JP2002222354A - Method and system for point processing of credit card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and a system for effective point processing in financial services such as revolving payment, payment in installments, and loan by a credit card. SOLUTION: When a member buys goods in a member shop by revolving payment (101), sales data including his or her card number and sale proceeds are sent from a terminal of the member shop to a credit card system (102). When the member uses card loan on an automatic transaction machine (103), card loan performed data including his or her card number and a loan are sent from the automatic transaction machine to the credit card system (104). A remaining available loan is updated on the basis of these data, and points are calculated in monthly closing processing on the basis of the remaining available loan (105). Processing which gives a privilege to the member in accordance with point use registration (111) is performed (112).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a system for processing points for giving a privilege to a member according to use of a credit card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, in shopping using a credit card, a point system has been implemented in which points are given to members according to the use thereof and members receive benefits according to the number of accumulated points.

The following forms are known as the point system according to the prior art, for example. When a credit card member makes a payment using a credit card during shopping at a member store, the card number recorded on the magnetic stripe of the credit card is read by the member store terminal, and the clerk of the member store When necessary information such as the sales amount is input to the member store terminal, the member store terminal generates credit sales data including at least the card number and the sales amount, and the credit sales data is transmitted to the member store terminal through a communication line or the like. From the host computer of the credit card system.

[0004] The host computer of the credit card system creates billing statement data for the member based on the credit sales data, and creates account withdrawal data for withdrawing the billing amount from the member's settlement financial institution account. And a process of calculating the number of points to be given to the member. The following is an example of a point calculation method. For example, there is a method of giving a certain point to one sales data. Further, for example, there is a method of giving a fixed point for each predetermined sales amount. Further, points may be calculated by using a plurality of methods in combination. In addition, as a source of benefits provided by the credit card company, a part of a card usage fee, which is the income of the credit card company, is applied. Therefore, a calculation method is often used in which the number of points corresponds to the amount of the commission income.

[0005] Information about the calculated points is printed on a billing statement every fixed period (for example, every month) and sent to the member, or from the credit card system to the member terminal device via the communication network. Or provided. The member can know the number of points given to the member by referring to the information. Also, by applying separately, the points can be exchanged for various benefits.

[0006]

In the above prior art, points are only given according to the number of sales and the amount of sales based on the sales data of shopping. Regarding shopping settlement services, the point system as described above motivated members to use credit cards. However, other services provided by credit card companies should be promoted as in the point system above. There was no mechanism to be implemented continuously for the long term.

[0007] In addition to settlement by one-time payment, the credit card company, for example, revolving payment in which a member repays a predetermined amount in principle every month from the balance of shopping use, or repayment by dividing the amount of shopping use into predetermined times It provides services such as payment in installments and card loans that lend cash, and it is desirable to create a mechanism for appropriately returning benefits to users for these various services.

[0008] However, applying the system for giving points according to the number of cases and the sales amount to services other than lump-sum payment using the conventional technology as it is is not always effective because the following problem occurs. In other words, for example, in the case of revolving payment, it is unfair to give the same point to members who repay little by little over the long term and members who finish repayment in the short term for shopping with a certain sales amount, There is a problem that the number of points corresponding to the interest income, which is the source of funds, is not given.
Further, there is a problem that a member may use revolving payment only for the purpose of earning points and actually repay the entire amount immediately after use. In other words, despite the fact that it is desirable for credit card companies that members continue to use these services and maintain their usage balance, which is desirable because it will increase interest income, it is only the number and amount of money used Calculating the number of points based on this and granting the privilege does not motivate the member to maintain the balance.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a method and a system for processing effective points in revolving payment, installment payment, and loan using a credit card. .

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a point calculating step of calculating the number of points to be given to a member based on the data of the loan balance of each member, and the point calculating step. And a point use registration step of executing a process of giving a privilege to the member based on the number of points calculated in (1).

In the credit card point processing method according to the present invention, the loan balance includes a credit card shopping revolving payment balance, and at least revolving payment sales data including data of a credit card number and a sales amount. And renewing the revolving payment balance associated with the credit card number based on the sales amount.

In the credit card point processing method of the present invention, the loan balance includes a credit card shopping installment balance, and receives installment sales data including at least a credit card number and sales amount data. Then, there is provided an installment balance updating step of updating the installment balance associated with the credit card number based on the sales amount.

In the credit card point processing method according to the present invention, the loan balance includes a credit card card loan balance, and receives card loan execution data including at least data of a credit card number and a loan amount. And a card loan balance updating step of updating the card loan balance associated with the credit card number based on the loan amount.

