WO2002091277A1

WO2002091277A1 - Credit terminal system and method for writing out an account entry based on the card sale data

Info

Publication number: WO2002091277A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000659
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sam-Mook Yoo
Original assignee: Sejeon Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2001-04-11
Filing date: 2002-04-11
Publication date: 2002-11-14
Also published as: KR20020080059A

Abstract

The invention relates to a credit check reader, and in particular to a system that the approved credit card transaction data can be transferred to a specified computer system. The card check reader of the invention includes a first memory for storing sales data resulting from the credit card transaction, a storage method of approved credit card sales data at the above mentioned memory, a method that the credit card sales data can be analyzed according to the order of transfer and the transfer information can be generated in the combination of the sales data and the identification of member shop, and the method of trasfer of the above information to a specified computer system through communication networks.

Description

CREDIT TERMINAL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WRITING OUT

AN ACCOUNT ENTRY BASED ON THE CARD SALE DATA

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a credit card check reader, and

more particularly, to a credit card check reader which can transmit

approved transaction information to a specified computer system. Also,

the present invention relates to a method specialized in managing

accounting affairs of a specified enterpriser on the basis of the sales data

by means of a credit card.

Background of the Art

In general, a credit card check service system is referred to a

system which receives information from a banking institution or a credit

card company via a communication line and then checks the credit state

of the corresponding credit card for which transactions are requested. A

credit card check reader used in such a credit card check reader system

is disclosed in, for example, the published Korean patent No. 92- 10483. The credit card check reader disclosed in the aforementioned,

published Korean patent No. 92-10483 comprises: a one-chip

microprocessor in which RS-232C, ROM and RAM are embedded, and for

controlling external circuits; a display for receiving data from the

microprocessor and then displaying the operation state of the credit card

check reader; a head for reading a magnetic card and converting the data

into electric signals to apply them to the microprocessor; a buzzer for

audibly indicating the operation state of the credit card check reader

which operation is controlled by the microprocessor; a keyboard having a

matrix structure and for applying data to the microprocessor; a modem

circuit for modulating/demodulating the data input from the

microprocessor and a receive/send part during communication; a

receive/send part which can send/receive signals from the modem circuit

to a telephone line or other terminal, having a matching trans function

required for sending data and for protecting internal circuits from

overvoltage and overcurrent; and a relay for carrying out line connection

control between the credit card check reader and a telephone line under

the control of the microprocessor. Also, in addition to the aforementioned prior art, the open Korean

patent publication Nos. 99-80102 and 99-66397, the registered Korean

patent publication Nos. 10-216363 and 10-207596 disclose credit card

check reader having various functions.

Any prior art described above, however, does not have the

function that the transaction information (i.e., sales data) approved

through a credit card check reader is automatically transmitted to a

specified computer system when a transmission event is generated, as in

the present invention.

Systems and methods for managing accounting data of an

enterprise or a person are proposed, using a computer network such as

the Internet as communication protocols based on the World Wide Web

develops.

In particular, the Korean open patent publication No. 2000- 17897

discloses a system and method for managing an Internet accounting

database which allows accounting related data to be input and the results

related to accounting management data to be output from a database

server, using web pages on a data network such as the Internet or Intranet applications, etc.

In the prior art, however, a user or a person in charge of

accounting in a company must directly input accounting related data to

the accounting database management system through an Internet access

tool such as a personal computer. In particular, if the person who inputs

the data is not a specialist in accounting or taxation affairs, he does not

know whether the data he input is correct, and thus feels anxious.

Therefore, the on-line accounting management system is not actively

used at present.

On the contrary, an enterpriser who intends to request the

accounting book preparation service to a taxation/accounting specialist

(i.e., a licensed tax accountant, accountant, or staff in a

taxation/accounting office) has to deliver sales data and purchase data in

a corresponding business place in every settlement period to the

taxation/accounting specialist. If he requests the accounting entry

service to a taxation/accounting specialist, he has to pay a given amount

of money to the taxation/accounting specialist in every month but the

rates are significantly high. If a taxation/accounting specialist secures a stable amount of

accounting entry affairs that can be handled in his office in every month,

the rates can be minimized for a customer. In particular, if the business

types of customers handled by a specified taxation/accounting specialist

are identical or similar, the effort required for handling accounting entry

affairs is halved, so that service rates can be more lowered.

