Apparatus and method for managing and possessing electronic money, management and possession medium and recording medium for recording electronic money management and possession program read by computer

• US 6,266,653 B1
• Filed: 03/16/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ono, Akiko, Yamamoto, Koken, Shiobara, Tomomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US09/039,268
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705/35, 705/41, 705/43, 705/40, 235/379, 235/375, 235/380, 380/24, 150/112, 150/113, 150/116, 150/117, 150/131
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention discloses an electronic money managing and possessing apparatus used for managing and possessing electronic money, which includes a medium for holding an electronic money defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a required storage so as to be rewritten when currency of a single kind is used, and electronic money distribution and storage control unit for setting a plurality of storage areas defined according to individual purposes in the storage of the medium and distributing and storing the electronic money in the plurality of storage areas according to purposes as instructed and electronic money payment executing unit for specifying, regarding the electronic money possessed in the medium, a desired storage area and executing payment with the electronic money stored in this specified storage area. Even if currency of only a single kind is used, electronic money can be classified and managed according to various purposes. Accordingly, the degree of convenience can be increased for using electronic money.

Claims

1. An electronic money managing and possessing apparatus for managing and possessing electronic money, held in a medium, defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a required storage so as to be rewritten, comprising:

electronic money distribution and storage control means for setting a plurality of storage areas defined according to individual purposes in said storage in said medium, and distributing and storing electronic money in said plurality of storage areas according to individual purposes as instructed; and

electronic money payment executing means for specifying, regarding said electronic money possessed in said medium, a desired storage area and executing payment with said electronic money stored in said specified storage area;

wherein said electronic money distribution and storage means includes specifying means for specifying at least one of a storage area as a transfer origin and a storage area as a transfer destination, and moving means for moving said electronic money from said storage area as a transfer origin to said storage area as a transfer destination specified by said specifying means.

2. An electronic money managing and possessing apparatus for managing and possessing electronic money, held in a medium, defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a required storage so as to be rewritten, comprising:

electronic money distribution and storage control means for setting a plurality of storage areas defined according to individual purposes in said storage in said medium, and distributing and storing electronic money in said plurality of storage areas according to individual purposes as instructed; and

electronic money payment executing means for specifying, regarding said electronic money possessed in said medium, a desired storage area, and executing payment with said electronic money stored in said specified storage area;

wherein said electronic money payment executing means includes specifying means for specifying another storage area when shortage of electronic money stored in said desired storage area occurred, and moving means for moving electronic money from said another storage area to said desired storage area where said shortage has occurred.

3. An electronic money managing and possessing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electronic money payment executing means includes, for moving said electronic money from said another storage area to said storage area where said shortage has occurred, loan and debt information recording means for recording lending and borrowing information in said medium.

4. An electronic money managing and possessing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said electronic money payment executing means further includes displaying means for displaying said lending and borrowing information.

5. An electronic money managing and possessing apparatus for managing and possessing electronic money, held in a medium, defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a required storage so as to be rewritten, comprising:

electronic money distribution and storage control means for setting a plurality of storage areas defined according to individual purposes in said storage in said medium, and distributing and storing electronic money in said plurality of storage areas according to individual purposes as instructed; and

electronic money payment executing means for specifying, regarding said electronic money possessed in said medium, a desired storage area, and executing payment with said electronic money stored in said specified storage area;

wherein said electronic money payment executing means includes specifying means for specifying another storage area when shortage of electronic money stored in said desired storage area occurred, and moving means for moving electronic money from said another storage area to said desired storage area where said shortage has occurred, and

said electronic money distribution and storage control means reads electronic money from an external side, and receives and stores said electronic money from said external side in said medium, includes settling means for storing electronic money equivalent to an amount of said shortage in said another storage area and settling said shortage.

6. An electronic money managing and possessing method for managing and possessing electronic money, held in a medium, defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a required storage so as to be rewritten, comprising the steps of:

possessing electronic money defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a medium by distributing and storing electronic money in a plurality of storage areas, defined according to individual purposes in said storage in said medium, according to individual purposes as instructed;

specifying at least one of a storage area as a transfer origin and a storage area as a transfer destination; and

moving electronic money from said storage area as a transfer origin to said storage area as a transfer destination.

7. An electronic money managing and possessing method for managing and possessing electronic money, held in a medium, defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a required storage so as to be rewritten, comprising the steps of:

possessing electronic money defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a medium by distributing and storing electronic money in a plurality of storage areas, defined according to individual purposes in said storage in said medium, according to individual purposes as instructed;

specifying a desired storage area for making payment with electronic money possessed in said specified storage area;

specifying another storage area when shortage of electronic money stored in said desired storage area occurred; and

moving electronic money from said another storage area to said desired storage area where said shortage has occurred.

8. An electronic money managing and possessing method as claimed in claim 7, wherein for moving said electronic money from said another storage area to said storage area where said shortage has occurred, lending and borrowing information is recorded in said medium.

9. An electronic money managing and possessing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said lending and borrowing information is displayed.

10. An electronic money managing and possessing method as claimed in claim 7, wherein for moving said electronic money from said another storage area to said storage area where said shortage has occurred and then reading electronic money from an external side and receiving and storing said electronic money in said medium, electronic money equivalent to an amount of said shortage is stored in said another storage area and said shortage is settled.