JPH0887658A - Managing method for utility charge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the managing method for utility charge with which the construction of communication lines in large scale is not required and a sales amount can be distributed to respective operators. CONSTITUTION: Each time a user utilizes operating equipment 6a-6c, the utility charge of operating equipment 6a-6c in a managing area A is recorded in a card 11 to be used by the user. When leaving the managing area A, the user reads the contents of the card 11 at an entrance/exit 8, sums them up and performs account settlement processing. Therefore, it is not necessary to sum up the utility charge each time the user utilizes the respective operating equipment 6a-6c and it is not necessary to lay a communication line 3 for linking a host computer 4 to sum the fee up and to perform the account settlement processing and the respective operating equipment 6a-6c.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of managing usage charges of a plurality of driving devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to realize cashless payment at employee cafeterias, etc., which can only be used by persons with a fixed qualification, the usage fee is deducted from payroll deductions based on the ID code read from the employee's ID card. Post-payment payments are being implemented.

FIG. 2 shows a plurality of meal ticket vending machines 1a, 1b, 1
The system which manages the usage fee in c is shown. The meal ticket vending machines 1a to 1c are provided with a card reader 2 for reading an ID card. The meal vending machines 1a to 1c are connected to the host computer 4 via the communication lines 3a to 3c, respectively.
It is connected to the.

When the meal ticket vending machine 1a is used, the meal ticket vending machine 1a transfers the ID code read from the ID card inserted by the user and the usage contents to the host computer 4 through the communication line 3a. The usage contents represent “when”, “what”, and “how much”.

Similarly, the meal ticket vending machines 1b and 1c also have a communication line 3
The ID code and the usage content are transferred to the host computer 4 via b and 3c. Host computer 4 is ID
Aggregate each code and bill each user for the usage amount.

Further, in order to realize cashless call charges for public telephones and cashless sales of train tickets for railways, prepaid cards in which a prepaid amount is written are used.

In the prepaid card system, when the seller of the prepaid card and the owner of the prepaid card usage target device are the same, the payment is made by performing a process of deducting the usage fee from the prepaid card each time the card is used. Since it can be processed, it is not necessary to link with the host computer 4 and perform the settlement process as described above. However, vending machines with different owners (operators) are installed in the management area managed by the location owner,
In the case of a vending machine that can use any vending machine with a single prepaid card, the operator of each vending machine
It is necessary to receive the distribution of the sales amount from the location owner who manages the sales of the prepaid card.

Therefore, even in the case of a prepaid card, each vending machine and a host computer are linked via a communication line, and each vending machine reduces the price of the prepaid card and returns it at the same time. The vending machine code and usage amount are transferred to the host computer, and the host computer totals based on the code of the vending machine owned by each operator, and the location owner distributes the sales amount of the prepaid card based on the total. ing.

[0009]

As described above, it is necessary to link each vending machine and the host computer regardless of whether the cash payment mode is postpaid or prepaid.

However, the work of laying a communication line for each vending machine is very large-scale work. It is an object of the present invention to provide a usage charge management method that does not require the construction of a large-scale communication line and can distribute the sales amount to each operator.

[0011]

According to the method of managing a usage charge of the present invention, the management of the usage charge for each user of a plurality of driving devices arranged in a management area with a limited entrance / exit is described above. Each operating device records the contents of usage on the card used by the user, reads out the contents of the user's card at the entrance and exit of the management area when leaving and leaving the management area, and summarizes the contents read from the card for each user. It is characterized in that the payment is processed.

[0012]

According to this structure, the usage fee of the driving device in the management area is recorded in the card used by the user every time the user uses the driving device. When the user exits the management area, the contents of the card are read aloud at the doorway and tabulated for calculation. Therefore, it is not necessary to add up the usage charge each time the user uses each operating device, and it is not necessary to install a communication line linking each operating device with the host computer that collects and setstles the charges.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A usage charge management method of the present invention will be described below with reference to a specific embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a usage charge management method of the present invention. In this embodiment, card type vending machines 6a, 6b, 6c are installed in a management area A surrounded by a partition wall 5. Each of the card-type vending machines 6a to 6c has a card serving as a card processing device so that the user can use the vending machine with a card (specifically, a magnetic card, an IC card, an optical card, etc.) on the customer service side. The reader / writer 7 is attached.

At the entrance / exit 8 of the management area A, a gate device 10 with card reader / writers 9a and 9b is installed. A card reader / writer 9a is provided on the entrance side of the gate device 10, and a card reader / writer 9b is provided on the exit side thereof. The card reader / writer 9b is connected to the host computer 4 via a communication line 3.

