Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-25
2004-03-30
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
C235S381000, C235S382000, C235S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06712266
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices and techniques for accounting for payment for products from a service delivery machine, such as a copier or printer, and is more specifically directed to a device for debiting a customer account that is held in a central networked computer and to a device for adding value to the customer account at a location remote from the central computer.
In an institutional environment, such as a university, public library, hospital, corporation governmental department, or similar organization, it is common for there to be numerous photocopying machines for making reprints of records, either from paper originals or from microfilm or microfiche. For many of these institutions, such as university libraries, there may be banks of computer printers where students or staff may print out drafts of reports, term papers or similar assignments. In each case, some attempt has been made to account for the copies or prints being made, and to assign the costs to the individual student or to a billing center, such as the department in the case of a faculty member. There is sometimes a procedure for a visitor to make copies or prints of documents, but most often this involves depositing coins into a coin box on the printer or copier.
Debit cards are often used in libraries for effecting payment for copies, and usually these take the form of magnetic stripe cards. In that case there is a card reader associated with each copy machine, and a station where cards can be purchased, or where additional value can be added to the card. These debit cards have a magnetic stripe on which is stored a magnetic code that represents the amount of value remaining on the card, as well as codes that permit the card to be used in the particular copiers in that library. Because the value is stored directly on the card, there is a problem for students or others that may lose or misplace the card, or if the card is stolen. The institution has no record of anyone's account balance, and so when the card is lost or stolen, the account balance is lost as well.
Also, in a traditional off-line system, all transactions are anonymous unless a separate paper record is maintained, and it is difficult to track usage by department or by individual, and this may make it difficult in planning for optimization of system uses and resources.
Also, these systems require special copy or vending cards are required, in addition to any Student Identification cards or badges that the copier or printer users may already have to carry.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an on-line, i.e., networked system in which users could have an account stored in a data base on a central, networked computer, and could obtain access to copiers, printers, or other service-delivery devices by entering an account identification and a customer PIN, and in which the use of copiers or printers is permitted only if there is a positive balance in the customer account, or if a credit-type account or departmental account has been established.
It is another object to provide a simple-to-use arrangement for the customer to add value to his or her account so that the account balance is high enough to permit purchase of copying or printing.
It is a further object to provide apparatus that permits the user to replenish his or her account by a simple process of entering a user identity and PIN number (or account password), and, and then by inserting currency, e.g., $5, $10, $20, or $50 bills.
It is a still further object to provide avoid problems inherent with off-line debit card systems, e.g., difficulty in tracking departmental usage of copiers and restoring account balances to users who may have experienced a loss or theft of their card.
It is a yet further object to provide a copying and printing networked system with accounting capability.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the system is provided with a network transaction station for controlling a copier, a printer, a fax machine, or another automated service providing machine so that the latter dispenses a product (e.g., copies, printed paper, or a fax connection) and correspondingly effects transfer of payment for this from a customer account to a copier or printer account. In this case, the customer accounts and the accounts for storing the monies earned by the machines are stored in a central computer that is coupled to a network. In a straightforward example, the network can be an Ethernet. The network transaction station has a housing, and contains a magnetic card swipe reader, and/or a bar code reader, or may simply use a keypad for accepting a customer input of the customer's account identification. A keypad is provided to permit customer input of the PIN number associated with the customer account. As is usual, the PIN is a customer-selected number and is used for customer security. There are a number of outlet ports or couplers on the housing, including a device coupler for connecting to the controller device of the associated service providing machine, e.g. copier, and a network coupler for connecting to the Ethernet or other network to communicate with and access the central computer. Inside the housing is a controller circuit that is connected to the card swipe, bar code scanner or other means of accepting the customer identification, the keypad, the device coupler and the network coupler. The controller circuit provides means to track the balance on said customer account in said central computer; by communication with the copier or other machine determines the price of a product selected by the customer; and then authorizes the transaction, permitting the machine to provide the requested product when the customer balance is greater than the price of the selected product. The delivery of this product would be denied if the account balance is too low. The controller then signals the central computer to debit the associated customer account by an amount corresponding to the price of the selected product. This may be a fixed amount per copy, or may be a variable amount depending on system parameters.
A display located on the housing, which may be an LCD or may be a vacuum fluorescent display, for example, provides instructions for the customer, and also displays the customer balance during the transaction. The display may also show the customer name or account identification number, or other information useful to the customer.
In a preferred embodiment, there are add-value stations or add-value machines situated at convenient location, and also connected to the central computer over the network, to permit customers to add to the dollar balance of their accounts. The add-value station is situated in a secure locking cabinet, which may be securely anchored to a wall, to a counter, to a pedestal secured to the floor, or directly to the floor. On the face of the station cabinet is a magnetic card reader and/or a bar code reader, which may serve as means for accepting a customer input of the customer's account identification. A keypad is provided on the front of the cabinet for customer input of the PIN number associated with the customer's account. The keypad also may have functionality for accepting the customer's account number. A currency acceptor, which may be bill acceptor capable of accepting up to a $20 bill, is situated within the cabinet, and has a portion that protrudes through the cabinet for receiving money from the customer. In some embodiments, a coin acceptor may also be included. While a change-making capability is not contemplated for the preferred embodiment, that may be desired in some instances, and could also be included. However, because the customer account is stored centrally in a computer, and for example may be accessible by authorized persons at the University Bursar's Office, or at the institutions's finance or comptroller's department, it is possible to obtain refunds, make account adjustments, or recov
Bartley Melea Jean
Brock Charles Anthony Martin
Lee Michael G.
Lee Seung H.
Molldrem, Jr. Bernhard P.
Rademacher Darrell G.
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