JP2002133343A - Charging settlement management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to have a commercial transaction without being bound by a limiting amount or the like while decreasing a risk on fraud of credit card or the like. SOLUTION: A limit setting part 12 stores a cumulative limit amount and a cumulative limit number of times which are requested by the user on a second storing device 18, and a cumulative reset control part 14 resets a cumulative amount and a cumulative number of times. When a price payment request receiving part 11 receives price payment request data, an accumulation part 13 reads out the cumulative amount in a first storing device 17, adds a used amount included in the price payment request data and renew the cumulative amount. When either of the cumulative amount and the cumulative number of times exceeds the limit amount and the limit number of times, the cumulative reset control part 14 gives an instruction to stop receiving the price payment request data of the user in question to the price payment request receiving part 11 and inform the user of the fact. After that, when the cumulative amount and the cumulative number of times are reset by a request from the user, it becomes possible to receive the price payment request data. The limit amount or the like may be set at a lower amount and may reduce a risk on fraud since they may be reset by the user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a billing settlement for credit card use by a credit card company, or a telephone company or an Internet service provider accepting a bill for commercial transaction payment and adding it to a telephone charge or connection fee. In particular, the present invention relates to a charging and settlement management system that allows a user to reset at least one of the total amount and the total number of times in a charging and settlement in which a cumulative limit and a cumulative limit number are set.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the management of a conventional billing system related to the use of a credit card (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "card"), a limit is set for each user on the total amount of requests for payment for a certain period such as one month. A method of managing risks by setting a cumulative limit is adopted. In this case, even if the cardholder is a valid holder, if the amount of use of the card during the certain period exceeds the cumulative limit, the payment account management system will request the payment until the certain period elapses. The reception has been suspended and the card cannot be used.

In order to solve such inconvenience, it is conceivable to raise the cumulative limit. However,
If the cumulative limit is increased, the amount of damage will be increased when a card is lost or a card number or a password is stolen and the card is illegally used by another person. In particular, card users do not always check the payment request information and payment account information at a high frequency, and in fact there are many users who forget to check. If such a user delays in noticing the loss, the damage amount of the unauthorized use becomes the accumulated limit after the increase, and the damage amount becomes relatively large.

[0004] Furthermore, with the spread of the Internet, electronic commerce on the Internet has been activated. In such electronic commerce, it is an urgent problem to prevent unauthorized use of the card number by others. Therefore, as one method for that purpose, an improvement of the identification method has been considered. However, in order to ensure the identity verification method, a strict and complicated method must be adopted each time e-commerce is performed, and therefore, the complexity of the identification method hinders the convenience of e-commerce. There is fear. The problems related to the management of the billing and settlement related to the use of the card of the conventional example similarly occur when a telephone company or the like accepts a bill for payment for commercial transaction settlement and adds it to the telephone charge and performs a direct debit. Is to put it.

[0005] Therefore, in the billing and settlement management system, a user can perform a card or a commercial transaction relatively freely without being restricted by the accumulated limit or the like while minimizing the risk relating to unauthorized use. A proposal for a billing and settlement management system is awaited. An object of the present invention is to provide such a charging and settlement management system.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in a billing / payment management system managed by a computer according to the present invention, a receiving means for receiving charge payment request data and a use approval confirmation request; Each time the receiving means receives the payment request data for each user, at least one of the billing amount and the number of times is accumulated for each user to obtain a cumulative value, and the cumulative value obtained by the cumulative means is stored. A first storage unit, a limit setting unit that sets, for each user, a cumulative limit value that is at least one of a cumulative limit and a cumulative limit number of charge payment requests that can be used, and a limit setting unit. Second storage means for storing the accumulated limit value for each user, and accumulated reset control means for resetting the accumulated value stored in the first storage means. The cumulative value of the user stored in the means is compared with the cumulative limit value stored in the second storage means, and when the cumulative value exceeds the cumulative limit value, the use approval for the user is stopped. Instruct the reception means,
When you receive a cumulative reset request from the user,
A total reset control unit configured to reset the total value stored in the first storage unit, and an information providing unit that provides a user with information on the content of a bill payment request. I have.

