KR20040076090A - Integrated charging system of settling account in on-line service and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An integrated billing system for settlement money online is provided to handle a billing process in a web server registered afterward, by using payment information registered in a web server where the first member registration is conducted, even though a user does not newly register a payment unit every web server, thereby realizing user convenience for the Internet. CONSTITUTION: Plural web servers(30-1,30-2,30-n) are used to supply predetermined services to users of registered user terminals(10-1,10-2,10-n). A billing management system(40) integratedly manages service charges produced from the plural web servers(30-1,30-2,30-n) by interworking with the web servers(30-1,30-2,30-n). An authentication institute(50) manages a certification delivered to the web servers(30-1,30-2,30-n) and a financial settlement system(400).

Description

Integrated charging system of settling account in on-line service and method

The present invention relates to an integrated billing system for online payments and a method thereof, and more specifically, to a plurality of sites on the Internet, payment information according to the use of a service is not registered every time a new member registration or service application is performed. It is related to a technology for allowing a user to pay a service fee using the payment information by simply registering his payment information on a site.

As Internet use becomes popular worldwide, Information Service Providers (ISPs) and Content Providers (CPs) provide various Internet services. These Internet services are provided free or for a fee through web sites built on the web.

On the other hand, sites that provide paid content operate prepaid or postpaid charges for the service fee. For prepaid charges, users can pay using a credit card or mobile phone number or pay through unpaid deposit. To help. In addition, the post-pay billing method allows a payment method using a credit card or a mobile phone number that can be used to make a payment in conjunction with a financial settlement system without user intervention.

In addition, an e-commerce site that sells a specific item to a user mainly adopts a postpaid fee method, and when a user selects a specific item and requests the purchase of the item, the purchase price of the item is paid by a credit card or a mobile phone. It is inputted from the user through payment by number or unpaid deposit, and the corresponding goods are delivered after the payment is confirmed.

As such, in order to pay the service fee or purchase price for paid content on the Internet, the user must pay the credit card according to the payment method to verify the credit card's authentication information (name, social security number, card number, password, etc.) at each payment. In order to pay by mobile number, you have to enter the authentication information (name, social security number, mobile number, etc.) of the mobile phone every time you make a payment. In addition, when a user uses multiple sites, When using paid content or purchasing goods on the site, it is troublesome to input the above-described payment method input every time of payment.

The billing system in the electronic commerce having such a payment method, as shown in Figure 1, the web server (100, 200, 300) operated by the service provider (ISP) in conjunction with the financial settlement system 300, The payment amount for the user terminal 10a, 10b, 10c is charged.

Here, each of the web server (100, 200, 300) subscriber management process (110, 210, 310) stored various subscriber information for member management, service management process (120, 220, stored service information registered to each subscriber) 320, and a billing process 130 in which various kinds of information for charging are stored.

In addition, the financial settlement system 400 stores various authentication information for credit card payment or cell phone number payment, and registers in advance when authentication for credit card payment or mobile phone payment is requested from the web server 100, 200, or 300. After performing the corresponding authentication using the authentication information, the authentication result is transmitted to the corresponding web server (100, 200, 300).

In the above-described conventional billing system for online payment, when the user terminal 10a accesses the web server 100, the web server 100 performs member authentication through the subscriber management process 110 and then the member. When the user corresponding to the user terminal 10a requests the product purchase or the paid information search in the successful authentication state, the service management process 120 determines whether the user is a suitable user.

As a result of the determination, if the user is determined to be a suitable user for the service, the web server 100 charges the member using the billing process 130, and if the charge is made normally, the member's article Follow up with the request for purchase or paid information inquiry.

Here, the web server 100 may operate the billing process 130 in a variety of billing methods, for example, prepaid, postpaid, flat-rate, pay-as-you-go. Prepayment is a billing method in which the user charges the cyber money in advance and uses the amount. Postpaid payment is a payment method for paying the user's purchase price or paid information fee using a credit card, a mobile phone, or a passbook payment. The payment method is a payment method that allows paid information to be used for a certain period of time for a user who has paid a certain amount, and the pay-as-you-go method is a payment method that calculates an information usage fee according to the user's information usage.

The billing process 130 determines that the billing is normally performed only when the balance is more than the payment amount in the case of a prepayment according to the billing method, and in the case of a postpaid payment, the payment is made by a credit card or a mobile phone. It is determined that charging is normally performed only when authentication using a credit card or a mobile phone is successful through the system 400, and in the case of a straight line method, it is determined that charging is normally performed only when the current time is included in the use period. .

