JP2006221383A - System for limiting use of electronic coupon - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for limiting use of electronic coupon, capable of efficiently performing electronic coupon services by use of one IC card while reducing the information volume for customers to be managed on a store side. <P>SOLUTION: A storage means of the IC card has a unique information storage area, a use frequency information storage area and an upper limit frequency information storage area which are provided in association with each other. A register device includes an input means inputting unique information of an electronic coupon service to be currently used by a customer, a reading means reading, from information stored in the use frequency information storage are and the upper limit frequency information storage area of the storage means of the IC card, use frequency information and upper limit frequency information related to the unique information inputted by the input means; a determination means determining whether the use frequency read by the reading means is the same number as the upper limit frequency or not; and a means limiting the use of the electronic coupon service when the same number is consequently determined by the determination means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic coupon usage restriction system that uses an IC card to limit the number of times a customer can receive an electronic coupon service by the provider side of the electronic coupon service.

Conventionally, a coupon service is performed as one of the services provided by the store side to customers.
These coupon services are intended to promote sales by customer service by distributing coupon coupons having a privilege such that a predetermined amount can be discounted from a commodity price to consumers.
In addition, the number of stores that issue membership cards to customers and develop various services such as point services is increasing, and electronic coupon services are also provided using card systems such as these point services. Sometimes.

Conventionally, as an electronic coupon service using a known IC card, the electronic coupon information can be stored in the IC card, and the points of the point service can be stored by exchanging with the electronic coupon. An electronic coupon service can be received using a coupon (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or electronic coupon information is received from an electronic coupon issuing facility via a communication line, and the electronic coupon information is received on an IC card. There is a technology that makes it possible to store electronic coupon information stored in an IC card for electronic commerce at an electronic store site. (For example, see Patent Document 2)
JP 2002-245551 A JP 2002-334254 A

  Stores tend to issue a large number of membership cards that can develop customer service in order to capture many consumers as customers. For this reason, a large amount of membership data can be managed with a management computer. There is a problem that a membership information database must be constructed and operated, and there are many burdens such as securing human resources engaged in data management and operation of the membership information database and operational costs.

In particular, if detailed personal transaction information for each member is stored in the member information database provided on the management computer side, the amount of management information on the management computer will be enormous, which will lead to cost and labor for information management. At the same time, the system processing is too burdensome, making it impossible to perform rapid processing.
For this reason, when providing a service using a membership card to a customer at a store, there is a problem that the customer is made to wait, and the customer's image of the store is impaired.

  The present invention enables an electronic coupon service to be provided to a customer using an IC card, reduces the amount of customer information managed on the store side, and further sets the number of times the electronic coupon service is used in advance. Provided is an electronic coupon usage restriction system that can perform electronic coupon services efficiently with a single IC card so that the number of times can be limited.

  An electronic coupon use restriction system according to the present invention includes an IC card used when a customer receives an electronic coupon service, a cash register apparatus provided on the provider side of the electronic coupon service, and provided with the IC card reader / writer. An electronic coupon usage restriction system comprising: an IC card storage means, for each electronic coupon service, a unique information storage area for storing unique information for identifying a type of electronic coupon service; A use number information storage area for storing information on the number of use times received electronic coupon service and an upper limit number information storage area for storing information on the upper limit number of times that can receive the electronic coupon service are provided in association with each other. The cash register device is an input means for inputting unique information for specifying an electronic coupon service used by a customer this time. Among the information stored in the usage count information storage area and the upper limit count information storage area of the storage means of the IC card, the usage count information and the upper limit count associated with the unique information input by the input means In the result of the determination unit, a reading unit that reads information, a determination unit that determines whether the number of uses of the number-of-uses information read by the reading unit, and the upper limit number of the upper limit number information are the same And means for restricting the use of the electronic coupon service when it is determined that the number is the same.

  In the electronic coupon usage restriction system according to the present invention, when the cashier apparatus determines that the usage count and the upper limit count are not the same as the result of the determination unit, the usage count information storage area And a means for writing the number obtained by adding 1 to the number of uses of the currently stored use number information as new use number information.

  Furthermore, in the electronic coupon usage restriction system of the present invention, the IC card storage means uses a unique information storage area, a usage count information storage area, and an upper limit count for using electronic coupon services with different usage contents. A plurality of information storage areas are provided.

  In the electronic coupon usage restriction system of the present invention, an IC card storage means is provided with a usage count information storage area for storing information on the number of times a customer has received an electronic coupon service in the past, and an upper limit count information storage area. Since the number of times of use of each electronic coupon service is managed by the upper limit number set in the above, the amount of customer information managed on the store side can be reduced, and the number of times of use of the electronic coupon service can be set to a predetermined number. There is an effect that the electronic coupon service can be efficiently performed by limiting.