[0007] In the billing and settlement management system described above, the limit setting means is provided with a plurality of limit value setting conditions selected by the user, or the limit value is set by the user's free setting. Is preferred. Further, the above-mentioned billing and settlement management system comprises means for setting an alarm line to a predetermined value less than the cumulative limit value, and the information providing means is provided when the cumulative value of the payment request exceeds the cumulative limit value and when the alarm is issued. It is preferable that the system be configured to notify the user of the information when the number of lines exceeds the line. Further, the above-mentioned billing / payment management system preferably includes means for stopping acceptance of a subsequent billing request in the name of the user when unauthorized use by another person is found, and when the cumulative limit is included as the limit value. In addition, there is a means for insuring a damage compensation contract for the amount of damage caused by unauthorized use by others up to the cumulative limit.

[0008] The accounting and payment management system can be connected to a user terminal or a member store terminal via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the information providing means is connected to the user or member store terminal via the network. The information incorporating the total reset request button is distributed, and the total reset means receives the total reset request returned by the user clicking the total reset request button displayed on the user terminal, It is configured to reset the cumulative value of the user. This makes it possible to easily and reliably reset the accumulated value.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a billing / payment management system 1 relating to billing / payment according to an embodiment of the present invention. 12, a totaling unit 13, a totalizing reset control unit 14, a notice creating unit 15, a mailing unit 16, a first storage device 17, and a second storage device 18.
The payment request receiving unit 11 is connected to an information communication center (not shown) such as CAFIS or CCT. The limit setting unit 12 and the mailing unit 16 are connected to a user terminal via a network such as the Internet 2. (User terminal) 3
And a member store terminal (member store terminal) 4.
In addition, the member store terminal 4 does not go through the Internet 2,
It may be connected to the charging and settlement management system 1 via a dedicated line. Limit setting unit 12 and total reset control unit 14
Is input not only information transmitted via the Internet 2 but also information input by an operator from an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard. In addition, the mailing unit 16 provides mail, fax,
The information is communicated to the user via communication means such as.

Each configuration in the accounting and payment management system 1 will be described in detail by taking as an example the case of managing accounting and payment related to the use of a card (credit card). The payment request receiving unit 11 receives, from each member store or the like, the payment payment data and the use approval confirmation, which are information on the user's use of the card, via an information communication center such as CAFIS or CCT (not shown). Then, the amount of the bill for each use included in the bill payment data is stored in the first storage device 17. As will be described later, the accumulated value accumulated by the accumulation unit 13 is also stored in the first storage device 17.
Is stored. Therefore, in the first storage device 17,
The database of the card usage history for each user is constructed.

The limit setting unit 12 sets the total limit and the total number of times that each user can use the card. The limit setting unit 12 sets a plurality of total limit amounts and a total limit number of setting conditions (for example, 10
A home page that displays 10,000 to 500,000 yen (4 to 10 times for every 100,000 yen) is provided. The user accesses the home page from the user terminal 3 and sets one cumulative limit based on the set conditions. By selecting the amount and the total number of times, the total amount and the total number of times are set interactively. In addition, instead of selecting from the set conditions, the limit and the number of times set uniformly (for example, 10 times for 500,000 yen), or an arbitrary total limit and the total number of times that the user desires can be set. Can also be set. Further, when the user applies by mail, applies at a counter, or applies by telephone or facsimile, the operator inputs the cumulative limit and the cumulative number of times via the input device.

The set total limit and total number of times set are stored in the second storage device 18 in association with the user, that is, the card number or the like. The second storage device 18 stores a user's address, age,
Various user information such as annual income and mail address is also stored. The setting of the total limit and the total limit number of times is based on the user's age and annual income stored in the second storage device 18 and the card usage history stored in the first storage device 17. You may make it set automatically.

The accumulating section 13 is for accumulating the amount and the number of times of use of the card payment request for each user. When the payment request receiving section 11 receives the card use payment data, By reading the total amount stored in the first storage device 17 and adding it to the usage amount for each user included in the price payment request data, and storing it again in the first storage device 17, the total amount is calculated. Update the amount. Further, the accumulating unit 13 updates the cumulative number by adding 1 to the cumulative number for each user stored in the first storage device 17. At the same time, the accumulator 13
Outputs the updated total amount and the total number of times to the total reset control unit 14.

