JP7394390B2 - Consideration setting method, consideration setting system and program - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure generally relates to a price setting method, a price setting system, and a program, and more particularly to a price setting method, a price setting system, and a program for setting a price for a service provided by a service provider to a customer.

Patent Document 1 describes a charging/discharging control device for suppressing electricity charges in response to diversifying electricity rate plans.

In Patent Document 1, with the diversification of electricity rate plans, the unit price for purchasing power from the grid (electricity rate) and the unit price for selling surplus power generated from the grid, for example, may change on a daily basis. It is assumed that

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-004529

For example, in the case where electricity (electrical energy) is bought and sold as described above, when a service provider provides a service such as the purchase of electrical energy, the unit purchase price that is the consideration for that service (the unit price of electricity sold above) ) is difficult to set appropriately.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above reasons, and aims to provide a consideration setting method, a consideration setting system, and a program that make it easy to set fees for services.

A consideration setting method according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a consideration setting method executed by a computer system that functions as a consideration setting system for setting consideration for a service provided by a service provider to a customer, and includes an authentication step and a determination step. and has. The service is the purchase of electrical energy from the customer. The authentication step is a step of authenticating the customer based on proof information indicating that the customer has performed one or more related actions that reduce the burden associated with the service provided by the service provider. . The determining step is a step of determining the compensation for the customer who performed the related action from a value corresponding to the related action performed by the customer.

A consideration setting system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is used to set consideration for a service provided by a service provider to a customer, and includes an authentication section and a determination section. The service is the purchase of electrical energy from the customer. The authentication unit is configured to provide proof information indicating that the customer has performed one or more related actions related to the service that reduce the burden of the service provider on the service. The customer is authenticated at the service provider based on the above information. The determining unit determines the consideration for the customer who performed the related action based on a value corresponding to the related action performed by the customer.

A program according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the consideration setting method.

According to the present disclosure, there is an advantage that it is easy to set consideration for services.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically representing the relationship among a service provider, a customer, a sponsor, and a consumer, which is the premise of the consideration setting method and authentication method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the price setting system and authentication system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of candidate values that can be registered in the registration step in the consideration setting method described above. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of consideration that can be determined in the determination step in the consideration setting method described above. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the consideration setting method described above. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a procedure when a customer performs a related action regarding the above-mentioned certification method. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for authenticating a customer who has performed a related action, regarding the above authentication method. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the above certification method.

(Embodiment 1)
(1) Overview First, an overview of the consideration setting method, authentication method, consideration setting system 10, and authentication system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The consideration setting method according to the present embodiment is a method for setting consideration for a service provided by a service provider 1 to a customer 2, as shown in FIG. Further, the authentication method according to the present embodiment is a method for authenticating a customer 2 who receives a service from a service provider 1.

The consideration setting system 10 (see FIG. 2) is one aspect that embodies the consideration setting method according to the present embodiment. The authentication system 100 (see FIG. 2) is one aspect that embodies the authentication method according to this embodiment. That is, the consideration setting system 10 sets the consideration for the service provided by the service provider 1 to the customer 2. The authentication system 100 authenticates a customer 2 who receives a service from a service provider 1.

That is, both the price setting method and the authentication method are based on the assumption that the service provider 1 provides the "service" to the customer 2. In other words, it is assumed that there is a service provider 1 who provides a "service" and a customer 2 to whom the "service" is provided. Based on such a premise, the consideration setting method allows setting the consideration for the service, and the authentication method allows the customer 2 to be authenticated. Therefore, according to the consideration setting method and the authentication method, the service provider 1 can provide the service to the customer 2 by authenticating the customer 2 using the authentication method and then setting the fee for the service using the consideration setting method. We can help provide this.

By the way, the consideration setting method according to this embodiment is a method for setting the consideration for the service provided by the service provider 1 to the customer 2, and includes a registration step and a determination step. The registration step is a step of registering candidate values corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to the service. The determining step is a step in which, when the customer 2 performs one or more related actions, consideration for the customer 2 who has performed the relevant action is determined from candidate values corresponding to the performed relevant action.

That is, according to the consideration setting method according to the present embodiment, the consideration for the customer 2 can be determined in the determination step using the correspondence between the related actions registered in the registration step and the candidate values. . In other words, when the customer 2 performs any of the related actions related to the service, the consideration for the customer 2 is determined from the candidate value associated with this related action. Therefore, for Customer 2, the compensation for the services he receives will be determined according to the related actions he has taken, so even when compared to the compensation applied to other customers, the compensation is not fair. Easier to set. Furthermore, since the service provider 1 can set various consideration prices for each customer 2, it becomes easier to set an appropriate consideration price. As a result, there is an advantage in that it is easier to set the price for the service.

Further, the authentication method according to the present embodiment is a method for authenticating the customer 2 when the service provider 1 and the sponsor 3 exist separately, and includes an authentication step. A service provider 1 provides a service to a customer 2. Sponsor 3 provides related services for causing customer 2 to perform one or more related actions related to the service. The authentication step is a step in which the customer 2 is authenticated at the service provider 1 through the sponsor 3 based on the certification information when the service is provided (by the service provider 1). The proof information is information indicating that the customer 2 has performed one or more related actions.

