JP2005018488A - Synchronous sharing system for customer information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information sharing system which eliminates the need to disclose information more than needed among related stores and companies when a service such as sharing point services is provided for a limited time only, while reducing the labor required to start the system. <P>SOLUTION: The system allows a plurality of stores each retaining a customer database to connect to one another via a relay server to share customer information. The relay server has an update information relaying means for transferring update information in certain of the stores to the other stores. Each store's device includes a temporary registration means which temporarily registers update information and requests the relay server to relay the update information when a request to update the customer database arises in the store, and a main registration means which updates the customer database of the store when the update information is received or when an answer to the request of the store's temporary registration means is received. To specify a customer among the stores, a hash value generated from the customer's individual information is used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a synchronous sharing service system for member information, customer information, and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Exchange of electronic data (EDI) between companies for the purpose of ordering has been performed conventionally (Patent Document 1). Recently, electronic data exchange has been started using electronic data exchange using data described in XML (extensible Markup Language), not via a dedicated line communication network but via a cheaper communication path on the Internet ( Patent Document 2).
On the other hand, there is a case where it is desired to share information such as a customer database between partner companies or stores within a company, rather than a core business such as EDI. In such a case, the partner company or the affiliated store responds by reconstructing a system that shares each other's customer database or by batch processing by delivery of a physical recording medium.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-7585 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2002-92353 A [0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When sharing services such as sharing membership cards and temporarily sharing points during the campaign period rather than actual corporate mergers, etc. It was necessary to build in each store. In that case, it is necessary to synchronize with the existing data managed in each store, and there is a problem that more data than necessary must be disclosed to each other.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and it is necessary to disclose more information than necessary between related store companies when services such as common point services are performed for a limited time. It is another object of the present invention to provide an information sharing system that requires less labor to set up a managed system.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A first invention for solving the problems is a system for synchronizing and sharing customer information via a relay server connected by a network between a plurality of stores holding a database for managing customer information, The basic first aspect is
The relay server includes inter-store link information indicating to which store customer database update information transmitted from a store is to be relayed, and update information relay means for transferring the customer database update information to one or more other stores. With
The store apparatus installed in each store includes temporary registration means for holding update information and requesting the relay server to update information when an event that should update the customer database occurs in the store. The information temporarily registered when the response to the update information relay request issued by the temporary registration means of the own store is received from the relay server or when the update information generated at another store is received through the relay server Or a main registration means for updating the customer database of the own store based on update information generated at other stores,
When a store device of each store and the relay server are connected via a network to exchange update information, and an event occurs in which the customer database is updated in one store, the customer database of another store related to the result This is a customer information synchronization and sharing service system that is configured to be reflected in synchronization with the customer information.
[0007]
Here, the “store” means a unit of a management entity that manages one customer database independently. That is, even if it is the same retailer, if the customer database is managed uniquely for each store, each is a “store” in the present invention. Further, when a service provider having many service counters manages a single customer database as a whole, the entire provider is considered as one “store”.
[0008]
By providing such a synchronous update mechanism, it is possible to configure a customer information synchronization sharing service system in which the customer database of each store is loosely coupled via a relay server.
[0009]
In a preferred second aspect of the first invention, in the customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to the first aspect, the update information specifies identification information of a store in which an event for updating a customer database has occurred, and a customer. Customer information synchronization sharing characterized in that it contains information about information and update contents, and as the information for identifying the customer, a hash value of a character string in which customer personal information is arranged in a predetermined order is used. It is a service system. By using a hash value generated by an appropriate hash function as information for identifying customer's personal information, it is not necessary to exchange customer information in advance between stores that exchange update information. It becomes easy to carry out sales promotion planning. That is, the system according to the present invention is desirable from the viewpoint of protecting personal information and also because it is not necessary to disclose customer information that is a management resource held by each store that is a separate management entity. .
[0010]
In a preferred third aspect of the first invention, in the customer information synchronization sharing service system according to the first aspect, the relay server transfers the update information after converting the update information into a data format that can be handled by the relay destination. It is characterized by comprising data conversion means for doing this.
By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to smoothly link customer databases of stores that are originally developed and normally operated completely independently.
