JP2006301750A - Id management device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the action history of an individual stored in a database from being used for purposes other than original intent by a malicious person. <P>SOLUTION: At first, ID in a device is read, and a database in which the issue circumstances of ID are stored is retrieved, and ID previously used by the other devices is extracted, and the ID in the device is updated with the extracted ID, and such a fact that the ID read from the device has been already used is stored in the database in which the issue circumstances of the ID are stored, and time at the point of time is acquired, and the ID read from the device and the extracted ID and the time are stored in a database in which the update history of ID is managed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to privacy protection of a history database that stores various information generated by an individual, and relates to a system that issues and updates an ID necessary for identifying an individual.

  In recent years, companies have come to collect customer information for marketing purposes. For example, retail stores distribute membership cards to customers, collect purchase history of products, and provide services tailored to customers based on the information, aiming to maintain regular customers and expand purchase opportunities Yes.

  A device distributed to a customer as a membership card is a magnetic card, an IC card, an RFID tag, or the like, and the customer is identified by reading the ID stored therein with a reader. Whenever a customer takes an action such as purchasing a product, the ID of the membership card is read by a reader and stored in a database, so that the customer's action history can be called at any time later. Furthermore, the personal behavior is tracked by continuing to monitor a specific ID, or the personal tendency is analyzed by statistically processing the behavior for each ID.

  While customers can receive useful services from companies, privacy is infringed if the action history is leaked outside the company due to system management errors or data theft, etc. or used without permission for business purposes. It becomes a situation.

  As means for protecting an action history from a malicious person, there is a technique described in Non-Patent Document 1 below.

  Non-Patent Document 1 stores an encrypted ID in advance when a new device is issued, and performs universal re-encryption every time the ID is read to update the ID in the device. Here, in universal re-encryption, re-encryption can be performed without decryption, and decryption can be performed once even if re-encryption is performed.

Philippe Golle, Markus Jakobsson, Ari Juels, and Paul Syverson: Universal re-encryption for mixnets, RSA Conference Cryptographers' Track, volume 2964 of LNCS, pages 163-178

  However, in Non-Patent Document 1, it is possible to create a situation in which an individual uses a plurality of IDs by updating the ID as needed, so that all of the action history is specified from one ID. Although it can be prevented, since the same ID corresponds to the same individual, there is still a problem that if the ID is analyzed, the behavior history of the individual corresponding to the ID is specified.

  The present invention realizes a system in which even if an individual's behavior history stored in a database is analyzed, the individual is not specified, and the database is not used unintentionally by a malicious person.

  The present invention provides a system that updates an ID stored in a device at any time, and makes an ID assigned at the time of update the one previously used by another device.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent an individual from being specified even when an ID is leaked.

  The present invention relates to a history database that accumulates an individual's action history using a device for identifying an individual. When updating an ID stored in the device, the ID in the device is read and the ID issuance status is determined. Search the stored database, extract the ID that was previously used by another device, update the ID in the device with the extracted ID, and issue the ID issuance status that the ID read from the device has been used Is stored in the database, the time at that time is acquired, and the ID read from the device, the extracted ID, and the time are stored in the database that manages the ID update history.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to create a situation where an individual uses a plurality of IDs in the history database and a situation where a plurality of individuals use the same ID. The situation of responding can be avoided.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  The system 100 of FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of the present invention. The arrows in the figure represent the direction of data flow.

  The system 100 includes a member ID input / output means 101, a member ID issuing means 102, a clock 103, a member ID database 104, and a member ID update history database 105.

  The member ID database 104 is a database that stores member IDs that may be assigned to external systems and the actual assignment status of these member IDs. The external system corresponds to a storage medium such as an IC card that stores a member ID.

  The member ID update history database 105 is a database that stores records when a member ID assigned to an external system is updated to another member ID.

  Member ID input / output means 101 is means for exchanging a member ID between system 100 and an external system.