Further, the credit card point processing method of the present invention has a point inquiry processing step of notifying the point information calculated in the point calculation step to an inquiry source in accordance with the point inquiry request data. And

[0015] In the credit card point processing method of the present invention, the point inquiry processing step includes:
An automatic teller machine having a function of executing a card loan, which reads credit card number data from a credit card and displays the point information associated with the credit card number on the automatic teller machine. It is characterized by.

In the credit card point processing method according to the present invention, in the point calculation step, the number of points is calculated based on an average value of the loan balance in a predetermined period to be calculated. .

Further, in the credit card point processing method of the present invention, in the point calculation step, the number of points is calculated based on the loan balance at the end of a predetermined period to be calculated.

Further, according to the present invention, the number of points to be given to a member is calculated based on the data of the loan balance of each member, and the data of the calculated number of points is recorded on a recording medium for each member. A credit card point processing system for executing a process of giving a privilege to the member based on the number of points recorded in the credit card.

Further, the present invention provides a point calculation step of calculating the number of points to be given to the member based on the loan balance data of each member, and a privilege for the member based on the number of points calculated in the point calculation step. The gist of the present invention is a credit card point processing program for causing a computer to execute each processing of a point use registration process of executing a given processing.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of a point process according to the embodiment. Less than,
This will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as indicated by reference numeral 101, a member performs shopping by revolving payment using a credit card at a member store. The credit card is provided with a magnetic stripe, and data such as a credit card number and a card expiration date is recorded on the magnetic stripe. Note that an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip may be provided in the credit card instead of the magnetic stripe, and similar data may be recorded in a memory on the IC chip.

The person in charge of the member store operates the member store terminal installed in the member store to operate the magnetic stripe or I
While reading the data recorded in the C chip, the sales amount data of the shopping is input to the member store terminal. Then, as shown at 102, data (revolving payment sales data) including at least the credit card number and the sales amount is sent from the member store terminal to the credit card system of the credit card company.
In response to this, the credit card system performs processing of accounting for sales by revolving payment, and increases the revolving payment balance of the member of the card number.

As shown by 103, the member uses a card loan. The procedure for executing this card loan is
A member is an ATM, Automated Teller operated by a credit card company or affiliated financial institution.
Machine). In response to the operation, the automated teller machine reads data such as a card number recorded on the credit card, and as shown at 104, data including the card number and the entered loan amount (card loan execution data) Is sent to the credit card system and the cash is paid out. The credit card system receiving the data increases the card loan balance and performs necessary processing such as determination of an applicable interest rate and creation of data on a repayment schedule.

When a repayment is made from a member,
The processing for reducing the revolving balance, the card loan balance, and the like described above is performed.

Then, a monthly closing process is executed in the credit card system on a predetermined date every month. The monthly closing process includes a process of calculating points to be given to each member. The point calculation process includes a process of calculating points based on the revolving payment balance during the processing month, and a process of calculating points based on the card loan balance. Information on the calculated points is written in the member data as shown at 105. Although not shown in FIG. 1, a process of calculating points based on the installment balance may also be performed, with the shopping balance resulting from the fixed number of installments being subject to point provision. The installment balance, the revolving balance, and the card loan balance are collectively called a loan balance. In addition, the points to be awarded may be calculated based on the loan balance at the end of the period (end of the period) covered by the month-end processing, or the average loan balance of the daily balance within the same month may be calculated. The calculation may be based on the basis.

Next, the credit card system has 10
As shown in FIG. 6, the information of the points written in the member data is read out, and this is printed on the statement for billing the member. This specification is sent to the member as shown at 107, so that the member can know his / her own point number.

When the member terminal transmits the point inquiry request data as shown at 108, the credit card system reads out the point information from the member data as shown at 109 and transmits this information as shown at 110. Notify the referrer member terminal. In this way, the member can know his / her own point number at any time by operating the member terminal. Here, the member terminal is a computer terminal, a mobile phone terminal, a fixed telephone terminal, or the like, and the credit card system and the member terminal are:
As described below, they can communicate with each other via a network.

Then, the member registers the use of the points given to the member in order to obtain a privilege provided by the credit card company based on the above-mentioned specification and information on the point introduction result. Here, a case will be described as an example where a preferential interest rate regarding a card loan is given as a privilege.
The use registration data is sent from the member terminal to the credit card system as indicated by 111. In response, the credit card system updates the member data as indicated by 112 and subtracts a predetermined number of points corresponding to the privilege from points accumulated by the member. In addition, a preferential interest rate to be applied to the card loan of the member is calculated, information such as an interest rate condition is written in the member data, and processing for notifying the member of a contract change is performed as shown at 113.