That is, according to the authentication method according to the present embodiment, the customer 2 can be authenticated by the service provider 1 based on the certification information in the authentication step. That is, when the customer 2 performs any of the related actions related to the service, the service provider 1 can authenticate the customer 2 based on the certification information indicating this. Moreover, in the authentication step, customer 2 is authenticated at service provider 1 through sponsor 3, so by matching the records of sponsor 3 providing related services to customer 2, it is possible to confirm that customer 2 is It is possible to prove that the action was taken, and the reliability of the proof information is improved. As a result, there is an advantage that the service provider 1 can easily authenticate the customer 2.

(2) Details Hereinafter, details of the consideration setting method, authentication method, consideration setting system 10, and authentication system 100 according to the present embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

(2.1) Premise “Services” as used in this disclosure are services provided by service provider 1 to customer 2, including, for example, purchasing electrical energy, selling electrical energy, selling goods, and lending goods. , distribution of information (data), or purchase of information (data). When the service provider 1 provides such a service to the customer 2, consideration for the service is generated. The present embodiment will be described assuming, as an example, that the "service" is the purchase of electrical energy, that is, the purchase of electrical energy.

In other words, conventionally, corporations or individuals have used the power (electrical energy) output from distributed power sources (e.g., solar power generation equipment or wind power generation equipment) not to consume it themselves, but to reversely flow it into the power grid. ``Electrification sales'', which sell electrical energy, are known. Such a "power selling" mechanism is established only when the customer 2 is the entity that sells the power, and there is a service provider 1 that provides the customer 2 with the service of purchasing electrical energy. Therefore, in this embodiment, as an example, a case is assumed in which the service provider 1 provides the customer 2 with a service of purchasing electrical energy in order to realize such a "power selling" mechanism.

A "service provider" in this disclosure is a person who provides services to the customer 2, and may be either a corporation or an individual, or an organization (organization) consisting of a collection of multiple corporations or individuals. ). In this embodiment, as an example, the service provider 1 is an electricity business such as a power company (including a retail electricity business, a general power transmission and distribution business, a power transmission business, a specified power transmission and distribution business, and a power generation business). Assume a case.

The "customer" in this disclosure is a person who receives services from the service provider 1, and may be either a corporation or an individual, or an organization (organization) consisting of a collection of multiple corporations or individuals. It may be. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the customer 2 is an individual living in a detached house.

“Consideration” in this disclosure is an incentive or penalty that occurs for providing a service. The "consideration" is realized by, for example, money (including credit, virtual currency, etc.), points (scores), goods, or benefits including services such as equipment maintenance. In this embodiment, the "service" is the purchase of electrical energy, so the description will be made assuming, as an example, that the "consideration" is the unit purchase price of electrical energy. Here, the "purchase unit price" means the amount of money required for electrical energy per unit amount (for example, 1 kWh). Therefore, when service provider 1 purchases electrical energy from customer 2, service provider 1 pays customer 2 an amount equal to the amount of purchased electrical energy multiplied by consideration (purchase unit price). become.

“Related actions” in the present disclosure are actions that are related to the service and can be performed by the customer 2. In other words, when the customer 2 performs the related action, the service that the service provider 1 provides to the customer 2 is considerably affected. In this embodiment, since the "service" is the purchase of electrical energy, the "related action" is also an action related to the purchase of electrical energy. In this embodiment, as an example, the related action includes at least one of purchasing and borrowing specific equipment 5 (see FIG. 1) related to the service (purchase of electrical energy). In particular, it is assumed here that the related action is the purchase of the specific device 5. The specific device 5 is, for example, a heat pump water heater 51, a power storage device 52, a power meter 53, or other devices (including stationary or portable equipment, devices, systems, etc.).

The “related service” in the present disclosure is a service (service) provided by the sponsor 3 to the customer 2 in order to cause the customer 2 to perform a related action. In other words, the customer 2 can use the related services provided by the sponsor 3 to perform related actions. In the present embodiment, the related action includes at least one of purchasing and borrowing the specific device 5, so the related service includes, by way of example, at least one of selling and lending the specific device 5. In particular, it is assumed here that the related service is the sale of specific equipment 5.

The “sponsor” in this disclosure is a person who exists separately from the service provider 1 and provides related services to the customer 2, and may be either a corporation or an individual, or a person who It may be an organization (organization) consisting of a corporation or a collection of individuals. For example, the sponsor 3 agrees with the service provision by the service provider 1 and then provides related services for the purpose of cooperating with the service provider 1. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the sponsor 3 is a company (corporation) that sells and/or lends the specific equipment 5.

The "candidate value" in the present disclosure is a value used to determine consideration, and may be the consideration itself, or a value for which consideration is determined through some calculation. In this embodiment, since the consideration is the unit purchase price of electrical energy, the candidate value is used, as an example, to determine the unit purchase price of electrical energy. Specifically, if the consideration is the purchase unit price that is the base price plus the premium value, the "candidate value" is the value equivalent to the purchase unit price itself that is the base price plus the premium value. It may be a value corresponding to a premium value. In this embodiment, as an example, a case will be described assuming that the "candidate value" is a value corresponding to the purchase unit price itself, which is the sum of the basic charge and the premium value.

