Transaction Safety System for Falsely Indicating Successful Completion of Illegal Transaction

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a transaction safety system for securing the safety of a monetary transaction in a monetary circulation system.

2. Description of the Prior Art

When the staff of banks etc., visit clients to often carry out a monetary transaction, they carry a portable monetary transaction device. This enables the staff to carry out the processing of any monetary transaction with their clients immediately, from the client's premises. Thereby, a passbook in which a deposited value and a balance are printed out can be delivered to the client on the spot. This portable monetary transaction device is connected, via a telephone circuit and an acoustic coupler, to a central processing unit so that the monetary transaction process (funds received process) is carried out when the central processing unit receives the input data. After the monetary transaction process is completed, data transmitted from the central processing unit is printed out in the passbook by a printer incorporated in the transaction device. This method of processing by a portable monetary transaction device is normally carried out by the client liaison staff of a bank, and there is always a possibility of the staff being forced by a person with criminal intent, whether at the client's premises or during the journey to visit the client, to carry out the processing for the receipt of non-existent funds. That is, the staff may be forced to print out in a bank passbook an amount received without actually receiving this amount. Such a crime cannot be prevented by the conventional monetary transaction systems.

An object of the present invention is to prevent the above-mentioned criminal act from succeeding, and to provide a transaction safety system for securing the safety of a monetary transaction in a monetary circulation system.

The present invention is a system in which a monetary transaction device, having an input portion, and a processing device, having a client file, are connected to process data input on the monetary transaction device. The monetary transaction device includes part of a transaction safety system for sending an alarm signal when a transaction is carried out unwillingly, and file control is provided in the processing device for preventing updating of the client file when the alarm signal is received. In this system, when a special code is received from the input portion of the transaction device, an alarm signal is sent to the processing device, preventing update of the client file.

Further, in the present invention, in which a monetary transaction device, having an input portion, and a processing device, having a client file, are connected, to process data input on the transaction device, the transaction device includes a distingushing portion which distinguishes whether or not the data input on the input portion is a predetermined special code and a sending device which sends an alarm signal in response to the detection by the distinguishing portion of input containing the special code. The processing device includes an alarm generator which generates an alarm when the alarm signal is received from the monetary transaction device and a text sending device for sending text concerning the transaction to the monetary transaction device when the alarm signal is generated. Note, transaction device also receives text in a normal the monetary transaction, therefore the transaction always appears at the monetary transaction device to be completed.

Thus, as is clear from the above, in the event that the client liaison staff of a bank, when carrying a portable monetary transaction device, are forced by a person of criminal intent to process the receipt of non-existent funds, the staff can secretly input a special code, such as (99*99), into the transaction device during the process of operating the device, that is, during the process of inputting the funds received data (account number, funds received, etc.) as part of the regular monetary transaction process. The central processing unit, upon receiving the special code, will not update the account file and will send back a false funds received processing text (funds received, update balance etc.) in such a way that the criminal will assume that the file has been update. That is, the data is printed out in the bank passbook by the monetary transaction device, which receives the false funds received processing text as if the processing of the funds received was completed in the normal manner, thereby ensuring the safety of the client liaison staff. Later, when the criminal attempts to withdraw funds from the bank by using the false funds received processing text printed out in the passbook, not only will it be impossible to withdraw funds from the bank, but also the fact that a crime has been committed will be exposed.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings to which, however, the scope of the invention is in no way limited.

FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a monetary transaction system in which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is an external view of the transaction safety system according to the present invention;

FIG. 3, including 3A and 3B, illustrates a keyboard arrangement in the transaction safety system illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the transaction safety system according to the present invention;

FIG. 5, including 5A and 5B, is a block diagram of an embodiment of the transaction device illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example of the processing center in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7A illustrates the client file in FIG. 6 and

FIG. 7B illustrates the error log file in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8A, including 8A-1 to 8B-2, and 8B are block diagram for one operating example of an ordinary deposit receipt/payment;

FIG. 9A is a flow chart of the operation of the system for a monetary transaction;

FIG. 9B is a flow chart for the input of the transaction data using the terminal in FIG. 9A; and

FIG. 10, including 10A and 10B, is a flow chart of the operation of the system for the monetary transaction at the processing center in FIG. 9A.

FIG. 1 shows the system for monetary transaction in which a host computer 1, a relay computer 2, a network control unit 3, and a client file 4 are provided in the main office of a bank or business center, and a modem 5, a terminal controller 6, a portable terminal connection unit 7, a portable writer 8, a telephone adapter 9 and a network control unit 10 are provided in a branch office of the bank. A telephone exchange 11 is connected to the main office and to the branch office of the bank, and is further connected to a subscriber's telephone 12 or (via a subscriber's telephone 13) to a portable terminal 14. This portable terminal 14 is part of the transaction safety system according to the present invention.

