KR20020069646A - Method for servicing benefit provided by member store using mobile communication terminal and server system therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for a member shop benefit service using a mobile communication terminal and a server system thereof are provided to maximize the Internet service through the mobile communication terminal and to activate the use of the member shop by transferring the member shop benefit service to the accessed mobile communication terminal when a user pays for the payment. CONSTITUTION: A server system(120) includes a wireless Internet server(122), a web server and a DB server(124). The mobile communication terminal(100) having a browser accesses to a server system providing a discount service through the Internet(110) after accessing to a WAP(Wireless Application Protocol) gateway(104) through a relay station(102) via a mobile communication network. At the condition accessing to the wireless Internet server of the server system, the mobile communication terminal receives the member shop benefit service and the member application procedure. The terminals(130) of the member shop receive the application procedure by accessing to the web server through the Internet.

Description

Method for servicing benefit provided by member store using mobile communication terminal and server system therefor}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a service using a communication network, and more particularly, to a method for providing a merchant service using a mobile communication terminal having a browser and a server system thereof.

As mobile communication terminals are widely used as communication means, various functions have been provided in addition to the basic functions of transmitting voice and text messages. In particular, in recent years, the mobile communication terminal has expanded its function so that a user can receive various communication services such as an Internet service.

Currently, the wireless communication protocol WAP (WAP) is a communication protocol for standardizing how wireless devices such as cellular phones and pagers can be used to access the Internet such as email, web and newsgroups. It is used as a standard. Through this communication protocol, the mobile communication service provider enables the mobile communication terminal to access the Internet through the mobile communication network. In an environment in which Internet access is supported, in addition to Internet contents obtained through a computer, useful Internet services that can be obtained by utilizing the advantages of a portable mobile communication terminal will be increasingly required.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to maximize the Internet service through the mobile communication terminal by delivering the merchant benefit service to the connected mobile communication terminal when the user who owns the mobile communication terminal to pay the use price In addition, the present invention provides a method for providing a merchant benefit service that activates the use of merchants more.

Another technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a wireless Internet server that delivers a merchant benefit service for a user to a mobile communication terminal with reference to a member database, thereby maximizing the Internet service through the mobile communication terminal, and more utilizing the merchant To provide a server system to activate.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a server system to which the present invention connected through a communication network is applied.

2 is a block diagram of a server system for providing a discount service according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart for explaining a discount service method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating an affiliate store benefit service process displayed on a screen of a mobile communication terminal.

In order to achieve the above object, the server system according to the present invention for providing a merchant benefit service using a mobile communication terminal with a built-in browser,

A member database that stores at least the password required for authentication and personal information referred to the occurrence of the merchant benefit as the member information registered from the user of the mobile communication terminal, and the merchant benefit service that can be presented by the merchant at least as merchant information registered from the merchants. Responding to the browser of the mobile communication terminal connected through the stored merchant database and the communication network, the member stores for the merchants desired by the user are referred to the member database to generate a merchant benefit suitable for the user, and then deliver it to the mobile terminal. Including a wireless Internet server that receives the merchant confirmation from the merchant, where the merchant benefits service, for example, discount rate services, earn points services and product services.

In order to achieve the above another object, the merchant benefit service method according to the present invention using a mobile communication terminal with a browser,

(a) presenting a service menu including a merchant benefit service to a mobile terminal connected through a communication network, selecting a merchant benefit service from the mobile terminal, (b) searching a list of merchants by referring to a database of merchants prepared in advance (C) if the mobile communication terminal is successfully authenticated, generating an affiliate store benefit suitable for a user by referring to a member database prepared in advance, and delivering the same to a mobile communication terminal. It includes, and further comprising the step of receiving the merchant confirmation from the merchant for the delivered content.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings of the present invention will be described.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a server system to which the present invention connected through a communication network is applied.

The server system 120 basically includes a wireless internet server 122, a web server 124, and a DB server 124 managing various databases. In addition, an application server and a firewall server are provided. The wireless internet server 122 and the web server 124 are computers with server software installed therein that can respond to client requests such as a browser and a web browser embedded in a mobile communication terminal. The various databases referred to by the wireless Internet server 122 and the web server 124 are systematically stored in a recording medium such as a hard disk so that related data can be easily added, updated and inquired. Used to encompass stored data. The server system 120 in FIG. 1 is merely exemplary and other configurations are possible that perform the functions of the respective servers.

