DE29512208U1 - System for the automatic processing of payment transactions when paying with shopping vouchers, especially in public restaurants - Google Patents

Description

"System for the automatic processing of payment transactions when paying with shopping vouchers, especially in public restaurants"

The invention presented here is intended to propose a system for the electronic processing of all transactions associated with payment with shopping vouchers, in particular with meal vouchers in public restaurants.

In the following, reference is made specifically to meal vouchers. However, it should be noted that the system described can be applied equally to all other shopping vouchers that require a similar processing method.

In the following, "tickets" refer to meal vouchers issued by companies - so-called issuing companies - that offer a canteen replacement service for employees of companies that do not have their own canteen service.

Each ticket entitles you to consume the amount shown on the ticket. It can only be redeemed in establishments that are contractually bound to the issuing company. The latter essentially selects the appropriate restaurants for its employees instead of the employer.

The issuing companies invoice the employers for the tickets.

The contracted restaurants, for their part, regularly settle the redeemed tickets with the issuing company.

In current practice, paper tickets are used. This leads to numerous disadvantages and various problems.

First, the disadvantages and problems of the current system will be explained from the perspective of the publishing companies:

Paper tickets can be stolen and counterfeited. In such cases, issuing companies have to deal with various difficulties (contracted restaurants must be informed; loss of image due to the obvious vulnerability; frustration on the part of contracted restaurants who are not paid for stolen or counterfeit tickets they have already accepted).

The tickets are stolen not only in the circulation phase, but also in the settlement phase, i.e. after they have already been received but not yet checked.

The processing effort is also considerable: the contracted restaurants prepare the invoices on paper. This leads to costs for the staff who are responsible for processing the entire process. Counting the vouchers requires a lot of effort. Furthermore, errors and deviations from the counting result of the restaurant owner can occur.

The financial advantages on which the success of the issuing companies is based are reduced by the procedure for redeeming tickets used by the restaurateur. It often happens that the restaurateur accepts, in a single transaction, all the tickets that the employee would normally redeem over a whole month or even longer, and then bills the issuing company for them early. The restaurateur does this to give the employee an incentive to redeem his tickets, to bring forward the payment date for the tickets, to reduce the effort involved in processing the paper vouchers.

Furthermore, there are problems related to the partial reimbursement of stolen tickets, which is why accurate accounting is not possible.

From the point of view of employers who purchase tickets for their employees, keeping paper tickets does not provide an effective solution to the following problems: During the period in which the vouchers are in the company, employers are directly liable for any theft. The processing of tickets is done manually and incurs a certain amount of effort resulting from the need to make and differentiate quantitative determinations for each employee. The issuing companies are selected on the basis of the service offered, but in particular on the basis of the conditions for purchasing the tickets. Problems also arise for the contracted restaurants.

The risk of theft and counterfeiting is a twofold burden: firstly, there must be control over tickets that have been counterfeited or stolen from the issuing company and that are communicated by the issuing company via daily publications or blacklists. Secondly, special care must be taken to ensure that tickets that have already been received are not lost or stolen. In none of the above cases would they be replaced by the issuing company.

In order to meet the first requirement, the contracted restaurants would have to check whether the serial number of the ticket is on any blacklist, even when the customer flow is at its maximum. (Normally, the restaurant owner accepts several types of tickets and therefore also receives several blacklists.)

If tickets are stolen that have already been received but cannot now be billed, you will have to wait until one year for a refund, i.e. until the issuing company carries out a statistical quantification (even if not exact) and grants the refund.

Often, restaurants do not refund tickets that have expired. The year of expiry is noted on the tickets themselves, i.e. a non-automatic visual check is carried out.

In the case of amounts that are less than the value of the ticket, the restaurant owners have to work with "vouchers", which in turn cause complications in processing and tax accounting.

Gastro operators are therefore forced to undertake the work of manual processing, which requires various steps: collecting and sorting tickets according to issuing companies, storing them at appropriate risk, filling in booking lists by hand, difficulties in processing daily turnover.

Ultimately, the restaurant owners "have to" accept the tickets and do not gain any advantage from them, but only have clear disadvantages and must adapt accordingly.

The users, the employees, also suffer certain disadvantages. If the tickets are lost, it is not certain whether they will be reimbursed. Moreover, the users are often treated like second-class guests. In many restaurants, notices are posted informing ticket holders that the service is restricted in some way if payment is made with meal vouchers.

If the value of the food consumed by the guest does not fully correspond to the amount shown on the ticket, the guest receives a voucher on which the remaining amount is noted. This voucher is only valid in the restaurant in which it was issued. This makes payment even more complicated and has a negative impact on the queue at the checkout.

