US 5,247,160 AGrant
Method for Transmitting Creditcard Information for a Group of Bus Passengers
Issue Date:1993-09-21
•5 Claims
•5 Drawing Sheets
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for supplying a rental service provider such as a hotel or an automobile rental agency with advance printed notice of customers who are approaching the hotel or agency aboard a shuttle bus from a nearby airport, thereby enabling the hotel or agency to prepare rental agreements for the customers in advance of the customers' arrival. First, a credit card reader receives one or more credit cards and automatically reads the data contained thereon. A computer directs insertion of the data into a memory buffer and establishes a radio frequency communications connection with equipment at a remote location. The contents of the memory buffer are transmitted via the radio frequency connection to the remotely located equipment for printing, and the communications connection is automatically terminated after the printing of the data.
Metadata
Assignee
- GTE Mobile Communications Service Corporation
Inventor
- Robert G. Zicker
Application Information
Application Number:US 8998191
Filing Date:1992-06-16
Priority Date:1991-03-21
Art Unit:255
Classifications
IPC:
H04M 1100G06F 1500
Field of Search:
340379455235825.08;825.10;825.54;825.358;56;91;14454;66;99;54.1;54.2380;382;382.5;384;375
Patent Drawings (5 sheets)
Description
Background of Invention
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved method for initiating a rental agreement for an item such as a hotel room or an automobile. More particularly the invention relates to a system and software program for reading data contained on one or more credit cards, transmitting the data via a radio frequency channel, and printing the data at the location of the provider of the rental service.
2. Description of Prior Arrangements
Two of the most fundamental needs of travelers today are hotel rooms and rental vehicles. In order to pay for the rental of these items, many travelers utilize credit cards because of the many advantages that credit cards provide. For example, by utilizing credit cards, travelers can make a substantial number of purchases without requiring cash. Also, by utilizing credit cards travelers can enjoy the convenience of paying for a number of previously charged items on a monthly basis, upon receipt of itemized statements.
Another advantage afforded by use of credit cards is that credit cards are widely accepted for the purpose of reserving items such as hotel rooms and automobiles for subsequent rental. However, despite the convenience of reserving hotel rooms and automobiles with credit cards, there are still problems associated with entering into such rental agreements.
One of these problems is that providers of rental services typically do not prepare a customer's rental agreement prior to the arrival of the renting customer. This practice is common since potential customers having reservations for rental services occasionally change their plans so that they no longer require the rental services, but they neglect to cancel the reservations. As a result, rental service providers typically require customers to appear in person and wait while the rental agreement is prepared. After signing the prepared agreement, the rental service provider gives the customer keys to a hotel room, or in the case of an automobile rental, keys to an automobile.
There are a number of procedures that have been developed by rental service providers to solve this problem. In particular, some hotels or automobile rental agencies provide customers having reservations with a method of expedited rental agreement processing, typically called "express check-in". This program generally operates in conjunction with a shuttle bus, owned by the hotel or agency, that circulates between the hotel or agency and a nearby airport.
Under the express check-in program, a customer who has previously made a reservation boards a shuttle bus, which is bound for the hotel or agency, at the airport. The bus driver instructs the boarding customers who have previously made reservations for rental services to provide a credit card to the bus driver. Subsequently, the driver utilizes a two-way radio to contact an express check-in clerk of the hotel or agency, and the driver informs the clerk of the customers' names and credit card numbers. Upon receiving this data, the clerk prepares rental agreements for the arriving customers.
In the case of a hotel, when the customers arrive they can quickly complete their rental agreements by signing the agreements, whereupon their room keys are provided.
In the case of an automobile rental agency, agency employees prepare the automobiles for the arrival of the customers by unlocking the automobiles' doors, placing the prepared rental agreements in the automobiles corresponding to the agreements, placing the customers' names on tags which hang from the automobiles' rear view mirrors, and starting the automobiles' engines. When the customers arrive, they identify the automobiles assigned to them and drive their assigned automobiles to an exit booth of the rental agency. The customers are permitted to exit the rental lot by presenting their signed agreements and their credit cards to an employee stationed at the exit booth.
