JP2002133336A - Prepaid settlement method, device therefor, and program recording medium therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a risk of a service provider, and a large load on a settlement system and a service provider system, with reference to as-used service. SOLUTION: A user 200 purchases prepaid points in a settlement device 100 in advance, and declares a budget frequency by assuming the frequency of desiring as-used service. The device 100 holds the prepaid points BP of the user, informs a service provider 300 of the budget frequency, provides service to the user 200 within a range of the budget frequency, decides sales frequency CP after providing to inform the device 100 of that, and deducts the CP from the points BP of the user by releasing holding.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a prepaid payment method as a means for a service provider to collect payment from a user for a service on a network, and more particularly, to a method based on a monetary value paid by a user. A prepaid frequency (points) is issued to the user, the sales prepaid frequency (points) declared by the pay-as-you-go service provider is subtracted from the prepaid frequency held by the user, and the monetary value based on the sales prepaid frequency is provided by the service provider. The present invention relates to a payment method, a device for the payment, and a program recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Cash payments at stores such as convenience stores and credit settlements over networks are used.
Prepaid frequency (points) fixed for the user
A prepaid payment service is provided in which the frequency is managed on a magnetic card, an IC card, a coupon, or a hard disk of a prepaid payment system management computer, and the user purchases the service using the frequency. In providing a paid service employing such a prepaid payment method, the user must use the paid service after subtracting a frequency corresponding to the price of the service used by the user from any of the frequency (point) storage media. Can be.

[0003]

The pay-as-you-go service employed in the telephone communication service, the Internet connection service, the stream content distribution service, and the like includes:
Only after the user finishes using the service, the total value of the series of services becomes apparent. For this reason,
In the case of using the existing prepaid payment service to settle the total value of such services collectively, the service provider must wait for the execution of the prepaid payment process until the service provision to a series of users is completed. is there.

[0004] From a service provider's point of view, in such a payment method, there is a possibility that the prepaid payment processing may not be completed due to a shortage of the prepaid remaining number of users even though the service is provided. ,
For service providers, there is a risk that payment for the service cannot be recovered. As means for avoiding the above-mentioned problem, in providing the above-mentioned pay-as-you-go service, a unit of service, for example, in the case of a telephone service, one call frequency is held by the user before the service is provided. A payment method is used in which a service is provided only when the subtraction process is completed by subtracting from the prepaid frequency.

[0005] However, in this method, the prepaid payment processing for each service unit must be performed many times during the usage period of the user's pay-as-you-go service, which imposes a heavy load on the prepaid payment system and the service providing system. Become. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a payment method for a pay-as-you-go service, a device and a program recording medium thereof without imposing a large load on a prepaid payment system and a service providing system, and without giving a service provider a risk of being unable to collect payment. By providing.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a holding processing function of a prepaid frequency is added to a conventional prepaid settlement method, and an increase / subtraction processing is performed for a service provider. By paying out the number of prohibited holding states, the risk of the service provider not being able to collect the payment is avoided, and furthermore, the total of the consideration determined after the service has been provided to a series of users is first held Withdrawal is made collectively in one process from the frequency of the state. In this way, the efficiency of the prepaid payment processing of the service is improved, and the load on the prepaid payment system and the service providing system is reduced.

At this time, the total value paid by the service provider does not necessarily have to be the same as the number of holdings first, and if the face value is less than the number of holdings based on the record of service provision. It is characterized by good points, and thereby, the efficiency of settlement processing is improved. Although "frequency" and "point" mean the same thing, "frequency" is mainly used in the following description,
Sometimes described as "points".

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Outline of the Invention An outline of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. (1) A user purchases a prepaid frequency from the prepaid payment device 100, and the payment device 100 manages the prepaid frequency of the user. Payment for this purchase is made by the payment system 400
Payment by credit card, postal / bank transfer, debit card payment, cash payment at convenience stores, etc.

[0009] (2) The user determines the budget frequency required for providing the target service, and (3) reports the budget frequency from the terminal 200 to the settlement apparatus 100. (4) The settlement apparatus 100 holds the prepaid frequency corresponding to the budget frequency from the remaining prepaid frequency of the user. (5) Notify the service provider / charging device 300 of the holding (budget) frequency. (6) The user provides services through the terminal 200
It requests the charging apparatus 300 to provide a service, and receives provision of a pay-as-you-go service. The holding frequency is the payment device 10
It may be sent from the user terminal 200 to the service providing / charging apparatus 300 instead of from 0.

(7) The provision of the service is limited to the holding frequency or less, and when the service is completed, the sales frequency is determined and (8) the settlement apparatus 100 is notified. (9) The settlement apparatus 100 releases the holding,
The sales frequency is subtracted from the user's remaining prepaid frequency. (10) The settlement fee and the service provider sales are calculated for each predetermined time or period, and (11) a request for making the service provider pay the sales based on the calculation is made to the settlement system 400. Description of Apparatus Configuration Diagram FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a prepaid payment apparatus 100 with a holding function of the present invention, a user terminal 200 that assumes that the payment apparatus 100 provides a payment service, and respective configurations of a service providing and charging apparatus 300, and These settlement apparatuses 100
2 shows a relationship among the user terminal 200 and the service providing / charging apparatus 300.

The user terminal 200, the service providing / charging device 300, and the settlement device 100
Are tied together. In one embodiment of the present invention, the Internet is assumed as the network 400. Further, in one embodiment of the present invention, the settlement apparatus 100 is connected to a financial network, and exchanges actual money with a user or a service provider by another settlement service such as credit settlement or bank transfer. The settlement apparatus 100 includes a communication unit 110 that communicates with the user terminal 200 and the service providing / charging apparatus 300, and a system control unit 130 that manages a user's prepaid points, manages sales in a store, and operates a settlement system. .

FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration of the settlement apparatus 100. The communication unit 110 further receives a point purchase request receiving unit 111 that receives a user's point purchase. A point issuance processing notification unit 112 that conveys a result of the user's point purchase processing. Point holding request receiving means 113 Point holding notifying means 114 for notifying the result of execution of the holding processing of points Point releasing request receiving means 11 for receiving cancellation of holding for points and subtraction processing of points below holding points from a service provider
5 Point request processing notifying means 116 for transmitting the result of the execution of the 5 point holding release and subtraction processing Transaction status presentation request receiving means 117 for receiving a request for presenting the point usage status from the user Transaction status notification means 118 for transmitting the point usage status to the user Point addition purchase request receiving means 119 for receiving additional purchase of user's points Point addition processing notifying means 120 for transmitting the result of the user's point additional purchase processing Point refund request receiving means 121 for receiving a point refund request from the user Point refund processing result to the user Point repayment notification unit 122 that completes the registration procedure of the service provider to the payment service using the payment apparatus 100 of the present invention, and registers the service provider that notifies the service provider identifier (point operation target identifier). Processing completion notifying means 123 Sales amount in the settlement month of the settlement service using the settlement apparatus 100 of the present invention and the sales payment receiving completion notification means 124 for notifying the service provider of the completion of the payment processing. The settlement processing communication means 125 for exchanging actual money with users and service providers by other settlement services such as credit settlement and bank transfer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, point holding request receiving means 113, point holding notifying means 114, point request processing request receiving means 11
5. Point request processing notification means 116, transaction status presentation request reception means 117, transaction status notification means 118, point addition purchase request reception means 119, point addition processing notification means 120, point refund request reception means 121, point refund processing notification means 122 is realized by using a WWW server, the service provider registration processing completion notifying means 123 and the sales and deposit processing completion notifying means 124 are realized by using a mail server, and the settlement processing communication means 125 is connected to a connected financial network or settlement. It is realized using a dedicated communication module according to the service (credit settlement processing, bank transfer processing).

