JP2000268237A - Prepaid card reuse system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To ensure that the number of times of use of an IC card can be increased, and that a bearer of a card medium charge can share a burden ratio commensurate with the number of times of use. SOLUTION: When an IC card 1 is inserted into a reading device 2, a balance is displayed on a display unit 3, and when the balance becomes a card medium fee, the fact is displayed on the display unit 3. Here, if the user wants to continue use, the user presses the “continue” button 4 and continues to use the IC.
The card 1 is collected in the collection box 7 and is reused as a recycled ticket by the ticket issuing machine of the own store without flowing out to another store. On the other hand, when the “eject” button 5 is pressed, the IC card 1 in which the balance of the card medium fee remains is ejected from the card ejection port 6. Thereafter, even if the user discards or does not use the IC card at his / her will, the user bears the card medium fee in the form of a balance, and the center or store is compensated for the card medium fee.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a prepaid card reuse system for reducing the cost of a card medium for a reusable prepaid card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, most of prepaid cards are so-called "disposable" prepaid cards, in which the card is discarded when the balance becomes zero. But,
For the purpose of effective use of resources, so-called "rechargeable" prepaid cards, which repeatedly record and use money amount information on a card medium, have begun to spread. How to reuse such a “rechargeable” prepaid card is
For example, a used card medium is collected at a game center and returned to a card maker (encoder factory), where initial information such as money amount information is input to the collected card medium and returned to the game center or the like again. Delivered and reused as prepaid cards.

[0003] Such a "rechargeable" prepaid card is different from a conventional "disposable" magnetic card in that an IC card having a large storage capacity is used. Then, in order to establish the recharge method, various information for preventing fraud and failure is recorded using a large storage capacity of the card medium. For example, various types of information for encrypting and decrypting information to be recorded, or for authenticating a card itself and information are recorded on a card medium. Thus, the card medium of a "rechargeable" prepaid card is more expensive than the card medium of a conventional "disposable" prepaid card. For this reason, in the case of a “rechargeable” prepaid card, an attempt is made to reduce the apparent card medium cost on the premise that the card will be used repeatedly.

[0004]

However, whether or not to use repeatedly depends largely on the judgment of the user of the prepaid card. Therefore, from the point of view of the payer of the card medium, if a system that induces the user to reuse the card can be introduced to increase the number of times the card can be reused, the cost of the card medium can be reduced and the cost of one card can be reduced. It is possible to reduce the prepaid card burden per hit.

[0005] Here, the distribution route of a "recharge type" prepaid card (hereinafter, referred to as an IC card) and a form of burden of a card medium fee will be briefly described. FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a distribution route of an IC card. The IC card has predetermined information such as price information recorded in an encoder factory 91 and is delivered to a card issuing company (hereinafter, referred to as a center) 92 which manages the IC card information of all the member stores. Then, from the center 92 to a game center (hereinafter referred to as a store) 93
The user 94 purchases the IC card for the face value (that is, face value), and consumes the face value while receiving the service at the game center 93. At this time, the initial burden of the card medium fee may be borne by the center 92 or by the store 93.

[0006] If the center 92 bears the burden, the store 93
And pay the card media fee according to the number of days and days of use of the card. For example, if only 1 to 10 times are used, the store 93 bears the burden, and if it is used 100 times or more, the burden is paid at the center 92. If the store 93 bears the card medium fee, the store 9
3 purchases the bill including the card price and the card medium fee, and, for example, if it is used 100 times or more, the card medium fee is returned from the center 92.

[0007] However, when the center 92 bears the burden, the cost of the card medium fee is reduced as the number of times of use increases, regardless of which store 93 the member store uses. on the other hand,
In the case where the store 93 bears the burden, when the store 93 is used in another store 93 in the member store, the burden on the own store increases. Conversely, when an IC card that has flowed in from another store is used, it is possible to issue a recycled ticket, so that it is possible to reduce the amount of the card medium cost borne by the own store.
However, the user 94 may freely use the IC card at another store without consuming the entire amount at the store 93 where the IC card was purchased.

