JP2003272054A - Point service system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a point service system capable of coping with a customer without keeping the customer waiting uselessly by easily and smoothly coping with various benefit services. <P>SOLUTION: A point server records the new total point number of adding the point number to the total point number on a database when point imparting information is sent from a POS register, presents the total point number to a store information terminal by extracting the total point number from the database when point inquiry information is sent from the store information terminal, issues an exchange ticket and/or an offer accepting ticket from the store information terminal when offering to provide desired benefit service, and records the point number of subtracting the point number required for the benefit service from the cumulative point number on the database when indicating service using information is sent from the store information terminal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for issuing points to a customer according to the degree of use of a store and providing a customer with a predetermined privilege service according to the number of points acquired by the customer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, services for discounting and exchanging prizes according to the number of points gained have become widespread, and collecting points is also a pleasure for consumers. On the other hand, for the point service provider, the privilege service is not only a discount service, but also the exchange of coupons for concerts and various games, exchange of various coupons, and application for participation in lottery for entertainment. It was necessary to prepare one after another the privilege services that are attractive to customers, such as exchange of items. For this reason, it is not only necessary for each store to keep up to date with the latest information on the privilege services being offered and the number of points required for the privilege services.
It was also very complicated and laborious to provide various privilege services because the customer also had to keep up to date with the latest information regarding the total points earned at multiple stores.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a point service system which can easily and smoothly deal with various privilege services and can deal with them without waiting the customer unnecessarily. is there.

[0004]

A point service system according to the present invention is for issuing points to a customer according to the degree of use of a store, and for providing a predetermined privilege service to the customer according to the number of points acquired by the customer. System.
Further, the point server having the database is provided, and the point server is a POS installed in a store.
The cash register and the store information terminal are directly or indirectly connected to each other via a public line, a private line, or a communication network such as the Internet.

[0007] The point server stores the customer's point information, which is recorded in the database, when the POS cashier sends point giving information indicating the number of points given to the customer including the member information read from the member card issued to the customer. The new cumulative point number, which is the total point number plus the number of points sent, is recorded in the database. When the point inquiry information for inquiring the customer's current total points, including the member information read from the customer's membership card, is sent from the store information terminal, the total points of the member corresponding to the member information is stored in the database. Application to indicate that the customer has selected the voucher required to receive the special benefit service and / or is presented to the in-store information terminal and receives the desired special service. Make the reception ticket issued from the in-store information terminal. Then, when the service usage information indicating that the customer has provided the desired privilege service is sent from the in-store information terminal, the cumulative points of the customer are extracted from the database, and the points required for the privilege service are accumulated. Record the number of points subtracted from in the database.

[0006] The present system configured as described above basically performs processing when points are given to the customer between the point server and the POS cash register, and the customer operates between the point server and the store information terminal. Since so-called division of labor is performed, which performs processing for the points used,
It is possible to minimize the processing burden on the POS cash register and the burden on the clerk who operates the POS cash register, etc., due to the point service.

The point service system of the present invention also connects between the in-store information terminal and the POS cash register of the installed store, and indicates from the POS cash register to the in-store information terminal that the customer has received the privilege service. When the service providing information is sent, it is also possible to send the service use information indicating that the privilege service is provided from the store information terminal to the point server. As a result, the POS cash register does not need to process information such as the total number of points of the customer and the number of points required for the specific service, and can be practically used exclusively for the original purpose such as sales.

The point service system of the present invention further records the number of points received from the point server in the in-store information terminal, presents the privilege service that can be provided with the number of points to the in-store information terminal, and the customer desires. When you choose to receive the privilege service, the application reception information including at least the customer member information and the privilege service to be provided is attached to the reception number and recorded on the in-store information terminal, and the customer receives the privilege service. It is also possible to issue a voucher necessary for and / or an application reception ticket indicating that the customer has applied for the privilege service from the in-store information terminal. In this case, the POS cash register is required for the privilege service specified by the application reception information by reading the application reception information corresponding to the reception number written on the voucher and / or the application reception ticket brought by the customer from the store information terminal. When the customer is provided with the privilege service, the service providing information is sent to the in-store information terminal. The over-the-counter information terminal sends the service usage information created based on the application acceptance information corresponding to this service provision information to the point server.
As a result, the POS cash register does not need to recognize the member information and the accumulated point number recorded on the in-store information terminal, and can simply and surely perform the point use processing only by processing the simple information such as the receipt number. Therefore, the burden of providing the point service can be minimized.

Further, the point service system of the present invention can be constructed so that the receipt number described on the voucher and / or the application receipt ticket brought by the customer is displayed by a bar code. It is possible to read the receipt number with a bar code scanner generally provided at the POS cash register.

