Electronic money storing apparatus and IC card control method

• US 6,321,980 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hayashi, Manabu, Maekawa, Hitoshi, Yazumi, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/512,324
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/492, 235/486, 235/385, 902/26, 361/737, 361/686, 705/17, 705/41
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation

Abstract

In an electronic money storing apparatus in an electronic money transaction system for transmitting and receiving electronic money between electronic money cards holding electronic money, IC cards are loaded to each of a plurality of IC card read/write unit connected to a controller. Each of the IC cards holds electronic money and transmits and receives electronic money with another IC card in the electronic money transaction system. The controller reads and writes the electronic money of the IC cards loaded to a selected IC card read/write unit and transmits and receives the electronic money between that IC card and an electronic money storing media external of the electronic money storing apparatus.

Claims

1. An electronic money transaction system comprising:

an electronic money storing apparatus for storing a plurality of electronic money cards which hold electronic money;

an electronic money card handling machine for performing an electronic money transaction between an electronic money card of a user and an electronic money card which is not used in any transaction within the electronic money storing apparatus in response to a request of the user; and

a communication server for transmitting data of the electronic money in the electronic money storing apparatus to a host apparatus.

2. An electronic money transaction system according to claim 1,

wherein said electronic money storing apparatus comprising:

a line controller connected to a communication network for communicating electronic money data, for controlling the communication with the communication network;

card read/write means for accommodating a plurality of electronic money cards and reading and writing data for the cards; and

a main controller for handling a plurality of transactions in parallel by controlling transmission and reception of the electronic money through said card read/write means and said line controller, each transaction being an electronic money transfer between the electronic money cards accommodated in said card read/write means or between an external electronic money card accessed via the communication network and the electronic money card accommodated in said card read/write means,

wherein said controller selects at least one from said electronic money cards accommodated in said card read/write means for each transaction and sends a selection request to said card read/write means, and

wherein said card read/write means reads and writes the electronic money in the electronic money card in response to the selection request.

3. An electronic money transaction system comprising:

an electronic money storing apparatus for storing a plurality of electronic money cards which hold electronic money;

a communication server for transmitting data of the electronic money in the electronic money storing apparatus to a host apparatus; and

an electronic money card handling machine connected with the electronic money storing apparatus via network for performing an electronic money transaction between electronic money in the electronic money card in the electronic money storing apparatus and electronic money in an electronic money card inserted in the electronic money card handling machine by a user.

4. An electronic money transaction system according to claim 3,

wherein the electronic money card handling machine occupies process for the electronic money card in the electronic money storing apparatus until the electronic money card handling machine completes process for the electronic money card inserted therein, and

wherein the electronic money storing apparatus stores a plurality of electronic money cards and performs processing of the plurality of electronic money cards in parallel.

5. An electronic money transaction system according to claim 3,

wherein said electronic money storing apparatus comprises:

a line controller connected to a communication network for communicating electronic money data, for controlling the communication with the communication network;

card read/write means for accommodating a plurality of electronic money cards and reading and writing data for the cards; and

a main controller for handling a plurality of transactions in parallel by controlling transmission and reception of the electronic money through said card read/write means and said line controller, each transaction being an electronic money transfer between the electronic money cards accommodated in said card read/write means or between an external electronic money card accessed via the communication network and the electronic money card accommodated in said card read/write means,

wherein said controller selects at least one of said electronic money cards accommodated in said card read/write means for each transaction and sending a selection request to said card read/write means, and

wherein said card read/write means reads and writes the electronic money in the electronic money card in response to the selection request.

6. An electronic money transaction system comprising:

an electronic money storing apparatus for storing a plurality of electronic money cards which hold electronic money;

an electronic money card handling machine for performing an electronic money transaction between an electronic money card of a user and an electronic money card which is not used in any transaction within the electronic money storing apparatus in response to a request of the user; and

a communication server for transmitting data of the electronic money in the electronic money storing apparatus to a host apparatus,

wherein the electronic money storing apparatus stores a plurality of electronic money cards and performs processing of the plurality of electronic money cards in parallel.

7. An electronic money transaction system comprising:

an electronic money storing apparatus for storing a plurality of electronic money cards which hold electronic money;

a communication server for transmitting data of the electronic money in the electronic money storing apparatus to a host apparatus; and

an electronic money card handling machine connected with the electronic money storing apparatus via network for performing an electronic money transaction between electronic money in the electronic money card in the electronic money storing apparatus and electronic money in an electronic money card inserted in the electronic money card handling machine by a user,

wherein the electronic money storing apparatus stores a plurality of electronic money cards and performs processing of the plurality of electronic money cards in parallel.