When the cumulative amount and the cumulative number are transmitted from the cumulative unit 13, the cumulative reset control unit 14 reads the cumulative limit and the cumulative number of times of the corresponding user from the second storage device 18, and reads them. Compare with the total amount and the total number of times sent. Then, the total amount or the total number of times is the alarm line (for example, about 90% of the total amount or the total number of times).
, The total reset control unit 14 creates a “usage status notification” to the notification creation unit 15 to warn the user that the total amount or the total number is close to the maximum limit. Instruct Further, the cumulative reset control unit 1
4, when either the cumulative amount exceeds the cumulative limit or the cumulative number exceeds the cumulative number of times, the payment request receiving unit 11 requests the payment request receiving unit 11 for the user's card use. Instructed to stop accepting data, and at the same time, instructed the notice creation unit 15 to issue a "payment request acceptance stop notice", that is, the cumulative amount or the cumulative number exceeded the cumulative limit or the cumulative limit. This instructs the user to create a notice that the payment request acceptance has been suspended.

The notice creating unit 15 creates a "usage notice" and a "payment request acceptance stop notice", and further creates a "usage notice" according to an instruction from the cumulative reset control unit 14. I do. The mailing unit 16 stores the user's e-mail address, address, facsimile from the second storage device 18.
The number or the like is read out, and the created notice is distributed to the user's terminal 3 via the Internet 2 or notified by mail, facsimile, or the like. Note that the creation and distribution of the “usage notice” for issuing an alarm may be deleted in some cases.

The “usage status notice” and the “payment request acceptance stop notice” that are created by the notice creating unit 15 and distributed from the mailing unit 16 to the user terminal 3 via the Internet 2 respectively include “cumulative total”. A reset request button is incorporated. When the user looks at the notice displayed on the user terminal 3 and clicks the "total reset request button", the "total reset request" is transmitted from the user terminal 3 to the Internet. 2 and is returned to the mailing unit 15. When the “total reset request” is returned, the request is transferred to the total reset controller 14, whereby the total reset controller 14 stores the total amount of the corresponding user stored in the first storage device 17. And reset the total number of times.
The “payment of payment request acceptance stop notice” may be delivered to the terminal 4 of the member store currently used by the user, and the user may return “total reset request”.

On the other hand, mailing or faxing mailing section 16
The `` Usage Status Notification '' and the `` Payment of Payment Request Acceptance Suspension Notification '' notified by the company have a reply column, and indicate in the reply column that the user intends to make a cumulative reset request. Mail or fax the notice. When the operator confirms the intention to reset the limit and the limit number by the returned notification, the operator operates the input device, and the user's total amount and the total amount in the first storage device 17 via the total reset control unit 14. Reset the total number of times. Also when the user goes to the counter and applies for reset of the limit and the limit number of times, it is also input by the operator.

When resetting the total amount and the total number of times, it is necessary to strictly confirm the identity in order to prevent the risk of unauthorized use by others. Therefore, when requesting a reset via the Internet 2, the user is required to enter a complicated password, a password, a digital signature, and the like. It is desirable to employ personal authentication means such as biometric authentication such as retinal collation and voiceprint collation. For a reset request by telephone, it is preferable to input a personal identification number or the like, or to perform personal authentication by voiceprint collation. Further, with respect to a reset request at the counter, personal identification means such as a license display may be employed.

As described above, when the total amount or the total number of times the user uses the card has reached the limit (or
In the case where the limit is approached, the accumulated amount and the accumulated number can be cleared or reset only when requested by the user. Therefore, by resetting the total amount and the total number of times, a legitimate user can use the card again, while an unauthorized user can only use the card at the maximum amount or the maximum number of times. It is.
From such a viewpoint, it is preferable to set the total limit and the total number of times relatively low, and reset the total amount and the total number of times when the total amount or the total number of times reaches the limit. The risk of the user using the card can be minimized. In addition, the reset of the total does not substantially hinder a valid user from using the card.