Often, the tickets for the entire month are handed over in a one-time transaction at the contracted restaurant, which in a sense "obliges" the guest to redeem them and then rewards him with some benefits (discounts, etc.).

The invention presented here aims to eliminate all the disadvantages and problems explained so far and is geared towards fully automated processing. The paper tickets are replaced by a personal "Ticket CARD".

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Using a special "MASTER Ticket" device, the corresponding amounts are electronically loaded onto the Ticket CARD mentioned above, which is preferably equipped with a microchip.

The Ticket CARD is comparable to a prepaid card. The contracted restaurants gradually debit the corresponding amounts using another device, the "CAS SA Ticket" device.

The CASSA ticket machines, with which all contracted restaurants must be equipped, enable optimal processing of transactions, both with the issuing companies and with the end users.

This achieves the goal of ensuring optimal processing for all parties involved with a high degree of security and complete control of the flow of money.

Compared to paper processing, electronic processing opens up new and considerable possibilities.

The security problem is effectively solved for everyone involved, because the Ticket-CARD has various security mechanisms due to its nature, as it is equipped with a microchip.

Chip cards are protected against fraudulent activities thanks to their design and logical barriers. In order to protect the components of a chip card from external influences, every check and access point to the card components used to produce the card and enter personal data that is not necessary for the card to function is destroyed before the card is put into operation. This makes the card a practically indestructible instrument with which data can be stored and processed in an extremely secure manner.

The expiry date can be entered electronically into the card itself. This means that the expiry date can be entered for each transaction using the CASSA ticket device.

are checked automatically. This makes it possible to set the same validity period for all newly issued tickets instead of a single expiry date per year.

The application of the invention described here also enables a staggered use of the Ticket-CARD. On each working day, only the amount corresponding to the value of a ticket is available for withdrawal on the Ticket-Card. This staggered use means that only the amounts that are available for withdrawal can be spent. This means that tickets can no longer be redeemed in advance. However, any remaining amounts from previous days can be easily withdrawn.

Ultimately, the "AVAILABLE amount" is the difference between the "AMOUNTABLE AMOUNT" and the "SPENT AMOUNT". To better understand this aspect, the following example will help:

- 21 tickets at 7000.00 Lire per month;

- The tickets become available for collection one after the other. The "AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR CALL" in 10 days in this example is 70,000 lire.

- For example, if the "SPENT amount" is 54,000 lire, the remaining "AVAILABLE amount" is 16,000 lire.

- The remaining 11 tickets will be available for collection one after the other on the following days and can therefore also be issued one after the other.

With electronic processing, there are no longer any problems with the remaining amounts. So you have the option of spending any amount that is ready for withdrawal, but you are not forced to spend the full amount.

Further features and advantages of this invention are explained in the following detailed description. The description is purely exemplary and is in no way intended to indicate a limitation on the possible implementations of the invention.
Below are some explanations of the attached figures:

Figure 1: Scheme illustrating the operation of a machining system according to our invention;

Figure 2: a second diagram illustrating the operation of a machining system according to our invention;

Figure 1: An issuing company (1) loads tickets (5) using a MASTER ticket device (8) and delivers them to various employers (2). The latter pay the corresponding amount and return the used tickets (5) to the issuing company (1), which loads them again.

The employers (2) hand out the loaded tickets (5) to their employees (3), who in turn use the tickets (5) to pay in restaurants (4). Once the tickets (5) are used up, they are returned to the employer (2).

The cash register operations are carried out by the restaurant owners (4) using a CASSA ticket machine (6) and the corresponding transactions are transmitted to the issuing company (1) via data transmission (modem) or on magnetic data carriers (7). The issuing company (1) in turn pays the restaurant owners (4).

The MASTER Ticket device (8) enables the issuing company to enter the amounts selected by the employer into the Ticket CARD.

This device consists of a central unit for processing and storing the data, a reader for the ticket card, a floppy disk reader, a screen and a keyboard.

The CAS SA ticket device (6), installed in the restaurant, allows the restaurant owner to read the Ticket CARD and deduct the amount spent by the user. It records all the transactions carried out, including the corresponding amounts, on both magnetic media and paper.

The magnetic data carrier and the corresponding paper printout enable the issuing company to pay the restaurateur the amounts withdrawn by the Ticket-CARD user.

The CASSA ticket device (6) consists of a reader for the ticket card, a display panel on which the available amount and, if applicable, a notice that the ticket card is invalid appear, and a keyboard. The latter enables the innkeeper to make the relevant debits from the card. It also includes a floppy disk reader for storing all daily transactions on magnetic data media and a printer that allows the innkeeper to print out the transactions on paper.