In the electronic commerce system on the Internet as described above, in order for the user of the user terminal 10a to purchase goods on the web servers 100, 200, and 300 or to view the paid information, membership of each web server is required. Of course, the information for payment also has to be registered separately for each web server (100, 200, 300).

Given that there are a plurality of websites used by the modern people on the Internet, in order to provide convenience for the user, a method of integrally managing the charges generated by the plurality of websites is urgently required.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to enable users to conveniently use electronic commerce by integrally managing cost payments generated in a plurality of websites.

1 is a block diagram of a conventional charging system online.

2 is a block diagram of an integrated billing system for the payment price online in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

3 to 4 are flowcharts for explaining the integrated billing method for the payment price online in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a table configuration diagram provided in the database built in the billing management system shown in FIG.

In order to achieve the above object, the integrated billing system for the payment price online in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

A plurality of web server to be used to provide a predetermined service to the user of the user terminal registered membership;

A billing management system for integrated management of service usage charges generated by the plurality of web servers for each user by interworking with the plurality of web servers; And

And a certification authority for managing certificates sent to the plurality of web servers and the financial settlement system to complement the plurality of web servers and the billing management system.

In order to achieve the above object, the integrated billing method for the payment price online in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

A first step of confirming whether the payment information of the member has been registered in the billing management system when a user connected to a predetermined web server through the Internet requests a new service;

If already registered, the registered payment information is automatically registered in the billing management system as payment information of the service through confirmation of the user, and if not registered, payment information received from the user as payment information of the service. A second step of registering in the billing management system;

A third step of, when the user requests the use of the service from the web server, the web server performs billing authentication for the service in association with the billing management system;

A fourth step of, if the charging authentication is successful, the web server providing the service to the user and transmitting the usage history of the service to the charging management system when the service is terminated; And

The billing management system is characterized in that it comprises a fifth process for calculating the charge for each user.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described an embodiment of the present invention in more detail.

In the integrated billing system for the online payment price according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of web servers 30-1 to 30-n are connected to the billing management system 40, The billing management system 40 and the plurality of web servers 30-1 to 30-n that received a predetermined certificate from the certification authority 50 transmit the data by encrypting the data by the certificate. The certification authority 50 preferably charges the information management system so that the billing management system 40 and the web servers 30-1 to 30-n change the certificate periodically.

Next, the function of each component illustrated in FIG. 2 will be described in more detail. For the components that perform the same functions as those described in FIG. 1, the same reference numerals as those given in FIG. The detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Although a plurality of web servers (30-1 to 30-n: integers of n≥2) that provide an integrated billing service to the user in association with the billing management system 40, various subscribers for member management, although not shown in FIG. It has a subscriber management process in which information is stored, and a service management process in which service information registered to each subscriber is stored, and performs a member registration process and a billing process for integrated billing in conjunction with the billing management system 40.

The billing management system 40 interworks with the financial settlement system 400 to perform billing authentication for a specific user requested from the web servers 30-1 to 30-n, and the web servers 30-1 to 30-n. It receives the service usage history from the user and charges for each user.

The certification authority 50 sends a certificate to the web servers 30-1 to 30-n and the billing management system 40 at the beginning of the operation of the web servers 30-1 to 30-n and the charging management system 40. Thus, the data exchanged between the web servers 30-1 to 30-n and the billing management system 40 are transmitted in an encrypted state by the certificate, so that the data is transmitted securely.

In the present invention, the billing management system 40, as shown in Figure 5, the member management information table (a), the information for user management is stored, the billing basic information table (b), the basic information for billing for each user, A database is provided with a flat payment information table (c) storing information on a service of a flat rate payment method for each user, and a pay-per-payment information table (d) storing information on a service of a pay-per-payment method for each user.

As shown in FIG. 5, the member management information table (a) comprises a customer ID field, a password field, a name field, a social security number field, and the like. The billing basic information table (b) shows a customer ID. Field, name field, billing address field, ISP information field, service ID information field, payment method information field, etc., and the subscription information field (c) includes a customer ID field, a flat fee amount field, a period start field, and a period end. Field, an ISP information field, a service ID information field, and the like, and the pay-as-you-go payment information table d includes a customer ID field, a usage amount field, a charging unit field, a unit price field, an ISP information field, and a service ID field.

Hereinafter, the integrated charging method for the online payment price according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a new member registration process applied to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a billing process according to the use of a service applied to the present invention.

