JPH09128601A - Postpaid card system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a card easily and safely and make good use of it even as a gift ticket by providing a postpaid card, a reader writer which is arranged in a place where postpaid cards are used, and a host computer which can communicates with the reader writer in two ways. SOLUTION: This system consists principally of the postpaid card 1, the reader writer 11 which is arranged in a store, etc., and the host computer 41 which can communicates with the reader writer 11 in two ways, and the arithmetic unit 21 of the reader writer 11 consists of a usable card judgement part 22 and a card use information processing part 26. When the card is utilized, the host computer 41 generates charge collection information by credit cards and charge payment information of the card use place on the basis of transferred card use information, outputs the information to a terminal installed in a card issue company, and supplies accident information needed to judge whether or not a card is usable thereafter at the card use place to the reader writer 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a postpaid card system in which a postpaid card in which a maximum amount with an expiration date or the like is recorded is used and a product purchase or service usage fee is postpaid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among card type transaction processing systems, a postpaid prepaid card billing system is known in which a credit is generated for a prepaid card when used for the first time, and a prepaid card bill is billed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-58242). -223
259). In this method, a post-paid prepaid card issuing company is set in the system, and a card issuing company master is provided with the card issuing company as a key. Also, a member master and a company master are provided so that the prepaid postpaid card price can be billed.
The billing amount is calculated based on these masters, and the postpaid prepaid card user is billed.

There is also known a card type transaction processing system for withdrawing the card price from a credit card account (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-44414). This system also uses a credit card as a prepaid card.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional postpaid prepaid card billing system, it is essential to enter a postpaid purchase voucher or a personal identification number signed by the user himself / herself when the card is used for product purchase or the like. Therefore, it was necessary to input tools, time, etc., or a personal identification number for creating a postpaid purchase slip when using the card, and both the store or service provider and the card user felt inconvenient. In addition, in the conventional post-paid prepaid card, since the product purchaser and the price payer must be the same person, the gift certificate donor is the price payer and the gift certificate recipient is the product purchaser. The postpaid prepaid card was not suitable. A credit card that also serves as a prepaid card cannot be used as a gift voucher because both cards are integrated.

On the other hand, as gift opportunities increase, the gift certificate recipients often find that gift gifts are not satisfied because the gift items are duplicated or unnecessary. became. As a means for avoiding this, product selection type gift vouchers, such as beer vouchers, book vouchers, music gift vouchers, etc., in which products at designated product sales bases within the range of an extreme amount can be freely purchased are becoming popular. However, all existing gift certificates are prepaid in full face value (pre-payment), and there is no gift voucher in which only the purchase price of the purchased product is postpaid (postpaid). .

Further, conventionally, the credit card number is included in the card utilization information transmitted between the reader / writer and the host computer that performs settlement processing. Therefore, there is a risk that the credit number may be leaked during the transmission process, and the security of transactions cannot be ensured.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a postpaid card system which can be used as a gift voucher, because the card can be used easily and safely.

[0008]

A postpaid card system according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a postpaid card, a reader / writer arranged at a location where the postpaid card is used, and a host computer capable of communicating with the reader / writer. There is.

The postpaid card records at least a card number, an expiration date, a maximum usage amount within a preset credit credit line, a maximum usage amount balance, and usage restrictions. The reader / writer is a postpaid card reading unit, a unit for determining whether or not the postpaid card can be used, a unit for calculating a maximum usage amount balance based on the usage amount, and a unit for rewriting the maximum usage amount balance of the postpaid card. And output means for outputting the usage information to the host computer. The host computer further comprises means for extracting an accident card based on card usage information from the reader / writer, means for creating payment collection information for each credit number based on card usage information from the reader / writer, and the card usage. It is provided with a means for creating charge payment information by use location based on the information, and a means for outputting the credit collection information by credit number and the charge payment information by use location, respectively, to a terminal installed in the card issuing company.

