JP3660813B2 - Point calculation method and device using point card - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a point card used when a consumer purchases a product, and more particularly to a point card itself and a method for calculating points using the point card.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The point balance is recorded on the card, and every time the card user purchases a product, the point balance is calculated by the store terminal, and the point balance on the card is updated, and the user is given a privilege at the time of payment by this point balance. A point addition method is known. On the other hand, in stores, etc., we are trying to differentiate services for customers, and we are thinking about unique point addition methods for stores and special services for high-quality customers, and there is a demand for different point addition methods for each store. .
[0003]
As this type of technology, there are technologies described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 56-96364 and 61-133470. These gazettes store discounts for specific customers by accumulating personal information to serve high-quality customers, determining discount rates, and holding a table that matches customer identification codes and discount rates in cash registers. A technique for determining the rate is disclosed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When developing an application program for point calculation that can be operated on a conventional store terminal, general point processing is identified based on the point addition method of each store, and the store's unique processing procedure is based on this general point processing. I was creating a program that would cover even. When it was requested to support a new point addition method, it was necessary to add a new function specific to the terminal to this general-purpose point processing program. For this reason, there has been a problem that this general-purpose point processing program has to be maintained for a long time.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a point card for performing point calculation by adding and executing an application program having a point addition method unique to a dealer without adding or changing the application program on the terminal side. It is in.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is a method for storing a point balance and a point calculation program in a card having a processing device and a memory, and updating the point balance by this program, which is accompanied by a purchase amount from a terminal device of a store. It is characterized by a point card calculation method using a point card that calls a program and performs point calculation by a store-specific program in the card to update the point balance. It also features a point card that performs this point calculation. Furthermore, it is characterized by a general-purpose program on the store terminal side.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0008]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a point addition system according to the present embodiment. The system includes an IC card 2, a store terminal 3 and a card issuing terminal 4. The IC card 2 is a card having a processing device and a memory (main storage device) inside, stores point data such as a point balance and a store-specific program and is called by the store terminal 3 Run the program. A card issuing terminal 4 installed in a card issuing company is a computer including a processing device 41, a memory 42, a reader / writer 43, and the like, and issues an IC card 2 for each card user. A dealer terminal 3 installed in each dealer is a computer such as a personal computer provided with a processing device 31, a memory 32, a reader / writer 33, a storage device 34 such as a disk, etc. Is set to set unique point data and call a unique program in the IC card 2 to execute point calculation.
[0009]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of the IC card 2. The electronic circuit of the IC card 2 supplies power to the processing device 21 such as a microprocessor, the memory 22 constituted by an EEPROM, a flash memory, and the IC card 2 and between the store terminal 3 and the card issuing terminal 4. And an interface unit 23 for transferring information. The memory 22 stores a card initial data setting program 24, a card general-purpose program 25, a unique program 26, a point data table 27, and a control program 28. The point data table 27 is a table that stores point data on the card side. The card initial data setting program 24 is an application program (AP) common to a plurality of dealer terminals 3, stores the initial value of point data in the point data table 27, and stores the substance of the unique program 26 in the memory 22. AP on the card side. The card general-purpose program 25 is an AP common to a plurality of dealer terminals 3, and is an AP that extracts point data from the point data table 27 in accordance with a command from the dealer terminal 3 and returns it to the dealer terminal 3. The unique program 26 is an AP that performs point calculation unique to the dealer. A plurality of unique programs 26 can be stored in the memory 22. The control program 28 is a program for executing a so-called operating system (OS) function for the AP.
[0010]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of the point data table 27. Each record of the point data table 27 stores a point name, a point balance, a unique program name, and unique data used by the unique program. The point name is a name indicating a point addition method unique to the store. The point balance is an initial value of 0, and is a cumulative value of points that are added when a consumer purchases a product. The unique program name is the name of the unique program 26. The unique data stores the unique data name and its current value.
