Cashless spending system and method

• US 7,147,149 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guest Technologies
• Original Assignee: Safetzone Technologies
• Inventors: Couch, Eric, Giraldin, Patrick W., Giraldin, Timothy W., Crowley, Martin F., Kelly, Regan E., Gross, Y-Tin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US10/716,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/375, 235/451, 701/209, 705/44, 705/26, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/10.1
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for the communication for a confined area of a facility. Personal identification information of a group member into at least one of a set of stations distributed throughout the confined area. Monetary deposit information for the member group is received, and transaction information is received from at least one cashless station. Transaction reports are created.

Claims

1. A method of communication for a confined area of a facility employing a member locating system having a group of location stations distributed throughout the confined area, comprising:

providing a transmitter to each member of a group for providing group member personal identification information to the member locating system as the members move about the confined area for tracking the location of the members and for facilitating cashless spending throughout the confined area, wherein members of the group may be located using one of the location stations;

receiving personal identification information of group members into at least one station of a set of stations distributed throughout the confined area;

receiving monetary deposit information for the group;

receiving transaction information from at least one of a group of cashless stations distributed throughout the confined area;

scanning the transmitter of one of the group members at the cashless station to receive group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station to complete the transaction being made by the group member at the cashless station;

creating transaction reports; and

receiving account information at the cashless station in response to the group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station as the transaction is being completed by the group member.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including receiving spending limit information for each member.

3. A method according to claim 2, further including receiving spending limit change information.

4. A method according to claim 1, further including determining the total amount of cash spent and displaying said total amount.

5. A method according to claim 1, further including determining the amount of the cash to be returned to the group.

6. A system of communication for a confined area of a facility employing a member locating system having a group of location stations distributed throughout the confined area, comprising:

a transmitter for each member of a group for providing group member personal identification information to the member locating system as the members move about the confined area for tracking the location of the members and for facilitating cashless spending throughout the confined area, wherein members of the group may be located using one of the location stations;

means for receiving personal identification information of group members into at least one station of a set of stations distributed throughout the confined area;

means for receiving monetary deposit information for the group;

means for receiving transaction information from at least one of a group of cashless stations distributed throughout the confined area;

means for scanning the transmitter of one of the group members at the cashless station to receive group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station to complete the transaction being made by the group member at the cashless station;

means for creating transaction reports; and

means for receiving account information at the cashless station in response to the group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station as the transaction is being completed by the group member.

7. A system according to claim 6, further including means for receiving spending limit information for each member.

8. A system according to claim 7, further including means for receiving spending limit change information.

9. A system according to claim 6, further including means for determining the total amount of cash spent and means for displaying said total amount.

10. A system according to claim 6, further including means for determining the amount of the cash to be returned to the group.

11. A software system of communication for a confined area of a facility employing a member locating system having a group of location stations distributed throughout the confined area, comprising:

a module for assigning a transmitter to each member of a group for providing group member personal identification information to the member locating system as the members move about the confined area for tracking the location of the members and for facilitating cashless spending throughout the confined area, wherein members of the group may be located using one of the location stations;

a module for receiving personal identification information of group members into at least one station of a set of stations distributed throughout the confined area;

a module for receiving monetary deposit information for the member group;

a module for receiving transaction information from at least one of a group of cashless stations distributed throughout the confined area;

a module for scanning the transmitter of one of the group members at the cashless station to receive group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station to complete the transaction being made by the group member at the cashless station;

a module for creating transaction reports; and

a module for receiving account information at the cashless station in response to the group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station as the transaction is being completed by the group member.

12. A software system according to claim 11, further including module for receiving spending limit information for each member.

13. A software system according to claim 12, further including module for receiving spending limit change information.

14. A software system according to claim 11, further including module for determining the total amount of cash spent and module for displaying said total amount.

15. A software system according to claim 11, further including module for determining the amount of the cash to be returned to the group.

