JP2007272524A - Point management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it unnecessary to install an IC card reading device for specifying a member customer who tries to get a privilege by using the number of total points of points saved by a customer member by a simple operation in any counter of an enterprise member. <P>SOLUTION: In this integral point management server connected through a communication line to a point management server installed by one or more enterprise members, and configured to integrally manage the movement of points, when a customer member tries to get predetermined privilege by using the predetermined number of points in a predetermined enterprise member, and the customer member owns the predetermined number or more points in response to a request from portable telephone terminal equipment carried by the customer, the use information of the privilege is transmitted to the portable terminal equipment of the customer, and when the customer member gets the privilege by using the predetermined number of points, the predetermined number of points is subtracted from the point account of the customer member. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a point management system, and in particular, a point account for adding the number of points accumulated in one or more business associations to which points are given is provided for each customer member, and the common points of the common point account are The present invention relates to a point management system that enables a customer member to use at any store of a corporate member.

  Conventionally, in retail stores (hereinafter referred to as “stores”) that sell or provide products or services (hereinafter referred to as “products, etc.”), sales activities and the like have been promoted and customers have been fixed. Provide so-called points for each purchase price to customers who purchase products for the purpose of planning, etc., and points that can be used within the range accumulated by the customer when purchasing the customer's products, etc. A service (point) is provided that provides a customer with a service (points) that can be discounted from the purchase amount of a product or the like according to the number, and such point management is performed by one or more computers connected to a communication line. A point management system is also provided for processing between them.

  In addition, a service for providing a green stamp, a coupon ticket, a ticket, or the like instead of the above points is also provided as substantially the same as such points.

  In general, such points are actively provided within a corporate group having a chain store, a mass retailer, and the like. In addition, as a technique of the point management system which manages the number of points of such a point, there exists a proposal currently disclosed by patent document 1 and patent document 2, for example.

Furthermore, as a point management system for managing points provided to customers who use credit cards, there is a proposal disclosed in Patent Document 3, for example.
JP-A-6-295390 JP-A-10-124754 JP 2002-150187 A

  However, in such a conventional point management system, even if there are a plurality of corporate groups, the range in which the customer can use points remains within each corporate group. There was a problem that the promotion and the promotion of customer immobilization were limited, and the original purpose was not achieved as planned.

  In addition, in the case of a system in which a customer member who provides points is registered in each of a plurality of corporate groups and an ID card is issued to identify this registered customer member, the customer who intends to use the accumulated points Therefore, it is a management burden to use different ID cards for each of a plurality of corporate groups, and it is necessary to carry a plurality of ID cards to use points. Was also a burden.

  In addition, the conventional point management system is attractive to customers as the amount of points discounted by using points is limited to the range of points earned within each corporate group. However, there was a problem that the discount amount was not easily reached.

  Analyzing these issues from the corporate group side, in the conventional point management system, the number of points earned by customer members in each of the other corporate groups is halfway, so all of these points are It will not be used, the number of points that will be stored will increase, and the number of points earned in other groups will not be allowed to be used in your own group, so it will not lead to economic revitalization as a result There was a problem.

For this reason, it is necessary to construct a wide-area point management system in which an integrated point account for managing a common point across a plurality of corporate groups is installed. However, this has the following problems.
(1) To change and integrate an ID card or the like for identifying a customer member from the current one requires a large introduction cost and operation cost.
(2) Even if an ID card or the like for identifying a customer member can be integrated, it is necessary to install a new terminal device or reading device for reading the stored contents of the card. Hardware and software).
(3) Although it is desired to continue to use the current point management system installed for each company group, the installation cost will increase as a whole when a new integrated point management system is installed.

  For this reason, the present invention is extremely simple in common for any store of corporate members, which is issued by each of a plurality of business groups and sums up a plurality of types of points acquired by customers at each business group or store. IC card for identifying the customer at a window (including stores, movie theaters, amusement parks, etc.) that actually grants benefits to the customer who uses the points so that it can be used in a simple processing procedure It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to perform point processing appropriately without using equipment such as a reading device such as a magnetic card.

