JPH11272925A - Identification card prepay system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the frequency of re-purchasing and to reduce the possibility of illegal use by using a card for the identification confirmation of the prepay of monetary value without storing remainder information in the card, so as to prepay a large amount of money. SOLUTION: An ID card to rent a user is registered in a repeating device 2 by using a counter terminal and inputs the prepaid amount from the terminal 1. The device 2 holds information of the prepay, consumption, of each ID as a database. The user sets the ID card received at a counter to a reading device 3, which transmits ID to the device 2. The device 2 transmits prepaid remainder corresponding to corresponding ID from a database to the device 3. When consumption is executed, the device 3 transmits the amount of the consumption to the device 2, which updates the prepaid remainder by subtracting the amount of the consumption from the prepaid remainder corresponding to the ID.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a prepayment system for performing a prepayment, that is, a prepayment for consumption by prepaying a monetary value. Regarding the prepayment system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a prepayment system, a monetary value is prepaid by cash or the like, and a prepaid payment is confirmed by using a card formed of an information storage medium and electronic processing of consumption settlement is performed.
This is a system that facilitates financial settlement. As this type of prepaid system, a prepaid card system using a prepaid card for storing monetary value information corresponding to a monetary value for monetary settlement has been realized.

In the prepaid card system, services are usually provided in a plurality of stores. For example, each store is provided with a plurality of reading devices and a relay device or the like which is a higher-level processing device of the reading devices. A reading device is a terminal device for using a prepaid card. In this reading device, based on the amount information stored in the prepaid card, the prepaid card is used as a fee for lending game media and selling goods. Consumed. The relay device couples a plurality of reading devices and the like in the store to, for example, a settlement center installed at the issuer of the prepaid card, and communicates with the settlement center to manage the reading devices and process the consumption amount. I do.

[0004] That is, the prepaid card is consumed as a price for providing game media, for example, by using a reading device installed in a store. When the prepaid card is consumed, the reading device counts the amount of consumption and provides the payment processing, and updates the amount information stored in the prepaid card according to the amount of consumption. The sales information of the reading device due to the consumption of the prepaid card is collected, for example, by a relay device, and the relay device compiles the sales information of each reading device under control and transmits the total to the settlement center. In this way, the prepaid card consumption settlement is performed.

[0005] In addition, prepaid cards are generally purchased in exchange for cash by inserting cash into a ticketing machine, which is a vending machine for prepaid cards, installed in a store, for example. The purchase of the prepaid card itself is a prepaid for the monetary value.

[0006] From the viewpoint of the user, with the current prepaid card, a prepaid card is purchased in advance with a ticket issuing machine, and then the prepaid card is set in a reading device to borrow a game medium or the like or purchase a product. I was doing. Then, when the remaining amount of the card recorded on the prepaid card is exhausted and becomes 0 yen, a new prepaid card is purchased again. In order to repurchase the prepaid card, the user has to purchase a new prepaid card by, for example, inserting cash into a ticket issuing machine in the store.

[0007]

As described above, when the remaining amount of the prepaid card is exhausted, a new prepaid card must be purchased again. In order to repurchase the prepaid card, the user has to go to, for example, a ticket issuing machine in the store and insert cash, as in the case of a new purchase. Repurchasing such a prepaid card was complicated.

In addition, since the balance information is updated and stored in the prepaid card, the prepaid card medium has been falsified or forged for unauthorized use.
In order to avoid such a large loss due to unauthorized use, the face value of the prepaid card cannot be made too high, resulting in a particularly frequent and complicated repurchase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and makes it possible to prepaid a large amount of money without storing the remaining amount information on the card and using the card only for identification and confirmation of prepaid monetary value. It is an object of the present invention to provide an identification card prepayment system that can reduce the frequency of repurchase and reduce the possibility of unauthorized use.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an identification card prepayment system according to a first aspect of the present invention provides a prepayment system for performing a financial consumption settlement based on a prepaid amount. Prepayment registration means for inputting the identification information and the prepaid amount of the identification card for storing unique identification information for identification, and storing remaining amount information corresponding to the identification information inputted by the prepaid registration means, Upper-level processing means for updating the balance information corresponding to the identification information based on the consumption amount information for each identification information; and reading the identification information of the identification card and performing consumption processing within a range of the balance corresponding to the identification information. Go to
Consumption operation means for transmitting consumption amount information by the consumption processing to the high-order processing means.