“Authentication” in this disclosure means confirming the validity and authenticity of an object. That is, according to the authentication method, the validity and authenticity of the customer 2 can be confirmed by verifying the identity of the customer 2 who is the object of authentication. In this embodiment, as an example, a case will be described assuming that authentication is performed by comparing information held by the service provider 1 (certification information) and information held by the sponsor 3 (certification information). .

Moreover, in reality, a large number of customers 2 are associated with one service provider 1 so that a large number of customers 2 receive services from one service provider 1. However, in order to simplify the explanation, the following explanation assumes that one customer 2 receives a service from one service provider 1, unless otherwise specified.

(2.2) Overall configuration Next, FIG. Explain with reference to. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the relationship among a service provider 1, a customer 2, a sponsor 3, and a consumer 4. As shown in FIG.

That is, in this embodiment, electric energy E1 is bought and sold as a service between the service provider 1 and the customer 2. Specifically, the service provider 1 purchases (purchases) electrical energy E1 from the customer 2, and pays the customer 2 a price commensurate with the electrical energy E1. Of course, the method (mode) of payment of consideration can be selected as appropriate, such as transfer, collection, or credit card payment.

Here, a solar power generation facility 50 is installed in a house H1 (see FIG. 1) owned by the customer 2. A part of the electric energy generated by a distributed power source such as the solar power generation equipment 50 is consumed by various equipment in the house H1 (self-consumption), but the electric energy E1 that cannot be consumed by the house H1 is, for example, The power flows backward into the power grid and is sent to the service provider 1 via the power grid. In other words, the surplus electrical energy (surplus power) generated by the solar power generation equipment 50 is subject to purchase by the service provider 1. As described above, in this embodiment, at least a part of the electrical energy generated by the solar power generation equipment 50 of the customer 2 is sent (transmitted) from the customer 2 to the service provider 1, so that the service provider 1 can purchase the electric energy E1.

Here, the electrical energy generated by the solar power generation facility 50 is renewable energy (RE). "Renewable energy" as used in the present disclosure refers to all energy that is naturally regenerated at a faster rate than it is used, and is synonymous with (or similar to) green power, new energy, and the like. Alternatively, "renewable energy" refers to all energy that does not exhaust, exists anywhere on the earth, and does not emit (do not increase) _CO2 . Renewable energy includes, for example, solar power, wind power, hydropower, geothermal heat, solar heat, biomass, etc., and electrical energy generated from these energies.

Thus, in this embodiment, the electrical energy E1 that the service provider 1 purchases from the customer 2 is renewable energy. The service provider 1 may use the electrical energy E1 acquired (purchased) from the customer 2 by itself, but in this embodiment, it sells it to the consumer 4. That is, as described above, in reality, a large number of customers 2 are associated with one service provider 1 so that a large number of customers 2 receive services from one service provider 1. Therefore, the service provider 1 can actually acquire a relatively large amount of electrical energy E1 as a whole by purchasing the electrical energy E1 from a large number of customers 2 little by little. Therefore, the service provider 1 can earn a profit by selling such a large amount of electrical energy E1 to the large consumer 4. In other words, the service provider 1 supplies the electrical energy E1 acquired from the customer 2 to the consumer 4, and in return receives consideration (remuneration) for the sales amount from the consumer 4.

The "consumer" here is a person who receives electrical energy from the service provider 1 and uses electrical energy, and may be either a corporation or an individual, or may be a corporation or an individual. It may be a group (organization) consisting of a collection. In this embodiment, as an example, the consumer 4 is a member company of an environmental initiative, such as "RE100," which aims to run 100% of its business operations using renewable energy. In such a consumer 4, by using electric energy E1 from a power supply source using renewable energy such as sunlight and wind power instead of electric energy from a power supply source using fossil fuels, etc., It will be easier to achieve the goal of "RE100".

Further, the service provider 1 cooperates with the sponsor 3 and conducts business for the customer 2. Here, the service provider 1 purchases electrical energy E1 as a "service" from the customer 2, and the sponsor 3 sells and lends the specific equipment 5 as a "related service" to the customer 2. Do at least one of the following.

In short, the sponsor 3 provides the customer 2 with related services for causing the customer 2 to perform related actions. As described above, the related behavior is the behavior of the customer 2 related to the service provided by the service provider 1, and in this embodiment, the related behavior is the purchase and borrowing of specific equipment 5 related to the service (purchase of electrical energy). Contains at least one of the following. In particular, it is assumed here that the related action is the purchase of the specific device 5. Therefore, the sponsor 3 sells (and/or lends) the specific device 5 to the customer 2 as a "related service" in order to have the customer 2 perform the related action. As described above, the specific device 5 sold by the sponsor 3 is a device related to the service, and is, for example, a heat pump water heater 51, a power storage facility 52, a power meter 53, or the like. In the present embodiment, each of the water heater 51, the power storage equipment 52, or the power meter 53 is simply referred to as a "specific device 5" unless the water heater 51, the power storage equipment 52, or the power meter 53 are particularly distinguished from each other.

