Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Banking systems
Reexamination Certificate
1996-09-13
2001-04-10
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Banking systems
C235S375000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213390
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a transaction method of an electronic money system for performing a cash transaction by using electronic money withdrawn from a bank account to an IC card and, more particularly, to a transaction method of an electronic money system suitable for buying and selling of goods in a retail trade such as department store, supermarket, or the like.
In recent years, an IC card which has been standardized by banks and a terminal equipment such as ATM, CD, counter equipment, etc. from which cash can be withdrawn by the IC card are rapidly being put into practical use. The IC card which is issued from the bank has a lending region in which an additional value by enabling the IC card to be used in addition to a bank using region according to a bank standard format. By using the lending region of the IC card, therefore, various use forms using a computer network of an on-line host system of the bank provided for the IC card can be expected.
On the other hand, in a retail trade such as department store, supermarket, convenience chain store, or the like, a POS system for managing sales has already been established. By providing a reader/writer function of the IC card for a terminal of the POS system, an electronic money system to buy goods by using the IC card can be constructed.
FIG. 1
(PRIOR ART) is a block diagram of an electronic money system using an IC card which is generally proposed at present. First, a bank host system
1016
is provided for a bank
1014
. Terminal equipment such as ATM (automatic cash transaction machine)
1026
, CD (cash dispenser)
1028
, and the like which are provided by the bank
1014
are connected to the bank host system
1016
through a network
1018
. The ATM
1026
and CD
1028
can use an IC card
1030
which is issued by the bank to a consumer
1012
and can execute an ordinary transaction such as defrayal, savings, transference, balance inquiry, etc. for a consumer account
1044
. Further, there are provided electronic money services such that a necessary money amount is withdrawn from the consumer account
1044
to the IC card
1030
and the money amount withdrawn to the IC card
1030
can be used as electronic money in a cash transaction. When the consumer
1012
withdraws a necessary money amount from the consumer account
1044
to the IC card
1030
, the bank host system
1016
transfers the money amount withdrawn from the consumer account
1044
to a pool account
1045
for electronic money services and separately manages it. In order to enable a transaction by the electronic money of the IC card to be performed, in a retail trade
1000
, a reader/writer
1024
which can cope with the IC card
1030
is installed in a POS terminal
1022
of a shop, a store, or the like connected to the POS host system
1020
. When the consumer
1012
buys goods from the retail trade
1000
, a sales person sets the IC card
1030
into the reader/writer
1024
, withdraws a requested money amount summed by a register operation of the POS terminal
1022
from the electronic money of the IC card
1030
, and sends a use notification
1002
to the bank host system
1014
by an on-line. The bank host system
1016
which received the use notification
1002
transfers the notified reception money amount to a retail trade account
1042
from the pool account
1045
, and returns a transference completion notification to the POS host system
1020
, thereby completing a payment by the electronic money.
Such an electronic money system using the IC card, however, has the following problems. At present, since the issue and management of the IC card is mainly performed by the bank, a preparation burden of necessary equipment becomes a subject in order to enable the transaction by the electronic money of the IC card to be performed. However, even if the necessary equipment are prepared, in the present settlement by the electronic money, an effect corresponding to it cannot be expected as compared with cash or a credit card. Even for a consumer who uses the electronic money services, such services have only a function as a substitution of the cash and different from a case of a bank account, no interest is derived from the electronic money held in the IC card, so that it seems that there is no merit. Further, even for the bank, a new service system has to be constructed for the POS system of the retail trade as a target and the existing system and construction need to be remarkably changed. That is, there are problems such that in association with the electronic money services, a pool money managing process and its withdrawing process are necessary and a construction of the existing system has to be remarkably changed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a transaction method of an electronic money system having an optimum transaction form such that advantages can be provided for all of consumers, retail trades, and banks by electronic money services for performing a cash transaction by using electronic money stored in an IC card.
According to the invention, there is provided a transaction method of an electronic money system for performing a cash transaction by using electronic money stored in a card in which a processor and a memory have been installed, namely, what is called an IC card, wherein the electronic money system is constructed by:
a bank host system of a bank having, for example, an ATM, a CD, and a reader/writer; and a POS host system of the retail trade having a POS terminal and a reader/writer.
A transaction method of an electronic money system of the invention comprises:
a card issuing step of issuing an IC card to a consumer from a retail trade;
a withdrawing step of withdrawing a necessary money amount by the consumer from a self bank account to the IC card and storing therein;
an account transferring step of transferring the same money amount as the withdrawn money amount of the consumer from the bank account of the consumer to a bank account of the retail trade which issued the IC card on the basis of the account withdrawal of the consumer; and
a card using step of paying a requested money amount by using the IC card when the consumer buys goods from the retail trade or receives a presentation of services.
In the account transferring step, when the consumer withdraws the money amount to the IC card, the money amount is immediately transferred from the bank account of the consumer to the bank account of the retail trade and the retail trade receives advance money. In the retail trade, therefore, the use of the advance money can be performed and not only a preparation of necessary equipment to construct a system can be easily performed but also a premium service such as discount, point, or the like can be provided for the consumer who possesses the IC card. In the withdrawing step, when the necessary money amount is withdrawn from the bank account to the IC card, the advance information on the IC card is updated. The advance information includes at least an account number, a bank name, an advance money amount, a balance, a use money amount, and a date. The advance information of the IC card further includes security information to check an illegal use of the card. In the account transferring step, when the withdrawn money amount of the consumer is transferred to the bank account of the retail trade, the advance management information of the consumer is recorded on a managing file of the retail trade and is managed. The advance management information of the managing file includes at least a consumer name, a card number, an advance date, a use date, a use money amount, a balance, and a use bank name. In the withdrawing step, when the withdrawn money amount of the consumer is transferred to the bank account of the retail trade, a premium service is provided for the consumer. The premium service is a point service or a discount service.
The card using step has the following procedure:
a retrieving step of retrieving the advance management information of the card for a settlement req
Frech Karl D.
Fujitsu Limited
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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