Although these programs can provide customers with expedited check-in for rental services, the programs have a number of limitations. In particular, if the bus driver's attention is occupied for some reason, the driver might not be able to process a customer's credit card before the bus arrives at the hotel or rental agency, and the customer will be required to wait for the preparation of his/her rental agreement. For example, the driver might not have an opportunity to read the card if the driver is navigating the bus through complicated city streets, or if the driver is driving in heavy traffic. Therefore, in order to provide more convenient express check-in service to customers, a system is needed for transmitting credit card data from a vehicle such as a shuttle bus to a remote site without assistance from the bus driver.
In addition to the problems of complicated navigation or heavy traffic, another factor that might affect the driver's ability to relay all customers' credit cards is the presence of a large number of customers requiring express check-in. Therefore, a system is needed to quickly receive the credit cards of a plurality of credit card holders and transmit the data contained thereon to a remote location.
Another disadvantage associated with the express check-in programs described above is that the programs might not be as safe as desired, since the programs require the driver to perform activities unrelated to driving the bus. As a result, it would be desirable from the standpoint of safety to have a system that transmits customers' credit card data to a remote site without requiring assistance from the bus driver.
A further disadvantage of these programs is that erroneous data is sometimes transmitted. For example, in attempting to simultaneously drive the shuttle bus and read credit cards over the radio, the driver might read data incorrectly. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a system that reads customers' credit cards with an electronic card reader.
In addition to error that result from an incorrect reading by the bus driver, errors might result if the bus driver pronounces words poorly and/or if the person in radio communication with the driver misunderstands the driver's message. As a result, a computer-based system is needed to electronically enode credit card data and transmit the data to a remote location for electronic decoding and printing.
Furthermore, in addition to errors introduced by the driver, errors may be introduced by unreliable communications equipment. Accordingly, a system is needed that utilizes an error checking algorithm to ensure the integrity of the transmitted data.
Brief Summary of Invention
The present invention concerns a method and system for efficiently initiating services such as hotel check-in or car rental services. First, one or more credit cards are received by a credit card reader. Magnetically encoded data of the credit cards is automatically read and inserted into am emory buffer. After a communications connection is established with a remotely located printing device, the memory buffer contents are automatically transmitted to a remote location for printing. Finally, the communications connection is terminated.
Brief Description of Drawings
FIG. 1 is a drawing of the hardware interconnections of the mobile equipment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a drawing of the hardware interconnections of the fixed site equipment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a simplified flowchart of the operation of the main program of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a simplified flowchart of the input subroutine of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a simplified flowchart of the card data capture subroutine of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a simplified flowchart of a first portion of the output subroutine of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a simplified flowchart of a second portion of the output subroutine of the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described. The present invention generally provides an improved method for initiating the preparation of a rental agreement concerning an item such as a hotel room or an automobile. More specifically, the invention comprises a system and software program for reading data contained on one or more credit cards, transmitting the data via a radio frequency channel, and printing the data at the location of the rental service provider.
The principle components of the method of the present invention include a main program, shown in FIG. 3; an input subroutine, shown in FIG. 4; a card data capture subroutine, shown in FIG. 5; and an output subroutine, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
The principle components of the hardware of the present invention include mobile equipment 100, shown in FIG. 1, and fixed site equipment, shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment, one or more identical configurations of the mobile equipment 100 are installed aboard one or more vehicles such as shuttle buses, not shown, which carry passengers from an airport to an establishment that provides rental services, such as a hotel or an automobile rental agency. Referring now to FIG. 1, the hardware components and interconnections that constitute a single configuration of the mobile equipment 100 will be described.
A principle component of the mobile equipment 100 is a cellular transceiver 101, which is an Oki model 23 transceiver in the preferred embodiment. The transceiver 101 is electrically attached at a transceiver power port 102 to 12 volt direct current power obtained from the battery, not shown, of the bus. The transceiver 101 is electrically attached to ground at a transceiver ground port 104. Additionally, the transceiver 101 is electrically attached at a transceiver ignition port 106 to a vehicle ignition 108, so that the transceiver 101 is activated when the vehicle ignition 108 is on. The transceiver 101 is also electrically attached at a transceiver antenna port 110 to a cellular antenna 112. At a transceiver data port 113 the transceiver 101 is electrically attached to a cable 114 which is connected to a cellular transceiver interface 116 via a first interface data port 118.