In such a situation, as a method of solving the above problem, the store 93 automatically collects the IC card when the card balance becomes zero, and sets the card again in the ticket issuing machine to issue the ticket. There is. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an IC card with a balance of zero is collected and reused. That is, as shown in the figure, when the balance of the IC card 95 used in the reading device 96 becomes zero, the collection box 97 automatically takes in the balance and transfers it to the terminal collection box 97 'via the conveyor belt. The card is collected, set on the ticket issuing machine 98 again to issue a card, and inserted as a reusable IC card 99 into the reading device 96 for use. In this case, there is no security problem since the balance of the IC card taken out from the collection box 97 'is zero. This can increase the number of times the IC card is used repeatedly, but it cannot prevent leakage to other stores

[0009] Also, the IC card whose balance is reduced to zero is
If the user does not insert it into the reading device 96 and throws it away or stops using it, the number of uses cannot be increased and the cost of the card medium increases. For example, if the card medium cost is 1,000 yen and the target card medium cost is 1 yen, the target cannot be achieved without reusing 1000 times, but if it is abandoned by one use, it will be apparent The card cost is 999 yen, and the card burden is 999 times the target. The increase in burden in such a case is the same whether the center bears or the store bears the above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to reliably increase the number of times an IC card can be used and to reduce the burden of a card medium charge.
An object of the present invention is to provide a system for reusing a prepaid card which can share an even share of the load in proportion to the number of uses.

[0011]

The prepaid card reusing system of the present invention basically asks the user whether the balance of the IC card reaches the card medium cost and whether the IC card is consumed up to zero. , Letting you choose whether to discharge with this balance. Here, if the balance is consumed to zero, the IC card is automatically collected by the reading device and reused. In addition, if the user discharges the balance while leaving the balance, even if the user subsequently discards the IC card or uses it at another store, the card medium fee is compensated in the form of the balance. As a result, a store or the like that provides the IC card can secure the card medium cost of the IC card, increase the number of times the IC card is repeatedly used, and further reduce the apparent card medium cost. Furthermore, if the unique code or the store code is recorded on the IC card, the card issuing company (center) that manages the information of the IC cards of all the member stores can charge the card medium according to the number of times of use at each store. Can be charged fairly. In this way, the number of reuses of the IC card can be effectively increased, and the card medium cost can be reduced without unfairness in the positions of the center and each store.

More specifically, there is provided a "display presence / absence" setting means for determining whether or not to display a confirmation as to whether the IC card is consumed to zero balance or discharged with the balance. When there is no display, the balance is unconditionally consumed all the way to zero, and when there is a display, a batch consumption / discharge selection means is provided. At this time, there are provided a "constant opportunity" setting means for preliminarily fixing the balance to be consumed or discharged in a batch and a "changing opportunity" setting means for gradually decreasing the balance as the number of times of repeated use increases. In the case of "change of opportunity", the apparent card medium cost decreases as the number of uses increases, so that the balance corresponding to the card medium cost is reduced based on the idea of cost cancellation.

That is, in the prepaid card reusing system of the present invention, in a prepaid card reusing system which can be repeatedly used by recharging the amount information, a reading device for reading and writing the amount information requires that the balance of the prepaid card be a card medium cost. At the time of reaching the balance, the function of selecting whether to consume the prepaid card to zero balance, to discharge the remaining balance, or the function of forcibly consuming the balance to zero balance, or both functions When the balance is consumed to zero, the prepaid card is collected.

