JPH11272927A - Prepaid card system and sales clerk calling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a sales clerk to speedily correspond by notifying the clerk of the generation of calling and a calling place any time at a necessary place within a store. SOLUTION: A repeater 2 receives calling information for calling a clerk from a reader 1 and transmits the calling information to a portable terminal 4. The calling device 3 is added for the device 1, generates calling information in cooperation with the reader 1 in response to the calling operation of a user and transmits it to the repeater 2 through the reader 1. This calling information includes the physical address and situation information of the reader 1 corresponding to the device 3. The terminal 4 is formed with reduced weight to allow the clerk to easily carry with and the terminal 4 is connected with a head set 5. The terminal 4 receives calling information from the repeater 2, displays calling information and rings the set 5 to report the reception of calling information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for processing a prepaid card in accordance with the consumption of money, and more particularly to a prepaid card system in which a clerk can reliably detect a call from a user at an arbitrary place in a store. , And a clerk calling device for calling a clerk from a required place in the store.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A prepaid card system has been realized in which a prepaid card storing amount information corresponding to a monetary value is used for monetary settlement. In a prepaid card system, a service is 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.

[0003] That is, the prepaid card is consumed, for example, by providing a game medium 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. The prepaid card system is widely used, for example, in stores such as a game arcade.

[0004] In this type of store, a large number of prepaid card utilizing devices such as a game machine incorporating a reading device for processing prepaid cards are provided in a large store. When the user uses the prepaid card using device, some trouble may occur in the prepaid card using device, or a clerk may urgently use the prepaid card using device. In such a case, the user calls a clerk waiting in the store and requests a countermeasure.

Conventionally, a clerk call switch and a call light are generally provided on the upper part of the prepaid card using device in order to facilitate such calling by the clerk. When the user operates the clerk call switch, a call light provided at a relatively easy-to-see location at the top of the prepaid card using device is turned on. The clerk senses the occurrence of the call and the location of the call by turning on the call light, and responds to the call. In order to smoothly and surely respond to such a user's call, a store clerk divides the store into a plurality of regions, assigns a charge to each region, and divides the charge into each region and patrols the store.

[0006]

As described above, the clerk senses the occurrence and location of the call by turning on the call light, responds to the call, and responds to the call. It is divided into a plurality of areas and assigned for each area, and assigned to each assigned area to go around the store. However, due to congestion in the store,
The clerk's call by turning on the call light may not be seen by the clerk or may be overlooked by the clerk. Such a call by a clerk is often related to an interest and urgent for the user, and if the clerk does not respond promptly, the user will be inconvenienced.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to notify a clerk of the occurrence of a call and the call location at any required point in a store, and to provide a prepaid service that allows the clerk to respond promptly. An object is to provide a card system and a clerk calling device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a prepaid card system according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including money amount information corresponding to a monetary value. In a prepaid card system for performing financial settlement using, the amount information is updated according to the amount of consumption of the prepaid card,
And reading means for transmitting sales information including the consumption amount;
Upper-level processing means for communicating with the reading means and receiving and processing the sales information of the prepaid card from the reading means; and There is provided a calling means for transmitting call information including a physical address, and portable terminal means configured to be portable and notifying a call request in response to the call information transmitted from the calling means.

According to such a configuration, when the user performs the calling operation of the calling means, the sales information can be reliably notified to the clerk carrying the portable terminal means.
Therefore, the user can notify the clerk of the occurrence of the call and the calling location at any required place in the store, and the clerk can promptly respond.

A prepaid card system according to a second aspect of the present invention is a prepaid card system for performing a financial settlement using a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including money amount information corresponding to a monetary value. Reading means for updating the amount information according to the amount of consumption of the prepaid card and transmitting sales information including the amount of consumption, and high-order processing means for receiving and processing the sales information of the prepaid card from the reading means Communication means for forming a communication path between the reading means and the high-level processing means; and communication information provided near the reading means, and by means of a predetermined call operation, the call information including the physical address of the reading means is transmitted to the communication means. Calling means for sending the call information to the means, and receiving the call information transmitted from the calling means via the communication means. In response to the call out information, comprising a mobile terminal means for notifying a call request, the.