In the preferred embodiment, the interface 116 comprises an interface such as that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,658,096, 4,737,975, and 4,775,997, or another interface that is capable of translating data between public switched telephone service-compatible signals and cellular transceiver signals. The interface 116 is electrically attached to 12 volt direct current power at an interface power port 120, and the interface 116 is connected to ground at an interface ground port 122. Interface 116 additionally has a second interface data port 124. The port 124 provides an RJ-11 type interface for sending and receiving signals that are compatible with a public switched telephone network. Furthermore, the port 124 is electrically attached to a transaction terminal 126 via an RJ-11 type cable 128 and a first terminal data port 130.
In the preferred embodiment, the terminal 126 comprises a Verifone model Trans 330 transaction terminal, which includes keypad 134; a display 136, such as a light emitting diode display; a credit card reader 138; a programmable microcomputer 140; and a telephone modem 142. Preferably, the terminal 126 is placed in a conspicuous location aboard the vehicle, so that passengers desiring express check-in services will promptly notice the display 136 and the card reader 138 when they board the vehicle.
The terminal 126 receives 9 volt alternating current power at a terminal power port 144 which is electrically attached via a cable 146 to a transformer output port 148 of a transformer 150. The transformer 150 receives 115 volt alternating current power at a transformer input port 152 which is electrically attached via a cable 154 to a power supply output port 156 of a power supply 158. The power supply 158 comprises a device such as a Statpower Technologies Corp. model PC100+power inverter, or another power supply capable of supplying an output of 115 volt alternating current power by utilizing an input of 12 volt direct current power. The power supply 158 is electrically attached to ground at a power supply ground port 160, and is electrically attached to 12 volt direct current power at a power supply input port 162.
The transaction terminal 126 is also electrically attached at a second terminal data port 164 to a door relay 168, via a cable 166. The door relay 168 is electrically attached via a cable 170 to a door light 172 of the vehicle. The door relay 168 includes a relay circuit, not shown, such as a Potter & Brumfield model T82 relay, coupled with an RS-232 transmitter/receiver, not shown, such as a Maxim MAX232 circuit. The door relay 168 functions to provide one of two possible electrical signals to the port 164 depending upon whether the door light 172 is on or off. The specific operation and interconnections of relay arrangements such as the door relay 168 are readily understood by those possessing ordinary skill in the art.
Reference will now be made to FIG. 2, which shows a number of hardware components and interconnections that constitute fixed site equipment 200 of the invention. In the preferred embodiment, the fixed site equipment 200 is installed at a fixed location such as a hotel reception desk or an exit booth of an automobile rental agency.
A principle component of the fixed site equipment 200 of the invention is a printer 201. In the preferred embodiment, the printer 201 comprises a serial printer such as a Verifone model 600 serial printer. The printer 201 includes a printer input port 202 which is electrically attached to a modem 204, via a modem output port 206 and a cable 203. The printer 201 receives electrical input signals in the form of RS-232 serial data from the modem output port 206.
The modem 204 is attached at an modem input port 207 to a telephone line 208, via an cable 210. The port 207, the telephone line 208, and the cable 210 are compatible with the RJ-11 standard. The line 208 is electrically attached to a public switched telephone network. The provision of normal landline telephone service, such as the service which is provided to the line 208, has been known for a considerable time and will not be discussed further.
Having described the hardware components and interconnections of the invention, the general operation of the invention will now be described. First, a passenger desiring express check-in service slides his/her credit card, not shown, into the credit card reader 138 which collects data that is contained on a magnetic strip, which is attached to the credit card. This sliding motion is commonly called "swiping" the credit card. The microcomputer 140 places the data into a predetermined format and causes the modem 142 to transmit dual tone multi-frequency dialing commands as well as the credit card data to the cellular transceiver interface 116.
The interface 116 translates the received dual tone multi-frequency dialing commands into a format which is compatible with the cellular transceiver 101, and thereafter transmits the dialing instructions and the data to the transceiver 101. The transceiver 101 then utilizes the antenna 112 to establish a cellular radiotelephone connection and to transmit the data through the cellular radiotelephone and landline telephone networks, not shown, to the telephone line 208. The data is received by the modem 204 whereupon the data is converted into RS-232 format data, and transmitted to the printer 201 for printing.
