×

Point-of-distribution pre-paid card vending system

  • US 6,169,975 B1
  • Filed: 07/09/1997
  • Issued: 01/02/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A system for point of sale dispensing of cards comprising:

  • (a) a host computer system; and

    (b) a remote terminal device adapted to be selectively coupled to the host computer system via a communication link, the remote terminal device comprising;

    (i) a terminal memory that stores a plurality of informational data sets;

    (ii) a recording device that copies informational data sets from the terminal memory onto a substrate;

    (iii) an input device, and (iv) a processor programmed to execute the following steps;

    (1) upon receipt of a pre-selected input from the input device, selecting a personal identification number from the terminal memory;

    (2) causing the recording device to copy the selected personal identification number onto the substrate;

    (3) flagging a memory location in the terminal memory to indicate that the selected personal identification number has been used; and

    (4) upon a determination that a predetermined number of informational data sets in the terminal memory remain unflagged, replenishing the available informational data sets by performing the following substeps;

    (A) initiating a communication between the remote terminal device and the host computer system via the communication link;

    (B) indicating to the host computer system that the flagged informational data sets have been used;

    (C) downloading a plurality of informational data sets from the host computer system into the terminal memory; and

    (D) disconnecting the communication between the remote terminal device and the host computer system after the downloading substep.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×