JP2007156740A - Point management system and point management method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a point service with the high degree of freedom without preparing any specific card for points in the case of managing points applied to a user by an IC card or the like. <P>SOLUTION: This system and method for managing points applied to a user is provided with an IC card 11 or a portable telephone set 12 equipped with an IC chip, and arbitrarily selected by a user; a card reader 21 for acquiring an IC card manufacture number applied in the case of manufacturing the IC chip; store terminal equipment 22 as a point issuing means for issuing points to the IC card 11; a management database 71 in which the IC card manufacture number and a user identifier for specifying the user are stored so as to be associated with each other; and point management server groups 7 and 8 for adding points issued by the store terminal equipment 22 to the user specified by the IC card manufacture number in the management database 71. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a point management system and a point management method for managing points given to a user through a medium means having an IC chip such as an IC card or a mobile phone with an IC tag.

  Conventionally, point services using magnetic cards and IC cards as point cards have been implemented at convenience stores and shopping malls. This point service accumulates data based on the point card that each customer owns points that are issued according to the amount of money when a consumer shop or receives a service at a convenience store. When collected, services such as redeeming premiums, or so-called cashback points are exchanged for a part of the price, thereby improving the ability to attract customers and the repeat rate.

  In such a conventional point service system, the point cards themselves are distributed at each store, or the points of all stores that are members of a common point service as a common point card, such as a chain store such as a convenience store. Are handled without distinction.

  By the way, in such a conventional point service system, in the method of issuing point cards individually for each chain store or each store, there is a problem that the number of point cards increases from the user's side, and the management and carrying becomes inconvenient. was there.

  As an example of a technique for solving this problem, there is a point service system disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, each store provides its own point service with a single point card, eliminates the trouble of canceling point settlement between stores, and acquires acquired points for a certain period from the time of acquisition. It is possible to enable the use of a shared facility such as a parking lot, the acquisition of the right of a lottery drawing, and the use thereof only by a point card service system.

According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, a point card service system using a single point storage medium can be used for point services with store-specific features and points with reasonable expiration dates. It is possible to use joint facilities and campaign services separately from issuance and purchase of goods by points, and it is possible to provide satisfactory services that are satisfactory for both the store providing the service and the consumer receiving the service Become.
JP 2002-41933 A

  However, in the conventional procedure described above, in order to receive the point service, the user has to perform a procedure for creating a specific point card in advance by member registration or the like. There was also a problem that points could not be obtained for shopping that was done before.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a specific point card is created when managing points given to a user through a medium means such as an IC card or a mobile phone with a built-in IC tag. It is an object of the present invention to provide a point management system and a point management method that can provide a point service with a high degree of freedom.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is a system and method for managing points given to a user through a communication network, which has an IC chip and is arbitrarily selected and used by the user And a reader means for acquiring an IC chip identifier given at the time of manufacturing the IC chip to identify the IC chip through the medium means, a point issuing means for issuing points to the medium means, and installed on the communication network A management database that associates and stores an IC chip identifier and a point issued to the medium means specified by the IC chip identifier, and a point issued to the medium means in the management database; Data that associates the user identifier of the user who uses the medium means with the IC chip identifier of the medium means. Using a base update means.

  In the present invention, the IC chip identifier is acquired through the medium means, and points are issued to the medium means. In the management database, the issued points and the user who uses the medium means are used. Are managed in association with each other via the IC chip identifier of the medium means.

  According to the present invention, when an IC chip is manufactured, an IC chip identifier that is unique and physically fixed to each IC chip is used to identify a user, so that it is issued for each card type and each service unit. The card can be issued and managed freely without being restricted by the card number and user ID.

  For example, if the medium means (card, mobile phone, etc.) has an IC chip, points can be issued to the medium means regardless of whether or not a member registration procedure is performed. Then, after the user performs the procedure of associating the already issued points with the user via the IC chip identifier, the points issued to different media means are integrated and managed after the fact. can do.

  At this time, since the medium means for associating only needs to contain an IC chip, for example, even a type such as a card key or commuter pass that is not originally involved in the settlement procedure is used for point accumulation. Will be able to. Furthermore, since the IC chip identifier is usually issued at the time of manufacture and recorded without being encrypted in the IC chip body, it can be read without requiring a special function such as a decryption means, The present invention can be implemented without significant improvements to conventional equipment.

