JP6934711B2 - Coupon usage system, coupon usage program and coupon usage method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coupon usage system for using value information including any of coupons, points, and privilege services, a coupon usage program, and a coupon usage method.

In recent years, portable information processing terminals such as smartphones and mobile phones that perform information communication by wireless communication have become widespread, and such mobile terminal devices have not only a call function but also a mail transmission / reception function and a digital camera function. It is equipped with multiple functions such as a map search function and a schedule management function.

On the other hand, value information such as coupons, points, and privilege services has been conventionally distributed for attracting customers and advertising, and with the spread of information processing terminals as described above, electronic coupons are used as information processing terminals. A service form that distributes information to people and uses coupons and the like through information processing terminals is also becoming widespread (Patent Document 1).

By the way, for coupons distributed by each store or service medium, it is common to set the available place and expiration date to achieve the effect of attracting customers locally and in a timely manner. Even so, there are many cases where the available area is limited or a deadline for materials is set.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-146512

However, for users who use coupons, even if they obtain a so-called coupon book that collects coupons distributed from many stores and services, it is the task to manage the available locations and expiration dates. Not only is it annoying, but it also requires a dedicated application to display and use it, so you can launch that application just to manage coupons, remember the steps to operate it, etc. It was annoying and tended to limit the use of services.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when using value information such as electronic coupons and points, by combining the schedule management function for managing the user's schedule with the coupon management function, the coupon can be managed together with the own schedule management. Then, it is an object to provide a coupon usage system, a coupon usage program, and a coupon usage method that can expand the usage opportunities of coupons and the like.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a coupon or the like usage system for using value information including any of coupons, points, and privilege services, and the content, available place, and available period of the value information. And the distribution server that distributes the coupon holder data that collects multiple value information management data linked to the usage status for each user through the communication network, and the coupon holder data is acquired from the distribution server through the communication network. It is equipped with an information processing terminal equipped with a function of presenting arbitrary value information included in the coupon holder data, and the information processing terminal acquires and accumulates coupon holder data distributed by the distribution unit through a communication network. A unit, a display unit that displays value information management data, a schedule storage unit that stores time information related to the user's schedule and the type of schedule content as schedule information, and an available period and value included in the value information management data. A coupon schedule setting unit that adds the content of information to the schedule information as a user's schedule, and a calendar display unit that synthesizes and displays the user's schedule, the available period of value information, and the content based on the schedule information. The calendar display unit has a calendar display function including the current date, and the calendar display function is set on a month / day portion after the current date with the current date as a boundary. The usable period of the value information management data stored in the coupon holder storage unit and the schedule information stored in the schedule storage unit are displayed, and the value information is used in the month and day portion before the current date. We view the history.

Further, the present invention is a method of using a coupon or the like for using value information in the above-mentioned coupon or the like usage system.
(1) In the information processing terminal, the step of acquiring the coupon holder data distributed by the distribution unit through the communication network and accumulating it in the coupon holder storage unit.
(2) A step of storing the time information and the type of schedule contents related to the user's schedule in the schedule storage unit as schedule information, and
(3) A step in which the coupon schedule setting department adds the usable period and the content of the value information included in the value information management data to the schedule information as a user's schedule.
(4) Based on the schedule information, including the step of synthesizing the user's schedule, the usable period of the value information and its contents, and displaying it on the calendar display unit.
The calendar display unit has a calendar display function including the current date, and the calendar display function has the coupon holder storage unit in a month / day portion after the current date with the current date as a boundary. The usable period of the value information management data stored in the data and the schedule information stored in the schedule storage unit are displayed, and the usage history of the value information is displayed in the month and day portion before the current date. NS.

According to these inventions, since the coupon management function is combined with the schedule management function for managing the user's schedule, it is possible to manage the usable place and the expiration date of the coupon together with the own schedule management. As a result, a dedicated application only for managing coupons becomes unnecessary, and it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness of remembering the procedure for operating the dedicated application only for coupon management.
Further, according to the present invention, since the user's schedule can be described and displayed in the month / day portion after the current date, the schedule function as a notebook can be used and can be used for each month / day. You can browse various coupons, etc., you can save the trouble of searching from a large number of coupons when using coupons, etc., and you can easily find the target coupon. In addition, by leaving the history of used coupons etc. together with the schedule in the month and day part before the current date, you can view the coupon usage history along with the user's behavior for each month and day, so it can be used as a diary. Can enhance the practicality of.

In the above invention, the calendar display unit extracts the store information associated with the value information in the month / day portion before the current date with the current date as the boundary, and the usage history of the value information. Is preferably displayed.

Since these displays are displayed on one calendar with the current date as the boundary, the GUI of the diary and the coupon holder can be combined into one, which can improve the visibility and display area. Can be reduced, and the display unit with a limited area can be effectively used.

In the above invention, the coordinate acquisition unit that specifies the coordinate position on the map or the route between the coordinate positions, and the available location regarding the user's schedule included in the schedule information based on the coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit. It is preferable to include a search unit that extracts available value information by referring to, and an output unit that outputs the value information extracted by the search unit in association with the coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit. ..