[0011]
According to a fourth aspect of the first invention, in the customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the event of updating the customer database is that a point is given to the customer or a fixed point This is a customer information synchronization and sharing service system configured for the purpose of synchronously sharing customer point information between related stores. The point is a point given according to the use of the store, and gives a customer a profit that a predetermined privilege (exchange, discount, etc.) can be obtained by accumulating a certain number.
[0012]
In a more preferable fifth aspect of the first invention, in the customer information synchronization sharing service system according to the fourth aspect, the data conversion means included in the relay server refers to data in which the point unit price of each store is recorded. Then, it is converted into an appropriate number of points and relayed as point update information.
[0013]
A sixth preferred aspect of the first invention is the customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to the fourth aspect, wherein the relay server includes a storage device for recording the contents of the point update information relay request, from each store. When receiving a relay request for point update information, it comprises update information recording means for recording and accumulating information for identifying a user included in the point update information, a store used, and point increase / decrease information in the storage device, When a point is given back to a certain customer, the share of the sales promotion expenses caused by that point can be determined based on the information recorded and stored in the storage device.
[0014]
According to a seventh preferred aspect of the first invention, in the customer information synchronization sharing service system according to the fourth aspect, the relay server records information of a point update information relay request as information for identifying a customer. A customer information synchronization and sharing service system using a hash value of a character string in which personal information of customers is arranged according to a predetermined rule. Since the relay server can handle only hash values as information for identifying customers, personal information of customers at each store is not leaked from the store to the outside.
[0015]
2nd invention which solves a subject is the said relay server which comprises the customer information synchronous sharing service system which concerns on 1st invention of any aspect.
[0016]
A third invention for solving the problem is a computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program describing a series of instructions for operating a computer as a relay server according to the second invention is recorded.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(First Embodiment) An embodiment of a customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a customer information synchronization and sharing service system (hereinafter, system 1) for sharing point information of a store a and a store b. Reference numeral 10 denotes a relay server. Reference numeral 20 denotes a customer management server which is a store apparatus provided in each store. The customer management server 20 manages the customer database 21 of the store. A customer management server 20a is provided in the store a, and a customer management server 20b is provided in the store b as 20b. Similarly, 21a and 21b mean customer databases managed in stores a and b, respectively. 20 a and 20 b are connected to the relay server 10 through the Internet 7. In FIG. 1, there are two stores a and b for simplicity, but the essential mechanism does not change even if there are three or more stores.
[0018]
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are diagrams for explaining the procedure of a synchronization process for performing the sharing of customer information, which is a basic feature of the system 1, between the store a and the store b. The synchronization sharing procedure will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0019]
First, the administrator registers the linkage between store a and store b in the relay server 10. It is registered as store management link information 18 (1 in FIG. 2). Further, it is assumed that the store a and the store b are set so as to virtually constitute a private network in order to secure a safe communication path on the Internet 7 (2 in FIG. 2).
[0020]
An event occurs in which a customer registered in the store a has to update information in the customer database of the store a (3 in FIG. 2). Update information is provisionally registered in the customer database of the store a by the process of the staff of the store a (4 in FIG. 2). At the same time, an update information relay request including this update information is issued from the store a to the relay server (5 in FIG. 2).
[0021]
The request message includes information identifying the customer and information about the contents of the update in which the customer database is to be updated. Here, since the store a and the store b normally manage the customer independently by each customer ID, the ID managed by the customer database 21a is used as information for identifying the customer. If it does, correspondence with ID of store b must be taken from ID of store a in either relay server 10 or store b side. When the relay server 10 takes action, the relay server 10 must have a copy of a part of the customer master data of the stores a and b (items necessary and sufficient for making correspondence). It is not desirable from the viewpoint of information protection. When dealing with customers on the store side, it is not desirable from the viewpoint of personal information protection because it is necessary to disclose part of the customer master data of the store to other stores that share information with each other. Such a method is not practical because it is usually against the store's profits to disclose the customer information it has to other stores.