In the above system, the place where the reader / writer is installed is a merchandise store (bookstore, record store, etc.) or a service receiving place (music concert hall, driving school, etc.). The host computer is provided in, for example, a card issuing company, a card payment processing company entrusted by the card issuing company, or a credit company. As the usage restrictions recorded on the postpaid card, locations where the postpaid card can be used (stores, driving schools, etc.), areas where it can be used, products that can be purchased (records, books, etc.), services that can be received ( For example, driving lessons, maintenance of personal computers). As a terminal installed at the card issuing company,
A personal computer, a printer or the like is used.

The postpaid card system of the second invention, like the system of the first invention, includes a postpaid card, a reader / writer arranged at a location where the postpaid card is used, and a host computer capable of communicating with the reader / writer. Is equipped with.

[0012] The postpaid card has at least a card number, an expiration date, a maximum usage amount within a preset credit credit line, a maximum usage amount balance, and usage restriction items recorded therein. Pay card reading means, accident card number information file, reader / writer attribute information file that records available product or service classification, transmission / reception information and receipt number, and accident card number information file and reader / writer attribute information file A means for judging whether or not the postpaid card can be used based on the information, a means for calculating the maximum usage amount balance based on the usage amount, a means for rewriting the usage maximum amount balance of the postpaid card, and outputting the usage information to the host computer. And means.

The accident card number information file is appropriately rewritten based on the card usage information from the host computer.

The host computer arranges card usage information for each reader / writer, a reader / writer alias file, a postpaid card number Nayoro file in which card usage information is arranged in order of postpaid card number, and a credit card / postpaid card number. Correspondence table, card usage location / reader / writer number correspondence table, means for extracting accident cards based on card usage information from postpaid card number alias file, and card usage information from postpaid card number alias file Based on the means for creating payment collection information by credit number based on and the credit card / postpaid card number correspondence table, and the card usage information from the reader / writer alias file and the card usage location / reader / writer number correspondence table Payment information by usage location It is provided with a means for growth, and means for outputting each of the credit number by payment collection information and use location-specific payment information to the terminal, which is installed in the card issuing company.

The reader / writer alias file and the postpaid card number name file are stored in advance in the host computer and can be rewritten at any time based on the card usage information from the reader / writer. In addition, the credit card / postpaid card number correspondence table shows 1 for the credit card number and the postpaid card number.
It is a correspondence table of n. The correspondence table shows that n postpaid cards are issued for one credit card. The credit card / postpaid card number correspondence table is registered in the host computer when the postpaid card is issued based on the credit from the credit company or the like. The card usage location / reader / writer number correspondence table is a 1: m correspondence table between the card usage location code and the reader / writer number. The correspondence table indicates that m reader / writers are installed at one card usage location. The card usage location / reader / writer number correspondence table is displayed when the reader / writer is installed in a store, etc.
Registered on the host computer.

In the postpaid card system configured as described above, the card issuing company issues a postpaid card. When using a postpaid card, if the user or a store clerk inserts the postpaid card into the reader / writer installed at the place of use and enters the product purchase or the service usage fee, the reader / writer will see the accident card and usage restrictions. Check. Then
The usage amount is subtracted from the maximum amount balance to calculate the maximum amount balance, and the postpaid card is rewritten to a new maximum amount balance to prepare for future use. And the reader / writer number,
Card usage information such as date of use, card number, reader / writer transaction number (hereinafter referred to as receipt number), usage amount, and extreme amount balance is transferred to the host computer. The host computer creates payment collection information for each credit card number and payment information for the card usage location based on the transferred card usage information, outputs it to the terminal installed at the card issuing company, and uses the card thereafter. It supplies the reader / writer with the accident information necessary for determining whether the card can be used at the location.

[0017]

1 is a block diagram of a reader / writer used in a postpaid card system of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a host computer. The case where the reader / writer is installed in a store such as a record store or a bookstore will be described as an example.