In this case, by specifying the destination etc. in the schedule or entering the route to that destination, the user can pick up the coupons that can be used near the destination or route and on the day of the schedule. Can be presented to, making it easy to search for coupons. As a result, the opportunity for the user to use the coupon is further increased, and the opportunity to use the service can be expanded.

Further, the above-mentioned coupon or the like utilization system and the coupon or the like utilization method according to the present invention can be realized by executing a coupon or the like utilization program described in a predetermined language on a computer. That is, in the above system, the coupon usage program uses the information processing terminal.
A coupon holder storage program that uses coupons, etc. to use value information, and acquires and stores coupon holder data distributed by the distribution department through an information processing terminal.
A schedule storage unit that stores the time information related to the user's schedule and the type of schedule content as schedule information,
A coupon schedule setting unit that adds the usable period and the content of the value information included in the value information management data to the schedule information as a user's schedule.
Based on the schedule information, it functions as a calendar display unit that synthesizes and displays the user's schedule, the usable period of the value information, and its contents.

By installing such a coupon usage program on a computer such as a user terminal or an IC chip and executing it on a CPU, a coupon usage system having each of the above-mentioned functions can be easily constructed, and a coupon usage method can be used. Can be carried out.

This coupon usage program can be distributed, for example, through a communication line, and can be transferred as a package application that operates on a stand-alone computer by recording it on a recording medium that can be read by a general-purpose computer. Can be done. Specifically, the recording medium can be recorded on various recording media such as a magnetic recording medium such as a flexible disk or a cassette tape, an optical disc such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM, or a RAM card. Then, according to the computer-readable recording medium on which this program is recorded, it becomes possible to easily implement the above-mentioned coupon usage system and coupon usage method using a general-purpose computer or a dedicated computer. Programs can be easily saved, transported and installed.

As described above, according to the present invention, when using value information such as electronic coupons and points, by combining the schedule management function for managing the user's schedule with the coupon management function, the schedule management function can be combined with the own schedule management. By making it possible to manage coupons, it is possible to expand the opportunities for using coupons and the like.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the whole structure of the coupon use system which concerns on embodiment. It is a front view which shows the appearance of the smartphone which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the user terminal which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the module which concerns on the coupon and schedule function of the user terminal which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the management server which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the service providing terminal which concerns on embodiment. It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation when the coupon holder function which concerns on embodiment is used offline. It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation when the coupon holder function which concerns on embodiment is used at the time of online. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display screen of the coupon holder which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display screen of the schedule function which concerns on embodiment, (a) shows a month display, (b) shows a day display. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display screen of the coupon which concerns on embodiment. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display screen of the coupon map function which concerns on embodiment, (a) shows the operation of the origin setting, and (b) shows the operation of the search range setting. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display screen of the coupon map function which concerns on embodiment, (a) shows the operation of the route search, and (b) shows the search result. It is explanatory drawing which shows the cooperation between the own note and the coupon map which concerns on embodiment, (a) shows the content of the own note, and (b) shows the linked coupon map.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the coupon or the like utilization system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an overall configuration of a coupon or the like utilization system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the appearance of a smartphone, which is a user terminal according to the present embodiment.

(Overall configuration of coupon usage system)
As shown in FIG. 1, the coupon or the like utilization system according to the present embodiment issues an electronic coupon, which is value information, from the coupon management server 2 to the smartphone 1 used by the user via the communication network 5, and stores the store. It is a system that provides coupon services such as discounts on the sale of products or the provision of services in S and the like. In this embodiment, the value information is information that has added value for the sale of goods or the provision of services, and receives vouchers, discount tickets, coupon tickets, points and admission tickets, and other privilege services. Information such as being provided is included.

Then, in the present embodiment, the coupon management server 2 that issues an electronic coupon to each user, the relay device 4, the wireless base station 6 connected to the relay device 4, and the wireless base station on the communication network 5 A smartphone 1 capable of wireless communication through 6 and a service providing terminal 3 installed in the store S are arranged.

The communication network 5 is constructed by connecting various communication lines (telephone line, ISDN line, ADSL line, public line such as optical line, dedicated line, wireless communication network) to each other using the communication protocol TCP / IP. It is a decentralized communication network, and this communication network includes various IP networks in addition to an intranet (internal network) by 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, etc., a home network LAN, and so on. Further, the communication network 5 can be connected via a wired connection or Wifi communication. For example, a Wifi router or a wireless LAN router can be used as an access point to connect a terminal device capable of wireless communication to these. Can be done.

The smartphone 1 is a mobile terminal owned by each user and using wireless communication, and wirelessly communicates with a relay point such as a general base station to receive communication services such as calls and data communications while moving. Can be done. In addition, the smartphone 1 also has a function of performing wireless communication with the wireless base station 6 and a function of executing an application, and acquires coupon holder information from the coupon management server 2 through the communication network 5. Display various coupons included in the coupon holder on the screen. In the present embodiment, the coupon includes information such as an ID that identifies the coupon, and the ID is represented by a two-dimensional code such as a bar code or a QR code (registered trademark) that encodes a coupon holder, for example. It may have been done.