Therefore, it is preferred to provide an accounting program that

achieves easy preparation of an accounting book using an information

system such as the Internet, wherein direct preparation of the accounting

book is entrusted to a taxation/accounting specialist.

It is more preferred that preparation of an accounting book is

entrusted but the enterpriser can save the trouble that he should directly

deliver the sales data and purchase data to a taxation/accounting

specialist in every settlement period.

If an enterpriser searches a taxation/accounting specialist

respectively and request the accounting management service, he will be

in an adverse position that he has to accept the service rates presented

by a taxation/accounting office. Therefore, if enterprisers (particularly, it is more preferable that

they are located in the same area or do the same type of business) who

want to need the accounting entry service are combined into a group and

all of them entrust the entire accounting entry affairs to one

taxation/accounting office, it is possible to minimize the service rates.

Disclosure of the Invention

The invention was conceived by the request of the

aforementioned enterprisers and taxation/accounting specialists.

It is a first object of the invention to provide a credit card check

reader which can automatically transmit sales data approved by a credit

card company to a specified computer system in charge of accounting

management.

It is a second object of the invention to provide a new method for

providing the on-line accounting entry service which can satisfy both of

enterprisers and taxation/accounting specialists.

Another objects and advantages of the invention will be described

hereinafter, and will be known by the embodiments of the invention. Objects and advantages of the invention may also be embodied by the

means and combinations thereof, disclosed in the claims appended.

Brief Description of Drawings

Since the following drawings appended in this specification

illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and will serve to teach

more the technical spirit of the invention together with the detailed

description of the invention as will be described, the invention should not

be limited to and construed only as depicted in the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows schematically a block configuration of a credit card

settlement system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a block configuration of a credit card check reader

according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows a flow chart to illustrate a credit card settlement

approval process made by means of a credit card check reader of the

invention.

Fig.4 is a flow chart to illustrate a process to transmit sales data

to a service server, using the credit card check reader of the invention. Fig.5 shows a business configuration of the invention for providing

the accounting entry service to a member shop through a virtual

accounting office.

Fig.6 shows a block configuration of a service server for

providing the accounting entry service.

Fig.7 is an overall flow chart of an accounting entry service

process according to one preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figs.8 and 9 are flow charts to illustrate an increasing or

partitioning process of a virtual accounting office according to the

present invention.

Best mode for carrying out the Invention

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be

described in detail with referenced to the appended drawings.

Prior to the description, it should be noted that terms and words

used in the description and claims must not be limited and interpreted to

be typical or literal, and should be construed as the meaning and concept

conforming to the technical spirit of the invention on the basis that the inventor can define the concept of the terms and words to describe the

invention in a best way.

Accordingly, since the embodiments described in the present

invention and configurations shown the drawings are the most preferred

embodiments only and do not represent all of technical spirit of the

invention, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents

and modification examples that may replace them at the time of

application of the present invention.

A. Credit card check reader

First, referring to Figs. 1 to 4, configurations and functions of a

credit card check reader according to a preferred embodiment of the

present invention are described.

Fig.l shows a credit card settlement system according to the

present invention. As shown in the figure, the credit card check reader

100 provided in a member shop of each card company is connected to

the corresponding credit card company 300 or a service server 400

which provides the accounting management service through a modem

101 to transmit settlement data for a used amount and approved sales data.

That is, if a user presents his credit card 500 for settling a used

amount, the credit card check reader 100 reads a credit card number

proper recorded thereon and inputs the amount for settlement with the

key input 150, and then the result of approval/reject about whether

settlement can be made or not is transmitted to the PSTN 200 through

the modem 101.

The credit card company 300 checks that the requested amount

can be settled by the corresponding credit card on the basis of the card

number proper and the settlement amount information transmitted

through the PSTN 200.