Having described the hardware equipment, interconnections, and general function of the invention, the operation of the equipment will now be described in more detail. Operation of the mobile equipment 100 of the invention is controlled by a software program contained in a non-volatile memory bank, not shown, of the transaction terminal 126 of the mobile equipment 100. The software program of the invention includes a number of Terminal Control Language programming lines which are stored and executed by the terminal 126. These programming lines are shown in order of execution in Table I hereinbelow. Terminal Control Language is documented in the TCL Terminal Control Language Programmer's Manual of Verifone Inc., part number 00368- Revision E, Manual Revision 6.0. The aforementioned manual is hereby incorporated by reference.
Generally, the software program functions to receive and store credit card data read by the card reader 138, and to send the stored data to the interface 116 for subsequent transmission to the transceiver 101 and the printer 201.
The software program of the invention will now be discussed more specifically with reference to FIG. 3. The initialization cycle of task 300 is automatically executed by the terminal 126 when the port 144 receives 9 volt alternating current power from the transformer 150. During the initialization mode of task 300, the keypad 134 is activated for a period of 10 to 15 seconds in order to permit an operator to enter a time, date, identification number of the terminal 126, and the telephone number of the telephone line 208. After the operator finishes entering the data, the data is stored in a non-volatile memory, not shown, of the terminal 126. Upon the storage of the data, the keypad 134 is automatically deactivated.
After task 300, the main program calls an input subroutine in task 301. The input subroutine generally determines whether credit card data has been read by the card reader 138, and if data has been read, the subroutine places the data into a random access memory location which will be referred to as the output queue. The output queue functions to collect entries of credit card data for subsequent transmittal to the interface 116. When the input subroutine returns control to the main program, query 302 determines whether the output queue contains any data. If the output queue is empty, control of the program returns to task 301 wherein the input subroutine is re-executed. However, if query 301 detects data in the output queue, an output subroutine is executed in task 304. The output subroutine generally functions to transmit the contents of the output queue to the printer 201.
Thus, the main program basically involves the steps of determining whether credit card data has been read and, if data has been read, placing the data in an output queue and transmitting the contents of the output queue to the printer 120.
In order to describe the input subroutine in more detail, reference will now be made to FIG. 4. Upon execution of the input subroutine by main program, task 400 issues an instruction to the microcomputer 140 of the terminal 126 causing the display 136 to exhibit a welcoming banner such as "WELCOME ABOARD, SWIPE YOUR CARD."
After task 400 initiates the exhibition of the welcome banner, query 402 determines whether a credit card has been swiped through the card reader 138. If the answer to query 402 is yes, then task 404 executes a card data capture subroutine. The card data capture subroutine basically checks the received credit card data for errors and inserts properly received credit card data into an output queue for subsequent transmission to the printer 201.
After a negative answer to query 402 or execution of task 404, task 406 returns control to the main program. The input routine typically requires a fraction of a second to completely execute.
With reference to FIG. 5, the card data capture subroutine will now be described in greater detail. As mentioned hereinabove, the card data capture subroutine is executed by the input subroutine after query 402 determines that a credit card has been swiped through the card reader 138. Accordingly, task 500 of the card data capture subroutine captures the data contained on the first track of the magnetic strip of the credit card that was swiped. This capturing operation is performed by temporarily placing the data in random access memory, not shown, of the microcomputer 140. Typically, a credit card's first track contains alphanumeric characters that represent information such as a name, account number, and expiration date associated with the card.
After completion of task 500, task 502 performs an error check, such as a longitudinal redundancy check, on the captured data. Query 504 then determines whether task 502 detected an error in the data. If an error was detected, task 506 instructs the microcomputer 140 to exhibit a banner such as "PLEASE TRY AGAIN" for a predetermined time period on the display 136, and task 508 returns control from the card data capture subroutine to the input subroutine.
On the other hand, if query 504 does not identify an error in the data, task 510 causes the microcomputer 140 to exhibit a banner such as "THANK YOU" for a predetermined time period. Then, task 512 places the data into a predetermined format by dividing the data into fields corresponding to the name, account number, and expiration date, and accordingly inserting field separation characters.
After the data is formatted in task 512, task 514 temporarily stores the formatted data in the random access memory, not shown, of the microcomputer 140. After the data is temporarily stored in the memory, query 516 determines whether the output queue contains data. The determination of query 516 is made by checking an output data ready flag, described hereinbelow, which is set when data is inserted into the output queue and cleared when the output queue is emptied. The existence of data in the output queue indicates that the data is ready to be sent to the interface 116 for subsequent transmittal by the transceiver 101. However, in order to prevent data from a single credit card from being transmitted twice during one data transmission, the data which is temporarily stored in memory in task 514 is compared to the contents of the output queue before adding the temporarily stored data to the output queue.