According to such a configuration, at the time of cash payment for prepaid, by operating the prepaid registration means by the operator, the money amount information is registered in the high-order processing means using the identification information of the identification card and used by the identification information. The amount information is stored in the high-order processing means by using the identification card only for identifying the person. The consumption is processed using the amount information stored in the higher-level processing means for each card. Therefore, the registration of the amount information at the time of prepaid registration is highly secure in terms of security, and it is possible to prepaid for a large amount, so that the frequency of repurchase can be reduced and the possibility of unauthorized use can also be reduced. . The prepaid registration means may include a card reading means for reading identification information from an identification card.

[0012] The prepaid registration means may include manual input means for manually inputting the received prepaid amount by an operator.

The identification card prepayment system according to the second aspect of the present invention is an identification card prepayment system for performing financial consumption settlement based on a prepaid amount in an identification card storing unique identification information for identifying a user. Entering the identification information and the prepaid amount of the card, a prepaid terminal device for registering the prepaid information, and storing remaining amount information corresponding to the identification information input by the prepaid terminal device; A relay device that updates the balance information corresponding to the identification information based on the consumption amount information, reads the identification information of the identification card, and performs a consumption process within a range of the balance corresponding to the identification information; A reading device for transmitting consumption amount information by the consumption processing to the relay device.

According to such a configuration, at the time of cash payment for prepaid, by operating the prepaid terminal device by the operator, the amount information is registered in the relay device using the identification information of the identification card, and the user is registered by the identification information. The amount information is stored in the relay device by using the identification card only to identify. The consumption is processed using the money amount information stored for each card in the relay device. Therefore, the registration of the amount information at the time of prepaid registration is highly secure in terms of security, and it is possible to prepaid for a large amount, so that the frequency of repurchase can be reduced and the possibility of unauthorized use can also be reduced. . The prepaid terminal device may include card reading means for reading identification information from an identification card.

[0015] The prepaid terminal device may include manual input means for manually inputting the received prepaid amount by an operator.

The reading device performs a consumption process based on reading means for reading identification information from an identification card and balance information stored in the relay device corresponding to the identification information. And consumption processing means for transmitting to the relay device together with the identification information.

[0017] The relay apparatus may include means for transmitting sales amount information based on consumption for each piece of the identification information to a settlement center to provide for settlement.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an identification card prepayment system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the identification card prepayment system according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a counter terminal device (hereinafter, referred to as a "counter terminal") 1, a relay device 2, a reading device 3, and a settlement center 4. And an ID card issuing device 5.

Payment center 4 and ID card issuing device 5
Is installed at a card issuer D such as a card issuing company or a card manufacturing factory. Generally, there are a plurality of stores S corresponding to the card issuer D, and in each store S, a counter terminal 1, a plurality of reading devices 3, and a relay device 2 for connecting these reading devices 3 to a settlement center 4 are installed. Have been.

The counter terminal 1 is installed on a counter of the store S. The counter terminal 1 is connected to the relay device 2 by an operator, for example, a store clerk, with the sale of the ID card as the identification card at each store S and the payment of the prepaid amount.
Used to input information to That is, the counter terminal 1 includes a card reading unit of the ID card, reads the identification information stored in the ID card, that is, the ID information, and inquires the relay device 2. The counter terminal 1 registers the prepaid amount in the relay device 2 in association with the ID card by the operator inputting the amount information in response to the cash payment of the user of the ID card.

It is assumed that the ID information of the ID card is unique information without duplication, and the relay device 2 holds a database such as money amount information for each ID information. When purchasing the ID card, the counter operator registers the ID information of the ID card in the database of the relay device 2 using the counter terminal 1 and sets the prepaid amount information based on the purchase amount in the relay device 2. After purchasing the ID card, the user holding the ID card submits the ID card at the counter to pay cash. When the operator sets the ID card on the counter terminal 1 and inputs the amount information based on the payment, the relay device 2
Is referred to the ID information, and the remaining amount information of the prepaid amount corresponding to the ID information is added and updated.

The relay device 2 aggregates the money amount information processed as the consumption amount in each reading device 3 in the store S,
Send to settlement center 4. The number of the relay devices 2 is not limited to one in each store S. For example, one relay device 2 may be provided in a predetermined area in the store S, for example, in each hall or floor. That is, the relay device 2 includes a plurality of reading devices 3 for each store S, and a plurality of reading devices 3 for each hall in the store S.
Alternatively, it is provided between a plurality of reading devices 3 for each floor in the store S and the settlement center 4.