Next, a computer system for realizing the above point processing method will be described. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a credit card system according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, the credit card system 1 includes a member store subsystem 3, a member subsystem 4, a financial institution subsystem 5, and an input terminal 17. Merchant subsystem 3
It is connected to a member store terminal 51 installed in each member store via a network 41. Financial Institution Subsystem 5
Is connected via a network 42 to an automatic teller machine of the credit card company or partner financial institution. In addition, the front end for members
b server 11 and an automatic voice response system (IVR, Intera
ctive Voice Response System) 12 is provided. As data, at least the member data 21
And sales data 22 and loan data 23.

Transmission of shopping sales data by revolving payment or the like from member store terminal 51 (102 in FIG. 1)
Is performed via the network 41 and is accumulated in the sales data 22 by the affiliated store subsystem 3. Also,
Transmission of the card loan data from the automatic teller machine 52 of the partner financial institution or the like (104 in FIG. 1) is performed via the network 42, and is stored in the loan data 23 by the financial institution subsystem 5.

The point inquiry (10) shown in FIG.
Procedures for 8) and point use registration (111) can be performed by various terminals on the member side.
Then, as a result of this procedure, the member data 21 is updated. The member subsystem 4 has a point inquiry function and a point use registration function for performing these processes.

When the above procedure is performed by the computer terminal 32, the computer 32 is connected to the Web server 11 via a network such as the Internet, so that input is performed from an input screen displayed on the computer terminal 32.

When the above procedure is performed by the telephone terminal 34 (a conventional telephone terminal for voice band communication), the telephone terminal 34 dials a predetermined number to call the automatic voice response system 12 and According to the guidance message sent from the voice response system 12, numerical data is input by a push button operation or a human voice. When a human voice is used here, the automatic voice response system converts the voice into numerical data using voice recognition technology.

When this is performed by the portable telephone terminal 33, a method similar to any of the above is used by connecting to either the Web server 11 or the automatic voice response system 12. Note that, when connecting to the Web server 11 from the mobile phone terminal 33, for example, an Internet connection service provided by a mobile phone provider is used.

It is also possible to carry out a point use registration procedure using the document 31, in which case the document 3
1 is sent from the member to the credit card company, and an input relating to point use registration is made from the input terminal 17 on the credit card company side.

Next, main data related to the point processing method will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of sales data and an example of data in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the sales data is configured as tabular data, and includes at least a card number 71, a sales date 72, a member store number 73, a sales amount 74, a payment method 75, and a number of divisions 76. Have items. When a member goes shopping at a member store using a credit card, a row (record) is added to the sales data. In the sales data illustrated in FIG. 3, the payment method 75 is “collective” (collective payment) in the line indicated by reference symbol A1, the payment method 75 is “split” (installment payment) in the line indicated by A2, and the payment method 75 is indicated in the line indicated by A3. Is "Revo" (pay revolving).

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of loan data and an example of data in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the loan data is configured as tabular data, and includes at least items of a card number 81, a date 82, a type 83, and an amount 84. A row is added to this loan data when a member receives a loan by a card loan at a credit card company or an automatic teller machine of a partner financial institution, or when the card loan is repaid. In the loan data illustrated in FIG.
In each row indicated by reference symbols B1 and B2, the type 83 is “rented”.
In the row indicated by B3, the type 83 is “repayment”.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing a structure and an example of member data in the present embodiment. The member data is configured as data of a plurality of tables. FIG. 5A shows point information, and FIG. 5B shows privilege information. As shown in FIG. 5A, the point information has at least items of a card number 91, a date 92, a type 93, and a point 94. As shown in FIG. 5B, the score information includes at least items of a card number 91, a start date 97, an end date 98, and a content 99. In the member data (point information) illustrated in FIG. 5A, the type 93 is “accumulated” in each line indicated by reference numerals C1 to C4, and this is given to the member in the monthly closing process corresponding to each line. Indicates that points have been accumulated. Further, in the line indicated by C5, the type 93 is "use", which indicates that the member used points for obtaining the privilege in the relevant month and month, and was reduced from the accumulated points. .

The member data shown in FIG. 5 is created in accordance with the data shown in FIGS. As an example, a method of calculating a point represented by a line indicated by reference numeral C1 in FIG. 5A will be described below. In this example, 2000
Monthly closing for January of the year is 2 from December 16, 1999.
The transaction shall be conducted for the period up to January 15, 2000. It is also assumed that the loan balance of the target member at the time of the month-end closing process in the previous month was “0”.