On the other hand, the system control means 130 further includes a prepaid issuance processing means 131, an account check processing means 132, a point holding processing means 1
33, point request processing means 134, transaction status acquisition processing means 135, point refund processing means 136, point addition processing means 137, service provider registration processing means 13
8. The sales / payment batch processing means 139, the information storage medium control means 140, and the settlement processing means 141 are called, and the processing necessary for operating the settlement system is executed.

The prepaid issuance processing means 131 is a processing means for opening a prepaid account based on a user's request and replenishing the account with a prepaid frequency desired by the user after the user has paid a fee. The account check processing means 132 is a processing means by which the system control means 130 acquires the status (valid, invalid, temporary invalid) of the user's prepaid account. The point holding processing means 133 is a processing means for setting a certain amount of prepaid frequency of the user to a holding state based on a request of the user or the service provider.

The point request processing means 134 subtracts the prepaid frequency determined as the price of the service after the service provider has completed the provision of the service to the user from the prepaid frequency set in the holding state before the service is provided, and sets the holding state. This is processing means for returning the difference between the prepaid frequency and the prepaid frequency as the price of the service to the user's account, and recording the prepaid frequency as the price of the service as the sales of the service provider. The transaction status acquisition processing unit 135 is a processing unit that collects, as account use information, transactions performed on the prepaid account held by the user based on the request of the user.

The point refund processing means 136 is a processing means for canceling a prepaid account held by the user based on a request from the user. Cancellation processing consists of refund processing of a user's prepaid balance and invalidation of an account. The point addition processing means 137 is a processing means for replenishing the prepaid frequency desired by the user to the prepaid account held by the user based on the user's request after the user has paid the fee. The service provider registration processing means 138 is a processing means for registering the service provider with the prepaid payment service.

[0018] The sales deposit batch processing means 139 liquidates transactions performed within the period specified by the prepaid payment service operator on the settlement date specified by the prepaid payment service operator, and reduces the sales of the service provider. , A processing means to be delivered to the service provider. Information storage medium control means 1
Numeral 40 denotes means for reading and writing data from / to the information storage medium 150. The payment processing means 141 is a processing means for performing communication with the financial network using the payment processing communication means 125 and exchanging actual money with a user or a service provider by another payment service such as credit payment or bank transfer. is there.

Information handled by the settlement apparatus 100 is recorded on an information storage medium 150. In one embodiment of the present invention, the prepaid issuance processing means 131, the account check processing means 132, the point holding processing means 133, the point request processing means 134, the transaction status acquisition processing means 135, the point refund processing means 136, and the point addition processing means 137 Is realized as a group of CGI programs that can be called from a WWW server. The sales receipt batch processing means 139 is realized as a batch processing program executable from a computer terminal.

The service provider registration processing means 138 is realized as a program which can be executed by a settlement apparatus operator from a command line using a computer terminal. The information storage medium 150 is realized using a database, and the information storage medium control unit 140 for executing access to the database is realized as a database control library. User terminal 2 using settlement apparatus 100 of the present invention
Reference numeral 00 denotes a communication unit 210 and an information processing unit 220. In the embodiment of the present invention, a personal computer connectable to the Internet and a WWW browser installed on the personal computer are assumed.

The service providing / charging apparatus 300
The communication unit 310 includes a communication unit 310, a service information processing unit 320, a payment information communication unit 330, and an information holding medium 340. In one embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 310
Service information processing means 3 realized by a WW server
20 is realized by a CGI program executable from a WWW server, the settlement information communication means 330 is realized by a mail transmission / reception program, and the information storage medium 340 is realized by a database.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a settlement apparatus 10 according to the present invention.
0 indicates information held by the information holding medium 150. The information includes the prepaid point management database in FIG. 4, the store management database for each store in FIG. 4A, and the store management database for each user in FIG. 5B. In the “prepaid point management database”, “user account identification information” for uniquely identifying an account opened by the user with the payment device 100, “processing date” indicating the date and time when the payment device wrote the database, "Account status" indicating the status of the account, "Point operation target identification information" indicating the entity that triggered the processing on the user's account, "Remaining number" indicating the prepaid remaining number of the user's account, The "addition frequency" indicating the prepaid frequency added to the user's account, the "subtraction frequency" indicating the prepaid frequency subtracted from the user's account by the payment process, and the prepaid frequency changed from the user account to the holding state by the payment process. Indicating "Holding frequency", executed Is "point holding event identification information" holding identifies the Rudingu processing, one line of information of the prepaid point management database, shows the results of a single treatment with the settlement device 100 to the appropriate user account.

In the “user account identification information”, other values cannot be inferred by the user, and the settlement apparatus 100
Information that is unique within is allocated. "Account Status"
In one embodiment of the present invention, “1”, “0”, “−1”
The value of “1” is “point holding processing means”, “point request processing means”, “point refund processing means”, and “points” with respect to the prepaid remaining count of the user for which the user's account is valid. "0" indicates a state in which the "additional processing means" can be executed.
The user's account has been invalidated by the execution of the refund process.
"Point request processing means""Point refund processing means"
"Point addition processing means" indicates a state in which execution of "point refund processing" is impossible, and "-1" indicates a state in which "point refund processing" is executed at the request of the user, and "point holding processing" is performed. Nevertheless, it indicates that the transaction for which the "point request processing" has not been completed is waiting for processing, and only the "point request processing means" can be executed, and the "point holding processing means""point refund processing means" This indicates a state in which execution of the "point addition processing means" is impossible.