[0014] Here, when the balance of the prepaid card reaches the card medium charge, the reading device determines whether or not to display a confirmation display as to whether the prepaid card is to be continuously used or ejected. Setting means for making the setting, when there is a display, a selection means for selecting whether the balance corresponding to the card medium cost is to be consumed all the way to zero or to discharge the remaining balance, and no display. If set or if batch consumption is selected, unconditional consumption means for unconditionally collectively consuming the balance of the prepaid card to the balance zero from the point when the balance of the prepaid card reaches the card medium fee,
A collection unit for collecting the prepaid cards that have been collectively consumed up to a balance of zero. In the reading device, when the display is set to no display by the display presence / absence setting means, the prepaid card is forcibly consumed to zero balance by the unconditional consumption means without being displayed to the user and collected by the collection means. . On the other hand, when the display is set by the display presence / absence setting means, when the user's selection in the selection means is collective consumption, the prepaid card is consumed to zero balance by the unconditional consumption means and collected by the collection means. Is done. In addition, when the user's selection in the selection means is selected to be discharged, the prepaid card having a predetermined balance remaining is discharged from the reading device.

[0015] The reading device may further include a usage count reading unit for reading the usage count of the prepaid card, and the selection unit may set the balance information that triggers batch consumption or discharge as a fixed value in advance. There is provided a fixed setting means, and an opportunity change setting means for setting the balance information as table information that is variable according to the number of times the prepaid card is used. And the selecting means,
When the setting has been made by the constant opportunity setting means, when the balance of the prepaid card reaches a value set in the balance information, a selection is made between batch consumption and discharge,
When the setting has been made by the trigger change setting means, the balance value serving as a trigger for collective consumption or discharge is changed according to the number of times of use of the prepaid card read by the use count reading means and the table information.

[0016] The opportunity change setting means may be configured to input the selected balance information to the reading device or to download the selected balance information from the relay device managing the information of the reading device to the reading device.
It is obtained by downloading from the center that centrally manages the relay device to the reading device via the relay device.

Further, a unique code for specifying a store to be used is recorded on the prepaid card in advance, and the reading device reads the number of times of use read from the prepaid card and the unique code via the relay device. There is further provided means for transmitting the relay device to a center for centrally managing the relay device, and the center performs a billing process for a card medium fee according to the number of times of use for each store specified by the unique code.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. First, in the first embodiment, when the balance of the IC card reaches the card medium fee,
This is a system in which the reading device displays whether the IC card is continuously used or whether the IC card is ejected without using the IC card, and increases the number of times the IC card is used. According to this system, the user of the IC card cannot take it out of the store unless the balance corresponding to the card medium cost remains.

FIG. 1 shows an IC according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
It is an explanatory view showing a card reuse method. In FIG. 1, when the user inserts the IC card 1 into the reading device 2 and uses it, the balance is displayed on the display unit 3. Then, when the balance becomes the card medium fee, a display is made to notify the display unit 3 of the fact. If the user wants to continue using the card, he / she presses the “Continue” button 4 to continue using the card, and the card is forcibly used until the card balance becomes zero. The IC card 1 whose card balance has become zero is collected in the collection box 7, collected in one place as in the case described above with reference to FIG. Reused as a recycled ticket.

On the other hand, when the balance becomes the card medium fee,
When the user presses the “eject” button 5, the IC card 1 with the remaining card medium charge remaining is ejected from the card ejection port 6. After that, even if the user discards or does not use the IC card at his / her will, the card medium fee will be borne by the user in the form of a card balance. It will be compensated in the form.

As an example, when the IC card 1 with a ticket surface of 10,000 yen and a card medium charge of 1,000 yen is used, when the balance becomes 1,000 yen, an indication to that effect appears on the display unit 3.
Then, when the “continue” button 4 is pressed, the card balance is forcibly used, and when the balance becomes 0 yen, this IC
The card 1 is taken into the collection box 7 and a recycling ticket is issued. When the "discharge" button 5 is pressed with the balance of 1,000 yen, the IC card of the balance of 1,000 yen is discharged from the card discharge port 6. After that, it is the user's free will to use or not use.