[0022]
Therefore, in the system 1, a hash value of a character string in which customer personal information is arranged in a predetermined order is used as information for identifying a customer. That is, for example, the customer name (kanji), the customer name reading (katakana), gender, date of birth, and home phone number are used as information for identifying the customer, and the character strings for displaying these are in this order. An appropriate hash function is defined for the character string data arranged and joined together, and the hash value generated by this function is used as information for identifying the customer. By doing so, one store that receives the update request also creates a similar character string from the customer master data of its own store, obtains a hash value using the same hash function, and the values match. It turns out that the record about the customer should be updated. In this method, it is only necessary to determine the hash function to be used and the method of creating the character string to be input to the hash function between stores that want to share information synchronously, and it is absolutely impossible to disclose part of customer master data There is a remarkable advantage that it is not necessary. As a method of creating a character string, it is only necessary to identify at least the same surname and the same name (both Kanji and Yomi match), but it is necessary to select items that are registered identically in all stores and that do not change Must.
[0023]
The relay server 10 that has received the shared information update request from the store a searches for a store associated with the data (6 in FIG. 2). Then, the data to be transferred is transformed into a form suitable for the store b associated with the data (7 in FIG. 2). Data is transmitted to the store b (8 in FIG. 2).
[0024]
Upon receiving the transferred data, the store b identifies the customer whose hash value matches with the method described above as the customer whose registration data is to be updated, and the database 21b managed by the store b with the contents included in the update request. Update. If there is no matching customer, do nothing and reject the data. This is because it is only necessary to share customer information that is registered in common with each other's stores, so information about users who are not registered with store b is meaningless. Then, a response indicating that the database has been updated (or that the user has not been registered) is returned to the relay server 10 (10 in FIG. 2).
[0025]
The relay server 10 receives the response from the store b and transmits the content to the store a (11 in FIG. 2). In the store a, in response to the relay of the response from the relay server 10, the temporarily updated / registered data is fully updated / registered (12 in FIG. 2).
[0026]
FIG. 3 illustrates (4 in FIG. 2) to (12 in FIG. 2) of the flow shown in FIG. This series of processing becomes one transaction. The above is the synchronization processing in the system 1. Since the contents of the customer database managed by a plurality of stores are updated in synchronization, membership information can be shared among the plurality of stores.
[0027]
Next, the configuration of the system 1 that realizes this will be described based on the series of synchronization processes shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of the system 1. The configuration in which the relay server 10 and the store servers 20a and 20b are connected via the network 7 is as described above. The relay server 10 includes update information relay means 12 and data conversion means 11. Further, link information 18 between stores and relay conversion information 17 to be referred to when performing conversion necessary for relaying are preset. When the update information relay unit 12 receives the update information relay request, the update information relay unit 12 refers to the link information 18 between the stores, determines the store to be relayed, calls the data conversion unit 11, and stores the data necessary for the relay. Conversion is performed and the update information is transferred to the store to be relayed. The data conversion means 11 refers to the relay conversion information 17 and converts the data into a format that can be accepted by the transfer destination store server. The contents of conversion include format conversion of update request messages and update contents, for example, conversion of the number of points by the point unit price for each store when the number of points is increased or decreased.
[0028]
In the store server 20 that manages the customer database 21 in each store, when an event that should update the customer database 21 such as customer point update occurs in the store, the update information is held (temporary registration), Temporary registration means 26 for requesting relay of update information to the relay server 10 and main registration means 28 for updating the customer database of the own store with the provisionally registered contents when a response is received from the relay server 10. The registration unit 28 may receive update information generated at other stores relayed by the relay server 10 and update the customer database of the own store according to the contents.
[0029]
The update information relay request is a message including the requesting store, information for identifying the user, and update contents (number of points increased or decreased). The temporary registration means 26 creates a character string for identifying the user according to a certain rule, creates an update information relay request message using the hash value of this character string data as information for identifying the user, and sends this to the relay server 10. Send. On the other hand, when the main registration means 28 receives the update information generated at another store from the relay server 10, the temporary registration means 26 uses the character string for identifying the user from the customer database 21 managed by the own store. Is it created according to the same constant rule, calculates the hash value of this string data, and whether there is a customer who matches the hash value as information for identifying the user included in the update information generated at other stores Check for it. If they match, the customer database 21 is updated based on the update contents of the update information received for the customer. If there is no matching registered customer, do nothing at that store. Then, the result is returned to the relay server 10 as a response.
