JP2003006716A - Article of commerce purchasing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article of commerce purchasing system, with which it is not necessary for a user to charge a call tariff to a center by unnecessitating the call from the user when purchasing an article in a cashless article vending system or purchasing system for the user to use his/her own terminal equipment for purchasing the article. SOLUTION: This automatic vending system is provided with a portable telephone set 1 storing a portable telephone set identification code 11, a transmitting unit 3 storing a transmitting unit identification code 31, a transmitting/ receiving unit 2 for receiving the portable telephone set identification code 11 and the transmitting unit identification code 31, collating these identification codes and permitting or limiting the communication between the transmitting/ receiving unit 2 and the outside on the basis of the collated result and an automatic vending machine 4, which can communicate with the transmitting/receiving unit 2, and on the basis of information, which is received from the transmitting/ receiving unit 2 by the automatic vending machine 4, for authenticating the transmitting/receiving unit 2, in the automatic vending machine 4 or center 5, user authentication is performed so that the automatic vending machine 4 can be turned into state capable of purchasing the article.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to identification information (plurality).
It is related to a system for purchasing goods and services without a cash, by considering the owners of the senders (or plural persons) of the identification information as the original legitimate owners by receiving and collating Regarding In the present specification, goods or services are simply referred to as products. Conversely, when referring to goods, it means goods or services.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of vending machines such as automatic ticket gates, entrance / exit management devices (for example, paid unmanned parking lots, etc.), cash tellers, vending machines, etc. do not use cash for goods or services. In recent years, so-called cashless selling systems have been proposed. Taking a vending machine for canned drinks, cigarettes, etc. as an example, if you want to purchase goods or services without using a prepaid card and without cash, you must request the vending machine to purchase the product. It is necessary to confirm the identity of the user who is trying to issue. That is, it is necessary to confirm by some method that the user is the legitimate registered user. In other words, it is necessary to confirm that the (malicious) person is not impersonating a legitimate registered user. In other words, it is necessary to confirm the identity (of the user who has the registered device used for vending). Then, user authentication is performed at the vending machine or the center. User authentication refers to user information registered in the vending system (eg, identification code information attached to a terminal device owned by the user) and terminal device actually owned by the user at the sales site (eg, Confirm that the terminal device actually owned by the user is the same as the device registered in the vending system (validity of the terminal device) by collating with the identification code information of the mobile phone). That is.

[0003] By the way, an automatic vending system (here, an automatic vending machine will be described as an example, a cashless article or service is provided, instead of a method that is easily forged like a prepaid card and a method that is easy to forget like a password. Do)
Considering purchasing from, first, the following methods or methods can be recalled. An identity confirmation unit (identity confirmation unit) is connected to an external communication terminal of a mobile phone carried by the user. A user with a mobile phone and identity verification unit stands in front of a vending machine, which is a component of the vending system. The user can automatically obtain the telephone number (data) of the center from the vending machine via the identity confirmation unit and (automatically) call the center with the mobile phone. This is because the identity verification unit can receive the telephone number (data) of the center from the vending machine and deliver it to the mobile phone. When the mobile phone becomes able to communicate with the center, the mobile phone transmits a user ID (for example, a telephone number of the mobile phone or an ID attached to an identification unit), and the center performs ID authentication (user authentication) and Issue a sales permission order to a vending machine. Such a method of automatic sale or automatic purchase can be considered. As shown above, FIG. 2 shows how to purchase a product from the conventional automatic vending system. Figure 2
It is a block diagram which shows the conventional goods purchase system. In the conventional cashless selling method or (from the user's perspective) cashless purchasing method, the following is performed to confirm the identity of the person. It is assumed that the terminal device carried by a user (not shown) and used for purchasing goods or services from the sales system is, for example, the mobile phone 1.
It is assumed that the mobile phone 1 usually has a call restriction and the vending machine 4 also has a sales restriction. The user wears, carries, or carries the transmission unit 3, which is a type of wireless tag. Transmission unit 3
Transmits the transmission unit ID continuously or intermittently. The identity verification unit 2 attached to the mobile phone 1 receives the transmission unit ID and compares it with the identity verification unit ID possessed by itself to transmit the transmission unit 3
Also, it is assumed that the person who owns the identity verification unit 2 is the user who has been registered in the sales system. Naturally, the identity verification unit 2 is provided with information necessary for checking the validity of both IDs by collating the transmission unit ID and the identity verification unit ID. If the verification is successful, the identity verification unit 2 instructs the mobile phone 1 to allow the call. Therefore, the mobile phone 1 can make a call to the center 5 based on the telephone number of the center 5 issued from the vending machine 4 and obtained through the identity verification unit 2. As described above, the center 5 authenticates the user and issues a sales permission command to the vending machine 4.