[0011] According to such a configuration, when the user performs the calling operation of the calling means, the communication system in the in-store system is shared, and the clerk carrying the portable terminal means is provided.
The call information can be reliably reported. Therefore, the user can notify the clerk of the occurrence of the call and the calling location at any required place in the store, and the clerk can promptly respond. Moreover, there is no need to newly provide any special communication means other than the portable terminal means for communication for calling the clerk.

[0012] The calling means may include means for sending the call information to the communication means via the reading means. The communication unit may include a unit using an optical space transmission path for transmitting a signal by an optical signal propagating in space. The portable terminal means may include a display means for displaying the call information. The portable terminal means may include at least one of a sounding means for emitting sound based on the call information and an exciting means for vibrating the portable terminal means based on the call information.

Further, a clerk calling apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is provided at a required location in a store, and transmits a call information including a physical address corresponding to the location by a predetermined calling operation. And portable terminal means for reporting a call request in response to the call information transmitted from the calling means.

According to such a configuration, when the user performs a calling operation on the calling means, it is possible to reliably notify the clerk carrying the portable terminal means of the calling information.
Therefore, the user can notify the sales clerk of the occurrence of the call and the calling place at necessary places in the store.

[0015] A clerk calling device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is arranged so that the prepaid card stores predetermined card information including monetary value information corresponding to a monetary value for monetary settlement. Reading means for updating the price information and transmitting the sales information including the consumption amount, higher-level processing means for receiving and processing the sales information of the prepaid card from the reading means, the reading means and the higher-level processing means Communication means for forming a communication path between the communication means; and a call means provided near the reading means for transmitting call information including a physical address of the reading means to the communication means by a predetermined call operation. Mobile terminal means configured to receive call information transmitted from the call means via the communication means, respond to the call information, and notify a call request;
Is provided.

According to such a configuration, when the user performs a calling operation on the calling means, the communication system in the store where the prepaid card system is constructed is shared, and the clerk carrying the portable terminal means is provided to the clerk. Call information can be reliably reported. Therefore, the user can notify the sales clerk of the occurrence of the call and the calling place at necessary places in the store. Moreover, there is no need to newly provide any special communication means other than the portable terminal means for communication for calling the clerk.

[0017] The communication means may include means using an optical space transmission line for transmitting a signal by an optical signal propagating in space. Further, the portable terminal means may include a display means for displaying the call information. Further, the portable terminal means may include at least one of a sounding means for emitting a sound based on the call information and an exciting means for vibrating the portable terminal means based on the call information.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A prepaid card system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The main part of the prepaid card system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a reading device 1, a relay device 2, a calling device 3, a portable terminal 4, and a headset 5, as shown in FIG. The reading device 1 sets a prepaid card, and performs processing of providing services such as game media and consuming them as compensation. The relay device 2 constitutes a higher-level processing unit, communicates with the plurality of reading devices 1, controls the reading devices 1, and collects sales information of the plurality of reading devices 1 due to consumption of the prepaid card. The sales information is totaled and transmitted to the settlement center 6 (the settlement center 6 will be described later with reference to FIG. 4). The relay device 2 is controlled by a signal from the settlement center 6, and further controls the reading device 1 based on a signal from the settlement center 6 as needed. When receiving the call information for calling the clerk from the reading device 1, the relay device 2 relays the call information and transmits the call information to the portable terminal 4.

A plurality of reading devices 1 include a plurality of calling devices 3
Are connected respectively. The calling device 3 is a reading device 1
In response to a user's call operation, the information processing apparatus generates call information in cooperation with the reading device 1 and transmits the generated call information to the relay device 2 via the reading device 1. The call information includes the physical address of the calling device 3, that is, the location where the reading device 1 is installed, the status information of the reading device 1, and the like. The portable terminal (device) 4 is formed small and lightweight so that a clerk or the like can easily carry it. The portable terminal 4 includes a headset 5 as a sounding means such as a headphone and an ear receiver.
Is connected. The portable terminal 4 receives the call information from the relay device 2, displays the call information, and sounds the headset 5 to notify the reception of the call information.