The postpaid card system is mainly composed of a postpaid card 1, a reader / writer 11 arranged in a store (postpaid card use place), and a host computer 41 capable of communicating with both readers / writers.

As shown in FIG. 3, the postpaid card 1 has a system code 1001, a card number 1002, an issuance date 1003, an expiration date 1004, a maximum usage amount 1005 within a preset credit credit line, and a maximum usage amount. A balance 1006 and a usage restriction item 1007 are recorded. The system code 1001 represents the categories (records, books, etc.) of products and services handled by the postpaid card system. At the time of issuance, the usage maximum amount 1005 and the usage maximum amount balance 1006 are set to the same amount, and only the usage maximum amount balance 1006 can be rewritten by the reader / writer, and the others cannot be rewritten. The usage restriction item 1007 is the available store name and product in this example.

The reader / writer 11 performs reading, writing, price input, receipt issuance, card usage information transmission, reception of accident card information from the host computer 41, etc. of the postpaid card 1 installed in a store. Hereinafter, the reader / writer 11 will be described in more detail.

The arithmetic unit 21 of the reader / writer 11 includes a card availability determination unit 22 and a card usage information processing unit 26.
It is composed of The card availability determination unit 22
It comprises an accident card number checking means 23, an expiration date checking means 24, and a usage restriction item checking means 25. The card usage information processing unit 26 includes a usage limit amount updating means 27, a receipt number giving means 28, and a usage information editing means 29. The card reading device 13 is connected to the input side of the arithmetic device 21, and the output device 37 is connected to the output side via the utilization information buffer 35. The usage limit amount updating means 27 subtracts the product price from the usage limit amount balance to obtain the usage limit amount balance. A card writing device 16 and a receipt output device 17 are provided on the output side of the arithmetic unit 21.
Is connected. The card usage information processing unit 26 creates card usage information based on the contents read from the postpaid card 1 and the product price 3 entered at the store. The usage information buffer 35 is used by the card usage information processing unit 2
The card use information created in 6 is temporarily stored. FIG. 5 shows the contents of the card use information. The card use information is the recorded contents of the postpaid card 1 shown in FIG. 3, the reader / writer number 2018, the date of use 2019, the receipt number 2020, and the product price 2021. It consists of The system code 2011 is the same as the system code 1001 recorded on the postpaid card 1. The date of use 2019 is obtained from the calendar built in the reader / writer 11.

The storage device 31 of the reader / writer 11 includes an accident card number information file 32 and a reader / writer attribute information file 33. The accident card number information file 32 stores the system code and the accident card number, and the accident card number is sent from the host computer 41. FIG. 4 shows the contents of the reader / writer attribute information file 33. The contents of the reader / writer attribute information file 33 include a system code 2001 that identifies a product that can be used by the reader / writer 11, a reader / writer number 2002, transmission destination numbers 2003 and 2004, reception date / time minutes 2005, transmission date / time minutes 2006, and receipt numbers. 200
7 and the total amount of product charges 2008. These items are initial setting values of the reader / writer 11, and are input and set by the reader / writer 11. It should be noted that the receipt number 2007 in the reader / writer attribute information file 33 is rewritten to the receipt number given by the receipt number giving means 28, and the total product price 2008 refers to the amount updated by the maximum usage amount updating means 27. Can be rewritten. Data may be transmitted from the host computer 41 to the reader / writer 11 to set the initial setting value. In order to increase the reliability of card usage information transmission, host computers are installed at two locations remote from each other.
Since the card usage information is transmitted to each of the two computers, two destination numbers 2003 and 3004 are set in the reader / writer attribute information file 33.

The host computer 41 is connected to the reader / writer 11 arranged at various places through a communication network, collects card usage information from the reader / writer 11 and collects information necessary for settlement, that is, product price collection by credit card number. It outputs information, product price payment information for each store, accident transaction information, and accident card number information. Hereinafter, the host computer 41 will be described in more detail.