"Point holding event identification information"
The other information cannot be inferred by the user or the service provider, and unique information is allocated in the settlement apparatus 100, and further, information indicating an effective condition of the holding state of the point is added. In one embodiment of the present invention, an expiration date of the holding state is added as an effective condition of the holding state. As shown in FIG. 5A, in the “store-based storage management database”, “point operation target identification information” indicating a service provider to be subjected to storage management, and “sales receipt batch processing means” for the corresponding service provider were executed. "Processing date" indicating the date and time, "Clearing month" indicating the clearing month of the settlement system to which the executed sales and batch processing is applicable, and "Total sales frequency of the service provider in the relevant clearing month""Sales frequency total" and "clearing amount" indicating the total sales amount after the payment processing for the corresponding service provider in the relevant clearing month.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the "user-specific cash management database" indicates "user account identification information" indicating an account of a user to be cash-managed, and "prepaid issuance processing means" or "point "Processing date" indicating the date and time when the "refund processing means" was executed, the deposit amount to the settlement system by executing the "prepaid issuance processing means" for the corresponding user account, or by executing the "point refund processing means""Deposit and withdrawal amount" indicating the amount of withdrawal from the settlement system is held.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the "payment / withdrawal amount" represents a positive number for a deposit and a negative number for a payout. Description of Embodiment of Processing Flow FIGS. 6 to 11 show an embodiment of a payment processing operation processing procedure using the prepaid payment apparatus with a holding function of the present invention. This operation processing procedure consists of “Store registration phase”, “Prepaid point purchase phase”, “Prepaid credit phase”, “Service provision phase”, “Prepaid billing phase”, “Transaction information reference phase”, “Prepaid point additional purchase phase”, “Prepaid point refund processing” Phase ”and“ Sales Payment Phase ”.

The “store registration phase” and the “prepaid point purchase phase” are initial operation phases of the settlement apparatus 100 of the present invention. In the “store registration phase”, the service provider registers with the payment device 100 and the payment device 100
Payment of “point operation target identification information” that uniquely identifies a service provider from the settlement apparatus 100 is performed. In the “prepaid point purchase phase”, the process of purchasing the prepaid points on the payment device 100 by the user and the “user account identification information” for uniquely identifying the account storing the prepaid points purchased by the user in the payment device 100 are performed. Payment is made.

The detailed operation processing procedure of each phase will be described below. First, refer to FIG. "Store registration phase" (S1) Based on the offline contract processing between the operator of the settlement apparatus 100 and the service provider, the operator of the settlement apparatus 100 calls the system control means 130 in the "settlement apparatus" to provide the service. The user registration processing means 138 is executed. The service provider registration processing means 138 generates "point operation target identification information" (S1-1), and the information holding medium control means 14
0, and registers “point operation target identification information” in the “store-specific storage management database” in the information storage medium 150 (S1-2). When the above processing is completed, the system control means 130 notifies the generated "point operation target identification information" to the service providing / charging apparatus 300 using the service provider registration processing completion notifying means 123 (S1-3). .

In the settlement system of the present invention, the service providing / charging apparatus 300 receives the “point operation target identification information” using the settlement information communication means 330 and stores the “point operation target identification information” in the information holding medium 340. It is assumed to be stored. "Prepaid point purchase phase" (S2) The user uses the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 to receive the point purchase request receiving means 11 of the settlement apparatus 100.
First, the frequency of the prepaid desired to be purchased and the user settlement information in the user's other settlement system are transmitted. In one embodiment of the present invention, a user transmits a user's credit card number as user settlement information. In the transmission of the point purchase request, for example, when connected to the settlement apparatus 100, a purchase phase, a transaction reference phase, a refund phase, and the like appear as a menu screen on the user terminal 200,
This is done by clicking on the purchase phase.
The settlement apparatus 100 calls the system control means 130 when the point purchase request reception means 111 receives the desired frequency of purchase of the prepaid points and the user settlement information of the user.

The system control means 130 calls the prepaid issue processing means 131. The prepaid issuance processing means 131, based on the exchange rate between the prepaid frequency (point) and the monetary value, determined by the payment processing system operator,
Calculate the monetary value required to purchase the desired frequency (S2
-1). Next, the prepaid issuance processing means 131 calls the settlement processing means 141, and the settlement processing means 141 uses the user settlement information and the settlement processing communication means 125 to determine the monetary value necessary for the purchase of the desired degree from the user. The transfer to the prepaid payment apparatus 100 of the present invention is executed (S
2-2).

When the above processing is completed, the prepaid issuance processing means 131 generates "user account identification information" (S2-3), calls the information holding medium control means 140, and reads "user account identification information" in the information holding medium 150. “User account identification information”, “processing date”, and “payment / payment amount” are registered in the separate accounting management database (S2-4). The “user account identification information” is the generated “user account identification information”, the “processing date” is the completion time of the payment processing unit 141, and the “payment amount” is the “payment processing unit”. The money value transferred from the user to the prepaid payment system of the present invention is registered as a positive number. Further, when the above processing is completed, the prepaid issuance processing means 1
31 calls the information holding medium control means 140 and registers "processing date", "account state", "remaining number", and "addition degree" in the "prepaid point management database" in the information holding medium 150 (S2-). 5). For example, FIG.
Like the data in the first row of the prepaid point management database, the “time of processing” is written in “data processing date”, “1” is written in “account status”, and “remaining count” and “addition count” Registers the "desired frequency 100". When the above processing is completed, the system control unit 130
Calls the point issuing process notifying means 112 and transmits the "user account identification information" and the "remaining frequency" to the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 (S2-6).

The “prepaid credit phase”, the “service provision phase”, and the “prepaid billing phase” are the main phases of the settlement system of the present invention, and are repeated every time the user uses the service provision system or the settlement system. In the “prepaid credit phase”, the user determines the frequency of using the pay-as-you-go service, and the frequency corresponding to the budget is set to the holding state in the settlement apparatus 100 with respect to the service provider. The frequency of the holding state is finally notified to the corresponding service provider.

In the “service providing phase”, a service provider supplies a metered service to a user. At this time, in the settlement system of the present invention, it is assumed that the service provider provides the user with a pay-as-you-go service within the range of the holding frequency. After the completion of the provision of the pay-as-you-go service, the service provider determines the billing frequency as the sum of consideration for the provision of the pay-as-you-go service. In the “prepaid billing phase”, the billing frequency determined by the service provider is billed to the settlement apparatus 100 of the present invention. Payment device 10
0 cancels the holding frequency and returns only the difference between the holding frequency and the billing frequency to the user's account. The billing frequency is registered as the sales of the service provider.

The detailed operation flow of each phase is shown below. Please refer to FIG. "Prepaid Credit Phase" In the settlement system of the present invention, the following exchange between the user terminal 200 and the service providing / charging apparatus 300 is assumed. The user uses the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 to access the service information processing means 320 of the service providing / charging device 300 and request service content presentation (S3-1). The service information processing means 320 of the service providing / charging apparatus 300 reads the description about the provided service and the “point operation target identification information” from the information storage medium 340 based on the request of the user,
Displayed on the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 (S
3-2). At this time, the address (for example, URL) of the settlement apparatus 100 registered by the service providing / charging apparatus 300 at the store.
Has also been sent to the user terminal 200.

The user determines the "budget count" for using the corresponding pay-as-you-go service from the description of the provided service. When the budget frequency is determined, the user accesses the received address using the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 and sends the point frequency and the "user account identification information" to the point holding request receiving means 113 of the settlement apparatus 100. And "point operation target identification information" (S3-3). The payment device 100
Using the point holding request receiving means 113,
The “budget count EP”, the “user account identification information UID”, and the “point operation target identification information SI”
When "D" is received, the system control means 130 is called.
The system control means 130 calls the account check processing means 132.