The mobile phone terminal 100 having a built-in browser connects to a WAP gateway 104 through a relay station 102 through a mobile communication network, and then provides a discount service through the Internet 110. (120). Currently, WAP gateway is a representative software that automatically converts HTML (HyperText Markup Language) for desktop PC into WML (Wireless Markup Language) for mobile communication terminals such as pagers, portable personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones. At this time, the browser embedded in the mobile phone terminal 100 will preferably be a WAP browser. As another example, Mobile Explorer (ME) developed by Microsoft may be used, and other wireless Internet browsers that perform equivalent functions may be used.

In the situation of being connected to the wireless Internet server 122 of the server system 120, the mobile phone terminal 100 can be provided with the merchant benefit service, and also receives the necessary membership registration procedure. Here, the membership registration procedure may be received in advance through a computer 100 'having a web browser. Computer 100 'accesses web server 124 via Internet 110'. In addition, terminals of the merchants 130 that support the merchant benefit service may access the web server 124 through the Internet 110 ′ and receive the affiliated store registration procedure. Alternatively, the affiliated store affiliated with the affiliated stores 130 may be made through the server manager 140.

2 is a conceptual block diagram of a server system for providing a discount service according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the discount service, the affiliated store may support a point service, a product (eg, a free tasting ticket, a merchandise exchange ticket, an amusement park use ticket, etc.) as a merchant benefit service.

The wireless Internet server 122 and the web server 124 may be a member management unit 210, merchant list search and selection unit 230, authentication unit 240, discount rate generation unit 250 and merchant confirmation unit 260, respectively. The DB server 126 includes a member DB 270 and an affiliated store DB 280. The server system may further include components for various Internet services and various DBs, but the description thereof will be omitted to focus on the function of providing a discount service. In particular, the following description focuses on the function of the wireless Internet server 122 to provide a discount service to a mobile phone terminal.

If the mobile phone terminal 100 having a browser is connected to the Internet 110 and then wants to access the server system 120 to receive a discount service, the affiliated store list search and selection unit 230 may include an affiliated store DB 280. Reference is made to the list of recently available merchants, and the merchant list screen is transferred to the mobile phone terminal 100.

Here, the affiliated store DB 280 is managed by the affiliated store management unit 220. The affiliated store manager 220 receives affiliated store information from the affiliated stores 130 and stores the registered store information in the affiliated store DB 280, and also allows the affiliated stores 130 to change, delete, and add affiliated store information from time to time. As the affiliate store information, for example, the affiliate store location, a range of discount rates that can be presented by the affiliate store, points earned when using the affiliate store, an event product list, and the like may be stored.

The affiliated store list search and selection unit 230 receives the selected affiliated store desired by the user from the mobile phone terminal 100 through the transferred affiliated store list screen. The authenticator 240 transmits the login screen to the mobile phone terminal 100 if it is not confirmed that the user who selects the affiliate is a registered user who can receive the service. When the authentication unit 240 receives, for example, a password required for authentication through a login screen, the authentication unit 240 confirms that the user is a member by referring to the member DB 260.

Here, the member DB 270 is managed by the member manager 210. The member manager 210 receives member information from a user who has a mobile phone terminal and stores the member information in the member DB 260, and also allows a user to change, delete, and add member information from time to time. As the member information, for example, personal identification information such as a mobile phone number, a password required for authentication and an ID, and terminal related information possessed by the user are stored. In addition, if members are separated, advanced lifestyle information includes personal lifestyle information such as hobbies, interests, and favorite places.

In addition, in particular, for the service according to the present invention, the list of merchants preferred by the user as the member information, the list and frequency divided by the type of business, type, location, date, etc. of the merchants to which the user has applied the service Can be stored. This personal information is referenced in creating a discount rate, which will be described later.

When the user who selects the affiliate store successfully logs in, the discount rate generation unit 250 generates a discount rate for the affiliate store by referring to the member DB 270 and transmits a discount message screen to the mobile phone terminal 100. The user who owns the mobile phone terminal 100 receives a discount from the merchant by presenting the final discount message screen transmitted from the wireless Internet server 122 to the merchant when the merchant pays the use price. In addition, the affiliated store identification unit 260 may receive an affiliated store confirmation, for example, an affiliated store password from the affiliated store through a discount message screen or a separate screen, and store service details in the member DB 270 and / or affiliated store DB 280. .

3 is a flowchart illustrating a discount service method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an affiliated store benefit service process displayed on a screen of a mobile communication terminal.

Referring to these drawings, a discount service method performed in the wireless Internet server 122 will be described. First, the mobile phone terminal 100 accesses the wireless Internet server 122 through the Internet 110 through the mobile communication network (S300). In FIG. 4, 400 indicates a screen in which the mobile phone terminal 100 is accessing a site provided with a discount service, that is, a site established by the wireless Internet server 122 according to a user's request.