[0011]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of information stored in the memory 32 and the storage device 34. The memory 32 stores a terminal initial data setting program 35, a terminal general-purpose program 36, a point data table 37, and a control program 38. The point data table 37 is a table for storing point data on the store terminal side. The terminal initial data setting program 35 is an AP common to a plurality of dealer terminals 3, and is a terminal that calls the card initial data setting program 24 in order to store the initial value of point data and the substance of the unique program 26 in the IC card 2. AP on the side. The terminal general-purpose program 36 is an AP that is common to a plurality of dealer terminals 3, and is an AP that is called to execute the card general-purpose program 25 and the unique program 26 of the IC card 2. The control program 38 is a program that executes the function of the OS. The storage device 34 stores the entity of the unique program 26 for the store. Unlike the terminal general-purpose program 36, the unique program 26 is generally in the execution format of the IC card 2, and cannot be executed by the processing device 31. That is, it is simply data for the processing device 31. The terminal initial data setting program 35 and the terminal general-purpose program 36 are stored in a storage medium and read into the memory 32 via a drive device connected to the processing device 31, or a store via a network with another computer drive device. It can be transmitted to the terminal 3, stored in the memory 32, and executed by the processing device 31.
[0012]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of the point data table 37. The point data table 37 has a record for storing a point name and a point grant rate. The point name is the name of the point addition method supported by the store. The point grant rate is a grant rate used when calculating additional points. During the special period, the point grant rate can be changed by the store terminal 3 such as increasing the normal point grant rate.
[0013]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of information stored in the memory 42 of the card issuing terminal 4. The memory 42 stores a card program incorporation program 44 and a control program 45. The card program incorporation program 44 is an AP that initializes a new IC card 2 as the IC card 2 is issued and incorporates the card initial data setting program 24 and the card general-purpose program 25 into the memory 22 thereof. The control program 45 is a program that executes the function of the OS.
[0014]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the terminal initial data setting program 35 and the card initial data setting program 24 when the store-specific point data and the entity of the unique program 26 are incorporated into the IC card 2. It is assumed that the card initial data setting program 24 and the card general-purpose program 25 are already incorporated in the IC card 2 by the card issuing terminal 4. The terminal initial data setting program 35 displays a message instructing the reader / writer 33 to insert the IC card 2 on a display device (not shown) (step 51). When the user's IC card 2 is inserted into the reader / writer 33, the terminal initial data setting program 35 calls the processing program of step 53 in the card initial data setting program 24 via the reader / writer 33 and the interface unit 23, and the point A point name set in the data table 27 is requested (step 52). The card initial data setting program 24 returns all point names set with reference to the point data table 27 to the store terminal 3 (step 53). The terminal initial data setting program 35 compares the received point name with the point name set in the point data table 37 (step 54), and the point name on the card side matches the point name on the terminal side. It is determined whether or not there is (step 55). If there is a matching point name (step 55Y), the process is terminated. If there is no matching point name (step 55N), the processing program of step 57 is called, and the point name to be added, the unique program name, the unique data name, and the initial value of the unique data are sent to the IC card 2 (step 56). The unique program name, unique data name, and initial value of unique data can be input via an input device (not shown). The card initial data setting program 24 sets the received information as one record in the point data table 27 (step 57). Next, the terminal initial data setting program 35 reads the unique program 26 from the storage device 34 into the memory 32 and transfers it to the IC card 2 (step 58). The card initial data setting program 24 stores this unique program 26 in the memory 22 (step 59).
[0015]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the terminal general-purpose program 36, the card general-purpose program 25, and the unique program 26 when performing point calculation. The terminal general-purpose program 36 displays a message for instructing the reader / writer 33 to insert the IC card 2 on the display device (step 61). When the user's IC card 2 is inserted into the reader / writer 33, the terminal general-purpose program 36 calls the card general-purpose program 25 via the reader / writer 33 and the interface unit 23, and the point name set in the point data table 27 and A corresponding unique program name is requested (step 62). The card general-purpose program 25 returns the unique program names corresponding to all the point names set with reference to the point data table 27 to the store terminal 3 (step 63). The terminal general-purpose program 36 compares the received point name with the point name set in the point data table 37 (step 64), and some of the card side point names match the terminal side point name. Whether or not (step 65). If there is a matching point name (step 65Y), the unique program 26 corresponding to the point name is called (step 66). At this time, the point grant rate set in the point data table 37 and the purchase price of the user are designated as parameters. The called unique program 26 executes point calculation according to the processing procedure (step 67). If there is no matching point name (step 65N), an error message is displayed on the display device (step 68), and the process ends.