If, as a result of checking, the corresponding credit card 500 is of

poor credit or a lost/stolen card or exceeds the limit for settlement, the

company 300 notifies the credit card check reader 100 of the result of

disapproval. If the corresponding card can be normally used, the

company 300 gives the credit card check reader 100 a settlement signal

and an approval number.

If an approval number is given for the settlement request, the credit card check reader 100 prints settlement details by means of the

printer 190 while storing the settlement details in the internal memory of

the credit card check reader.

Fig.2 shows a configuration of the credit card check reader

according to one preferred embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the figure, the credit card check reader 100

according to the present invention comprises a central processing unit

(CPU) 110, a display 160, ROM 170, RAM 180, a printer 190, a modem

101, a memory 120, a card reader 130, a power supply 140 and key input

unit 150.

The memory 120 also comprises a proper number storage 121 of

a member shop, a sales data storage 122 and a location information

storage 123.

The CPU 110 comprises a settlement approval processing module

111 and a data transmission module 116, wherein the data transmission

module 116 comprises a sales data storage 112, a transmitted sales data

creator 113, a communication controller 114 and a data transmitter 115.

The CPU 110 wholly controls each part of the credit card check reader 100, and also executes the settlement approval processing routine

(see Fig.3) and the data transmission routine (see Fig.4) as described

below, according to the programs loaded from the ROM 170.

Functions and configurations of the settlement approval

processing module 111 for executing the settlement approval processing

routine and the data transmission module 116 for executing the data

transmission routine are described below with reference to Figs.3 and 4.

The ROM (Read Only Memory) 170 stores a program for the

settlement approval processing routine and the data transmission routine

of the CPU 110. The RAM (Random Access Memory) 180 temporarily

stores the information of the CPU which is generated in processing

settlement approval or data transmission as described previously.

The memory 120 is connected to the CPU 110 and stores a proper

number of a member shop (i.e., enterpriser identification information),

approved sales data, location information (IP address) of a specified

computer system, etc. The memory 120 is preferably constituted by a

nonvolatile memory so that stored information can not be lost although

power is not supplied. In particular, the sales data storage 122 stores sales data (i.e.,

sales date, sales amount, etc.) of the transaction for which settlement

approval is obtained from a credit card company. The location

information storage 123 stores the location information of a specified

computer system to which are transmitted the sales data. The specified

computer system may be a server computer which provides the

accounting management service or a computer of a taxation/accounting

specialist.

The proper number of a member shop 121 is a code given to each

enterpriser to identify enterprisers who are provided with a credit card

check reader according to the present invention.

The key input unit 150 is connected to the CPU 110 and

provides keys with which a user inputs settlement amount and

information for checking credit state of the corresponding credit card. In

particular, the key input unit 150 according to the invention is provided

with a transmission key to create commands to indicate transmission of

the approved sales data stored in the memory 120 to a specified

computer system and to transmit the commands to the data transmission module 116 of the CPU 110.

The display 160 is connected to the CPU 110 and indicates credit

check progress state and the results by displaying them on an LCD

screen under the control of the CPU 110.

The card reader 130 is connected to the CPU 110, reads out and

applies the magnetic data recorded on the credit card to the CPU 110.

The power supply 140 supplies driving power to each part

constituting the credit card check reader.

The modem 101 provides a connection port to a Value-Added

Network (VAN) or a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN),

modulates/demodulates signals input/output through the connection port,

the connection port to the VAN being a main wire, and in addition, has a

connection port which uses the main wire with a telephone network

The printer 190 prints and issues slips to a credit card user.

The process to approve transactions by means of a credit card

and transmit sales data using the credit card check reader with the

aforementioned configuration is described in detail with reference to Figs.

3 and 4. First, with reference to Fig.3, the settlement approval processing

routine is described. When a credit card owner presents his credit card

to pay a price for purchasing a product or using a service, the

enterpriser reads out a credit card number of the corresponding card by

means of the card reader 130 of the credit card check reader 100 (Sll).

