JPS60231261A - Card inquiry system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify and speed up card inquiry operation and to prevent hardware in terminal equipment from being complexed by forming an originating function to an inquired source in a central telephone exchange and originating from the terminal equipment to the central telephone exchange by sending only an inquired code. CONSTITUTION:When a circuit connection request key 9 is depressed, circuit connection between the terminal equipment and the central telephone exchange, i.e. calling of an exchange, is executed by a transmission/reception part 10 on the terminal equipment side. Then, the inquired code, i.e. a host code, is sent from the terminal equipment. On the exchange side, a dial signal or the like of an inquired source is sent by a circuit control part 13 and a host computer in the inquired source is connected to a main central telephone exchange through a local telephone exchange. On the exchange side of the main central telephone exchange, card data are inquired to the host computer on the basis of the card data received from the terminal equipment. When the information of the inquired result is received from the host computer to the exchange side, the information is sent to the terminal equipment and data are transmitted/received between the terminal equipment and the local main central telephone exchange.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of the Invention) The present invention relates to a credit card processing system for checking the validity and reliability of a credit card, etc. at a CAT (Credit Authorization Terminal) or an ECR (Electronic Cash Register). This invention relates to a card inquiry system that simplifies and speeds up inquiry operations.

(Background of the Invention) Conventionally, in the above-mentioned CAT etc., when inquiring the validity and reliability of a credit card, etc. from a host computer to which the inquiry is made, it is necessary to manually dial the telephone number of the inquiry destination, or to manually dial the telephone number of the inquiry destination. Communication was carried out by storing the telephone number of the person to be referred to and making an automatic call according to the memorized telephone number.

However, in such conventional systems, the card inquiry operation is complicated and takes a long time because the phone number usually has 9 or 10 digits to dial. If it were built in, the hardware would be complicated.

Furthermore, when the telephone number of the inquiry destination is stored in the card itself, there is an inconvenience that the amount of information stored in the card increases and the storage capacity of normal card information is limited.

(Object of the invention) The object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional type described above.
In a card inquiry system, an object of the present invention is to simplify and speed up the card inquiry operation, and to prevent the hardware of terminals such as CAT and ECR from becoming complicated.

(Structure and Effects of the Invention) The present invention is based on the idea that, in a card inquiry system, a calling function for an inquiry is provided in a telephone office, and a call is made by sending only an inquiry code from a terminal to the telephone office. be. As a result, in the present invention, the card inquiry operation is simplified and speeded up, and
It becomes possible to prevent the hardware of the terminal from becoming complicated.

In addition, since there is no need to store the telephone number of the reference on the card itself, there are no restrictions on the memory space for storing general card information, and it is possible to handle more advanced card transaction services. become.

(Example of the invention) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a card inquiry system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system in the figure includes a terminal fIs1 such as an electronic cash register or CAT, a telephone office 2,
3, and a host computer 4 provided at a reference institution such as a bank. The terminal 1 has a card reader for reading data on a card 5 such as a credit card, and is connected to a telephone office 2 through a line 6 such as a subscriber line. Each telephone station 2.3 is, for example, a main telephone station in each region, and the telephone station 2 has a calling function for inquiries.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the main parts of the terminal 1 and the telephone office 2 in the system of FIG. In the figure, a terminal device such as an electronic cash register is equipped with a card reader 7, a control section 8 composed of a microcomputer, etc., a line connection request key 9 provided on a keyboard (not shown), etc., and a transmitting/receiving section 10. . Further, within the telephone office, there are provided a transmitting/receiving section 11 connected to a terminal via a subscriber line 6 or the like, a processing section 12 constituted by a microprocessor, etc., and a line control section 13.

In the above-mentioned card inquiry system, when making a sale, the card is read by the card reader 7 of the terminal, and the ID is checked by inputting a pin code using a manual key device such as a so-called PINPAD.The ID check is completed. Then, the line connection request key 9 is pressed.This causes the transmitter/receiver 10 on the terminal side to
The line connection between the terminal and the telephone office, that is, the call to the exchange is established by the function of the terminal. Next, the terminal sends a reference code, that is, a host code. The reference code is a unique code assigned to each bank, etc., and is different from a general subscription telephone, etc., so it requires fewer digits than a telephone number. The exchange or the like that receives the reference code etc. accesses the reference via the main telephone office from which the reference corresponds to the code. That is, on the exchange side, the line control section 13 functions to send out a dial signal etc. of the inquiry destination, and connect the inquiry destination host computer and the main telephone office via the local telephone office.

Then, on the exchange side of the main telephone office, an inquiry is made to the host computer for card data based on the card data received from the terminal. When the exchange receives inquiry result information from the host computer, this information is transmitted to the terminal. That is, data is transmitted and received between the terminal and the local main telephone office. When the transmission and reception of data is completed, the line is disconnected, the received data is processed at the terminal, and the payment process by card is completed.

In the above system, the terminal only needs to send the code and card data corresponding to the reference point such as a bank to the local main telephone office, and the data inquiry to the host computer of the reference point is done at the telephone office side. ,
Card inquiry procedures can be greatly simplified. In addition, a packet-switched network, etc., is used that separates the general telephone line and transmits data in blocks between the main telephone offices, such as the main telephone office to which the terminal is connected and the main telephone office to which the reference host computer is connected. In this case, the data transmission/reception speed becomes faster and the communication quality can also be improved.

Note that FIG. 3 shows a card inquiry processing procedure in a conventional terminal device. As shown in the figure, after terminal sales processing and line connection are performed on the terminal side, a reference number provided with a host computer is dialed manually or automatically. If the host side is busy, it disconnects the line and dials again. When the connection with the host side is completed, data is directly transmitted and received between the terminal and the host computer, and card data inquiries and the like are performed. When the transmission and reception of data is completed, the line is disconnected, the received data is processed, and the payment process by card is completed. In such a conventional system, as mentioned above, there are disadvantages such as a long time required for card inquiry and an increase in the hardware of the terminal.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing an outline of a card inquiry system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the main parts of a terminal in the system of FIG. 1 and a telephone office connected to the terminal. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the card inquiry procedure of the system according to the present invention, and
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a card inquiry procedure in a conventional system. 1: Terminal, 2.3: Telephone office, 4: Host computer, 5: Card, 6: Connection line,
7; Card reader; 8: Control unit; 9; Line connection request key; 10.11: Transmission/reception unit; 12; Processing unit; 13; Line control unit. Patent Applicant Tateishi Electric Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Tatsuo Ito Agent Patent Attorney Tetsuya Ito Figure 1 - Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A terminal device having a card reader and a data transmitting/receiving means for communicating with a telephone office via a telephone line, and a telephone office connected to the terminal device and having a means for calling an inquiry destination, A card inquiry system characterized in that a call is made by transmitting an inquiry hood to the telephone office, and the inquiry information is obtained by accessing the inquiry host computer at the telephone office.