JPS6319385A - Automatic check-in system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Al Industrial Field of Application) This invention relates to an automatic check-in system for checking in at hotels, etc. by inserting a credit card.

(b) Summary of the Invention The automatic check-in system according to the present invention is capable of providing a magnetic stripe on the surface of an IC credit card, and releasing a predetermined lock on the magnetic stripe when checking in with this IC credit card. I started writing the key code.

This makes it possible to simplify the customer check-in process and card key issuing process.

(C) Prior Art In recent years, an increasing number of hotels and the like have used card locking devices in which a card reader and a lock release solenoid are interlocked in place of conventional cylinder keys for locking devices in guest rooms. According to this card key, the key code for unlocking the lock can be easily changed each time a guest changes, improving security, and there are fewer precision mechanical parts, making maintenance easier. It is rapidly becoming popular for reasons such as . A card key in which the key code is stored is issued and issued by the front desk or automatic check-in device when checking into a hotel.

(d1 Problems to be solved by the invention) Conventionally, card keys used a special card, so a card had to be issued for each customer, which caused the problem of increasing the cost of the card.Also. The automatic check-in device also had the disadvantage of having to replenish the stock of cards each time it was depleted.Furthermore, customers had to carry this card key in addition to the cards they always carried, such as credit cards. Therefore, there was a problem in that it became troublesome to store the cards.

This invention was made in order to solve these problems.In recent years, credit card cards, which are commonly used when checking in at hotels, can be used as a special card key by providing a card key function. The purpose is to provide an automatic check-in system that can be eliminated.

(Means for solving the e1 problem) This invention is a locking device for hotel rooms, etc., which includes an IC credit card having a magnetic stripe on its surface, and a magnetic card league, from which a key code is input. The present invention is characterized by comprising: a card lock device that releases the lock when the card is unlocked; and an automatic check-in machine that accepts the IC credit card and has a check-in step.

(f1 action) In the automatic check and fin system according to the present invention, when a customer inserts an IC credit card into an automatic check-in machine and performs check-in processing, a key is used to unlock the card lock device of the assigned guest room. The code is this I
C written on the electrical stripe formed on the credit card.

The customer unlocks the door by having the magnetic card league of the card lock device read this magnetic stripe.

fg) Effects of the Invention According to this invention, the key code is stored on the magnetic stripe at the same time as the check-in procedure using an IC credit card, so there is no need to receive a new card key. This has the advantage that the customer does not have to process an unnecessarily large number of cards, and card storage becomes easier.

In addition, for hotels that traditionally issue card keys, they can save on card costs because they no longer need to issue a card for each customer, and they can save staff time by saving them the trouble of replenishing cards in automatic check-in devices. It can be reduced.

(h) Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a hotel management system that is an embodiment of the present invention. This system is mainly composed of a host computer 3 that performs customer management and guest room management, and an external storage device 5 in which various files are stored. This host computer 3 has an I10 port 7.
8 is connected to the I10 port 7, and a plurality of customer operating terminal devices 1 and 4: i, which are operated by the counter staff, are connected to the I10 port 7, where customers check in by inserting their credit cards. has been done. Further, the customer operation terminal device 1 and the staff terminal device 2 are each connected to the tally center 4 via a terminal controller 6. On the other hand, a card lock device 9 that controls locking and unlocking of each guest room door is connected online to the I10 port 8. The host computer 3 uses the card lock device 9 to unlock the door. The card lock device 9 notifies the host computer 3 of any unauthorized unlocking, etc. Furthermore, the external storage device 5 is set with reservation files for each guest room.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control section of the customer operation terminal device 1. As shown in FIG. The microphone computer 11, which is a control device, includes an IC card league l2 for accepting IC credit cards and exchanging data, and a magnetic card reader for writing a key code on the magnetic stripe formed on the surface of the IC credit card. Writer 13. Display device 14 for displaying the room number, accommodation fee, etc. assigned to the customer checking in. A printer 15 for printing credit transaction slips etc. and a host computer interface 16 for communicating with the host computer 3. A credit center interface 17 for communicating with the credit center 4 is connected.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control section of the card lock device 9. A microcomputer 21 that is a control device includes a hunt scanner 22 that scans a card key. A solenoid drive unit 23 that drives a solenoid 24 for unlocking the door, a door sensor 25 that detects opening/closing of the door, and a host computer interface 26 for communicating with the host computer 3 are connected.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the IC credit card. The IC credit card 30 includes an IC 32 that is stored inside the card and stores credit data, etc.
In addition to an IC terminal 33 formed on the surface of the C32, a magnetic stripe 31 is formed at the same position as a normal magnetic card. A key code storage area 31a is set on this magnetic stripe 31 to store a key code.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operations of the customer operation terminal device 1 and the host computer 3 when a customer checks in by operating the customer operation terminal device 1.