Web servers 30-1 to 30-n and the billing management system 40 presented in the present invention receive a certificate from the certification authority 50 at the beginning of operation and install it in the system to encrypt data through the certificate. The state can be exchanged.

In this state, any one of the specific user terminals 10-1 to 10-n 10 connects to the specific web server 30 to any one of the web servers 30-30-n. When requesting a membership through the homepage provided by the web server 30, the web server 30 outputs a web page for inputting a name and a social security number to the user terminal 10, from the user terminal 10. Enter your name and social security number (S302).

Subsequently, the web server 30 determines whether the input name and social security number are registered in advance through a subscriber management process (not shown) (S304). (Yes in S304), outputs a web page indicating that the already registered state to the user terminal 10, and if the user terminal 10 is requested to confirm the ID or password, the user terminal 10 through the subscriber process The user is notified of the ID and password for the user (S306).

On the other hand, if the determination result in step S304 and the name and resident number is not registered (No in S304), the web page for entering the member management information and the web page for entering the service application information to the user terminal 10 sequentially And outputs, and receives the member management information and service request information from the user of the user terminal 10 (S308, S310). Here, the member management information includes an ID, a password, a name, an address, a social security number, other customer reference information, and the like, and the service application information preferably includes a service name, a payment method, a billing method, and the like.

Then, the web server 30 inquires whether the billing information for the member is already registered in the billing management system 40 by using the member's name and resident number (S320), and checks the billing management system 40. When the member's pre-registered state is confirmed (Yes in S322), the web page for notification of pre-registered payment information is output to the user terminal 10.

The web page for notification of payment information displays a web server registered by a user of the user terminal 10, information about services registered in each web server, payment means information for registered services, and the like. When a payment is to be made using a registered payment method, a selection button for selecting a corresponding payment method and a modification button for inputting a payment method is preferably configured.

If the correction button is input through the web page (Yes in S330), or if the registration status of the member is not confirmed by the billing management system 40 in step S322 (No in S322), the user terminal 10 Outputs a web page for inputting payment information, receives payment information from the user of the user terminal 10 (S324), and transmits the input payment information to the billing management system 40 to charge the system 40; The payment information is registered at (S326). For reference, the payment information input from the user in step S324 preferably includes information on the payment method (flat payment method, pay-as-you-go method, etc.) and payment means (credit card information, mobile phone information, etc.).

Through the above-described series of procedures, when a user who has completed membership registration to a specific web server 30 logs in as a membership (S402) and requests the use of a service registered by himself (Yes in S404), the web server ( 30 sends a service ID and a resident number to the billing management system 40 and requests billing authentication to the billing management system 40 (S406).

Accordingly, the billing management system 40 inquires the customer ID corresponding to the social security number, inquires the subscription information table and the non-settlement payment information table, inquires the rate method of the service ID, and then Determining the suitability of the service, and if the determination of the service is provided as a result of the determination, transmits the billing authentication success message to the web server 30, and if the determination of the service provision is inappropriate, transmits the billing authentication failure message to the web server (30). .

On the other hand, the service provision suitability determined by the billing management system 40 is, if the service ID is registered in the subscription information table, the current time is within the period start time and period end time registered in the subscription information table. If it is determined that the present time exists within the period start time and the end time period, the service is determined to be suitable. Further, if the service ID is registered in the pay-as-you-go payment information table, the billing management system 40 determines whether the payment means of the service fee corresponding to the service ID is valid, and if it is determined that the payment means is valid, the service We think that offer is appropriate. In this case, when the payment means is a credit card or a mobile phone number, the credit card and the mobile phone number are determined to be linked with the financial settlement system 400.

By the above-described process, if the charging authentication failure message is transmitted from the charging management system 40 (No in S408), the web server 30 outputs a web page for notifying the cause of the charging authentication failure to the user terminal 10. (S410).

On the contrary, when the charging authentication success message is transmitted from the charging management system 40 (YES in S408), the web server 30-1 provides the corresponding service to the user terminal 10-1 (S412). When the use of the service is terminated (Yes in S414), the service usage information according to the use of the service is transmitted to the billing management system 40 (S416).

The billing management system 40 stores the service usage information in the pay-as-you-go payment information table, if the fee type of the service is pay-as-you-go. Here, the service usage history information is characterized in that the information on the service usage date, usage, charge unit, charge unit period, etc. (S418).

Meanwhile, the billing management system 40 performs the member registration process described in FIG. 3 and the billing processing process according to the use of the service described in FIG. 4 in conjunction with the plurality of web servers 30-1 to 30-n. In the web server (30-1 ~ 30-n) of the billing information for the customer using a plurality of services is stored in the database for each customer.