  In addition, the electronic coupon usage restriction system of the present invention uses, as new usage frequency information, a number obtained by adding 1 to the usage frequency information stored in the usage frequency information storage area of the storage means of the IC card. Since the writing process is performed and the number of times of use is limited based on this number of times of use information, it is possible to reduce the amount of customer information managed on the store side, and to provide an efficient electronic coupon service. .

  Furthermore, the electronic coupon usage restriction system of the present invention can use electronic coupon services with different usage contents with a single IC card, and only stores “used history”. Unlike the conventional method of storing the data, and using it at a later date, there is an effect that it is not necessary for the customer to visit the store or download from the Internet in advance.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic coupon usage restriction system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an IC card used in the electronic coupon usage restriction system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a system block diagram of an IC card, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a memory layout of a coupon service in the memory of the IC card, and FIG. 5 is a system block diagram of an electronic coupon usage restriction system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the electronic coupon usage restriction system according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a plan view of a non-contact IC card, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a non-contact IC tag built in the IC card.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic coupon usage restriction system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an IC card 1 used when a customer receives an electronic coupon service, and a store side that is a provider side of the electronic coupon service. And a register device 3 provided with an IC card reader / writer 2.
The IC card reader / writer 2 may be installed in a state in which the customer can insert the IC card 1 by his / her convenience, or the store clerk receives the IC card 1 from the customer and the store clerk receives the IC card. The reader / writer 2 may be installed so that the IC card 1 can be inserted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the IC card 1 possessed by the customer has an IC module 5 containing an IC chip embedded in a card substrate.
As shown in FIG. 3, the IC chip incorporated in the IC module 5 includes a CPU 6, a read-only memory (ROM) 7, a rewritable nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) 8, and a volatile memory (RAM) 9. Is provided.
Further, the IC module 5 further includes a VCC terminal 10 for supplying a power supply voltage, a GND terminal 11 for grounding, an RST terminal 12 for supplying a reset signal, a CLK terminal 13 for supplying a clock signal, and an I / O for data input / output. An O terminal 14 is provided.

  The EEPROM 8 of the IC chip stores a unique information storage area 15a for storing at least unique information for specifying the type of the electronic coupon service, and usage number information for storing information on the number of times the customer has received the electronic coupon service in the past. An electronic coupon service information storage area 15 having a storage area 15b and an upper limit count information storage area 15c for storing information on the upper limit count at which the electronic coupon service can be received is provided.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which a storage area for storing eight types of electronic coupon service information is provided in the electronic coupon service information storage area 15.
In this example, a 5-digit coupon code can be stored in the unique information storage area 15a, a 1-digit use count information can be stored in the use count information storage area 15b, and a 1-digit use count information storage area 15c can be stored. The upper limit number information can be stored.
Further, another spare storage area may be provided.

Next, the system configuration of the electronic coupon usage restriction system will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the IC card reader / writer 2 is provided with a writing means 16 to the IC card 1, a reading means 17 from the IC card 1, a control means 18, an interface (I / F) 19, and the like.
The IC card reader / writer 2 reads the coupon code, which is unique information for identifying the type of electronic coupon service stored in the EEPROM 8 from the IC card 1, the usage count information, and the upper limit count information, and the register device 3 and the update usage count information sent from the cash register 3 is written into the upper limit count information storage area 15 c of the EEPROM 8 of the IC card 1.

Next, the cash register apparatus 3 includes a usage count information update unit 20, a usage restriction unit 21, an interface (I / F) 22, an input unit 23, a display unit 24, an electronic coupon service information reading unit 25, a determination unit 26, and a storage. Means 27, electronic coupon service processing means 28, control means 29, usable coupon list database 30 and the like are provided.
In the available coupon list database 30, a list relating to coupon services that can be provided to customers in advance is registered, and data can be updated by adding or deleting new coupon services for the convenience of the store. It can be done.

  The electronic coupon service information reading means 25 is stored in the electronic coupon service information storage area 15 of the EEPROM 8 of the IC card 1 by the IC card reader / writer 2. It has a function of reading the upper limit number of times information.

The determination unit 26 has a function of determining whether or not the number of uses of the use count information read from the IC card 1 by the IC card reader / writer 2 is the same as the upper limit count of the upper limit count information. Yes.
Further, when the determination unit 26 determines that the use count and the upper limit count are not the same, the use count information update unit 20 stores the IC card 1 from the register device 3 via the reader / writer 2. It has a function of updating and registering a number obtained by adding 1 to the number of uses stored in the use number information storage area 15b of the means.
If it is determined that the number of times of use and the upper limit number of times are not the same, the number of times that the electronic coupon service can still be used remains, and processing is performed so that the electronic coupon service can still be used.

