System for rapidly dispensing and adding value to fare cards

• US 7,213,755 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Hilton, Graham H., Varney, Mark, Newsome, Matthew J., Shackleford, Jesse, Ford, Gavin, Sanfilippo, Chad S., Bryant, Kevin, Miller, Paula M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/623,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20040016801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/383, 705/13, 705/21, 705/39, 705/41
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3437 the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/349 Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• 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 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

An add value terminal provides an automatic fare collection environment with a compact, easy to use, and easy to install device that re-values and issues transit fare smart cards exclusively utilizing credit and debit functions. The add value terminal alleviates long lines often associated with automatic vending machines that allow bill and coin transactions. The add value terminal also can be configured to sell tickets in out-of-station environments including malls, grocery stores, post offices, and airports.

Claims

1. A terminal for conducting a plurality of cashless transactions for adding value to a plurality of fare cards, the terminal comprising:

a patron display for displaying information and instructions to a patron for adding value to a fare card of the plurality of fare cards;

at least one fare card reader for reading from and writing to the fare card;

a payment interface means comprising a debit/credit card reader for accepting as a payment mechanism, solely at least one of a credit card and a debit card; and

a control and memory assembly comprising;

means for controlling the patron display;

means for communicating with the at least one fare card reader for reading from and writing to the at least one fare card to complete at least one cashless transaction of the plurality of cashless transactions;

means for communicating with the payment interface means to obtain debit/credit information; and

means for storing a history of the at least one cashless transaction.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fare cards comprises contactless smart cards;

and magnetic stripe cards.

3. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the plurality of fare cards further comprises contact smart cards.

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the at least one fare card reader comprises:

a contactless smart card reader;

a magnetic stripe card reader; and

a contact card reader.

5. The terminal of claim 4, wherein one of the contactless smart card reader and the magnetic stripe card reader comprises the contact card reader.

6. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the at least one fare card reader comprises:

a contactless smart card reader; and

a magnetic stripe card reader.

7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the control and memory assembly is coupled to a transit station area controller, and wherein the history of the at least one cashless transaction is uploaded from the control and memory assembly to the transit station area controller at a pre-determined time.

8. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the pre-determined time for uploading the history is after each cashless transaction of the plurality of cashless transactions.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the fare card is a special status fare card, and wherein the control and memory assembly adds value to the special status fare card without obtaining the credit/debit information through the debit/credit card reader.

10. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of selection buttons adjacent the patron display for selecting options in response to the displayed information and instructions.

11. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising means for issuing a new or recycled fare card.

12. An add value terminal for adding value to a plurality of fare cards, the add value terminal for conducting a plurality of cashless transactions, the add value terminal comprising:

a display for displaying instructions and options to a patron;

a contactless fare card reader for reading from and writing to a contactless fare card of the plurality of fare cards;

a magnetic stripe fare card reader for reading from and writing to a magnetic stripe fare card of the plurality of fare cards;

a debit/credit card reader for accepting at least one of a credit card and a debit card; and

a control and memory assembly for controlling the patron display, the control and memory assembly coupled to the contactless fare card reader and the magnetic stripe fare card reader for reading from and writing to the plurality of fare cards to complete a cashless transaction of the plurality of cashless transactions, the control and memory assembly for storing a history of the cashless transaction.

13. The add value terminal of claim 12, further comprising a contact card reader for reading from and writing to a contact fare card.

14. The add value terminal of claim 12, wherein the magnetic stripe fare card reader comprises means for reading from and writing to contact smart cards.

15. The add value terminal of claim 12, wherein the debit/credit card reader comprises means for reading from and writing to contact smart cards.

16. The add value terminal of claim 12, further comprising a communication line for coupling the control and memory assembly to a transit station area controller, and wherein the history of the cashless transaction is uploaded from the control and memory assembly to the transit station area controller at a pre-determined time.

17. A method of adding a plurality of transaction values to a plurality of fare cards, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a terminal in communication with a transit station controller for adding value to the plurality of fare cards utilizing credit and debit accounts only;

displaying instructions on said terminal for prompting a patron;

reading a fare card of the plurality of fare cards utilizing one of a magnetic stripe card reader and a contactless card reader;

communicating with the transit station controller for authorizing a transaction value of the plurality of transaction values; and

writing the authorized transaction value to the fare card utilizing the one of a magnetic stripe card reader and the contactless card reader.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the steps of reading from and writing to the fare card of the plurality of fare cards utilizes one of a magnetic stripe card reader, a contactless card reader, and a contact card reader.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step communicating with the transit station controller for authorizing a transaction further comprises:

reading a debit/credit card utilizing a debit/credit card reader to obtain debit/credit card information for authorizing the transaction value.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step communicating with the transit station controller for authorizing a transaction further comprises:

verifying that the fare card is a special status fare card, wherein the transit station controller has pre-authorization to utilize stored debit/credit information for authorizing the transaction value.