  Another object of the present invention is to use the total number of points issued by each of a plurality of company groups and accumulated by each customer in a common and simple manner in any store of the plurality of company groups. It is to provide a point management system that can be used.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the above-described conventional point management system, and a customer member having a point given by a plurality of companies or corporate members of stores or the like can be found by any of the corporate members. A point management system in which some points can be obtained by using owned points, and is connected to a plurality of point management servers provided by the plurality of corporate members via a communication line to control the movement of points. The point management server adds the number of points newly acquired by the customer member from the company member to the point account of the customer member and the number of points used by the customer member. Is subtracted from the accumulated point number balance of the customer member's point account, and the customer member When a member intends to obtain a predetermined benefit using a predetermined number of points, the customer member owns a point equal to or greater than the predetermined number of points in response to a request from the mobile phone terminal device possessed by the customer. If so, the customer's mobile terminal device is permitted to acquire the privilege and use information to be activated is transmitted to the customer's mobile terminal device, and the customer member sets the predetermined number of points. The point management system which executes each process of invalidating the use information of the benefit and subtracting the predetermined number of points from the point account of the customer member by using the benefit to obtain the benefit Is to provide.

  Here, the use information of the privilege is, for example, discount information on products, an input ticket for a movie theater or a facility, and the use information is attached with an expiration date on which the privilege acquisition can be performed as necessary. In this way, the central point management server performs a process of canceling the usage information related to the privilege when the privilege is not acquired within the expiration date.

  By configuring in this way, the point management system according to the present invention is issued at each store or the like of one or a plurality of company members, and the total number of points accumulated by each customer is calculated at any store of the company members. Can be used with extremely simple processing procedures in common, the customer is identified at a window (including stores, movie theaters, amusement parks, etc.) that actually grants benefits to customers who use points This eliminates the need for equipment such as a reading device such as an IC card or a magnetic card. In this way, in this point management system, information necessary for using points is acquired via the mobile phone terminal device of the customer member, so that the equipment cost burden for each store is small (for example, an IC card) This eliminates the burden of installing a reader. Furthermore, the customer member can use the total number of points accumulated in each of the plurality of business groups in common at any store belonging to the plurality of business groups, so that a new purchase motivation is created. An attractive number of points (a large number of points) can be used.

  Here, the overall point management server in the point management system is configured to display a screen on which a link for calling a point use screen is displayed in the mobile phone terminal device, and by clicking the link, the point use Means for calling a screen from the overall point management server and sequentially displaying a screen continuing to the point use screen on the mobile phone terminal device, wherein the mobile phone terminal device stores the point information as the point information The usage screen and the point usage screen are sequentially input to the screen and are sequentially transmitted to the central point management server.

  In the point management system, the point information includes the number of used points requested by the customer member and a company member input ID. In the point management system, the overall point management server determines the customer member and the integrated point account of the customer member from the telephone number or email address of the mobile phone terminal device or the identification information of the mobile phone terminal device. Means. In the point management system, the overall point management server includes an integrated point account update unit that subtracts the used point number from the point number balance of the integrated point account of the customer member.

  In the point management system, the central point management server includes means for transmitting the update result of the integrated point account from the central point management server to the mobile phone terminal device. In the point management system, the update result is obtained by subtracting the used point number from the balance of the point number of the integrated point account of the customer member in addition to the normal approval notification for approving the use of the requested point number. If the result is negative, a notification that the number of points corresponding to the point number balance can be used is included.

  In the point management system, the mobile phone terminal device has a mail function and / or a web page browsing function for a mobile phone, a screen on which a link for calling the point use screen is posted, and the point use screen The following screen is called by the mail function or the web page browsing function.

  According to the point management system of the present invention, the total number of points issued by each of a plurality of company groups and accumulated by each customer member can be shared in any store of the plurality of company groups and is extremely simple. In addition to being used in operation, it was possible to eliminate the burden of equipment such as an IC card reader at a window providing benefits.