In addition, when it is determined by the determination unit 26 that the number of times of use and the upper limit number of times are the same, the usage restriction unit 21 does not have the number of times that the electronic coupon service can be used. Therefore, the use restriction process is performed so that the electronic coupon service cannot be used.
As a specific method of use restriction by the use restriction means 21, the display means 24 of the cash register apparatus 3 displays a message indicating that the electronic coupon service cannot be used, or cancels the program processing for the electronic coupon service. There are various ways to do this.

  Further, the electronic coupon service processing means 28 has a function of processing a predetermined service such as a discount for a commodity price, which is an electronic coupon service, when the cashier processing is performed by the cash register device 3.

Next, the processing procedure of the electronic coupon usage restriction system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.
First, when a customer purchases a product at a store, the IC card reader / writer 2 connected to the cash register device 3 reads the electronic coupon service information stored in the storage means of the IC card 1 possessed by the customer. Make it. (Step S1)

Next, the electronic coupon service list included in the electronic coupon service information read from the IC card 1 based on the electronic coupon service information registered in the available coupon list database in advance on the cash register device 3 side, It is determined whether or not the electronic coupon service can be used effectively at this time. (Step S2)
In this determination, if there is an electronic coupon service that cannot be used because the expiration date has passed, the electronic coupon service stored in the storage means of the IC card 1 from the cash register device 3 via the reader / writer 2. From the list information, deletion processing is performed on information on electronic coupon services that cannot be used. (Step S3)

Next, information specifying an electronic coupon service used by the customer for the current shopping is input. (Step S4)
The input electronic coupon service is stored as a list of electronic coupon service information stored in the storage means of the IC card 1, and it is determined whether or not it is an electronic coupon service that can be used. (Step S5)
In this determination process, if the input electronic coupon service is in the list of electronic coupon service information, it is the same as the electronic coupon service used this time from the information stored in the storage means of the IC card 1 The number-of-uses information and the upper-limit number information of the electronic coupon service having the code are read. (Step S6)

Then, the usage count of the usage count information read by the reading means and the upper limit count of the upper limit count information are compared to determine whether or not they are the same. (Step S7)
If it is determined in this determination that the number of uses is not the same as the maximum number of times, the electronic coupon service can be received, and the storage means of the IC card 1 is used from the register device 3 via the reader / writer 2. A number obtained by adding 1 to the number of uses stored in the number information storage area is updated and registered. (Step S8)
For example, when the upper limit number of the upper limit number information is 8, and when the use number of the use number information is 7, the numbers are different. It is updated and registered in the usage count information storage area of the storage means of the card 1.
Then, information indicating that the electronic coupon service can be received is displayed on the display unit of the cash register apparatus 3, and the electronic coupon service by the electronic coupon service processing unit 28 is executed. (Step S9)

If it is determined in this determination that the number of uses is the same as the upper limit, the electronic coupon service by the electronic coupon service processing means 28 cannot be received and the process is terminated.
For example, when the upper limit count of the upper limit count information is 8, and the usage count of the usage count information is 8, the number is the same, and the processing ends without receiving the electronic coupon service. .
Then, information indicating that the electronic coupon service cannot be received is displayed on the display unit of the cash register apparatus 3. (Step S10)

  In the electronic coupon usage restriction system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the use count information and the upper limit count information of the electronic coupon service, which is personal information, are stored in the IC card possessed by each customer. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the burden of information management by the database on the store side.

Moreover, although the said embodiment is description regarding the system at the time of using a contact-type IC card as an IC card, the reading and writing of data between IC card reader / writers 2 as an IC card are performed by a non-contact method. A non-contact IC card may be used.
As non-contact IC cards, those having various structures have been developed, and those known non-contact IC cards may be used.
For example, as an example of the non-contact IC card 31, there is one having a configuration in which the non-contact IC tag 32 is built in the card bases 31a and 31b as shown in FIGS.

The non-contact IC tag 32 is also referred to as, for example, a non-contact data carrier or RFID. As shown in FIG. 9, a transmission / reception means 34 formed of a coil pattern is formed on a base material 33 such as plastic, and the coil, the capacitive element, Thus, a resonance circuit is formed so as to receive and transmit radio waves having a constant frequency.
As another method, power transmission and data transmission may be performed by electromagnetic induction of a carrier wave from a reader / writer.
Generally, a frequency band of 135 kHz (medium wave), 13.56 MHz, and 2.45 GHz (microwave) is used.

