JPS5994168A - Credit transaction terminal machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To handle even a credit card different in information recording format by transmitting and receiving credit transaction data between a terminal machine reading a credit card and each center to convert the data to visible information. CONSTITUTION:A card reader 12 can read the credit cards of JIS and ISO. A transmitting terminal machine number, credit card data, a key-inputted key number, a key-inputted goods code, the amount of money of transaction, etc. are included in the transmission text from terminal machine 10. In a center 20 which receives these transaction data, a member number in data is used to retrieve a file, and the reliability of the user is checked. When the transaction is succeeded, the processing result is sent to the terminal machine 10; and when receiving the text from the center 20, the terminal machine 10 displays the result on a display device and prints out it by a printer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a terminal for conducting credit transactions using credit cards.

When conducting credit transactions using credit cards at retailers of various products, department stores, restaurants, and other shops, the legitimacy and creditworthiness (transaction limit) of the user (customer) are checked. For this purpose, each store is equipped with a credit transaction terminal equipped with a card reader. This terminal can communicate with each credit card company's center via a communication line. A credit company center is equipped with a file that stores credit scores and other data of its members. Therefore, by having the terminal read the user's credit card and performing necessary operations such as inputting the transaction amount, the terminal is automatically connected to the center and transaction data is transmitted to the center. At the center, the user's credibility is checked by referring to the files stored there. The check results are sent to the terminal. Each store decides whether or not to accept credit transactions based on the results transmitted from the center.

However, since conventional credit transaction terminals could only handle credit cards with one specified information recording format, such as JIS standard credit cards, users could not use cards with other formats, such as ABA. If you wish to make a credit transaction using a credit card that meets the ISO standard (most cards are from overseas credit companies, but they also have affiliated companies in Japan, which comply with ISO standards), you can use that terminal. I couldn't do it. Therefore, stores had no choice but to make credit inquiries to the center over the phone. Therefore, each store and each credit card company's center were forced to operate in two ways, which was inconvenient and required time and effort for phone inquiries.

Summary of the Invention The present invention aims to provide a credit transaction terminal that can handle credit cards with different information recording formats, thereby simplifying and unifying processes such as credit rating inquiries. .

The credit transaction terminal according to the present invention includes a card reader capable of reading credit cards in a plurality of different information recording formats, an identification code (for connection) of each center of each credit company or a company related thereto;
a memory that stores a telephone number), a means for determining whether the format of a credit card read by a card reader is a predetermined format, and if the format is a predetermined format;
A means for reading a telephone number of a corresponding center by referring to a memory based on card data or key human data regarding a credit company or a company related thereto, connecting to the corresponding center, and transmitting credit transaction data; It is equipped with means (display, printer) for converting at least the transmitted data relating to trustworthiness into visible information.

Even if the credit card is JIS or ABA standard, its data is read by a card reader. The information recording format that can be handled by the credit transaction terminal is set in advance within the terminal, and it is checked whether the read card data is in that format. The terminal also stores the telephone number of each credit company's center in correspondence with the company code of that company. If the card data format is of a predetermined type, the telephone number of the credit company's center is searched from the company code in the card data, and the corresponding center is automatically dialed. At least the creditworthiness of the user is inquired through communication between the terminal and the center. Some credit cards do not have a company code recorded on them. By automatically dialing the center of the designated credit company, the terminal and the center are connected.

In this way, it becomes possible to inquire about the creditworthiness of the user of credit cards in a plurality of formats using the credit transaction terminal.

Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the entire credit transaction system. Credit transaction terminals (10) are installed in retail stores, department stores, restaurants, and other stores. This store is Company A, Company B
We have contracts with 10 companies, from Company J to Company J, and credit transactions are possible using credit cards issued by these 10 credit companies and credit cards affiliated with each of the credit companies listed above. The information recording formats of these ten companies and their affiliated credit cards are JIS standards (■-type, ■-type) or ISO standards (including ABA standards). Companies A to J each have a center (20). And each center has
A file is created that stores information about members of the credit company and credit card members affiliated with the credit company, such as the member's credit score (transaction limit), PIN number, and other information corresponding to each member number. It is being

The terminal (10) is connected to each center (20) through a communication line.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the credit transaction terminal.

The credit transaction terminal (10) is controlled by the CPU (Ill). A magnetic card reader (1z) that reads recorded data.

A PIN keyboard (13) for entering the user's unique PIN number, a keyboard (141) for entering the product code, transaction amount, credit card company, etc., a printer (141) for printing transaction results, communication results with the center, etc. The display side that displays the country, transaction amount, communication results with the center, etc.
and a transmission system including an automatic dialing circuit for communicating with the center (20).
ill lr culturem ”th y 1.N
The reader (121) can read both JIS and ISO standard credit cards.JIS and ISO standard credit cards have different recording formats, but the location of the magnetic stripe where data is recorded also differs. This is different. JIS and ISO standard credit cards have magnetic stripes on exactly opposite sides of each other. A card reader (with one magnetic head and a circuit for decoding the read data later)
Let l run such a program.