However, since these specific devices 5 require installation, construction, etc. before use, in this embodiment, the sponsor 3 does not directly sell the specific devices 5, but instead sells the specific devices 5 to an intermediary 6 (see FIG. (see), the specific equipment 5 is sold indirectly. That is, for example, an intermediary company 6 such as a store or a construction company acts as an intermediary between the customer 2 and the sponsor 3, and the work related to the installation and construction of the specific equipment 5 is performed by the intermediary company 6.

In this way, the related services provided by the sponsor 3 are services (services) for making the customer 2 perform related actions, and the related actions are the services provided by the customer 2 that are related to the services provided by the service provider 1. It is action. Therefore, for the sponsor 3, profits can be generated when the customer 2 uses the related service. Furthermore, for the service provider 1, the sponsor 3 provides related services and the customer 2 is encouraged to take related actions, leading to an increase in the number of service users and the like, which can generate profits.

However, it is not essential for the service provider 1 to sell the electrical energy E1 acquired (purchased) from the customer 2 to the consumer 4, and in embodying the consideration setting method and authentication method according to the present embodiment, The existence of consumer 4 is not essential. Therefore, in the following explanation, the customer 4 will not be discussed in detail. For example, the service provider 1 may use the electric energy E1 acquired (purchased) from the customer 2 by itself or may provide it to another customer 2.

(2.3) Configuration of price setting system and authentication system Next, the configuration of the price setting system 10 and authentication system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

In this embodiment, as an example, the price setting system 10 is a system owned by the service provider 1. The consideration setting system 10 constitutes an authentication system 100 together with a sponsor-side system 30 owned by the sponsor 3. In other words, the authentication system 100 according to this embodiment includes the price setting system 10 and the sponsor side system 30. Further, the customer 2 has a user terminal 20, and the intermediary agent 6 has an intermediary terminal 60.

Here, the consideration setting system 10, the sponsor side system 30, the user terminal 20, and the intermediary terminal 60 are configured to be able to communicate with each other. "Communicatable" as used in the present disclosure means that information can be exchanged directly or indirectly via the network NT1 or a repeater using an appropriate communication method such as wired communication or wireless communication. In this embodiment, the consideration setting system 10, the sponsor side system 30, the user terminal 20, and the intermediary terminal 60 are all connected directly or indirectly via a router or the like to a network NT1 such as the Internet. The consideration setting system 10, the sponsor side system 30, the user terminal 20, and the intermediary terminal 60 are connected to the network NT1 via a mobile phone network (carrier network) or a public wireless LAN (Local Area Network) provided by a communication carrier, for example. may be connected to.

The user terminal 20 is, for example, a personal computer owned by the customer 2, or a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. Similarly, the intermediary terminal 60 is, for example, a personal computer owned by the intermediary agent 6, or a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. These user terminals 20 and intermediary terminals 60 each have an operation input function that accepts input signals from a touch panel display or an external operation device (keyboard, pointing device, etc.) as a function for accepting human operations. There is. Further, the user terminal 20 and the intermediary terminal 60 each have a display function of displaying information on a display, for example, as a function of presenting information to a person.

In this embodiment, as an example, the consideration setting system 10 and the sponsor side system 30 each have a main configuration of a computer system (including a server) having one or more processors and one or more memories. The processor implements the functions of the consideration setting system 10 and the sponsor side system 30 by executing programs recorded in the memory. The program may be pre-recorded in a memory, or may be provided recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card, or may be provided through a telecommunications line. In other words, the above program is a program for causing the computer system to function as the consideration setting system 10 and the sponsor side system 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the consideration setting system 10 includes a registration section 11, a determination section 12, an authentication section 13, a provider-side storage section 14, and a calculation section 15. Among these configurations, particularly the registration unit 11, determination unit 12, authentication unit 13, and calculation unit 15 are realized using one or more processors as a main configuration.

The registration unit 11 has a function of registering candidate values corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to a service. That is, the registration unit 11 executes processing equivalent to the registration step in the consideration setting method.

The determining unit 12 has a function of determining consideration. Here, when the customer 2 performs one or more related actions, the determining unit 12 determines the related behavior based on the candidate value corresponding to the performed related action among the candidate values already registered in the registration unit 11. Determine the compensation for customer 2 who has performed the action. That is, the determining unit 12 executes processing corresponding to the determining step in the consideration setting method.

In this embodiment, as an example, the premium value added to the basic fee among the consideration (purchase unit price) differs depending on the related action, so the determining unit 12 implements the related action based on the candidate value corresponding to the related action. The consideration for customer 2 is determined. The details will be explained in the section "(2.5) How to set the consideration," but basically, the consideration is determined so that the more the customer 2 performs the related action, the higher the consideration will be. In other words, when the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5, the unit purchase price for electric energy purchased by the service provider 1 increases.

The authentication unit 13 has a function of authenticating the customer 2 at the service provider 1 through the sponsor 3 based on certification information indicating that the customer 2 has performed one or more related actions when providing the service. ing. That is, the authentication unit 13 executes processing equivalent to an authentication step in the authentication method.

The provider side storage unit 14 stores at least the candidate values registered in the registration unit 11 in a state where they are associated with each of one or more related actions. Further, the provider side storage unit 14 stores the consideration for the customer 2 determined by the determination unit 12. In reality, many customers 2 receive services from one service provider 1, so the provider side storage unit 14 stores the consideration for a plurality of (many) customers 2 for each customer 2. . In addition, the provider side storage unit 14 further stores information necessary for authentication by the authentication unit 13. The provider side storage unit 14 may be realized by a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), or may be realized by a database.

