Automatic cash transaction apparatus

An automatic cash transaction apparatus includes a circuit for performing signal reception and transmission with a card carried by a user through the medium of electromagnetic wave. When a number set in the card and received by the apparatus is authorized one, the user is allowed to input the type of transaction desired by the user, cipher number and other data as required through key manipulation, whereby the manual handling of the card is made unnecessary.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an automatic cash transaction apparatus 
for performing transactions such as deposit and payment of cash money in 
banking organs. 
In the hitherto known automatic cash transaction apparatus used in banking 
organs, the customer is required to load a magnetic card into a card 
inserting slot provided in the apparatus, wherein inputting of the data 
concerning the type of transaction desired by the user and the cipher 
number allocated to the user is allowed through key manipulation after the 
information recorded in a magnetic stripe of the card has been read out 
and processed appropriately. Reference may be made, for example, to 
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4641/1980 (JP-A-55-4641). 
Insertion of the magnetic card into the card insertion slot which is 
required as the prerequisite for the transaction in the hitherto known 
apparatus means a burden imposed on the user, to a disadvantage. Further, 
deformation or injury of the magnetic card may possibly give rise to a 
problem that the transaction is inhibited due to failure in reading out 
the information. 
Another problem can be seen in the fact that the magnetic card might be 
left and forgotten in the apparatus. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the state of the art, it is an object of the present invention 
to provide an automatic cash transaction apparatus which is essentially 
immune to the problems of the prior art apparatus mentioned above and 
which allows a customer to carry out the desired transaction only through 
key manipulation with the card being placed within his or her pocket to 
thereby reduce the burden posed on the customer while preventing the 
apparatus from failure due to deformation and/or injury of the card and 
eliminating the trouble of the card being possibly left and forgotten. 
The above object can be accomplished according to the present invention by 
providing an automatic cash transaction apparatus which comprises means 
for performing signal transmission/reception with the card carried by the 
user. 
More specifically, in the automatic cash transaction apparatus according to 
the invention, a request signal is sent out to the card which responds 
thereto for sending out a first identification information. When the first 
identification information is confirmed to be proper by the automatic cash 
transaction apparatus, the user is then allowed to input data concerning 
the cipher number and the type of the desired transaction through key 
manipulation on a manipulation panel of the apparatus. Subsequently, the 
automatic cash transaction apparatus sends out again a request signal to 
the card. Upon reception of this request signal, the card sends out the 
second identification signal placed in the card. The automatic cash 
transaction compares the second identification information received from 
the card with the cipher number inputted through manipulation of the 
relevent keys. Only when a predetermined relation is found between the 
second identification number and the cipher number, operation for 
transaction such as deposit and payment of cash money and others is 
permitted to be carried out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the following, the present invention will be described in detail in 
conjunction with an exemplary embodiment thereof by referring to the 
drawings. 
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an automatic cash transaction 
apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
In the Figure, a reference numeral 1 generally denotes an automatic cash 
transaction apparatus, 2 denotes a battery-operated card (e.g. IC card), 3 
denotes an antenna provided on the side of the automatic cash transaction 
apparatus (referred to as the apparatus antenna), 4 denotes a request 
switch, 5 denotes a cipher number key array, 6 denotes a transaction type 
selecting key array, 7 denotes a transaction procedure display unit, 8 
denotes a delivery port of a specification sheet recording the results of 
the transaction as performed, 9 denotes a state and operation mode display 
unit, 10 denotes an insert slot for a bankbook, and a numeral 11 denotes a 
paper money insert/delivery slot. Further, a numeral 12 designates an 
identification information signal, 13 designates a request signal, and 14 
denotes a manipulation panel. 
The apparatus antenna 3 is disposed on the front side within the automatic 
cash transaction apparatus 1. The request switch 4 for activating the 
transmission of a request signal 13, the cipher number key array 5 for 
allowing a customer to start the transaction or interaction with the 
apparatus 1, the transaction type selecting key array 6 and the like and 
the transaction procedure display unit 7 for indicating the transaction 
procedure to the customer are disposed on the manipulation panel 14. 
Further, there are provided on the manipulation panel 14 on the bankbook 
insertion slot 10 for inserting a bankbook the paper money insert/delivery 
slot 11 for allowing deposit/payment with cash money, the specification 
slip delivery port 8 issuing a specification slip recording the contents 
of the transaction, and the state/operation mode display 9 for indicating 
the state of the automatic cash transaction apparatus 1 and the type of 
transaction allowed for the customer. 