  In the above invention, the medium means stores, in addition to the IC chip identifier, an intra-other service identifier that is valid only within another service provided by the medium means. It is preferable to notify the service management means that a point is issued and to issue the point when there is no request to stop issuing the point according to the notification.

  In the above invention, in the management database, a plurality of medium means are associated with one user identifier, and notification to other services corresponding to each of the plurality of medium means can be performed by broadcast transmission. preferable. This notification may be transmitted and received using the service identifier assigned to each service as a location address on the communication network.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when managing points given to a user through a medium means having an IC chip, such as an IC card or a mobile phone with an IC tag, any IC owned by the user is managed. By associating points with a card, it is possible to provide a point service with a high degree of freedom without creating a specific point card.

(Overall configuration of point management system)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the point management system according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a case where the user 1 performs shopping or the like at the member store 2 and issues points according to the settlement of the price will be described as an example.

  In the system according to the present embodiment, points given to the user (user) 1 are managed through the IC card 11 or the like, and the store terminal device 22 installed in the member store 2 and the network 4 Various management databases 51, 71, 81 that are installed and manage users, stores, and cards, and servers 5, 7, and 8 that add, delete, and update data stored in these management databases Yes.

  The management database 71 is a storage device for accumulating information (personal information, the number of points, usage history, etc.) related to the user who is a member. Have. In this member folder, a point account with an IC card manufacturing number, which is an IC chip identifier, as an account ID is virtually constructed, and each account is associated with a specific user. Points are issued to the card used and belong to the user through the IC card serial number.

Specifically, in the member folder, as shown in the table below, an IC card serial number, a user ID for identifying a user, and points for each user are stored in association with each other. In the present embodiment, as shown in Table 1, a plurality of cards can be associated with one user. In addition, in the member folder, when a user receives a point using a card without registering as a member, only the IC card serial number and the point are linked as an unregistered user account. At a later date, unregistered points belong to the user only after the user presents the IC card serial number and completes the membership registration procedure.

  The point management server group 7 is a server group that manages the reading and writing of data with respect to the management database 71, and is connected to the store terminal device 22 via a communication network such as a dedicated line or the Internet. Then, the point management server group 7 updates the point information regarding the user specified by the IC card manufacturing number when the points are issued or consumed.

The management database 81 is a storage device that stores information about stores that are member stores, and has a member store folder as a storage area for storing information on member stores and information such as point prices. In this member store folder, as shown in the table below, store contract numbers for specifying member stores, issued or consumed points, and settled point prices are stored in association with each other. The point management server group 8 adds points issued or consumed to the member store specified by the store contract number in the management database 81.

  The user 1 has medium means such as an IC card 11 and a mobile phone 12 with a built-in IC tag. Examples of the IC card 11 include a bank key, a credit card, a card key, a commuter pass, and an identification card having a function capable of transmitting / receiving and storing data using an IC tag. The mobile phone 12 may be one having an electronic money settlement function and a commuter pass function. Then, the user 1 can freely select one or a plurality of cards from the plurality of cards and the like, and accumulate common points in association with the selected cards.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the IC card 11 and the mobile phone 12 include a wireless IC tag such as an RFID tag. The wireless IC tag includes a card CPU 1a that executes arithmetic processing, a memory and the like. It comprises a card storage unit 1b and a non-contact communication unit 1c that performs non-contact communication wirelessly. The IC card 11 has a function of accumulating electronic money by the card storage unit 1b and a function of depositing / withdrawing electronic money by the non-contact communication unit 1c. As such a wireless IC tag, a power source such as a battery is built in and an information signal is actively transmitted from an RF tag, and an electromagnetic wave is output from an antenna on a receiving unit side, and induction is performed according to the output of the electromagnetic wave. There is an electromagnetic wave induction method in which an information signal is transmitted by the generated current.

  Further, an IC card manufacturing number (IC chip identifier) that identifies the IC chip is given to the IC card 11 and the mobile phone 12 at the time of manufacturing the IC chip, and the physical information is not implicitly stored in the card storage unit 1b. And is recorded so as to be readable via the non-contact communication unit 1c. In addition, when the IC card 11 is a credit card or a cash card, the IC card 11 or the like is provided through the IC card separately from the IC card manufacturing number, such as an encrypted credit number. Other service identifiers that are valid only within the service (credit service, ATM service, cashing service, etc.) are stored.