[0016]
FIG. 9 is an example of the processing procedure of the unique program 26, and is a flowchart showing the processing flow. The unique program 26 refers to the point data table 27, extracts the UseCount value from the corresponding unique data of the unique program 26, adds +1, and stores the updated UseCount value in the point data table 27 (step 71). ). Next, it is determined whether or not the updated UseCount value has reached SpecialCNT in the corresponding unique data (step 72). If not reached (step 72N), go to step 75. If it has been reached (step 72Y), bonus points set in the program are added to the point balance corresponding to the specific program 26 in the point data table 27 (step 73), and the corresponding point balance in the point data table 27 is updated. The point balance is updated and UseCount is updated to 0 (step 74). Next, an additional point is calculated by multiplying the purchase amount received from the terminal general-purpose program 36 by a point grant rate (step 75), and the calculated additional point is added to the corresponding point balance in the point data table 27 to obtain a new point balance. The point balance in the point data table 27 is updated to a new value (step 77). The point balance recorded on the IC card 2 is referred to when the user pays for the purchase of the product, and becomes a privilege for payment. According to this unique program 26, bonus points are added to the point balance when the payment reaches the specified number of times.
[0017]
FIG. 10 is an example of a processing procedure of another unique program 26 and is a flowchart showing the processing flow. The unique program 26 refers to the point data table 27, extracts the UseCount value from the corresponding unique data of the unique program 26, adds +1, and stores the updated UseCount value in the point data table 27 (step 81). ). Next, it is determined whether or not the updated UseCount value has reached SpecialCNT in the corresponding unique data (step 82). If not reached (step 82N), go to step 85. If it has reached (step 82Y), 0.01 is added to the PersonalRatio in the specific data of the point data table 27 (step 83), the updated value is stored in the PersonalRatio of the point data table 27, and UseCount is set to 0. Store (step 84). Next, an additional point is calculated by multiplying the value obtained by adding the latest PersonalRatio to the point grant rate received from the terminal general-purpose program 36 and the purchase amount (step 85), and the additional point calculated for the corresponding point balance in the point data table 27. Are added to obtain a new point balance (step 86), and the point balance in the point data table 27 is updated to a new value (step 87). According to the specific program 26, when the payment reaches the specified number of times, the point grant rate is increased for the user.
[0018]
In the above embodiment, only one point granting rate is provided corresponding to the point name in the point data table 37, and the contents can be changed on the store terminal 3 side. An award rate is set, a list of the award rate is displayed on the display device before step 56, and one of the instructed point award rates or the last instructed point award rate via the input device May be the current point grant rate.
[0019]
In the above embodiment, since the point grant rate is set on the store terminal 3 side, it is easy to change the point grant rate according to the special period. However, if there is little change in the point grant rate, it can be set in the unique data on the point data table 27 or in the unique program 26. In the above-described embodiment, a fixed value with relatively little change in the unique data and a variable value updated for each user are set in the point data table 27. However, a fixed value set in the point data table 27 may be set in the unique program 26. For example, SpecialCNT used in the above embodiment is a fixed value, and may be set in the unique program 26 instead of being set in the point data table 27. Since bonus points are also fixed values, they may be set in the point data table 27 instead of being set in the unique program 26. Note that the terminal initial data setting program 35, the terminal general-purpose program 36, the card initial data setting program 24, and the card general-purpose program 25 are preferably independent of the individual unique programs 26 and the unique data used by the individual unique programs 26.