The figure is a flowchart showing the operation of the customer operation terminal device 1. Step nl (hereinafter referred to as “step ni”)
When an IC credit card is inserted at the "ni"), the card data is read (n2), and it is determined in n3 whether or not this customer has made a reservation.This determination is made by the customer using key personnel, etc. If the reservation has been made, proceed to n15, and if the reservation has not been made, proceed to n4.

At n4, the host computer 3 is inquired as to whether there is a vacant room, and at n5, a reply message is received. If the host computer 3 has temporarily reserved a vacant room, the process proceeds to n7 based on the judgment at n6, and otherwise, the process proceeds to n17. At n17, the display 14 displays that there is no vacancy, the card is ejected (n14), and the operation ends. If a temporary hold is made on a vacant room, a line is connected to a credit center and a credit card inquiry is made (n7). To receive a reply message from the credit center (n8), if the credit is OK, proceed to nlO, otherwise proceed to n18, notify the host computer of the fact, and display the display indicating that the credit is not accepted. Go to n14.

At nlO, a message indicating that the credit is OK is sent to the host computer, and a key code is received from the host computer (nll). This key code and n5
The room number, etc., received at This is a flowchart showing the operation.When a message is received from a customer operation terminal device (n21), it is determined in n22 whether the customer is a reserved customer.If the customer is a reserved customer, the process is likely to proceed to n31. If not, proceed to n23.

At n23, it is determined whether or not there is a vacancy by referring to the reservation file, and if there is no vacancy, at n34, a notification that there is no vacancy is sent to the customer operation terminal device 1, and the operation ends. . On the other hand, if there is a vacant room, we will temporarily hold the vacant room n2
4) Notify the customer operation terminal device l of the room number (n25). At n26, a credit inquiry result message is received from the customer operation terminal device 1, and if the credit is OK, a key code for unlocking the temporarily held card lock device of the guest room is determined and registered (n28). Notify this key code etc. to the terminal device n29), and notify the key code to the card lock device of the guest room (
n30) Finish the operation. If credit is not possible, the process proceeds to nj5 based on the judgment at n27, cancels the temporary hold (n35), and ends the operation.

On the other hand, if the customer who made the inquiry was a reserved customer, n31
Search for the reservation file, determine and register the room number and key code (n32), notify them to the terminal device (n33), and proceed to n30.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the card lock device. When the key code is received from the host computer 3 at n40, this key code is set as the key code for canceling the card rotation (n41). n42
Wait until the card key (IC credit card) is scanned, and when the card key is scanned by the hand scanner 22, the key code stored on the magnetic stripe is read (n43) and the key code set in n41 is read. Determine whether it matches the key code.If it matches, drive the solenoid 24 to release the lock.
45), - degree door is opened until the door is closed n46. Wait on n47. - Once the door is opened and closed, the door is locked again (n48), and the process returns to n42 to wait until the next card scan. If the key codes do not match in n44, the process returns to n42. Of course, this card lock device can be opened and closed manually from inside the room.

The magnetic card writer 13 and n12 correspond to the "means for writing a predetermined key code on a magnetic stripe" of the present invention.

In this way, in this hotel management system, each time the customer of each guest room changes, a new key code is generated by the host computer and set in the card lock device and the customer's IC credit card. As a result, the security of the guest room can be maintained, and since there is no need to issue a dedicated card to each customer, costs can be reduced and customers do not need to carry unnecessary cards.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a hotel management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control section of a customer operation terminal device used in the hotel management system, and FIG. A block diagram of a control unit of a card lock device used in a hotel management system; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an IC credit card used in the hotel management system; FIGS. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit of the customer operation terminal device and a flowchart showing the operation of the post computer when the customer operation terminal device is operated to check in. FIG. 6 shows the operation of the card lottery device. It is a flowchart. 1-Customer operation terminal device, 3-Host computer, 9-Card lock device, 13-Magnetic card reader/writer, 3O-IC credit card, 31-Magnetic drive, 31a-Key code storage area.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An IC credit card with a magnetic stripe on its surface, a card lock device that has a magnetic card reader and unlocks when a key code is input from the card reader, and accepts the IC credit card for check-in. An automatic check-in system comprising: an automatic check-in machine having means for processing the card and writing the key code on the magnetic stripe of the card after the processing;