When the cost of the card medium is high, as described above, a system for compensating for the card medium or setting the balance to zero and allowing the user to select repetitive use is provided.
When the number of times of use increases and the apparent card medium cost decreases, the reading device does not perform selection display, and the balance can be consumed in a lump sum up to 0 yen. That is, when the number of times of use increases and the apparent card medium cost decreases, the system can be given a range so as to collectively consume without selecting the card medium.

[0023] For this purpose, when the balance reaches the card medium charge, the reading device determines whether the IC card should be consumed all the way up to the balance of zero or the IC card should be ejected at this time.
A setting function for setting information (flag information) of "display presence / absence" indicating whether or not to display a selection confirmation in a memory in the reading apparatus, and when the balance becomes less than or equal to one, the IC card is discharged or zero yen A setting function is provided for setting the information on whether to collectively consume up to the moment in the memory in the reading device. Further, the "trigger" setting function includes a setting function of setting "trigger change" information for changing the balance to be discharged or batch-updated in the memory in a table format according to the number of times of use of the IC card. There is a setting function to set “constant opportunity” information triggered by the balance in the memory. For example, `` change of opportunity '' means that if the card medium cost is 1,000 yen and the target is to use it repeatedly 1,000 times, when the number of uses reaches 500 times, the balance to be updated to zero yen at once is changed to 500 yen enable. In addition, the reading device also has a "repetition number" check function of reading the number of repetitions from the card data when reading the information of the IC card and performing a check according to the information set in the memory.
The setting function of “display on / off”, “change of opportunity”, and “constant opportunity” may set information input from the reading device in a predetermined memory of the reading device, or may set information of the reading device. Information acquired by downloading from a relay device that is managed for each store or a center that centrally manages the relay devices of the entire member store may be set in a predetermined memory of the reading device.
Thereby, the range of information setting is expanded, and convenience is increased.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of determining a balance to be collectively consumed according to the number of repetitions, based on a table set in the reading device. In the figure, the “number of repetitions” is the number of times the IC card has been used, and the “balance” is
This is the balance when collectively consuming or discharging when there is a display. First, by selecting and displaying the "display presence / absence" 12 of the function set in the reading device 11, it is determined whether to collectively consume unconditionally or to discharge or zero the balance to zero when the balance remains. You. That is, when "no display" is displayed, all the IC cards are unconditionally consumed up to the balance of zero. It should be noted that the amount of money to be unconditionally collectively consumed is preset as a fixed value.

In the case of "display", when the balance reaches a certain balance, the user is asked to select whether to collectively consume the balance to zero or to discharge the IC card at this time. At this time,
When “consumption to zero” is selected, the “repetition number” check function of the reading device 11 reads the number of times the IC card has been used. Then, based on the read “number of repetitions”, the balance at the time of batch consumption up to zero (ie, the card medium cost whose cost was canceled by the number of uses)
Is read from the table 13. For example, "number of repetitions"
Is 0 to 99 times, when the "balance" reaches 500 yen, the balance is consumed to zero. If the number of uses further increases and the "number of repetitions" becomes 400 to 500 times, the apparent card medium fee becomes even lower. When the "balance" reaches 100 yen, the balance is consumed up to zero. Similarly, when "Discharge" is selected, if "Repeat number" is 0 to 99 times, it will be discharged when "Balance" reaches 500 yen, and if "Repeat number" is 400 to 500 times. , "Balance" is discharged for 100 yen.

As described above, as the "repetition number" of the IC card increases, the "balance" to be collectively consumed or discharged is reduced, so that the store can compensate the card medium cost corresponding to the number of times of use. In Table 13, it is needless to say that the same effect can be obtained by setting the "number of repetitions" to the number of days of use instead of the number of uses. The “display presence / absence” setting function, “change trigger” setting function, and “repeat number” check function set in the reading device 11 can be set independently of each other. In addition, the balance of collective consumption or discharge when the number of repetitions is one corresponds to the card medium cost.