The notice creating unit 15 creates a "usage notice" from all the payment request data received after the previous reset. The "usage statement" is distributed from the mailing unit 16 to each user terminal 3 via the Internet 2 or notified to each user via communication means such as mail or FAX. The "usage statement" may be created every predetermined period regardless of whether or not the total amount and the total number of times have been reset, and may be notified about one week before the debit date.

When distributing via the Internet 2,
A "confirmation button" and a "confirmation rejection button" may be incorporated in the "usage statement" and distributed. In this case, when the user clicks the “confirmation button” in the “use statement notification” displayed on the user terminal 3, a “confirmation signal” is returned to the charging and settlement management system 1, while the “confirmation rejection button” Is clicked, a "confirmation rejection signal" is returned to the billing / payment management system 1, and the system determines that the unauthorized use of the card by another person has been included in the "usage statement notice", and At 11, the reception of the payment request data and the use approval confirmation for the user is stopped. By the date of debit (or the day before),
If neither the "confirmation signal" nor the "confirmation rejection signal" is returned, it is processed as if the user has confirmed. The account settlement management system 1 notifies the financial institution that the total amount described in the usage statement is to be withdrawn from the user's account on the account debit date, and when the financial institution executes the account debit, The result is notified to the charging and settlement management system 1.

The operation of the billing and settlement management system shown in FIG. 1 is clear from the above description, but the basic operation concerning the setting and resetting of the cumulative amount of use and the cumulative number of times of a certain user, which is executed in the system. The operation is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Note that the cumulative limit and the cumulative number of times are represented by Xmax and Kmax, respectively. After the reset, the payment request receiving unit 1
1, the number of the payment request received is represented by K (where K = 0, 1, 2,..., Kmax-1, Kmax), and the charge amount of the K-th reception of the payment request data is x (K), Assume that the accumulated amount is represented by X (K).

In step S1, the limit setting unit 12
However, the total limit Xmax and the total limit Kmax applied by the user are stored in the second storage device 18, and the total reset control unit 14 sets the total amount and the total count to X (K) = 0.
And K = 0, that is, reset. This enables the payment request receiving unit 11 to receive a payment request for the user. And step S
In 2, the cumulative reset control unit 14 increments K by 1 (K = K + 1), and in step S3, the payment request receiving unit 11 waits for reception of the Kth payment data of the user. Upon receiving the K-th payment request data, in step S4, the accumulator 13 reads out the accumulated amount X (K-1) in the first storage device 17, and reads the X (K-1).
Is added to the usage amount x (K) included in the price payment request data, that is, X (K) = X (K-1) + x (K) is calculated, and the total amount X (K) is calculated. Update.

Thereafter, in step S5, the total reset control unit 14 stores the total amount X (K) and the total number K stored in the first storage device 17 into the limit value stored in the second storage device 18. Compare with Xmax and the limit number Kmax. As a result of the comparison, when neither the total amount nor the total number of times exceeds the limit, that is, X (K) ≦ Xmax and K ≦
In the case of Kmax, the charge payment request receiving unit 11 is instructed to receive the charge payment request data, and the process returns to step S2 to update the total number of times in the first storage device 7 by K = K + 1, and then to step S4. Waits for the arrival of new payment request data.

In step S5, if the accumulated amount exceeds the accumulated limit or the accumulated number exceeds the accumulated limit number, that is, if X (K)> Xmax or K> Kmax, the process proceeds to step S6. The cumulative reset control unit 14
The payment request receiving unit 11 is instructed not to receive the payment request data of the user, whereby the payment request reception of the user is stopped. With it,
The cumulative reset control unit 14 instructs the notice creation unit 15 to create a “payment request acceptance stop notice”. In step S7, the notice creating unit 15 determines
A “payment of payment request acceptance stop notice” incorporating the “total reset request button” is created and distributed to the user terminal 3 via the Internet 2 from the mailing unit 16. In addition, as described above, "Notice of payment payment request suspension"
May be notified to the user by mail or by fax.