In the system illustrated in FIG. 1, the portable writer 8 has the same functions as the portable terminal 14, but is provided in the branch office of the bank. The telephone exchange 11 can be connected either via the branch office of the bank or directly to the host computer 1.

As mentioned previously, because the portable terminal 14 is carried by the client liaison staff of the bank, there is always a risk that the staff will be forced into processing the receipt of non-existent funds, during the period when the staff are on the client's premises or when travelling between the bank and those premises.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the portable terminal 14 in FIG. 1. Visible in FIG. 2 are an electric power source (i.e., battery) 21, an acoustic coupler 22, a printer inserter 23, a liquid crystal display portion 24, a magnetic card read-out portion (a magnetic passbook read/write portion) 25 and a keyboard portion 26. FIG. 3 illustrates a keyboard arrangement for the portable terminal illustrated in FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the keyboard arrangement includes a ten key portion 29 and a function key portion 30.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the transaction safety system according to the present invention. In FIG. 4, a transaction device 31 includes a keyboard 36, a reading portion 38 which reads the passbook 37, a controlling portion 39, a discriminating portion 40 and a sending and receiving control portion 41. The output of the transaction device 31 is coupled via an acoustic coupler 32 a telephone handset 33 and a telephone line 34 to a processing center 35. The processing center 35 includes a discriminating portion 42, a processing portion 43, a display portion 44 and a client file 46.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the transaction device 31 in FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the control portion 39 and the discriminating portion 40 include a transaction control program, an input/output control program, a work area, a sending and receiving buffer, an identification storing portion, an SOS text, an input/output funds counter, and a journal record portion (account, item, amount, name and center number). The control portion 39, the discriminating portion 40 and the sending and receiving portion 41 are connected via a memory access controller 49 to a computer bus line. The computer bus line is connected via a display control 48a to a liquid crystal display portion 48. Other connections are made via a control buffer 38a to a magnetic strip (read/write) portion 38, via a port 36a to a keyboard 36, via a printer control portion 45a to an inserter printer or output portion 45, via a line control portion 32a to an acoustic coupler 32 and via an input/output port 47a to a clock 47.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example of the processing center 35 illustrated in FIG. 4. As in FIG. 6, the processing portion 43 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 43a, and a data storage 43b containing a transaction management program, a terminal identification, an operator identification and a work area. The portion display 44 is formed by a liquid crystal display and client file 46 in FIG. 4 is formed by an ordinal client file 46a and an error log file 46b. The processing center 35 is connected via a communication controlling portion 50 to a telephone line 34. The ordinal client file 46a is formed, as illustrated in FIG. 7A, of an account number, an address, a name, a balance and unrenewed data. The error log file 46b is formed, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, by defective account number and an accident, card lost, or a defective item, etc.

The client liaison staff of a bank carry this portable monetary transaction device 31 illustrated in FIG. 4, when visiting a client. When, during such a visit, the client proposes the transfer of funds to the bank (for example, a deposit), the bank staff connects this portable monetary transaction device 31 to the processing center 35, to input the desired data and to process the amount of funds received at the processing center 35. Thus, in the passbook for the account, the amount of funds which are received can be printed out and recorded and the passbook delivered to the client immediately. FIGS. 8A and 8B are block diagrams of the operation of an ordinary receipt/payment process. As illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the input process (for example, a time deposit) is as follows:

.circle.1 Selection of the item: specifying a fixed time deposit

.circle.2 Reading the passbook: inserting the passbook into the reading portion 38 and reading an identification code.

.circle.3 Inputting a deposit number: inputting a code indicating the deposit number and "NOTE 1."

.circle.4 Inputting a transaction code: inputting the transaction code.

.circle.5 Inputting a tax classification: inputting the numerical data.

.circle.6 Inputting the term.

.circle.7 Inputting a date of maturity: inputting the data for the maturity date.

.circle.8 Inputting a transaction classification: specifying that the interest is added to the principal, etc.

.circle.11 Inputting funds received: inputting the data indicating the amount of funds received.

In the event that the client liaison staff of the bank encounter a person with criminal intent and are forced to process an imaginary amount of funds received, if the staff refuse to carry out this false processing, it is quite likely that the personal safety of the staff will be endangered. Under this kind of pressure, obviously the staff will be obliged to connect the portable monetary transaction device 31 to the center 35 and input the data to the center 35 in accordance with the above process .circle.1 .about. .circle.11 by operating the keyboard 36.

According to the present invention, in such a case the predetermined special code (SOS code, for example, "99*99") is secretly input during the input in process step .circle.3 or .circle.5 . This prevents any access to the client file 46 at the processing center 35. At the same time, data for the false funds received is printed out in the passbook 37, and the passbook is delivered to the criminal.