16. A method of communication for a facility, comprising:

providing a transmitter to an individual for transmissions confined within the facility;

receiving personal identification information of the individual into at least one of a set of stations distributed throughout the facility;

receiving monetary deposit information for the individual;

receiving transaction information from at least one cashless station located within the facility;

scanning the transmitter with the individual physically located at the cashless station located within the facility;

creating transaction reports in response to the individual making cashless purchases at cashless stations located within the facility; and

receiving account information at the cashless station via the transmitter.

17. A software system of communication for a facility, comprising:

a module for assigning a transmitter to an individual for transmissions confined within the facility;

a module for receiving personal identification information of the individual into at least one of a set of stations distributed throughout the facility;

a module for receiving monetary deposit information for the individual;

a module for receiving transaction information from at least one cashless station located within the facility;

a module for scanning the transmitter with the individual physically located at the cashless station located within the facility;

a module for creating transaction reports in response to the individual making cashless purchases at cashless stations located within the facility; and

a module for receiving account information at the cashless station via the transmitter.

18. A system of communication for a facility, comprising:

a transmitter for an individual for transmissions confined within the facility;

means for receiving personal identification information of the individual into at least one of a set of stations distributed throughout the facility;

means for receiving monetary deposit information for the individual;

means for receiving transaction information from at least one cashless station located within the facility;

means for scanning the transmitter with the individual physically located at the cashless station located within the facility;

means for creating transaction reports in response to the individual making cashless purchases at cashless stations located within the facility; and

means for receiving account information at the cashless station via the transmitter.

19. A method of communication for a facility employing a member locating system having a group of location stations distributed throughout the facility area, comprising:

providing a transmitter to each of a first member and other members of a group for providing group member personal identification information to the member locating system as the members move about the facility for tracking the location of the members and for facilitating cashless spending by the first member throughout the facility, wherein the first member may locate the other members of the group using one of the location stations;

receiving personal identification information of group members into at least one station of a set of stations distributed throughout the facility;

receiving monetary deposit information for the first member;

receiving transaction information from at least one of a group of cashless stations distributed throughout the facility;

scanning the transmitter of the first member at the cashless station to receive group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station to complete the transaction being made by the first member at the cashless station;

creating transaction reports; and

receiving account information at the cashless station in response to the group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station as the transaction is being completed by the first member.

20. A system of communication for a facility employing a member locating system having a group of location stations distributed throughout the facility area, comprising:

a transmitter for each of a first member and other members of a group for providing group member personal identification information to the member locating system as the members move about the facility for tracking the location of the members and for facilitating cashless spending by the first member throughout the facility, wherein the first member may locate the other members of the group using one of the location stations;

means for receiving personal identification information of group members into at least one station of a set of stations distributed throughout the facility;

means for receiving monetary deposit information for the first member;

means for receiving transaction information from at least one of a group of cashless stations distributed throughout the facility;

means for scanning the transmitter of the first member at the cashless station to receive group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station to complete the transaction being made by the first member at the cashless station;

means for creating transaction reports; and

means for receiving account information at the cashless station in response to the group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station as the transaction is being completed by the first member.

21. A software system of communication for a facility employing a member locating system having a group of location stations distributed throughout the facility area, comprising:

a module for assigning a transmitter to each of a first member and other members of a group for providing group member personal identification information to the member locating system as the members move about the facility for tracking the location of the members and for facilitating cashless spending by the first member throughout the facility, wherein the first member may locate the other members of the group using one of the location stations;

a module for receiving personal identification information of group members into at least one station of a set of stations distributed throughout the facility;

a module for receiving monetary deposit information for the first member;

a module receiving transaction information from at least one of a group of cashless stations distributed throughout the facility;

a module for scanning the transmitter of the first member at the cashless station to receive group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station to complete the transaction being made by the first member at the cashless station;

a module for creating transaction reports; and

a module for receiving account information at the cashless station in response to the group member personal identification information from the transmitter located near the cashless station as the transaction is being completed by the first member.