The lines A1 to A3 in the sales data in FIG. 3 all relate to the same card number. Of these three lines, A2 and A3 for which the payment method 75 is "split" or "revolve" Has an effect on the loan balance at the time of the monthly closing process in January. 4 of the loan data in FIG.
The card numbers of the rows 1 to B3 are also the same as the above card numbers, and the amounts of the rows B1 to B3 affect the loan balance at the time of the monthly closing process in January. Then, calculation is performed according to the following formula. That is, the awarded points are calculated based on the loan balance.

(January lending balance) = 0 (Last month lending balance) +102900 (A2, installment sales) +220500 (A3, revolving payment sales) −0 (January installment repayment) −0 (January repayment repayment) +100000 (B1, card loan lending) +30000 (B2, card loan lending) -40000 (B3, card loan repayment) = 413400 (January award points) = (January lending balance) / 10,000 = 41 (fractions are rounded down)

Then, the point "41" calculated as described above is accumulated as a point in the row indicated by C1 in FIG.

Similarly, as illustrated in FIG.
From February 2000 to April 2000, the points “37” (C2), “51” (C3), and “40” (C
4) is accumulated. Here, the total number of accumulated points from January to April is “169”, and C5
The row indicated by “” indicates “10” among the points accumulated by the members.
0 "is used. FIG. 5 (b)
Row D1 indicates that as a result of the use of the points, the member has obtained an interest rate preferential treatment corresponding to the number of points as a privilege.

Here, an example has been described in which a member is given preferential interest as a benefit by using points, but the processing of the computer may be controlled so that other benefits are given. Although computer processing that realizes various benefits other than interest rate incentives can be considered, as an example, the amount according to the number of points used by members,
Appropriate for the interests and fees that the member should pay,
Processing that reduces the amount charged to the member can be mentioned.

Next, an additional configuration of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration for realizing point inquiry from the automatic teller machine in the computer system realizing the above-mentioned point processing method. The operation method of the configuration shown in FIG. 6 is as follows.
The automatic teller machine 52 is provided with a magnetic stripe or an IC on the credit card of the member according to the operation of the member.
Data such as a card number is read from the chip, and a point inquiry request with the card number is transmitted to the financial institution subsystem 5 via the network 42. The financial institution subsystem 5 refers to the point information of the member data 21 via the point inquiry function 48 in the member subsystem 4 in response to the above point inquiry request from the automatic teller machine 52, and designates it. Earn the accumulative point number of the member. Then, the data on the number of accumulated points is returned from the financial institution subsystem 5 to the automatic teller machine 52 and displayed on the screen. With such a configuration, even if the member does not own the terminal device, it is possible to inquire the number of points. In addition, the member can further increase points by borrowing with a card loan on the spot and increasing the balance in accordance with the result of the inquiry at the automatic teller machine 52, thereby improving convenience. I do.

Although FIG. 6 shows a structure for inquiring points from the automatic teller machine, the present invention is not limited to the automatic teller machine, but may be implemented by devices installed in various places such as storefronts and street corners of member stores. A similar point inquiry may be made by reading a credit card number.

The above-described credit card system is realized by a computer. The processes such as the above-described shopping sales process, card loan lending process, monthly closing process, point inquiry process, point use registration process, and the like are stored in a computer-readable recording medium in the form of a program. The above processing is performed by the computer reading and executing this program. Here, the computer-readable recording medium refers to a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a magnetic hard disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like. Further, sales data, loan data, and member data are recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic disk, and the computer writes and reads data recorded on these recording media according to the program.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and a design or the like may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. included. In particular, the system configuration shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 and the data configuration shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 are only examples of the many possible configurations for implementing the present invention. For example, changing the subsystem configuration in the system, changing the data structure to something other than the table format, changing the interface to the member for the member's procedure, etc. are described in the above “range not departing from the gist of the invention”. include.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the revolving payment and the installment payment for shopping and the card loan have been described as specific examples of the finance service. However, the present invention is applicable to other finance services. Alternatively, a point program may be realized.