The calculation unit 15 calculates the purchase amount using the consideration determined by the determination unit 12, that is, the purchase unit price. That is, the calculation unit 15 calculates the product of the amount of electrical energy purchased by the service provider 1 from the customer 2 and the consideration (purchase unit price) within the settlement period as the purchase amount.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sponsor-side system 30 includes a history management section 31, an issuing section 32, an external authentication section 33, a sponsor-side storage section 34, and a transfer section 35. Among these configurations, especially the history management unit 31, the issuing unit 32, the external authentication unit 33, and the transfer unit 35 are realized using one or more processors as a main configuration.

The history management unit 31 has a function of managing the history of related services provided by the sponsor 3 to the customer 2. In this embodiment, since the related service is the sale of the specific device 5, the history management unit 31 manages the history of the sale of the specific device 5. The "history" here includes the date and time of sale, information on the customer 2, information on the specific device 5 sold, and the like. The customer 2 information includes the customer 2's name (or appellation), address, contact information, and the like. The information on the specific equipment 5 includes the number of specific equipment 5, type (water heater/power storage equipment/power meter, etc.), product number, performance (coefficient of performance, etc.), specifications (rated power and rated output, etc.), installation location, etc. including.

The issuing unit 32 has a function of issuing a certificate to the customer 2 in exchange for performing one or more related actions. As will be explained in detail in the section "(2.6) Authentication method", the issuing unit 32 issues a certificate in response to an application from the customer 2.

The external authentication unit 33 has a function of authenticating the customer 2 based on certification information indicating that the customer 2 has performed one or more related actions when providing a service. That is, the external authentication unit 33 cooperates with the authentication unit 13 of the price setting system 10 to execute processing corresponding to an authentication step in the authentication method.

The sponsor side storage unit 34 stores at least the history of related services managed by the history management unit 31. Furthermore, the sponsor-side storage unit 34 also stores information on certificates issued by the issuing unit 32. Further, the sponsor side storage unit 34 further stores information necessary for authentication by the external authentication unit 33. The sponsor side storage unit 34 may be realized by a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM, or may be realized by a database.

The transfer unit 35 has a function of transferring at least a portion of the remuneration that the sponsor 3 obtains from one or more related actions from the sponsor 3 to the service provider 1 when providing a service. The function of the transfer unit 35, that is, the transfer step, will be explained in detail in the section "(2.6) Authentication method".

Further, each of the price setting system 10 and the sponsor side system 30 is further equipped with various functions such as a communication module and a user interface in addition to the above-mentioned configuration.

In this embodiment, the sponsor side system 30, the user terminal 20, and the intermediary terminal 60 are not included in the components of the consideration setting system 10. However, at least one of the sponsor side system 30, the user terminal 20, and the intermediary terminal 60 may be included in the components of the price setting system 10. Similarly, in this embodiment, the user terminal 20 and the intermediary terminal 60 are not included in the components of the authentication system 100, but at least one of the user terminal 20 and the intermediary terminal 60 is included in the components of the authentication system 100. You may be

(2.4) Specific Device Next, the specific device 5 will be briefly explained. As described above, in this embodiment, the specific device 5 includes a heat pump water heater 51, a power storage facility 52, a power meter 53, and the like.

In this embodiment, the act of the customer 2 purchasing these specific devices 5 is included in the related actions related to the service (purchase of electrical energy). The sponsor 3 then sells the specific equipment 5 as a related service for implementing such related actions. In short, sponsor 3 sells specific equipment 5 to customer 2 as a related service. By purchasing the specific device 5 from the sponsor 3, the customer 2 will carry out the related action.

When the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5 as a related action, the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5 indirectly from the sponsor 3 via the intermediary agent 6 . When the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5, the intermediary 6 carries out work related to the installation and construction of the specific device 5. In other words, the specific equipment 5 purchased by the customer 2 is installed in the customer 2's house H1 by the intermediary 6, and the necessary electrical wiring and other construction work is further performed.

Here, the specific equipment 5 includes equipment that reduces the burden of service on the service provider 1. In the present embodiment, among the plurality of specific devices 5, at least the heat pump water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52 correspond to devices that reduce the service provider's burden on the service provider 1. In particular, in this embodiment, as described above, the service provider 1 provides the customer 2 with a service in which the service provider 1 purchases electrical energy from the customer 2. Therefore, the specific equipment 5 includes at least energy storage devices (water heater 51 and power storage equipment 52) that have a function of storing energy related to the service, and these energy storage devices are used to store energy related to the service of the service provider 1. This falls under the category of equipment that reduces the burden.

For example, the heat pump type water heater 51 is a hot water storage type water heater that includes a hot water storage tank that stores hot water and a heating device that heats the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank, and supplies hot water using the hot water in the hot water storage tank. The heating device is a heat pump type and is installed outdoors.