The problem with this conventional method is that the user bears the communication charge between the center 5 and the user's mobile phone 1. This is because it is necessary to call the center 5 from the mobile phone 1 in order to purchase the product.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The product purchasing system according to the present invention has been made in view of the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technique, and an object thereof is to solve the following problems. In the cashless merchandise sales system or the merchandise purchase system where the user uses the terminal device to purchase the merchandise, when purchasing the merchandise, from the user,
An object of the present invention is to provide a merchandise purchasing method in which the user does not have to make a call to any place, and thus the user does not have to pay for the call to the center.

[0006]

The product purchasing system according to the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and has the following configuration. A first invention of the present invention is a commodity purchase system as described in claim 1, and is as follows. In an automatic vending system having means for authenticating the legitimacy of a terminal device used by a user, the automatic vending system includes an external communication terminal, stores a terminal device identification code, and also through the external communication terminal. A terminal device that outputs the terminal device identification code, a transmission unit that stores a transmission unit identification code, receive the terminal device identification code and the transmission unit identification code, and collate these identification codes, A transmission / reception unit that permits or restricts communication between itself and the outside based on the collation result, and an automatic vending machine capable of communicating with the transmission / reception unit are included as system components. And, the automatic vending system, in the means for authenticating the legitimacy of the terminal device used by the user, based on the information for authenticating the transmitting and receiving unit, which is received by the automatic vending apparatus from the transmitting and receiving unit, It is characterized in that the user is authenticated and the automatic vending apparatus is put in a state in which the product can be purchased.

The second invention of the present invention is a commodity purchase system as described in claim 2, and is as follows. The commodity purchase method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device is
It is a mobile phone.

A third invention of the present invention is a commodity purchasing system as described in claim 3, and is as follows. The commodity purchase system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vending machine is capable of communicating with a center via a communication network, and the means for authenticating the legitimacy of a terminal device used by a user comprises: It is in the center.

[0009]

1 is a block diagram of a commodity purchasing system according to the present invention. Here, the mobile phone 1 will be described as an example of a terminal device registered by the user in the automatic vending system. Of course, the terminal equipment is PHS
It may be a DA or a portable computer. Mobile phone 1
Is a legitimate user who has a contract with a carrier,
The identification information is registered in the automatic vending system. The transmission / reception unit 12 functions by connecting to the mobile phone 1. Since the mobile phone 1 has the external communication terminal 12 for wired data communication, the transmission / reception unit 2 may be provided with the corresponding terminal device connection terminal 22. The transmitting unit 3 is carried by the user so as to be located within a range in which a signal can be sent to the transmitting / receiving unit 2. For example, an identification code (11, 31) is attached to each of the mobile phone 1 and the transmission unit 3 that are put in a wallet or worn on an arm, and these identification codes are
Can be collated. That is, the mobile phone 1 and the transmission unit 3 are always paired, and it is impossible to pair with the identification code attached to another device. Conversely speaking, the identification codes (11, 31) are thus assigned to the mobile phone 1 and the transmission unit 3, respectively.

As an automatic vending machine of an automatic vending system for goods, a user (not shown) standing in front of the automatic vending machine 4 takes a method of selling a product from the automatic vending machine 4, using the automatic vending machine 4 as an example. Explain if you can purchase. The user wears the transmission unit 3 such as by putting it in a pocket of clothes, and the transmission unit 3 continuously transmits the transmission unit identification code 31 via the transmission unit 32 via the transmission unit 32. Send to. The transmission unit 32 may have a reception function, but it is not essential. However, it must have only the send function. Transceiver unit 2
Is the transmission unit identification code 31 received by the communication unit 23.
Is transmitted (outputted) to the collation unit 21. The matching unit 23 may be the control function responsible unit of the transmission / reception unit 2. Of course, a control center may be provided separately from the matching unit 21. Upon receiving the transmission unit identification code 31 from the communication unit 23, the verification unit 21 requests the mobile phone 1 to transmit the mobile phone identification code 11. In FIG. 1, the solid line arrow r from the matching unit 21
The letters eq indicate this. Collator 21
Or from the transmitting / receiving unit 2 to the mobile phone identification code 1
The mobile phone 1 that has received the 1 transmission request sends the mobile phone identification code 11 toward the matching unit 21. In FIG. 1, this is indicated by a dashed-dotted arrow line. The collation unit 21 that has received the mobile phone identification code 11 collates the transmission unit identification code 31 that has already been received with the mobile phone identification code 11 that has just been received. That is, it is confirmed and judged whether or not both the identification codes (11, 31) are the identification codes that make a unique pair. If the two identification codes are not the codes that should be paired, for example, the transmitting / receiving unit 2 may give an alarm. This point is
It is a matter of design choice for those skilled in the art. In any case, in this case, the transmitting / receiving unit 2
Do not pass the information required for user authentication. Therefore, the vending machine 4 is not in a state in which it can be sold (purchased). On the other hand, when the two identification codes (11, 31) are the only identification code that makes a pair, that is, the code collation (confirmation of the identity) is correctly performed, and the legitimacy of the mobile phone 1 and the transmission unit 3 is confirmed. If it can be determined that the comparison has been performed, the matching unit 2
1 issues a transmission permission command to the communication unit 23. Then, the communication unit 23 (or the transmission / reception unit 2) and the vending machine 4 can communicate with each other, and the communication unit 23 causes the matching unit 2 to perform communication.
The information necessary for user authentication by the vending system, which is received from 1, can be transmitted to the vending machine 4.
The information necessary for the vending system to authenticate the user includes, for example, the transmission unit identification code 31, the mobile phone identification code 11, the identification code (not shown) of the transmission / reception unit itself, or the mobile phone identification code and the transmission unit. For example, the identification code is subjected to a predetermined calculation. It may be some (combination) of those pieces of information listed. Regardless of the information, the user who is in front of the vending machine 4 with the mobile phone 1 or the transmission / reception unit 2 which is a device connected to the mobile phone 1 is the original legitimate user. Can be regarded as The mobile phone identification code 11 is
It may be the telephone number (information) of the mobile phone 1. The vending machine 4, which has received the information necessary for the vending system to authenticate the user, uses the vending machine 4 or the center 5 to
Perform user authentication. Those skilled in the art will understand that the user authentication execution means
(Not shown) must be provided in the vending machine 4 or the center 5. The user authentication execution means 51 is
It is means for collating information received by the vending machine 4 with user-specific registration information (database) stored in advance in the center 5 or the vending machine 4. Here, it is assumed that the center 5 performs user authentication.

