WO2001022375A1

WO2001022375A1 - Portable teller machine and banking method thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2001022375A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/001031
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hyun-Jun Cho
Original assignee: Hana Bank
Priority date: 1999-09-17
Filing date: 2000-09-09
Publication date: 2001-03-29
Also published as: KR20010028054A; AU7041600A

Abstract

A portable teller machine which enables one to deposit or withdraw cash in a card member store where a teller machine is not installed and banking method therefor are provided. The portable teller machine includes a terminal device for reading card information which is then inquired by a host system through a predetermined network, the terminal device including a liquid crystal output unit for displaying the card information inquired, and an information input means for inputting information using letters or numbers in order to process a card desired to be inquired by the host system through the terminal device. Based on information input from the information input means, the card information is exchanged between the account of the card and the account of a member store of the card, both of which are opened in the host system, and the result of exchanging the card information is displayed on the liquid crystal output unit. Thus, the portable teller machine permits depositing and withdrawal of cash in a card member store which is in communication with a host system using a wired or wireless interconnection without visiting a bank. Furthermore, the portable teller machine eliminates a need for maintaining at least a predetermined amount of cash, securing personnel for carrying cash, and managing a cash dispenser (CD), which thereby facilitates depositing and withdrawal of cash and reduces all the costs rendered therein.

Description

PORTABLE TELLER MACHINE AND BANKING METHOD THEREOF

Technical Field

The invention relates to a portable teller machine and banking method therefor, and more particularly, to a portable teller machine which allows one to deposit and withdraw cash in a card member store at which a teller machine is not installed, and banking method therefor.

Background Art A teller machine refers to a machine at a bank branch or outdoor arbitrary locations which enables a customer to withdraw or deposit funds from or into a customer's account by using card or bankbook. Conventional teller machines include a cash dispenser (CD), and allow a user to designate a amount to be withdrawn or deposited and withdraw or deposit the cash equivalent to the desired amount from or into the user's bank account via the CD.

However, conventional teller machines suffer from a problem in that, if a cash amount is short, they need to sense the shortage of cash amount and make up the short amount to always hold a predetermined amount of cash so that the user may obtain cash at any time. Furthermore, if the held amount of cash is consumed, a high level of personnel labor and security is required in order to safely carry and place cash from a center to the location at which the teller machine in question is installed. Accordingly, all the costs rendered in teller machines are increased.

Disclosure of the Invention

To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable teller machine which enables a user to deposit and withdraw cash through a card query unit in a card member store having the card query unit connected to a communication network and banking method therefor

Accordingly, to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a portable teller machine which includes a terminal device for reading card information which is then inquired by a host system through a predetermined network, the terminal device including a liquid crystal output unit for displaying the card information inquired, and an information input means for inputting information using letters or numbers in order to process a card desired to be inquired by the host system through the terminal device Based on information input from the information input means, the card information is exchanged between the account of the card and the account of a member store of the card, both of which are opened in the host system, and the result of exchanging the card information is displayed on the liquid crystal output unit Preferably, the information input means contains at least one of a keyboard and a pin pad Preferably, the terminal device is a point of sale device, a card query device, or a communication terminal device equivalent thereto, all of which are connected to a predetermined network to enable a wired or wireless communication.

Preferably, the portable teller machine further includes at least one of a security unit, provided between the terminal device and the predetermined network, for scrambling information exchanged with the predetermined network so that information processed in the terminal device may be kept secure, and a connection unit to which an external device is connected so that the card information of the terminal device may be exchanged with the external device.

The present invention also provides a banking method for a portable teller machine used in processing a card in a card member store connected to a host system via a predetermined network. The banking method includes the steps of reading the card in a terminal device according to the request of a cardholder, entering information needed for processing the card, and inquiring information concerning a card account of the cardholder, a predetermined amount of cash being offered to the cardholder by a manager of the card member store, or to the manager of the card member store by the cardholder, according to the request of the cardholder based on the information query of the card account of the cardholder, and transferring an amount of money equivalent to the predetermined amount of cash between the card account of the cardholder and an account of the manager.