In the case of the illustrated example, the transmitting / receiving means including the coil pattern 34 forms a jumping circuit on the back surface of the base material 33 by the conductive member 35 and is connected to the bump on the back surface of the IC chip 36 by the coil connection terminal 34C.
The IC chip 35 includes a CPU stage and a memory.

In the illustrated example, the capacitive element is built in the IC chip 35.
Such a non-contact IC tag 32 is formed by forming a coil pattern by photo etching or etching after resist printing on a metal foil such as an aluminum foil laminated on a resin base material, mounting an IC chip 35, and providing a protective coating. It can be formed by providing.
The size can also be set to about 30 mm × 30 mm or less.

As the resin base material 33 used for the non-contact IC tag 32, various materials such as PET, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and nylon can be used, and paper may be used.
A thickness of 15 to 300 μm can be used, but 20 to 100 μm is more preferable from the viewpoint of strength, workability, cost, and the like.
Although copper foil, aluminum foil, or iron foil can be used as the metal foil, aluminum foil is preferable from the viewpoint of cost and workability, and the thickness is preferably about 6 to 50 μm.

  For reading and writing information recorded on these non-contact IC tags 32, a calling signal that resonates from the IC card reader / writer to the non-contact IC tag 32 is transmitted, and the non-contact IC tag 32 is not at a distance of several centimeters to tens of centimeters. A response signal from the contact IC tag 32 can be read, and information recorded in a memory which is a storage unit of the IC chip 35 of the non-contact IC tag 32 can be read or information can be written.

When the non-contact IC card as described above is used, an IC card reader / writer for a non-contact IC card that can be applied to the non-contact IC card is also used.
As described above, the electronic coupon usage restriction system of the present invention is a system that can handle both contact and non-contact IC cards.

It is a figure explaining the structure of the utilization restriction | limiting system of the electronic coupon which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the IC card used with the use restriction system of the electronic coupon concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a system block diagram of an IC card. It is a figure which shows the memory layout of the coupon service in the memory of an IC card. It is a system block diagram of a use restriction system of an electronic coupon concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of the use restriction system of the electronic coupon which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of a non-contact IC card. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. It is a figure explaining the structure of the non-contact IC tag built in the IC card.

Explanation of symbols

1 IC card
2 IC card reader / writer
3 cash register equipment
5 IC module
6 CPU
7 Read-only memory (ROM)
8 Rewritable non-volatile memory (EEPROM)
9 Volatile memory (RAM)
10 VCC terminal
11 GND terminal
12 RST terminal
13 CLK terminal
14 I / O terminal
15 Electronic coupon service information storage area
15a Unique information storage area
15b Usage count information storage area
15c Upper limit count information storage area
16 Writing means
17 Reading means
18, 29 Control means
19,22 Interface (I / F)
20 Use frequency information update means
21 Usage restriction means
23 Input means
24 Display means
25 Electronic coupon service information reading means
26 judgment means
27 Memory means
28 Electronic coupon service processing means
30 Available Coupon List Database
31 Non-contact IC card
31a, 31b Card base material
32 Non-contact IC tag
33 Base material
34 Coil pattern
34C Coil connection terminal
35 Conductive member
36 IC chip

Claims (3)

An electronic coupon usage restriction system comprising an IC card used when a customer receives an electronic coupon service, and a cash register provided on the provider side of the electronic coupon service and provided with the IC card reader / writer. ,
The storage means of the IC card stores, for each electronic coupon service, a specific information storage area for storing specific information specifying the type of electronic coupon service, and information on the number of times the customer has received the electronic coupon service in the past. A use count information storage area and an upper limit count information storage area for storing information on an upper limit count for receiving an electronic coupon service,
The cash register apparatus includes an input unit for inputting unique information for specifying an electronic coupon service to be used by the customer this time, and information stored in the use count information storage area and the upper limit count information storage area of the storage unit of the IC card. Reading means for reading the usage count information and the upper limit count information associated with the unique information input by the input means, the usage count of the usage count information read by the reading means, and the upper limit count information Determination means for determining whether or not the upper limit number is the same number, and means for restricting the use of the electronic coupon service when it is determined that the number is the same as the result of the determination means An electronic coupon usage restriction system characterized by   When it is determined that the usage count and the upper limit count are not the same as the result of the determination unit, the cash register apparatus uses the usage count information currently stored in the usage count information storage area. 2. The electronic coupon usage restriction system according to claim 1, further comprising means for writing the number of times of adding 1 to the new usage frequency information. The storage means of the IC card is provided with a plurality of unique information storage areas, use count information storage areas, and upper limit count information storage areas for using electronic coupon services having different use contents. The usage restriction system for electronic coupons according to claim 1.

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