  Furthermore, the total number of points issued by each of the plurality of business groups and accumulated by the customer members can be used by the customer members easily and in common at any store of the plurality of business groups. Therefore, such an effect of the total number of points becomes attractive enough to stimulate a customer member's new purchase motivation.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a point management system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a point management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the point management system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of company groups 1 (a to n) that provide respective points, and a central point management server 2 that supervises the plurality of company groups, A communication line 10, a mobile phone terminal device 3 carried by a customer member, and a mobile phone line 30 are provided.

  The plurality of corporate groups 1 (a to n) and the management point management server 2 are connected to be communicable via a communication line 10.

  The mobile phone terminal device 3 can be communicably connected to the central point management server 2 via the mobile phone line 30. Each of the plurality of company groups 1 (a to n) includes a plurality of stores 12 and a point management server 11 (a to n).

  The central point management server 2 includes, as main components, information for authenticating the point management servers 11 (a to n) and customer members (customers who have previously applied for customer member registration and opened an integrated point account). An authentication DB (database) 21 to be stored, a company group information DB 22 that collects information about the company group 1 (a to n), a mobile phone display screen DB 23 that stores a display screen to be displayed on the mobile phone terminal device 3 A point account that is established at the time of customer member registration and manages the points accumulated by the customer members for each corporate group 1 (a to n) customer members, and an integrated point that manages the integrated points that integrate the point accounts for each customer member And an integrated point account DB 24 for storing accounts.

  The communication line 10 can be constituted by an Internet network, a LAN, a public telephone line, or the like. The cellular phone line 30 can be configured by including the Internet network as a component. Each of the corporate groups 1 (a to n) has completed the customer membership registration of the customer, whereby each of the point management servers 11 (a to n) has opened a point account corresponding to the customer member. At the same time, it is assumed that the general point management server 2 has already opened a point account corresponding to the company group-customer member and an integrated point account for integrating these point accounts.

  It is assumed that the customer member uses one of the stores of the company group 1 (a to n), and thereby has already accumulated the points of the company group and the integration points.

  In the following explanation, the value of the points issued by each of the corporate groups 1 (a to n) are all the same, and it is not necessary to convert using the exchange rate when exchanging the points. The points issued by each company may be converted using a predetermined exchange rate.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the point management system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  When a customer member requests to use the accumulated points when he / she visits a store 12 managed by one of the corporate groups 1 (a to n), the points are used for the mobile phone terminal device 3. The screen can be called and the number of points to be used can be designated and input via this point use screen (described later). However, the job of transmitting the input point number to the general point management server 2 is not performed by the customer member but the store clerk who has handed over the mobile phone terminal device 3 to which the point number has been designated and input. In this transmission, the store clerk does not make the customer member or the like know the secret exchange ID, company member ID, and password that are kept secret on the company member authentication screen (described later) of the mobile phone terminal device 3. Are carefully entered and transmitted to the central point management server 2. As a result of this transmission, the telephone number of the mobile phone terminal device 3, the mail address, and the identification information of the mobile phone terminal device are also sent to the central point management server 2 as information for identifying the customer member. 2 can specify the customer member and its point account by the customer member specifying information.

  The central point management server 2 receives the transmitted point information (number of used points, exchange ID, company member ID and password, and customer member identification information), and refers to the authentication DB 21 to point management server 11 ( a to n) and authenticating the customer member, and based on the point information, the company group stored in the integrated point account DB 24-the point account corresponding to the customer member and the integrated point account corresponding to the customer member Update (Here, the point management server 11 (a to n) is authenticated by the company member ID and password).

  More specifically, the central point management server 2 subtracts the used point number from the point number of the point account corresponding to the customer member stored in the integrated point account DB 24 and at the same time, The used point number is subtracted from the corresponding integrated point account point number.

  Here, if the result (difference) obtained by subtracting the number of used points from the number of points of the point account corresponding to the company group-customer member stored in the integrated point account DB 24 is negative, this negative point Store the number separately. In addition, when the result (difference) of subtracting the number of used points from the number of points of the integrated point account is negative, it is possible to use only the number of accumulated points, and the balance of the accumulated points of the integrated point account Is sent to the mobile phone terminal device 3 via the mobile phone line 30 to the effect that the storage points can be used.