Further, the point service system of the present invention is a service in which the application acceptance information recorded in the in-store information terminal corresponds to the application acceptance information even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the application acceptance information was recorded. Provided information is POS
It can also be configured to delete when it is not sent from the cash register to the in-store information terminal. As a result, it is possible to deal with the situation without increasing the capacity of the memory to be prepared in the store information terminal excessively.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A point service system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a database 1 as shown in FIG.
It has a point server 1 equipped with A. The point server 1 is connected to the POS cash register 2 and the in-store information terminal 3 installed in each store via a public line, a dedicated line, or a communication network N such as the Internet. Preferably, the POS cash register 2 of each store and the store information terminal 3 are also connected to each other. The point server 1 and the POS cash register 2 and the in-store information terminal 3 may be connected to each other so that data can be transmitted and received, for example, P
The OS cash register 2 and the in-store information terminal 3 may be indirectly connected via a host server (not shown) that collectively manages and operates the OS cash register 2 and the in-store information terminal 3. On the other hand, it is preferable that the POS cash register 2 and the in-store information terminal 3 are directly connected to each store from the viewpoint of reducing the time lag and communication cost due to the respective host servers.

[0012] The customer is handed in advance with a membership card on which member information such as a membership number necessary for identifying the customer is recorded and / or displayed, and this member information is preferably personal information of the customer. Together with this, it is recorded in the database 1A. The membership card can be a conventional magnetic card, an IC card, or a card displaying a bar code, as well as a portable information terminal such as a mobile phone, a PDA, or a mobile, which displays a bar code on the display. . In the database 1A, the already-acquired point number of each member, that is, the accumulated point number is linked and recorded to the member information and the personal information of the member described above.

[0013] Basically, when a customer goes to a store and purchases a product, the number of points according to the purchase amount is given to the customer. Therefore, in the present invention, when the customer makes a required payment, etc., the customer gives the member card to the clerk, and the member information D1 recorded on the member card is set to P.
Let the OS cashier 2 read it. The POS cashier 2 transmits to the point server 3 the point grant information D2 including the member information D1 read from the membership card and indicating the number of points given to the customer or the number of points given to the store according to the purchase amount. The point server 1 extracts from the database 1A the cumulative point number of the member corresponding to the member information D1 of the received point grant information D2, and adds the point number notified by the point grant information D2 to this cumulative point number. Database 1A for accumulated points
To record. Although it is preferable to notify the point-giving information D2 from the POS cash register 2 to the point server 1 in real time, if there is a concern about an obstacle to normal business due to an increase in data processing amount or transmission amount, It may be performed at regular time intervals, such as at the end of daily sales or at predetermined times.

When the customer wants to know his or her accumulated points, he / she causes the in-store information terminal 3 to read the member information D1 of the member card, and transmits the point inquiry information D3 including the member information D1 to the point server 1. The point server 1 extracts the cumulative number of points corresponding to the member information D1 sent by the point inquiry information D3 from the database 1A and notifies the in-store information terminal 3 of it. At this time, it is preferable that the in-store information terminal 3 is configured to display the cumulative points of the customer and the privilege service that can be used according to the points.

When the customer uses the privilege service, he / she inquires about his / her accumulated points as described above. When the customer specifies the desired privilege service on the in-store information terminal 3, the in-store information terminal 3 issues an exchange ticket necessary for the customer to receive the privilege service and / or an application reception ticket indicating that the customer has applied for the privilege service. It is issued from the information terminal and is accepted at the application reception information including at least the customer's member information and the privileged service planned to be provided, preferably the customer's member information and the accumulated points, and the privileged service planned to be provided and the required number of points. A number is attached and the number is recorded in the store information terminal 3 for a predetermined time. Voucher and /
Alternatively, the assigned reception number is shown in a bar code on the application reception ticket, and the customer goes to the cashier with the exchange ticket and / or the application reception ticket and hands it to the clerk. Use the bar code of the exchange ticket and / or the application reception ticket to the POS cash register 2.
When read with, the POS cash register 2 is displayed on the in-store information terminal 3,
It is confirmed whether or not the read reception number is valid, and the privilege service corresponding to the reception number is read, and the corresponding processing, such as discounting or exchange with a concert ticket, is performed. When the customer brings the voucher and / or the application reception ticket to the cashier after the elapse of the above-mentioned certain period of time, since the store information terminal 3 does not have the information corresponding to the reception number, the voucher and / or the application brought in are brought. The reception ticket is treated as invalid. this is,
Preventing customers from carrying around the exchange ticket and / or the application reception ticket unnecessarily, dropping them, etc., and misusing them by others.
It is also intended to prevent the amount of recording in the in-store information terminal 3 from unnecessarily increasing.