After completing reading the credit card number, the enterpriser

inputs settlement amount through the key input unit of the credit card

check reader. (S12)

When the card number and settlement amount is input, the credit

card check reader is dial-connected to the system in a credit card

company via a PSTN or VAN (S13).

During dial-connection to the system in the credit card company,

approval request information such as the credit card number and

settlement amount is transferred to the system of the credit card

company through the modem, and then the system in the credit card

company decides whether to approve the transaction (S14).

In this case, if reasons for rejecting the approval such as poor

credit rating or a lost/stolen card are found, a No Approval message is notified on the display of the credit card check reader (S15, S16)

On the contrary, if settlement of the corresponding transaction

can be approved, the system in the credit card company provides a

settlement approval signal and an approval number to the credit card

check reader (S15, S17).

As such, when an approval number is provided from the system of

the credit card company, the sales data storage 112 extracts sales date

and sales amount data among the transaction information which approval

was obtained, and stores the data in the sales data storage 122 of the

memory 120 (S18).

The printer in the credit card check reader prints out the

transaction information for which an approval number is given in a

receipt and slip form (S19).

As a result of repeating the process in Fig.3, a lot of sales data

are stored in the sales data storage 122 of the memory 120. When many

data are stored, the credit card check reader executes the data

transmission routine shown in Fig.4 while generating transmission events.

That is, the transmitted sales data creator 113 in the credit card check reader checks that a transmission event (or a transmission

command) exists (S21), and also checks that sales data to be transmitted

exists in the sales data storage 122 if the transmission event is found

(S22).

The transmission event may be created by touching a

transmission key of the key input unit, or created in every given period

according to a programmed cycle. The transmission event may be given

from the specified computer system. (That is, it may be decided that a

transmission command exists as a transmission request is transferred to

the credit card check reader from the specified computer system).

In this case, if sales data to be transmitted exists in the sales data

storage, the communication controller reads the location information of

the specified computer system (or service server) from the location

information storage of the memory (S23).

After reading the location information, the communication

controller is dial-connected to the service server, using the location

information (S24).

On the other hand, if sales data to be transmitted exists in step S22, the transmitted sales data creator 113 reads the proper number of

the member shop (i.e., enterpriser identification information) and sales

data from the memory 120 (S25).

The proper number of the member shop and sales data read out as

such is combined to create transmitted sales data (S26).

When the transmitted sales data is created, the data transmitter

115 transmits the transmitted sales data to the service server dial-

connected thereto (S27).

The service server which receives the transmitted sales data from

the credit card check reader sends a message which says that the

transmitted sales data was safely received to the credit card check

reader, and then the display of the credit card check reader displays this

message on the LCD screen (S28).

B. Remote accounting management using a virtual accounting office

Hereinafter, with reference to Figs. 5 to 9, a remote accounting

management method is described in detail using a credit card check

reader according to the present invention.

First, a business flow chart for a remote accounting management method according to the present invention is shown in Fig.5.

Referring to the figure, an accounting management service

provider is indicated as a service server 2000, an enterpriser as a

member shop 1000 and a taxation/accounting specialist as an accounting

office 3000. The service provider may be a person who manufactures

and sells the aforementioned credit card check reader according to the

present invention.

First, the service provider visits a business place which requires

credit card transactions, installs the credit card check reader and enters

an agreement for entrusting accounting entry affairs in addition. Herein,

the term entrust agreement is referred to an agreement for accounting

entry affairs between a virtual accounting office 2500, which a service

provider operates by on-line, and the enterpriser. It is also possible that

the enterpriser directly visits the web page of the service server 2000

and then enters into the agreement by on-line.

When the entrust agreement is concluded with a plurality of

enterprisers, the virtual accounting office 2500 secures many customers

naturally while installing the credit card check reader. The virtual accounting office 2500 then enters into an entrust agreement with an

actual taxation/accounting specialist (i.e., licensed tax accountant office,

accountant office) for accounting entry affairs again on the basis of

customers secured as such. Of course, it is also possible that the service

provider first enters into an entrust agreement with a plurality of

taxation/accounting specialists before securing enterprisers, creates

several virtual accounting offices 2500 corresponding to the capability of

each taxation/accounting specialist and then enters into an entrust

agreement with the enterprisers respectively.