Next, in step S8, the total reset control unit 14 determines whether or not the "total reset request" has been returned from the user via the mailing unit 16, and the "total reset request" is returned. Wait until. If you receive a “request for total reset,”
In step S9, the total amount X (K) and the total number K stored in the first storage device 17 are cleared to zero, and in step S10, an instruction to cancel the reception stop is sent to the payment request receiving unit 11. Accordingly, the payment request receiving unit 11 can receive the payment data. The process returns from step S10 to step S2, and repeats steps S2 to S10 described above. If necessary, a limit may be set for only one of the total amount and the total number of times, and only whether or not the total amount or the total number of times has reached the limit may be monitored.

In the above description, an example in which the accounting settlement management system 1 communicates with the user terminal 3 via the Internet 2 when resetting the total amount and the total number of times has been described. The user may communicate with the terminal 4 of the member store using the card, and the user may notify the billing and settlement management system 1 of the “total reset request” from the terminal 4 of the member store. In this way, if a user tries to use a card at a member store and the card usage at that time exceeds the total limit or the total number of times, the total amount or total number of times must be reset. Thus, the card can be used immediately, and the card can be used substantially continuously.

The charging and settlement management system for card use and its operation have been described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. However, in the above system, a telephone company or an Internet connection company or the like requests a payment for e-commerce settlement. It will be apparent that the present invention can be applied as a billing and settlement management system in the case where a bill is added to a telephone charge or a connection charge. It is also possible to grant a “damage guarantee contract” for the amount of damage caused by unauthorized use up to the cumulative limit, and in this case, it is possible to set to apply when applying for the cumulative limit.

As described above, in the billing / payment management system of the present invention, the authorized user of a card or the like can reset the accumulated amount and the accumulated number. The number of times can be set to a relatively low value. Therefore, the risk of unauthorized use by others can be minimized, and purchases of goods and information can be made without being substantially limited by the cumulative limit and the cumulative number of times. Therefore, the convenience of using billing and settlement is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a charging and settlement management system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation in the charging and settlement management system shown in FIG. 1;

Claims (7)

[Claims] In a billing and settlement management system managed by a computer, a receiving means for receiving payment request data and a usage approval confirmation request, and a charge amount each time the receiving means receives the payment payment request data for each user Accumulating means for accumulating at least one of the number and the number of times for each user to obtain a cumulative value; first memory means for storing the cumulative value obtained by the cumulative means; Limit setting means for setting, for each user, a cumulative limit value which is at least one of the cumulative limit number of times, and a second storage means for storing the cumulative limit value for each user set by the limit setting means; A total reset control unit for resetting the total value stored in the first storage unit, wherein the total value of the user stored in the first storage unit is stored in the second storage unit. When the cumulative value exceeds the cumulative limit value, and when the cumulative value exceeds the cumulative limit value, the receiving means is instructed to stop the use approval for the user and when a cumulative reset request is received from the user. And a total reset control means configured to reset the total value stored in the first storage means, and an information providing means for providing a user with information on the contents of a request for payment. Billing and settlement management system. 2. The charge settlement management system according to claim 1, wherein the limit setting means includes a plurality of limit value setting conditions selected by a user. 3. The charge settlement management system according to claim 1, wherein the limit setting means is configured to set a limit value by a user's free setting. 4. The billing and settlement management system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for setting an alarm line to a predetermined value less than a cumulative limit value; A billing / payment management system, wherein the information is notified to the user when the total value of payment request reception exceeds the total limit value and when the total value exceeds the alarm line. 5. The billing / payment management system according to claim 4, wherein the information providing means is configured to deliver information incorporating a cumulative reset request button to a user or a member store terminal via a network. The cumulative reset means resets the cumulative value of the user when the cumulative reset request returned by clicking the cumulative reset request button displayed on the terminal of the user or the member store is received by the user. A billing / payment management system characterized by being configured as described above. 6. The charging and settlement management system according to claim 1, wherein the system further stops accepting a subsequent billing request in the name of the user when unauthorized use by another person is found. A billing and settlement management system comprising means. 7. The charging and settlement management system according to claim 1, wherein the limit value includes at least a cumulative limit, and the system further includes a damage limit for an unauthorized use by another person up to the cumulative limit. A billing / payment management system comprising means for securing a compensation contract.