Clearance system

• US 20040210487A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Haruta, Masahiko, Fujimoto, Jun
• Application Number:
  US10/478,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210487A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a payment system and so on that enables the enjoyment of offered services in a plurality of facilities with a simple procedure. The invention relates to a payment system comprising a plurality of facility terminals placed in a plurality of facilities and a control device configured to be capable of communicating with the plurality of facility terminals. The control device includes a portable identification medium issuer configured to issue a portable identification medium to a customer; a memory configured to memorize a customer ID, a prepaid money balance representing the amount of money prepaid by the customer and a portable identification medium ID, while associating with each other; a determiner configured to determine, when receiving a payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium by comparing the prepaid money balance associated with the portable identification medium ID with the amount of money to be paid; a payment response transmitter configured to transmit a payment response including the determination result to the facility terminal; an updater configured to update the prepaid money balance stored in the memory when it is determined that the payment can be executed; and a reimburser configured to reimburse the amount of money to be paid to the facility terminal when it is determined that the payment can be executed. The facility terminal includes a payment request transmitter configured to read the portable identification medium ID from the portable identification medium and to transmit the payment request including the read portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid to the control device; and a display configured to display whether or not the payment can be executed in accordance with the payment response received from the control device.

Claims

1. A payment system comprising a plurality of facility terminals placed in a plurality of facilities and a control device configured to be capable of communicating with the plurality of facility terminals, wherein:

the control device includes;

a portable identification medium issuer configured to issue a portable identification medium to a customer;

a memory configured to memorize a customer ID identifying the customer, a prepaid money balance representing the amount of money prepaid by the customer and a portable identification medium ID identifying the portable identification medium, while associating with each other;

a determiner configured to determine, when receiving a payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium by comparing the prepaid money balance associated with the portable identification medium ID with the amount of money to be paid;

a payment response transmitter configured to transmit a payment response including the determination result to the facility terminal;

an updater configured to update the prepaid money balance stored in the memory when it is determined that the payment can be executed; and

a reimburser configured to reimburse the amount of money to be paid to the facility terminal when it is determined that the payment can be executed; and

the facility terminal includes;

a payment request transmitter configured to read the portable identification medium ID from the portable identification medium and transmit the payment request including the read portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid to the control device; and

a display configured to display whether or not the payment can be executed in accordance with the payment response received from the control device.

2. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory memorizes the portable identification medium ID and a first facilities available balance representing the amount of money that allows a payment at the facility terminals, while associating with each other; and

the determiner determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium by comparing the first facilities available balance and the amount of money to be paid.

3. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory memorizes the portable identification medium ID and a second facilities available balance representing each of the amounts of money that allows a payment at the plurality of facility terminals, while associating with each other; and

the determiner determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium by comparing the second facilities available balance and the amount of money to be paid.

4. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory memorizes the portable identification medium ID and an inapplicable facility terminal ID representing the facility terminal which cannot execute the payment using the portable identification medium, while associating with each other; and

the determiner determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the inapplicable facility terminal, that the payment cannot be executed using the portable identification medium.

5. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein:

the portable identification medium issuer issues the plurality of portable identification media to the customer; and

the memory memorizes the customer ID and each of the plurality of portable identification media IDs, while associating with each other.

6. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory memorizes the customer ID and a room number, while associating with each other; and

the portable identification medium is capable of opening/closing a door of a room identified by the room number.

7. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory memorizes the facility terminal ID and a reimbursement day, while associating with each other; and

the reimburser reimburses the amount of money to be paid to the facility terminal on the reimbursement day associated with the facility terminal ID.

8. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory memorizes the facility terminal ID and conditions of use, while associating with each other; and

the determiner determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium based on the conditions of use associated with the facility terminal ID.

9. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein the portable identification medium is a non-contact IC card.

10. The payment system according to claim 1, wherein the portable identification medium is an optical communication type portable terminal.

11. A payment method executed between a plurality of facility terminals placed in a plurality of facilities and a control device configured to be capable of communicating with the plurality of facility terminals, comprising the steps of:

A) issuing, in the control device, a portable identification medium to a customer;

B) memorizing, in the control device, a customer ID identifying the customer, a prepaid money balance representing the amount of money prepaid by the customer and a portable identification medium ID identifying the portable identification medium, while associating with each other;

C) reading, in the facility terminal, the portable identification medium ID from the portable identification medium and transmitting a payment request including the read portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid to the control device;

D) determining, in the control device, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium when the payment request is received from the facility terminal, by comparing the prepaid money balance associated with the portable identification medium ID with the amount of money to be paid;

E) transmitting, in the control device, a payment response including the determination result to the facility terminal;

F) updating, in the control device, the prepaid money balance when it is determined that the payment can be executed;

G) displaying, in the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed in accordance with the payment response received from the control device; and

H) reimbursing, in the control device, the amount of money to be paid to the facility terminal when it is determined that the payment can be executed.

12. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein:

the control device memorizes the portable identification medium ID and a first facilities available balance representing the amount of money that allows a payment at the facility terminals, while associating with each other; and

in the step D), the control device determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium by comparing the first facilities available balance and the amount of money to be paid.

13. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein:

the control device memorizes the portable identification medium ID and a second facilities available balance representing the amount of money that allows a payment at each of the plurality of facility terminals, while associating with each other; and

in the step D), the control device determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium by comparing the second facilities available balance and the amount of money to be paid.

14. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein:

the control device memorizes the portable identification medium ID and an inapplicable facility terminal ID representing a facility terminal which cannot execute the payment using the portable identification medium, while associating with each other; and

in the step D), the control device determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the inapplicable facility terminal, that the payment cannot be executed using the portable identification medium.

15. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein:

in the step A), the control device issues the plurality of portable identification media to the customer; and

in the step B), the control device memorizes the customer ID and each of the plurality of portable identification media IDs, while associating with each other.

16. The payment method according to claim 11., wherein:

the control device memorizes the customer ID and a room number, while associating with each other; and

the portable identification medium is capable of opening/closing a door of a room identified by the room number.

17. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein:

the control device memorizes the facility terminal ID and a reimbursement day, while associating with each other; and

in the step H), the control device reimburses the amount of money to be paid to the facility terminal on the reimbursement day associated with the facility terminal ID.

18. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein:

the control device memorizes the facility terminal ID and conditions of use, while associating with each other; and

in the step D), the control device determines, when receiving the payment request including the portable identification medium ID and the amount of money to be paid from the facility terminal, whether or not the payment can be executed using the portable identification medium based on the conditions of use associated with the facility terminal ID.

19. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein the portable identification medium is a non-contact IC card.

20. The payment method according to claim 11, wherein the portable identification medium is an optical communication type portable terminal.