Arithmetic unit 45 of host computer 41
Is composed of an accident card extraction unit 46 and a price settlement unit 51. The accident card extraction unit 46 includes a receipt number continuity check unit 47, a data rearrangement unit 48,
And accident card number detecting means 49. The price settlement unit 51 includes a credit number-based price collection means 52 and a store-based price payment means 53.

Storage device 55 of host computer 41
Includes a reader / writer alias file 56, a postpaid card number alias file 57, a credit / postpaid card correspondence table 58, and a store / reader / writer correspondence table 59. Reader / Writer alias file 56
Stores the card usage information shown in FIG. 5 for each reader / writer. Postpaid card number Alias file 5
In FIG. 7, the card usage information of the reader / writer alias file 56 is sorted by the data sorting means 48 by postpaid card number and in the order of date of use. The credit / postpaid card correspondence table 58 is a table in which the credit card numbers correspond to the postpaid card numbers.
The store / reader / writer correspondence table 59 is a table in which the code numbers of the store and the code numbers of the reader / writer 11 arranged in this store are associated with each other.

The receipt number continuity checking means 47 of the accident card extracting section 46 determines whether or not the receipt numbers of the postpaid card 1 used in the store overlap, and between the receipt number and the previous receipt number. Check for missing numbers. Data sorting means 4
8. After removing the postpaid card 1 with the duplicate or missing receipt number, the card usage information of the reader / writer alias file 56 is sorted by postpaid card number and in the order of the date of use, and the postpaid card number is sorted. Output to the Nayoro file 57. The accident card number detection means 49 checks whether the postpaid card 1 used is an illegally used card by checking the increase or decrease of the usage limit amount balance, and outputs the card number of the reader / writer 11 via the output device 43. Output to the accident card number information file 32.

The credit number-based payment collecting means 52 of the payment settlement unit 51 pays by credit number based on the card usage information from the postpaid card number aliasing file 57 and the credit / postpaid card correspondence table 58. Create recall information. As shown in FIG. 6, the price collection information includes credit card number 3001, postpaid card number 3002, expiration date 3003, date of use 3004, reader / writer number 3005, and product price 30.
06 and the maximum usage balance 3007.
The price collection information is output to the personal computer 61 installed in the card issuing company and stored in the credit account file 62. In addition, the payment means 53 for each store is
Payment price information for each store is created based on the card usage information from the reader / writer alias file 56 and the store / reader / writer correspondence table 59. As shown in FIG. 7, the payment amount information includes the store code 3010 and the reader / writer number 30.
11, receipt number 3012, date of use 3913, postpaid card number 3014, product price 3015,
And system code 3016. The payment amount information is output to the personal computer 61 of the card issuing company via the output device 43 and stored in the store-specific payment account file 63.

The operation of the postpaid card system configured as described above will be described. It is assumed that the postpaid card donor or user has already been registered as a member of the credit company. The card issuing company creates a postpaid card based on the credit number (account number) of the postpaid card donor or user. The maximum usage of postpaid cards is set within the credit line.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation of the reader / writer 11 when purchasing a product using the postpaid card 1 at a store. Card insertion 500
3, the contents of the card shown in FIG. 3 are read by the reading device 13, and the accident card number checking means 23 reads the card number 1
It is checked 5002 that 002 is not registered in the accident card number information file 32. The expiration date checking means 24 checks 5003 that the date of use 2019 is smaller than the expiration date 1004. Usage restrictions 10
07 and the reader / writer number 2002 are collated and checked 5004 by the usage restriction item checking means 25. Further, the maximum usage amount updating means 27 updates the maximum usage amount 50 based on the commodity price input from the price device input 14.
At the same time, the total product price 2008 of the reader / writer attribute information file 33 is also updated. Then, the receipt number giving means 28 updates the receipt number 2007 500.
7 and use that number as the receipt number 202 for card usage information.
Set to 0. The receipt output device 17 issues the receipt 5 based on the received receipt number.

