IC card processing device, automatic vending device, and selling method

• US 6,367,696 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Inoue, Masayuki, Matsumoto, Kenji, Takami, Yutaka, Itoh, Shigeyuki, Inamitsu, Tetsuharu, Yoneta, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US09/498,817
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/375, 235/383, 705/14, 705/22, 705/41
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader

Abstract

In a vending machine selling products and services without human attendance, at a point of sale, a discounting service is provided to each purchaser according to the frequency-of-purchase record of respective purchasers. A microcomputer 2 collects electronic money corresponding to prices of products purchased from a product purchaser'"'"'s IC card 8 inserted into an IC card reading apparatus 1 by each purchaser, and transfers it to a product seller'"'"'s IC card. Further, on this occasion, the number of times of purchase corresponding to a personal ID stored in a product purchaser'"'"'s IC card 8 is stored on the number of-times of purchase list of the memory unit 3, and a personal ID is registered on the personal ID list of a memory unit 3. When the number of times of purchase exceeds the reference number of times of purchase, when collecting e-money from the product purchaser'"'"'s ID card 8 whose personal ID is registered on the personal ID list, the microcomputer 2 applies a discounted price as a price for the purchased product.

Claims

1. A vending machine utilizing an IC card, the IC card having money information with which payments can be made and identifying information with which the IC card or an owner/user of the IC card can be identified, the vending machine comprising:

an IC card reading means for reading the money information and the identifying information stored in the IC card;

a charge collecting means for collecting a sum of money charged for products or services to be sold;

a storing means for storing frequency-of-transaction information associated with the identifying information read by the IC card reading means, the frequency-of-transaction information indicating a degree of use of the IC card, and condition information that indicates a reference condition at which to offer an additional benefit; and

a control means to determine whether to offer an additional benefit based on the frequency-of-transaction information and the condition information.

2. An IC card processing apparatus using an IC card storing money information with which payments can be made, and identifying information with which an IC card or an owner of the IC card or a user can be identified, the IC card being connected to a vending machine selling products or services, comprising:

a connector connected to the vending machine;

an IC card reading means for reading the money information and the identifying information stored in the IC card;

a charge collecting means collecting a sum of money charged for products or services to be sold;

a storing means for storing frequency-of-transaction information read by the IC card reading means, the frequency-of-transaction information indicating a degree of use of the IC card and condition information that indicates reference conditions at which to offer an additional benefit; and

a control means for determining whether to offer the additional benefit based on the frequency-of-transaction information and the condition information.

3. A selling method using a vending machine coupled to an IC card via an IC card reader, the IC card having money information with which payments can be made and identifying information with which the IC card or an owner/user of the IC card can be identified, the vending machine having a memory unit, the method comprising:

reading the money information and identifying information from the IC card;

collecting a sum of money charged for the products or services sold;

storing in the memory unit frequency-of-transaction information associated with the identifying information read from the IC card, the frequency-of-transaction information indicating a degree of use of the IC card; and

offering an additional benefit when the frequency-of-transaction information associated with the identifying information meets a predetermined condition.

4. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the money information is electronic money information which can be settled electronically.

5. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the money information is credit information capable of charging electronically.

6. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the frequency-of-transaction information includes at least one of a number of times fees are collected from the IC card, a quantity or kinds of products or service whose fees are collected, or a value corresponding to the amount of charges collected.

7. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined condition includes a specified degree of use of the IC card during a specified time period.

8. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the additional benefit includes at least one of discounting charges, offering products free of charge, or offering services free of charge.

9. A selling method according to claim 8, wherein discount rates are stored corresponding to kinds of products or services, and the discounting of charges includes discounting based on the discount rate.

10. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the identifying information includes personal information of an owner/user, and wherein the predetermined condition includes information related to personal information.

11. A selling method according to claim 10, wherein the personal information includes a birthday of an owner/user of the IC card, and wherein the predetermined condition includes whether a transaction date is the birthday.

12. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the product or service to be sold is a use of parking lots, and the frequency-of-transaction information includes at least one of a number of times a parking lot is used, a sum of money used, or an amount of time used, and the additional benefit includes a discount for use of the parking lot.

13. A selling method according to claim 3, wherein the products or services to be sold are products or services sold automatically at convenience stores without human attendance, and the frequency-of-transaction information includes at least one of a purchase amount of money or a number of times used.