Next, an operation for reducing the cost of a card medium will be described with reference to a flowchart. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed by the reading device to reduce the cost of the card medium. This figure shows a case where setting parameters are downloaded from the relay device. As a setting parameter, "whether to display" whether or not to display confirmation of selection of whether to discharge with a certain balance or collectively consume
There is a “trigger value” for determining how much balance to discharge or collectively consume. The “trigger value” is a fixed uniform set value (a) regardless of the “number of repetitions”; There is a set value for each number of repetitions (b) that is changed as shown in the table of FIG. Note that the “motivation value” is balance information serving as a criterion for determining whether to perform batch consumption.

First, if the set "trigger value" is the uniform setting (a) and the set value is 500 yen, the reading device
With reference to the balance information of the C card, it is determined whether or not the balance has reached the "trigger value" of 500 yen (S1). In the case of the set value (b) for each repetition number, the determination is made based on the “balance” for each “repetition number” determined for each table in FIG. For example, when the "number of repetitions" is 0 to 99 times, it is only necessary to determine whether the balance of the IC card has reached the "trigger value" of 500 yen. ).

If the card balance has not reached the "trigger value" of 500 yen (S1, NO), the card balance can be used unconditionally until it reaches. Then, when the "trigger value" reaches 500 yen (S1, YES), the "display presence / absence" set as a parameter is confirmed (S2), and if "display presence" is selected, this is indicated. It is displayed (S3). Then, the user is made to select whether to discharge the card with the card balance of 500 yen or to consume the card to zero (S4). When the card ejection is selected, the card is ejected from the ejection port of the reading device (S5), and the user can reuse this card or discard it without using it. If the card medium is discarded, the card medium fee will be borne by the user. On the other hand, if the user selects to collectively consume up to zero balance in step S4, the card is forcibly consumed to zero yen (S6), and then collected in the collection box and reused (S7). If the setting of the display parameter is "no display" in step S2, when the card balance reaches the trigger value, the card is forcibly consumed to zero yen without selection by the user (S6) and collected. (S7).

As described above, the "timing change" function for changing the "balance" to be discharged or collectively consumed according to the "repetition number" as shown in FIG. 2 and the IC card recycling function as shown in FIG. 1 are combined. As a result, the user can be guided in a direction to reuse the IC card, and as a result, the medium cost of the IC card can be reduced. In this way, by repeatedly recharging the reused IC card with the depositing machine, one IC card can be repeatedly used, so that the cost of the card medium can be reduced as much as possible and the resources can be effectively used. Also leads to. Furthermore, the balance corresponding to the card medium fee is always compensated.

As described above, at the store, the user
By using the card repeatedly, the burden on the card media can be reduced, and the card is prevented from being leaked to other stores by the collective consumption method that forcibly consumes the balance to zero when it reaches a certain balance. You can also. Then, the IC card whose number of uses reaches the predetermined target number is
The chip and the card board are separated by sending them to the encoder factory, and predetermined information is input to the card board again for reuse. As a result, the cost of the IC card medium can be reduced and the resources can be effectively used.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is a system for distributing the burden amount according to the number of times the IC card is used. That is, in each store, the outflow of the card is not desired because the outflow of the IC card to another store does not lead to an increase in the “repeated number” of the own store. On the other hand, the center wants to increase the number of repetitions by using it at any member store. In addition, users want to freely use any member store. Therefore, in the second embodiment, as a method for satisfying each position,
A system will be described in which the burden on the card medium is distributed according to the number of repetitions of the card in the own store and the number of repetitions in the outflowed other store. For example, with a card media fee of 1,000 yen and a target of 1000 repetitions,
If it is assumed that the apparent card medium fee will be 1 yen, use it only once at your own store, then transfer it to another store if you use it at another store if you use it at another store A system like this.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a card medium substitute distribution system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a unique code is recorded in the IC card 21 in advance, and the number of times of use is recorded each time the card is used. Then, the number of times of use of the IC card 21 and the unique code are confirmed at the center 23, and the difference calculated from the number of times of use is determined by the outflow destination B
The store 24 is charged and the amount is returned to the outflow source A store 22. That is, the IC card 21 is stored in the A store 2
When used in the second reading device, the unique code and the number of times of use are transmitted to the center 23 together with the code for identifying the source A store. Then, when the IC card 21 is leaked to the B store 24 and used, the unique code and the number of times of use from the B store together with the code identifying the B store of the transmission source are stored in the center 2.
3 is sent.