[0030]
Note that the entire message requesting the update information relay is encrypted and exchanged between the store server 20 and the relay server 10 using an encryption method negotiated. Therefore, information that identifies an individual is double protected. In other words, even if the encryption of the entire message is interrupted, the information for identifying the individual customer is expressed by a hash value, so it is practically impossible to identify the individual from that value. Therefore, when relay information is relayed, the relay server 10 decrypts the data and reconstructs the data. However, it is practically impossible to obtain raw personal information such as a name and telephone number from information for identifying an individual. is there.
[0031]
The system 1 described above can be realized by using, for example, WWW (World Wide Web) technology. That is, the relay server 10 and the store server 20 are each provided with an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) server, and an update information relay request between the two and a response message exchange are performed by HTTP. The main registration unit 28 can be realized as a program called from an HTTP server provided in each server. Messages to be exchanged may be defined as data described in XML. The temporary registration unit 26 generates, for example, update information according to an operation in which a store clerk reads a customer's membership card, holds the update information, and causes the relay server 10 to call the update information relay unit 12. It can be realized as a software program for generating and transmitting an HTTP request (update information relay request message) of contents.
[0032]
(Second Embodiment) Next, as a modified example of the system 1, a customer information synchronization sharing service system 2 (hereinafter referred to as a system 2) that is more suitable for synchronous sharing of customer point information management will be described. FIG. 5 shows an overall configuration diagram of the system 2. The store server 20 is the same as the store server in the system 1 in terms of functions and functions. The relay server 10 includes an update information recording unit 13 in addition to the update information relay unit 12, the data conversion unit 11, the relay conversion information 17 referred to by the unit, and the link information 18 between stores described in the system 1. Assume that the update information database 19 that records update information relay requests received from the server 20 for each customer is recorded and managed.
[0033]
The update information recording unit 13 records the content of the request message in the update information database 19 at the same time when the update information is relayed to another store to which the update information is to be transferred (process 8 in FIG. 2). At this time, for each customer specified by the hash value, the store of the transmission source of the request and the content of the request, that is, the updated content are recorded in the update information database 19.
[0034]
In this way, if the record of the update information is left in the relay server 10, when the content of the update information relay request is the content that means the point return, the user is not able to By referring to the update information database 19, it is possible to know which store has accumulated many points, that is, which store has been used and how much, so that the user can pay for the promotional expenses required for this point reduction. It becomes possible to carry out according to the usage situation (use amount, earned points) at each store. In other words, no matter where the points are redeemed at the stores where the member users are affiliated, each store increases the burden on the stores used by the members according to the usage status of the member users, and the members use it. Stores that have not been used or stores that have been used only a little can be paid or reduced, so that it is possible to distribute the promotion costs fairly among the affiliated stores.
[0035]
(Other Embodiments) In the system 1 and the system 2 described in the first and second embodiments, since it is not necessary to exchange customer information between stores, coupling between stores is loose, and customer information is transferred to the relay server 10. Since it is not necessary to disclose, the person who installs the server 10 is a specialist (service provider) independent of the store a and the store b, and this provider has functions necessary for synchronously sharing customer information. It is possible to provide services in the form of provision as an ASP (Application Service Provider). However, even in that case, as shown in FIG. 4, the function on the customer server side is to design and develop the temporary registration means 26 and the main registration means 28 in accordance with the customer database 21 operated by the customer for each customer. The customer server 20 must be prepared.