  The member ID issuing unit 102 reads the member ID from the external system and updates the member ID issued to the external system to another member ID, searches the member ID database 104 using the read member ID, and is used. Find an unused member ID and issue it to an external system. When issuing the member ID to the external system, the time is acquired from the clock 103, and the ID read from the external system, the ID found from the member ID database 104, and the time are stored in the member ID update history database 105.

  Each functional block shown in FIG. 1 can be realized in hardware by an arbitrary CPU (not shown), a memory, an IC card, other LSIs, etc., and in software, the CPU is a memory, etc. This is achieved by interpreting and executing a program that implements each functional block loaded in (1). Those skilled in the art will understand that these functional blocks are realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof. Each program or data is stored in a storage device such as a memory or a hard disk device (not shown). The above configuration is the same in each configuration diagram described below.

  FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the above configuration is applied to customer management in a retail store.

  The system 200 includes a membership card 201, a member ID management system 202, a product tag 203, and a point-of-sale management system 204.

  The membership card 201 includes a member ID storage area 205, and the member ID storage area 205 stores the member ID of the customer of the retail store. The membership card 201 is issued by the retail store to identify the customer, and is used when the customer receives the service of the retail store. For example, a discount service can be received when a customer uses the product at the time of purchase. Point information for performing the discount service is stored in a point management means (not shown). A representative example of the membership card 201 is a rewritable magnetic card, on which the member ID stored in the member ID storage area 205 is printed. In addition, an IC card, an RFID tag, a mobile phone, a PDA, or the like can be substituted. In this case, the membership card 201 has a configuration in which means for relaying the member ID is added between the member ID storage area 205 and the member ID input / output means 101.

  The member ID management system 202 includes a member ID input / output unit 101, a member ID issuing unit 102, a clock 103, a member ID database 104, a member ID update history database 105, and an access control unit 206. The member ID management system 202 is used by a department in charge of customer management at a retail store and manages member IDs issued to customers.

  The member ID database 104 is a database that stores member IDs for issuance to the membership card 201 and actual issuance status of these member IDs.

  The member ID update history database 105 is a database that stores a record in which the member ID of the membership card 201 is updated to another member ID.

  The member ID input / output means 101 is means for exchanging the member ID between the membership card 201 and the member ID management system 202, and accesses the member ID storage area 205 to read / write the member ID.

  The member ID issuing means 102 is a means for issuing a member ID stored in the member ID storage area 205. The member ID issuing means 102 issues a member ID when issuing a new member ID for a membership card 201 held by a new customer and when updating a member ID of the membership card 201 held by an existing customer. In the former case, a new member ID that is not registered in the member ID database 104 is issued. In the latter case, a member ID that is not currently used for another membership card is found from the member ID database 104, and Exchange for member ID. Also, the time is acquired from the clock 103, and the exchanged member ID and time are stored in the member ID update history database 105.

  The access control means 206 is a means for controlling access to the member ID update history database 105, and the member ID update history is only given to the means having the authority to the means for requesting access from outside the member ID management system 202. The database 105 is used.

  The product tag 203 includes a product ID storage area 207, and the product ID is stored in the product ID storage area 207. The product tag 203 is issued by a product manufacturer or retailer to identify a product, and is used when a customer accounts for the product. A representative example of the product tag 203 is a barcode. An RFID tag can be substituted, and the configuration of the product tag 203 in that case is a form in which means for relaying the product ID is added between the product ID storage area 207 and the external system.

  The point-of-sale management system 204 includes an ID combination unit 208, a product ID input unit 209, a clock 210, a member visit count calculation unit 211, a purchase history database 212, and a member visit count database 213. The point-of-sale management system 204 is used by the finance department and marketing department of the retail store. The finance department accumulates customer purchase histories to calculate retail store sales and the like, and the marketing department uses the accumulated data to determine sales strategies.

  The purchase history database 212 is a database in which a purchase history indicating when and who purchased what is stored.