Subsequently, the billing management system 40 determines whether the current time point reaches the billing base date (S420), and if it is determined that the current time point reaches the billing base date (Yes in S420), the basic billing information built in the database The payment amount for each customer is calculated from the table, the flat payment information table, and the pay-as-you-go payment information table, and a payment amount for each customer is charged (S422).

When the payment amount is billed for each customer, when a predetermined user registers a different payment method for each service for a service used by a plurality of web servers 30-1 to 30-n, the user is charged for the payment amount. When doing so, it is preferable to charge for each payment method.

According to the present invention as described above, even if a user using a plurality of web servers do not need to register a new payment method for each web server, billing is also performed on a web server registered thereafter using the payment method information registered in the first registered web server. By allowing the processing to be performed, there is an effect that the Internet user can be provided with the convenience of using the Internet.

In addition, since the present invention does not need to provide a billing process for each web server, the service provision speed can be improved by reducing the load associated with the web server.

On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be modified and modified within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention, such modifications and changes should be regarded as belonging to the following claims. will be.

Claims (13)

A plurality of web server to be used to provide a predetermined service to the user of the user terminal registered membership; A billing management system for integrated management of service usage charges generated by the plurality of web servers for each user by interworking with the plurality of web servers; And Integrated billing for the payment price on-line characterized in that it comprises a certification authority for managing the certificate sent to the plurality of web server and the financial settlement system to complement the plurality of web server and the billing management system. system. The method of claim 1, In the plurality of web servers, An integrated billing system for online payments, characterized in that the database is provided with a table for member management and a table for providing services, respectively. The method of claim 2, The plurality of web servers, An integrated billing system for online payments, characterized in that the initial transmission of the certificate from the certification authority, installed, and encrypting / decrypting the transmission data with the billing management system. The method of claim 3, wherein The billing management system, An integrated billing system for online payment, characterized in that the initial transmission is installed by receiving a certificate from the certification authority, encrypting / decrypting the transmission data with the web server. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The billing management system, Member management information table that stores information for user management, Billing basic information table that stores basic information for billing by user, Flat rate payment information table that stores information about service of flat rate payment method by user, Pay-by-user service by user An integrated billing system for online payments, characterized in that a database with a pay-as-you-go payment information table is stored. The method of claim 1, And a financial settlement system for authenticating the payment means on the basis of the validity of the payment means registered by the user in association with the charging management system. The method of claim 6, The payment means, Integrated billing system for payments online, characterized in that one of the credit card and mobile number. A first step of confirming whether the payment information of the member has been registered in the billing management system when a user connected to a predetermined web server through the Internet requests a new service; If already registered, the registered payment information is automatically registered in the billing management system as payment information of the service through confirmation of the user, and if not registered, payment information received from the user as payment information of the service. A second step of registering in the billing management system; A third step of, when the user requests the use of the service from the web server, the web server performs billing authentication for the service in association with the billing management system; A fourth step of, if the charging authentication is successful, the web server providing the service to the user and transmitting the usage history of the service to the charging management system when the service is terminated; And The billing management system is an integrated billing method for the payment price on-line, characterized in that comprises the fifth step of calculating the billing for each user. The method of claim 8, The third process, A first step of the web server requesting the billing management system for billing authentication of the user for the service; The billing management system comprises a second step of determining whether to provide the service by querying the rate system registered by the user for the service through the database, and transmits the billing authentication result according to the web server Integrated billing method for payments made online. The method of claim 9, In the second step, If the fee type registered by the user for the service inquired in the database is a flat rate / prepaid system, it is determined that the billing authentication for the service is successful if the current time period falls within the service usage period, and the current balance if the fee type is a pay / prepaid system. If this service is available, it is determined that the billing authentication for the service is successful.If the fee method is a flat / postpaid or pay-as-you-go / paid system, authentication of the payment method is performed in conjunction with a financial settlement system that authenticates the payment method. And, if the authentication is successful, determine that the charging authentication for the service is successful. The method of claim 10, The payment method is an integrated billing method for the payment price online, characterized in that one of the credit card and mobile phone number. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, When the fee method is a flat rate / postpay or post-pay / postpay, the financial settlement system performs authentication based on the validity of the payment means, and notifies the billing management system of the successful authentication when the payment means is in a state of payment. Integrated billing method for the payment amount on-line characterized in that. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, In the fifth process, The billing management system is the integrated billing method for the payment price on-line, characterized in that to calculate the billing calculation for each user by the payment means.