The hot water storage tank has an insulated structure that prevents the heat from escaping from the hot water inside. The inside of the hot water storage tank is filled with hot water, and the heated hot water that is supplied from the water supply port is returned from the top, so that the hot water inside the tank becomes hotter as it goes upward. Here, a plurality of temperature sensors are arranged in the vertical direction in the hot water storage tank, and the specific device 5 determines which position from the top of the hot water storage tank the hot water reaches at a predetermined temperature (for example, 90°C) based on the output of the temperature sensor. The amount of hot water is determined by detecting whether the temperature is high or not. If the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank reaches a predetermined amount of boiling water, the specific device 5 determines that boiling is complete and stops the operation of the heating device. The "amount of hot water" here means the amount of hot water at a predetermined temperature or higher out of the hot water in the hot water storage tank.

A heating device collects heat in the atmosphere (air heat) into a refrigerant (e.g. natural refrigerant), compresses this refrigerant to a high temperature using a compressor, and then transfers the heat of the refrigerant to hot water using a heat exchanger. This heats the water.

That is, the heat pump type water heater 51 has a hot water storage tank, and has a function of converting electrical energy into thermal energy and storing it in the hot water storage tank as the thermal energy of heated hot water. Therefore, the water heater 51 is an energy storage device that has a function of storing energy (thermal energy) related to service (purchase of electrical energy).

On the other hand, the power storage equipment 52 includes a storage battery and a power conversion device. Power storage equipment 52 is installed indoors or outdoors. That is, the power storage equipment 52 has a function of storing electrical energy in a storage battery. Therefore, the power storage equipment 52 is an energy storage device that has a function of storing energy (electrical energy) related to services (purchase of electrical energy).

According to these energy storage devices (heat pump water heater 51 and power storage equipment 52), the surplus electrical energy (surplus power) generated by the solar power generation equipment 50 can be used as thermal energy or as electrical energy, Can be accumulated. Therefore, the energy storage device can reduce the amount of surplus electrical energy (surplus power) generated by the solar power generation equipment 50, and as a result, the amount of electrical energy purchased by the service provider 1 can be reduced. can be kept to a minimum.

For Service Provider 1, which provides the service of purchasing electrical energy, if the amount of purchased electrical energy is reduced, the amount paid to Customer 2 (the product of the purchased amount and the unit purchase price) can be kept low. . Therefore, according to these energy storage devices (heat pump type water heater 51 and power storage equipment 52), the service provider 1 can reduce expenses and reduce the burden (expenditure) related to the service.

However, the specific device 5 is not limited to the energy storage device (heat pump water heater 51 and power storage equipment 52), and may include a power meter 53, etc., or may further include other devices. As an example, the specific device 5 may include a smart meter, a fuel cell, a power conversion device, an electric vehicle, an air conditioner, a lighting fixture, a home appliance (such as a refrigerator or a washing machine), or the like.

(2.5) Consideration Setting Method Next, the consideration setting method according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

As described above, the consideration setting method according to the present embodiment is a method for setting consideration for a service on the premise that the service provider 1 provides the "service" to the customer 2. In this embodiment, as an example, the service provided by the service provider 1 is the purchase of electrical energy, and the consideration is a purchase unit price. In this embodiment, the consideration setting method is implemented in the consideration setting system 10.

As described above, the consideration setting method includes a registration step and a determination step. In this embodiment, the consideration setting method further includes an authentication step and a transfer step in addition to the registration step and the determination step.

The authentication step is a step in which the customer 2 is authenticated at the service provider 1 through the sponsor 3 based on proof information indicating that the customer 2 has performed one or more related actions when providing the service. Further, the transfer step is a step in which at least a portion of the remuneration that the sponsor 3 obtains through one or more related actions is transferred from the sponsor 3 to the service provider 1 when providing the service. However, since the authentication step and transfer step are processes closely related to the authentication method, details of the authentication step and transfer step will be explained in the column "(2.6) Authentication method".

The registration step is performed by the registration unit 11 of the price setting system 10. That is, the registration step is a step of registering candidate values corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to the service. Specifically, in the registration step, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of candidate values are registered in a manner corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to the service. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of candidate values that can be registered in the registration step. In FIG. 3, candidate values corresponding to the purchase unit price itself, which is the basic charge plus the premium value, are conceptually shown in association with related actions (specific equipment 5 purchased).

That is, in FIG. 3, six types of plans, "Plan A" to "Plan F", are registered. Among these plans, plan A is a plan when the related action is not performed, that is, when the customer 2 has not purchased the specific device 5 from the sponsor 3. Therefore, the candidate value (purchase unit price) in plan A is the basic charge of the purchase unit price that is secured regardless of whether or not the customer 2 is performing the related action. Here, as an example, the candidate value of plan A, that is, the basic charge of the unit purchase price, is 8 [yen/kWh]. In other words, a candidate value of 8 [yen/kWh] is registered in association with no related action.

On the other hand, plan B is a plan when a certain related action is performed, that is, when customer 2 purchases heat pump type water heater 51, which is specific equipment 5, from sponsor 3. Therefore, the candidate value (purchase unit price) in Plan B is the value obtained by adding the premium value given in response to the customer 2 purchasing the heat pump type water heater 51 to the basic charge. Here, as an example, the premium value for Plan B is 1 [yen/kWh], and the candidate value for Plan B in which this premium value is added to the basic charge is 9 [yen/kWh]. In other words, a candidate value of 9 [yen/kWh] is registered in association with the related action of purchasing the heat pump type water heater 51.