If query 516 detects data in the output queue, the program proceeds to task 524 wherein the data temporarily contained in memory is compared to the first entry in the output queue. Query 526 determines whether the temporary data matches the first entry of data in the output queue. If the data is equivalent, this means that the temporary data is duplicated in the output queue, so that the temporary data need not be added to the putput queue. Accordingly, in the case of matching data, control passes to task 528 which returns control to the input subroutine without adding the temporary data to the output queue.
On the other hand, if query 526 does not find a match between the temporary data and the first data entry of the output queue, query 530 determines whether the output queue entry compared in query 526 was the final output queue entry. If the answer to query 530 was no, indicating that more output queue entries require comparison to the temporary data, control of the program returns to task 532 wherein the temporary data is compared to the next entry of the output queue. After the comparison of task 532, query 526 determines whether a match was found. Likewise, the steps of query 526, query 530, and task 532 are repeated until the temporary data is determined to match an entry in the output queue or until the entire output queue is searched without locating a match.
In the event a match is found by query 526, task 528 returns control to the input subroutine. However, if the temporary data is not found in the output queue, the program advances to task 534 wherein the temporary data is reformatted for transmittal to the printer 201 and inserted into the output queue. The reformatting is performed in order to print a more understandable message at the printer 201, and includes the addition of text such as the date, time, identification number of the terminal 126, and the number of data entries in the output queue. After task 534, task 522 returns control to the input subroutine.
Alternatively, if query 516 determines that the output queue was empty, the steps 524-534 are not performed. Instead, control passes to task 518 wherein the temporary data is reformatted and inserted into the output queue. Then, task 520 sets the output data ready flag in order to indicate that the output queue now contains data. Finally, task 522 returns control to the input subroutine.
In summary, the card data capture subroutine functions to check the received credit card data for errors, place properly received credit card data into a predetermined format, and insert the formatted data into the output queue for later transmission to the printer 201.
Having now described the card data capture subroutine, the output subroutine will be described. In general, the output subroutine executes the commands necessary to establish a communications link between the mobile equipment 100 and the fixed site equipment 200, and additionally transmits the contents of the output queue after the communications link has been established.
A typical airport shuttle bus of a hotel or vehicle rental agency will make a number of stops at different airport gates in order to pick up and drop off passengers. During this period, the bus door opens and shuts frequently. After all stops have been completed, the bus will travel to the location of the hotel or agency, which is typically located some distance away from the airport. Under normal circumstances the bus door remains shut during the entire trip from the last pick-up or drop-off to the hotel or agency.
Therefore, by waiting until the bus door has been shut for a predetermined time period that is greater than the time taken by the bus to travel between stops, it is possible to determine a time at which it is highly probable that the bus is in route to the hotel or agency. Accordingly, at this time it is likely that all passengers interested in the express check-in service have already swiped their cards, since passengers desiring express check-in are likely to swipe their credit cards soon after boarding the bus in order to promptly initiate the check-in process and provide the hotel or agency employees with the greatest amount of time to prepare the proper rental agreement.
By determining the time at which all passengers have swiped their cards and no more passengers will be added to the bus, the data can be more efficiently transmitted to the printer 201 since at this time the data can be transmitted as a single unit during one communications connection.
In order to describe the operation of the output subroutine in greater detail, reference will now be made to FIGS. 6 and 7. The first step in the output subroutine involves determining in query 600 whether the shuttle bus door, not shown, is closed. This determination is made by the microcomputer 140 based upon the electrical signal present at the port 164. This electrical signal is supplied by the door relay 168 as discussed hereinabove, and the door relay 168 is, in the preferred embodiment, electrically attached to the door light 172 of the bus, not shown. In a typical shuttle bus, the door light 172 is automatically turned on when the door is opened, and turned off when the door is shut.
Accordingly, if query 600 determines that the door is open, the input subroutine is executed in task 602. Query 600 and task 602 repeat in this manner until query 600 determines that the door has closed, at which time query 604 determines whether the door has been closed for a predetermined time period. If the answer to query 604 is no, then task 606 executes the input subroutine and returns to query 600.