A wireless communication system using an optical space transmission path or the like for performing communication by an optical signal radiated into space is provided between the reading device 1 and the relay device 2 and between the relay device 2 and the portable terminal 4. Are combined. The relay device 2 includes a relay control unit 21,
Communication processing unit 22 and database / file storage unit 23
Having. The relay control unit 21 controls the operation of each unit of the relay device 2 and causes a required relay process to be executed. Communication processing unit 2
2 performs communication processing between the reading apparatus 1 and the settlement center 6 via a wireless communication system.

The portable terminal 4 has a notification control unit 41, a communication processing unit 42, and a display unit 43. The communication processing unit 42 processes communication between the notification control unit 41 and the relay device 2. The display unit 43 displays characters and the like using a liquid crystal display panel or the like. Upon receiving the call information from the relay device 2 via the communication processing unit 42, the notification control unit 41 causes the display unit 43 to display the call information in accordance with the call information and causes the headset 5 to sound. The call information displayed on the display unit 43 includes the physical address of the caller, the status information of the reading device 1, and the like. When the shop is divided into a plurality of areas and the clerk is responsible for each area, the notification control unit 4
1 determines from the call information whether or not the call information is in the corresponding area, and operates the display unit 43 and the headset 5 only when the call information corresponds to the predetermined area.

The external appearance of the portable terminal 4 and the headset 5 is configured as shown in FIG. 2. The portable terminal 4 is stored in a pocket or the like, the headset 5 is mounted, and the clerk freely moves in the store. Configure to be able to. Reading device 1
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIG.
Above it, a calling device 3 is attached. As shown in the drawing, the calling device 3 has the same appearance as the conventional one, and includes a calling switch 3a for a calling operation by a user and a calling light 3b for displaying a calling.

The prepaid card system according to the embodiment of the present invention including the communication call processing system configured as described above has a reading device 1, a relay device 2, a calling device 3, a portable terminal 4, A headset 5, a settlement center 6, and a recording device 7 are provided. Settlement center 6 and recording device 7
Is installed at a card issuer D such as a card issuing company or a card manufacturing factory. Generally, card issuer D
Are provided, and in each store S, a plurality of reading devices 1 and a relay device 2 for connecting the reading devices 1 to the settlement center 6 are installed. 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 1 for each store S, a plurality of reading devices 1 for each hall in the store S, or a plurality of reading devices 1 for each floor in the store S, and the settlement center 6. It is provided between.

In this prepaid card system, a prepaid card manufactured and issued by the card issuer D is sold to the store S, and further sold to the user at the store S.
At the store S, the user can pay for the provision of a service such as lending of a game medium by using a prepaid card. This service provision and payment is performed using the reading device 1 installed in the store S, and the amount stored as the amount information on the prepaid card is consumed. The store S counts the money amount information consumed by the reading device 1 in the relay device 2 and sends it to the settlement center 6 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 6 as a sales amount. A prepaid card used in this prepaid card system will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the prepaid card C has a magnetic information storage unit A using, for example, a magnetic layer, and the information storage unit A includes a price information area A1 and another information area A2.
Having. Amount information such as the balance is recorded in the amount information area A1, and the prepaid card C is stored in the other information area A2.
Card identification information (card ID), a manufacturer code indicating a manufacturer, manufacturing date (encoding date) information, an error code when an error occurs, and the like.

The recording device 7 is a device for issuing a prepaid card C at the card issuer D. The reading device 1 is, for example, incorporated in a prepaid card using device that lends a game medium and the like, and by subtracting the price of the game medium and the like provided to the user from the amount information stored in the prepaid card C, Prepaid card C
Materialize the consumption of

The relay device 2 aggregates the money amount information processed as the consumption amount in each reading device 1 in the store S,
It is transmitted to the settlement center 6. Communication between the relay device 2 and the reading device 1 is performed based on the physical address of the reading device 1. The physical address is an address determined substantially corresponding to a fixed position where the reading device 1 is actually installed. That is, the physical address corresponding to the installation position of the reading device 1 corresponds to a prepaid card using device such as a game device in which the reading device 1 is incorporated.