The keyboard (number key 07 in 141) has both the function of inputting numerical values and the function of specifying the credit company. These functions are distinguished by the processing steps of the program, as described below.

FIG. 3 shows a credit card information recording format. FIG. 3(A) shows an example of the JIS standard. As is clear from this figure, data such as a starting code, ID mark of the card, credit company code, membership number, (PIN number), and ending code are recorded. Third
Figure (B) shows an example of the ABA (ISO) standard, in which data such as a starting code, membership number, (PIN number), and ending code are recorded.

FIG. 4 shows a portion of the memory within CPUQII. This memory contains a credit card board (141
An area for storing data entered by the customer (product code, transaction amount, etc.), an area for storing the password entered using the keyboard (13), a telephone number table, an area for editing data sent to the center, and an area for editing data received from the center. An area is provided to hold the data. The telephone number table has number keys (corresponding to each key of 1 power,
The credit company code and the telephone number of the credit company's center are preset.

1: FIG. 5 shows an example of a message transmitted from a terminal to the center. This transmitted message includes the number of the calling terminal, credit card data, a manually entered password, a manually entered product code, a transaction amount, and the like.

FIG. 6 shows the processing procedure of the credit transaction terminal. When the clerk inserts the credit card received from the user into the card reader (121), the card data is read and stored in the memory (step (21+)).

The clerk also inputs the product code and transaction amount using the keyboard Q41, which are read and stored in the memory (step (22+')).If necessary, the user is prompted to enter a PIN using the keyboard Q31. The number is stored in memory.The PIN read from the card is compared with the PIN entered manually to check the authenticity of the user. Alternatively, the member's PIN number entered manually may be transmitted to the center and compared with the member's PIN number recorded at the center. Good too.

Next, an analysis of the format of the read card data is performed. First, the card data format is J.
It is checked whether the card format matches the IS standard (step (23+)). If it is a JIS standard, the credit company code is included in the card data, so it is Which of the following is the
Alternatively, it is possible to find out which of these companies the company is affiliated with (steps (26) to (28+)).

When the credit company is determined, a telephone number table in memory is referred to and the telephone number of the corresponding credit company is retrieved. Then, the transmission control device (18) automatically dials the center of that telephone number, and the terminal (
10) is connected to the corresponding center (20) (stepper to (31)). Various data edited in the memory (see Figure 5) are sent to the center (step (321)
).

In step (23), if the read card data format is not JIS standard, it is then determined whether it is 15O (ABA) standard (
Step (24)). If it conforms to the ISO standard, that fact is displayed on the display (161) (this process is shown in the diagram).

It is not always necessary to display this as it is often easy to tell at a glance that the card is an ISO standard. In the case of the ISO standard, the company code is not included in the card data, so the clerk enters the credit company of the credit card partner using the numeric keys (171) (step (25)).
+ ). After this, the specified credit card company's phone number is searched, the center is automatically dialed, and the required data is transmitted as described above (step (
20～(3ri).

If step (24J) is not an ISO standard, an error will occur and the transaction will be canceled.

When the center receives transaction data from the terminal, the center searches the center file using the member number in the data.
The user's credibility is checked. That is,
If the transaction amount is less than the credit rating (transaction limit), the transaction is OK; otherwise, it is rejected. Further, if necessary, verification processing of the user's personal identification number and other processing are performed.

The processing results at the center are sent to the terminal, so
When the terminal receives a message from the center (step C
1131), the result is displayed on the display (161) and printed by the printer 051 (step 0
41).

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire credit transaction processing system, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a credit transaction terminal, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a credit card format, and FIG. The figure shows the contents of the terminal's memory, Figure 5 shows an example of a message sent from the terminal to the center, and Figure 6 shows an example of a message sent from the terminal to the center.
The figure is a flow chart showing the processing procedure in the terminal. (10)... Credit transaction terminal, (11)... CPU
, (121...Fist/Card Reader, En...Keyboard, 051...Printer, 06I...Display, a
η...Number key for inputting numerical values and credit company,
(201...Center. Patent applicants: Tateishi Electric Co., Ltd. and 4 others)

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) Regarding multiple types of credit cards issued by different credit companies and whose information recording formats are classified into at least two types,
A credit transaction terminal capable of communicating with each credit company or each center of a company affiliated with it, in order to at least check the creditworthiness of its users, and which accepts credit cards in at least the above two types of information recording formats. Cards that can be read
a reader; a memory storing connection identification codes for each center of each credit company or a company related thereto; means for determining whether the format of a credit card read by the card reader is a predetermined format; If the format is predetermined, the connection identification code of the applicable center is read out by referring to the memory based on the card data or key human data regarding the credit company or its related company, and the connection identification code of the applicable center is read out. A credit transaction terminal comprising means for connecting and transmitting credit transaction data, and means for exchanging at least the data related to creditworthiness transmitted from the center into visible information. (2) The credit transaction terminal according to claim (1), comprising means for inputting a unique code of a credit card user. (3) The credit transaction terminal according to claim (1), which is provided with a keyboard for specifying a credit company.