The center 23 checks the unique code received from the B store 24 and the number of times of use, and confirms that the IC card 21 has flowed in from another store (the A store 22). The number of times of use of the used IC card 21 having the same unique code is compared. Then, the center 23 bills the B store 24 for a card medium cost corresponding to the number of uses, and returns the amount to the A store 22. For example, if an IC card with a card medium fee of 1,000 yen is used only at the first time at the A store 22 and 999 times are used at the B store 24, 999 yen is charged from the B store 24, and this is charged to the A store 22. To reduce. In addition, when the reading device writes the store code of the store on the IC card instead of the unique code and leaks to another store, the store of the inflow source can be specified from the store code. In this way, for the leaked IC card, if the cost burden is balanced between the source and the destination according to the number of times of use, the number of times the IC card is repeatedly used without worrying that the IC card flows to another store can be calculated. Can be increased.

However, even in this method, if the user does not use the IC card halfway without flowing out to another store, the number of times of repeated use does not increase and the card medium cost increases. Therefore, as a countermeasure, when the user changes the IC card to another store during use, insert the IC card into the registration machine at the original store, register for use at the other store, and then register at the other store. There is a way to allow the use of

FIG. 5 is a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention and is a conceptual diagram of a system in which an IC card is registered in a registration machine and then used at another store. As shown in the figure, the IC card 31 is inserted into the registration device 35 at the A store 32, and the number of times of use and the unique code are registered in the center 33. Then, the center 33 sets the amount according to the number of uses to A
Return to the store 32. That is, the card is purchased. Then, when the IC card 31 is used in another store (B store) 34, a charge is charged to the outflow destination B store 34 according to the number of uses. That is, the card is sold. As a result, it is possible to balance the card costs of the source and destination, and even if there is an IC card that is not used after registering the card, the center can compensate for the card medium cost in the form of a balance.

In the second embodiment, a case has been described in which the burden is shared in accordance with the number of uses of each store. However, the burden can be shared in accordance with the number of days of use. For example, the card media fee is 500 yen and the number of days used is 50
If the target card media fee is 10 yen per day per day, and the user uses it for one day at his / her own store and then uses it at another outlet, Is 490
Charge the yen to another store and refund it to your store. That is, by using a mechanism similar to that of FIG. 4 described above, the number of days of use and the unique code are registered in the center, the center identifies the IC card that has leaked from the unique code, and calculates the difference 490 calculated from the number of days of use between the source and the destination. Charge the yen to the outlet store and refund it to the outlet store. In addition, instead of the unique code, write the store code on the IC card,
The IC card leaked to another store can be specified as in the case described above.

Here, a brief description will be given of a mechanism of checking the cards of the own store and another store. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a system that checks and sorts an IC card flowing from another store. In the same drawing, when the B store card 41 ′ whose ticketing source is B store is used at the A store 42, the reading device 45 reads the number of days (or the number of times of use) and the unique code recorded on the B store card 41 ′. The other store code is checked and transmitted to the center 43 via the relay device 46. The center 43 receives the B store card 41 ′
, The difference between the number of days of use at the B store 44 and the number of days of use at the A store 42 is calculated, and the card medium cost corresponding to the difference is calculated at the A store 4.
2 and the amount is refunded to the B store 44.

