Service method using on-line systems of financial institutions

• US 5,774,884 A
• Filed: 03/08/1995
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Moebius Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Moebius Pty Limited
• Inventors: Terano, Masakuni, Watanabe, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Application Number:
  US08/400,247
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401 R, 364/404, 364/405, 364/406, 364/407, 364/408, 364/410, 364/412, 235/379, 235/380, 273/269, 395/217, 395/221, 395/235-244
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically

Abstract

A service is added to the mechanical use of dedicated terminals of a financial institution to thereby attain a differentiation of the financial institution from the other financial institutions. In executing a predetermined item of transaction by using a dedicated terminal, a lottery is performed on a magnetic code by a lottery system provided in a central computer processing system, and a predetermined advantage is imparted to the magnetic code when the lot falls upon it.

Claims

1. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions, wherein, in executing a predetermined item of transaction by operating a dedicated terminal connected to a central computer processing system of a financial institution,

the dedicated terminal is provided with an apparatus for reading a transactor recognizing medium equipped with a magnetic code;

the central computer processing system is provided with a magnetic code lottery means; and

in executing the predetermined item of transaction through the transactor recognizing medium by using the dedicated terminal, a lottery is automatically performed on the magnetic code of the transactor recognizing medium by the magnetic code lottery means of the central computer processing system, a predetermined advantage being imparted to the transactor recognizing medium when the lot falls upon it.

2. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic code lottery means provided in the central computer processing system is a means for comparison with a previously stored winning code group effected by a lottery start signal emitted when executing the item of transaction.

3. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic code lottery means provided in the central computer processing system is a means for random lottery effected by a lottery start signal emitted when executing the item of transaction.

4. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic code lottery means provided in the central computer processing system is a means for random lottery that is executed on magnetic codes judged to be winning ones by a means for comparison with a previously stored winning code group, the random lottery being effected by a lottery start signal emitted when executing an item of transaction.

5. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the lottery by the magnetic code lottery means provided in the central computer processing system is executed only when the number of times that the item of transaction is executed has reached a predetermined value.

6. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the items of transaction are restricted to ones involving transfer of cash.

7. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 6, wherein the lottery by the magnetic code lottery means provided in the central computer processing system is executed only when the amount of cash transferred has reached a predetermined value.

8. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined advantage consists of the right to obtain a predetermined item of merchandise.

9. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined advantage consists of the right to obtain a predetermined item of merchandise at a discount.

10. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined advantage can be displayed through the dedicated terminal.

11. A service method using on-line systems of financial institutions according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined advantage can be printed out by a printer that the dedicated terminal has.

12. A method of automatically entering a patron of an on-line financial system into a lottery when said user conducts a transaction, said method comprising the steps of:

reading a magnetic code of a transactor recognizing medium associated with said patron when said patron conducts a transaction;

identifying a winning code group;

automatically comparing said magnetic code with said winning code group to identify a match;

automatically rewarding said patron with a predetermined advantage upon identification of said match;

wherein, said patron is entered into said lottery free of charge to promote use of said financial system.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein step of rewarding said patron comprises the further steps of:

identifying a particular reward to be given to said user;

printing a coupon during said transaction, said coupon being redeemable for said particular reward.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said step of identifying a winning code group is randomly generated after reading said magnetic code.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said step of identifying said winning code group is obtained by looking up a previously stored winning code group.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein said patron is automatically entered into said lottery after conducting a predetermined number of transactions.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein said patron is automatically entered into said lottery after conducting a transaction exceeding a predetermined value.