JPS62267866A - Controller for card certifying terminal group - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the working efficiency with the transaction processing and the customer control by transmitting the transactions satisfying the specific conditions to a store controller among the credit transaction data on a credit card company. CONSTITUTION:When the credit transaction data received from a terminal equipment comply with one of the switch conditions stored in a table, the corresponding transaction data is sent to a store controller 5. While those transaction data which are not accordant with said switch conditions are sent to a host computer 4 of a credit company. Each of the switch conditions contains one or plural comparison conditions and each of these comparison conditions shows the comparison part of a credit transaction data telegram in a head column and the word length (byte length) and consists of the comparison value to be compared with the transaction data and an operator. As a result, the transactions of small amounts that requires no certification of credit cards are stored in the controller 5 and therefore the transaction efficiency is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (AlTechnical Field) This invention relates to a credit card company's host computer (hereinafter simply referred to as "host computer J") or a store's sales management device (hereinafter referred to as "store controller") and a store. Cart authentication terminal group management device (hereinafter referred to as "cluster controller") that connects the installed terminal devices.
That's what it means. ) regarding.

(b) Summary of the Invention A cart authentication terminal group management device (cluster controller) according to the present invention is connected between a store controller, a host computer, and a store terminal device, and is connected to a store controller and a host computer, and stores transaction data sent from the terminal device. A device that distributes and transmits data to either a store controller or a host controller, which judges credit transaction data using a credit card from a credit card company based on judgment conditions and selects specific credit transaction data. If so, it will be sent to the store controller.

This makes it possible to reduce the number of communications with the host computer, which causes line congestion, and to improve the efficiency of credit transactions.It also enables the store controller to manage transaction data from affiliated cards, thereby improving the efficiency of customer management. It was made so that it could be done.

(C1 Conventional technology and its drawbacks) Transaction processing systems that manage store sales online are based on terminal devices such as CAT (Card Authentication Terminal) and ECR (Electronic Cash Register) installed at store cash registers, etc. It consists of a store controller and a host computer that manage data, and a cluster controller that centrally receives transaction data from the terminal devices and transmits the transaction data to the store controller or host computer based on the contents.

Conventionally, in such transaction processing systems, when cash sales transaction data is received in the cluster controller, it is unconditionally transmitted to the store controller. In addition, if transaction data for a credit transaction is uploaded, the company code in the message will tell you whether the credit card used for the credit transaction was issued by a credit card company or a so-called credit card issued by your own store. It is determined whether or not it is a house card, and if it is a house card, the transaction data is sent to the store controller, and if it is a credit card from a credit card company, the transaction data is sent to the host computer.

By the way, communication with the host computer takes much more time than communication with the store controller, but in conventional systems, transaction data is sent to the host computer for each transaction, even for low-value transactions, so transaction processing is slow. It had the disadvantage of being time consuming. Conventionally, in order to solve this drawback, a method has been proposed in which credit transaction data is stored in a terminal device and sent all together to a host computer at a predetermined timing. This had the disadvantage of requiring a buffering function, making the system as a whole expensive.

Furthermore, a so-called affiliated card issued in partnership between a store and a credit card company stores the company code of the credit card company as the company code. For this reason, credit transaction data from affiliated cards is unconditionally transmitted to the host computer of the credit card company. However, there are various types of transactions and benefits other than credit transactions for customers who own an affiliated card, and it is desirable that stores manage their transaction data as well. However, since the conventional crust controller determines the destination of transaction data based on the company code, it is not possible to distinguish between transaction data using a ship's credit card and transaction data using an affiliated card.

fd1 Purpose of the Invention This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and it is possible to efficiently process transactions by transmitting transactions that meet specific conditions from the credit card company's credit transaction data to the store controller. It is an object of the present invention to provide a card authentication terminal group management device (cluster controller) that can perform customer management.

(e) Structure and effect of the invention This invention comprises a sales management device (store controller) that manages store sales, a host computer that manages credit transaction data using a credit card from a credit card company, and a computer that accepts credit cards. Connected to the terminal device that processes all credit transactions,
[When data is sent from the terminal device]
A transaction condition that stores a judgment condition for selecting specific credit transaction data in a card authentication terminal group terminal device (cluster controller) that judges the content of the transaction data and sends it to either the sales management device or the host computer. transaction data determining means for determining whether or not the transaction data is the specific credit transaction data when credit transaction data of the credit card company is transmitted from the terminal device; If it is transaction data, a data distribution method for setting the transmission destination of this transaction data in the sales management device;
It is characterized by having the following.

According to the present invention configured as described above, the credit transaction data sent from the terminal device is determined based on the determination conditions, and transaction data that conforms to the conditions are transmitted to the store controller. By including the transaction amount in the determination condition, low-value transactions that do not require card authentication for each transaction can be stored in the store controller and sent all together to the host computer. In addition, by including a judgment as to whether or not it is an affiliated card in the judgment conditions, credit transaction data from the affiliated card can be inputted into the Sdoor controller once, and after being stored as customer management data, the host Can be sent to computer.

ff) Embodiment FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a transaction processing system in which a cluster controller according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.