Next, as a third embodiment of the present invention,
A system in which a store pays a predetermined usage fee each time the store uses the IC card once to the center will be described. FIG.
FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram of a payment system for a card medium fee according to a third embodiment of the present invention. IC card 52 at ticketing machine 51
Is purchased, or when the money is recharged to the IC card 54 by the deposit machine 53, the accumulated number of days of use is recorded in each of the IC cards 52 and 54. Further, the ticketing machine 51 and the depositing machine 53 notify the relay device 55 of the respective use dates. Then, the relay device 55 receives the respective use dates, and records the cumulative use days of the IC cards 52 and 54 in the memory. Then, the IC card 52 is periodically sent from the relay device 55 to the center 56.
The number of cumulative use days is notified. Center 56 is an IC
A bill 57 is issued to the store to which the relay device 55 belongs based on the cumulative number of days of use of the cards 52 and 54. In general, the center 56 issues a bill 57 collectively based on the accumulated number of days of use of the IC card that is periodically counted.

In this way, each store pays the center for a card medium according to the number of times of use (the number of days of use) of the IC card. In addition, by this method, each store can use the IC card used in its own store for the number of times of use (for the number of days of use).
It is only necessary to pay the cost of the card medium, and even if the IC card is leaked to another store and used, there is no need to pay for that. Therefore, each store between the member stores can bear an appropriate card medium cost corresponding to the number of times of use (or the number of days of use).

In this embodiment, the method of checking and distributing the IC card leaked to another store is basically the same as that of FIG. 4 described in the second embodiment. is there. That is, FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram of a card medium substitute distribution system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a unique code is recorded in the IC card 61 in advance, and the number of days of use is recorded each time the card is used.
Then, when the IC card 61 is used in the ticket issuing machine 63 or the deposit machine 64 of the A store 62, the cumulative use days and the unique code are notified to the center 66 via the relay device 65. Further, when the IC card 61 is leaked to the B store 67 and used, the cumulative number of days of use at the B store 67 and the unique code are notified to the center 66. The center 66 calculates the difference between the number of days of use at the A store 62 and the number of days of use at the B store 67,
The bill 68 is transmitted to the store 62, and the bill 6 is transmitted to the B store 67.
9 is transmitted.

The embodiment described above is an example for describing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. is there. For example, assuming that the card medium fee of an IC card is a deposit fee not included in the face of the card, there are various methods for determining how to share the deposit fee and how to reduce the apparent deposit unit price. There is.
As one method, the center sells an IC card that can be used X times to a store (game center) including a deposit fee. The store will return the deposit fee from the center after using X times. It should be noted that X-time use may be replaced with Y-day use instead of X-time use.

As another method, a store sells an IC card that can be used X times (or Y days) to a user, including a deposit fee. The user returns the IC card to the store after using it 1 to X times (or 1 to Y days), and has a deposit fee corresponding to the number of times of use (or the number of days of use) returned. As still another method, there are various methods, such as the center collecting a card usage amount of Z yen (or Z yen per day) once per use number (or number of days) for the store. In the above embodiment, an IC card is described as a prepaid card having a large storage capacity. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to an optical card or a magneto-optical card. .

[0044]