In FIG. 4, after the client liaison staff of the bank has operated the keyboard 36, e.g., to specify a fixed time deposit, the passbook 37 is inserted into the reading portion 38 of the monetary transaction device 31 in order to read the identification code A. Next, when the deposit number code B is input on the keyboard 36, the special code C (for example, "99*99") is input. This special code C is fed via a controlling portion 39 to the discriminating portion 40. When the discriminating portion 40 detects this special code C, the discriminating portion 40 outputs an alarm signal E. Except for inputting the special code C, the client liaison staff proceed to input the data in accordance with the input processes .circle.1 .about. .circle.11 above. When the input of the data is completed, the sending and receiving control portion 41 sends the data of the false funds received D (in accordance with processes .circle.1 .about. .circle.11 ) and and acts as an alarm signal sending device to send the alarm signal E to the processing center 35. In the processing center 35, when the alarm signal E is included with the received data, the discriminating portion 42 identifies this alarm signal E and a control signal F is sent to a processing portion 43. When the processing portion 43 recognizes in an abnormal state due to the value of control signal F, the client account file 46, which was indicated by the input data, is not accessed and a display portion 44 displays that an abnormal state has occurred. After that, the processing text G, which indicates that the processing concerning the funds received is normally carried out, is sent back to the monetary transaction device 31. In the monetary transaction device 31, the funds received processing text G is received in the sending and receiving portion 41 and sent to the control portion 39, so that the printer 45 can print out the data of the funds received and the data of the updated balance etc., in the passbook 37.

The client liaison staff of the bank can thus escape from a difficult position by delivering this passbook to the person who has forced the staff to input an imaginary amount of funds. When the criminal trys to withdraw the funds by using this passbook, in which receipt of the imaginary funds is recorded, the crime is immediately discovered, because abnormal condition data is registered in the bank computer system concerning the account number of this passbook.

FIG. 9A is a flow chart of the operation of the monetary transaction system. Block 91 confirms the registration of the operator and, when the operator is registered, the transaction data is input in block 92, and sent to the processing center 35 in block 93 via a connecting portion of the transaction device. At the processing center a block 94 examines the transaction and the account file is updated in block 95, where the special code (SOS code) is processed. In block 96, the processing text is drafted and sent to a received text process block 97 in the terminal. The processed text in the block 97 is printed out in block 98 and the processing is ended.

FIG. 9B is a flow chart of the input of the transaction in FIG. 9A. The input data of a transaction (block 100) is stored in block 101 (a sending buffer), is displayed on a monitor in block 102 and the displayed item is examined in block 103 to determine whether or not it is a function key operation. When the item is a function key operation, block 103 transfers control to block 104 where the input data is examined to determine whether or not the special code is included. When the special code is included, it is loaded into the sending buffer 101. When the special code is not included, block 104 transfers control so that the numeric data is checked in block 106. When the numeric data is good, the monitor is erased in block 107 and the data in the input buffer and the function key data is loaded into the sending buffer in block 108. The input data is compiled and displayed in block 109 and is examined to determine whether or not the input is complete in block 110. When the input is complete, block 111 checks that the acoustic coupler is set to transmit data. In block 112, the data is then sent to the processing center. When block 106 judges that the numeric data is defective, an error processing is effected via block 113.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of the operation at the processing center. Data is received in block 120 and block 121 then determines whether or not an error is included in the received data. When an error is included in the data, an error message is added in block 122. When an error is not included, the data is examined in block 123 for detecting whether or not the special code (SOS text) is included. When the special code is included in the data, the account number in the data is stored in the error log file in block 124 and an alarm is displayed in block 125. When a special code is not included, the identification and the operator of the input data is checked in block 126. When the data checked in block 126 is defective, the alarm is displayed on an alarm output device in block 127, an imaginary (error) text is drafted in block 128 and sent in block 133.

When the data checked in block 126 is good, the transaction is checked in block 129. If the result of the data check in block 129 is defective, the imaginary (error) text is drafted in block 130. When the result of the data check in block 129 is good, the account file is updated in block 131 and the text is drafted in block 132. When the text is drafted in block 132 for data containing the SOS text, the amount of the false funds received is included in the text. The text drafted in block 132, the error message drafted in block 122, or the error text drafted in block 130 are sent to the terminal via the send process in block 133.

As mentioned previously, according to the present invention, when forced to carry out the processing of a false amount of funds received in a monetary transaction system using a portable monetary transaction device, the client liaison staff can inform the processing center of an abnormal status while processing a transaction seemingly in a normal manner, keeping this fact secret from the criminal, and ensuring the personal safety of the staff. In addition the criminal will be prevented from later withdrawing the false funds from the bank.