Examples of the communication method of the smartphone 1 include LTE, 4G, 3G, FDMA method, TDMA method, CDMA method, W-CDMA, and PHS (Personal Handyphone System) method. Further, as a wireless communication interface different from the above-mentioned communication method, it also has a function corresponding to a communication method by sending and receiving IP packets conforming to a wireless LAN standard or the like. Further, the smartphone 1 is equipped with functions such as a digital camera function, an application software execution function, and a GPS function, and the smartphone 1 has a Bluetooth (registered trademark) transmission / reception unit and a Wifi transmission / reception unit (Wireless Fitness). It will be provided.

The wireless base station 6 is a device that is connected to the communication network 5 through the relay device 4, establishes a wireless communication connection with the smartphone 1, and provides a call or data communication by the smartphone 1. The relay device 4 is a node device such as a modem, a terminal adapter, or a gateway device for connecting to the communication network 5, selects a communication path, performs mutual conversion of data (signals), and communicates with the radio base station 6. Relay processing with the network 5 is performed. The wireless base station 6 and the relay device 4 include a wireless router, an access point device, and the like.

The coupon management server 2 is a server device that issues coupon holders and collects usage status thereof. For example, the coupon management server 2 is composed of a group of servers including a plurality of devices having functions such as a Web server, an application server, and a database server. Has been done. In the present embodiment, the data for displaying the coupon holder and the store information is arranged on the Internet so that it can be viewed by the Web server function, and the URL of the store information is accessed by the dedicated viewer software or browser software. Make it possible to display coupons and store information. On the displayed coupon, the coupon ID, which is the identifier, is displayed as a number, a barcode, etc., and by reading the barcode, etc. with the barcode reader 31 of the service providing terminal 3, the barcode can be displayed. You can receive discount service, product exchange service, or admission service with the corresponding coupon.

The store S is, for example, a facility that provides sales services and food and drink at convenience stores, restaurants, and the like, and a clerk is in charge of payment processing such as a cash register. Then, when the coupon holder is presented by using the service providing terminal 3 installed in the store S, a discount service is provided for products, food and drink, etc. related to the service.

(Internal configuration of each device)
Next, the internal configuration of each device will be described.
3 and 4 are block diagrams showing the internal structure of the smartphone 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the service providing terminal 3 according to the present embodiment. Further, FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an internal structure of the coupon management server 2 according to the present embodiment. The term "module" used in the description refers to a functional unit composed of hardware such as a device or device, software having the function, or a combination thereof, for achieving a predetermined operation. ..

(1) Internal Structure of Smartphone 1 As shown in FIG. 3, the smartphone 1 includes a wireless interface 11, an application execution unit 14, an output interface 13, an input interface 12, and a memory 15.

The input interface 12 is a device for inputting user operations such as operation buttons, a touch panel, and a jog dial, and the output interface 13 is a device for outputting video and sound such as a display and a speaker. In particular, the output interface 13 includes a display unit 13a such as a liquid crystal display, and a GUI (Graphical User Interface) constructed by the application is displayed on the display unit 13a.

The memory 15 is a storage device that stores an OS (Operating System), programs for various applications, other data, and the like. The map database 15a, the schedule database 15b, and the coupon holder database 15c are stored in the memory 15.

The wireless interface 11 includes a wireless communication function based on a mobile communication protocol for performing a call or data communication, and a wireless communication function based on a data communication protocol such as a wireless LAN. In a mobile computer or PDA, this wireless interface can be realized by a wireless LAN adapter or the like. The wireless interface 11 includes a wireless LAN such as Wifi, as well as an interface for short-range communication such as infrared communication and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

The application execution unit 14 is a module that executes applications such as a general OS, browser software, e-mail, and image display software, and is usually realized by a CPU or the like. By executing the application in the application execution unit 14, a browser function and the like are configured.

The browser function is a module for browsing web pages that is built by executing browser software. It downloads HTML (HyperText Markup Language) files and image files from the Internet, analyzes the layout, and displays and plays it. do. In addition, this browser function is provided with a GUI function, which accepts a screen display for the user, a click operation on the screen, a character input, and the like. In the present embodiment, the browser function displays the coupon holder and store information acquired from the coupon management server 2 on the display unit 13a of the smartphone 1.

By executing the coupon application in the application execution unit 14, various function modules are virtually constructed, and each of the constructed function modules performs processing related to coupon use, operation control of each part, and various processing for user operation. Is done.

Specifically, the application execution unit 14 includes a store information acquisition unit 14f, a map information acquisition unit 14g, and a coupon holder acquisition unit 14h as modules for acquiring data when the coupon application is executed. A data management unit 14e, a schedule management unit 14d, a display data generation unit 14c, and a display control unit 14a are provided as modules for managing and displaying the data, and an operation control unit 14b that controls the operation of each of these modules. A coupon schedule setting unit 14i is provided.

The store information acquisition unit 14f is a module that downloads the store information associated with the store ID and stores it in the coupon holder database 15c as related information. The map information acquisition unit 14g is a module that downloads map information from the network and stores it in the map DB 15a. The coupon holder acquisition unit 14h is a module that downloads information about the coupon holder and stores it in the coupon holder database 15c.

