Method of providing services for users and a service processing system for the same

• US 6,398,110 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/716,255
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/382, 235/492, 235/378, 235/380, 235/381, 705/14, 705/16, 705/17, 705/34, 705/417
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3437 the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A service processing system includes an IC card possessed by a passenger and at least one automatic ticket inspection machine installed in each station of a traffic facility. The card includes a storage for keeping therein a stored value assigned as an equivalent for utilization of a service and service points supplied in association with a utilization state of services and an interface unit to achieve data communication with an external device. The machine includes a reader/writer to communicate data with the IC card. The machine transfers, when the passenger enters a platform through the machine of the station for the traffic facility, entrance information related to the station to the IC card. The IC card keeps the entrance information and transfers, when the passenger leaves a platform via the machine of a destination station, the entrance information to the machine. In accordance with the entrance information, the machine creates exit information representing a state of utilization of the traffic facility and sends the exit information to the IC card. On receiving the exit information, the IC card calculates service points in accordance with the received exit information and the utilization state.

Claims

1. A method for determining a fare for utilization of a traffic facility in a utilization fare system including a ticket inspection machine installed at the traffic facility and an IC card for transferring information to and receiving information from said ticket inspection machine, said IC card executing the following steps:

previously storing birthday information relating to a birthday of a user, balance information which is changed in accordance with the utilization fare of said traffic facility, and information representative of a reduction rate which is applied to the utilization fare of said traffic facility which is determined in accordance with an elapsed time beginning at said user'"'"'s birthday, in said IC card information;

storing entrance station identification information received from a ticket inspection machine installed at an entrance station utilized by said user and date information representative of a date on which said user utilizes said traffic facility, in said IC card;

transferring said entrance station identification information to a ticket inspection machine installed at an exit station utilized by said user;

receiving fare information representative of the utilization fare of said traffic facility determined in accordance with said transferred entrance station identification information;

calculating a period between said birthday information and said date information;

adjusting said balance information based on said period, said reduction rate, and said fare information.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting step includes the steps of:

subtracting said fare information from said balance information;

referring to said reduction rate corresponding to said period;

calculating a reduced fare on the basis of said reduction rate and said fare information; and

adding an equivalent of said reduced fare to said subtracted balance information.

3. A processing system for determining a fare for utilization of a traffic facility, comprising:

means for storing, in an IC card, entrance station identification information received from a ticket inspection machine installed at an entrance station utilized by a user and date information representative of a date on which said user utilizes said traffic facility;

means for transferring said entrance station identification information to a ticket inspection machine installed at an exit station utilized by said user;

means for receiving fare information representative of the utilization fare of said traffic facility determined in accordance with said transferred entrance station identification information; and

means for adjusting balance information stored in said IC card based on a user'"'"'s birthday information stored in said IC card, said date information, a reduction rate stored in said IC card, and said fare information.

4. A processing system according to claim 3, wherein said means for adjusting balance information subtracts said fare information from balance information stored in said IC card, calculates a period between the user'"'"'s birthday information stored in said IC card and said date information, calculates a reduced fare on the basis of said reduction rate and said fare information, and adds an equivalent of said reduced fare to said subtracted balance information.

5. A processing system according to claim 4, further comprising said IC card, wherein said means for adjusting balance information is on said IC card.

6. A process system according to claim 5, wherein said reduction rate is based on an elapsed period between the user'"'"'s birthday and the date of utilization in said date information.

7. A processing system according to claim 6, wherein said reduction rate is stored in said IC card, and said IC card refers to the stored reduction rate to calculate the reduced fare.

8. A processing system according to claim 3, further comprising said IC card, wherein said means for adjusting balance information is on said IC card.

9. A processing system according to claim 8, wherein said reduction rate is based on an elapsed period between the user'"'"'s birthday and the date of utilization in said date information.

10. A processing system according to claim 9, wherein said IC card refers to the stored reduction rate to calculate the reduced fare.