As such, if a dual entrust agreement is entered between an actual

taxation/accounting office and a virtual accounting office, a virtual

accounting office and a plurality of enterprisers, the virtual accounting

office can provide the accounting entry service to each enterpriser and

accounting programs using the Application Service Provider (ASP) to the

taxation/accounting offices.

That is, a virtual accounting office 2500 secures sales data by

credit card settlement through a data communication network (online),

and secures, by off-line, purchase data and cash sales data such as tax bills and receipts and so on. When such basic data is secured for

accounting entry, the virtual accounting office 2500 provides on-line

sales data by means of credit cards to a cooperative accounting office

3000 and also provides off-line purchase data and cash sales data.

The accounting office 3000 which received the sales data by

means of credit cards, purchase data and cash sales data from the virtual

accounting office 2500 accesses to the virtual accounting office, enters

the sales data and purchase data based on the data (hereinafter, referred

to as accounting data) according to the accounting program provided by

the virtual accounting office to prepare an accounting entry book for a

specified enterpriser.

According to the business process of the invention, the virtual

accounting office can easily secure enterprisers as customers for

accounting affairs while installing the credit card check readers in

business places. It is possible that the virtual accounting office can

present minimum service rates to enterprisers.

This is because a virtual accounting office can request to lower

service rates to the actual accounting office by securing a large amount of affairs for accounting entry, a part of sales data is automatically

collected without intervention of a human and can be output to the actual

accounting office. Since the accounting programs can be provided to the

actual accounting office through the ASP, the load for the job of

accounting entry can be reduced.

Now, on the basis of the aforementioned business concept, the

on-line business process of the invention will be described in detail with

reference to Fig. 5. When the sales data including a proper number of a

member shop is transferred to the service server via the credit card

check reader of the invention, the service server searches the virtual

accounting office to which the corresponding member ship belongs (CD).

When searching of the virtual accounting office corresponding to

the relevant member shop is completed, the service server stores the

transmitted sales data to the searched virtual accounting office (i.e., in

the database of the virtual accounting office ( ).

The sales data by means of credit cards of a plurality of

enterprisers are accumulated in the virtual accounting office respectively

by repeating the aforementioned process. At the time of settlement, the service provider visits each business place, and then collects purchase

data and cash sales data ((H)).

When all of the purchase data and cash sales data are collected

from each business place as such, the purchase data and cash sales data

are delivered to at least one actual accounting office cooperative with

the corresponding virtual accounting office (©).

The actual accounting office to which the purchase data and cash

sales data are delivered accesses to the corresponding virtual

accounting office of the service server and executes the accounting

program.

While the accounting program is being executed, the sales data for

each enterpriser is output. The accounting office enters accounting data

for accounting entry on the basis of the purchase data and cash sales

data (©).

Initially, only one virtual accounting office exists but

automatically partitioned as the number of subscribed enterprisers

increases. If the number of subscribed enterprisers exceeds a given level,

the enterprisers are divided for each area to make local virtual accounting offices. It is also possible to make a virtual accounting office

for each business type.

As such, if the virtual accounting offices are classified for each

business type and the accounting entry affairs of the same business type

are entrusted to a cooperative accounting office with each virtual

accounting office, it will be naturally possible to specialize actual

accounting offices for each business type.

Hereinafter, a functional configuration of the service server is

described in detail with reference to Fig.6.

As shown in the figure, the service server 2000 comprises a

server engine 2100, a plurality of web pages 2200, a sales data receive

module 2850, a sales data storage module 2800, a virtual accounting

office management module 2900, a member shop database 2400, a virtual

accounting office database 2500, an actual accounting office database

2600 and an accounting program 2700.

The virtual accounting office management module 2900 comprises

a virtual accounting office increase part 2910, an area division part 2920,

a business type partition part 2930, and an accounting program support part 2940.