Referring to FIG. 1, a reference numeral 1 generally denotes the automatic 
cash transaction apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and a numeral 100 denotes a 
controller for controlling operations performed in the automatic cash 
transaction apparatus 1. A reference numeral 21 denotes a request signal 
setting circuit in which a request signal is set. A numeral 30 denotes a 
transmission/reception circuit for transmitting and receiving the request 
signal 13, the account number signal 31 and the identification information 
signal 12 to and from the card through the medium of electromagnetic wave. 
A numeral 24 denotes an identification (ID) information detecting circuit 
for detecting the identification information signal 12. A reference 
numeral 2 denotes generally a card used by the customer which includes a 
power supply cell (battery) 40 for supplying electric power to internal 
circuits, a transmission/reception circuit 15 for transmitting and 
receiving the request signal 13, the account number signal 31 and the 
identification information signal 12 to and from the external apparatus 
through the medium of an electromagnetic wave, a request signal detecting 
circuit 18 for detecting the request signal 13, an account number setting 
circuit 32 in which the account number is placed and an identification 
(ID) information setting circuit 19 in which the identification 
information is placed. The account number setting circuit 32, the 
identification (ID) information setting circuit 19 and the request signal 
detecting circuit 18 are realized by a microcomputer denoted generally by 
a reference numeral 20. 
Now, operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. 
When a customer carrying the card 2 in his or her pocket depresses the 
request switch 4, the controller 100 reads out data from the request 
signal setting circuit 21 to cause a first request signal 13 to be sent 
out through the transmission/reception circuit 30 and the apparatus 
antenna 3 energized by the transmission/reception circuit 30. The 
transmission/reception circuit 15 incorporated in the card 2 which is 
normally in a reception state receives the first request signal 13 and 
supplies that signal 13 to the microcomputer 20. When the first request 
signal 13 is detected by the request signal detecting circuit 18 included 
in the microcomputer 20, first identification information is read out from 
the identification information setting circuit 19 to be supplied to the 
transmission/reception circuit 15 of the card 2. The first identification 
information signal 12 thus sent out from the transmission/reception 
circuit 15 of the card 2 is received by the transmission/reception circuit 
30 of the automatic cash transaction apparatus 1. The first identification 
information thus received is detected by the identification information 
detecting circuit 24 to be subsequently sent to the controller 100. When 
the controller 100 decides that the first identification information is 
proper or valid, the controller 100 allows manipulation of the transaction 
type selecting key array or field 6 and the cipher number key array 5. In 
other words, the controller 100 handles the data which will be 
subsequently inputted through manipulation of the transaction thpe 
selecting key 6 and the cipher number keys 5 or the like as the valid 
data. Simultaneously with the permission of the data inputting through the 
key operation, the transaction procedure display unit 7 displays the 
transaction procedure. At this time point, the customer is allowed to 
input the transaction type, the cipher number (e.g. personal 
identification number) and other data through operation of the relevant 
keys on the manipulation panel 14. At the same time, the controller 100 
reads out the data from the request signal setting circuit 21 to cause the 
transmission/reception circuit 30 to send out a second request signal 13. 
When this second request signal 13 is detected by the request signal 
detecting circuit 18 of the card 2 in the manner similar to the case of 
the first request signal, the identification setting circuit 19 and the 
account number setting circuit 32 send out the second identification 
signal 12 and the account number signal 31, through the 
transmission/reception circuit 15 of the card 2, respectively. Upon 
reception of the second identification information signal 12 and the 
account number signal 31 by the transmission/reception circuit 30 provided 
on the side of the automatic cash transaction apparatus 1, the second 
identification information is detected by the identification information 
detecting circuit 24 to be supplied to the controller 100 as in the case 
of the first identification information signal. On the other hand, the 
account number signal 31 is detected by the account number detecting 
circuit 34, and the detected account number is also supplied to the 
controller 100. The controller 100 then compares the second identification 
information with the cipher number inputted through operation of the 
cipher number keys 5 by the customer. When coincidence results from the 
above comparison, operation for the transaction selected by the 
manipulation of the transaction type selecting keys 6 such as, for 
example, deposit or payment or the like is admitted. The subsequent 
transaction sequence can proceed with by using the account number received 
from the card. On the other hand, when the aforementioned comparison 
results in discrepancy or inequality, operation for the current 
transaction is inhibited. 