If the connection is successful, the wireless Internet server 122 transmits service menu information to the mobile phone terminal 100 (step 302). In FIG. 4, 410 shows a service menu screen for guiding various services that a site can provide, including a discount service. Next, the mobile telephone terminal 100 receives a discount service (denoted, for example, " 6. Happy Discount! &Quot; in Fig. 4) from the service menu (step 304).

Next, the affiliated store list is searched for with reference to the affiliated store DB and transferred to the mobile phone terminal 100 (step 306). In detail, the wireless Internet server 122 recently generates a search condition statement to search for an optimal list of available merchants, requests the affiliated store DB, and transfers the result retrieved from the affiliated store DB to the mobile phone terminal 100. In FIG. 4, 420 illustrates an affiliated store list screen provided after a user selects a discount service. Here, the affiliated store list screen of 420 is first provided to be viewed even if the user is not a member, and the member registration process can be received through the screen. However, the affiliated store list screen may be configured to be displayed only when the user is a member. In addition, some services may be provided in the case of non-members by separating the members / non-members.

Next, the mobile telephone terminal 100 selects a desired affiliate store, that is, an affiliate store that the user is currently using, from the affiliate store list (step 308). In FIG. 4, 430 shows a detailed merchant list screen when one affiliate store is selected on the affiliate store list screen, and one of them is selected.

Next, as shown in 440 in FIG. 4, the user who selects the affiliated store requests to log in, receives a password from the mobile phone terminal 100, and performs an authentication process (step 310). As a result, if it is determined that the member is a member, a discount rate suitable for the user is generated with reference to the member DB (step 314), and the discount message is transmitted to the mobile terminal 100 as shown in 450 of FIG. 4 (step 316). . The user can be applied to the discount rate by showing the discount rate downloaded to the merchant currently in use. Finally, it is confirmed that the discount message has been viewed from the merchant (step 318). Referring to 450 of FIG. 4, there is an affiliate store check box along with a discount message, and a separate affiliate store confirmation screen may be generated. For example, an affiliated store registration number that is registered in advance from an affiliated store is received.

In operation 314, the discount rate may be generated in various ways. For example, a random method of randomly generating a discount rate based on a discount rate presented by a merchant, a regular application method that assigns a weight based on data input by a user, such as personal information and lifestyle of a member, and a user's usage behavior It may be an artificial intelligence method that statistically analyzes the collected data to identify individual tendencies and assigns weights. These approaches may be applied alone, or may be applied in part or in combination. In addition, the discount rate may be generated in various ways by referring to the member database.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 312 that the member is not a member, the mobile phone terminal 100 transmits a retry or member registration guide message (step 320). The login request and authentication process may be performed before step 306, so that the merchant list screen may be displayed only when the user is a member as described above. In the member authentication process, when a password is input, the wireless Internet server 122 extracts the phone number and the terminal ID of the mobile phone terminal, obtains the subscriber information from the member DB, and checks the membership. If the password matches, the log is recorded in the member DB and the login message is transmitted to the mobile phone terminal 100 at the same time.

So far, a discount service method and a server system for providing the service have been described as preferred embodiments of the present invention.

In another preferred embodiment, if the earned point service is provided as a merchant benefit service, the earned point is generated with reference to the member DB instead of generating a discount rate. In FIG. 2, the discount rate generating unit 250 becomes a earning point generating unit, generates earning points in step 314 in FIG. 3, and transmits earning point messages to the terminal in step 316. At this time, the affiliated store DB stores the accumulation rate that can be presented by the merchant, the member DB is configured to store the usage information accumulated in the merchant visited by the user. The earned points are generated by referring to the member DB based on the accumulated rate that the merchant can present. The earning point generation method referring to the member DB can be calculated by simply calculating the earning rate from the accumulated use price, and may apply the methods exemplified in the discount rate generation method. 460 in FIG. 4 shows the earning point message instead of the discount rate message.

In another preferred embodiment, if a product service is provided as a merchant benefit service, the gift certificate is selected with reference to the member DB instead of generating a discount rate. In FIG. 2, the discount rate generation unit 250 becomes a gift certificate selector, a gift certificate is selected in step 314 in FIG. 3, and a gift certificate message is transmitted to the terminal in step 316. At this time, the affiliated store DB stores a list of products that the affiliated store can present. 470 in FIG. 4 shows the gift certificate message instead of the discount rate message.