The data management unit 14e is a module that stores various data acquired by the acquisition units 14f to 14h in the memory 15 and reads the data of each database stored in the memory 15 with reference to the data. When referring to a certain data, the data management unit 14e first checks whether the network can be connected, accesses the server if the network can be connected, and if there is newer information than the locally stored data, it is used. After downloading, the data is read as reference data, and when the network cannot be connected, the latest data among the information in the memory 15 is immediately read.

The schedule management unit 14d is a module that manages the time information and the type of schedule contents related to the user's schedule as schedule information. The schedule information is read from the schedule database 15b, and the information is extracted and displayed according to the display date. It is sent to the data generation unit 14c. The coupon management unit 14j is a module that manages each coupon (or store) included in the coupon holder stored in the coupon holder database 15c. Information about each coupon is input to the coupon schedule setting unit 14i.

The coupon schedule setting unit 14i is a module that adds the available period, available location, and value information contents included in the coupon management data to the schedule information as a user's schedule. Specifically, the coupon schedule setting unit 14i replaces the expiration date and available place of each coupon managed by the coupon management unit 14j with the schedule date and place, and delivers it to the schedule management unit 14d as a schedule record.

The display data generation unit 14c is a module that generates screen information to be displayed on the display as image data. The display data generation unit 14c also configures a graphic interface function when generating display data. Further, the display data generation unit 14c functions as a calendar display unit that synthesizes and displays the user's schedule, the usable period of each coupon, and the contents thereof based on the schedule information managed by the schedule management unit 14d. Also fulfills.

In particular, the display data generation unit 14c has a calendar display function including the current date, and this calendar display function accumulates the coupon holder in the month / day portion after the current date with the current date as a boundary. The usable period of the coupon stored in the unit is displayed, and the schedule information stored in the schedule database 15b is displayed.

The display control unit 14a is a module for displaying the display data generated by the display data generation unit 14c on the display of the output interface 13. In the present embodiment, the display control unit 14a displays the display data as a GUI on the display of the touch panel, and inputs the user operation input through the touch panel of the input interface 12 to the operation control unit 14b.

(2) Internal Structure of Coupon Management Server 2 As shown in FIG. 5, the coupon management server 2 is a server device that performs operations such as issuing and erasing coupon holders and distributing coupon holders. It may be one server device, or may be composed of a plurality of server devices.

The coupon management server 2 includes a communication interface 23, a control unit 21, and a storage unit 22 which is a database group. The storage unit 22 includes a store information database 221, a coupon holder database 222, and a user information database 223.

The store information database 221 stores information about stores for each store ID, and also includes coupon management information that can be used at each store. Specifically, the coupon ID corresponding to the store information is accumulated in association with the store ID of each store. The coupon holder database 222 is a database that stores information about coupon holders, and stores information such as service contents, available locations, expiration dates, and used flags in association with coupon IDs that are identification information that identifies coupon holders. Has been done. The user information database 223 stores authentication information such as user IDs and passwords, information on user attributes such as residence area and age, and usage history of coupons and the like.

The communication interface 23 of the coupon management server 2 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving data between the smartphone 1 and the service providing terminal 3 through the communication network 5. Through this communication interface 23, for example, coupon information used by the service providing terminal 3 is received.

The control unit 21 is an operation composed of a processor such as a CPU or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), memory, hardware such as other electronic circuits, software such as a program having the function, or a combination thereof. It is a module, and various functional modules are virtually constructed by reading and executing a program as appropriate, and each constructed functional module performs various processes for operation control and user operation of each part. In the present embodiment, the control unit 21 includes a store information distribution unit 212, a coupon issuing unit 213, a usage information acquisition unit 214, a synchronization processing unit 216, and an application processing unit 215.

The coupon issuing unit 213 is a module that generates a coupon ID that specifies a coupon such as a discount coupon or a product voucher for a product or service, and the generated coupon ID is stored in the coupon holder database 222. In addition, the coupon issuing unit 213 generates a URL based on the coupon ID indicating the content of the issued coupon. In the function of generating this URL, a URL indicating an address on the network in which the store information associated with each coupon ID is stored is generated based on the coupon ID acquired from the coupon issuing unit 213. In the present embodiment, a URL is generated by combining the address to be the access destination of the smartphone 1 and the numerical value obtained by encrypting the coupon ID. Then, the URL information generated here is stored in the user information database 223 and the coupon holder database 222.

Further, the coupon issuing unit 213 has a function of distributing the URL information of each coupon holder to each smartphone 1. In the present embodiment, the coupon issuing unit 213 distributes the coupon through an e-mail, a homepage, or the like, and also uses a dedicated application such as a download application to transmit the URL information for viewing the coupon to each smartphone 1 through the wireless communication link. It is being delivered.

The usage information acquisition unit 214 is a module that acquires various data from the smartphone 1 and the service providing terminal 3, and when the acquired information is a coupon ID read from the barcode reader 31, the data is synchronized. It is transmitted to the unit 216 or is transmitted to the application processing unit 215 in order to mark the coupon as used.

The application processing unit 215 executes an application process such as turning on the used flag for the coupon holders accumulated in the coupon holder database 222 based on the synchronization request received from the smartphone 1. It is a module. The application processing unit 215 may set an expiration date on the coupon holder and perform the application process even when the expiration date has passed.

