The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 20, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2001
Makoto Ijichi, Yokohama, JP;
Shigeyuki Itoh, Zushi, JP;
Masaaki Hiroya, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroshi Asao, Kashiwa, JP;
Naomi Sato, Kawasaki, JP;
Kei Yonezawa, Kawasaki, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An electronic-money collecting system is capable of returning a lost IC card used as an 'electronic purse' to a legitimate owner or an issuing institution with a high degree of efficiency. When a lost IC card containing data representing electronic money is found, the finder inserts the card into a public terminal, and information read from the card is transmitted to a card center by way of a communication line. At the center, a storage unit containing identification and contact data is searched for owner contact data, and the owner of the lost IC card is notified of the implementation of processing to collect the IC card. Also, a finder is given reward money recorded in a found IC card or, when an attempt made by a finder to illegally draw money, information on the finder is recorded, allowing abuse of a found IC card to be detected early.