  The member store 2 is provided with a store terminal device 22 managed by an administrator such as a store owner. The store terminal device 22 is, for example, a register device, and has a point issuing function according to the present invention in addition to a function of calculating the usage fee of the user 1 and managing money.

  A card reader 21 that reads an IC card manufacturing number from the IC card 11 or the like is connected to the store terminal device 22 and functions as a point issuing means for issuing points to the IC card 11 or the like. Further, the pulse terminal device 3 and the gateway device 6 are connected to the store terminal device 22, and are connected to the network 4 and the respective management server groups (database update means) 5, 7, and 8 via these.

  The point issuing function of the store terminal device 22 is based on the pulse terminal device 3, the network 4, and the gateway device 6 for the management server 5 and the point management server groups 7 and 8 of other card companies that manage other credit card numbers. The credit message M1 for notifying that a point is issued is transmitted simultaneously by broadcast transmission or broadcast method. In this credit message M1, a service ID is set as a transmission destination. That is, the service ID is a location address (IP address, MAC address, etc.) on the network 4 such as the management server 5 of another card company, and thus data can be transmitted. Then, the server that can receive (recognize) the credit message M1 analyzes the credit message M1, transmits a point issuance stop request if fraud is detected, and does not transmit otherwise. As a result, when there is no point issuance stop request, points are issued, and point accumulation management processing by the point management servers 5, 7, and 8 is executed.

  The point management server groups 7 and 8 are each connected to an unauthorized ID management server 9 that detects unauthorized IDs, and through this unauthorized ID management server 9, whether or not the medium means for issuing points is not unauthorized. Can be judged. The ID determined to be unauthorized here is registered in the unauthorized ID management server 9 by the unauthorized notification data D4, and the registered ID is transmitted as the reject ID file data D5 to the store terminal device 22 as the reject ID file data D5. The

  Further, the management server group 8 can be configured as shown in FIG. 3, for example. Specifically, as shown in the figure, it comprises a reception server 8a, a transaction history monitoring server 8b, a validity confirmation server 8c, a store contract database 8d, an unsettled data bank 8e, and a transaction notification server 8f. To do. The reception server 8a is a server that receives the credit message M1 from the member store 2, and updates the transaction history of the store specified by the credit message M1 in the transaction history monitoring server 8b. The validation server 8c compares the transaction history with the store contract conditions stored in the store contract database 8d, authenticates the store, stores newly issued points in the unsettled data bank, and newly The issued points are notified to the member store 2 and the user 1 by the transaction notification mail M2 through the transaction notification server 8f.

(Point management method)
(1) Operation when storing points By operating the point management system having the above configuration, the point management method of the present invention can be implemented. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the point management system according to the present embodiment.

  First, when the user 1 performs shopping at the member store 2 and pays the price, the store terminal device 22 inputs the usage amount and holds the IC card 11 or the like over the card reader 21, and the card and reader are contacted by non-contact communication. Data is transmitted and received between them (S101). This IC card 11 is read when the IC card 11 is a credit card or an electronic money card, and at the same time as the settlement of the payment, and when the IC card 11 is a simple point card, the payment is entered at the cashier side. To do. By reading the IC card 11 or the like, the IC card manufacturing number data D1 is acquired by the store terminal device 22 (S102).

  Next, the shop terminal device 22 acquires the serial number data D2 of the card reader 21 connected to the own device, and the store contract number data D3 of the member store 2 stored in the store terminal device 22 is read. (S103). Then, a credit telegram M1 is generated from these data D1 to D3 (S104), and transmitted to each management server 5, 7, 8 and the like by broadcast transmission (S105). After the transmission of the credit message M1, the store terminal device 22 enters a standby state whether or not there is a response from any of the management servers within a predetermined time (S106). Issue (S107).

  In the management server 5 of the other card company that received this credit message M1 (S301), based on the received IC card serial number, the card is a card related to the service provided by the other card company. It is determined whether or not there is (S302). If the card is not related to the card company (“N” in step S302), the received credit message M1 is discarded (S307).

  If it is determined in step S302 that the card is related to the card company, it is checked whether the card is an unauthorized ID (S304). If it is not an unauthorized ID, the data is recorded as it is (S305), and if it is an unauthorized ID, issue stop request data D6 is transmitted to the store terminal device 22 (S306). Upon receipt of this issue cancel request, the store terminal device 22 stops issuing points and executes a predetermined warning process or the like (S108).