The synchronization processing unit 216 is a module that synchronizes the coupon holder downloaded to the smartphone 1 side with the coupon information stored in the coupon holder database 222, and synchronizes the coupon holder used in the smartphone 1 in the offline state. Upon request, the presence or absence of the used flag of the coupon holder is referred to to ensure the identity of the coupon holder on the coupon management server 2 side and the smartphone 1 side.

(3) Internal Structure of Service Providing Terminal 3 As shown in FIG. 6, the service providing terminal 3 includes a control unit 324, a communication interface 321, a usage information notification unit 322, a memory 323, an input interface 313, and the like. It is equipped with an output interface 312.

The communication interface 321 is a communication interface for performing data communication, and has a function of non-contact communication by wireless or the like and contact (wired) communication by a cable, an adapter means or the like. Further, the non-contact communication includes an interface for short-range communication such as Wifi and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

In the present embodiment, the communication interface 321 transmits a synchronization request regarding the used coupon ID to the coupon management server 2 through the communication network 5.

The memory 323 is a storage device that stores an OS (Operating System), a program for performing used processing or synchronization processing of a coupon holder according to the present embodiment, other data, and the like.

The input interface 313 is a device for inputting user operations such as a numeric keypad 313a and a touch panel, and the output interface 312 is a device for outputting video and sound such as a display unit 312a and a speaker which are displays.

The control unit 324 is an operation composed of a processor such as a CPU or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), memory, hardware such as other electronic circuits, software such as a program having the function, or a combination thereof. It is a module, and various functional modules are virtually constructed by loading and executing a program as appropriate, and each constructed functional module performs processing related to image data, operation control of each part, and various processing for user operations. It is a module to do.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 324 includes a coupon management unit 324a and a drive control unit 324b. The coupon management unit 324a is a module that processes information on the used coupon holder. For example, it controls the usage information notification unit 322 to synchronize data with the coupon management server 2 or receives data from the coupon management server 2. Output result information related to synchronization processing.

The drive control unit 324b is a module that controls the operation of each function in the service providing terminal 3, and drives the barcode reader 31 to read the coupon ID displayed on the smartphone 1.

The usage information notification unit 322 is a module for transmitting various data, and in the present embodiment, the coupon management server 2 is notified of the coupon holder information based on the read coupon ID and the output coupon holder information.

(Information extraction processing and display data generation processing)
As shown in FIG. 9, the coupon includes display data such as image and text information and internal data such as validity period, vacant seat information, and special preferential treatment. In addition, each coupon has a link to the detailed store information stored in the coupon management server 2, such as the coupon and the Web page related to the store, and the coupon management server 2 is accessed to acquire the detailed store information. Insert it into the coupon data in the terminal and display it. Therefore, if you are offline, the detailed store information from the server will not be acquired or updated, but since the coupon data itself is stored inside the terminal, it can be used even in an offline environment. ing. The usage history is also stored on the terminal side, and data is sent to the server for the purpose of backup, marketing analysis, etc. when online.

In the present embodiment, the location information, the time information, and the types of the schedule contents related to the user's schedule are stored and held in the schedule database 15b as the schedule information. This schedule information can be customized by each user and is displayed on the calendar UI 402 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10 (a).

Specifically, the calendar UI 402 by the display control unit 14a is a calendar display function including the current date, and the data storage unit 404 is a month / day portion 404 before the current date with the grid 405 indicating the current date as a boundary. A list of thumbnails of images and coupons stored in 122 is displayed, and the schedule information stored in the schedule storage unit 121 is displayed in the month / day portion 406 after the current date.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the calendar UI 402 has an area for managing the coupon usage history in the month / day portion 404 before the current date, and the month / day portion 406 after the current date. , It is an area that recommends unused coupons.

The date portion 404 can be used as a "self-notebook" for recording, displaying, and organizing a private diary such as one's own events. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C, the self-notebook is recorded together with the usage history of the coupon and whether or not there was one day on that day. In this personal notebook, the coupon used on that day and the store information (location, time zone, menu, etc.) associated with the coupon can be extracted and recorded as the user's own diary.

More specifically, in each calendar UI 402, the contents of the coupons that can be used on that day are displayed as thumbnails on the grid of each day. In this embodiment, in this thumbnail, characteristic reduced photographs showing coupons for which coupons can be used are automatically arranged and arranged. For example, menus and services showing the characteristics of stores where the coupons can be used. It is the content. This thumbnail reflects the expiration date of the coupon on the calendar and displays it in advance with a message such as "until this date!" On the expiration date to prevent the user from overusing it. If there are a plurality of coupons corresponding to the same date, the displayed priority can be changed by various rules.

For example, according to the user's schedule, the coupon to be advanced on the calendar is automatically changed to a suitable one. For example, if you register a schedule to go to the area around "XX station" in the schedule, the coupons that can be used around the "XX station" will be displayed as thumbnails on the scheduled date in the monthly calendar. Other sorting methods include preferentially displaying low-priced stores, preferentially displaying low-calorie-centric stores, and preferentially displaying geographical conditions such as close range. can.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10B, the details of the coupon can be displayed on the calendar of the day display. For example, if you set the available time zone in the downloaded coupon, you can strengthen the discount for that time, or you can check the free time of the store by using the network. By introducing the concept of time zone into the coupon itself, when the calendar is displayed for one day, the user can see the display of usable time zone, discount time, etc., and the coupon will be delivered to the time zone that the store wants to come. be able to.