Preferably, the terminal device for reading the cardholder's card is a point of sale device, a card query device, and a communication terminal device equivalent thereto, all of which are connected to a predetermined network to enable a wired or wireless communication.

The present invention also provides a banking method for a portable teller machine, which includes the steps of a cardholder designating a predetermined card member store and requesting a transfer of a predetermined amount of cash between an account of the cardholder and an account of the predetermined card member store, using phone banking services, inquiring the cardholder's card in a predetermined terminal device connected to a predetermined network through a host system based on the result of a transfer request to the predetermined card member store, and according to the request of the cardholder, a predetermined amount of cash being offered to the cardholder by a manager of the card member store or to the manager of the card member store by the card holder according to the query result through the host system, and transferring an amount of money equivalent to a predetermined amount of cash between an account of the cardholder and an account of the card member store.

Preferably, the terminal device for reading the cardholder's card is a point of sale device, a card query device, or a communication terminal device equivalent thereto, all of which are connected to a predetermined network to enable a wired or wireless communication. Each terminal device for reading the cardholder's card has a unique address and one of the terminal devices is selected by selecting the unique address by the cardholder who uses phone banking services, which enables exchanges of the account information of the manager of the selected terminal device and the account information of the cardholder.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a portable teller machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the portable teller machine of FIG. 1 ; and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a portable teller machine according to another embodiment of the invention.

Best mode for carrying out the Invention

Referring to FIG. 1 , a portable teller machine according to the invention includes a terminal device 100, which is a terminal means, and the terminal device 100 includes a security unit 10, a connection unit 40, a card query unit 20, and an input unit 30.

The security unit 10 provided between the card query unit 20 and a network 3 descramble or scramble information exchanged with a network so that information processed in the card query unit 20 is kept secure to achieve information security. The connection unit 40 is a connecting port connected so that the information processed in the card query unit 20 may be exchanged with an external device such as another computer system or printer. The card query unit 20 may exchange information with other computer systems connected via the connection unit 40 or output information through a printer.

The card query unit 20 includes a magnetic stripe 21 and a liquid crystal (LC) output unit 23. A card is inserted in the magnetic stripe 20 to read card information while moving in a predetermined direction such as an arrow direction. The read information passes through the security unit 10 and the network 3 to a host system 1 at which an query on the information is made. The resultant query information is output as letters in the LC output unit 23. As another embodiment, a radio frequency (RF) card reader which exchanges information by the card contacting a receiving unit or a chip card reader having an integrated circuit (IC) which reads the card stored in the IC can be used as the magnetic stripe 21.

The input unit 30 includes at least either a keyboard (K/B) or a pin pad containing keys for entering letters and numbers so that auxiliary information concerning a card to be inquired by the host computer may be entered. In this case, the keyboard is a keyboard used for a general card query device, and the pin pad contains arabic numbers to be used for banking.

The operation of a portable teller machine according to the invention with reference to FIG. 2 which is a flowchart showing a banking method for a portable teller machine. First, at the request of a user using a card in a card member store, a card is read in the terminal device 100 connected to the network 3, and care information required for processing the card is entered through the input unit 30. Then, information concerning a user's card account is inquired through the host system 1 (step 52).

In this case, the terminal device 100 is described as an embodiment, instead of which either a point of sale (POS) terminal connected to a predetermined communication network for a wired or wireless communication, or another communication terminal device equivalent thereto may be used in another embodiment. For example, a communication terminal device, which is in communication with the host system 1 using wired or wireless interconnections, enters card information by pressing buttons or reading a card through a card reader to effect inter- account transfers.

Thus, one who is authorized to use the communication terminal device, such as a manager of a communication terminal device of a card member store or a bank employee who handles inter-account transfers, may process deposits or withdrawal of cash in a card member store or visit a user's home with a wireless communication terminal device so as to enable deposits and withdrawal of cash according to the request of the user.