The server engine 2100 receives Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

(HTTP) requests for access to web pages 2200 identified by the URL,

and then provides web pages 2200 for various client systems (systems of

enterprisers and actual accounting offices), and provides platforms for

server-side programs such as a sales data receive module 2850, a sales

data storage module 2800 and a virtual accounting office management

module 2900 as described below.

The sales data receive module 2850 is a program module to

receive sales data including enterpriser identification information (proper

number of a member shop) from the credit card check reader 100

installed in the member shop, and to search a virtual accounting office to

which the corresponding enterpriser belongs from the member shop

database 2400, on the basis of the enterpriser identification information.

The sales data storage module 2800 stores the sales data to the

corresponding virtual accounting office of the virtual accounting office

database 2500 on the basis of the virtual accounting office search

information transferred from the sales data receive module 2850. The virtual accounting office management module 2900 promotes

connection between a virtual accounting office and an actual accounting

office, partitions and increases virtual accounting offices in which the

number of enterprisers increases above a given level, divides virtual

accounting offices by areas and business types, and supports accounting

programs so that staffs in the actual accounting office can easily prepare

accounting books.

The virtual accounting office increase part 2910 of the virtual

accounting office management module 2900 separates the enterprisers

into two groups and connects each virtual accounting office to an actual

accounting office corresponding to the number of enterprisers and the

scale thereof when the number of enterprisers who belong to a specific

virtual accounting office is above a given number. The scale of a virtual

accounting office must be similar to that of an actual accounting office.

The scale of the virtual accounting office must be kept such that the

actual accounting office can ensure minimum service rates.

That is, the virtual accounting office increase part 2910 always

searches the virtual accounting office database 2500 to check that a virtual accounting office in which the number of enterprisers exceeds a

given level exists, and partitions the virtual accounting office if the part

2910 finds a virtual accounting office in which the number of enterprisers

exceeds the given level. When a virtual accounting office is partitioned,

the virtual accounting increase part 2910 searches the actual accounting

office database 2600 and finds an actual accounting office that can be

connected to the partitioned virtual accounting office so that the actual

and virtual offices can cooperate together.

If there are a plurality of virtual accounting offices and there are

also a plurality of enterprisers subscribed to the virtual accounting

offices, the area division part 2920 separates the virtual accounting

offices by areas and reorganizes the virtual accounting offices. The area

division part 2920 searches a locally neighboring accounting office to the

divided virtual accounting offices from the accounting office database

2600 such that the virtual and actual offices can cooperate together, if

the virtual accounting office is locally divided. The part 2920 also

searches virtual accounting offices in each area and enterprisers in

neighboring areas to connect the enterprisers to local virtual accounting offices respectively, thus resulting in local connection of the enterprisers

and actual accounting offices in a natural way.

The business type partition part 2930 divides and reconstitutes

the virtual accounting offices by business types where there are several

virtual accounting offices and also a plurality of enterprisers who have

subscribed to those virtual accounting offices.

The business type partition part 2930 also searches the member

shop database 2400 to find enterprisers corresponding to the same or

similar business types as/to the virtual accounting offices of each type,

and connects the enterprisers to the virtual accounting offices of the

same or similar business type.

Therefore, since the virtual accounting offices partitioned by

business types and the cooperative actual accounting offices handle

accounting affairs of the enterprisers who are engaged in the same or

similar business type, resultant specialization may be achieved in a

natural way.

The accounting program support part 2940 supports accounting

programs with which specialized staffs in an actual accounting office can easily enter sales data and purchase data to prepare accounting books

when the staffs access to the virtual accounting offices.

The accounting programs are programs being employed in many

Internet accounting entry service sites.

The member shop database 2400 stores and manages such data as

the address, the business type and state, the proper number of a member

shop, conclusion of an entrust agreement with a virtual accounting office,

the business registration number, enterpriser's name, the name of the

member shop, the corresponding virtual accounting office, settlement

period and so on.

The virtual accounting office database 2500 may consist of a

plurality of virtual accounting office folders. In particular, the folders may

be sub-classified into a local virtual accounting office folder, a virtual

accounting office folder by business types and a general virtual

accounting office folder. Each sub-classified folder may have respective

virtual accounting office folders.