When a privilege service is provided to a customer, the PO
The S cashier 2 sends the service providing information D4 indicating that the customer has received the privilege service to the in-store information terminal 3. In order to notify that the privilege service has been provided, the in-store information terminal 3 uses the member information corresponding to the reception number notified by the service provision information D4, the provided privilege service, and the service usage information D5 including the number of points required for the member information. Is transmitted to the point server 1. The point server 1 that has received the service usage information D5 normally extracts the cumulative point number of the member corresponding to the member information D1 of the received service usage information D5 from the database 1A, and notifies the cumulative point number by the service usage information D5. The new cumulative point number obtained by subtracting the calculated point number is recorded in the database 1A.

[0017]

According to the present invention, basically, the point server and the POS cash register perform the processing at the time of giving points, and the point server and the in-store information terminal perform the processing of the points used. Because of the division of labor, it is possible to minimize the burden on the POS cash register and the clerk due to the point service.
Further, since the POS cash register does not need to perform information processing regarding the total points of the customer, the number of points required for the specific service, etc., the POS cash register can be used exclusively for the original purpose such as selling. Furthermore, since it is possible to easily and surely perform the processing relating to the use of points by processing simple information such as the reception number, it is possible to minimize the burden on the POS cash register due to the point service. By displaying the number as a bar code, the reception number can be read without fail using the current POS cash register. Furthermore,
Since the application acceptance information recorded in the over-the-counter information terminal is deleted when the service provision information is not sent even after the lapse of a predetermined time, it is possible to deal with it without increasing the memory capacity to be prepared for the over-the-counter information terminal. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a point service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 point server 1A database 2 POS cash register 3 store information terminal N communication network D1 member information D2 point award information D3 point inquiry information D4 service provision information D5 service usage information

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06F 17/60 410 G06F 17/60 410A

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A system for issuing points to a customer according to the degree of use of a store and providing a predetermined privilege service to the customer according to the number of points acquired by the customer, comprising a point server having a database. The point server is directly or indirectly connected to a POS cash register installed in a store and an in-store information terminal via a public line, a private line, or a communication network such as the Internet. When point giving information including the member information read from the member card issued to the customer for indicating is sent from the POS cash register,
A new cumulative point number, which is the total point number of the customer recorded in the database plus the number of points sent, is recorded in the database and read from the customer's membership card to inquire about the current cumulative point number of the customer. When the point inquiry information including the member information is sent from the in-store information terminal, the accumulated point number of the member corresponding to the member information is extracted from the database and presented to the in-store information terminal to provide the customer with the desired privilege service. When the customer chooses to receive the benefit service, he / she issues a voucher necessary for the customer to receive the benefit service and / or an application acceptance ticket indicating that he / she has applied for the benefit service from the in-store information terminal, and provides the customer with the desired benefit service. When the service usage information indicating that you have done so is sent from the in-store information terminal, the cumulative points of the customer Extracted from the database, it records the number of points required to privilege service the number of points in a database drawn from the cumulative number of points, point service system. 2. The store information terminal is installed in a store P
When the POS cash register is connected to the OS cash register and the service provision information indicating that the customer has received the privilege service is sent from the POS cash register, the service use information indicating that the privilege service is provided is sent to the point server, and the request is made. The point service system according to item 1. 3. The point-of-sales information terminal records the number of points received from the point server, presents the privilege service that can be provided with the number of points, and when the customer selects to receive the desired privilege service, The application reception information including at least the customer's member information and the privilege service to be provided is recorded with a receipt number, and the customer has applied for a voucher and / or a privilege service required to receive the privilege service. Is issued and the POS cash register is a voucher and /
Or, read the application reception information corresponding to the reception number written on the application reception ticket from the in-store information terminal, and perform the necessary processing for the privilege service specified by the application reception information.
When the customer is provided with the privilege service, the service providing information is sent to the in-store information terminal, and the in-store information terminal sends the service use information created based on the application acceptance information corresponding to the service providing information to the point server. The point service system according to claim 2. 4. The point service system according to claim 3, wherein the receipt number indicated on the exchange ticket and / or the application acceptance ticket brought by the customer is displayed by a bar code. 5. The application acceptance information recorded on the in-store information terminal is service provision information corresponding to the application acceptance information from the POS cash register even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the application acceptance information was recorded. The point service system according to claim 3, wherein the point service system is deleted when the information service is not sent to the information terminal.