A first variant for the application of our invention provides that the CAS SA ticket device (6) is not connected to the issuing company via the data transmission network, but is equipped with appropriate systems that enable the reading and input of data on floppy disks. This solution takes two requirements into account:

- The CASSA ticket device (6) is disabled from accepting Ticket-CARDS (5) that are on the blacklist by entering the relevant data on site;

- Recording of all transactions of a day (including the corresponding printout on paper) so that the issuing company can credit the restaurateur with the amounts paid with Ticket-CARDs.

A second variant provides that the CASSA ticket device (6) is connected to the issuing company via the remote data transmission network (e.g. via modem). The issuing company instructs the CASSA ticket device via remote data transmission to only accept valid cards and automatically sets it up to reject invalid cards.

If a ticket is lost or stolen, this must be reported to the issuing company immediately. They will then ensure that the code is entered into the black list. This black list is then sent to each connected CASSA ticket device. (If the CASSA ticket device is not connected to the data transmission network, the black list is delivered on a floppy disk.)

The restaurant owner sends a daily summary of the transactions registered on that day by means of remote data transmission using a simple operation. In addition, the CASSA ticket device prints out a receipt on which all the booking transactions carried out are noted.

The Ticket-CARDs (5) can therefore be used in the contracted restaurants that have a corresponding CASSA ticket device. The CASSA ticket device enables

- automatically print invoice lists;

- to send the issuing company on magnetic data storage media or by remote data transmission a detailed list of all operations carried out with Ticket-CARDs;

- to carry out all calculations necessary for optimal processing;

- to find optimal solutions to the problem of ticket validity;

- Find solutions to the problem of debiting partial amounts that do not correspond to the full value of the ticket.

The CASSA ticket machine only allows the withdrawal of amounts that correspond to the number of tickets ready for withdrawal. If an attempt is made to withdraw a higher amount, the card is rejected by the machine. The CASSA ticket machine automatically checks the expiry date of the Ticket CARD. If the expiry date has passed, the card is rejected by the machine. The cash registers also reject invalidated cards (which appear on the black list).

The Ticket-CARD is a so-called "smart" card because it is equipped with a special, protected microchip. The microchip has special security mechanisms. It is not possible to change any data stored on the microchip without knowing the secret codes that have been assigned one after the other by the manufacturer, the distributor, the ticket issuing company and the company that issues the tickets to its employees. If desired, a secret code can also be entered for the end user.

In the event of repeated unauthorized use, the chip destroys itself and the Ticket-CARD becomes unusable.

Figure 2 explains the cycle that a Ticket-CARD goes through. It leaves the issuing company (1) as a charged card, reaches the employer (2), who pays for the Ticket-CARDs received and hands them over to his employee (3). The employee uses them and returns the used Ticket-CARD to his employer (2). The employer (2) returns all used Ticket-CARDs to the issuing company, which ensures that they are recharged, and so on.

Alternatively, the employer (2) has a MASTER ticket device (8) and recharges the used ticket cards himself. In this case, he would have to buy a master card from the issuing company (1) onto which the total amount for all the tickets he intends to buy is loaded. Using this card, it is then possible to transfer the individual amounts to the individual ticket cards.

Another variant of the invention provides that the employee (3) is given two Ticket-CARDs (5a and 5b), the two codes of which differ only in the last digit. At the end of each month, the employer collects the used Ticket-Card from his employee and gives him the card loaded with the amount available for the following month. If there is still a remaining balance on the card for the previous month, the employee is

a receipt issued by a special device is issued in duplicate, showing the remaining amount, which is then transferred to the ticket card.

Yet another variant provides for the Ticket-CARDs to be recharged via remote data transmission via bank terminals at automatic issuing points or bank counters.

Another possibility: the automatic restoration of the availability of meal vouchers, for example based on the system date and/or remaining availability.

In addition, the card data and the owner's data can also be printed on the card in a visible and highlighted manner, so that in special cases they can also be used for manually operated control devices.

Here are some further advantages that the invention presented here brings with it:

Benefits for publishing companies:

Savings in personnel due to the lower processing effort. The entire data transfer takes place automatically electronically and/or via remote data transmission.

- No more printing costs. Paper tickets no longer need to be printed. The costs incurred by the issuing company for loading the master cards of the customer companies are extremely low. The Ticket-CARD can be used for years and is insured for thousands of transactions.

