JP3900835B2 - Point counting system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a point totaling system for accumulating point values for benefit provision, and more particularly to a point totaling system that can reduce the introduction cost and is easy to operate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, with the development of information communication technology, services in stores and the like are also diversifying. Among them, the point value in response to the purchase amount of the customer is accumulated, and when it reaches the predetermined point value, some kind of privilege is given or the point value itself is used as a cash voucher to provide a discount service There is a case.
[0003]
Conventionally, in consideration of such service provision, a POS (Point of Sales) terminal, which is a register, has been improved in functionality. That is, the conventional point counting system uses a POS terminal, and as shown in FIG. 7, the POS terminal 1 arranged at the store side is connected to the POS terminal 1 via the network, and the center side And a deployed database system 2. The database system 2 includes a customer database 5, a control unit 6, and a communication unit 7.
[0004]
The POS terminal 1 includes a scanner. The scanner reads and stores the customer identifier described on the point card distributed to the customer in advance, and subsequently reads the product identifier and associates it with the product identifier. The amount information is acquired, and this amount is accumulated to display the total amount. Further, when an operation indicating that payment for the total amount is completed, the transaction is completed, and information on the total amount and the stored customer identifier are transmitted to the database system 2 via the network. .
[0005]
In the customer database 5 of the database system 2, the customer identifier and the accumulated point value given to the customer are stored in association with each other. The control unit 6 receives the total amount information received by the communication unit 7 and the customer identifier, and acquires the current accumulated point value corresponding to the customer identifier from the customer database 5. Then, the acquired point value determined based on the total amount information is added to the accumulated point value to update the accumulated point value, and overwrite and accumulate in the customer database 5.
[0006]
Such services differ from the traditional case of providing customers with a number of stickers and stamps according to the amount of payment, and they simply scan the customer for a point card. Accounting and services can be performed smoothly without waiting.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the conventional point counting system uses a highly functional POS system as a means for acquiring money amount information. However, in general, such a POS system is expensive, and it is difficult to bear the introduction cost particularly in small and medium stores.
[0008]
Therefore, in such a store, for example, a dedicated computer for counting point values is arranged near each register (accounting terminal), and these computers are connected via a network so that the store clerk and the customer identifier It is also conceivable that the total value of the purchase price of the customer is input to this computer, the total value is received on the server side via the network, and the point values are totaled. However, if this is done, the store clerk must operate the numeric keypad as well as the register to perform price entry and confirmation work, which makes the operation complicated. Assuming a normal transaction form here, the total price is presented, and the customer usually prepares the money after the store clerk communicates the amount charged, for example, “I will give you 5000 yen” However, in order to be able to provide the service smoothly without waiting for the customer, it is necessary to complete the operation of inputting the customer identifier and the amount of money in a very short time within the money preparation time.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a point totaling system that can provide a service using points with a low cost and easy operation.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example includes a means for managing a cumulative point value for each customer in a point counting system, and a computer-readable price range that represents an identifier of each price range for each price range. A label, a scanner that reads a price range label corresponding to a purchase price of a customer among the price range labels, and that reads a price range identifier represented by the price range label, and recognizes the read price range identifier And means for calculating the earned point value according to the price range, and means for adding the earned point value to the accumulated customer accumulated point value and updating the accumulated point value. It is a feature.
[0011]
In this way, by using a price range label in which an identifier for each price range is described without using an expensive POS terminal, the point value can be obtained with a simple operation in a short time. The accumulation work can be completed, the introduction cost can be reduced, and the service using the points can be provided with an easy operation.
[0012]
In addition, the present invention for solving the problems of the above-described conventional example manages, for each customer, information for identifying the customer and the accumulated point value assigned to the customer in association with each other. Means for each price range, a computer-readable label integrally including an identifier of each price range and information for identifying the customer, and an operation of reading a label corresponding to the purchase price of the customer among the labels In response, the scanner that reads the price range identifier and the information that identifies the customer that are integrally included in the label, and means that recognizes the read price range identifier and calculates the earned point value according to the price range And the acquired point value is added to the accumulated point value accumulated in the database in association with the information for identifying the customer, and the accumulated point value is updated. Means that, characterized in that it comprises a.