Next, a calling operation in the above-described prepaid card system will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 6 shows transmission and reception of signals of each unit when the clerk is called in the prepaid card system. A reading device 1 built by a user as a prepaid card using device
When the call switch 3a of the call device 3 attached to the call device 3 is pressed, the call light 3b of the call device 3 is turned on. At about the same time, a calling request is notified from the calling device 3 to the reading device 1. When the calling request is notified from the calling device 3 to the reading device 1, the reading device 1 generates call information including a physical address corresponding to the reading device 1 and status information indicating the state of the reading device 1.

This call information is transmitted from the reading device 1 to the relay device 2 via a communication system using an optical space transmission path.
Upon receiving the call information from the reading device 1, the relay device 2
The call information is similarly transmitted to the store S via the optical space transmission path. In the store S, the mobile terminal 4 and the headset 5
A clerk carrying and wearing a phone is waiting or patrol. When the call information transmitted from the relay device 2 is received by the portable terminal 4, an alarm is sounded by the headset 5 coupled to the portable terminal 4, and almost simultaneously the reading of the caller is displayed on the display unit 43 of the portable terminal 4. The physical address and status information of the device 1 and the like are displayed.

In the store S, a number of reading devices 1 are provided, and each reading device 1 has a calling device 3.
Is attached. The inside of the store S is divided into a plurality of areas, and a clerk in charge is assigned to each of the divided areas. Therefore, it is desirable that the mobile terminal 4 only responds to the call of the responsible area of the clerk carrying it. In such a case, the notification control unit 41 of the mobile terminal 4
Calculates the physical address from the received call information and reacts only to the call information corresponding to the physical address set in advance based on the sales clerk's area. The clerk can know the occurrence of the call and the position where the call was issued from these alarms and displays, and can immediately go to the corresponding location and respond to the user.

As described above, when the user presses the calling switch 3a of the calling device 3, the calling information is transmitted from the reading device 1 to the relay device 2 via the optical space transmission path.
The content of the call information includes a physical address corresponding to the reading device 1 or the like of the call source. And the relay device 2
Contains the physical address and the status information indicating the state of the reading device 1 and the like of the caller via the optical space transmission path to the portable terminal 4 carried by the clerk in charge of the area based on the physical address. Send call information.

As described above, it is not easy to transmit call information selectively to a portable terminal carried by a specific store clerk in the case of an optical space transmission line. The corresponding physical address is registered in the control unit 41 in advance, and the physical address is discriminated from the received call information so as to be selectively received. Alternatively, the portable terminal 4 is configured to select a received signal according to a wavelength (frequency) or the like, and a clerk, that is, a person in charge of the portable terminal 4 is registered in the relay device 2 in advance, and A signal of a different wavelength (frequency) may be transmitted in accordance with the physical address of the device.

When the portable terminal 4 receives the call information from the relay device 2, it makes the headset 5 emit a buzzer sound and displays the physical address and status information on the display unit 43. The clerk in charge is prompted by the buzzer sound and checks the display section 43 on which the physical address and the status information of the mobile terminal 4 are displayed. In this way, the clerk can immediately know the calling reading device 1 and its state.

In the above description, the transmission path between the reading device 1 and the relay device 2 in the conventional prepaid card system is used, which is advantageous in terms of cost and simplification of the configuration. It is. That is, conventionally, the settlement information of the reading device 1 is transmitted to the relay device 2 in near real time by the optical space transmission method.
The clerk can be called without using a new transmission path by effectively using the transmission path.

For notifying the call to the clerk in the portable terminal 4 described above, the portable terminal 4 may have a built-in sound generator such as an electronic buzzer instead of using the headset 5. Further, in addition to the external / internal sounding means or in place of the internal sounding means, an exciting means such as a vibrator is built in the portable terminal 4 and the portable terminal 4 is vibrated to call the salesperson carrying the portable terminal. May be notified. In addition, the clerk calling function mentioned above,
The present invention is not limited to the prepaid card system, and can be used to call a clerk at various stores such as restaurants, and can be configured as a general-purpose clerk calling device.

Further, the prepaid card system of the present invention can be realized by using a general computer system without having to configure all individual components as dedicated prepaid card systems. For example, by installing the program from a medium (a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, or the like) in which a program for executing the operation of the above-described relay device is stored in a computer system, a relay device that executes the above-described processing is constructed. be able to. Further, the above-described processing is executed by installing the program for executing the operation of the above-described portable terminal from a medium storing the program in a portable computer system such as a so-called portable information terminal (PIM). A mobile terminal can be built. By installation, the program
The program is stored in a medium such as a hard disk in the computer system, configures the system, and is used for execution. Also,
A medium for supplying a program to a computer is not limited to a storage medium in a narrow sense, but includes a communication medium such as a communication line, a communication network, and a communication system that temporarily and fluidly stores information such as a program and the like. Storage medium.