Query 604, task 606 and query 600 repeat in this manner as long as the door remains closed until the door has been closed for a predetermined time period, at which time the program initiates a communications link. In particular, in task 608 the microcomputer 140 sends the interface 116 an off hook command.
After task 608, task 610 executes the input subroutine. The input subroutine is frequently called, as described hereinbelow with reference to tasks 614, 618, 628, 632, and 636. These tasks permit the terminal 126 to accept and process additional credit cards that are swiped through the card reader 138 during the operation of the output subroutine. Since the input subroutine, as discussed previously, requires less than one second to execute, the operation of the output subroutine is not delayed significantly by such executions of the input subroutine.
After task 610 calls the input subroutine, task 612 retrieves the telephone number associated with the telephone line 208 from the memory of the microcomputer 140, where the number was stored previously in task 300. After task 612 is completed, task 614 calls the input subroutine.
Task 616 then sends the retrieved telephone number to the interface 116 in the form of dual tone multi-frequency digits, whereupon the interface 116 begins dialing the number. After task 616, task 618 calls the input subroutine. Subsequently, in task 620, a timer is started. The call initiation timer marks the time at which the dialing instruction was issued, and therefore provides an indication of the time used in establishing the call. If the call set-up time exceeds that which is normally used in establishing a call, then it is likely that a problem has occurred. Such problems could include, for example, receipt of a busy signal due to the telephone line 208 being in use, malfunction of the fixed site equipment, etc.
Accordingly, after task 620, query 622 determines whether the call has been answered, thereby establishing a communications link between the transceiver 101 and the line 208. If the call has not been answered, query 624 determines whether the call initiation timer has reached a predetermined limit. In the event this limit has not been reached, control returns to query 622. Thus, control of the program is passed between queries 622 and 624 as long as the call has not been answered and the call initiation timer has not elapsed.
If the call initiation timer elapses, the answer to query 624 becomes yes and task 626 causes the microcomputer 140 to issue a hang up instruction and to wait for two seconds. The two second wait is necessary in order to prevent the equipment 100 from attempting to place a new call before the aborted cellular connection has been fully terminated. After the two second wait, task 627 returns control to the main program. Although task 627 returns control to the main program without having transmitted the contents of the output queue to the fixed site equipment 200, another attempt at transmitting the data will be made when control returns to the main program, query 302 detects that the output data ready flag is set, and the main program calls the output subroutine in task 304.
The present invention is therefore able to facilitate calls from more than one vehicle equipped with the mobile equipment 100. Specifically, if the equipment of a first vehicle receives a busy signal due to a call of a second vehicle already in progress, the first vehicle will abort the call as described hereinabove and re-attempt to transmit the data later.
Alternatively, if query 622 determines that the call as been answered, then task 628 calls the input routine and task 630 establishes communications with the modem 204. Task 630 involves steps of synchronization, baud rate selection, and handshaking that are commonly performed by ordinarily skilled artisans in the area of data communication. After task 630, the input subroutine is again called in task 632.
At this point, task 634 issues an instruction to the microcomputer 140 of the terminal 126 causing the display 136 to exhibit a banner such as "PROCESSING" for a predetermined period of time in order to indicate to bus passengers that the mobile equipment 100 is communicating with the fixed site equipment 200. After display of the banner is initiated, task 636 calls the input routine for the final time during operation of the output subroutine.
In order to determine whether the communications link has been unintentionally terminated, query 638 checks for carrier detect. If carrier is no longer detected, task 626 executes and task 627 returns control to the main program. On the other hand, if the communications link has not been interrupted, task 640 transmits a header for printing at the printer 201. The header contains information that pertains to the batch of the credit cards to be transmitted, such as the date, time, number of entries in the output queue, and the identification number of the terminal 126 Accordingly, since the header lists the number of entries in the output queue, the input subroutine is not executed during the remainder of the output subroutine so that no more entries are added to the output queue.
After the header is printed, task 700 prints the first credit card record from the output queue. If query 702 determines that carrier detect is no longer present, task 704 hangs up and waits two seconds, and then task 705 returns control to the main program.
However, if the communications link is still intact, query 706 determines whether all records stored in the output queue have been printed. If all records have not been printed, task 700, query 702, and query 706 repeat until carrier is lost or until all records are printed. Once query 706 determines that all output queue records have been printed, then task 708 sends a form feed command to the printer 201. The form feed command causes one sheet of paper, not shown, of the printer 201 to be ejected so that the printed data may be more easily read by the clerk of the hotel or agency.