When a user who wants to enter the management area A inserts his or her own card 11 into the card reader / writer 9a of the gate device 10, the card 11 is a specified card on the card reader / writer 9a side. After confirming that it exists, the contents of the specific area B of the storage area of the card 11 are cleared and returned to the user. The ID code of the user is written on each card 11.

When the user receives the card 11 returned from the card reader / writer 9a and enters the room, when using the vending machines 6a to 6c, the user inserts the card 11 into the card reader / writer 7 of the vending machine and selects it. Buy a product.

In the vending machine that has been used by the user, the usage fee and the contents of use at that time and the code of the vending machine are recorded in the specific area B of the card 11, and the card 11 is returned to the user.

In the case of a plurality of times, the card 11 is provided with the usage fee, the usage details and the code of the vending machine.
Is recorded in a specific area B of. When the user exits the management area A, the user inserts the card 11 into the card reader / writer 9b of the gate device 10.

On the card reader / writer 9b side, the contents of the specific area B of the card 11 are read out, transferred to the host computer 4 via the communication line 3, and it is detected that a reading completion confirmation signal is received from the host computer 4. Then, the contents of the specific area B of the card 11 are cleared and returned to the user.

In the host computer 4, the data read out from the card reader / writer 9b is totalized for each ID code, and the location owner charges the user. Further, in the host computer 4, the data read from the card reader / writer 9b is totaled based on the code of the vending machine owned by each operator, and the location owner gives each operator based on the total amount collected from the user. Distribute.

As described above, only by laying the communication line 3 linking the gate device 10 and the host computer 4,
The user can use the vending machines 6a to 6c without cash, and since there is no need to lay a communication line linking the vending machines 6a to 6c and the host computer 4, it is possible to use a large-scale communication line. No construction required.

In the above embodiment, the ID code is written in the card 11 and the usage fee is collected from the user by postpayment. However, the prepaid amount or data corresponding to the prepaid amount is written in the card. The same can be applied to the pre-paid method.

In the case of this prepaid method, in the vending machine that has been used by the user, the contents of use at that time and the code of the vending machine are recorded in the specific area B of the card 11, and the data of the prepaid amount is recorded. Is updated to the amount obtained by subtracting the usage fee at that time, and the card 11 is returned to the user.

In the case of a plurality of times, the card 11 is provided with the usage fee, the usage details and the code of the vending machine each time.
Is recorded in a specific area B of. When the user exits the management area A, the user inserts the card 11 into the card reader / writer 9b of the gate device 10.

On the card reader / writer 9b side, the contents of the specific area B of the card 11 are read out, transferred to the host computer 4 via the communication line 3, and it is detected that a reading completion confirmation signal is received from the host computer 4. Then, the contents of the specific area B of the card 11 are cleared and returned to the user.

In the host computer 4, the data read from the card reader / writer 9b is totalized for each ID code, and the location owner charges the user. In the host computer 4, the data read from the card reader / writer 6b is totaled based on the code of the vending machine owned by each operator, and the prepaid card advance payment is distributed to each operator by the location owner based on the total. To do.

Specific examples of the management area A in each of the above embodiments include facilities such as intelligent buildings, amusement parks and golf courses. In each of the above-described embodiments, the vending machines 6a to 6c as the operation devices provided in the management area A have been described as an example, but the operation devices are not limited to the vending machines, and the management area A is not limited thereto. The same can be applied to the cash register card settlement system of a cash register of a supermarket type store provided in.

[0029]

As described above, according to the usage charge management method of the present invention, when managing the usage charge for each user of a plurality of driving devices arranged in a management area with a limited entrance / exit, Each operating device records usage details on the card used by the user, reads out the contents of the user's card at the entrance and exit of the management area when leaving and leaving the management area, and summarizes the contents read from the card for each user Since it does not need to add up usage charges each time a user uses each operating device, it is necessary to lay a communication line linking each operating device with a host computer that collects and makes adjustments. Not.

Further, although the communication line for linking each operating device and the host computer is not installed,
The usage charge can be correctly distributed to each operator of the operating equipment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a specific embodiment of a usage charge management method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional usage charge management method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Communication Line 4 Host Computers 6a to 6c Vending Machine [Operating Equipment] 8 Doorway 9b Card Reader / Writer 10 Gate Device 11 Card A Management Area

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When managing a usage charge for each user of a plurality of driving devices arranged in a management area with a limited entrance / exit, each of the driving devices stores the usage contents in a card used by the user. A usage fee management method that records and reads out the contents of the user's card at the entrance / exit of the management area when leaving / leaving the management area, totaling the contents read out from the card for each user and making a payment.