  On the other hand, in the point management server groups 7 and 8 that have received the credit message M1 transmitted in step S105 (S201), based on the received IC card manufacturing number, check whether the card (ID) is an unauthorized ID. (S202). If it is not a fraudulent ID, the data is directly registered in the account of the corresponding member (S206), and if it is a fraud ID, the ID is registered as a fraud ID to the fraud management server 9 (S204). . The fraud management server 9 generates rejection ID file data (point issue cancellation request) D5 in which the fraud ID is described, and transmits this to the store terminal device 22 (S205). Upon receipt of the rejection ID file data D5, the store terminal device 22 stops issuing points and executes predetermined warning processing or the like (S108).

(2) Operation at the time of registration to the point account In step S206 described above, as shown in FIG. 5, points are registered in the account of the member folder and the member store folder.

  First, as for the member folder, it is searched based on the IC card manufacturing number whether or not an account related to the card has already been opened (S401). If an account for the card has already been opened (“Y” in step S402), points are registered in the account (S403). On the other hand, if it is determined in step S402 that the account does not already exist ("N" in step S402), an account is opened with the IC card manufacturing number as the account ID, and points are registered there (S404).

  The issuance or consumption of points is registered in an account in the member store folder. Specifically, an account in the member store folder is searched based on the store contract number (S405), and points are registered in an account using the store contract number as an ID (S406).

(3) Operation at the time of card registration processing In the above step S404, the user can arbitrarily select whether or not to associate a new account with the user when opening a new account. As a result, points can be managed in association with the IC card serial number without the procedure for member registration, etc., and the user's card registration process (for example, member registration procedure, etc.) By associating with the card, the points accumulated in the past can be incorporated into the own account later. The card registration process will be described below. Here, a case where card registration is performed using the store terminal device 22 of the member store 2 or the like will be described as an example.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6, in the store terminal device 22, the user's authentication information is input, and the card is read in order to register the IC card manufacturing number in association with the authentication information (S501). By reading the IC card 11 or the like, the IC card production number data D1 is acquired by the store terminal device 22 (S502).

  Next, the shop terminal device 22 acquires the serial number data D2 of the card reader 21 connected to the own device, and the store contract number data D3 of the member store 2 stored in the store terminal device 22 is read. (S503). Then, these data D1 to D3 are transmitted as registration requests to the point management server groups 7 and 8 (S504).

  In the server groups 7 and 8 that have received this registration request (S505), the member folder is searched based on the IC card manufacturing number to determine whether or not an account associated with the card has already been opened (S506).

  For example, if the user has already accumulated points using the card, but has not been associated with the user, that is, has not performed membership registration, an account with the IC card serial number as the account ID is opened. However, it is not registered which user the account belongs to. Therefore, in such a case, an account is detected in step S506.

  When an account for the card has already been opened as described above (“Y” in step S507), the account is associated with the user (S509). On the other hand, if it is determined in step S507 that there is no account (“N” in step S507), an account is opened with the IC card manufacturing number as the account ID, and the newly established account is associated with the user. (S509).

  When the establishment of the above account or the association with the user is completed, the management server groups 7 and 8 notify the store terminal device 22, and the store terminal device 22 notifies the user that the registration process is completed. Perform (S510).

(Operations and effects according to this embodiment)
According to the point management system and method according to the present embodiment described above, since the IC card serial number that is unique and physically fixed to each IC chip is used to identify the user when the IC chip is manufactured, the card Points can be issued and managed freely without being restricted by the type of card, card number issued for each service unit, or user ID.

  In other words, if a card or mobile phone with an IC chip can be issued with points linked to the IC card serial number of the card, regardless of whether or not the member registration procedure, By performing a membership registration procedure for associating the card (IC card serial number) with the user, the points accumulated in the past can be incorporated into one's account.

  At this time, since the medium means for associating only needs to contain an IC chip, for example, even a card of a type that is not originally involved in the settlement procedure, such as a card key or a commuter pass, can be used for point accumulation. It can be used. Furthermore, since the IC card manufacturing number is normally issued at the time of manufacture and recorded without being encrypted in the IC chip body, a general card reader 21 does not require a special function such as a decrypting means. It can be read and the present invention can be practiced without significant improvements to conventional equipment.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the user can use the member store 2 of the service by the point management server group as long as the user has the card with the built-in IC chip, while receiving the service. There is no need to disclose personal information. That is, in this system, since the association between the IC card identifier and the point is mainly used, the service provider only needs to manage the IC card identifier, and the user discloses the personal information again in order to receive the service. No registration procedure is required. In addition, since the point management server group independently issues points for the IC card identifier, it is not necessary to conclude a contract with another card company where the IC card should be originally used.