The account check processing means 132 calls the information storage medium control means 140 to access the "prepaid point management database" in the information storage medium 150, and uses the "user account identification information UID" as key information, and Read the latest "account status" of the account. The system control unit 130 sets the read “account state” to “0 (invalid)” “−”
If "1 (provisionally invalid)", the control unit calls the point holding notifying unit 114 and transmits to the information processing unit 220 of the user terminal 200 that the user account is invalid (S3-4).

When the read "account state" is "1 (valid)", the system control means 130 calls the point holding processing means 133. The point holding processing means 133 calls the information holding medium control means 140 and the information holding medium 150
Then, the user accesses the “prepaid point management database” and reads out the latest “remaining number” of the user account using “user account identification information” as key information. Next, the point holding processing means 133 compares the budget frequency EP with the read “remaining frequency BP”.

If the budget frequency is larger than the "remaining frequency", the point holding processing means 133 terminates the processing (S3-5). When the above processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the point holding notifying means 114 and informs the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 that the remaining number of user accounts is insufficient and that additional purchase of the number is necessary. Send. If the budget frequency is equal to or less than the read "remaining frequency", the point holding processing means 133 generates "point holding event identification information HPID" (S3-
6). When this generation is completed, the point holding processing means 133 calls the information storage medium control means 140 to access the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150, and performs “processing” using “user account identification information” as key information. The date, "account state", "point operation target identification information", "remaining frequency", "subtraction frequency", "holding frequency", and "point holding event identification information" are registered (S3-7). For example, as in the data on the second line in FIG. 4, the time at which the database was written is “process date”, “1 (valid)” is “account state”, and “point operation target identification information” is The “point operation target identification information SHOP” sent from the service providing / charging apparatus 300 via the user terminal 200 is replaced with the “remaining number” in the latest “remaining number” BP = 100 from the budget. The frequency 60 obtained by subtracting the frequency EP = 40 is used as the budget frequency EP in the “subtraction frequency SP”.
= 40, the budget frequency EP = 40 is registered in the “holding frequency HP”, and the generated “point holding event identification information” is registered in the “point holding event identification information”.

When the above processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the point holding notifying means 114 and transmits "holding frequency" and "point holding event identification information" to the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 (S3- 8). In the settlement system of the present invention, the following exchange between the user terminal 200 and the service providing / charging apparatus 300 is assumed. When the user confirms that the “holding frequency” and the “point holding event identification information” have been received, the user terminal 2
The information processing means 220 of the service providing / charging apparatus 300 is used to access the service information processing means 320 of the service providing / charging apparatus 300, and transmit "holding frequency" and "point holding event identification information" (S4-1). -"Service provision phase" In the settlement system of the present invention, the following exchange between the user terminal 200 and the service provision / charging device 300 is assumed. Upon receiving the “holding frequency” and the “point holding event identification information” from the user terminal 200, the service information processing means 320 of the service providing / charging apparatus 300 provides a user-based service within the range of the “holding frequency”. Provide (S
4-2). After completion of the provision of the pay-as-you-go service, the service information processing means 320 determines the billing frequency CP as the total of the consideration for providing the pay-as-you-go service,
The "request frequency CP" and the "point holding event identification information HPID" are stored therein (S4-3).

Here, the provision of the pay-as-you-go service does not necessarily need to consist of a continuous session between the user and the service provider, and an authentication means for uniquely specifying the user holding the point in the holding state is provided. In the case of the service providing / charging apparatus 300 provided with means for managing the amount of service used by the user in providing a series of services, the service providing phase may be composed of a plurality of sessions. In any case, the service providing / charging device 300 determines the billing frequency to be charged to the settlement device 100. “Prepaid billing phase” (see FIG. 8) When the billing frequency is determined, the service providing / charging device 30
The payment information communication unit 320 of “0” reads “point operation target identification information SID”, “point holding event identification information HPID”, and “billing frequency CP” from the information storage medium 340, and the point billing process receiving unit 1 of the payment apparatus 100.
15 (S5-1).

When the settlement apparatus 100 receives the “point operation target identification information SID”, the “point holding event identification information HPID” and the “billing frequency CP” using the point request processing receiving means 115, the system control is performed. Call means 130. System control means 1
30 calls the account check processing means 132. The account check processing unit 132 calls the information storage medium control unit 140 to access the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150, and “point holding event identification information HPID”.
Read the "user account identification information" as the key information, and then use the "user account identification information" as the key information to update the latest "account state"
Is read (S5-2).

When the “account status” is “0 (invalid)”, the system control means 130 calls the point billing processing notifying means 116 and sends it to the settlement information communication means 330 of the service providing / charging apparatus 300. The fact that the user account is invalid is transmitted (S5-3). When the “account state” is “1 (valid)” or “−1 (temporarily invalid)”, the system control unit 130 calls the point request processing unit 134. Point request processing means 134 calls information holding medium control means 140,
The user accesses the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150, and uses the “point holding event identification information HPID” as key information, and “user account identification information” of the corresponding transaction in the corresponding user account.
The "holding frequency" is read (S5-4). Next, the point request processing means 134 compares the “request frequency CP” with the read “holding frequency HP”.

If the "claim frequency" is greater than the "hold frequency", the point request processing means 134 terminates the process. When this processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the point billing processing notifying means 116 and instructs the settlement information communication means 330 of the service providing / billing apparatus 300 that the "billing frequency CP" exceeds the "holding frequency HP". Is transmitted (S5-5).
When the “claiming frequency CP” is equal to or less than the read “holding frequency HP”, the point billing processing unit 134 calls the information storage medium control unit 140 and stores the information in the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150. Access the "User account identification information UI
With “D” as key information, “processing date”, “account status”, “point operation target identification information”, “remaining frequency”, “addition frequency”, “subtraction frequency”, and “point holding event identification information” are registered (S5-6). ). In the “processing date”, the time at which the database was written, the “account state” is the latest “account state”, and the “point operation target identification information” is the service providing / charging device 300.
The “point operation target identification information” sent from the above is added to the “remaining frequency BP”, and the “holding frequency HP” is added to the latest “remaining frequency BP”.
"P", "Additional frequency AP", "Holding frequency HP", "Subtraction frequency SP", "Charging frequency CP", and "Point holding event identification information". Register "point holding event identification information" sent from billing apparatus 300. For example, in the state where the point holding on the second line in FIG. 3 is performed, if there is a point request processing request for the point holding event identification information,
In this case, the charging frequency CP = 20 and the holding frequency H
Since P = 40 and the residual frequency BP = 60, as shown in the third line by this registration, BP = 60 + 40−20 = 8
It becomes 0.

When the above processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the point request processing notifying means 116,
Payment information communication means 33 of service providing / charging apparatus 300
The "subtraction frequency" and the "point holding event identification information" are transmitted to 0 (S5-7). The “sales deposit phase” is a phase in which the monetary value collected from users in the “prepaid point purchase phase” is redistributed to service providers registered in the payment system according to the sales frequency. This is a phase that is executed as a periodic process with a set date and cycle.