Moreover, Plan C is a plan when another related action is performed, that is, when the customer 2 purchases the power storage equipment 52, which is the specific device 5, from the sponsor 3. Therefore, the candidate value (purchase unit price) in Plan C is the value obtained by adding the premium value provided in response to customer 2 purchasing power storage equipment 52 to the basic charge. Here, as an example, the premium value in the case of plan C is 3 [yen/kWh], and the candidate value in plan C in which this premium value is added to the basic charge is 11 [yen/kWh]. In other words, a candidate value of 11 [yen/kWh] is registered in association with the related action of purchasing the power storage equipment 52.

Plan D is a plan for a case where yet another related action is carried out, that is, a case where the customer 2 purchases the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52, which are the specific equipment 5, from the sponsor 3. . Therefore, the candidate value (purchase unit price) in Plan D is the value obtained by adding the premium value provided in response to the customer 2 purchasing the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52 to the basic charge. Here, as an example, the premium value when both the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52 are purchased is the sum of the premium values when each of the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52 is purchased. Here, the premium value when purchasing only the water heater 51 is 1 [yen/kWh], and the premium value when purchasing only the power storage equipment 52 is 3 [yen/kWh], so the premium for Plan D The value is 4 [yen/kWh]. Therefore, the candidate value for Plan D in which this premium value is added to the basic charge is 12 [yen/kWh]. In other words, a candidate value of 12 [yen/kWh] is registered in association with the related actions of purchasing the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52.

Similarly, for other plans E and F, candidate values are registered in association with related actions. In plan E, the related action is that customer 2 purchases the power storage equipment 52 and power meter 53 from sponsor 3, and in plan F, the related action is that customer 2 purchases water heater 51 from sponsor 3, This involves purchasing the power storage equipment 52 and the power meter 53. For Plan E and Plan F, candidate values of 14 [yen/kWh] and 15 [yen/kWh] are registered in association with the respective related actions.

In the registration step, as described above, a plurality of candidate values are registered in a manner corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to the service. Specifically, in the registration step, the candidate value is registered by being stored in the provider-side storage unit 14 in a state of being associated with each of one or more related actions. The registration step may be performed automatically according to certain determination conditions or using artificial intelligence (AI), or may be performed manually by a person using a user interface or the like.

However, the candidate value is determined according to the degree of contribution of the corresponding related action to the service. That is, it is preferable that the candidate value differs depending on the degree of contribution of the corresponding related action to the service (purchase of electrical energy here), that is, the degree of contribution. For example, as described above, among the specific devices 5, energy storage devices such as the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52 are useful for the service provider 1 in terms of reducing the service burden on the service provider 1. Contribute to (contribute to) Comparing the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52, the power storage equipment 52 that directly stores electrical energy can more effectively absorb the surplus electrical energy (surplus power) generated by the solar power generation equipment 50. Can be used effectively. Therefore, when comparing the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52, the power storage equipment 52 that directly stores electrical energy can reduce the purchase amount of electrical energy by the service provider 1 more, and its contribution to the service is lower. big. Therefore, in this embodiment, the candidate value of Plan C corresponding to the related action of purchasing the electricity storage equipment 52 is set higher than the candidate value of Plan B corresponding to the related action of purchasing the water heater 51. has been done.

The determination step is performed by the determination unit 12 of the price setting system 10. That is, the determining step is a step in which, when the customer 2 performs one or more related actions, the consideration for the customer 2 who has performed the relevant action is determined from the candidate values corresponding to the performed relevant action. Specifically, in the determination step, as shown in FIG. 4, a corresponding related action was performed based on a plurality of candidate values registered in a manner corresponding to each of one or more related actions in the registration step. Determine the consideration for customer 2. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of consideration (purchase unit price) that may be determined in the determination step. In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis is the time axis, and the vertical axis is the consideration (purchase unit price), conceptually showing the consideration applied to each related action.

Here, as an example, it is assumed that six types of plans, "Plan A" to "Plan F", are registered. That is, in Plan A when the related action is not performed, the basic charge of 8 [yen/kWh] is applied as the consideration (purchase unit price). On the other hand, in Plans B to F when some related action is carried out, the consideration (purchase unit price) is the basic charge of 8 [yen/kWh] plus the premium value. applies.

In other words, the premium value added to the basic fee among the consideration (purchase unit price) differs depending on the related action, so in the determination step, the consideration for customer 2 who has performed the related action is calculated based on the candidate value corresponding to the related action. decide. Basically, the consideration is determined such that when the customer 2 performs the related action, the consideration is higher than in Plan A where the related action is not performed. In other words, when the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5, the unit purchase price for electric energy purchased by the service provider 1 increases.

In particular, in this embodiment, when the customer 2 performs a plurality of related actions, the compensation for the customer 2 who has performed the plurality of related actions is determined from a plurality of candidate values corresponding to the plurality of performed related actions. can do. That is, for example, as in Plan D, the premium value when both the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52 are purchased is the sum of the premium values when each of the water heater 51 and the power storage equipment 52 is purchased. Therefore, even if candidate values are not registered when multiple related actions are performed, such as Plan D, if candidate values corresponding to each related action (Plan B and Plan C) are registered, From these combinations, candidate values can be calculated when multiple related actions are performed.