  The central point management server 2 also transfers the received point information to the point management server determined from the corporate member ID and password among the point management servers 11 (a to n), and the processing (point account) Response to the received point information (corporate member approval screen or limited use screen). ) Is transmitted to the mobile phone terminal device 3.

  The stored content of the integrated point account DB 24 is periodically referred to and used for the settlement of the point replacement amount between the company groups 1 (a to n).

  In this way, the overall point management server constituting the point management system adds the number of points newly acquired by the customer member from the corporate member to the point account of the customer member and also calculates the number of points used by the customer member. When the customer member performs a process of subtracting from the accumulated point number balance of the customer member's point account and the customer member wants to obtain a predetermined privilege using a predetermined point number at a predetermined company member, the customer possesses Use that permits the customer's mobile terminal device to obtain the privilege and activates the customer's mobile terminal device if the customer member owns a point that is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of points in response to a request from the mobile phone terminal device The information is transmitted to the mobile terminal device of the customer, and the customer member obtains the privilege using the predetermined number of points. There is provided a point management system, characterized in that each processing is executed for subtracting the number of the predetermined point from the member customer of the point account with to invalidate the information.

  Here, the use information of the privilege is, for example, discount information on products, an input ticket for a movie theater or a facility, and the use information is attached with an expiration date on which the privilege acquisition can be performed as necessary. Thus, the central point management server performs a process of canceling the usage information related to the privilege when the privilege is not acquired within the expiration date.

FIG. 2 shows one configuration example of a company group in the point management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 2, one configuration example of the company group 1a is shown, but the configuration of the other company groups 1 (b to n) is the same as the configuration of the company group 1a. The operations of the other company groups 1 (b to n) are the same as the operations of the company group 1a described below.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the corporate group according to the present embodiment includes a corporate member (a plurality of stores 12) that can use the points accumulated by the customer member, and a point management that supervises each of the plurality of stores 12. The server 11a and the communication line 20 are provided.

  The plurality of stores 12 are stores connected to be able to communicate with the POS 13 (a to m), the POS 13 (a to m), and the communication line 20 for inputting the price when a customer member purchases a product or the like. And a terminal device 14 (a to m) and a store clerk 15 (a to m) that performs general store operations and authorizes the use of points by customer members.

  However, in the present invention, the configuration of each of the plurality of stores 12 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the POS 13 is not an essential component.

  The point management server 11a includes, as main components, an authentication DB 111 that stores information for authenticating customer members and corporate members, a store information DB 112 that collects information about stores in the corporate group, A point management DB 113 for storing the number of points issued in step 1 for each customer member.

  The communication line 20 can be configured by an Internet network, a LAN, a public telephone line, or the like. When the communication line 20 includes a LAN, this LAN may be the same communication line as the LAN that forms the communication line 10. The mobile phone terminal device 3 has a mail function. Further, it is possible to connect to the Internet network and to browse the web page of the mobile site.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the point use screen of the mobile phone terminal device in the point management system according to the embodiment of the present invention and the method of using the mobile phone terminal device via this screen.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a method of using the mobile phone terminal device via the point use screen when the customer member uses the points will be described.

  When the customer member uses the accumulated points at the store 12 where he / she has visited, the customer member sends an empty mail to the mail address stored by himself / herself through the mobile phone terminal 3 and the mobile phone line 30. By sending a URL to the central point management server 2 or by clicking on the URL posted on the web page that the user browses using the mobile phone terminal device 3 A web page on which guidance to the use screen is posted is displayed on the mobile phone terminal device 3 (see FIG. 3A). Since the link for calling the point use screen is posted in the guide mail or the guide on the web page, the customer member clicks this link to call the point use screen to the mobile phone terminal device 3.

  As a result, on the called point use screen, first, an input screen for the number of used points (see FIG. 3B) is displayed, so that the customer member moves the mobile phone terminal device 3 to the store in this state. It is handed over to 12 clerk (for example, clerk 15 (a)).

  The store clerk inputs the number of points requested by the customer member this time on the input screen for the number of used points displayed on the delivered mobile phone terminal device 3, presses the input button, The number of points used is transmitted to the central point management server 2 via the mobile phone terminal device 3 and the mobile phone line 30.

