SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Taking the above into consideration, an object of the present invention to provide an electronic wallet management system which eliminates the inconvenience that one may encounter when his/her electronic wallet is lost or broken down.
To accomplish the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided an electronic wallet management system which manages an electronic wallet devices holding monetary data. This system comprises the following elements: backup condition testing means for testing predefined backup conditions to determine whether to make a backup, when the electronic wallet device communicates with any other device to transfer monetary data; backup data sending means for sending out a predetermined set of backup data collected from the electronic wallet device, when the backup condition testing means has determined to make a backup; and backup data management means for receiving the backup data from the backup data sending means and saving the received backup data into a backup database.
The proposed electronic wallet management system operates as follows. Each time an electronic wallet device is used, the backup condition testing means tests whether any of the predefined backup conditions is met. If any condition is met, the backup data sending means sends a predetermined set of backup data. By the backup data management means, this backup data is saved into a backup database. In this way, the proposed system automatically saves backup information when a relevant backup condition is met, thus making it possible to promptly reissue an alternative electronic wallet device when the customer lost his/her own device.
To accomplish the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided an electronic wallet management system which manages an electronic wallet devices holding monetary data. This system comprises the following elements: backup condition testing means for testing predefined backup conditions to determine whether to make a backup, when the electronic wallet device communicates with any other device to transfer monetary data; backup data sending means for sending out a predetermined set of backup data collected from the electronic wallet device, when the backup condition testing means has determined to make a backup; and backup data management means for receiving the backup data from the backup data sending means and saving the received backup data into a backup database.
The proposed electronic wallet management system operates as follows. Each time an electronic wallet device is used, the backup condition testing means tests whether any of the predefined backup conditions is met. If any condition is met, the backup data sending means sends a predetermined set of backup data. By the backup data management means, this backup data is saved into a backup database. In this way, the proposed system automatically saves backup information when a relevant backup condition is met, thus making it possible to promptly reissue an alternative electronic wallet device when the customer lost his/her own device.
The present invention also provides an electronic wallet device which transfers monetary data. This electronic wallet device comprises the following elements: backup condition testing means for testing predefined backup conditions to determine whether to make a backup, when the electronic wallet device communicates with any other device to transfer monetary data; and backup data sending means for sending out a predetermined set of backup data collected from the electronic wallet device, when the backup condition testing means has determined to make a backup.
Further, the present invention provides an electronic wallet management unit which manages an electronic wallet device, comprising temporary electronic wallet data producing means, responsive to an accident report received from a terminal station, for calculating elapsed time between the last backup operation for an issued electronic wallet device and the reception of the accident report, compiling temporary electronic wallet data having a limited valid period and a credit limit that is determined according to the elapsed time, and sending the temporary electronic wallet data back to the terminal station.
The proposed electronic wallet management unit operates as follows. When an accident report is received from a terminal station, the temporary electronic wallet data producing means outputs temporary electronic wallet data having a limited valid period and a credit limit that is determined according to the elapsed time since the last backup operation. A temporary electronic wallet device containing such temporary electronic wallet data can be issued to the customer for the sake of his/her convenience, with a minimum risk at the issuer side.
In addition, the present invention provides a terminal station coupled to an electronic wallet management unit. This terminal station comprises the following elements: medium storage means for storing a plurality of temporary electronic wallet devices in stock for future issuance; receiving means for receiving the accident report concerning an electronic wallet device; transmission means for forwarding the received accident report to the electronic wallet management unit; temporary electronic wallet data writing means for writing the temporary electronic wallet data to a memory of one of the temporary electronic wallet devices stored in the medium storage means, the temporary electronic wallet data being supplied from the electronic wallet management unit in response to the forwarded accident report; and temporary electronic wallet device releasing means for releasing the temporary electronic wallet device containing the temporary electronic wallet data.
The proposed electronic wallet management unit operates as follows. When an accident report is received from a terminal station, the temporary electronic wallet data producing means outputs temporary electronic wallet data having a limited valid period and a credit limit that is determined according to the elapsed time since the last backup operation. A temporary electronic wallet device containing such temporary electronic wallet data can be issued to the customer for the sake of his/her convenience, with a minimum risk at the issuer side.
In addition, the present invention provides a terminal station coupled to an electronic wallet management unit. This terminal station comprises the following elements: medium storage means for storing a plurality of temporary electronic wallet devices in stock for future issuance; receiving means for receiving the accident report concerning an electronic wallet device; transmission means for forwarding the received accident report to the electronic wallet management unit; temporary electronic wallet data writing means for writing the temporary electronic wallet data to a memory of one of the temporary electronic wallet devices stored in the medium storage means, the temporary electronic wallet data being supplied from the electronic wallet management unit in response to the forwarded accident report; and temporary electronic wallet device releasing means for releasing the temporary electronic wallet device containing the temporary electronic wallet data.
Moreover, the present invention provides a computer-readable medium storing an electronic wallet management program which manages an electronic wallet device holding monetary data. This program causes a computer to function as: backup condition testing means for testing predefined backup conditions to determine whether to make a backup, when the electronic wallet device communicates with any other device to transfer monetary data; backup data sending means for sending out a predetermined set of backup data collected from the electronic wallet device, when said backup condition testing means has determined to make a backup; and backup data management means for receiving the backup data from said backup data sending means and saving the received backup data into a backup database.
