CREDIT TRANSACTION PROCESSING SYSTEM

Abstract: A credit transaction processing system processes data related to a commodity entered by using a card (17) owned by a customer and a recording medium (16) owned by a store. First, data necessary for a credit sale stored in the recording medium (16), such as account number data for the store, data specifying a credit company, and data repre­ senting an upper limit of an amount to to be sold through a credit sale, are read by a card reader (5), and then, data stored in the customer's recording card, such as account number data of the customer, data specifying a credit com­ pany and an identification number or code is read. If and when the customer enters his identification number by a ten-key (7), a central processing unit (12) determines whether the entered identification number coincides with the identification number read out of the customer's card. If and when a coincidence occurs, it is determined whether a price data of a commodity purchased by the customer is lower than the upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale. If so, the price data is transmitted to a center sta­ tion (3) and the amount of the money required for the credit sale is transferred from the bank account of the credit com­ pany utilized by the customer to the bank account of the store.

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a credit transaction processing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a credit transaction processing system wherein a credit sale (including cash dispensing) of a commodity is made by using a customer's card so that a transfer processing of an amount sold is made. Description of the Prior Art Of recent years, the number of people who utilize a so-called credit card is increasing and a credit sale is largely made wherein a mere presentation of a credit card to a store enables a customer to purchase a commodity or commodities from the store or to have his meal out without paying cash at that time and, instead, the amount required for purchasing the commodity and the like is automatically transferred from the account in a banking organ where the customer deposits, on the later date. A current credit sale system comprises a credit company, a member store and a customer who utilizes a credit sale. In case where a customer purchases commodities and the like at a member store by using a credit card, a card number thereof is written in two sheets of paper, for example, by a particular machine at the store, one sheet of paper being given the customer as a receipt and the other sheet of paper being left in the store with the signature of the customer. The other sheet of paper left in the store is forwarded to a credit company and correspondingly, the store receives from the credit company the money corresponding to the price of the commodity purchased by the customer. The reception of the money is generally made by transferring, by a credit company, a required money to a store's account in a predetermined banking organ utilized by the store. The credit company automatically receives, on later some day, the money through a transfer from the bank account of the customer who purchased the commodity by using the credit card. On the other hand, if and when the store sells commodities to a customer through a credit sale, in principle, the credit sale is permitted not to exceed an upper limit of an amount which is predetermined, in advance, by a contract between the credit company and the store and, if an amount of a credit transaction exceeds the upper limit, the store contacts the credit company by way of a telephone, for example, and makes a sale after obtaining an approval of the credit company. The reason is that, if the amount to be transferred from a predetermined account of the customer is not deposited in the predetermined account of the customer, the credit company who should pay to the store the price for the commodities purchased by the customer cannot receive the price for the commodities from the customer and thus the credit company sustains great damage. Thus, in order to avoid such damage or in order to reduce the damage to a minimum even if the damage occurs, an upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale is predetermined and if a credit sale is trying to be made exceeding the upper limit, it has been determined whether the credit sale should be made or not, depending on the past records of the customer, the amount deposited in his bank account and the like. In addition, in order to prevent the credit sale to a wicked customer, a credit company distributes to member stores a list enumerating the names of such wicked customers and instructs the stores not to make credit sales to the customers enumerated in the list. However, it is necessary for a store clerk to check manually the list whenever a credit sale is made. Particularly, such checking of list is much time consuming due to increase of frequency of credit sale. Thus, it often occurs that the store neglects such checking of list. In order to process mechanically such checking of list, an on-line communication between a credit company and each of member stores is attempted so that it is checked whether a customer is wicked or not, by using a customer's card. However, in such a case, a terminal for each credit company must be installed in each store and thus, in case of a store making a contract with a plurality of credit companies, the store must install a plurality of