The output queue is cleared in task 710, and the output data ready flag cleared in task 712 in order to indicate that the output queue is empty. These steps do not occur until all output queue entries have been successfully printed. Thus, in the event the output subroutine terminates prematurely in tasks 626 or 704, the output queue remains intact so that it can be subsequently printed during the next execution of the output subroutine. Finally, task 714 hangs up, and task 715 returns control to the main program.
The present invention, then, provides an improved system and method for initiating the preparation of rental agreements relating to items such as hotel rooms or automobiles. The invention includes one or more configurations of the mobile equipment 100, which are installed aboard one or more vehicles such as shuttle buses. The invention also includes the fixed site equipment 200, which is located at a permanent location such as an automobile rental agency or a hotel. Each identical configuration of the mobile equipment 100 includes a transaction terminal 126, which is mounted aboard a bus in a location that is accessible to passengers as they enter the bus.
Accordingly, when passengers enter the bus, the passengers having express check-in reservations for the hotel or agency associated with the vehicle are alerted to the prominently located terminal 126. The display 134, which is attached to the terminal 126, exhibits a message such as "WELCOME ABOARD, SWIPE YOUR CARD", thereby encouraging express check-in passengers to insert their credit cards into the card reader 138, which is attached to the terminal 126.
After a passenger swipes his/her credit card through the card reader 138, the display 134 presents a message such as "THANK YOU". Then, the information from the credit card is stored in the memory of the terminal 126 and the terminal 126 awaits the insertion of the next passenger's card.
After the door of the bus remains closed for a predetermined time, the credit card data that has been collected is transmitted to the fixed site equipment 200 where the data is printed for subsequent utilization by hotel or agency personnel in preparing the proper rental agreements. As a result, the express check-in customers can quickly sign their pre-prepared rental agreements upon arrival at the hotel or agency.
The present invention provides a number of advantages to its users. In particular, the invention supplies a means for express check-in customers riding a shuttle bus to send data contained on their credit cards to a rental service provider such as a hotel or vehicle rental agency, so that employees of the hotel or agency can prepare rental agreements in advance of the customers' arrival. However, unlike the past arrangements, the present invention does not require the customers to part with possession of their credit cards. Thus, there is no possibility of a customer forgetting to retrieve his credit card after having handed the card to the bus driver.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the relaying of the credit card data is performed by electronic equipment and an associated software program and does not require participation of the bus driver. Therefore, the customers' credit cards are received and the data contained thereon is transmitted without regard to factors that have caused delay in prior arrangements such as the number of customers requiring service, heavy traffic, and navigation of complex streets. Therefore, an advantage of the present invention is that its operation is not affected by the degree to which the shuttle bus driver is occupied.
Another advantage of the invention is that, since the invention comprises an electronic system and associated software program, the invention eliminates the possibility of error introduced by the driver's incorrectly reading or pronouncing the credit card data. Similarly, the errors which might arise due to inaccurate receipt of the information transmitted by the driver are obviated for the same reason.
Yet another advantage afforded by the present invention is that the invention operates more safely than past arrangements since there is no longer a need for the bus driver to simultaneously drive the bus and relay credit card information.
While there have been shown what are at present considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
I claim:
1. A method of facilitating service to passengers on a bus without driver intervention, including the steps of: displaying status messages on a credit card reader located on the bus so that passengers are advised of availability of service; receiving in seriation in the credit card reader cards swiped by any passengers on the bus seeking service; for each said passenger, reading data from the swiped card, checking said data for errors, placing said data in a predetermined format, and storing the formulated data in an output queue of a buffer memory; after a predetermined interval sufficient to permit multiple passengers to swipe credit cards in the card reader, establishing a telecommunications link directly to a printer at a host service location; transmitting said credit card data in the output queue to the printer in the order of card swipe sequence, and terminating the telecommunications link and reestablishing an appropriate status message on the credit card reader to invite usage from a new group of passengers.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step includes establishing a cellular radiotelephone link.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmitting steps includes the further steps of: first transmitting predetermined header data, and then transmitting credit card data in the output queue.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein checking said data for errors includes a longitudinal redundancy check, with a further step of aborting the routine being executed in the event an error is detected.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the status message include a welcome message, and a processing message.
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