By setting the coupon usable period for each time zone in this way, information on the time discount can be added to the coupon by the function of the calendar. The shop side can add and update information to the coupon on the server at any time, and the user can update and use the downloaded coupon information at any time. Specifically, the coupon management server 2 can update the coupon in real time so that the store can add vacant seat information, price setting, presents, and other free service information to the coupon at any time.

On the other hand, the user can update the coupon information that he / she has to check whether the vacant seat search, the special treatment, and the information that can be reserved are updated with the coupon that he / she has. Since various data can be added to the coupon information, the shop side adds "vacant seat" information to the coupon, and when the user presses "vacant seat search", the coupon holder is updated to provide the information. You can see it. In addition, instead of acquiring the coupon information of a specific store, all the coupons stored internally are updated. Therefore, it can be used offline at the display timing.

(How to use coupons, etc.)
By operating the coupon or the like utilization system having the above configuration, the method of issuing value information can be implemented. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method of using coupons and the like according to the present embodiment.

First, the smartphone 1 is operated to download the coupon holder. Specifically, by operating the smartphone 1, a coupon holder is requested from the coupon management server 2 (S201), and the coupon management server 2 side generates a coupon holder in response to this request (S101). The coupon management server 2 distributes the created coupon holder to the smartphone 1 (S102). In response to this, the coupon management server 2 saves the downloaded coupon holder (S202).

Then, when using the coupon, the user displays the coupon associated with the store ID of the store at the store to be used on the display (S203) and presents it to the store side. The approval work on the store side for the presented coupon differs depending on the equipment on the store side. For example, when a barcode reader 31 or the like is provided and communication with the coupon management server 2 is possible (“Y” in step S302), By reading the barcode displayed on the display and transmitting the result as usage information to the server side (S303), the erasing process on the server side is executed (S103). On the other hand, if the store does not have communication equipment with the server (“N” in step S302), the store clerk operates the erasing process for the coupon displayed on the display unit 13a. The erasing process on the terminal side is executed (S204).

Then, a process of synchronizing the coupon holder of the smartphone 1 and the coupon holder information on the coupon management server 2 side is executed periodically or under certain conditions. Specifically, the smartphone 1 transmits a synchronization request to the coupon management server 2 (S205), and in response to this, the coupon management server 2 starts the synchronization process (S104). In this synchronization process, the database of the coupon management server 2 is referred to (S105), the erasing operation executed between the coupon management server 2 and the service providing terminal 3 is read, and in order to reflect this, the smartphone 1 side. Synchronize with the coupon holder (S106, S206).

(Change example)
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the coupon holder is downloaded to the smartphone 1 side and the coupon can be used even in an offline environment has been described as an example, but when the communication environment is in place, it is online in real time. It may be synchronized with the coupon management server 2.

More specifically, first, the smartphone 1 is operated to download the coupon holder. Specifically, by operating the smartphone 1, a coupon holder is requested from the coupon management server 2 (S501), and the coupon management server 2 side generates a coupon holder in response to this request (S401). The coupon management server 2 distributes the created coupon holder to the smartphone 1 (S402). In response to this, the smartphone 1 saves the downloaded coupon holder (S502).

Then, when using the coupon, the user displays the coupon associated with the store ID of the store at the store to be used on the display (S503) and presents it to the store side. The store will approve the presented coupon. Here, as this approval work, the clerk of the store S operates the erasing process for the coupon displayed on the display unit 13a (S601), and the erasing process is executed online (S504). In response to this online clearing process, the coupon management server 2 side updates the data on the database in real time (S403). Synchronous processing is executed in order to reflect the database update on the coupon management server 2 side on the smartphone 1 side (S406, S506).

(Coupon map function)
Next, the coupon map function provided in the system according to the present embodiment will be described. 12 to 18 are explanatory views of the coupon map function according to the present embodiment.

The coupon map function is a function that searches for location information on which each coupon can be used on a map and displays the search results. Specifically, it relates to the user's schedule included in the schedule information based on the coordinate acquisition unit 141a that specifies the coordinate position on the map or the route between the coordinate positions and the coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit 141a. It is provided with a data search unit 141b that refers to an available location and extracts available coupons.

Then, the display data generation unit 14c associates the coupon extracted by the data search unit 141b with the coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit 141a, generates display data, and generates display data through the display control unit 14a and the output interface 13. Output.

A specific operation will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 12A, a point P21 is set at a starting point on the screen W7, and a circle P22 indicating a search range is set on the map centering on the point P21. The setting of the point P21 may specify the coordinate position by a user's touch operation, or may be the current position obtained by GPS or the like. As shown in FIG. 6B, the searched distance may be viewed as a numerical value, or the number of items that can be searched for each fixed distance may be known. Further, in addition to the distance, additional information such as "walking ○ minutes" may be additionally displayed. In the present embodiment, the peripheral search is started by pressing and holding the map for a predetermined time or longer, and the circle P22 is automatically expanded around the point P21. Make it possible to see how many spots are searched even during this expansion.