In the respective virtual accounting office folders is stored and

managed such information as the number of total enterprisers which belong to the virtual office, a cooperative actual accounting office, the

number of reference enterprisers, the sales data storage area for each

enterpriser, the accounting data storage area for each enterpriser and

the cyber accountants of the virtual accounting office.

The accounting office database 2600 stores and manages such

information as the address, the special type and the scale thereof,

cooperative virtual accounting offices, and the name thereof.

Referring to Fig.7, a process for preparing an on-line accounting

book for a specified enterpriser on the basis of the virtual accounting

office is described in detail.

If sales data including a proper number of a member shop is

transferred from a credit card check reader in a member shop (S710),

the sales data receive part decides if a virtual accounting office

corresponding to the proper number of the corresponding member shop

exists (S715). In this case, if the corresponding virtual accounting office

does not exist, the virtual accounting office management module

specifies an appropriate virtual accounting office, provided that an

entrust agreement with the relevant enterpriser for accounting management affairs was concluded (S720).

In the step S715, the sales data is stored in the corresponding

virtual accounting office only when the virtual accounting office exists to

which the enterpriser belongs (S725).

When the sales data are stored, the virtual accounting office

management module decides if the current period is the settlement time

for the relevant enterpriser, and the step returns to the step S710 if it is

not the settlement period. On the contrary, if it is the settlement period,

the virtual accounting office management module notifies the service

provider that the specified enterpriser is at the time for accounting

settlement (S730).

When a specified member shop (enterpriser) is in the settlement

period, the service provider collects the purchase data and the cash

sales data from the relevant member shop (S735).

The service provider transfers the collected purchase data and

cash sales data from the member shop to an actual accounting office

cooperative with the virtual accounting office (S740).

A staff of the actual accounting office who received the purchase data and the cash sales data for the specified enterpriser accesses to the

corresponding virtual accounting office of the service server through a

computer system (S745)

When connected to the virtual accounting office, the staff outputs

the sales data by means of credit cards of the relevant enterpriser, and

executes the accounting programs to prepare sales slips based on the

sales data (S750, S755).

The staff of the accounting office prepares accounting books by

preparing sales slips and purchase slips based on the purchase data and

the cash sales data (S755).

The accounting books prepared as such are stored in the

accounting data storage area of the corresponding virtual accounting

office, and the relevant enterpriser can check the accounting books at

any time if he wants to check them.

Hereinafter, with reference to Figs.8 and 9, a virtual accounting

office management process is described in detail.

If a virtual accounting office is created on the basis of entrust

agreements with a plurality of enterprisers (S810), the virtual accounting office management module specifies an actual accounting office

corresponding to the virtual accounting office (S815).

The service provider advertises for a plurality of member shops

for entrusting accounting affairs to the virtual accounting office (S820).

When the number of member shops under the virtual accounting office

reaches a given level, the virtual accounting office increase part of the

virtual accounting office management module divides the virtual

accounting office. In this case, the division is not to halve the number of

enterprisers, but to set one primary virtual accounting office to have a

stable number of enterprisers and the other divided virtual accounting

office to have a basic number of enterprisers (S830).

The virtual accounting office management module specifies an

actual accounting office corresponding to the divided virtual accounting

office as such (S835).

The service provider advertises for a plurality of member shops

for entrusting accounting affairs to the divided virtual accounting office

(S840).

The area division part of the virtual accounting office management module decides if it is possible to divide areas, considering the number

of virtual accounting offices and enterprisers. That is, the part decides

that it is possible to ensure the same service rates to member shops

although virtual accounting offices are organized by areas (S845).

In this case, if area division can not be achieved, the process

returns to the step S840. Otherwise, the management module reorganizes

the existing virtual accounting offices into a plurality of local virtual

accounting offices (S850).

When virtual accounting offices are created in each area, the

management module newly specifies an actual accounting office located

in an area adjacent to the area represented by a virtual accounting office

in each area, as a cooperative office (S855).

The service provider advertises for member shops for entrusting

accounting affairs to the virtual accounting offices reorganized in each

area (S860).