In such a case, in order to use the ID card commonly in the store S, the ID card is communicated directly or via the settlement center 4 between the plurality of relay devices 2 in the store S. The database of the amount information for each is shared. In order to make an ID card purchased at one store S usable at another store S, a database of amount information for each ID card in the relay device 2 of each store S is shared via the settlement center 4. do it.

In this prepayment system, the ID card issued by the ID card issuing device 5 manufactured by the card issuer D
The D card is sold to the store S, and further sold to the user at the store S. The user can use the ID card to pay in advance, that is, pay for the provision of the service such as lending of a game medium or the like, at the store S, using the ID card.

The provision and payment of this service is performed by prepayment using an ID card, ie, prepaid cash and consumption of prepaid money. When the user pays cash at the counter of the store S at the time of obtaining the ID card or afterward, the ID is obtained by the operation of the operator.
This is performed by adding new amount information to the prepaid balance corresponding to the ID information of the card. The consumption of the prepaid amount is performed using the reading device 3 installed in the store S, and an ID card is set in the reading device 3 and the relay device 2 is lent to the relay device 2 by lending game media and the like. The amount stored as the prepaid balance information is updated for each ID information. The store S counts the amount information consumed by the reading device 3 in the relay device 2 and transmits the information to the settlement center 4 of the card issuer D. The card issuer D pays each store S an amount corresponding to the amount information received from each store S at the settlement center 4 as sales. The prepaid amount is paid from each store S to the card issuer D. Therefore, the transfer of money between each store S and the card issuer D may be performed only for the difference between the prepaid amount and the sales payment amount.

An ID card used in the prepayment system will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG.
The D card IDC has an information storage unit A such as a memory IC (integrated circuit) chip or a magnetic storage layer. The information storage unit A has an ID information area A1 as identification information and another information area A2. In the ID information area A1, a unique ID number uniquely set in advance for each card is recorded, and in the other information area A2, a manufacturer code indicating a manufacturer, manufacturing date information, an error code when an error occurs, and the like. Is recorded.

The ID card issuing device 5 is a device which writes card information including ID information on a card medium such as an IC card or a magnetic card and makes it usable as an ID card IDC.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration of a main part of the identification card prepayment system described above. FIG. 3 shows the functional configuration of the counter terminal 1, the relay device 2, and the reading device 3 in detail. In a normal case, the counter terminal 1 installed on the counter in the store S includes a counter control unit 11, a card reading unit 12, and an input / output processing unit 13. The counter control unit 11 controls the overall operation of the counter terminal 1. When the ID card IDC is set, the card reading unit 12 reads information stored in the ID card IDC such as ID information and transmits the ID information to the relay device 2 under the control of the counter control unit 11. For example, when a prepaid amount corresponding to the amount of cash paid by the user at the counter is input by an operation of an operator such as a clerk, the input / output processing unit 13 transmits the input amount via the counter control unit 11, It transmits to the relay device 2. When transmitting the input amount to the relay device 2 by the input / output processing unit 13, the corresponding ID
To clarify the information, the ID information of the ID card IDC set in the card reading unit 12 at that time is attached and transmitted. In addition, the input / output processing unit 13 performs an operation input and a relay device 2 as necessary when performing an operation related to prepaid.
Display response information from

The relay device 2 includes a database storage unit 21,
Prepay control unit 22, communication processing unit 23, consumption control unit 24
And a relay control unit 25. The database storage unit 21 stores a database that holds amount information such as a prepaid balance and a consumption amount, and other related information for each ID information. The prepayment control unit 22 updates the database stored in the database storage unit 21 in response to the information transmitted from the counter terminal 1 by the operation of the counter terminal 1. When the ID information of the ID card IDC is transmitted from the counter terminal 1, the prepayment control unit 2
2 searches the database and, if the ID information does not exist, adds the ID information to the database and sets the remaining prepaid amount to 0 yen. When the amount information is transmitted together with the ID information from the counter terminal 1, the prepayment control unit 22 searches the database and adds the amount of the amount information to the prepaid balance corresponding to the ID information. At this time, if necessary, the prepaid balance after the addition is returned to the counter terminal 1, and the counter terminal 1 displays the prepaid balance corresponding to the ID information at that time.