Next, by setting this search range, spots existing in the circle P22 are searched. The search range can be changed by the user by pinching in / out. In this pinch-in / out, the radius of the circle P22 may be expanded or contracted, or the radius of the circle P22 may be kept constant and the map may be expanded or contracted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, arbitrary two points P0 and P1 are set on the map based on the user operation, the route between the points is searched, and the result is displayed as the search route P3. Stores are searched and displayed from a certain range along the displayed route. At this time, as an application of the route search between two points, the store may be searched from "along the XX line".

Then, in the present embodiment, in the present embodiment, this coupon map function can be linked with the own notebook. For example, if a schedule is registered in the schedule database 15b, coupons that can be used between the current location and the destination are automatically displayed without the user searching. By combining route search and coupon information, it is possible to bring the advantage that the store side will have more opportunities to be seen by users. Furthermore, when there are two or more schedules in the schedule, when it is necessary to move between the positions related to the schedule, the coupons that have the places to stop by are searched and displayed. At this time, the search range may be expanded or contracted in consideration of the time interval between the two schedules and the moving distance.

(Action / effect)
According to the system according to the present embodiment described above, since the coupon management function is combined with the schedule management function for managing the user's schedule, the available place and expiration date of the coupon are managed together with the own schedule management. can do. As a result, a dedicated application only for managing coupons becomes unnecessary, and it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness of remembering the procedure for operating the dedicated application only for coupon management.

In particular, in the present embodiment, since the user's schedule can be described and displayed in the month / day portion after the current date, the schedule function as a notebook can be used and can be used for each month / day. Coupons and the like can be browsed, the trouble of searching from a large number of coupons when using the coupons and the like can be saved, and the target coupon can be easily found. In addition, by leaving the history of used coupons etc. together with the schedule in the month and day part before the current date, you can view the coupon usage history along with the user's behavior for each month and day, so it can be used as a diary. Can enhance the practicality of.

Since these displays are displayed on one calendar with the current date as the boundary, the GUI of the diary and the coupon holder can be combined into one, which can improve the visibility and display area. Can be reduced, and the display unit with a limited area can be effectively used.

Further, in the present embodiment, a coupon map function is provided to refer to the available locations related to the user's schedule included in the schedule information based on the designated coordinate position or route, and to extract and display the available coupons. , By specifying the destination etc. in the schedule or entering the route to that destination, pick up the coupons that can be used near the destination or route and on the day of the schedule and present it to the user. You can easily search for coupons. As a result, the opportunity for the user to use the coupon is further increased, and the opportunity to use the service can be expanded.

Further, according to the coupon or the like utilization program of the present invention, by installing this program on a computer such as a user terminal or an IC chip and executing it on a CPU, a coupon or the like utilization system having each of the above-mentioned functions can be easily constructed. Then, the usage method such as coupons can be implemented.

Furthermore, this coupon usage program can be distributed, for example, through a communication line, and by recording on a recording medium that can be read by a general-purpose computer, it is transferred as a package application that operates on a stand-alone computer. can do. Specifically, the recording medium can be recorded on various recording media such as a magnetic recording medium such as a flexible disk or a cassette tape, an optical disc such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM, or a RAM card. Then, according to the computer-readable recording medium on which this program is recorded, it becomes possible to easily implement the above-mentioned coupon usage system and coupon usage method using a general-purpose computer or a dedicated computer. Programs can be easily saved, transported and installed.

P0, P1 ... Point S ... Store 1 ... Smartphone 2 ... Coupon management server 3 ... Service providing terminal 4 ... Relay device 5 ... Communication network 6 ... Wireless base station 11 ... Wireless interface 12 ... Input interface 13 ... Output interface 13a ... Display 14 ... Application execution unit 14a ... Display control unit 14b ... Operation control unit 14c ... Display data generation unit 14d ... Schedule management unit 14e ... Data management unit 14f ... Store information acquisition unit 14g ... Map information acquisition unit 14h ... Coupon holder acquisition unit 14i … Coupon schedule setting unit 14j… Coupon management unit 15… Memory 15a… Map database 15b… Schedule database 15c… Coupon holder database 21… Control unit 22… Storage unit 23… Communication interface 31… Bar code reader 121… Schedule storage unit 122… Data storage unit 141a ... Coordinate acquisition unit 141b ... Data search unit 212 ... Store information distribution unit 213 ... Coupon issuing unit 214 ... Usage information acquisition unit 215 ... Application processing unit 216 ... Synchronous processing unit 221 ... Store information database 222 ... Coupon holder Database 223 ... User information database 312 ... Output interface 312a ... Display unit 313 ... Input interface 313a ... Tenkey 321 ... Communication interface 322 ... Usage information notification unit 323 ... Memory 324 ... Control unit 324a ... Coupon management unit 324b ... Drive control unit 402 ... Calendar UI
404 ... month and day part 405 ... grid 406 ... month and day part

Claims (9)