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention, the number of points to be given to a member is calculated based on the data of the loan balance of each member, and a privilege is given to the member based on the calculated number of points. To perform the processing,
It is possible to provide an effective point program in finance services such as revolving payment, installment payment, and loan using a credit card. That is, in the prior art, points are provided according to shopping use (approach), whereas in the present invention, points are provided according to the balance. Also,
Appropriate points can be given to the income of the credit card company that is the source of the privilege. As a result, the pleasure of accumulating points and acquiring benefits is increased for credit card members. For credit card companies, preferential treatment of heavy users makes it possible to further secure the use of finance services or motivate them to continue repetition, leading to an increase in income.
Further, by making it possible to exchange the accumulated points for a privilege particularly preferred by users of finance services, such as preferential interest rates, the above-mentioned effect becomes more remarkable.

According to the present invention, since the loan balance includes a shopping revolving payment balance, an installment payment balance, a card loan balance, etc., each balance is updated based on shopping sales data or card loan execution data. As a result, a point program can be realized in various finance services.

Further, according to the present invention, since the point inquiry processing step of notifying the point information to the inquiry source in accordance with the point inquiry request data, the card member can operate his / her own terminal device only by operating various terminal devices. The point accumulation status can be grasped.

Further, according to the present invention, in an automatic teller machine having a function of executing a card loan process, data of a credit card number is read from a credit card, and the point information associated with the credit card number is converted to the point information. Since the information is displayed on the automatic teller machine, the member can make a transaction such as a card loan using the automatic teller machine on the spot where the point accumulation status is inquired. Therefore, the member can easily perform a transaction for obtaining points enough to obtain a desired privilege, for example.

Further, according to the present invention, since the number of points is calculated based on the average value of the loan balance during the predetermined period to be calculated, the relationship between the interest paid by the member and the earned points is almost proportional. As a result, members feel fair about the relationship between the degree of use of finance services and the points obtained thereby.

Further, according to the present invention, since the number of points is calculated based on the loan balance at the end of the predetermined period to be calculated, it is possible for the member to predict the earned points without requiring a complicated calculation, This has the advantage of being easy to understand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of a point process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a credit card system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a structure and an example of data of sales data according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a structure and data example of loan data according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a structure and a data example of member data according to the embodiment. (A) is point information,
(B) shows privilege information.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an additional configuration of the credit card system according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Credit card system 3 Membership system subsystem 4 Membership subsystem 5 Financial institution subsystem 11 Web server 12 Automatic voice response system (IVR) 17 Input terminal 31 Document 32 Computer terminal 33 Mobile telephone terminal 34 Telephone terminal 41, 42 Network 48 Point inquiry function 51 Merchant terminal 52 Automatic teller machine

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A point calculation step of calculating the number of points to be given to a member based on data of the loan balance of each member, and a process of giving a privilege to the member based on the number of points calculated in the point calculation step. A credit card point processing method. 2. The loan balance includes a revolving payment balance for shopping by a credit card. Upon receiving revolving payment sales data including at least data of a credit card number and a sales amount, the credit balance is determined based on the sales amount. 2. The credit card point processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a revolving payment balance updating step of updating the revolving payment balance associated with a card number. 3. The loan balance includes a credit card shopping installment balance, receives at least installment sales data including data of a credit card number and a sales amount, and determines the credit card number based on the sales amount. 3. The credit card point processing method according to claim 1, further comprising an installment balance updating step of updating the installment balance associated with the credit card. 4. The loan balance includes a credit card credit balance. The card loan execution data including at least the credit card number and the loan amount data is received, and the credit card number is determined based on the loan amount. The credit card point processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a card loan balance updating step of updating the card loan balance associated with the credit card. 5. A point inquiry processing step of notifying an inquiry source of the point information calculated in the point calculation step in accordance with the point inquiry request data. The credit card point processing method described. 6. The point inquiry processing step includes reading data of a credit card number from a credit card in an automatic teller machine having a function of executing card loan processing, and retrieving the point information associated with the credit card number. 6. The credit card point processing method according to claim 5, wherein the credit card is displayed on the automatic teller machine. 7. The point calculation step according to claim 1, wherein the number of points is calculated based on an average value of the loan balance during a predetermined period to be calculated. Credit card point processing method. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the point calculating step, the number of points is calculated based on the loan balance at the end of a predetermined period to be calculated.
7. The credit card point processing method according to any one of items 1 to 6. 9. A method for calculating the number of points to be given to the member based on the data of the loan balance for each member, recording the data on the calculated number of points on a recording medium for each member,
A credit card point processing system for executing a process of giving a privilege to the member based on the number of points recorded on the recording medium. 10. A point calculating step of calculating the number of points to be given to the member based on the data of the loan balance of each member, and a process of giving a privilege to the member based on the number of points calculated in the point calculating step. A credit card point processing program that causes a computer to execute each process of the point use registration process.