- Checking the expiry date of the tickets: The CASSA ticket device automatically checks the expiry date of the ticket card. If the ticket card has expired, it rejects it. This speeds up the processes, as manual checks are no longer necessary. The relationship with the restaurant owners, who now have no reason to complain, is better.

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Security: Thanks to the blacklists, the risk of fraud is automatically eliminated, since even the issuing company cannot counterfeit the cards and make a significant profit.

- Financial and processing advantages: Compared to the use of paper vouchers, where it was possible to redeem all vouchers in advance and thus obtain discounts, the new system brings clear advantages in terms of billing. The payment periods are agreed together with the restaurateurs. This procedure allows the issuing company to control processing more precisely, since all transactions are recorded, excluding the possibility of errors.

- Statistical studies: The use of appropriate technology also allows the conduct of statistical studies on people’s consumption habits.

Benefits for employers:

Theft is no longer a problem. If cards were stolen, the issuing company would be able to deactivate the corresponding codes without any burden on the employer.

Easier processing: The employer only has to inform the issuing company of the amount to be loaded onto the relevant card, specifying the identification code of each employee. This procedure eliminates the possibility of the issuing company creating a list of the employees' personal details. Maximum confidentiality is guaranteed. It is planned that the cards are loaded by the company itself.

Specific savings opportunities: Since the costs for the issuing companies are reduced, they are able to set lower prices. A further cost reduction is associated with the simplification of processing and the elimination of the problem of loss or theft of vouchers in the company.

Benefits for the contracted restaurants:

The advantages associated with electronic processing of transactions are extraordinarily numerous. The following are just the most important:

Elimination of the time required after closing time for counting and sorting the meal vouchers by type and value, for preparing the billing lists for the various issuing companies and for checking the accuracy of the billing;

Automatic printing of cash register reports: The CASSA ticket machine can print out a daily list for the restaurateur with all receipts, taking into account the deductions to be paid to the issuing company and the VAT. The restaurateur has nothing more to do than keep these printouts for his personal accounting. All calculation data is also stored on a floppy disk or in the main memory of the cash register in case the data is to be forwarded to the issuing company via the data transmission network.

Problems related to theft no longer exist: Since the restaurateur does not keep any plastic data carrier on him, nothing can be stolen from him. The risk of non-refund in the event of theft therefore no longer exists for him. He also no longer has to check the serial number on the ticket to determine whether it has been forged or stolen from the issuing company. This task is carried out automatically by the CASSA ticket device.

- Problems related to the expiration date no longer exist.

The electronic tickets contain a precise expiry date. If this date has passed, the card is automatically rejected by the CASSA ticket machine. This also relieves the restaurant owner of the burden of having to worry about the expiry date of the cards.

- Problems related to the remaining balance no longer exist: the amount spent is automatically deducted from the value accumulated up to that point on the card

deducted. This means that even if the amount withdrawn is less than the value of a unit/ticket or a multiple of this unit, the restaurant owner does not have to issue a "receipt". This also helps to speed up the processes at the cash register.

Claims (11)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. System for the automatic processing of payment transactions when paying with shopping vouchers, in particular in public restaurants, based on the
Use of electronic cards (5) onto which the desired amount can be loaded by means of a computer device (8) and from which, by means of special cash register computers (6), the
installed at the relevant traders (4), from which amounts can be debited that represent the equivalent of the purchase made. 2. System as described in claim 1, here with the special feature that the electronic cards are equipped with a microchip. 3. System as described in claim 1 or 2, here with the special feature that the said device (8) for loading the cards (5) is installed at the company issuing these cards (1) and/or at the employers (2) who issue the cards (5) to their employees (3) - loaded with the amount corresponding to the number of working days. 4. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that the above-mentioned device (6) has a reader for cards (5), a field of view and a keyboard for carrying out the debits from the cards (5). 5. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that the above-mentioned device (6) has a reader for floppy disks and a printer. 6. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that the above-mentioned device (8) has a central computer, a reader for cards (5), a reader for floppy disks, a screen and a keyboard. 7. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that the above-mentioned cash register computer (6) is connected to the above-mentioned computer device (8) via the data transmission network. 8. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that the above-mentioned cards (5) are equipped with identification codes of the owners. 9. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that the above-mentioned cards (5) are recharged via remote data transmission via bank terminals at automatic issuing points or bank counters. 10. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that for the above-mentioned cards (5) the availability of meal vouchers is automatically restored, e.g. on the basis of the system date and/or the remaining availability. 11. System as described in any of the preceding claims, here with the special feature that on the above-mentioned cards (5) the card data and the owner's data are highlighted on the card so that they can also be used for manually operated control devices.