The communication processing unit 23 controls communication between the relay device 2 and the reading device 3 and between the relay device 2 and the settlement center 4. When the consumption control unit 24 receives the ID information from the reading device 3 via the communication processing unit 23, the consumption control unit 24 searches the database of the database storage unit 21, obtains the remaining balance corresponding to the ID information, and returns it to the reading device 3. . When the consumption control unit 24 receives the consumption amount information together with the ID information from the reading device 3 via the communication processing unit 23, the consumption amount corresponding to the consumption amount information is stored in the database of the database storage unit 21 for each ID information. The pre-paid balance is accumulated and subtracted from the pre-paid balance related to the ID information to update the pre-paid balance, and the balance information indicating the pre-paid balance is returned to the reading device 3.

The relay control unit 25 responds to the request from the settlement center 4 and transmits consumption amount information based on the consumption amount held in the database storage unit 21 to the settlement center 4 via the communication processing unit 23. , For the settlement of the consumption amount. Further, the relay control unit 25 communicates with the settlement center 4 to exchange information with the settlement center 4 or another relay device 2 via the settlement center 4.

The reading device 3 includes a consumption processing unit 31, a communication processing unit 32, and a reading processing unit 33. Consumption processing unit 3
1 controls the consumption operation of the reading device 3 in response to the provision of services such as game media. The communication processing unit 32
The communication with the relay device 2 is controlled by the consumption processing unit 31. When the ID card IDC is set, the reading processing unit 33 controls the reading process based on the control of the consumption processing unit 31.
The ID information is read from the D card IDC and transmitted to the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 32. The provision of services such as the lending of game media by the consumption processing unit 31 is performed via, for example, a vending machine (not shown). Consumption processing unit 31
Responds to a request by the user, such as a button operation,
Provide services within the remaining balance at that time,
The amount corresponding to the consideration is transmitted to the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 32 as the consumption amount. At this time, the consumption amount is the I set in the reading processing unit 33 at that time.
It is transmitted to the relay device 2 together with the ID information of the D card IDC.

Next, the processing at the time of operation in the above-described identification card prepayment system will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. The counter terminal processing shown in FIG.
Each time the card IDC is set and ID information is input, it is activated each time. First, I by card reading section 12
Waiting for the completion of the input of the D information (step S11), and when the input of the ID information is completed, the counter control unit 11 notifies the prepay control unit 22 of the relay device 2 of the ID information (step S12). From the counter control unit 11 to the prepayment control unit 2
In this case, the notification of the ID information to 2 is performed directly via a signal line, but may be transmitted by a communication system such as an optical space communication system via the communication processing unit 23.

After the notification of the ID information, the counter control unit 11
Determines whether it is within a predetermined time (step S1).
3) Wait for the input of the amount information of the prepaid amount within a predetermined time (step S14). When the amount information is input within a predetermined time, the counter control unit 11
In step 2, the prepaid amount for the ID information is registered (step S15), the process ends, and the ID card IDC is discharged. In step S13, if the amount has not been input within the predetermined time, the counter control unit 11 terminates the process and discharges the ID card IDC.

5 is started each time ID information is notified from the counter terminal 1 to the relay device 2, and is mainly executed by the prepay controller 22 of the relay device 2. Upon receiving the ID information, the prepayment control unit 22 searches the database of the database storage unit 21 for the ID information (Step S2).
1) It is determined whether or not the information is existing ID information (step S2)
2). If the given ID information is not the existing ID information, it is registered as new ID information in the database (step S23), and the prepaid balance information corresponding to the ID information in the database is cleared and initialized (step S23). S
24). If it is determined in step S22 that the given ID information is existing ID information, the process proceeds to step S2.
3 and S24 are skipped.

After clearing the balance in step S24, or after determining in step S22 that the ID information is existing ID information, it waits for the lapse of a predetermined time (step S25) and the reception of the prepaid amount (step S26). If the prepaid amount information is received within a predetermined time, the prepaid amount is added to the prepaid amount corresponding to the ID information in the database to update the prepaid amount (step S27). At this time, if necessary, the prepaid balance may be transmitted to the counter terminal 1 so that the counter terminal 1 displays the prepaid balance.

If the predetermined time has elapsed in step S25 before the prepaid amount has not been received, the prepayment control unit 22 considers that the processing has been canceled / abandoned, and includes the new registration of the ID information in steps S23 and S24. Cancel the prepayment process (step S28),
The process ends.