[0013]
Thus, without using an expensive POS terminal, and for each price range, using a label in which the price range identifier and customer identification information are integrally described, the scanner can be operated. Price range and customer identifier can be entered in a single operation. Accumulation of point values can be completed with a simple operation in a short time. Services can be provided using points with low cost and easy operation. It becomes.
[0014]
Here, it is preferable to further include means for printing a point sheet describing the updated accumulated point value for the customer. In addition, information for identifying a customer may be described in the point sheet so as to be readable by a computer. Further, a plurality of labels each including information for identifying a customer and identification information for a price range may be arranged on the point sheet for each price range.
[0015]
Further, the present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example described above is a point counting method, wherein each price range includes a computer-readable price range label indicating a price range identifier for identifying each price range, and for each customer. Receiving a command to read the price range label corresponding to the purchase price of the customer among the price range labels, and reading the price range label using a database that manages the cumulative point value of the customer Adding the acquired point value determined according to the price range indicated by the read price range label to the cumulative point value of the customer, and updating the cumulative point value.
[0016]
The present invention for solving the problems of the above conventional example is arranged in the price range sheet near the register for collecting the purchase amount, and for each price range, the price range label for identifying each price range can be read by a computer. It is characterized by being arranged.
[0017]
The present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example is a point sheet that is transferred to the customer side and collected from the customer side at the next visit to the store, and each price range identifies each price range. A label in which the identifier and the identifier of the customer to be transferred are integrally described in a computer-readable manner is arranged.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[Embodiment 1]
A point totaling system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the point totaling system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of terminal devices 10, a server 20, a printing terminal 30, and a database 40. These units are connected to each other via a network. Has been. Each terminal device 10 is arranged in the vicinity of a register, and basically includes a scanner 11 and a control unit 12. The printing terminal 30 includes a scanner 31, a control unit 32, and a printer 33. Also, in the vicinity of each register, a price band sheet 50 in which labels representing the identifiers (price band identifiers) of the respective price bands are arranged for each price band. Furthermore, a sheet (a membership card or a point sheet described later) on which a barcode representing the customer identifier is described is distributed to the customer side.
[0019]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the database 40 uses information (customer identifier) (A) for identifying a customer as a key, and each customer's telephone number, name, address, information regarding preferences for purchase objects, History information is stored as customer information (B). Further, in this database 40, the accumulated point value (C) of each customer is managed in association with the customer identifier. Further, the database 40 stores a plurality of advertisement data. In addition, each advertisement data is stored in association with information related to listed products such as “food” and “daily necessities”, provision time information (information such as “start provision after 16:00”), and the like.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 3, the price range sheet 50 includes a character string indicating a price range such as “0 to 999 yen”, “1000 to 1999 yen”, and a label indicating a price range identifier corresponding to each price range. And barcodes are arranged.
[0021]
The scanner 11 of the terminal device 10 is preferably a handy scanner, and when an operation of reading any one of the barcodes arranged on the price sheet 50 is performed, the barcode is read and the information is controlled. To the unit 12. Further, the scanner 11 reads the customer identifier from the sheet distributed to the customer side and outputs it to the control unit 12.
[0022]
The control unit 12 acquires the price range identifier based on the barcode information input from the scanner 11, and receives the customer identifier information from the scanner 11, the database 40 using the customer identifier as a key. To get the accumulated point value. Further, the control unit 12 adds the acquired point value set in advance according to the acquired price range to this accumulated point value, and overwrites the accumulated point value in the database 40.
[0023]
The server 20 includes a clock, and provides customer information and accumulated point value information corresponding to the customer identifier instructed from the database 40 to the printing terminal 30 in accordance with an instruction from the printing terminal 30. Further, when the server 20 receives a request for advertisement data together with product type information from the printing terminal 30, the server 20 obtains advertisement data having a posted product that matches the product type information from the advertisement data stored in the database 40. Obtain it and provide it to the printing terminal 30. Here, when the provision time information is associated with the advertisement data to be provided, the current time is acquired with reference to a clock (not shown), and the advertisement data at the provision start time is selected and provided.