[0036]
FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating that embodiments other than the system 1 and the system 2 are possible. In FIG. 6, some or all of the functions of the store server 20 are provided on the relay server 10 side. That is, in the store a, the temporary registration unit 26a is activated on the server 10 side. The store server 20a is provided with a Web browser 29 to use an interactive input interface for the temporary registration means 26a. On the other hand, in the store b, the customer database 21b itself is hosted in the data center of the company where the server 10 is installed due to various circumstances, and the provisional registration means 26b and the main registration means 28b are also provided by services provided by the ASP company. is there. With such a configuration, the store b manages the customer information by minimizing the equipment cost of the computer equipment only by preparing a personal computer equipped with the web browser 29, and synchronizes the customer information with other affiliated stores. It becomes possible to share.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the customer information synchronous sharing service system according to the present invention, it is relatively easy to manage synchronous sharing of customer information including point data without disclosing customer information between affiliated stores. There is a remarkable effect that it can be realized. Furthermore, this system also has a special effect that the system can be configured so that customer personal information does not leak to the relay server. In addition, particularly when used for synchronous sharing management of the point system, there is also a convenient effect that the sales promotion expenses can be evenly distributed among the affiliated stores. Since the relay server used in this system is highly independent from the customer database managed in each store, the relay server according to the present invention is provided on the Internet to provide only the function of the relay server for a fee. There is a remarkable effect that it becomes possible to start an ASP business.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a table for explaining a procedure of synchronization processing.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the procedure of synchronization processing;
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining software for realizing the system 1;
FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram of a system 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Customer information synchronous shared service system 2 Customer information synchronous shared service system 10 Relay server 11 Data exchange means 12 Update information relay means 13 Update information recording means 17 Relay conversion information 18 Link information 19 between stores 19 Update information database 20 Store server 21 Customer Database 26 Temporary registration means 28 Regular registration means

Claims (10)

A system for synchronizing and sharing customer information via a relay server connected by a network between a plurality of stores holding a database for managing customer information,
The relay server includes inter-store link information indicating to which store customer database update information transmitted from a store is to be relayed, and update information relay means for transferring the customer database update information to one or more other stores. With
The store apparatus installed in each store includes temporary registration means for holding update information and requesting the relay server to update information when an event that should update the customer database occurs in the store. The information temporarily registered when the response to the update information relay request issued by the temporary registration means of the own store is received from the relay server or when the update information generated at another store is received through the relay server Or a main registration means for updating the customer database of the own store based on update information generated at other stores,
When a store device of each store and the relay server are connected via a network to exchange update information, and an event occurs in which the customer database is updated in one store, the customer database of another store related to the result A customer information synchronization and sharing service system characterized by being reflected in synchronization with 2. The customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to claim 1, wherein the update information includes identification information of a store where an event for updating a customer database has occurred, information for identifying a customer, and information on update contents. A customer information synchronization and sharing service system using a hash value of a character string in which customer personal information is arranged in a predetermined order as information for identifying a customer. 2. The customer information synchronization sharing service system according to claim 1, wherein the relay server includes data conversion means for transferring the update information after converting the update information into a data format that can be handled by a relay destination. Customer information synchronization sharing service system. 4. The customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to claim 1, wherein the event of updating the customer database is a point addition to a customer or a reduction of a certain number of points, and relates to customer point information. A customer information synchronization and sharing service system, which is configured for the purpose of synchronizing and sharing between stores. 5. The customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to claim 4, wherein the data conversion means provided in the relay server converts the point unit price of each store into an appropriate number of points with reference to data recorded as point update information. A customer information synchronization and sharing service system characterized by relaying. 5. The customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to claim 4, wherein the relay server includes a storage device that records a content of a point update information relay request, and when receiving a point update information relay request from each store, It includes update information recording means for recording and accumulating information that identifies users included in update information, stores used, and point increase / decrease information in the storage device. A customer information synchronization and sharing service system characterized in that a share of a sales promotion cost caused by the above can be determined based on information recorded and stored in the storage device. 7. The customer information synchronization and sharing service system according to claim 6, wherein when the relay server records the contents of the point update information relay request, the personal information of the customers is arranged in accordance with a predetermined rule as information for identifying the customer. A customer information synchronization sharing service system using a hash value of a column. The said relay server which comprises the customer information synchronous sharing service system in any one of Claims 1-7. A computer program describing a series of instructions for causing a computer to operate as the relay server constituting the customer information synchronization sharing service system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A computer-readable recording medium recording a computer program describing a series of instructions for operating a computer as the relay server constituting the customer information synchronization sharing service system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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