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. An electronic bulletin board (BBS: Bulletin) of the communication network may be used. 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.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A prepaid card system that allows a clerk carrying a portable terminal to accurately inform the clerk carrying the mobile terminal of the occurrence of the call and the calling location at any time by performing a calling operation at a required point in the store, A clerk calling device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a call communication processing system which is a main part of a prepaid card system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of an external configuration of the mobile terminal and the headset in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of an external configuration of a reading device and a calling device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a prepaid card system into which the configuration of FIG. 1 is incorporated.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a functional configuration of a prepaid card used in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a clerk calling operation in the prepaid card system of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 reading device 2 relay device 3 calling device 4 portable terminal (device) 5 headset 6 payment center 7 recording device 21 relay control unit 22 communication processing unit 23 database / file storage unit 41 notification control unit 42 communication processing unit 43 display unit C Prepaid Card D Card Issuer S Store

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A prepaid card system for performing a monetary settlement using a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including monetary value information corresponding to a monetary value, wherein the monetary value information is stored in accordance with a consumption amount of the prepaid card. Updating means for updating and transmitting sales information including the consumption amount, and performing communication between the reading means, and receiving and processing the sales information of the prepaid card from the reading means, Provided near the reading means, by a predetermined calling operation,
Calling means for transmitting call information including the physical address of the reading means; and portable terminal means configured to be portable and notifying a call request in response to the call information transmitted from the calling means. A prepaid card system characterized by the following. 2. A prepaid card system for performing a monetary settlement using a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including monetary value information corresponding to a monetary value, wherein the monetary value information is stored in accordance with a consumption amount of the prepaid card. A reading unit that updates and transmits sales information including the consumption amount; a high-order processing unit that receives and processes the sales information of the prepaid card from the reading unit; and between the reading unit and the high-order processing unit Communication means forming a communication path, provided near the reading means, by a predetermined call operation,
A calling means for sending call information including a physical address of the reading means to the communication means; and a portable means for receiving the call information transmitted from the calling means via the communication means, And a portable terminal means for notifying a call request in response to the request. 3. The prepaid card system according to claim 2, wherein said calling means includes means for sending said calling information to said communication means via said reading means. 4. The prepaid card system according to claim 2, wherein said communication means includes means using an optical space transmission line for transmitting a signal by an optical signal propagating in space. 5. The prepaid card system according to claim 1, wherein said portable terminal means includes a display means for displaying said call information. 6. The portable terminal means includes at least one of a sounding means for emitting a sound based on the call information and an excitation means for vibrating the portable terminal means based on the call information. Item 6. A prepaid card system according to any one of items 1 to 5. 7. A calling means which is installed at a required place in a store and which transmits call information including a physical address corresponding to the place by a predetermined calling operation; and is configured to be portable and transmitted from the calling means. And a portable terminal means for notifying a call request in response to the call information. 8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of updating the price information according to a consumption amount of a prepaid card storing predetermined card information including an amount information corresponding to a monetary value for financial settlement, and sales information including the consumption amount. A high-level processing unit that receives and processes the sales information of the prepaid card from the reading unit; a communication unit that forms a communication path between the reading unit and the high-level processing unit; Provided near the means, and by a predetermined calling operation,
A calling means for sending call information including a physical address of the reading means to the communication means; and a portable means for receiving the call information transmitted from the calling means via the communication means, And a portable terminal means for notifying a call request in response to the call request. 9. The clerk calling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said communication means includes means using an optical space transmission line for transmitting a signal by an optical signal propagating in space. 10. The portable terminal means includes display means for displaying the call information.
A clerk calling device according to any one of the preceding claims. 11. The portable terminal means includes at least one of a sounding means for emitting a sound based on the call information and an exciting means for vibrating the portable terminal means based on the call information. A clerk calling device according to any one of Items 7 to 10.