Hereinafter, a detailed operation processing procedure of the “sales payment phase” will be described with reference to FIG. "Sales Payment Phase" When the date set by the settlement system operator comes, the system control means 130 calls the sales payment batch processing means 139. The sales receipt batch processing means 139 calls the information holding medium control means 140 to access the "prepaid point management database" in the information holding medium 150,
The database is searched for each “point operation target identification information”, and “remaining frequency”, “addition frequency”, “subtraction frequency”, and “point holding event identification information” of the corresponding record all have values (= billing process completed) For records whose "processing date" falls within the settlement month, the "subtraction frequency" is added to obtain the "total sales points". The sales receipt batch processing means 139 calculates the “clearing amount” from the “total sales points” based on the exchange ratio between the prepaid points and the monetary value, determined by the settlement processing system operator (S6-1).

Next, the sales receipt batch processing means 139 calls the settlement processing means 141, and the settlement processing means 141 uses the settlement processing communication means 125 to set the prepaid settlement system of the present invention for the monetary value of the "clearing amount". From the server to the corresponding service provider (S6-2). When the above processing is completed, the sales receipt batch processing means 139
The information storage medium control unit 140 is called for each “point operation target identification information”, the “store-based storage management database” in the information storage medium 150 is accessed, and “point operation target identification information” is used as key information for “processing”. date"
“Clearing month”, “total sales points”, and “clearing amount” are registered (S6-3).

The “processing date” indicates the processing completion time of the “settlement processing means”, and the “clearing month” indicates the “clearing month”.
The “total sales point” is registered with the “total sales point”, and the “clearing amount” is registered to the “clearing amount”. When the processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the sales payment processing completion notification means 124, and the settlement information communication means 330 of each service providing / charging apparatus 300.
Then, the “subtraction frequency”, the “payment month”, and the “payment amount” are transmitted. The “transaction information reference phase”, the “prepaid point additional purchase phase”, and the “prepaid point refund processing phase” are additional function phases that are executed irregularly based on the user's request. Select an item on the menu screen that appears.

In the "transaction information reference phase", the usage status of the user's payment system is read from the prepaid account and displayed to the user. In the “prepaid point additional purchase phase”, the user executes a prepaid point purchase process on the payment system, and replenishes the purchased prepaid points to the user's existing prepaid account. "Prepaid point refund processing phase"
Then, the user cancels the payment system. If there are no points in the holding state in the user prepaid account to be canceled at the time of the cancellation application by the user, a refund process for the remaining number is performed, and the user is notified of the refund amount. When there are points in the holding state in the user prepaid account to be canceled, the latest one of the expiration dates of the points in the holding state is notified to the user as the refund settlement date.

The detailed operation procedure of each phase will be described below. "Transaction information reference phase" (see FIG. 9) The user uses the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 to receive the transaction status presentation request receiving means 11 of the settlement apparatus 100.
7, the "user account identification information" of the prepaid account for which the use status is to be displayed is transmitted (S7-
1). The settlement apparatus 100 includes a transaction status presentation request receiving unit 1
When the "user account identification information" is received by using the command No. 17, the system control means 130 is called.

The system control means 130 calls the transaction status acquisition processing means 135. Transaction status acquisition processing means 13
5 calls the information storage medium control means 140 to access the "prepaid point management database" in the information storage medium 150, and uses the "user account identification information" as key information, "processing date", "account state""Point operation target identification information", "remaining frequency", "addition frequency", "subtraction frequency", "holding frequency", and "point holding event identification information", and account use information is created (S7-2). This account use information is, for example, as shown in FIG.

When the above processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the transaction status notifying means 118 and transmits the account use information to the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 100 (S7-3). -"Prepaid point additional purchase phase" (see Fig. 10) The user uses the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 to send the additional prepaid point requesting means 119 of the settlement apparatus 100 to the prepaid frequency and user The user settlement information in the other settlement system and the "user account identification information" for which points are to be replenished are transmitted (S8-1). In one embodiment of the present invention, the user transmits the user's credit number as user settlement information.

When the settlement apparatus 100 receives the purchase frequency of the prepaid points, the user settlement information of the user, and the “user account identification information” using the point addition purchase request receiving means 119, the system control means 130 Call. The system control means 130
Call the account check processing means 132. The account check processing unit 132 calls the information storage medium control unit 140 to access the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150, and uses the “user account identification information” as key information to update the latest user account. Is read out (S8-2).

If the read "account status" is "0 (invalid)" or "-1 (temporarily invalid)", the system control means 130 notifies the point addition processing notifying means 1
21 and the information processing means 22 of the user terminal 200
0 to the effect that the user account is invalid. When the read “account state” is “1 (valid)”, the system control unit 130 calls the point addition processing unit 137. Point addition processing means 1
37 calculates the monetary value necessary for the purchase of the desired frequency based on the exchange ratio between the prepaid points and the monetary value determined by the settlement processing system operator (S8-3).

Next, the point addition processing means 137 calls the settlement processing means 141, and the settlement processing means 141 uses the user settlement information and the settlement processing communication means 125 to determine the monetary value necessary for the purchase of the desired degree. Executes the transfer from the user to the prepaid payment system of the present invention (S
8-4). When the above processing is completed, the point addition processing means 137 calls the information storage medium control means 140, and executes the "processing" using the "user account identification information" as key information in the "user-specific cash management database" in the information storage medium 150. Register "Date" and "Money Amount" (S8-
5). The "processing date" is the completion time of the "settlement processing means", and the "deposit / withdrawal amount" is the positive value of the money value transferred from the user to the prepaid payment system of the present invention by the settlement processing means 141. register. Further, when this processing is completed, the prepaid issuance processing means 137 calls the information holding medium control means 140 and
The latest “remaining number” is read from the “prepaid point management database” in 0 using the “user account identification information” as key information. Next, the “user account identification information” is read from the “prepaid point management database”. “Processing date”, “account status”, “remaining frequency”, and “addition frequency” are registered as key information (S8-
6). "Processing date" is the time at which the database was written, "Account status" is "1", and "Remaining frequency" is the latest "remaining frequency" plus the "desired frequency". , "Added frequency", the "desired frequency" is registered.

When the above processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the point addition processing notifying means 120,
The "user account identification information" and the "remaining frequency" are transmitted to the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 (S8-
7). "Prepaid point refund processing phase" (see FIG. 11) The user uses the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 to receive the point refund request receiving means 12 of the settlement apparatus 100.
In step S9-1, "user account identification information" and user settlement information in the other settlement system of the user, for which the user desires a refund, are transmitted. In one embodiment of the present invention,
The user transmits the user's bank account number as user settlement information.

When the settlement apparatus 100 receives the “user account identification information” and the user settlement information of the user using the point refund request receiving means 121, it calls the system control means 130. System control means 130
Calls the account check processing means 132. The account check processing unit 132 calls the information storage medium control unit 140 to access the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150,
With the “user account identification information” as key information, the latest “account state” and “remaining number” of the corresponding user account are read (S9-2).