  The member visit frequency database 213 is a database in which the result of totaling the number of purchases for each customer from the purchase history in the purchase history database 212 is stored.

  The product ID input means 209 is a means for exchanging the product ID between the product tag 203 and the point-of-sale management system 204, and accesses the product ID storage area 207 to read the product ID.

  The ID combining unit 208 is a unit that associates and saves the member ID, the product ID, and the time, receives the member ID from the member ID input / output unit 101, receives the product ID from the product ID input unit 209, and sets the time from the clock 210. They are received and stored in the purchase history database 212.

  Next, data processed in the system 200 will be described with reference to FIG. Data 301 is an example of data stored in the member ID storage area 205. The data 301 includes a member ID 307 that is an item representing a member ID. The member ID 307 is a positive integer value.

  Data 302 is an example of data stored in the member ID database 104. The data 302 includes a member ID 307 and a usage status 308 of an item indicating the usage status. The member ID 307 in the data 302 does not allow duplicate values. The usage status 308 is an item indicating the allocation status of the member ID in the retail store. When it is not issued, “usable” is stored as in 316, and when the membership ID is issued to the membership card 201, the usage status 308 is a record. As in 317, “in use” is stored.

  Data 303 is an example of data stored in the member ID update history database 105. The data 303 includes a pre-update member ID 309 for an item representing the member ID before the update, an updated member ID 310 for the item representing the member ID after the update, and an update date 311 for the item representing the date and time of the update.

  Data 304 is an example of data stored in the product ID storage area 207. The data 304 includes a product ID 312 that is an item representing a product ID.

  Data 305 is an example of data stored in the purchase history database 212. The data 305 includes a member ID 307, a product ID 312, and a purchase date and time 313 of an item representing the date and time of purchase.

  Data 306 is an example of data stored in the member-specific visit count database 213. The data 306 includes a member ID 307 at a certain point in time and the number of purchases 314 of an item representing the number of visits of the customer.

  The above is the description of the data processed in the system 200.

  Next, typical processing of the system 200 will be described. First, processing performed by the member ID management system 202 will be described, and then processing performed by the point-of-sale management system 204 will be described.

  The processes performed by the member ID management system 202 are database initialization, new member ID issuance, and member ID update.

  Initialization of the database is executed only once when the member ID management system 202 starts to be used. This is because when the member ID of the membership card 201 is updated, it is necessary to exchange the member ID in the member ID storage area 205 for another member ID. Therefore, at least one member ID is a member for exchange in the initial state. This is because it must be stored in the ID database 104. The member ID issuing means 102 issues a member ID “000001” for exchange, and stores it in the member ID database 104 as the usage status “available”.

  FIG. 4 shows a processing sequence when a member ID is newly issued. A new member ID is issued when a new membership card is issued to a customer.

  First, in process 401, the member ID issuing means 102 refers to the member ID 307 in the member ID database 104 and issues a new member ID that does not overlap. In the initialization of the database, only the member ID “000001” is stored in the member ID database 104, and 1 is added to the maximum value of the member ID at that time so as not to overlap with the member IDs so far. “000002” is the new member ID.

  Next, in process 402, the member ID issuing means 102 adds a new record to the member ID database 104. The member ID 307 in the additional record is the member ID “000002” issued in the process 401, and the usage status 308 is “in use”. As a result, the record 317 is added to the member ID database 104 and the state of the data 302 is obtained.

  Next, in process 403, the member ID issuing means 102 passes the member ID “000002” issued in process 401 to the member ID input / output means 101.

  Next, in process 404, the member ID input / output unit 101 stores the member ID “000002” received in process 403 in the member ID storage area 205. As a result, the record 315 is stored in the member ID storage area 205 and the state of the data 301 is obtained.

  Finally, in step 505, the member ID input / output unit 101 notifies the member ID issuing unit 102 that the processing 404 has been completed.