It is a coupon usage system for using value information including any of coupons, points, and privilege services.
A distribution server that distributes coupon holder data, which is a collection of multiple value information management data linked to the content, available location, available period, and usage status of the value information for each user, through a communication network.
It is provided with an information processing terminal having a function of acquiring the coupon holder data from the distribution server through the communication network and presenting arbitrary value information included in the acquired coupon holder data.
The information processing terminal is
A coupon holder storage unit that acquires and stores the coupon holder data distributed by the distribution server through a communication network, and
A display unit that displays the value information management data,
A schedule storage unit that stores the time information related to the user's schedule and the type of schedule content as schedule information,
A coupon schedule setting unit that adds the usable period and the content of the value information included in the value information management data to the schedule information as the user's schedule, and
A calendar display unit that synthesizes and displays the user's schedule, the usable period of the value information, and the contents thereof based on the schedule information is provided .
The calendar display unit has a calendar display function including the current date, and the calendar display function has the coupon holder storage unit in a month / day portion after the current date with the current date as a boundary. The usable period of the value information management data stored in the data and the schedule information stored in the schedule storage unit are displayed, and the usage history of the value information is displayed in the month and day portion before the current date. A system for using coupons, etc., which is characterized by this. The calendar display unit extracts the store information associated with the value information in the month / day portion before the current date with the current date as a boundary and displays it as the usage history of the value information. The coupon or the like utilization system according to claim 1, characterized in that. A coordinate acquisition unit that specifies the coordinate positions on the map or the route between the coordinate positions,
A search unit that extracts available value information by referring to the available location related to the user's schedule included in the schedule information based on the coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit.
The coupon or the like utilization system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an output unit that outputs value information extracted by the search unit in association with a coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit. .. A communication network that collects multiple coupon holder data for each user, which is a collection of value information management data linked to the content of value information including any of coupons, points, or privilege services, available locations, available period, and usage status. With a delivery server that delivers through
In a system including an information processing terminal having a function of acquiring the coupon holder data from the distribution server through the communication network and presenting arbitrary value information included in the acquired coupon holder data, the value information is obtained. A program for using coupons, etc. for using the information processing terminal.
A coupon holder storage unit that acquires and stores the coupon holder data distributed by the distribution server through a communication network, and
A display unit that displays the value information management data,
A schedule storage unit that stores the time information related to the user's schedule and the type of schedule content as schedule information,
A coupon schedule setting unit that adds the usable period and the content of the value information included in the value information management data to the schedule information as the user's schedule, and
Based on the schedule information, the user's schedule, the usable period of the value information, and the contents thereof are combined and displayed as a calendar display unit .
The calendar display unit has a calendar display function including the current date, and the calendar display function has the coupon holder storage unit in a month / day portion after the current date with the current date as a boundary. The usable period of the value information management data stored in the data and the schedule information stored in the schedule storage unit are displayed, and the usage history of the value information is displayed in the month and day portion before the current date. A program for using coupons, etc., which is characterized by this. The calendar display unit extracts the store information associated with the value information in the month / day portion before the current date with the current date as a boundary and displays it as the usage history of the value information. The coupon or the like usage program according to claim 4, wherein the coupon or the like is used. Further, the information processing terminal
A coordinate acquisition unit that specifies the coordinate positions on the map or the route between the coordinate positions,
A search unit that extracts available value information by referring to the available location related to the user's schedule included in the schedule information based on the coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit.
The coupon or the like utilization program according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the value information extracted by the search unit functions as an output unit that outputs the value information in association with the coordinate position or route specified by the coordinate acquisition unit. .. A communication network that collects multiple coupon holder data for each user, which is a collection of value information management data linked to the content of value information including any of coupons, points, or privilege services, available locations, available period, and usage status. With a delivery server that delivers through
In a system including an information processing terminal having a function of acquiring the coupon holder data from the distribution server through the communication network and presenting arbitrary value information included in the acquired coupon holder data, the value information is obtained. It is a method of using coupons, etc. for use.
A step of acquiring the coupon holder data distributed by the distribution server in the information processing terminal through a communication network and accumulating the coupon holder data in the coupon holder storage unit.
A step to store the time information and the type of schedule contents related to the user's schedule in the schedule storage unit as schedule information, and
A step in which the coupon schedule setting unit adds the usable period and the content of the value information included in the value information management data to the schedule information as the user's schedule.
Based on the schedule information, the user's schedule, the available period of the value information, and the content thereof are combined and displayed on the calendar display unit .
The calendar display unit has a calendar display function including the current date, and the calendar display function has the coupon holder storage unit in a month / day portion after the current date with the current date as a boundary. The usable period of the value information management data stored in the data and the schedule information stored in the schedule storage unit are displayed, and the usage history of the value information is displayed in the month and day portion before the current date. How to use coupons, etc. The calendar display unit extracts the store information associated with the value information in the month / day portion before the current date with the current date as a boundary and displays it as the usage history of the value information. The method of using a coupon or the like according to claim 7, wherein the coupon or the like is used. The step in which the coordinate acquisition unit specifies the coordinate position on the map or the route between the coordinate positions, and
Based on the specified coordinate position or route, the search unit refers to the available location related to the user's schedule included in the schedule information, and extracts available value information.
The method for using a coupon or the like according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the output unit further includes a step of outputting the extracted value information in association with the designated coordinate position or route.

Images