In other words, a user can withdraw or deposit cash from or into his/her own account in a card member store such as supermarkets or convenient stores which are at a short distance from the user's home without the need for visiting a bank. Thus, this prevents a cumbersome work of visiting a bank for bill payment of public charges such as electric power consumption taxes or water expenses, depositing of cash, or withdrawal of cash including cash advances obtained with a debit or credit card. Instead of doing so, in order to withdraw a predetermined amount of cash from a card account owned by himself/herself or deposit a predetermined amount of cash into a card account, a user who uses a card member store can visit a card member store at a short distance from home, and inquires a card.

Then, according to the request of the user based on the inquired card account information, a manager of the card member store offers a predetermined amount of cash to the user or the user gives a predetermined amount of cash to the manager (step 54). An item of value equivalent to the predetermined amount of cash may be offered in exchange for money. For example, in case of lending a video tape in a video lending store or purchasing rice or groceries in supermarkets or convenient stores, money may be transferred from a purchaser's account to a card account of a card member store in exchange for the item of value. If the step 54 of offering a predetermined amount of cash is complete in this way, an amount of money equivalent to the predetermined amount of cash offered may be transferred between a user's account and a manager's account (step 56). If a transaction for a predetermined amount of cash or item of value are made in this way, cash equivalent thereto is transferred. For example, if the user visits a card member store in order to deposit cash in his/her own account, and offers a predetermined amount of cash to a manager of the card member store, the manager owns the offered cash and instead transfer an amount of money equivalent thereto from his own account to the user's account. As a consequence, the user can deposit cash in his/her own account in a card member store without visiting a bank.

Furthermore, if the user withdraws cash from his/her own account, the manager of the card member gives a predetermined amount of cash owned or held by himself to the user, and then transfers the amount of cash offered from the user's account to his account. In this case, the user can be confirmed through LC output unit 23 of the terminal device 100 that the inter-account transfer is made.

As a consequence, since the depositing and withdrawal of cash are made in the terminal device 100 which communicates with the host system 1 through a wired or wireless interconnection or in a card member store having the terminal device 100, the user does not need to visit a bank whenever cash depositing and withdrawal or bill payment of public charges are required. Also, the user can purchase goods without money in a supermarket or convenient store which is a card member store near home.

Furthermore, a manager of the terminal device 100 using a wireless link may go on a business trip if depositing and withdrawal of cash is desired in a bank or a card member store. That is, the manager visits the user's home with the terminal device 100 to handle the desired depositing and withdrawal of cash.

A portable teller machine according to another embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 3 which is a flowchart showing the operation thereof. This embodiment is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in that the user designates a card member store desired at user's home using phone banking services and visits the designated card member store to deposit and withdraw cash or make a purchase of goods without money. Thus, the following description of another embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will focus on the difference. First, the user designates a predetermined card member store through phone banking services and requests transfer of a predetermined amount of cash between his/her own account and the account of the card member store (step 60). Specifically, the user designates a unique address to select a card member store through phone banking services using a computer system available at user's home or a cellular phone, which is a portable telephone, either of which is connected to a predetermined communication network such as the Internet, and requests a transfer of a predetermined amount of cash between his/her own account and the account of the designated card member store.

For example, if the user desires to withdraw or deposit a predetermine amount of cash from or into his/her own account without visiting a bank, first, the user selects a supermarket near the user's home as a card member store by designating a unique address assigned on his/her phone banking services. The user then requests depositing and withdrawal of a predetermined amount of cash in a card member store selected using phone banking services.

Next, based on the result of requesting cash transfer in the step 60, and according the request of a cardholder who uses a card in a card member store, a card information query is made through the host system 1 in the terminal device 100 connected to the network 3 (step 62).

After selecting a card member store by designating a unique address of the terminal device 100 to request depositing and withdrawal of a predetermined amount of cash in the step 60, the user visits the selected card member store to make an query on the user's card in the terminal device 100 of the card member store. Then, at the request of the user based on the inquired card account information, a manager of the card member store offers a predetermined amount of cash to the user or the user offers a predetermined amount of cash to the manager (step 64). When the step 64 of offering the predetermined amount of cash is complete, an amount of money equivalent thereto is transferred between the user's account and the manager's account (step 66).