  FIG. 5 shows a processing sequence when the member ID is updated. The member ID is updated using an opportunity for the customer to use the membership card, such as when the customer purchases a product.

  First, in process 501, the member ID issuing means 102 requests the member ID input / output means 101 to provide a member ID.

  Next, in process 502, the member ID input / output means 101 reads the member ID from the member ID storage area 205 and obtains “000002”.

  Next, in process 503, the member ID input / output unit 101 passes the member ID “000002” read in process 502 to the member ID issuing unit 102.

  Next, in process 504, the member ID issuing means 102 searches the member ID database 104 to find one record whose usage status 308 is “available”, and obtains a record 316. The usage status 308 of the found record is changed to “in use” so that it is not issued to other membership cards, and the member ID 307 of the same record is extracted to obtain “000001”. Here, when the usage status 308 is “available”, it is determined that the ID is an ID previously used by another person. This is because the usage status 308 is “available” only in the process 505. In the process 505, since the usage status 308 is changed from “in use” to “available”, it can be guaranteed that the ID has been used until then. Next, in process 505, the member ID issuing means 102 searches the member ID 307 in the member ID database 104 for a matching record using the member ID “000002” received from the member ID input / output means 101 in process 502 as a key. Find and get record 317. The usage status 308 of the found record is changed from “in use” to “available”.

  Next, in process 506, the member ID issuing means 102 passes the member ID “000001” extracted in process 504 to the member ID input / output means 101.

  Next, in process 507, the member ID input / output unit 101 stores the member ID “000001” received in process 506 in the member ID storage area 205.

  Next, in process 508, the member ID input / output means 101 notifies the member ID issuing means 102 of a signal indicating that the process 507 has been completed.

  Next, in process 509, the member ID issuing means 101 requests the clock 103 for the time.

  Next, in processing 510, the clock 103 measures the current time from the internal timer to obtain, for example, “2002/03/31 00:00:00”.

  Next, in processing 511, the clock 103 passes the time “2002/03/31 00:00:00” acquired in processing 510 to the member ID issuing means 102.

  Finally, in process 512, the member ID issuing means 102 uses the member ID “000002” received in process 503 as the pre-update member ID 309 and the member ID “000001” extracted in process 504 as the updated member ID 310 and process 511. “2002/03/31 00:00:00” of the time acquired from the clock 103 is stored in the member ID update history database 105 as the update date 311. As a result, the member ID update history database 105 is in the state of data 303.

  Since the member ID is reused by a plurality of membership cards by the processing of the operation sequence 500, the purchase history in the purchase history database 212 cannot be specified if it is by the same individual even if the member ID is the same. Thereby, not only the entire purchase history but also a partial specification can be prevented, so that personal privacy is improved.

  If a plurality of individuals collaborate and collate, it can be verified only from the issued ID that the same ID is shared by a plurality of people.

  Further, since the ID is not issued based on the ID unique to the individual, the individual ID is not leaked and the individual is not specified.

  The above is the description of the processing performed by the member ID management system 202.

  Next, processing performed in the point of sale management system 204 will be described.

  Processing performed in the point-of-sale management system 204 is accumulation of purchase history and totalization of the number of visits by member.

  FIG. 6 shows a processing sequence for storing a purchase history. Accumulation of purchase history is executed when a customer purchases a product using a membership card at a retail store.

  First, in process 601, the ID combining unit 208 requests the member ID input / output unit 101 to provide a member ID.

  Next, in process 602, the member ID input / output unit 101 reads the member ID from the member ID storage area 205. As a result, “000002” of the record 315 is read.

  Next, in process 603, the member ID input / output unit 101 passes the member ID “000002” read in process 602 to the ID combining unit 208.

  Next, in process 604, the ID combination unit 208 requests the product ID acquisition unit 210 to provide a product ID.

  Next, in process 605, the member ID input / output unit 101 reads the product ID from the product ID storage area 207. As a result, “A” of the record 319 is read out.

