Credit card banking system

Claim 2

A communication system for a plurality of peripheral stations and a central station particularly for the remote control of financial transactions and selective linking to each peripheral station of the plurality, the improvement comprising: first means in each of the peripheral stations for receiving and accepting independently manifestations of first and second multidigit numbers, the first number defining an account handled by the central station, the second number representing a security code, the first means including keying means providing manifestations of distinguishing significance for the first and second numbers, for particularly identifying a received second number as security code; second means in each of the peripheral stations including keying means for providing manifestations of a third number having monetary significance; means in each peripheral station for storing the manifestations of the first, second and third numbers; third means in each of the peripheral stations connected to be responsive to the stored manifestations of the first, second and third numbers for transmitting first signals representative thereof to said central station; fourth means in said central station including data processing and memory means connected to be responsive to the transmitted signals and to absence or presence of a duplicate of the particular association of said first multidigit number and of said second multidigit number in the memory means, the fourth means providing second signals representative of absence of said duplicate of number association, in case of presence of said duplicate of number association processing the signals representing the third number as transmitted and providing third signals as response information representative of successfully processing the third number; fifth means connected for transmitting the second and third signals to the peripheral station which transmitted said signals; and sixth means in each of said peripheral stations responsive to the transmitted second and third signals as response information when having transmitted the first signals, and providing distinguishing indication representative respectively of the second and third signals.

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1 including means in at least some of the peripheral stations for accepting manifestations of a fourth number representing a second account between which and the account defined by the first number a transfer is to be effected, The third means transmitting signals representative of the fourth number, the fourth means including means for arithmetically relating the first number, the third number and the fourth number to each other for effecting said transfer as part of said processing.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 1 including means in at least some of the peripheral stations for accepting manifestations defining a cash transfer at the peripheral station.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 1, the first means in at least some of the stations including a card reader for reading manifestations of the first number stored on a card.

Claim 6

A system as set forth in claim 1, there being a plurality of individually addressable central stations, the first means in a peripheral station including means for recognizing a portion of the first number as address code for a specific one of the central stations of the plurality, the third means including means for establishing a communication link to the specific central station as identified by said address code.

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 1 and including means in at least some of the peripheral stations for effecting a printout of information as received by the first and second means including the first and third numbers to the exclusion of the second number.

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 1, the first means including reading means for cooperating with cards holding manifestations of the first and second numbers, the first and second numbers being stored on different cards.

Claim 9

A system as set forth in claim 1, the fourth means including means storing signals representing a credit or debit balance in association with stored signals representing the first number, separated from the storage of said duplicate of number association as stored in the memory means.

Claim 10

A communication system for a plurality of peripheral stations and at least one central station for remote control of financial transactions and for selective linking to each peripheral station of the plurality, the improvement comprising: input means in each of the peripheral stations for independently receiving manifestations of a first one of a plurality of secured account numbers, a second one of a plurality security code numbers and a third number of monetary significance and including externally accessible means for providing manifestations distinctly characterizing the second number as security code number; first means in each peripheral station connected to store the manifestations of the first, second and third number, including manifestations distinctly characterizing these numbers; second means in each of the peripheral stations connected to be responsive to the stored manifestations of the first, second and third numbers for transmitting signals representative thereof to the central station; third means including memory means in the central station for being responsive to said signals and including (a) means for testing the association of the first and second number as transmitted in relation to manifestations in memory of associations of individual ones of secured account numbers of the plurality and security code numbers of the plurality, (b) means for transmitting to the peripheral station a reject indicating signal in case of absence of manifestation in the memory means of the association of the first and second number as transmitted, (c) means operating in case of presence of said manifestation of association for processing the third number in relation to credit information held in memory in association with the account defined by the first number, (d) means for transmitting indicating signals to the peripheral station which at least impliedly include representation of presence of said manifestation of association; and means in each peripheral station responsive to said indication signals for providing an indication representative thereof.