  As a result, the corporate member authentication screen (see FIG. 3C) is transmitted from the central point management server 2 to the mobile phone terminal device 3 via the mobile phone line 30 and displayed on the mobile phone terminal device 3. The store clerk continues to input the “Exchange ID” and “Member store password” on the corporate member authentication screen, and presses the OK button to obtain the number of points used for the mobile phone terminal 3 and the mobile phone. The data is transmitted to the central point management server 2 via the line 30.

  As a result, the corporate member approval screen (see FIG. 3D) is transmitted from the central point management server 2 to the mobile phone terminal device 3 via the mobile phone line 30 and displayed on the mobile phone terminal device 3. Therefore, the store clerk confirms the corporate member approval screen.

  FIG. 3 shows a case where the number of used points can be deducted from the integrated point account of the customer member. However, if the number of used points is determined from the integrated point account of the customer member, FIG. If it was not possible to withdraw, an indication that the balance of the number of points in the integrated point account was insufficient and that only the number of points that could be withdrawn was withdrawn is displayed.

  Note that the above-described web page can be provided by either the overall point management server 2 or the point management server 11a.

  FIG. 4 is a data flowchart showing a flow of point information in the point management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, a customer member calls a point use screen to a mobile phone terminal device carried and presents the mobile phone terminal device 3 to a store clerk of the store 12 (P1).

  Next, the store clerk of the store 12 inputs the point use number desired by the customer member on the point use screen of the presented mobile phone terminal 3 (P2).

  Next, the store clerk of the store 12 presses the input button on the input point use screen of the mobile phone terminal device 3 to transmit the point information including the number of input points to the general point management server 2 (P3). .

  Next, the central point management server 2 receives the point information, and executes a process of subtracting the number of points in the point information from the point account managed by itself and the central point account (point number elimination process) At the same time, the point information is also transferred from the point management servers 11 (a to n) to the point management server determined from the corporate member ID or its password (P4).

  Next, the point management server receives the point information, and based on the received point information, subtracts the number of points in the point information from the point account managed by the point management server (the elimination of the number of points) Process) and report the result of the deletion process to the central point management server 2 (P5).

  Finally, the central point management server 2 receives the report and checks the contents against the point account managed by itself, and if this check is taken, a response to the received point information (corporate member approval) Screen or limited use screen) is transmitted to the mobile phone terminal 3 (P6).

  Note that the division of work necessary for point management between the point management server 11 (a to n) and the overall point management server 2 is not limited to this embodiment.

  In this embodiment, the customer member is identified by the telephone number or mail address of the mobile phone terminal device 3 or the identification information phone number of the mobile phone terminal device, but the customer member ID is issued at the time of customer member registration. The customer member ID can be transmitted from the mobile phone terminal device 3 to the point management server 11 (a to n) or the central point management server 2 to identify the customer member based on the customer member ID. It is.

  As described above in detail, the overall point management server in the point management system according to the present invention is connected to a plurality of point management servers provided by a plurality of corporate members via a communication line so as to centrally manage the movement of points. In the point management server, when a customer member wants to obtain a predetermined privilege using a predetermined number of points at a predetermined company member, the customer member according to a request from the mobile phone terminal device possessed by the customer If the user owns points that are equal to or greater than the predetermined number of points, the usage information of the benefit is transmitted to the mobile terminal device of the customer to the mobile terminal device of the customer, and the customer member The predetermined number of points is subtracted from the point account of the customer member when the number of points is used to obtain the privilege. As a result, in this point management system, the total number of points issued by multiple corporate members and accumulated by each customer member can be used with simple operations at any window of the corporate member. This eliminates the need for equipment such as an IC card reader for identifying a member customer who wants to obtain a privilege by using points.

  According to the present invention, a customer member who has points given from one or a plurality of companies or corporate members such as stores can obtain some privilege by using points owned by himself / herself at any store or facility of the corporate members. The present invention relates to a point management system that performs data processing, and has industrial applicability.