  Next, in process 606, the product ID input unit 209 passes the read product ID “A” to the ID combining unit 208.

  Next, in processing 607, the ID combining unit 208 requests the time from the clock 210.

  Next, in process 608, the clock 210 measures the current time from the internal timer to obtain “2002/03/30 00:00:00”.

  Next, in process 609, the clock 210 passes the time “2002/03/30 00:00:00” acquired in process 607 to the ID combining unit 208.

  Finally, in process 610, the ID combining unit 208 acquires the member ID “000002” acquired in process 603 as the member ID 307, the product ID “A” acquired in process 606 from the product ID 312, and the time acquired from the clock 210 in process 608. “2002/03/30 00:00:00” is stored in the purchase history database 212 as the purchase date and time 313.

  FIG. 7 shows a processing sequence for counting the number of visits by member. Counting the number of visits by member is executed when a retailer in charge of the retailer analyzes customer visit tendency and store visit frequency.

  First, in process 701, the member-by-member store count totaling unit 211 extracts a list of non-overlapping member IDs from the member ID 307 in the purchase history database 212. As a result, “000001” and “000002” are extracted.

  Next, in process 702, the member-by-member store count totaling unit 211 requests the clock 210 for the time.

  Next, in processing 703, the clock 210 measures the current time from an internal timer (not shown) to obtain “2002/04/02 00:00:00”.

  Next, in process 704, the watch 210 passes the time “2002/04/02 00:00:00” acquired in process 703 to the member-by-member store visit counting means 211.

  Next, in the process 705, the member-by-member count counting means 211 requests the access control means 206 to have access authority to the member ID update history database 105 and passes a password necessary for authentication. This password is assumed to be received from the marketing staff by the member-by-member visit count totaling means 211 in this processing step or stored in advance in the member-by-member store visit count totaling means 211. The password output instruction is performed by sending the time acquired by the clock 210 in processing 704 to the member-by-member store number counting means 211.

  Next, in the process 706, the access control 206 confirms that the member-by-member store counting means 211 has authority based on the received password.

  Next, in the process 707, the access control means 206 notifies the member ID update history database 105 of the access permission to the member ID update history database 105 and uses the member ID update history database 105.

  Next, in process 708, the member-by-member store count totaling unit 211 acquires a member ID update history from the member ID update history database. As a result, the member ID purchase count totaling means 212 acquires the record 318.

  Next, in the process 709, the member-by-member number-of-visits count means 211 stores the member IDs “000001” and “000002” acquired in the process 701 at the time “2002/04/02 00:00:00” acquired in the process 704. Restore the update history. The number of visits by member count means 211 by member sorts the update history acquired in process 708 in order from the newest update date 311 and updates the time acquired in process 704 “2002/04/02 00:00:00” as the starting point. The post member ID 310 is searched, and the pre-update member ID 309 and the update date 311 are found from the matching records.

  Thereafter, the search is repeated using the update date and time and the member ID that have been found until the updated member ID 310 is not found, and the update history is restored. Taking “000001”, which is one of the member IDs acquired in the process 701, as an example, the updated member ID 310 of the update history is searched from “2002/04/02 00:00:00” acquired in the process 704. Then, a record 318 is found. It can be seen from the record 318 that “000001” was “000002” before “2002/03/31 00:00:00”, so the update date and time 318 was “2002/03/31 00:00:00” or earlier. Are searched for the record whose updated member ID 310 is “000002”.

  As a result of the search, since no corresponding record is found, the process is terminated, and only the record 318 becomes the update history of the member ID “000001” in “2002/04/02 00:00:00”. The other member ID “000002” acquired in the process 701 is not assigned to the membership card in “2002/04/02 00:00:00” because it cannot be found by searching the updated member ID 310. I understand that.