Claim 11

A communication system for a plurality of peripheral stations and at least one central station for remote control of financial transactions and for selective linking to each peripheral station of the plurality, the improvement comprising: input means in each of the peripheral stations for independently receiving manifestations of a first one of a plurality of secured account numbers, a second one of a plurality security code numbers and a third number of monetary significance and including externally accessible means for providing manifestations distinctly characterizing the second number as security code number; first means in each peripheral station connected to store the manifestations of the first, second and third number, including manifestations distinctly characterizing these numbers; second means in each of the peripheral stations connected to be responsive to the stored manifestations of the first, second and third numbers for transmitting signals representative thereof to the central station; third means including memory means in the central station for being responsive to said signals and including (a) means for testing the association of the first and second number as transmitted in relation to manifestations in memory of associations of individual ones of secured account numbers of the plurality and security code numbers of the plurality, (b) means for transmitting to the peripheral station a reject indicating signal in case of absence of manifestation in the memory means of the association of the first and second number as transmitted, (c) means operating in case of presence of said manifestation of association for processing the third number in relation to credit information held in memory in association with the account defined by the first number, (d) means for transmitting indicating signals to the peripheral station which at least impliedly include representation of presence of said manifestation of association; and means in each peripheral station responsive to said indication signals for providing an indication representative thereof.

Claim 12

A system as set forth in claim 9, the first means including a card reader for rEading at least one of said numbers from encodings on a card when represented to the reader.

Claim 13

A communications system as set forth in claim 9, at least some of the peripheral stations including means externally operable for establishing a communication link between the peripheral station and said central station.

Claim 14

A system as set forth in claim 9, at least some of the peripheral stations including means for storing items of monetary value and being operated in response to said acceptance signal for controlling dispensing of the item.

Claim 15

A communications system as set forth in claim 9, the first means including a keyboard.

Claim 16

A system as set forth in claim 9, at least some of the peripheral stations including means for receiving manifestations of a second account number, the third means including means for processing the first and third numbers to effect a transfer of funds from the secured account to the second account.

Claim 17

A system as set forth in claim 9, there being a plurality of central stations, at least some of the peripheral stations including means for selecting a particular one of the central stations for communication therewith.

Claim 18

A system as set forth in claim 15, said peripheral station including a store of addressing codes for addressing central stations of the plurality and including means for selecting a particular addressing code for causing the addressing of the particular central station.

Claim 19

A system as set forth in claim 15, the means for selecting in the peripheral stations including means for receiving an externally provided addressing code for addressing the particular central station.

Claim 20

A system as set forth in claim 9, at least some of the peripheral stations including means for receiving and displaying information from the central station on the updated credit balance.

Claim 21

A system as set forth in claim 9, the first means including a card reader for reading said first number and a fourth number from encodings on a card when presented to the reader, the peripheral station including means responsive to the fourth number to decide whether it can communicate with the central station as identified by the fourth number.

Claim 22

A system as set forth in claim 9, there being a plurality of different central stations, at least some peripheral stations including a card reader for reading said first number and a fourth number from encodings on a card when presented to the reader, the fourth number defining a particular central station of the plurality; means in said peripheral stations responsive to the fourth number when read from the card to decide on communication with the particular central station.

Claim 23

In a system as set forth in claim 9, cooperating with cards having information erasably recorded as to at least one of said numbers, the peripheral station including means for reading the content of a card when presented.

Claim 24

A communication system for a plurality of peripheral stations and a central station physically remote from at least some of the peripheral stations particularly for gaining access to information comprising: first means in each of the peripheral stations for accepting independently manifestations of first and second multidigit numbers, the first means including keying means for providing manifestations of distinguishing significance for the first and the second numbers, the first means being at least partially manually operable; second means in each of the peripheral stations connected to be responsive to manifestations of the first and second numbers for transmitting signals representative thereof to said central station; third means in said central station including data processing and memory means connected to be responsive to the transmitted signals and to absence or presence of a duplicate of the particular association of said first multidigit number and of said second multidigit number in the memory means, the third means providing second signals represEntative of absence or presence of said duplicate of number association; fourth means connected for transmitting the second signals to the peripheral station which transmitted said signals; and fifth means in each of said peripheral stations responsive to the transmitted second signals as response information when having transmitted the first signals, and providing distinguishing indication representative of absence or presence of said duplicate number.