[0024]
The scanner 31 of the printing terminal 30 reads a sheet whose customer identifier is represented by a barcode, and outputs the image information of the barcode to the control unit 32. When recognizing the customer identifier, the control unit 32 starts processing for generating a point sheet as shown in FIG. That is, when the barcode image information is input from the scanner 31, the control unit 32 starts the process shown in FIG. 4 and recognizes the customer identifier from the barcode image information (S1). Then, the server 20 is requested for customer information and accumulated point values corresponding to the customer identifier (S2). When customer information and accumulated point values are received from the server 20, the customer information is referred to, and the type of product purchased (such as “food”) is determined based on information on preferences, past purchase history, etc. (S3). Then, the server 20 is requested for advertisement data related to this type of information (S4), and when the advertisement data is received, the advertisement data (P), the information (Q) of the accumulated point value, and the customer identifier (R) Is output to the printer 33 (S5), and the process is terminated.
[0025]
Next, the operation of the point counting system of the present embodiment will be described. The person in charge of the register accounts for the purchased products of the customer, and after the completion of the accounting, the label indicating the customer identifier such as a membership card or a point sheet is presented as “Do you have a membership card or a point sheet?” Ask. When the customer presents this label, the customer is asked for an amount corresponding to the purchase price, such as “I will receive 5000 yen”. While the customer is preparing this amount of money, the register person in charge continues the presented label and the label corresponding to the price range including 5000 yen of the price range sheet 50 to the terminal device 10. The scanner 11 is used for reading.
[0026]
The control unit 12 uses the customer identifier and the price range identifier read by the scanner 11 to obtain the accumulated point value managed in association with the customer identifier in the database 40 according to the price range identifier. The value is converted, and the accumulated point value is overwritten and accumulated in the database 40. As described above, in the point counting system according to the present embodiment, points can be totaled only by two scanner operations, and the point counting can be completed in a short time with a simple operation. The terminal device 10 may be a combination of a normal personal computer and a scanner, the network may be a normal LAN, the server 20 may be a personal computer installed with a normal server OS, and the database 40 Since it can be constructed using a database such as ORACLE (trademark), it can be introduced at low cost.
[0027]
In addition, the customer may ask the register person how much the accumulated point value has been reached (the register person can display the accumulated point value after adding the acquired point value on the terminal device 10, It is also possible to know the customer's point value) by scanning the membership card or point sheet on which the customer identifier is posted with the scanner 31 of the printing terminal 30 and receiving a new point sheet.
[0028]
The printing terminal 30 acquires customer information and accumulated point values from the database 40 based on the customer identifier read by the scanner 31, refers to the customer information, and uses the purchase history, preference information, etc. as a key for advertising data. Get selectively. Then, the advertisement data, the accumulated point value, and a label representing the customer identifier are laid out and printed.
[0029]
The customer can know the current accumulated point value by using this point sheet, and can bring the customer's identifier to the register person by bringing this point sheet to the next visit.
[0030]
[Embodiment 2]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the point counting system of the present embodiment, a sheet in which a label in which a price range identifier and a customer identifier are integrally included is arranged for each price range is distributed to the customer side, and among the labels, a purchase price range is supported. The register person in charge scans what is to be performed, thereby enabling reading of the price range identifier and the customer identifier in one operation.
[0031]
That is, the point totaling system according to the present embodiment has the same configuration as the point totaling system according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but the label read by the control unit 12 by the scanner 11 is used. Thus, both the customer identifier and the price range identifier are recognized, and accordingly, the accumulated point value managed in the database 40 in association with the customer identifier is different from the processing in the printing terminal 30.
[0032]
In the same manner as in the first embodiment, the printing terminal 30 according to the present embodiment accumulates advertisement data (P) selected from the database 40 based on the past purchase history and preference information of the customer, A point sheet (FIG. 5B) describing the point value information (Q) and a plurality of labels (S) integrally including a customer identifier and a price range identifier is printed.
[0033]
In addition, by distributing the label including the price range identifier to the customer side in this way, the malicious user intentionally rearranges the label, for example, 10001 yen at the position where the price range of 1 to 999 yen should be. In order to prevent a point value from being obtained illegally by creating a sheet with a label in the price range of ˜19999 yen, a method of applying a predetermined modulation to the pixel array position of the background image data as a label (S) It is preferable to embed an identifier. As this embedding technique, one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2958396 “Image Forming Apparatus” can be used.