If the read “account state” is “0 (invalid)”, the system control means 130 calls the point refund processing notifying means 122 and sends the user information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200 to the user information processing means 220. Send notification that your account is no longer valid. System control means 1
30 indicates that if the read “account state” is “1 (valid)” or “−1 (temporarily invalid)”,
The point refund processing means 136 is called.

The point refund processing means 136 calls the information holding medium control means 140 to access the "prepaid point management database" in the information holding medium 150, and uses "user account identification information" as key information.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the "point holding event identification information" of the corresponding user account is searched, the presence or absence of a point currently being held in the corresponding prepaid count is checked, and the latest "remaining number" is read ( S9-3). If no points are currently in the holding state, the point refund processing means 13
6 calculates the monetary value to be refunded to the user from the latest "remaining number" based on the exchange ratio between the prepaid points and the monetary value determined by the settlement processing system operator (S9-4).

Next, the point refund processing means 136 calls the settlement processing means 141, and the settlement processing means 141 uses the user settlement information and the settlement processing communication means 125 to calculate the value of the money to be refunded to the user. Move from the prepaid payment system of the invention to the user (S9)
-5). When this process is completed, the point refund processing unit 136 calls the information storage medium control unit 140 and performs “processing” using “user account identification information” as key information in the “user-specific cash management database” in the information storage medium 150. Register "Date" and "Money Amount" (S9-
6). The “processing date” is the completion time of the “settlement processing means”, and the “deposit / withdrawal amount” is the negative value of the money value transferred from the prepaid payment system of the present invention to the user by the payment processing means 141. register. When the above processing is completed, the point refund processing unit 136 further calls the information holding medium control unit 140 and
The user accesses the "prepaid point management database" in "0" and registers "processing date" and "account status" in the corresponding user account using "user account identification information" as key information (S9-7). The time at which the database was written is registered in “processing date”, and “0 (invalid)” is registered in “account state”.

After the above-mentioned processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the point refund processing notifying means 122 and sends the canceled "user account identification information" to the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200. The money value to be transmitted is transmitted (S9-8). If any points are currently in the holding state, the point refund processing unit 136 further calls the information storage medium control unit 140 to access the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150, and “user account identification”. With the “information” as key information, the “point holding event identification information” of the corresponding user account is searched, and the latest one of the expiration dates of the points in the holding state is read out as the “refund amount fixed date” (S9-9). .

When the above processing is completed, the point refund processing means 136 calls the information storage medium control means 140 to access the “prepaid point management database” in the information storage medium 150, and the “user account identification information” ”As key information,“ processing date ”,“ account status ”,“ remaining frequency ”
Is registered (S9-10). The time at which the database was written is registered in “processing date”, “−1 (temporarily invalid)” is registered in “account state”, and the latest “remaining number” is registered in “remaining number”.

After the above processing is completed, the system control means 130 calls the point refund processing notifying means 122 and sends the canceled "user account identification information" to the information processing means 220 of the user terminal 200; "Confirmed date" is transmitted to inform that the user account cannot be invalidated because there are points in the holding state (S9-11). The process in the prepaid credit phase in the user terminal 200 is as shown in FIG. A request for submission of the point operation target identification information SID and a presentation of the service contents are made to the service providing / charging apparatus 300 (S1), and a response is waited for (S2). When the SID is displayed (S3) and the budget frequency EP is determined and input (S4), a point hold request is transmitted to the settlement apparatus 100 (S3).
5). When the invalidation notification is received (S6), the fact is displayed and the process ends (S7). When the point shortage notification is received (S8), the fact is displayed and the process ends (S9). When the point hold notification is received (S10), a service providing request is transmitted to the service providing / charging apparatus 300 (S1).
1) The service is provided and the process ends (S12).

In the user terminal 200, as described above, the process shown in FIG. 14A is performed in the purchase phase, the process shown in FIG. 14B is performed in the transaction information reference phase, and the process shown in FIG. 14D, and the refund phase performs the process shown in FIG. 14D. The user terminal 200 can function by, for example, causing a computer to execute a program. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG.
0, a storage means 230, an input means 240 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display means 250, a memory 260 for storing an application program in which each processing shown in FIGS. 13 and 15 is described, and a basic operation program of a computer. A memory 270 and a CPU 280 are connected to a bus 290.

The user terminal 200 is functionally configured as shown in FIG. Communication means 210, storage means 230 for storing various identification information, etc., input means 240, display means 250, point purchase means 221, point hold request means 222, service provision request means 223, transaction status provision request means 224, point addition request Means 22
5. The refund requesting means 226 operates the respective means under the control means 227 in accordance with the input contents of the input means 240 and the received contents of the communication means 240 to perform transmission or display.

The processing of the prepaid credit phase in the service providing / charging apparatus 300 is as shown in FIG. That is, when a request for the point operation target identification information SID and a service content presentation request are received from the user terminal 200 (S3-1), the SID and a description of the service are read out from the information storage medium as needed, and the user terminal 20 is read.
0 (S3-2), when a service provision request is received from the user terminal 200 (S4-1), the corresponding service is provided within the range of the holding point HP, and the billing point CP for the provided service is determined. (S4-2), and stores the point holding event identification information HPID and CP in the information storage medium (S4-).
3). A point request processing request is transmitted to the settlement apparatus 100 (S5-1), and upon receiving an invalidation notification (S5-1).
1), displaying that fact and terminating (S5-1-2), and receiving a billing frequency excess notification (S5-1-3), displaying that the CP is equal to or greater than the holding frequency, and terminating (S5). -1-4). When the billing process notification is received, the confirmation process is performed and the process ends (S5-7).

The configuration of operating the service providing / charging apparatus 300 by causing a computer to execute a program is almost the same as that of the user terminal shown in FIG. 15, but the application program stored in the memory 260 corresponds to FIG. In order to perform the processing shown in FIG. The functional configuration is as shown in FIG.
0, service information processing means 320, payment information processing means 3
30, the information storage medium 340, the input means 350, the display means 360, the service providing means 370, the fee determining means 380 for determining the billing rate for the provided service, and the control means 390. It operates according to the reception content of the means 310 and transmits or
It performs display, reading and writing on the information storage medium 340, and the like.

When the settlement apparatus 100 receives the point holding request as shown in FIG. 19 (S3-
3) The information of the user account identification information UID in the prepaid point management database is read (S3).
-4), checking whether the account status is 1, if not 1, send an invalidation notification to the user terminal, and if 1, send an account point shortage notification to the user terminal 200 unless the budget frequency EP is smaller than the remaining frequency BP. (S3-5), EP <BP
If so, point holding event identification information HPI
D is generated (S3-6), EP is subtracted from BP, and BP
Then, information relating to holding is registered in the prepaid point management database of the UID, and the holding point EP = HP is set (S3-7). Thereafter, the completion of the point holding is communicated to the user terminal 200 (S3-8).