Claim 25

A communication system for a plurality of peripheral stations and a central station physically remote from at least some of the peripheral stations particularly for gaining access to information comprising: first means in each of the peripheral stations for accepting independently manifestations of first and second multidigit numbers, the first means including keying means for providing manifestations of distinguishing significance for the first and the second numbers, the first means being at least partially manually operable; second means in each of the peripheral stations connected to be responsive to manifestations of the first and second numbers for transmitting signals representative thereof to said central station; third means in said central station including data processing and memory means connected to be responsive to the transmitted signals and to absence or presence of a duplicate of the particular association of said first multidigit number and of said second multidigit number in the memory means, the third means providing second signals represEntative of absence or presence of said duplicate of number association; fourth means connected for transmitting the second signals to the peripheral station which transmitted said signals; and fifth means in each of said peripheral stations responsive to the transmitted second signals as response information when having transmitted the first signals, and providing distinguishing indication representative of absence or presence of said duplicate number.

Claim 26

A system as in claim 1, the first and second means in at least some of the peripheral stations including a card reader for reading manifestations on a card to be interpreted as first number, further including a keyboard with digit keys and control keys, the digit keys for inputting the second and third numbers, the control keys for providing manifestations identifying an inputted number as security code number or as number of monetary significance.

Claim 27

A communication system as in claim 9, the input means including a digit keyboard for input keying of at least some of the numbers, including the second and third numbers, and further including first and second control keys respectively identifying numbers when keyed-in as security code number and number of monetary significance.

Claim 28

A communication system including at least one peripheral station, and at least one central station for remote control of financial transactions and selective linking with the peripheral station, the improvement comprising: input key means in the peripheral station including digit keys for input keying of numbers, further including control keys to identify the identity of input keyed numbers including a first control key for identification for a first number representing a security code when keyed-in by the digit keys, and a second control key for separately identifying a second number of monetary significance, when keyed-in by the digit keys; a card reader in the peripheral station for reading encoded information on a card when presented to the reader, the information representing account number information; storage means in the peripheral station connected to the input key means and the card reader, for storing manifestation in representation of input keyed first and second numbers and of account numbers read from the card, including storage of manifestations of the distinctive significance of each of the numbers; transmission means in the peripheral station operable connectable to the storage means for transmitting signals, representing the stored numbers, to the central station; means in the central station connected for receiving the transmitted signals; processor means in the central station including means (a) separating signals representing the security code from signals representing the account number information as received; means (b) for testing the association of the security code and account numbers as transmitted in relation to manifestations in memory of associations of individual ones of secured account numbers of the plurality and security code numbers of the plurality, means (c) for transmitting to the peripheral station a reject indicating signal in case of absence of a manifestation in the memory means of the association of the security code and account number as transmitted, means (d) operating in case of presence of said manifestation of association for processing signals transmitted in representation of second number in relation to credit information held in memory in association with the account defined by the account number as transmitted, means (e) for transmitting indicating signals to the peripheral station which at least impliedly include representation of presence of said manifestation of association; and means in the peripheral station responsive to said indication signals for providing an indication representative thereof.

Claim 29

A communication system including at least one peripheral station, and at least one central station for remote control of financial transactions and selective linking with the peripheral station, the improvement comprising: input key means in the peripheral station including digit keys for input keying of numbers, further including control keys to identify the identity of input keyed numbers including a first control key for identification for a first number representing a security code when keyed-in by the digit keys, and a second control key for separately identifying a second number of monetary significance, when keyed-in by the digit keys; a card reader in the peripheral station for reading encoded information on a card when presented to the reader, the information representing account number information; storage means in the peripheral station connected to the input key means and the card reader, for storing manifestation in representation of input keyed first and second numbers and of account numbers read from the card, including storage of manifestations of the distinctive significance of each of the numbers; transmission means in the peripheral station operable connectable to the storage means for transmitting signals, representing the stored numbers, to the central station; means in the central station connected for receiving the transmitted signals; processor means in the central station including means (a) separating signals representing the security code from signals representing the account number information as received; means (b) for testing the association of the security code and account numbers as transmitted in relation to manifestations in memory of associations of individual ones of secured account numbers of the plurality and security code numbers of the plurality, means (c) for transmitting to the peripheral station a reject indicating signal in case of absence of a manifestation in the memory means of the association of the security code and account number as transmitted, means (d) operating in case of presence of said manifestation of association for processing signals transmitted in representation of second number in relation to credit information held in memory in association with the account defined by the account number as transmitted, means (e) for transmitting indicating signals to the peripheral station which at least impliedly include representation of presence of said manifestation of association; and means in the peripheral station responsive to said indication signals for providing an indication representative thereof.