terminals. In addition, the money to be transferred from the credit company to each store as the price for the commodities sold by the store is transferred to a particular account of a banking organ designated by the credit company and the store. It is not permitted for the store to change arbitrarily the account depending on the kind of commodities to be sold, for example. Furthermore, since the account number of the store is determined depending on the terminal and the account number cannot be changed, the other cannot use the terminal as originally installed in the store and thus the terminal must be moved together with the transfer of the business or the change of the place of business if a business in the store is transferred to the other or the place of business is changed. Such movement is often made in a department store and large scale supermarket. A credit transaction processing system according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from US-A-3 818 187. According to this known system a register is provided in which the amount of a proposed credit sale can be set for checking through the central processing means whether or not the credit is good in the amount indicated for the proposed sale. From WO-A-8 102 940 a transaction control system is known in which a credit card held by the purchaser of a commodity such as petrol is verified against a card held by the vending institution. A principal object of the present invention is to provide a credit transaction processing system with flexibility of credit transaction processing so that the apparatus can be commonly utilized in each store, an upper limit of an amount to be sold through a credit sale can be changed, and an account number for transfer in the same store can be changed. The invention is as claimed in claim 1. In making a credit transaction, the account number of a bank utilized by the store and/or the upper limit of the amount for a credit sale can be arbitrarily changed by selecting any one of a recording medium owned by any store. This object and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a credit transaction processing system of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the data stored in a memory shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the data stored in a card owned by a store; Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the data recorded in a card owned by a customer; Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing processing and operation of the credit transaction processing system; Fig. 6 is a diagram explaining a system for commonly using a credit authorization terminal; Fig. 7 is a diagram explaining a system for selecting an account to be settled using a credit authorization terminal; and Fig. 8 is a diagram explaining a system for changing an upper limit of an amount to be sold through a credit sale using a credit authorization terminal. Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a credit transaction processing system of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, a construction of the system comprises a credit authorization terminal CAT1, a host central processing unit 2 and a center station 3 including a computing system of a bank and the like. Of these, for the host central processing unit 2 and the center station 3, a conventional on-line system can be utilized. The present invention resides in a point that a credit authorization terminal CAT1 is newly developed and a card for a store and a card for a customer are used in the CAT1. The structure of the credit authorization terminal is shown in Fig. 1. That is, the credit authorization terminal CAT1 comprises an input-output interface 4; a card reader 5, a receipt issuing apparatus 6, a ten-key 7, an amount displaying portion 8, a manipulator and manipulating guidance 9, a monitoring panel 10, a cassette type of magnetic memory apparatus (CMT) or a floppy disk (FD) 11 which are connected to the interface 4; a central processing unit 12 connected to the interface 4; a memory 13 provided associated with the central processing unit 12; an interface 14 for transmission; and a power supply apparatus 15. Now, the function of each of constituent elements will be briefly described. The card reader 5 reads out the data representing the condition necessary for a credit sale, which is recorded in a card 16 for a store and a card 17 for a customer. In the embodiment, although the card 16 is utilized as a recording medium owned by a store, a magnetic cassette tape and a magnetic recording disk and the like may also be used. The receipt issuing apparatus 6 issues a receipt 18 which is given customer when a credit sale is established. The ten-key 7 is an apparatus for entering any numerical data such as the data representing the price for commodities sold. The amount displaying portion 8 visually displays an upper limit of an amount to be sold through a credit sale, the amount of commodities sold, and the like. The manipulator and manipulating guidance 9 displays an operation procedure of the credit authorization terminal 1. The monitoring panel 10 indicates the information stored in the memory 13 and the like. A cassette type of magnetic recording apparatus or floppy disk records the data and information, such as the contents of the receipt 18 issued. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the data stored in the memory 13 of the credit authorization terminal 1 as shown in Fig. 1. The memory 13 includes an area 131 for storing at least the content recorded in the card owned by a store, a area 132 for storing an upper limit of an amount to be sold through a credit sale, an area 133 for storing a code representing a customer, and an area 134 for storing a sold amount. Figs. 3 and 4 show the data recorded in the card 16 for a store and the data recorded in the card 17 for a customer, respectively. As shown in Fig. 3, at least a code 162 indicating an account number of a banking organ, for example, a bank, utilized by the store (simply referred to as BK code hereinafter), a code 163 indicating an account number of a banking organ utilized by a credit company (referred to as C code hereinafter) and a code 164 indicating an upper limit of an amount to be sold through a credit sale (simply referred to as a credit sale code hereinafter) are recorded in the card 16. The BK code 162, C code 163 and credit sale code 164 are such that the data so far stored therein can be changed in accordance with the kind 161 of the cards for a store. The store previously prepared a plurality of cards to be owned by the store, so that an account number of a bank utilized by the store and the upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale can be arbitrarily changed by selecting a particular card of the plurality of cards in making credit sales. Further, as shown in Fig. 4, a BK code 172 indicating an account number of a banking organ utilized by the customer, a C code 173 indicating an account number of a banking organ utilized by a credit company and an identification code 174 are recorded in the card 17. The identification code 174 indicates the number specified for the purpose of preventing the other from improperly utilizing the card. Thus, if and when the customer utilizes his card, he must first enter his identification number only he knows. Fig. 5 is a flow diagram showing an operation of the credit sale transaction processing system. Referring to the flow diagram of Fig. 5, an operation of the credit sale transaction processing system of Fig. 1 will be described. In the step S1, it must be determined whether the condition necessary for a credit transaction is set by using a card 16 owned by a store. At the first time when a credit transaction is made, the condition necessary for credit transaction using the card 16 must be necessarily set. In the subsequent transactions, such setting of the conditions is not needed if the transaction is to be made on the same condition. In case where the transaction is made, it would be general that the setting of the condition is made by selecting any one card from a plurality of cards by a master or a responsible person of the store, considering the account to be settled, and the upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale, since the condition necessary for credit transaction is different from each other depending on the kind of the cards owned by the store, as described in the foregoing. The selected card 16 is inserted into the card reader 5 in the credit authorization terminal 1 by an operator of the store, for example, so that the condition for credit transaction recorded in the card 16 is set. More particularly, if and when the card 16 is inserted to the card reader 5 for the purpose of setting the condition for credit transaction, the content recorded in the card 16 is read out (step S2). Then, in the step S3, it is determined whether the content read out from the card 16 is valid or not. The determination is made in the central processing unit 12 by sending the content read out by the card reader 5 through the interface 4 into the central processing unit 12. If and when the content recorded in the card 16 is not valid, the card 16 is immediately returned without doing any subsequent operation. If and when the content in the card 16 is valid, the content in the card 16 is confirmed and then is stored in the storage area 131 in the memory 13 in the step S4. In case where the data indicating that the upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale is not changed, for example, "0", is entered in the credit sale code 164 of the card 16 in the step S5, the upper limit of the amount, for example, 5,000 yen is stored in the upper limit of the amount storing area 132 of the memory 13 (step S6). Conversely, in case where the data indicating that the upper limit of the amount is to be changed, for example, "1", is entered in the credit sale code 164 in the card 16, a new upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale, for example, 10,000 yen, is stored in the upper limit of the amount storing area 132 of the memory 13 in the step S7. The amount stored in the storage area 132, such as 5,000 yen or 10,000 yen, becomes a maximum amount for a credit sale. After completion of these processing, the card 16 may be returned from the card reader 5. The above described change of the upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale is particularly advantageous in giving the store's service irrespective of the kind of the commodity to be sold, the past result of the customer, the amount being deposited in the bank or the case where the price for commodities purchased by a customer exceeds the upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale, given the store through a credit company. In addition, in the present embodiment, although the change of the upper limit of the amount for a credit sale is made by changing the kind of the cards 16, such change may