FIG. 9 shows the background processing operation of the reader / writer 11 other than the above. Reader / writer 1
1 transfers card usage information to the host computer 11 at the timing set in the reader / writer attribute information shown in FIG. 4, and receives accident card number information and the like from the host computer 41.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the host computer 11. The card usage information (see FIG. 5) collected via the communication network is stored 6001 in the reader / writer alias file 56 in the order of receipt numbers. In order to increase the reliability of the communication network, multiple data may be transmitted from the reader / writer 11 by another route. Therefore, the original reader / writer alias file 56 may have duplicate or missing receipt numbers unique to the transaction. there is a possibility. Regarding the use of duplicate receipt numbers, the receipt number continuity checking means 47 confirms that all the contents are the same and deletes the duplicated items. Compare the total product price of the reader / writer alias file with confirmed receipt number continuity and the difference between the total product cost at this transmission and the one at the previous transmission, and confirm that they are the same. . If they are not equal, it is recognized that the card usage information treated as the reader / writer is lost or mixed. If all the card usage information is the same, it is recognized that the receipt numbers are duplicated, and the duplicated receipts are deleted. Then, the data rearranging means 46 rearranges the card usage information of the reader / writer aliases file 56 by postpaid card number and in the order of date of use based on the receipt number after the duplicate data is removed, and the postpaid card number aliases file. 57 and store 6003. Further, the accident card number detecting means 49 confirms that the difference in the maximum usage balance is the product price based on the information from the postpaid card number-specific file 57. If the difference is smaller than the product price (for example, a counterfeit card), including the case where the maximum usage balance increases,
The postpaid card number is extracted 6004 as the accident card number. If the difference is larger than the product price, it means that the card usage information is lost somewhere, so this is extracted as an accident transaction card.

Next, the credit number-based payment collecting means 5
In step 2, with reference to the postpaid card number alias file 57 and the credit card / postpaid card correspondence table 58, the product price collection / receipt information by credit card number shown in FIG. 6 is created. The information is output to the personal computer 61 installed in the card issuing company 6005.
Stored in the credit account file 62. In addition, for the card from which the duplicate card usage information is removed, the store-specific price payment means 53 refers to the reader / writer alias file 56 and the store / reader / writer number correspondence table 59, and the store-based product price shown in FIG. Payment information is created. The information is output 6006 to the personal computer 61 of the card issuing company and stored in the store-specific payment account file 63.

The receipt number continuity checking means 47
The duplicated or missing receipt number found in step 2 and the card number recognized as lost or mixed card usage information are output 6007 to the reader / writer 11 and stored in the accident card number information file 32. The duplicate or missing receipt number enables accident processing at the store as accident transaction information. Further, the accident card number detected by the accident card number detecting means 49 is output 6008 to all the reader / writers 11 arranged at various places and stored in the accident card number information file 32. As a result, subsequent automatic authentication by the accident card check by the reader / writer 11 becomes possible.

[0034]

According to the present invention, the credit line of a credit account is cut out as a postpaid card into a plurality of small fixed-amount fixed cards for distributed issuance, and the postpaid card has already been credited. Also, only the amount used is paid from the credit account. Therefore, the product can be purchased or the service can be received without signing the personal identification number like a prepaid card. In addition, it is extremely convenient for card transactions, and it is possible to save labor for stores, service providers, and users, and to reduce waste. Furthermore, since the credit card number is not transmitted when the card writer information is transmitted from the reader / writer to the host computer, it is possible to secure the transaction safety of the card user.