  Furthermore, when providing services using this system, the IC card that is the medium is managed only by the IC card identifier, so there is no need for a mark or the like to identify the card that is the medium. Service can be deployed without relying on

(Example of change)
In addition, this invention can add a various change, without being limited to embodiment mentioned above. For example, the accumulated points may be restricted such that the card can be used only by services of other card companies that should be used. At this time, even when using the points, a notice such as credit telegram M1 is transmitted to the corresponding other card company, the notice is recognized, and the other card company has requested a point price. Only in some cases, the use of points may be permitted.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the point management system which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the IC card which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the server group which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the point management system which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the operation | movement at the time of registration to the point account in the point management system which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the operation | movement at the time of the card registration process in the point management system which concerns on embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

D1 ... IC card serial number data
D2 ... Serial number data
D3 ... Store contract number data
D4 ... Unauthorized notification data
D5 ... Reject ID file data
D6 ... Issuance cancellation request data
M1… Credit message
M2 ... Transaction notification email
1 ... User
1a ... CPU
1b… Card storage
1c… Non-contact communication unit
2 ... Members
3 Pulse terminal device
4 ... Network
5… Management server of another card company
6 ... Gateway device
7,8 ... Point management server group
8a ... Reception server
8b ... Transaction history monitoring server
8c: Validity confirmation server
8d… Store contract database
8e: Unsettled data bank
8f ... Transaction notification server
9: Unauthorized management server
11 ... IC card
12… Mobile phone
21… Card reader
22… Store terminal device
51, 71, 81 ... management database

Claims (8)

A system for managing points granted to users through a communication network,
A medium means having an IC chip and used by the user;
Reader means that is given at the time of manufacturing the IC chip and that acquires the IC chip identifier that identifies the IC chip via the medium means;
Point issuing means for issuing points to the medium means;
A management database that is installed on the communication network and stores the IC chip identifier in association with points issued to the medium means specified by the IC chip identifier;
The management database includes database update means for associating a point issued to the medium means with a user identifier of a user who uses the medium means through an IC chip identifier of the medium means. Point management system. In addition to the IC chip identifier, the medium means stores an identifier in other service that is valid only in other services provided by the medium means,
The point issuing means notifies the other service management means that manages the in-other service identifier that the point is issued, and when there is no request to stop issuing points according to the notification, 2. The point management system according to claim 1, wherein issuing is executed. In the management database, a plurality of medium means can be associated with one user identifier,
3. The point management system according to claim 2, wherein the point issuing unit performs the notification by broadcast transmission to another service corresponding to each of the plurality of medium units. A service identifier is assigned to each of the other services,
4. The point management system according to claim 3, wherein the notification can be transmitted / received using the service identifier as a location address on the communication network. A method of managing points given to a user through a communication network through a medium means having an IC chip and used by the user,
Step (1) for obtaining an IC chip identifier that is given at the time of manufacturing the IC chip and identifies the IC chip via the medium means;
Issuing points to the media means (2);
A step (3) of associating and storing the IC chip identifier installed on the communication network and a point issued to the medium means specified by the IC chip identifier;
In the management database, the step (4) associating the point issued to the medium means in the step (2) and the user identifier of the user who uses the medium means via the IC chip identifier of the medium means The point management method characterized by having. In addition to the IC chip identifier, the medium means stores an identifier in other service that is valid only in other services provided by the medium means,
In the step (2), to other service management means for managing the other in-service identifier, when notifying that the point is issued, and when there is no request to stop issuing the point according to the notification, 6. The point management method according to claim 5, wherein point issuance is executed. In the management database, a plurality of medium means can be associated with one user identifier,
6. The point management method according to claim 5, wherein, in the step (2), the notification is performed by broadcast transmission to another service corresponding to each of the plurality of medium means. A service identifier is assigned to each of the other services,
8. The point management method according to claim 7, wherein the notification in the step (2) can be transmitted and received using the service identifier as a location address on the communication network.

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