The processing of the reading device shown in FIG.
ID card IDC is set in the reading processing unit 33 of
It is activated each time the D information is read. Upon reading the ID information, the reading processing unit 33 transmits the ID information to the relay device 2 (Step S31), and the consumption processing unit 31 confirms that a predetermined time has elapsed (Step S32), and the predetermined time has elapsed. If so, the relay device 2 is not operating normally,
Alternatively, since an error such as a failure in communication with the relay device 2 has occurred, error processing such as error display is performed (step S33). If the predetermined time has not elapsed in step S32, the consumption processing unit 31
It is determined whether or not the remaining balance information from the relay device 2 has been received via the relay device 2 (step S34). If the remaining balance information has not been received, the process returns to step S32.

If it is determined in step S34 that the balance information has been received, the consumption processing unit 31 stores the received balance information (step S35), and determines whether or not the end of consumption has been instructed (step S36). If the end is not instructed, it is determined whether or not consumption is performed (step S3).
7). If consumption is not performed in step S37, the process returns to step S36, and waits for an end instruction or consumption. When the consumption is detected in step S37, the consumption processing unit 31 transmits the consumption amount information together with the ID information to the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 32 (step S38). After transmitting the consumption amount information, the process returns to step S36 to wait for an end instruction or the next consumption.

When an end instruction is detected in step S36, the consumption processing section 31 executes end processing for ending the consumption (step S39), and discharges the ID card IDC from the reading processing section 33 (step S39). Step S40),
The process ends.

The relay device ID process shown in FIG. 7 is started by the consumption control unit 24 each time the relay device 2 receives the ID information from the reading device 3 alone. Upon receiving the ID information, the consumption control unit 24 searches the database of the database storage unit 21 for the ID information (step S51), and determines whether the ID information is registered in the database and exists effectively. (Step S
52). If the ID information is present in the database, the corresponding prepaid balance is extracted and transmitted to the reading device 3 (step S53), and the process is terminated. If it is determined in step S52 that the ID information does not exist in the database, the ID card IDC
Is determined to be invalid, and error processing such as error display is performed (step S54).

The relay device consumption process shown in FIG. 8 is started by the consumption control unit 24 each time the relay device 2 receives the consumption amount information accompanied by the ID information from the reading device 3. Upon receiving the ID information and the consumption amount information, the consumption control unit 24 searches the database of the database storage unit 21 for the ID information (step S61), and the ID information is registered in the database and exists effectively. It is determined whether or not it has been performed (step S62).

If the ID information exists in the database, the corresponding consumption amount is updated (step S6).
3) The new prepaid balance is transmitted to the reading device 3 (step S64), and the process ends. If it is determined in step S62 that the ID information does not effectively exist in the database, it is determined that the ID card IDC is not valid, and error processing such as error display is performed (step S65).

The plurality of relay devices 2 or the plurality of stores S
In the case of a system that spans the same, the database may be registered in common with each relay device 2 via the settlement center 4, or a common database may be constructed in the settlement center 4. In such a case, in order to be able to distinguish the consumption related to the relay device 2 and the reading device 3 from the processing related to the other relay device 2 and the reading device 3, the store number of the store S related to the consumption and the consumption number related to the consumption are determined. The device numbers of the relay device 2 and the reading device 3 are also stored in the database.

The operation in the above-described identification card prepayment system will be specifically described. In advance, the user goes to a counter in the store S, pays cash or the like, pre-pays an arbitrary amount, and receives a loan of the ID card IDC. The operator such as a clerk uses the counter terminal 1 to inquire / register the ID information of the ID card IDC to be lent to the user in the relay device 2 and input the prepaid amount from the counter terminal 1. In the relay device 2, a database holding information such as advance payment and consumption for each ID card is stored in the database storage unit 21. Note that the input of the prepaid amount to the relay device 2 is an artificial input by the counter terminal 1 and is secure in terms of security, so that a high prepayment such as 100,000 yen is possible. And I
It is assumed that the ID information of the D card IDC is unique information unique to all ID card IDCs. After registering the ID card IDC and the prepaid amount in the counter, the user
The card IDC is passed.

