JPH1166396A - Refueling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To refuel at an oil station if a user has a credit card even though he neither has a prepaid card not cash. SOLUTION: A user of a refueling device inserts a credit card 4 into a card processor 5 and inputs a password number from a keyboard 6. A main controlling part 1 transmits card data and the password number which are read by the processor 5 to a center 10 through a communication functioning part 8 and a communication line 9 and confirms whether or not the card can be used. When the card is usable, a refueling instruction that is performed by the operation of a push button part 2 by the user is received. The quantity of refueling is shown on a refueling displaying part 3 and after the refueling is over, a specification issuing part 7 prepares a use specification and carries it out. With this, it is possible to refuel as long as the user has a credit card and then to make an oil station unattended.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an unmanned refueling device installed at a gas station such as a gas station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a gas station such as a gas station, a fueling apparatus for paying a refueling fee by a prepaid card or a card dedicated to a gas station is used. However, a refueling device using a prepaid card generally can only refuel the remaining amount of the card. So, to make up for this inconvenience,
A method is known in which the payment is first settled with a prepaid card, and the insufficient amount that cannot be settled is paid by cash to a gas station staff or by a credit card (for example, JP-A-3-179596). Also, unlike a gas station, a car wash machine or the like does not require the use of a card dedicated to a gas station. Therefore, a device that can be used with either a prepaid card or a credit card is known (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
255087).

[0003] In addition, in order to prevent unauthorized use and to make the filling station unmanned, a refueling device that collates authentication data entered by a user from a keyboard with card data and returns a card after proper operation to prevent erroneous operation has been developed. It is known (for example, JP-A-5-67117).

[0004]

The conventional lubricating apparatus has the following problems. The above-mentioned method of paying the shortage of the prepaid card by cash is troublesome for the user, and it is difficult for the service station to respond in terms of personnel costs and 24-hour operation because the service station needs to be on staff and cannot be unmanned. Was. In addition, the method of paying with a credit card as an auxiliary method has the inconvenience that even if a user has a credit card, the user cannot refuel without a prepaid card. Furthermore, since prepaid cards and cards dedicated to gas stations are classified by specific gas stations and sales affiliates, they cannot be used in common at all gas stations.

[0005] That is, although credit cards are used as an auxiliary, the versatility of credit cards has not been fully utilized. In addition, this was one of the reasons that the unmanned filling stations did not progress. An object of the present invention is to make it possible to refuel with a credit card even if the gas station does not have a prepaid card or cash.

[0006]

A refueling device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a refueling device for performing refueling using a credit card, and a card processing means for receiving insertion of a credit card and reading and writing card data. Using a credit card inserted into the card processing means, comprising: card determination means for determining whether a credit card can be used; refueling instruction means for instructing refueling operation; and refueling means for refueling according to instructions from the refueling instruction means. The acceptability is determined by the card determination means, and when the card is usable, a refueling instruction by the refueling instruction means is accepted.

[0007] Thus, even if the gas station does not have a prepaid card or cash, refueling is performed if there is a credit card. A refueling device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the fueling device according to the first aspect, further comprising an input unit for inputting a password.
The card determination means checks the input personal identification number with the center via the communication line.

As a result, it is reliably determined whether the card can be used. A refueling device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the fueling device according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising a statement issuing means for issuing a credit card usage statement. Thus, the usage statement is issued at the time of refueling.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a main control unit that controls the entire refueling device, and is connected to the following devices. That is, the push buttons 2a and 2 for the user to select and input the type of oil and the amount of oil supply.
The data of the push button unit 2 provided with b and 2c, the refueling amount display unit 3 showing the refueling amount, and the credit card 4 are read out.
A card processor 5 for writing, a keyboard 6 for inputting a personal identification number of the credit card, a statement issuing unit 7 for issuing a statement of use of the card, and data of the credit card 4 are transmitted to and received from the center 10 via the communication line 9. The communication function unit 8. The refueling amount is transmitted as data from a refueling detection unit (not shown) to the main control unit 1.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a refueling device according to the present invention. The above-described devices are installed on the front surface of the refueling device 11. That is, a card insertion slot 12, a refueling amount display section 3, a push button section 2, a keyboard 6, a statement issuing port 13 for carrying out a statement, and a refueling device 14 such as a refueling nozzle provided in the card processor 5. . FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the refueling device according to the present invention. The operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

The main controller 1 waits for the credit card 4 to be inserted into the card slot 12 (step S1). When the card is inserted (branch Y), the card processor 5 reads out the card data (step S2), and the main controller 1 waits for the input of the personal identification number by the keyboard 6 (step S3). Next, the input personal identification number and the read card data are transmitted to the center 1 via the communication function unit 8.
When the card is transmitted, it is compared with the registered data to determine whether the card can be used (step S4). If the card cannot be used (branch N), the card is returned (step S8), and the process is terminated.
The required refueling is performed by the refueling device 14 by operating the push button (step S5). At this time, the refueling amount is displayed on the refueling amount display section 3.

When the refueling is completed, the main control unit 1 calculates the refueling price and notifies the center 10 (step S6), and prepares a card usage statement by the statement issuing unit 7 to generate a statement issuing port 13 (Step S7).
Next, the credit card is returned by the card processor 5 (step S8), and the refueling operation is completed. Note that the determination as to whether or not the card can be used may be made not by communication with the center 10 but by collation with data stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown) built in the main control unit 1. Further, the determination may be made based on the card data without inputting the card determination data from the keyboard.

[0013] By the above operation, even if there is no prepaid card or cash, as long as you have a credit card, you can refuel at any gas station. Also, since the user can perform the refueling operation by himself, there is no need for a staff member to be stationed at the gas station.

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a refueling means for refueling according to a refueling instruction, which determines whether or not the credit card can be used, and accepts the refueling instruction when the credit card is usable. Therefore, even if the user does not have a prepaid card or cash at the gas station, he can refuel with a credit card. In addition, unlike the conventional method in which the shortage amount of the prepaid card is settled by cash, the shortage amount is settled by a credit card, so that cash handling with a gas station staff is unnecessary. For this reason, since a user can refuel himself without a service station staff, the service station can be completely unmanned.

If the password of the user is collated by data transmission / reception with a center connected via a communication line, it is possible to reliably determine whether the card can be used. Furthermore, if a credit card statement is issued, the statement of use can be known on the spot at the time of refueling.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a refueling device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation based on the invention of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Main control part, 2 ... Push button part, 2a, 2b, 2c ... Push button, 3 ... Refueling amount display part, 4 ... Credit card, 5
... Card processing machine, 6 ... Keyboard, 7 ... Detailed statement issuing unit,
8: communication function unit, 9: communication line, 10: center, 11 ...
Refueling device, 12: Card insertion slot, 13: Statement issuing port,
14 ... refueling equipment.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A refueling device for refueling using a credit card, a card processing means for receiving insertion of a credit card and reading / writing card data, and a card judgment for judging whether or not the credit card can be used. Means, a refueling instructing means for instructing a refueling operation, and a refueling means for performing refueling according to an instruction from the refueling instructing means. A refueling instruction is received by the refueling instruction means at the time of. 2. A refueling device according to claim 1, further comprising an input means for inputting a personal identification number, and wherein said card determining means causes the center to collate the input personal identification number via a communication line. apparatus. 3. The refueling device according to claim 1, further comprising statement issuing means for issuing a credit card statement.