14. A vending machine utilizing an IC card, the IC card having money information with which payments can be made and identifying information with which the IC card or an owner/user of the IC card can be identified, the vending machine comprising:

an IC card reader that reads the money information and the identifying information stored in the IC card;

a memory unit that stores frequency-of-transaction information associated with the identifying information read by the IC card reader, the frequency-of-transaction information indicating a degree of use of the IC card, and condition information that indicates a reference condition at which to offer an additional benefit; and

a controller that controls the IC card reader to modify the money information to collect a charge for products or services to be sold, and that determines whether to offer the additional benefit based on the frequency-of-transaction information and the condition information.

15. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the money information is electronic money information which can be settled electronically.

16. A vending machine according to claims 14, wherein the money information is credit information in which a charging operation is performed electronically.

17. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the frequency-of-transaction information includes a value corresponding to at least one of a number of times fees are collected from the IC card, or an amount of fees collected from the IC card.

18. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the memory unit stores time-period information and wherein the controller determines whether to offer the additional benefit based on degree of use of the IC card during a time period indicated by the time-period information.

19. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the additional benefit is atleast one of discounting charges electronically collected by the controller, offering products free of charge, or offering services free of charge.

20. A vending machine according to claim 19, wherein the memory unit stores discount rates correlating with kinds of products or service, wherein discounting charges includes applying a discount charge based on the discount rate using the controller.

21. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the identifying information is personal information of an owner/user of the IC card, and wherein the controller determines whether to offer the additional benefit further based on the personal information.

22. A vending machine according to claim 21, wherein the personal information includes a birthday of the owner/user, and the controller determines whether to offer the additional benefit based on whether a transaction date is the birthday.

23. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the frequency-of-transaction information includes a number of transactions using the IC card, and the condition information includes a reference number of transactions, and wherein the controller determines to offer the additional benefit when the number of transactions using the IC card has reached the reference number of transactions.

24. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the memory unit stores an ordinary price, a discount price, and wherein the controller, and identifying information previously read from IC cards, and wherein the controller determines to apply the discount price when the identifying information read from the IC card corresponds to identifying information previously read from IC cards.

25. A vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the frequency-of-transaction information includes transaction dates, and wherein the controller deletes frequency-of-transaction information from the memory unit that corresponds to transaction dates prior to a reference time period.

26. An IC card processing apparatus using an IC card, the IC card having money information with which payments can be made and identifying information with which the IC card or an owner/user of the IC card can be identified, the apparatus comprising:

an IC card reader that reads the money information and the identifying information stored in the IC card;

a memory unit that stores frequency-of-transaction information associated with the identifying information read by the IC card reader, the frequency-of-transaction information indicating a degree of use of the IC card, and condition information that indicates a reference condition at which to offer an additional benefit; and

a controller that controls the IC card reader to modify the money information to collect a charge for products or services to be sold, and that determines whether to offer the additional benefit based on the frequency-of-transaction information and the condition information.

27. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the money information is electronic money information which can be settled electronically.

28. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the money information is credit information which can be charged electronically.

29. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the frequency-of-transaction information corresponds to at least one of a number of times fees are collected from the IC card, numeric values for kinds of products/services whose fees are collected, or an amount of charges collected.

30. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the memory unit stores time-period information and wherein the controller determines whether to offer the additional benefit based on degree of use of the IC card during a time period indicated by the time period information.

31. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the memory unit stores discount rates corresponding to kinds of products or service, and wherein discharges includes applying a discount charge based on the discount rates using the control means.

32. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the additional benefit is at least one of discounting charges which are electronically collected by the controller, offering products to be sold free of charge, or offering services to be sold free of charge.

33. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the identifying information includes personal information of an owner/user of the IC card, and wherein the controller determines whether to offer the additional benefit further based on the personal information.

34. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the personal information includes a birthday of the owner/user, and the controller determines whether to offer the additional benefit based on whether a transaction date is the birthday.

35. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the controller controls the vending machine through the connector.

36. An IC card processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the IC card processing apparatus is configured to have substantially a same shape as that of a sum-of-money collecting apparatus collecting notes or coins, and the IC card processing apparatus and the sum-of-money collecting apparatus are selectively mounted to the vending machine.