Once the ID card IDC is issued and lent to the user, the ID card IDC is held by the user, and in the subsequent prepayment, the user submits the ID card IDC at the counter and pays the prepaid amount. It is performed by At the time of prepayment, the operator operates the counter terminal 1 in a manner similar to that at the time of the initial issuance, whereby the prepaid amount is added to the ID information and updated.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the user sets the ID card IDC received by the counter in the reading device 3. First, the reading device 3 uses the ID card IDC I
D information is transmitted to the relay device 2. The relay device 2 searches for the data of the corresponding ID information from the database, and transmits the prepaid balance to the reading device 3. When consumption is performed, the reading device 3 transmits the consumption amount to the relay device 2 each time,
The prepaid balance is updated by subtracting the consumption amount from the prepaid balance corresponding to the ID information in the database in the relay device 2, and the prepaid balance is transmitted to the reading device 3.

At the end of consumption, the reading device 3
When the end of consumption is instructed by operating an end button (not shown) or the like, an end notification is transmitted to the relay device 2 and the ID card IDC is ejected from the reading device 3 to end the consumption.

In this way, by using the ID card IDC in which the ID information is stored without storing the remaining amount information, the identification of the prepaid of the monetary value is confirmed, so that the prepaid for a large amount is made possible and the repurchase is made. A prepayment system that can also reduce the frequency can be constructed. Moreover, since the amount information is not stored in the ID card IDC, the possibility of unauthorized use can be reduced. In order to further ensure security, ID information may be encrypted and stored in the ID card IDC.

In the above description, the consumption amount is transmitted from the reading device 3 to the relay device 2 each time the consumption is performed. At the end of the consumption, the consumption amount after setting the ID card IDC is summarized. May be transmitted to the relay device 2. That is the second embodiment of the present invention. The identification card prepayment system according to the second embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 except for the reading device 3, and as shown in FIG. The reading device 3A configured is used.

The reading device 3A includes a consumption processing unit 31A, a communication processing unit 32, and a reading processing unit 33. The consumption processing unit 31A controls the consumption operation in the reading device 3A in response to provision of services such as lending of game media. The communication processing unit 32 controls communication with the relay device 2 under the control of the consumption processing unit 31A. The reading processing unit 33 has I
When the D card IDC is set, the ID information is read from the ID card IDC under the control of the consumption processing unit 31A and transmitted to the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 32.

The consumption processing unit 31A responds to a consumption request by a button operation or the like by a user, provides a service within the remaining amount of the prepaid amount at that time, and accumulates an amount corresponding to the consideration as a consumption amount. I do. The consumption processing unit 31A
In response to a request to end consumption by a button operation or the like by the user, the service is stopped, and the consumption amount accumulated up to that point is transmitted to the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 32. At this time, the consumption amount is the reading processing unit 33 at that time.
Is transmitted to the relay device 2 together with the ID information of the ID card IDC set in the relay device 2.

The processing of the reading apparatus shown in FIG. 11 is started each time the ID card IDC is set in the reading processing section 33 of the reading apparatus 3A and the ID information is read. Upon reading the ID information, the reading processing unit 33 transmits the ID information to the relay device 2 (step S31), and the consumption processing unit 31
A confirms the elapse of the predetermined time (step S32). If the predetermined time has elapsed, the relay device 2 does not operate normally, or the communication with the relay device 2 has a failure. Since an error has occurred, error processing such as error display is performed (step S33). If the predetermined time has not elapsed in step S32, the consumption processing unit 31A determines whether or not the prepaid balance information has been received from the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 32 (step S34). If the information has not been received, the process returns to step S32.

If it is determined in step S34 that the balance information has been received, the consumption processing section 31A stores the received balance information (step S35), and determines whether or not the end of consumption has been instructed (step S36). If the end is not instructed, it is determined whether or not consumption has been performed (step S).
37). If consumption is not performed in step S37,
It returns to step S36 and waits for an end instruction or consumption. When the consumption is detected in step S37, the consumption processing unit 31A
Accumulates the consumption amount (step S38A), returns to step S36, and waits for an end instruction or the next consumption.

When the end instruction is detected in step S36, the consumption processing unit 31A transmits the accumulated consumption amount information together with the ID information to the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 32 (step S38B). Further, the consumption processing unit 31A executes an end process for ending the consumption (step S39), ejects the ID card from the reading processing unit 33 (step S40), and ends the process.