  Next, in process 710, the number of visits by member count means 211 for each member totals the number of visits for each member ID from the update history and purchase history database 212 for each member ID obtained in process 709. The member ID “000001” at “2002/04/02 00:00:00” is once registered as “000001” as the member ID “000001” from the update history and purchase history database 212. , "2002/03/30 00:00:00" As you can see that you have purchased once as a member ID "000002", please come to the store twice by "2002/04/02 00:00:00" Aggregate purchases.

  Finally, in process 711, the member-by-member visit count totaling unit 211 stores the result of the process 710 in the member-by-member visit count database 213. The number of visits by member count means 211 for each member counts the number of visits of the member ID “000001” as “2” at the time of “2002/04/02 00:00:00” in the process 710, so the member ID 307 is set to “ The record is stored with “000001” and the number of visits 314 as “2”. Further, since the member ID “000002” is a member ID that has not been assigned to the membership card at the time of “2002/04/02 00:00:00”, “-” representing it is stored.

  As another embodiment, the processing flow 500 may be started when a customer uses a membership card for any purpose.

  It can be applied to retail stores, rental video stores, libraries, hospitals, etc. that issue membership cards to manage customers.

  Further, by using a personal computer and its storage area as a membership card, it can also be applied to an online shop of a virtual shop constructed on the Internet.

It is a figure which shows the structure outline of ID issuing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure outline of a customer management system. It is a figure which shows the example of internal data of a customer management system. It is a figure which shows the typical operation | movement sequence 1 of a customer management system. It is a figure which shows the typical operation | movement sequence 2 of a customer management system. It is a figure which shows the typical operation | movement sequence 3 of a customer management system. It is a figure which shows the typical operation | movement sequence 4 of a customer management system.

Explanation of symbols

101: Member ID input / output means, 102: Member ID issuing means, 103: Clock, 104: Member ID database, 105: Member ID update history database, 201: Membership card, 202: Member ID management system, 203: Product tag, 204: point-of-sale management system, 205: member ID storage area, 206: access control means, 207 product ID storage area, 208: ID combination means, 209: product ID input means, 210: clock, 211: total number of visits by member Means, 212 purchase history database, 213: member visit frequency database

Claims (6)

An ID management device that manages a user ID assigned to a user,
User ID input / output means for inputting / outputting a user ID from / to a storage medium having a user ID storage area;
User ID issuing means for issuing a user ID to the user via the user ID input / output means;
A user ID database connected to the user ID issuing means and storing a user ID assigned to the storage medium and an allocation status of the user ID;
A user ID update history database connected to the user ID issuing means and storing the update history when the assigned user ID is updated to another user ID;
When updating the issued user ID issued to the storage medium to another user ID, the user ID issuing means searches the user ID database using the issued user ID, and issues the issued user ID. And an available user ID that is not allocated to another storage medium at the time of the search is detected, and the available user ID is output to the storage medium as the other user ID. ID management device. The ID management device according to claim 1,
The available user ID is a user ID assigned to another storage medium prior to the search. The ID management device according to claim 1, further comprising a clock means,
The user ID issuing means obtains the time from the clock means when issuing the available user ID, and associates the issued user ID, the available user ID, and the time with the user ID update history database. An ID management device that stores the ID management device. The ID management device according to claim 1, further comprising:
Product ID input means for inputting and outputting the product ID of the product;
An ID coupling means connected to the product ID input means and the user ID input / output means;
Connected to a sales information management device having a purchase history database connected to the ID coupling means;
The ID management unit stores the user ID and the product ID in the purchase history database in association with each other. The ID management device according to claim 1, further comprising another clock means,
The ID combining unit stores the time information obtained from the clock unit in association with the user ID and the product ID, and stores them in the purchase history database. The ID management device according to claim 1, further comprising an access control means,
The access control means authenticates whether or not the request for access to the user ID update history database transmitted from the sales information management device is valid, and if the request is valid, accesses to the user ID update history database. An ID management device characterized by recognizing

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