[0020]
In the above-described embodiment, the point addition method unique to the dealer and the program unique to the dealer are called. However, a plurality of dealers use the common point addition method and the common unique program 26 for operational reasons. Needless to say, cases are also included. For example, the unique program 26 that executes only steps 75 to 77 is a highly versatile AP.
[0021]
According to the above embodiment, the unique program 26 is independent of the terminal initial data setting program 35 and the terminal general-purpose program 36, and even if a new unique program 26 is added, the terminal initial data setting program 35 and the terminal general-purpose program 36 are added. Has no effect. In addition, since the specific program 26, the terminal initial data setting program 35, and the terminal general-purpose program 36 are executed on different processing devices, the object program execution format is generally different. The program language used when developing the specific program 26 may be different from the program language used when the terminal initial data setting program 35 and the terminal general-purpose program 36 are developed. The terminal initial data setting program 35 and the terminal general-purpose program are used. A unique program 26 that supports a new point addition method can be developed with the 36 maintenances frozen, and can be added to the IC card 2.
[0022]
Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, since only the unique program 26 loaded in the memory 22 can increase the point balance in the IC card 2, it is possible to prevent fraud such as tampering with the point balance in the IC card 2 from the outside. In the IC card 2, another AP that allows only referring to the point balance and deducting points is provided, and the other AP is called and executed from the store terminal 3 to refer to and withdraw the point balance. Can do. The card initial data setting program 24 permits the setting of unique data only when the terminal initial data setting program 35 adds a new record to the point data table 27, so that the unique data of the existing record is falsified from the outside. It cannot be done and fraud can be prevented.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the store-specific program is made independent from the general-purpose program on the store terminal side, a new store-specific program is developed without adding or changing the terminal-side program. And can be used. Further, it is difficult to tamper with the point data in the card from the outside, and the point card can be prevented from being misused.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a point addition system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of the IC card 2 of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of a point data table 27 according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of a store terminal 3 according to the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of a point data table 37 according to the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the card issuing terminal 4 according to the embodiment.
7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing when the unique program 26 and the unique data are incorporated into the IC card 2 of the embodiment. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of a point calculation process according to the embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of point calculation processing of the unique program 26 of the embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a point calculation process flow of another specific program 26 according to the embodiment;
[Explanation of symbols]
2: IC card, 3: dealer terminal, 26: unique program, 27: point data table, 36: terminal general-purpose program, 37: point data table

Claims (3)

A program stored on a computer-readable storage medium, which is a program that calls a point calculation program in a card via a reader / writer to calculate points, and includes the following steps:
(A) reading the name of the point calculation program registered in the card and determining whether or not the target point calculation program is registered in the card; and (b) the target point calculation program is registered. If there is, the step of calling the point calculation program with the purchase amount to execute the point calculation program in the card, and updating the point balance in the card as a result of the point calculation. A point calculation method in an IC card used in association with a plurality of dealer side terminals,
The IC card includes a general-purpose program common to the plurality of dealer-side terminals, a plurality of point calculation programs unique to the plurality of dealer-side terminals, and point data associated with the point calculation program. Holding a point data table and having
In response to the general-purpose program call from the store-side terminal, the general-purpose program refers to the point data table to notify the existence of the plurality of point calculation programs,
The point calculation method according to claim 1, wherein the point calculation program executes point calculation in response to one call out of the plurality of point calculation programs from the store side terminal. An IC card that is used in association with a plurality of dealer side terminals to calculate points,
The IC card includes a general-purpose program common to the plurality of dealer-side terminals, a plurality of point calculation programs unique to the plurality of dealer-side terminals, and point data associated with the point calculation program. Holding a point data table and having
The IC card, in response to the general-purpose program call from the store-side terminal, refers to the point data table by the general-purpose program and notifies the presence of the plurality of point calculation programs; An IC card comprising: means for executing point calculation by the point calculation program in response to one call out of the plurality of point calculation programs from the side terminal.

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