Title:
【発明の名称】エンコード化された購入カードを用いた前払い検針システム
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JPH02501513
Kind Code:
A
Abstract:
A prepayment utility metering method and apparatus which uses encoded mag-stripe cards to transfer purchase information from the utility billing office to the customer's premises. The mag-stripe cards are read at the customer's premises by a microprocessor-controlled utility metering and control device which meters the utilities according to the amount purchased at the utility billing office. The value information encoded on the mag-stripe cards is comprised of the amount of the purchase coded in terms of number of shaft revolutions of the metering disk, a rate schedule for metering the value of the utilities consumed, and a special sequential password containing an encrypted combination of the consumer's account number, the consumer's site identification, and the sequence number of the current purchase. This encoding scheme for prepayment of utilities provides an effective and economical method of distributing utilities that prevents fraud and tampering. The present invention also includes a method and apparatus for providing an emergency credit to utility consumers when the prepurchased amount is exhausted. An emergency mag-stripe card is used to credit the user's account with a purchased amount of utilities adequate to tide the consumer over until the billing office opens on the next business day. The emergency mag-stripe card cannot be used more than once, and the credit amount in the meter must be replenished by a new purchase of utilities before the emergency card can be used again.
Inventors:
Sloane, Joseph W
Application Number:
JP50631587A
Publication Date:
May 24, 1990
Filing Date:
December 07, 1987
Export Citation:
Assignee:
CIC Systems Incorporated
International Classes:
G01R11/00; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F15/00; G08C19/00; G01D4/00; (IPC1-7): G01D4/00; G01R11/00; G07F7/08; G07F15/00; G08C19/00
Domestic Patent References:
| JPS61240369A | 1986-10-25 | |||
| JPS58190463A | 1983-11-07 | |||
| JPS5846109A | 1983-03-17 | |||
| JPS5161202A | 1976-05-27 | |||
| JPS6140063B2 | 1986-09-06 |
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Aoyama Ryo (1 person outside)