In the foregoing description, the request signal setting circuit 21 may be 
constituted by a memory for storing the first and second request signals 
which are read out under the command issued by the controller 100. The 
first and second request signals are added with different codes at the 
respective leading ends so that the request signal detecting circuit 18 
may discriminatively identify the first and second request signals on the 
basis of the difference between the code information. For discriminating 
the account number and the identification information on the side of the 
automatic cash transaction apparatus, different code information may be 
added to the account number and the first and second identification 
information at the leading ends, respectively. 
It should further be noted that the first identification information may be 
of the same content for the cards possessed by all the customers. Thus, 
the controller 100 can decides whether the first identification 
information is proper or not by checking whether the first identification 
is identical with the abovementioned content. 
The identification information setting circuit 19 may be constituted by a 
memory destined for storing the first and second identification 
information, wherein the first identification information is read out in 
response to the first request signal output produced by the request signal 
detecting circuit 18, while the second identification information is read 
out upon detection of the second request signal. The account number 
setting circuit 32 also reads out the account number from the memory in 
response to the second request signal detection output, as in the case of 
the identification information setting circuit 19. The identification 
information setting circuit 19 and the account number setting circuit 32 
may be implemented in one and the same memory and allocated with different 
addresses, respectively. 
The transmission/reception circuit 30 of the automatic cash transaction 
apparatus 1 includes an antenna denoted by a reference numeral 3 in FIG. 
2. Similarly, the transaction/reception circuit 15 of the card 2 includes 
antenna which may have a transmission/reception mode switching circuit as 
in the circuit 30. The technique of performing signal transmission and 
reception with an external apparatus by providing an antenna in a carrier 
such as a card is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application 
Laid-Open No. 151572/1983 (JP-A-58-151572). Additionally, the techniques 
of actuating the circuits incorporated in a carrier such as a card which 
is placed in the field in which energy or power source is present have 
been heretofore known. By way of example, reference may be made to 
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 151572/1983, 151723/1983, 
154080/1983 and others. Accordingly, when the automatic cash transaction 
apparatus is so structured as to form the field of energy, the power 
supply cell 40 incorporated in the card 2 may be omitted. 
Additionally, the request switch 4 may be replaced by means for optically 
sensing the approaching of the user to the apparatus, means for detecting 
the weight of the user standing in front of the apparatus or the like 
appropriate means. 
With the arrangement described in the foregoing, before the identification 
information to be compared with the ciper number inputted through key 
operation on the panel is sent out, another identification information is 
transmitted from the card through the same circuit system. Thus, the 
operation for inputting the cipher number can be performed after having 
confirmed the normal operation of the circuits incorporated in the card. 
Thus, the discrepancy upon checking the cipher number due to fault of the 
circuits incorporated in the card can be prevented. This feature is 
advantageous in such a system that when the number of discrepancies 
appearing at the cipher number check step has attained a predetermined 
value, the card is invalidated, because unwanted increasing in the number 
of times the discrepancy makes appearance can be prevented. 
Further, it should be mentioned that the automatic cash transaction 
apparatus as a whole should be installed in the electromagnetcially 
shielded space in which only one person is admitted, for the purpose of 
preverting the automatic cash transaction apparatus from making access to 
a plurality of the cards simultaneously at one time. 
The present invention provides various advantages such as mentioned below. 
(1) Since the customer can carry out the transaction only through the key 
manipulation with the card being left as placed in a pocket or bag, the 
burden posed on the customer can be significantly reduced. 
(2) Since the card need not be actually inserted into the apparatus, 
failures due to deformation and injury of the card can be positively 
prevented, whereby the reliability of the system can be improved. 
(3) Because the card need not be inserted in the apparatus, the time 
otherwise required for taking out the card and placing it to the apparatus 
is reduced down to zero, whereby transaction can be carried out with high 
efficiency. 
(4) Since the customer is not required to insert the apparatus, there can 
be avoided such trouble that the card is left and forgotten. 
(5) Since the magnetic card employed conventionally in the prior art system 
is not used in the system according to the invention, no card reader is 
required which in turn means that the apparatus can be realized 
inexpensively with improved reliability.