As described above, according to the prepaid card reuse system of the present invention, a user can take out only an IC card having a balance corresponding to a card medium fee. Therefore, if the user discards the card without reusing it, the card medium fee will be borne in the form of a balance. Thus, the center or the store can secure the card medium fee. Further, the user can be guided to reuse the IC card, and the number of reuses of the prepaid card can be naturally increased.
Therefore, the cost of the card medium can be further reduced, and the resources can be effectively used. Furthermore, even if the prepaid card is leaked to other stores in the member store, the card media charge ratio is distributed fairly by each store according to the number of days and number of uses, so the card issuing company ( Center) can promote the recycling of IC cards among all member stores without fear of unfairness in the burden ratio. In addition, the introduction of the so-called cost cancellation concept, in which the burden rate of the card medium cost is reduced according to the number of times of use, has led to the use of information recording cards (for example, IC cards, optical cards, etc.) with a high card medium cost. However, the cost of the card medium can be reduced to less than that of a conventional magnetic card.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of reusing an IC card according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining a balance to be collectively consumed according to the number of repetitions based on a table set in the reading device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a process performed by the reading device to reduce a card medium cost in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a card medium substitute distribution system according to a second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a system according to a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention, in which an IC card is registered in a registration machine and then used at another store.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a system in the second embodiment for checking and sorting an IC card flowing from another store.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram of a payment system for a card medium fee according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram of a card medium distribution system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a distribution route of an IC card.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state of collecting and reusing an IC card having a zero balance according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21, 31, 52, 54, 61, 95, 99 ... IC
Card, 2, 11, 45, 96 reading device, 3 display unit, 4 "continue" button, 5 "discharge" button, 6 card ejection port, 7, 97, 97 'collection box, 12
Presence / absence of display, 13 ... table, 22, 32, 42, 62
... A store, 23, 33, 43, 56, 66 ... Center,
24, 34, 44, 67: B store, 35: registration machine, 4
6, 55, 65 ... relay device, 51, 63, 98 ... ticketing machine, 53, 64 ... deposit machine, 57, 68, 69 ... bill,
91: Encoder factory, 92: Card issuing company (center), 93: Game center (store), 94: User

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06K 19/00 G06K 19/00 U (72) Inventor Takayuki Kamada 3-3-3 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Hayashida 3-3-3 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo F-term (reference) in NTT Data Corporation 2C005 HA22 HB04 JA26 LB36 LB48 MA28 MB02 MB09 SA04 SA06 SA13 3E044 AA02 BA06 CA03 CA06 CB01 CC04 CC10 DB15 DC05 DE07 EA06 5B035 BB09 BC02 CA27 5B049 BB17 BB61 CC39 DD01 DD04 EE22 EE25 FF03 FF04 GG04 5B058 KA06 KA12 KA06

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A system for reusing a prepaid card which can be repeatedly used by recharging the amount information, wherein a reading device for reading and writing the amount information is provided when the balance of the prepaid card reaches a card medium charge. With a function to select whether to consume the balance to zero or to discharge it with the balance remaining, or to force the balance to be consumed to zero, or both, when the balance is consumed to zero Is a system for reusing a prepaid card, wherein the prepaid card is collected. 2. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein when the balance of the prepaid card reaches a card medium charge, whether or not to display a confirmation display as to whether the prepaid card is to be continuously used or ejected is displayed. Setting means for making settings, when there is a display, selection means for selecting whether to use the balance corresponding to the card medium cost to collectively consume up to zero balance or to discharge with the balance remaining, and to set no display If the prepaid card balance has reached the card media charge, the unconditional consumption means for unconditionally consuming the balance to zero, and if the balance has been consumed, the lump-sum consumption has been completed. 2. The system for reusing a prepaid card according to claim 1, further comprising a collection unit for collecting the prepaid card. 3. The reading device further includes a usage count reading unit that reads a usage count of the prepaid card, and the selection unit sets, as a fixed value, balance information that triggers batch consumption or discharge in advance. Constant setting means, and a trigger change setting means for setting the balance information as table information that varies according to the number of times the prepaid card is used, wherein when the setting by the trigger constant setting means is made, the prepaid When the balance of the card reaches the value set in the balance information, a selection is made between batch consumption and discharge. When the setting is made by the opportunity change setting means, use of the prepaid card read by the use count reading means is performed. The balance value that triggers batch consumption or discharge is changed according to the number of times and table information. The prepaid card reuse system according to claim 2. 4. The prepaid card is recorded in advance with a unique code for specifying a store to be used, and the reading device reads the number of times of use read from the prepaid card and the unique code via the relay device. Further comprising means for transmitting the relay device to a center that centrally manages, wherein the center is for each store identified by the unique code,
4. The system for reusing a prepaid card according to claim 3, wherein a billing process for a card medium fee is performed according to the number of uses.