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

• US 6,494,369 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• 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, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/657,307
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/384, 235/378, 235/492, 705/14, 705/7, 705/13, 705/412, 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 of calculating a service point value in an IC card, comprising the steps of:

inputting service identification information in said IC card, wherein said service identification information is received at a first point at which a user utilizes a service;

inputting information representative of a date on which the user utilizes the service in said IC card;

calculating the user'"'"'s age information on the basis of the user'"'"'s birthday information stored in said IC card and said information representative of a date on which the user utilizes the service using said IC card;

transferring said service identification information at a second point;

determining a utilization value of utilizing the service between said first and second points in accordance with said transferred service identification information; and

calculating a service point value on the basis of the user'"'"'s age information and the utilization value.

2. A method of calculating a service point value according to claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the service point value is performed at intervals of a predetermined period.

3. A method of calculating a service point value in an IC card, comprising the steps of:

inputting service identification information in said IC card, wherein said service identification information is received at a first point at which a user utilizes a service;

transferring said service identification information at a second point using said IC card;

determining fare data corresponding to a service utilization between said first and second points in accordance with said transferred service identification information;

inputting first date data in said IC card representative of a date on which the service is utilized;

subtracting a value determined on the basis of said fare data from stored value balance data representative of a limit to service utilization;

calculating a service point value on the basis of said fare data;

calculating a user'"'"'s age on the basis of said first date data and a second date data representative of a user'"'"'s birthday in said IC card; and

adding a value determined on the basis of said service point value and said calculated user'"'"'s age to said stored value balance data in said IC card.