be made by entering an arbitrary amount by an operation of the ten-key 7, in which case the card 16 does not contain a credit sale code 164. In case where the customer presents his card 17 for a credit sale, an operator in the store inserts the card 17 into the card reader 5 in the step S8. The card reader 5 reads the content recorded in the card 17 and, in the step S9, the central processing unit 12 determines whether the content read out from the card 17 is valid or not. If the content is invalid, then the card 17 is immediately returned from the card reader 5 without doing any subsequent operations. If and when the content read out from the card 17 is valid, an indication indicating that the customer's identification number should be entered is displayed in the manipulating guidance 9. Correspondingly, the operator in the store instructs the customer to enter his identification number by the ten-key 7 (step S10). In the step S11, it is determined whether the identification number entered by the customer by means of the ten-key 7 coincides with unvisible identification number recorded in the customer's card 17. If a coincidence occurs, the program proceeds to the step S12. If no coincidence occurs, the customer's card 17 is returned without proceeding to the subsequent processing. After a matching of the customer is made, the operator enters the amount claimed of the commodities and the like to be sold through a credit sale using the ten-key 7 and then instructs the customer to depress a confirmation button, as not shown, (provided associated with the ten-key 7). The reason is that the operation is made sure and an error may be avoided. Then, in the step S13, the amount claimed is compared with the upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale, stored in the memory 13 and, if the amount claimed is lower than the upper limit, the customer's code is stored in the storage area 133 and at the same time, the amount claimed is stored in the amount storage area 134 in the step S14. These contents are transmitted from the transmission interface 14 to the host central processing unit 2, and then to the center station 3 in the step S15. Then, the transfer processing is made in the step 16 and then the processing of the credit transaction processing system and the operation thereof are terminated. The receipt 18 is issued from the receipt issuing apparatus 6 in the credit authorization terminal 1, which indicates that the transaction processing has been made. Figs. 6 to 8 are diagram for explaining a manner of utilizing the credit authorization terminal 1, respectively. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a system for commonly using a credit authorization terminal 1. For example, two cards to be owned by a store, B1 card 16a and B2 card 16b, are prepared, the B1 card 16a having the data necessary for a credit sale in the B1 store recorded therein and the B2 card 16b having the data necessary for a credit sale in the B2 store recorded therein. In case where two stores B1 and B2 use a single credit authorization terminal 1, the B1 card 16a in the B1 store is inserted into the card reader 5 of the credit authorization terminal 1 and the operations in the steps S1 to S7 in Fig. 5 are made, when a customer purchases commodities at the B1 store. Then, the A card 17 owned by the customer is inserted to the card reader 5 of the credit authorization terminal 1 and the data recorded therein is read out, so that the operations in the remaining steps in Fig. 5, that is, the steps S8 to S16, are made. Correspondingly, the credit authorization terminal 1 transmits data indicating the condition based on both of the data recorded in the B1 card and the A card to instruct the center station 3 to make the operation as shown in Fig. 6. More particularly, the amount required for a credit sale is immediately transferred from the C account of the credit company to the B1 account of the B1 store, while the amount for a credit sale, that is, the price for commodities purchased by the customer through a credit transaction, will be automatically transferred from the A account of the customer to the C account of the credit company on a predetermined later date. Conversely, in case where the B2 card 16b in the B2 store is first inserted into a card reader of the credit authorization terminal 1 and then the A card 17 of the customer is inserted, and each of the processings in the steps in Fig. 5 is made, the credit authorization terminal 1 instructs the center station 3 to transfer immediately the amount from the C account of the credit company to the B2 account of the B2 store. As described in the foregoing, since the account to be transferred is different from each store in the center station 3 by exchanging the store's card, a single credit authorization terminal can be shared with a plurality of stores. Incidentally, besides the above described embodiment, the center station to be called for may be selected depending on a store's card 16 so that settled processing may be made in another center station. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a system for selecting an account to be settled using a credit authorization terminal. In this system, the store has at least two cards, one being a B1 card 16c having a B1 account recorded therein, the other being a B2 card 16d having a B2 account recorded therein. For example, assuming that the store wishes to use the B1 account in response to the kind of commodities purchased by a customer, the B1 card 16c is entered to the credit authorization terminal T1 and then the A card 17 is entered, so that the operation of each of the steps shown in Fig. 5 is made. If and when the B1 card 16c is used, the transfer of the amount from the C account of the credit company to the B1 account of the B store is immediately performed in the center station 3. On the other hand, if and when the B2 card 16d is used, the transfer of the amount from the C account of the credit company to the B2 account of the B store is immediately performed in the center station 3. Thus, there can be obtained a meritorious effect that the destination of the account to be transferred in the center station 3 can be arbitrarily changed. Even in the case of Fig. 7, another center station making a settling processing may be selected in response to the card 16. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a system for changing an upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale, using a credit authorization terminal. In Fig. 8, it is possible to give a store's service to a customer at the store's own risk, exceeding an upper limit of the amount to be sold through a credit sale given by a credit company, by selecting and using a single card from a plurality of store's cards. Thus, there is an advantage that the store can obtain more chance of selling commodities at the store's own risk. In order to change the upper limit of the amount, it is possible to enter arbitrarily the upper limit by the ten-key 7, other than selecting and using a single card from the store's cards having the data of the upper limit stored therein. The host central processing unit for performing each of settling operations is usually provided in the center station 3 and thus, in the above described embodiments of Figs. 6 to 8, the settling processing is made in the same host central processing unit included in the center station 3. However, in case where any one or two of a credit company, a customer and a store, for example, have the account and the like only in the center station including another bank and the like different from the above described center station 3, a data transmission is made between the host central processing unit of the center station 3 and the above described separate center station. Although, in Figs. 6 to 8, a settlement operation was made by using a banking system in the center station 3, such settlement may be made in the credit company itself. Alternatively, the present credit transaction processing apparatus can be utilized based on the relation among a bank, a store and a customer, excluding a credit company, so that the function to be performed by a credit company can be made by a store or a bank. It should be understood that the commodity and the like which is an object of the present credit transaction processing apparatus includes money itself.

Claims: A credit transaction processing system comprising: a recording medium (16) owned by a store, and having recorded therein at least data necessary for a credit sale, a first recording card (17) owned by a customer and having stored therein at least the data necessary for purchasing a commodity, reading means (5) for reading the data recorded in said recording medium (16) and said first recording card (17), respectively, processing means (12) for performing a transaction using the data read out by said reading means (5), and central processing means (3) connected to said processing means (12), characterized in that said data necessary for a credit sale comprises an account number of a banking organ utilized by said store, said recording medium is comprised of a plurality of alternatively usable recording mediums (16) each having stored therein a different said account number, an account corresponding to each of said account numbers stored in said recording mediums (16) being provided in said central processing means (3), said processing means (12) applying to said central processing means (3) the account number read out from any of said recording mediums (16) and the data processed for sale, said central processing means (3) including transaction processing means (S16) for processing a transaction based on the account number data and the sale data applied from said processing means (12). A credit transaction processing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said transaction processing system (12) further includes data entry means (7) for entering data associated with a commodity. A credit transaction processing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said data necessary for a credit sale stored in said recording mediums (16) comprises the data representing an upper limit of an amount to be sold through a credit sale to a customer, and said processing means (12) includes inhibiting means (S13, S17) for inhibiting a processing of data when the data entered by said data entry means (7) exceeds the data representing the upper limit of the amount read out from the used recording medium (16). A credit transaction processing system in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein said recording mediums (16) are second recording cards (16) and said reading means is a card reader (5) suitable for reading the data stored in said first and second recording cards (17, 16).

Inventors: HIRAYAMA, MAMORU, INOUE, TOSHIAKI, NAGATA, MASANORI
Applicants: OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G07F7
IPC codes: G07F19, G06Q20, G07F7