The business type partition part of the virtual accounting office

management module decides if it is possible to partition the enterprisers

by business types, considering the number of virtual accounting offices and enterprisers. That is, the partition part decides if the same service

rates can be ensured for member shops although virtual accounting

offices are reorganized by business types (S865).

In this case, if it is impossible to partition the enterprisers

depending on business types, the process returns to the step S860.

Otherwise, the partition module reorganizes the existing virtual

accounting offices into a plurality virtual accounting offices by business

type (S870).

If virtual accounting offices for each business type are created as

such, new actual accounting offices are respectively specified as a

cooperative accounting office responsible for accounting affairs of the

business type represented by a virtual accounting office of each type

(S875).

In the aforementioned process, it is described that partition by

areas is carried out when the number of virtual accounting offices and

enterprisers reaches a given level after general increase, and then

partition by business types is carried out when the number of virtual

accounting offices and enterprisers reaches a given level after partitioning by areas. It should be noted that this is, however, an

embodiment only and the invention is not limited to this embodiment.

Therefore, it is possible that virtual accounting offices having no

connection in areas and business types, virtual accounting offices by

areas and virtual accounting offices by business types may coexist. It is

also possible to change the order of partitioning in such a manner to

carry out partition by business types after increasing virtual accounting

offices by general partition and then carry out division depending on

areas when the number of enterprisers reaches a given level.

It should be noted that it is possible to freely partition and

reorganize virtual accounting offices according to service rates by areas,

business types and the number of enterprisers. Accordingly,

modifications based on such teaching should be considered to be covered

within the technical spirit of the invention.

As described above, although the invention is described by means

of defined embodiments and drawings, the invention is not restricted by

them. Various modifications and variants can be made within the

technical spirit and the equivalent scope of the claims which will be described in the following by those skilled in the art.

Industrial Applicability

A credit card check reader according to the invention can store the

sales data approved by a credit card company and transmit the stored

sales data to a specified computer system when a transmission event

occurs. Accordingly, since it is possible to transmit sales data by means

of credit cards to a specified computer system automatically, the

invention can easily help the accounting management affairs of a

taxation/accounting specialist.

According to the invention, it is possible to ensure a minimum

service rate to an enterpriser and to provide stable amount of accounting

entry affairs to a taxation/accounting specialist.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A credit card check reader comprising a card reader for

reading information on a credit card, a key input unit for inputting

transaction information, an LCD display, a printer for printing receipts, a

modem for modulating/demodulating settlement data for transmitting

settlement data to a credit card company and a central processing unit

(CPU), characterized by comprising:

a first memory for storing sales data created for a given

period from transactions by means of credit cards;

a means for storing current sales data for which transactions

are approved from the card company in the first memory;

a means for reading the sales data from the first memory,

combining the sales data with member shop identification information

and then creating transmitted sales data according to a transmission

command; and

a means for transmitting the transmitted sales data to a

specified computer system through a communication network.

2. The check reader as claimed in claim 1, characterized by

further comprising a second memory for storing the member shop

identification information and location information of the specified

computer system.

3. The check reader as claimed in claim 2, characterized by

further comprising a communication control means for reading the

location information from the second memory and automatically being

connected to the specified computer system on the basis of the location

information, when the transmission command is created.

4. The check reader as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that

the specified computer system has an accounting program for

automatically preparing accounting books for each member shop on the

basis of the transmitted sales data therein.

5. The check reader as claimed in claim 1, characterized by

further comprising a transmission command creation means for creating transmission commands.

6. The check reader as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that

the transmission command creation means is a transmission key in the

key input unit.

7. The check reader as claimed in claim 1, characterized by

further comprising a means for receiving transmission commands from

the specified computer system.

8. A method for acquiring sales information by means of credit

cards of an enterpriser and preparing an accounting book on the basis of

sales information by connecting a credit card check reader to a computer

system, comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving sales data by means of credit cards containing

enterpriser identification information from the credit card check reader;

(2) transferring the sales data to a virtual accounting office to

which a relevant enterpriser belongs ;