1 shows an overall configuration of a point management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows one configuration example of a company group in a point management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the structure of the point use screen of the mobile telephone terminal device in the point management system which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and the usage method of a mobile telephone terminal device via this screen. It is the data flowchart which showed the flow of the point information in the point management system which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 (a to n): company groove 2: general point management server 3: mobile phone terminal 10, 20: communication line 11 (a to n): point management server 12 ((a-1) to (n-1) ): Store 13 (a to m): POS
14 (a to m): Store terminal device 21: DB for authentication (database)
22: Company group information DB
23: Mobile phone display screen DB
24: Integration point account DB
30: Mobile phone line 111: Authentication DB
112: Store information DB
113: Point management DB

Claims (16)

A point management system in which a customer member who has points granted by one or more corporate members can obtain some benefits by using points owned by the customer member,
A general point management server that is connected to a point management server provided by the corporate member via a communication line and collectively manages movement of points,
The central point management server
A process of adding the number of points newly acquired by the customer member from the corporate member to the point account of the customer member and subtracting the number of points used by the customer member from the accumulated point number balance of the customer member's point account Done
When the customer member intends to obtain a predetermined privilege using a predetermined number of points at a predetermined company member, the customer member receives the request from the mobile phone terminal device possessed by the customer. If the customer owns a point equal to or greater than the number of points, the customer's mobile terminal device is permitted to obtain and activate the mobile terminal device, and usage information is transmitted to the customer's mobile terminal device, and the customer member By using the predetermined number of points to obtain the privilege, the usage information of the privilege is invalidated and the predetermined point number is subtracted from the point account of the customer member.
A point management system characterized by executing each process.   2. The point management system according to claim 1, wherein the use information of the privilege is attached with an expiration date for executing the privilege acquisition as necessary.   3. The point management system according to claim 2, wherein the central point management server performs a process of canceling use information related to the privilege when acquisition of the privilege is not executed within the expiration date. . The central point management server
Means for displaying a screen on which a link for calling a point use screen is posted in the mobile phone terminal device;
Means for calling the point use screen from the overall point management server by clicking the link, and sequentially displaying a screen that continues to the point use screen on the mobile phone terminal device;
4. The mobile phone terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the point information is sequentially input to the point use screen and the screen continuing to the point use screen and is sequentially transmitted to the central point management server. 5. Point management system.   5. The point management system according to claim 4, wherein the point information includes the number of points used by the customer member, a corporate member ID, and a password.   The central point management server includes means for determining the customer member and the integrated point account of the customer member from the telephone number or mail address of the mobile phone terminal device or the identification information of the mobile phone terminal device. The point management system according to claim 5.   7. The integrated point account update unit according to claim 3, further comprising integrated point account update means for subtracting the number of used points from the balance of the number of points of the integrated point account of the customer member. The point management system described.   8. The central point management server comprises means for transmitting the update result of the integrated point account from the central point management server to the mobile phone terminal device. Point management system as described in.   In the update result, in addition to the normal approval notification for approving the use of the requested number of points, if the result of subtracting the number of used points from the balance of the number of points of the customer member's integrated points account is negative The point management system according to any one of claims 3 to 8, further comprising a notification that the number of points corresponding to the point number balance can be used.   The mobile phone terminal device has a mail function and / or a web page browsing function for a mobile phone, a screen on which a link for calling the point use screen and a screen below the point use screen are the mail function The point management system according to claim 3, wherein the point management system is called by the web page browsing function.   The point management system according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the point use screen and a series of screens continuing to the point use screen are prepared by the overall point management server. .   The point management system according to any one of claims 3 to 11, wherein the point use screen and a series of screens continuing to the point use screen are prepared by the point management server.   The central point management server identifies the customer member based on a telephone number or email address of the mobile phone terminal device, identification information of the mobile phone terminal device, or a customer member ID issued at the time of customer member registration. The point management system according to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein the point management system is characterized in that:   The point management system according to any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein the central point management server identifies the point management server by a company ID or a password of the company member.   The point management system according to any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein the central point management server and each of the point management servers are communicably connected via a communication line.   16. The point management system according to claim 3, wherein the communication line includes a LAN or an Internet network.

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