A plurality of CAT2s and ECRs 3 installed at cash registers of stores are connected to the cluster controller 1. This cluster controller 1 is also connected to a store controller 5 having store sales management files and the like, and a host computer 4 of a credit card company that issues credit cards.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control section of the cluster controller I. A RAM 12 for temporarily storing ROMII data that stores control programs, etc. is connected to the CPU 10, which is a control device, and a store controller side transfer unit 1 for communicating with the store controller 5.
3. Upper side transmission section 14 for communicating with the host computer 4 of the credit card company. CAT2 and ECR
A lower-side transmission unit 15 for communicating with 3 is connected.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the electronic message of credit transaction data transmitted from the CAT2.

The main text of the message, excluding control signals added to the beginning and end of the message, consists of 44 words (44 bytes). The structure of the message is the handling category (1 byte).

Company code (5 bytes), member number (16 bytes), PIN number (4 bytes), product code (3 bytes), amount (
8 bytes) 1 division count (2 bytes) and terminal number (5 bytes)
bytes).

Among these, the handling classification is data indicating whether this message is a sales message or a sales cancellation message.

Note that the cluster controller l that received this message is
This data is temporarily stored in a buffer having the same structure as this message.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a transaction condition table set in the RAM 12. When the credit transaction data sent from the terminal device meets any of the switching conditions stored in this table, the credit transaction data is sent to the store controller 5. Credit transaction data that does not meet any of the switching conditions is transmitted to the host computer 4 of the credit card company. Each switching condition consists of - or multiple comparison conditions, and each comparison condition indicates the comparison part of the credit transaction data message by the first column and word length (byte length), and the comparison value and operator to be compared with that data. It is configured. −゛ When all comparison conditions are met, the switching condition is deemed to be met.

Switching condition 1 will be explained. Comparison condition l is a determination of company code. In other words, this is a comparison condition that determines whether the company code sent in 5 bytes from the second column of the message is "01234".A specific credit card company is established using this comparison condition.Comparison condition 2 is a comparison condition that determines the first three digits of the membership number.In other words, at the credit card company judged by comparison condition 1, the first three digits of the membership number "789" are the membership number for the affiliated card with this store. Since it is assigned as
The first three digits of the member number in the message (3 bytes from the 7th column)
If it is "789", it can be determined that the data is credit transaction data using a regular credit card. The credit transaction data that conforms to the comparison conditions 1 and 2 is input to the store controller 5 because it conforms to the switching condition 1.

Similarly, switching condition 2 is such that credit transaction data is sorted based on the transaction amount and the number of divisions in addition to the company code. Transaction amount is 5ooo with a specific credit card
If the amount is less than 0 yen (one-time withdrawal without division), it is sent to the store controller 5 instead of being sent to the host computer 4. Further, switching condition 3 is a condition for determining the company's credit card (house card) in the company court, and if the company code loses once, this message is unconditionally transmitted to the store controller 5.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control section of the cluster controller 1. As shown in FIG. Step nl (hereinafter referred to as “
Step ni' is called 'ni'. ) receives a transaction data telegram from the terminal device, it is determined in n2 whether the transaction data telegram is a cash transaction data telegram or a credit transaction data telegram. If it is a message of cash transaction data, the transmission destination of the transaction data message is set in the store controller 5 (n3), and the message is transmitted from the store controller side transmission section 13 (n4), and the operation ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined at n2 that the content of the transaction data message is a credit transaction data message, the process proceeds to n5. n5
Then, the credit transaction data is shown in the transaction conditions table (
It is determined whether any of the switching conditions stored in FIG. 5) are met. Based on this determination result, the destination of the message is determined (n6). That is, if the credit transaction data meets any of the switching conditions, the message is sent to the store controller 5, and if it does not meet any of the switching conditions, the message is sent to the host computer 4. In the case of a message sent to the store controller 5, n
If the result is 6, proceed to n2. If the message is to be sent to the credit card company's host computer 4, proceed to n7, set the destination on the credit card company's host computer 4, and send the message from the higher-level transmission unit 14. Send (n8) and end the operation.

n5 corresponds to the transaction determiner/stage of this invention, and n6 and n3 correspond to the data distribution means of this invention.

According to this cluster controller, when credit transaction data using a credit card issued by a credit card company is sent, the details of the transaction (for example, transaction amount and number of splits) are determined, and a specific If the transaction data indicates transaction details, the transaction data can be transmitted to the store controller. This allows the store controller to accumulate low-value transactions that do not require card authentication for each transaction, thereby improving transaction efficiency. Furthermore, by determining the membership number and sending a message to the store controller, customers with affiliated cards can be managed in a unique manner, contributing to improved customer management and customer service.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit of a cluster controller according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a transaction processing system in which the cluster controller is used, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the control of the cluster controller. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the cluster controller, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of a message sent from the terminal device to the cluster controller.
The figure shows a transaction conditions table. 1-cluster controller; 4-host computer; 5-store controller. ; > 1 j ′□′! Part 2:4 Transaction Processing System Provision Part 3 i;'J

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Connection between a sales management device that manages store sales and a host computer that manages credit transaction data using a credit card from a credit card company, and a terminal device that accepts credit cards and processes credit transactions. When transaction data is sent from the terminal device, the card authentication terminal group terminal device determines the content of the transaction data and sends it to either the sales management device or the host computer. A transaction condition table is provided to store judgment conditions for selecting a transaction, and when credit transaction data of the credit card company is transmitted from the terminal device, it is determined whether or not this transaction data is the specific credit transaction data. If there is a means of determining transaction data and specific transaction data,
A card authentication terminal group management device comprising: data distribution means for setting a destination of the transaction data in the sales management device.