[0034]
In the present embodiment, the customer information managed in the database 40 in association with the customer identifier includes the customer stratification (classified customer / general customer / special customer etc.) and the control unit 12. However, when calculating the earned point value corresponding to the price range identifier read by the scanner 11, it is also preferable to refer to the information for each layer and adjust the earned point value according to each layer. That is, in this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the database 40 stores a table for determining how much earning point value is to be obtained for each price range according to the tier of each customer. Referring to the above, the earned point value is determined according to the customer stratification and purchase price range. Thereby, for example, it becomes possible to provide a service such as returning more point values to a preferential customer.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the point counting system is provided separately from the register, and by using a computer-readable label prepared for each price range, the point counting operation can be completed easily and in a short time. Can be made. Similarly, the customer identifier is also a computer-readable label, so that the reading operation of the customer identifier and the price range identifier is performed in the same manner, and the point totaling operation can be simplified.
[0036]
In addition, according to the present invention, by providing a label that integrally includes a customer identifier and a price range identifier for each price range, the customer identifier and the price range identifier can be input by a single scanning operation, more easily and easily. The point counting operation can be completed quickly.
[0037]
Furthermore, the point totaling system of the present invention can be configured using a general-purpose computer or the like, and the introduction cost can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a point counting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the contents of a database 40;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a price range sheet.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing for printing a point sheet.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a point sheet.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a table for determining a price range and an acquired point value for each customer stratification.
FIG. 7 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional point counting system.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 POS terminal, 2 database system, 5 customer database, 6 control unit, 7 communication unit, 10 terminal device, 11, 31 scanner, 12, 32 control unit, 20 server, 30 printing terminal, 33 printer, 40 database, 50 price Belt sheet.

Claims (8)

A means of managing the cumulative point value for each customer;
For each price range, a computer-readable price range label that represents the identifier of each price range;
A scanner that reads an operation of reading a price range label corresponding to a purchase price of a customer among the price range labels, and reads a price range identifier represented by the price range label;
Means for recognizing the read price range identifier and calculating an acquired point value according to the price range;
Means for adding the acquired point value to the accumulated point value of the accumulated customer and updating the accumulated point value;
Point totaling system characterized by including. For each customer, a means for managing the information for identifying the customer in association with the accumulated point value given to the customer;
For each price range, a computer-readable label that integrally includes an identifier for each price range and information that identifies the customer;
A scanner that receives an operation of reading a label according to a purchase price of a customer among the labels, and reads a price range identifier and information for identifying the customer included in the label,
Means for recognizing the read price range identifier and calculating an acquired point value according to the price range;
Means for adding the acquired point value to the accumulated point value accumulated in the database in association with the information for identifying the customer, and updating the accumulated point value;
Point totaling system characterized by including. In the point totaling system according to claim 1 or 2, further,
A point totaling system comprising: means for printing a point sheet describing the updated cumulative point value for a customer. For each price range, using a computer-readable price range label that represents a price range identifier that identifies each price range, and a database for managing the cumulative point value of the customer in association with each customer,
Receiving an instruction to read the price range label corresponding to the purchase price of the customer among the price range labels, and reading the price range label;
Adding the acquired point value determined according to the price range represented by the read price range label to the cumulative point value of the customer, and updating the cumulative point value;
The point totaling method characterized by including. For each price range, using a computer readable price range label representing a price range identifier that identifies each price range, for each customer, a computer connected to a database that associates and manages the cumulative point value for that customer,
Receiving an instruction to read the price range label corresponding to the purchase price of the customer among the price range labels, and reading the price range label;
Adding the acquired point value determined according to the price range represented by the read price range label to the cumulative point value of the customer, and updating the cumulative point value;
A program characterized by having executed. A computer-readable recording medium storing the program according to claim 5. A price range sheet, which is arranged in the vicinity of a register for totalizing purchase amounts, and in which price range labels for identifying each price range are arranged in a computer-readable manner for each price range. It is a point sheet that is transferred to the customer side and collected from the customer side at the next visit,
A point sheet comprising, for each price range, a label in which a price range identifier for identifying each price range and an identifier of a customer to be transferred are integrally described in a computer-readable manner.

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