The operation of the above-described identification card prepayment system will be specifically described. In advance, the user goes to a counter in the store S, pays cash or the like, pre-pays an arbitrary amount, and receives a loan of the ID card IDC. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the user sets the ID card IDC received by the counter in the reading device 3A. First, the reading device 3A transmits the ID information of the ID card IDC to the relay device 2. The relay device 2 searches the database for the data of the corresponding ID information, and transmits the remaining amount of the prepaid amount to the reading device 3A. When consumption occurs,
The reading device 3A accumulates the consumption amount each time. At the end of consumption, when the end of consumption is instructed by operating the end button (not shown) on the reading device 3A, the accumulated consumption amount is transmitted from the reading device 3A to the relay device 2. In the relay device 2, the consumption amount is subtracted from the prepaid balance corresponding to the ID information in the database, the prepaid balance is updated, and the prepaid balance is transmitted from the relay device 2 to the reading device 3
A is sent to A. At the point in time when the prepaid balance is received, an end notification is transmitted from the reading device 3A to the relay device 2, and the ID card IDC is discharged from the reading device 3A,
End consumption.

The identification card prepayment system of the present invention
The present invention can be realized using an ordinary computer system without configuring as a dedicated prepayment system. For example, by installing a computer system from a medium (floppy disk, CD-ROM, or the like) storing a program for executing the above-described operation, a system for executing the above-described processing can be constructed. By the installation, the program is stored in a medium such as a hard disk in the computer system, configures the system, and is provided for execution. The medium for supplying the program to the computer is not limited to a storage medium in a narrow sense, but may be a communication medium that temporarily and fluidly holds information such as a program, such as a communication line, a communication network, and a communication system. It may be a storage medium in a broad sense.

For example, the program may be registered in an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server provided on a communication network such as the Internet and distributed to an FTP client via the network. The program may be registered in a board system or the like and distributed via a network. Then start this program and run the OS
The above processing can be achieved by executing under the control of the (Operating System). Furthermore, the above-described processing can also be achieved by starting and executing the program while transferring the program via the communication network.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By using an identification card that is used only for identifying and confirming the advance payment of monetary value without storing the balance information on the card, it is possible to reduce the frequency of repurchase by enabling high advance payment, and An identification card prepayment system that can reduce the possibility of unauthorized use can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of an identification card prepayment system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a functional configuration of an ID card used in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a main part in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining counter terminal processing in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a prepayment process of the relay device in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a reading device process in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining ID processing of a relay device in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a consumption process of the relay device in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining transmission and reception of signals between the reading device and the relay device in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a reading device in an identification card prepayment system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a reading device process in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining transmission and reception of signals between the reading device and the relay device in the identification card prepayment system of FIG. 10;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Counter terminal (device) 2 Relay device 3 Reading device 3A Reading device 4 Payment center 5 ID card issuing device 11 Counter control unit 12 Card reading unit 13 Input / output processing unit 21 Database storage unit 22 Prepay control unit 23 Communication processing unit 24 Consumption Control unit 25 Relay control unit 31 Consumption processing unit 31A Consumption processing unit 32 Communication processing unit 33 Reading processing unit IDC ID card D Card issuer S Store

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A prepaid registration system for inputting said identification information of an identification card storing unique identification information for identifying a user and a prepaid amount, in a prepayment system for performing financial consumption settlement based on the prepaid amount. A high-level processing unit that stores remaining amount information corresponding to the identification information input by the advance registration unit and updates the remaining amount information corresponding to the identification information based on consumption amount information for each of the identification information; A consumption operation unit that reads the identification information of the identification card, performs a consumption process within a range of a balance corresponding to the identification information, and transmits consumption amount information by the consumption process to the higher-level processing unit. An identification card prepayment system, characterized in that: 2. The identification card prepayment system according to claim 1, wherein said prepaid registration means includes manual input means for manually inputting the received prepaid amount by an operator. 3. A prepayment system for performing a financial consumption settlement based on a prepaid amount, wherein said identification information of an identification card storing unique identification information for identifying a user and the prepaid amount are inputted. A pre-payment terminal device for registering the same, the remaining amount information corresponding to the identification information input by the pre-payment terminal device, and the remaining amount information corresponding to the identification information based on the consumption amount information for each of the identification information. A reading device for reading identification information of the identification card, performing consumption processing within a balance corresponding to the identification information, and transmitting consumption amount information by the consumption processing to the relay device. And an identification card prepayment system comprising: 4. The identification card prepayment system according to claim 3, wherein said prepaid terminal device includes manual input means for manually inputting the received prepaid amount by an operator. 5. The identification card according to claim 3, wherein the relay device includes means for transmitting sales amount information based on consumption for each piece of the identification information to a settlement center for use in consumption settlement. Prepay system.