Furthermore, since a plurality of terminal devices each have a unique address, the unique address is selected by the user who uses phone banking services to select one of the plurality of terminal devices, which 5 enables exchanges of the account information of a manager of the selected terminal device and the account information of the user. For example, since a card member store having a terminal device is designated, convenience of inter-account transfers is increased by selecting a member store of a card confirmed to hold cash or a card member store in which to purchase ιo goods. While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 5

Industrial Applicability

A portable teller machine according to the invention permits depositing and withdrawal of cash or payment of public charges through a card member store, which is at a short distance from user's home compared o to a bank, thus increasing convenience of depositing and withdrawal of cash while eliminating a need for visiting a bank.

Furthermore, a portable teller machine according to the invention allows the user to withdraw cash which is run or held by a card member store such as a supermarket or a convenient store having a terminal device 5 to which the portable teller machine is applied. Thus, this eliminates a need to maintain at least a predetermined amount of cash at any time, to secure persons for carrying cash, and to manage CD, thus significantly reducing all the costs rendered in the teller machine.

Furthermore, in case where cash held by a card member store is o below a specific amount of cash such that the card member store cannot provide banking services to the user, the user cannot only use another card member store near home, but also use only a card without money like cash in a card member store.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A portable teller machine comprising: a terminal device for reading card information which is then inquired by a host system through a predetermined network, the terminal device including a liquid crystal output unit for displaying the card information inquired; and an information input means for inputting information using letters or numbers in order to process a card desired to be inquired by the host system through the terminal device; wherein, based on information input from the information input means, the card information is exchanged between the account of the card and the account of a member store of the card, both of which are opened in the host system, and the result of exchanging the card information is displayed on the liquid crystal output unit.

2. The portable teller machine of claim 1 , wherein the information input means contains at least one of a keyboard and a pin pad.

3. The portable teller machine of claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is a point of sale device, a card query device, or a communication terminal device equivalent thereto, all of which are connected to a predetermined network to enable a wired or wireless communication.

4. The portable teller machine of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a security unit, provided between the terminal device and the predetermined network, for scrambling information exchanged with the predetermined network so that information processed in the terminal device may be kept secure, and a connection unit to which an external device is connected so that the card information of the terminal device may be exchanged with the external device.

5. A banking method for a portable teller machine used in processing a card in a card member store connected to a host system via a predetermined network, the banking method comprising the steps of: reading the card in a terminal device according to the request of a cardholder, entering information needed for processing the card, and inquiring information concerning a card account of the cardholder; a predetermined amount of cash being offered to the cardholder by a manager of the card member store, or to the manager of the card member store by the cardholder, according to the request of the cardholder based on the information query of the card account of the cardholder; and transferring an amount of money equivalent to the predetermined amount of cash between the card account of the cardholder and an account of the manager.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the terminal device for reading the cardholder's card is a point of sale device, a card query device, or a communication terminal device equivalent thereto, all of which are connected to a predetermined network to enable a wired or wireless communication.

7. A banking method for a portable teller machine, the banking method comprising the steps of: a cardholder designating a predetermined card member store and requesting a transfer of a predetermined amount of cash between an account of the cardholder and an account of the predetermined card member store, using phone banking services; inquiring the cardholder's card in a predetermined terminal device connected to a predetermined network through a host system based on the result of a transfer request to the predetermined card member store, and according to the request of the cardholder; a predetermined amount of cash being offered to the cardholder by a manager of the card member store or to the manager of the card member store by the card holder according to the query result through the host system; and transferring an amount of money equivalent to a predetermined amount of cash between an account of the cardholder and an account of the card member store.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the terminal device for reading the cardholder's card is a point of sale device, a card query device, or a communication terminal device equivalent thereto, all of which are connected to a predetermined network to enable a wired or wireless communication.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each terminal device for reading the cardholder's card has a unique address and one of the terminal devices is selected by selecting the unique address by the cardholder who uses phone banking services, which enables exchanges of the account information of the manager of the selected terminal device and the account information of the cardholder.