In addition, the present invention may deliver the advertising message when delivering the merchant benefit service to the mobile phone terminal, such as 450, 460 or 470 of FIG. In the present invention, the screens illustrated in FIG. 4 are exemplary and are not limited thereto. In addition, although the present invention has been described using a mobile phone terminal as an example, it can be used in various mobile communication terminals such as another Internet phone, a portable personal digital assistant (PDA), and a pager.

As described above, according to the present invention, when a user who owns a mobile communication terminal pays a use price at an affiliate store, the present invention provides various benefit services for a merchant that a user wants to a mobile communication terminal connected to a wireless Internet server. Maximizing the Internet service through the mobile communication terminal, more active use of the merchant, there is an advantage to meet the needs of the user of the mobile communication terminal more.

Claims (14)

In the server system that provides a merchant benefit service using a mobile terminal with a built-in browser, A member database storing at least a password required for authentication and personal information referred to occurrence of an affiliate store benefit as member information registered from a user of the mobile communication terminal; A merchant database that stores at least merchant benefit services that can be presented by the merchant as merchant information registered from the merchants; And In response to the browser of the mobile communication terminal connected through a communication network, a wireless Internet server generating a merchant benefit suitable for a user by referring to the member database among the affiliated stores desired by the user and transmitting the same to the mobile communication terminal. Server system comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless Internet server, An affiliated store list search and selection unit for retrieving and delivering a list of recently available affiliated stores by referring to the affiliated store database, and selecting an affiliated store desired by a user from the mobile communication terminal; An authentication unit configured to receive a password from the mobile communication terminal and perform an authentication process with reference to the member database to confirm that the user who selected the affiliated store is a registered user; And And a merchant benefit generator configured to generate a merchant benefit suitable for the user and transmit the merchant benefit to the mobile communication terminal when a user who selects an affiliate store successfully logs in. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless Internet server, And a merchant verification unit configured to receive the merchant verification from the merchant for the contents delivered by the merchant benefit generation unit and store service details in the member database and / or the merchant database. According to claim 2 or 3, The merchant benefit generation unit, When a user who selects an affiliate store successfully logs in, the user may generate a discount rate suitable for a user as an affiliate store benefit by referring to the member database storing at least the personal information referred to in generating the discount rate, and transmitting the discount rate to the mobile terminal. Server system. The server system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the personal information referred to in generating the discount rate includes at least a list of merchants preferred by the user and a list and frequency of merchants that have received the discount service. According to claim 2 or 3, The merchant benefit generation unit, When a user who selects a merchant successfully logs in, the credit points generated for the user as a merchant benefit by referring to the member database storing at least the usage price information accumulated at the merchant visited by the user and transferred to the mobile terminal Server system, characterized in that the point generating unit. According to claim 2 or 3, The merchant benefit generation unit, When a user who selects an affiliate store successfully logs in, the server system comprises a product selector which selects a product suitable for a user as an affiliate store benefit from the products presented by the affiliate store and delivers the product to the mobile communication terminal. . 8. The server system of claim 1, wherein the server system comprises: And a web server configured to receive membership registration and affiliated store subscription from terminals of the web-based environment provided by the user and the affiliated stores, respectively, in the member database and the affiliated store database. In the merchant benefit service method using a mobile terminal with a built-in browser, (a) presenting a service menu including an affiliate store benefit service to the mobile communication terminal connected through a communication network, and receiving the affiliate store benefit service from the mobile communication terminal; (b) searching for a list of merchants by referring to a database of merchants prepared in advance and transmitting the selected list to the mobile communication terminal to select a desired merchant; And (c) if the mobile communication terminal is successfully authenticated, generating a merchant benefit suitable for a user with reference to a member database prepared in advance, and transmitting the same to the mobile communication terminal. The method of claim 9, wherein after step (c), (d) receiving the merchant confirmation from the merchant for the delivered contents. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein step (c), If the mobile terminal succeeds in authentication, the mobile terminal generates a discount rate suitable for a user as an affiliate store benefit by referring to a prepared member database storing at least personal information referred to in generating a discount rate, and transmitting the discount rate to the mobile communication terminal. How Merchant Benefits Work. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the personal information referred to in generating the discount rate includes at least a list of merchants and the number of visits and a list of merchants preferred by the user. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein step (c), If the mobile terminal succeeds in authentication, referring to a pre-prepared member database that stores the accumulated use price information at the affiliated store visited by the user, generating an earning point suitable for the user as a merchant benefit, and transferring the generated points to the mobile terminal. Merchant benefit service method characterized in that. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein step (c), If the mobile communication terminal succeeds in authentication, a member store service service method comprising selecting a product suitable for a user as an affiliate store benefit by referring to a member database prepared in advance among products presented by the store member and delivering the product to the mobile terminal. .