Service providing system

• US 7,356,485 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takita, Isao, Umemura, Masaya, Hara, Tsutomu, Inagaki, Yukihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov; Igor N.
• Application Number:
  US09/880,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,489 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/13, 705/17, 705/18, 705/14, 705/41, 705/44, 705/26, 705/27, 705/65, 705/67, 235380-384, 235/375, 235/449, 235/492, 235/487, 235/493, 235/462.46, 235/472.02, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 232/18, 232/7
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/02 employing selectable printing plates
• 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 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for providing a service through a non-contact communication unit such as a wireless communication unit is disclosed. Specifically, an electronic ticket is communicated between a so-called mobile terminal and the non-contact communication unit equipped in a ticket examiner. The ticket examiner comprises a stocker for storing magnetized slips, roll paper or plastic slips, and a shaper for cutting the magnetized slip or the roll paper into a proper size. The ticket examiner confirms the validity of the electronic ticket for issuing a ticket.

Claims

1. A ticket examiner for examining a ticket, comprising:

a ticket slot into which the ticket is entered;

a pickup port for ejecting the ticket;

a controller;

a first antenna covering a long distance service area;

a second antenna covering a nearby service area; and

a communication module configured to send a call to a medium of a user, and stop calling to the user medium in response to entry of the ticket into the ticket slot,

wherein the controller, in response to detection of the user medium by receiving a response to said call at the communication module through the first antenna, receives information of the ticket from the user medium through the first antenna and the communication module, requests authentication of the ticket information to a center apparatus, generates printing data based on the ticket information in response to a result of the reference that the ticket is valid, and stores the printing data in the controller, and

wherein the controller, in response to detection of the user medium by receiving at the communication module the response to the call through the second antenna, prints the printing data stored on the controller on a slip using a printer to transport the printed slip to the pickup port.

2. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor which is different from said first antenna and the second antenna, wherein the communication module starts detection of the user medium through the second antenna in response to an event that the sensor has sensed the user.

3. A ticket examiner according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

4. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gate.

5. A ticket examiner according to claim 4, wherein the controller opens the gate after the printer has printed the printing data on the slip.

6. A ticket examiner according to claim 4, further comprising:

a timer,

wherein said communication module starts detection of the user medium through the second antenna in response to a lapse of a predetermined period of time by the timer.

7. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, wherein the communication module transmits identification information provided for each medium of the user and a synchronizing clock to the user medium in response to detection of the user medium by the communication module trough the first antenna.

8. A ticket examiner according to claim 7, wherein the communication module requests information of the ticket to the user medium through the second antenna, and in response to the request, receives a result of synchronization by the synchronizing clock and the ticket information from the user medium.

9. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, wherein the controller discards the ticket information from the user medium.

10. A ticket examiner according to claim 9, wherein the controller discards the ticket information from the user medium during a time period starting from a time after the user passes through the ticket examiner and ending at a time when the user medium moves away from a coverage service area of the first antenna.

11. A ticket examiner according to claim 9, wherein the controller requests the user medium to discard the ticket information after the printer has printed the printing data on a slip.

12. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, wherein the user medium is an IC card or a mobile terminal.

13. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, wherein the controller, in response to an event that the communication module establishes a communication with the user medium, transmits a command for reading voice data for aural guidance or voice data stored in the user medium.

14. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, wherein said controller, in response to detection of the user medium by the communication module through the first antenna, receives information of the ticket from the user medium, requests reference of the ticket information to a center apparatus, and generates a magnetic recording data together with the printing data based on the ticket information in response to a result of the authentication that the ticket is valid, and stores the magnetic recording data together with the printing data in the controller, and

wherein the controller, in response to detection of the user medium through the second antenna, prints the printing data stored on the controller on a slip using a printer and writes the magnetic recording data stored in the controller onto a slip using a magnetic recorder.

15. A ticket examiner according to claim 1, wherein said first antenna is disposed on an upper surface of the ticket examiner, and

wherein said second antenna is disposed on a side surface of the ticket examiner.

16. A ticket examiner according to claim 15, wherein said communication module includes a base-band control module connected to the first antenna and the second antenna.