From the above, it becomes easy to realize a postpaid gift card such as a music gift card. In the prepaid method, the product price until the purpose is achieved is not determined, but in the postpaid method, only the amount used is settled, so there is no waste even if the product price is not determined. For example, game cards,
It is suitable for amusement park cards, pay TV cards, learning cards (such as car learning cards), maintenance cards (such as maintenance of personal computers), pachinko cards, and sports lottery purchase cards (including betting ticket purchase cards). Products can be purchased postpaid easily and quickly. For example, it is convenient to use a shareholder complimentary ticket, an invitation ticket, and a store card (a card for a good customer) such as a department store.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a reader / writer used in a postpaid card system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a host computer used in the postpaid card system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of information set in a postpaid card.

FIG. 4 is a format diagram showing an example of a reader / writer attribute information file.

FIG. 5 is a format diagram showing an example of a usage information buffer.

FIG. 6 is a format diagram showing an example of product price collection information for each credit card number.

FIG. 7 is a format diagram showing an example of product price payment information by product sales base.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a card processing operation of the reader / writer.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a background processing operation of the reader / writer.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the host computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Postpaid Card 5 Receipt 11 Reader / Writer 13 Reading Device 14 Price Input Device 16 Writing Device 17 Receipt Output Device 21 Arithmetic Device 22 Card Acceptability Judgment Unit 26 Card Usage Information Processing Unit 31 Storage Device 32 Accident Card Number Information File 33 Reader / Writer Attribute information file 37 Output device 39 Input device 41 Host computer 42 Input device 43 Output device 45 Calculation unit 46 Accident card extraction unit 51 Price settlement unit 55 Storage device 56 Reader / writer alias file 57 Post-paid card number alias file 58 Credit Postpaid Card Number Correspondence Table 59 Store / Reader / Writer Number Correspondence Table 61 Personal Computer 62 Credit Account File 63 Payment Account File by Store

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A postpaid card system comprising a postpaid card, a reader / writer arranged at a place where the postpaid card is used, and a host computer capable of communicating with the reader / writer, the postpaid card comprising: At least the card number, the expiration date, the maximum usage amount within the preset credit credit line, the maximum usage amount balance, and the usage restrictions are recorded, and the reader / writer reads the postpaid card reading means and the postpaid card. It is provided with a means for judging whether or not the card can be used, a means for calculating the maximum usage amount balance based on the usage amount, a means for rewriting the usage maximum amount balance for the postpaid card, and an output means for outputting the card usage information to the host computer. And the host computer stores the card usage information from the reader / writer. A means for extracting an accident card based on the card usage information, a means for creating credit number-based payment collection information based on the card usage information, a means for creating usage point-based payment payment information based on the card usage information, and a credit number A postpaid card system, characterized in that the postpaid card system is provided with means for outputting the separate payment collection information and the payment payment information according to the usage location to a terminal installed in a card issuing company. 2. A postpaid card system comprising a postpaid card, a reader / writer arranged at a location where the postpaid card is used, and a host computer capable of communicating with the reader / writer, the postpaid card comprising: At least the card number, the expiration date, the maximum usage amount within the preset credit credit line, the maximum usage amount balance, and the usage restrictions are recorded, and the reader / writer reads the postpaid card reading means and the accident card number. Whether the postpaid card can be used based on the information file, the reader / writer attribute information file that records the classification of available goods or services, transmission / reception information, and receipt number, and the information from the accident card number information file and the reader / writer attribute information file Based on the amount used And a means for rewriting the post-paid card usage maximum balance, and a means for outputting card usage information to a host computer, wherein the host computer reads the card usage information. Reader / writer alias file arranged according to writer, postpaid card number nayoro file in which card usage information is arranged in order of postpaid card number, credit card / postpaid card number correspondence table, card usage location / reader / writer number correspondence table And a method for extracting an accident card based on the card usage information from the postpaid card number alias file, and the card usage information from the postpaid card number alias file and the credit card / postpaid card number correspondence table. Payment information by credit number A means to create, a means to create payment information by usage location based on the card usage information from the reader / writer alias file and a card usage location / reader / writer number correspondence table, payment collection information by credit number and usage location A postpaid card system, characterized in that it comprises means for outputting separate payment information to terminals installed in a card issuing company.