When the payment request is received by the settlement apparatus 100 (S5-1), as shown in FIG. 20, the information of the prepaid point management database of the UID is read (S5-2), and the account status becomes 0. If,
Service providing / charging device 3 for notifying user account invalidation
00 and ends (S5-3). If the status is not 0, it is checked whether the billing frequency CP is larger than the holding frequency HP, and if it is large, a billing frequency excess notification is transmitted to the service providing / charging apparatus 300 and the process is terminated (S5).
5). If CP> HP, the HP is added to the remaining number BP, and the CP is subtracted to update the BP. In association with this, the data is registered in the prepaid point management database of the UID (S5-6), A point request processing completion notification is transmitted to the service providing / charging apparatus 300, and the processing ends (S5-7).

When the point purchase request is received by the settlement apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 21, the desired purchase frequency and the corresponding monetary value are calculated (S2-1), and the calculated monetary value is displayed, for example, by the user. (S2-2), generates user account identification information UID (S2-3), registers it in the user-specific storage management database (S2-4), and furthermore stores the prepaid points. A column for the UID is provided in the management database, and the number of purchases, date and time, etc. are registered (S2-5), a point issuance notification is transmitted to the user terminal 200, and the process ends (S2-6).

In the case where a point refund request is received by the settlement apparatus 100, in the present invention, processing is divided depending on whether there is a point holding. Since it is easily understood from the overall description described above, the flow of the processing is shown in FIG.
And the description is omitted. The payment apparatus 100 can also be configured to operate by causing a computer to execute a program similarly to the user terminal 200. In the above description, in the prepaid credit phase, the settlement apparatus 100 performs registration of the point holding in the prepaid point management database (S3-7 in FIG. 6), and then notifies the completion of the point holding process by the holding frequency HP and the point holding event identification. Information HPI
Although sent to the user terminal 200 together with D, the holding frequency HP need not always be sent. Further, the holding frequency HP and the point holding event identification information HPID are transmitted as a set to the service providing / charging device 300, and the service providing / charging device 300 receives this and stores it in the information storage medium 340, and stores the user terminal 20
When the service provision request is received together with the point holding event identification information HPID from 0, the holding frequency HP in the information storage medium 340 is read using the received point holding event identification information HPID as a key, and the HPID is corresponded within the frequency HP. Service may be provided.

In the above description, the user determines the budget prepaid frequency, sends the budget frequency and user account identification information from the user terminal 200 to the settlement apparatus 100, and makes a point holding request. The UID is sent to the service providing / charging device 300 to request service provision. When the service providing / charging device 300 receives the request, the service providing / charging device 300 includes the budget frequency, user account identification information, and, if necessary, point operation target identification information SID. A point holding request is sent to the settlement apparatus 100, at least the budget of the remaining number of the user is held, and the point holding event identification information HPID is generated. Holding of the UID is completed. HPID decided When the service provision and charging device 300 from device 100 receives, to the user of the user terminal 200 within its budget power, it may be performed to provide services.

Alternatively, the budget prepaid frequency may be determined not by the user but by the service provider. In this case, for example, when the user makes a service providing request including the UID from the user terminal 200 to the service providing / charging apparatus 300, the service providing / charging apparatus 300 determines the service in advance or responds to the user. And UID, and SID if necessary
Is made to the settlement apparatus 100, and when the settlement apparatus 100 receives the notification that the holding has been performed from the remaining count of the user, the settlement apparatus 100 provides the user with a service within the budget count.

As described above, the point holding request from the user terminal 200 may be made directly to the settlement apparatus 100, or may be made to the settlement apparatus 100 via the service providing / charging apparatus 300. Further, in the above description, when the service providing / charging apparatus 300 determines the sales prepaid frequency, the service providing / charging apparatus 300 directly notifies the settlement apparatus 100 of the billing frequency and requests a point billing process. When determined, the user terminal 200 is notified, and the user terminal 200 sends the notified sales prepaid frequency, the UID, the HPID, and the SID, if necessary, to the settlement apparatus 100. When the settlement apparatus 100 receives this, it responds. Point request processing may be performed, and the processing result, that is, the HPID and the subtraction frequency may be notified to the service providing / charging apparatus 300. That is, the service providing / billing apparatus 300 may perform the point billing process to the settlement apparatus 100 via the user terminal 200.

As will be understood from the description of the summary of the invention, when a point holding request is made, not only the case where only budget points are put into the holding state, but also the whole remaining number BP of the UID at that time is put into the holding state. It may be. In short, at least budget points should be held. In the above, we provide services
Although it is assumed that there are a plurality of billing devices 300, the present invention can be applied to a single billing device. In the above, the transaction information reference phase, the prepaid point additional purchase phase,
The prepaid point refund processing phase may be omitted. The frequency required according to the provided service may be known from a pamphlet or the like.

[0075]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the prepaid point of the user who is going to receive the service is held at least by the budget frequency and the service is provided within the budget frequency, there is no danger that the service provider cannot collect the price for the service. In addition, the frequency is subtracted from the user's prepaid remaining count for each small service unit, and when the processing is completed, the service provision is repeated for each unit compared with the case where the service provision is repeated for the prepaid settlement system, the service provision system A pay-as-you-go service can be provided with a significantly smaller load.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an outline of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a payment device, a user terminal that assumes that the payment device provides a payment service, a service providing / charging device, and a system configuration including the payment device, the user terminal, and the service providing / billing device.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a prepaid payment device with a holding function of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a prepaid point management database as an information storage medium of the settlement apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example of information stored in a store-based storage management database in an information storage medium of a settlement apparatus; FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an example of information stored in a user-based storage management database;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a store registration phase and a prepaid point purchase phase in a payment processing operation processing procedure using the prepaid payment apparatus with a holding function of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing procedure in a prepaid credit phase.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing procedure in a prepaid billing phase.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of a sales payment phase and a transaction status reference phase.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing procedure in a prepaid point additional purchase phase.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing procedure in a prepaid point refund processing phase.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of account usage information displayed on the user device.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a prepaid credit phase of the user terminal 200;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing processing procedures in various phases of the user terminal.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration example when a user terminal 200 is operated by a computer.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a functional configuration example of a user terminal 200.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a service providing processing procedure in the service providing / charging apparatus 300.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a service providing / charging apparatus.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for a point holding request in the settlement apparatus 100.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for a point request processing request in the settlement apparatus 100.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for a point purchase request in the settlement apparatus.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for a point refund request in the settlement apparatus.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on front page (72) Inventor Katsumi Wakano 2-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F-term (reference) 5B049 BB11 DD04 FF03 GG02 GG04 GG07 5B055 KK07

