighing machine 3 selected in n5 via the weighing machine controller 14 (n6). Next, after writing the code of this filling station in the filling station code storage area (area 40e) of the inserted filling card 4 (n7) and printing the date of filling in the printing field 41 on the card surface (n8), The refueling card 4 is discharged (n9). The card determined to be an invalid card in n3 is directly ejected (n22).

If the filling station code is stored in the filling station code storage area (area 40e) of the inserted filling card 4, n
In the judgment of 4, the process proceeds to n10 to judge whether or not the code is the code of the own store. If it is the gas station code of its own store, this refueling card is the one that has been discharged after the above-mentioned pre-processing operation and re-inserted for post-processing, so that refueling by the selected weighing machine 3 is completed. If it is determined that there is (n11), the process proceeds to post-processing operations of n12 and below. If refueling is not completed, post-processing cannot be performed yet, and the refueling card 4 is discharged.

In n12, the remaining oil amount storage area of the refueling card 4 (area 4
0d) is updated to the content of the residual oil amount storage area (M4: refer to n20 described later) updated to a new residual oil amount (n1).
2) Print the amount of refueling and the amount of residual oil in the print column 41 (n1
3), clear the gas station code storage area (area 40e) (n14), and eject the fuel card 4 (n1).
5).

On the other hand, if the gas station code stored in the gas station code storage area (area 40e) is not the code of the shop, the process proceeds to n16 in the judgment of n10, and the gas station code is displayed on the display 25. That is, when the gas station code is displayed on the display 25, it means that the inserted gas card 4 has been returned to the customer without post-processing at the gas station where the gas station code is displayed. The staff can recognize it. The staff member who confirms this display contacts the gas station by telephone or the like and receives post-processing data such as the amount of oil supply and a new amount of remaining oil. If these data are manually input by the clerk (n17), the process proceeds to the post-processing operation after n12. As a result, the post-processing of the previous refueling is performed by this transaction processing device. The data regarding this sales is sent to the center computer 16 and is aggregated as the sales of the gas station that actually refueled.

When the refueling completion signal is received from the weighing machine 3 at n18,
The refueling amount sent from the weighing machine 3 corresponds to the refueling amount storage area (M
5), the new residual oil amount is calculated by subtracting the supplied oil amount from the residual oil amount stored in the area M4 of the buffer, and the new residual oil amount is again calculated in the area M4.
Then, the sales slip is printed by the printer 23 (n21).

When the refueling card 4 before post-processing is brought to another gas station and there is an inquiry about the post-processing data from this other gas station by telephone or the like, the clerk presses the display / print key 8a of the POS terminal 1. . When the depression of the display / print key 8a is determined in n23, the process proceeds to n24 and below, the input of the refueling card number of the inquiry is accepted (n24), and the corresponding post-processing data is read from the area of the input / output buffer. This post-processed data is displayed on the display 9 and (n2
5) The printer 11 prints (n26). after that,
If there is a post-processing completion report from the inquiring gas station, the staff will enter (n27) to n28, store the transaction result as sales in the transaction data file, clear the buffer (n29), and wait. Return to routine.

Display 2 print key 8a, display 9, printer 11 and n
25 and n26 correspond to the post-processing data display means of the present invention.

In this way, according to this card refueling system, the refueling card is returned to the customer without any post-processing being performed, and there is an inquiry by telephone or the like from another refueling station where the refueling card is brought in for post-processing. Display / print key 8a
When you press the button and enter the number of the refueling card,
The post-processing data stored unprocessed is displayed and printed. By reporting this post-processing data to the other gas station, it is possible to have the other gas station manually perform post-processing. As a result, it is possible to establish a transaction in which post-processing has been interrupted while unprocessed, and it is possible to enable a refueling card that has been disabled. In addition, since the input / output buffer that has stored post-processed data can be cleared,
The utilization efficiency of can be improved.

Also, in this system, by storing the gas station code of the gas station after the pre-processing, even if the gas card before the post-processing is mistakenly returned to the customer, the system will be used for the next fueling. When the refueling card is brought to another refueling station, the code of the refueling station which has not been post-processed can be displayed. In addition, after the post-processing is completed, the gas station code stored after the pre-processing is cleared (erased). Therefore, depending on whether or not the gas station card is stored, the processing stage of the gas card (before or after the post-processing) It is possible to determine whether or not after processing (before preprocessing), and there is also an advantage that the time and effort of key-in for setting preprocessing or postprocessing at the time of card insertion can be saved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the operation of a POS terminal device installed at each gas filling station in a card filling system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the card filling system, and FIG. Figure 4 (A), (B) showing the external appearance of an external reader / writer connected to the POS terminal
Shows the appearance of the refueling card of the card refueling system and the structure of the magnetic stripe, and FIG. 5 shows the above POS.
It is a partial block diagram of RAM of a terminal device. A-fueling station, B-center, 1-POS terminal, 2-external reader / writer, 3-weighing machine, 4-fueling card, 8-keyboard, 8a-display / print key, 40-magnetic stripe.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A refueling card possessed by a customer and having a residual oil amount storage area in which an amount of oil corresponding to an amount paid in advance is initially stored; and a refueling card installed at each refueling station and at the start of refueling. After performing a pretreatment including at least a process of receiving and reading the residual oil amount stored in the residual oil amount storage area,
This refueling card is once discharged, and after refueling is completed, a new remaining oil amount is calculated by subtracting this refueling amount from the remaining oil amount, and the refueling card is accepted again to set the remaining oil amount refueling area to the new remaining amount. In a card refueling system including a transaction processing device that performs at least a process of rewriting to an oil amount, a post-processing for a refueling card that has completed the pre-treatment and has not been subjected to the after-treatment. A card refueling system, characterized in that it is provided with a post-processing data display means for arbitrarily displaying or printing the above data.