Now, the vending machine 4 transmits the information necessary for user authentication received from the communication unit 23 (transmission / reception unit 2) to the center 5 via the communication network 6. Communication network 6
It is a wired or wireless telephone network or the Internet. When the center 5 determines that the purchase request is from the transmission / reception unit 2 connected to the legitimate mobile phone 1 as a result of the user authentication performed by the user authentication execution means 51, the center 5 sends the purchase request to the vending machine 4.
The vending machine 4 that has issued a command to the vending machine 4 is ready for purchase (sale). For example, the user can press a purchase button (not shown) of the vending machine 4 to purchase a desired product. Of course, data may be wirelessly transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 2 and the product to be purchased may be designated.

[0012] The center 5 may make a phone call to the mobile phone 1 to confirm the purchase intention of the product (of course, it may be an email). When the user off-hooks the mobile phone 1 in response to the call from the center 5, the current purchase request from the vending machine 4 on the side of the center 5 is the purchase request of the legitimate user having the mobile phone 1. Can be considered Therefore, the effect of improving the certainty of user authentication can be expected. Even in this case, since the calling center 5 bears the telephone bill (communication cost), the effect brought by the present invention can be protected.

[0013]

The merchandise purchasing system according to the present invention is configured as described above, and therefore has the following effects. It is difficult for another person to impersonate a legitimate user if only one of the transmission unit and the terminal device (eg, mobile phone) is stolen. That is, it is difficult to illegally access the vending machine. Of course, the same is true even if only the transmission / reception unit is stolen with or without terminal equipment. Therefore, the certainty of confirming the identity according to the present invention is high. Further, since the terminal device (mobile phone) does not make a call or make a call, it is not necessary for the user to pay the telephone bill or communication cost each time a product is purchased from the vending machine. In addition, in the case of the embodiment in which the user authentication is performed at the center, each vending device always makes a call to one fixed center, so that there are various telecommunications carriers such as a discount service attached to Telehodai or My Line. You can receive the discounted telephone billing service. That is, the telephone charge (communication charge) between the vending machine and the center becomes cheaper. When calling a vending machine from a center and issuing a sales permission command as in the past, it is necessary to call a number of vending machines from one center. I can't receive it. Therefore, the present invention not only does not require the user's telephone bill when purchasing a product, but also has the effect of reducing the communication cost required for automatic sales for those skilled in the art.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a product purchasing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a conventional product purchasing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 mobile phone 2 Transmission / reception unit (identity confirmation unit) 3 transmission unit 4 vending machines 5 centers 6 communication network 11 Mobile phone identification code 12 External communication terminal 21 Collating unit 22 Terminal equipment connection terminal 23 Communication Department 31 Transmission unit identification code 32 transmitter 51 User authentication execution means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An automatic vending system having means for authenticating the validity of a terminal device used by a user, wherein the automatic vending system includes an external communication terminal, stores a terminal device identification code, and A terminal device that outputs the terminal device identification code via an external communication terminal, a transmission unit that stores a transmission unit identification code, the terminal device identification code and the transmission unit identification code, and these identification codes And a transmission / reception unit that permits or restricts communication with the outside based on the comparison result, and an automatic vending device capable of communicating with the transmission / reception unit, as a component, and the automatic vending system is , Based on information received by the vending machine from the transceiver unit for authenticating the transceiver unit. Then, the above-mentioned means for authenticating the legitimacy of the terminal device used by the user authenticates the user and puts the automatic vending apparatus into a state in which the product can be purchased. 2. The commodity purchase method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device is a mobile phone. 3. The automatic vending apparatus is capable of communicating with a center via a communication network, and the means for authenticating the legitimacy of a terminal device used by a user is in the center. Alternatively, the commodity purchase method according to claim 2.