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A payment device which issues a prepaid frequency to a user based on a monetary value paid by a user, manages the prepaid frequency of the user, and a sales prepaid frequency declared by the service provider device to the payment device. Is subtracted from the prepaid frequency held by the user, and in a prepaid payment method in which the monetary value based on the sales prepaid frequency is paid to the service provider, the holding of the budget prepaid frequency according to the value amount of the service that the user plans to use, The user terminal notifies the payment device of the request, and the payment device changes at least the budget prepaid frequency among the prepaid frequencies held by the user into a holding state in which addition / subtraction processing is prohibited, and sets the prepaid frequency in the holding state to the user terminal or the settlement. The device notifies the service provider's device The service provider's device notifies the settlement device of the sales prepaid frequency corresponding to the held prepaid frequency and requests point billing processing, and the payment device receives the point billing processing request and the sales prepaid frequency is held. A prepaid payment method comprising: confirming that the prepaid frequency is equal to or less than the prepaid frequency, releasing the holding state, and subtracting the sales prepaid frequency from the prepaid frequency held by the user. 2. Communication means for communicating with a service providing / charging apparatus, a settlement apparatus, and the like; storage means for storing user account identification information, point holding event identification information, budget prepaid frequency, etc .; Point holding request means for creating a point holding request including the prepaid frequency, service providing request means for creating a service providing request including the point holding event identification information, and the above means are controlled, and the point holding request is settled by the communication means. To the device, receive a holding notification including the point holding event identification information, and provide a service
A user terminal comprising: a control unit for transmitting to a billing device. 3. A point purchase request including a purchase desired prepaid frequency is provided. The control means causes the communication device to transmit the point purchase request to the settlement apparatus, and a point issuance process including the user account identification information and the remaining frequency. 3. The user terminal according to claim 2, wherein the user terminal receives the notification. 4. A communication means capable of communicating with a user terminal, a settlement apparatus, or the like, a storage means for storing a billing frequency and point holding event identification information, etc., and a service corresponding to the point holding event identification information of the service provision request. Service providing means for providing the service within the holding frequency, a charge determining means for determining the charging frequency for the provided service, and a point request processing request for creating a point request processing request including the point holding event identification information and the charging frequency. Means for controlling each of the means, causing the communication means to provide a service to the service provision request received by the communication means, storing the billing frequency and point holding event identification information in the storage means, and performing a point billing process. The request is sent to the payment Service providing and billing device having a control unit that, the. 5. A prepaid frequency is issued to a user based on the money value paid by the user, the prepaid frequency (remaining frequency) of the user is managed in a database, and a billing request is issued from a service providing / charging device. When the payment device that subtracts the sales prepaid frequency from the user's remaining frequency and pays the service provider a monetary value based on the sales prepaid frequency receives a point holding request including the budget frequency and user account identification information from the user terminal, At least the budget frequency in the remaining frequency for the user account identification information in the database is set to a holding state in which addition / subtraction processing is prohibited, the point holding event identification information is generated, and the point hole including the holding frequency and the point holding event identification information is generated. Din Point holding means for generating a notification and transmitting the user account identification information to the user terminal or the user terminal and the service providing / charging device, and receiving a point request processing request including the point holding event identification information and the billing frequency from the service providing / charging device. Then, the holding state of the point holding event identification information in the database is released, the billing frequency is subtracted from the prepaid frequency of the user, the result is set as a new remaining frequency of the corresponding user account identification information, and the point holding event identification is performed. And a point request processing means for transmitting a point request processing notification including the information and the subtracted frequency to the service providing / charging apparatus. 6. The holding in the point holding means is performed by subtracting the budget frequency from the remaining frequency,
The budget frequency is held as a holding frequency for which addition and subtraction processing is prohibited, and a new remaining frequency in the point request processing means is obtained by adding the holding frequency to the remaining frequency and subtracting the demand frequency. The settlement apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: 7. A process for receiving a point holding notification including point holding event identification information, a process for transmitting a service provision request including the point holding event identification information to a service providing / charging device, and the service providing / charging device. A recording medium on which is recorded a process for receiving service provision from a user terminal and a program for causing a computer of a user terminal to execute the process. 8. The program causing the computer to execute a process of receiving the input budget frequency and a process of transmitting a point holding request including the budget frequency, user account identification information, and point operation target identification information to the settlement apparatus. The recording medium according to claim 7, wherein: 9. The recording medium according to claim 8, wherein said budget request is included in said service provision request. 10. The computer causes the computer to execute: a process of receiving a billing rate from the service providing / charging device; and a process of transmitting a point billing processing request including the received billing frequency and point holding event identification information to the settlement device. 10. The recording medium according to claim 7, wherein the program includes a program. 11. A process of receiving a service provision request including point holding event identification information, providing a service corresponding to the point holding event identification information of the received service provision request within the holding frequency, and responding to the provision. Determine the number of charges
Processing for storing the point holding event identification information and the charge count in the storage means, and transmitting the point holding processing request including the point holding event identification information and the charge count to the settlement device. A recording medium on which a program to be executed is recorded. 12. A process for receiving a service providing request including user account identification information from a user terminal, transmitting a point holding request including the received user account identification information and budget frequency to a settlement apparatus, and identifying a point holding event. Receiving the point holding notification including the information and the user account identification information from the settlement apparatus, and providing the service corresponding to the received point holding event identification information to the user of the user terminal within the holding frequency and responding to the provision. Determining the requested holding frequency and storing the point holding event identification information and the requested frequency in the storage means; and transmitting a point request processing request including the point holding event identification information and the requested frequency to the settlement apparatus. Provision and billing Recording medium for recording a program to be executed by location of the computer. 13. A process of receiving a point purchase request including a desired purchase prepaid frequency, and receiving a point purchase request, generating user account identification information, and using the desired purchase prepaid frequency as a remaining frequency for each user account identification information in a database. A point issuance notification including the user account identification information and the remaining number of accounts, a process of transmitting to the terminal of the user who has made the purchase request; a process of receiving a point holding request including the budget frequency and the user account identification information; Upon receipt of the holding request, point holding event identification information is generated, at least the budget frequency in the remaining frequency of the user account identification information in the database is set to a holding state in which addition / subtraction processing is prohibited, and the point holding event identification information is changed. Memory Receiving from the service providing / charging device a process of transmitting the point holding notifying means including the point holding event identification information to the user terminal of the user account identification information, and receiving a point request processing request including the point holding event identification information and the billing frequency. When receiving the point request processing request, the holding state of the point holding event identification information in the database is released, and the request frequency is subtracted from the remaining frequency,
A recording medium for recording a program for causing a computer of a settlement apparatus to execute a process of transmitting a point billing process notification including a subtraction frequency and point holding event identification information to a service providing / charging apparatus, using the result as a new remaining number, and executing the following. 14. The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the processing at the time of receiving the point holding request includes transmitting the point holding event identification information and the holding frequency to a service providing / charging apparatus. 15. The holding state is defined as the remaining number obtained by subtracting the budget frequency from the remaining frequency, the remaining frequency is defined as a point holding frequency, and the holding status is defined as the holding frequency. 15. The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the holding frequency is added to the remaining frequency, and the demand frequency is subtracted from the remaining frequency, and the result is used as the new residual frequency.