In other words, if the premium value corresponding to the related action of purchasing the water heater 51 and the premium value corresponding to the related action of purchasing the electricity storage equipment 52 are each registered, the difference when purchasing both of them is The premium value is determined from the sum of both premium values. In this way, by setting the premium value when a plurality of related actions are performed as a simple sum of the premium values when each of the plurality of related actions is performed, it becomes possible to set more diverse consideration values.

By the way, in this embodiment, as is clear from FIG. 4, the period to which the consideration determined in the determination step is applied is limited to a predetermined length of application period (for example, one year). That is, the consideration set by the consideration setting method according to the present embodiment is not applied forever, but is applied for a limited time. In this case, for example, even if the consideration is set by adding a premium value to the basic fee in the consideration setting method, this consideration will be applied only during the applicable period, and after the applicable period has passed, the basic fee will be reduced. It will be applied as consideration.

In the example of FIG. 4, the application period is a period from the time when service provider 1 starts providing services (starts purchasing) until a certain period of time (one year in this case) has elapsed. Therefore, for example, in plan C applied to customer 2 who purchased energy storage equipment 52, which is specific equipment 5, from sponsor 3, the applicable period is limited to 1 year from the start of service provision. A consideration (purchase unit price) of ¥/kWh is applied. After the application period has passed, that is, after one year has passed since the start of service provision, Customer 2 of Plan C will be charged the same basic fee as Plan A, 8 [yen/kWh] ( unit purchase price) will be applied.

The starting point of the applicable period is not limited to the time when the provision of the service starts, but may be, for example, the timing when a related action is performed, the timing when authentication is successful, or the timing when a contract is established after authentication.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a consideration setting method.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the price setting system 10 first executes a registration step for registering candidate values in the registration unit 11 (S1). After that, the consideration setting system 10 performs an authentication step for authenticating the customer 2 in the authentication unit 13 (S2). The authentication step (S2) will be described in detail in the section "(2.6) Authentication method".

If the customer 2 is successfully authenticated in the authentication step S2 (S3: YES), the consideration setting system 10 determines whether the customer 2 has performed the relevant action. (S4). At this time, if the customer 2 has not performed the related action (S4: NO), the consideration setting system 10 selects plan A in the determination unit 12 (S5). On the other hand, if the customer 2 has performed the related action (S4: YES), the consideration setting system 10 selects one of Plans B to F according to the specific device 5 purchased by the customer 2 ( S6).

Then, in the consideration setting system 10, the determining unit 12 selects candidate values corresponding to the selected plans A to F (S7). Then, in the consideration setting system 10, the determination unit 12 executes a determination step of determining the consideration to be applied to the customer 2 based on the selected candidate value (S8). This completes a series of processes related to the consideration setting method.

If the authentication of the customer 2 in the authentication step S2 fails (S3: NO), the consideration setting system 10 skips processes S4 to S8 and completes a series of processes related to the consideration setting method.

The consideration setting system 10 sets the consideration by repeatedly executing processes S1 to S8. The consideration (purchase unit price) determined (set) in this way is presented to the customer 2 by the service provider 1, for example, each time it is set. The flowchart in FIG. 5 is only an example of a consideration setting method, and processes may be omitted or added as appropriate, or the order of processes may be changed as appropriate.

In short, the consideration setting method according to this embodiment is a method in which the service provider 1 sets the consideration for the service of purchasing electrical energy from the customer 2. This price setting method includes a registration step and a determination step. The registration step is a step of registering candidate values corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to the service. The determining step is a step in which, when the customer 2 performs one or more related actions, consideration for the customer 2 who has performed the related action is determined from candidate values corresponding to the performed related action. Here, the one or more related actions include at least one of purchasing and borrowing energy storage equipment (heat pump type water heater 51 and power storage equipment 52) having a function of storing energy related to the service.

(2.6) Authentication method Next, the authentication method according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

As described above, the authentication method according to the present embodiment is based on the assumption that the service provider 1 provides "service" to the customer 2, and is used to authenticate the customer 2 who receives the service from the service provider 1. This is the method. In this embodiment, the authentication system 100 implements the authentication method.

The authentication method includes an authentication step, as described above. In this embodiment, the authentication method further includes a transfer step and an issuance step in addition to the authentication step.

The authentication step is performed by the authentication section 13 and the external authentication section 33 of the authentication system 100. In other words, the authentication step involves the authentication of customer 2 at service provider 1 through sponsor 3 based on credentials indicating that customer 2 has performed one or more relevant actions upon provision of the service (by service provider 1). This step is to perform authentication. The proof information is information indicating that the customer 2 has performed one or more related actions.

Specifically, in the authentication step, the authentication unit 13 of the price setting system 10 and the external authentication unit 33 of the sponsor system 30 collaborate to obtain proof that the customer 2 has performed one or more related actions. The customer 2 is authenticated based on the information. Here, in the authentication step, the service provider 1 authenticates the customer 2 based on the comparison result of the certification information with the sponsor 3. That is, the customer 2 uses the related service provided by the sponsor 3 to perform related actions. In this embodiment, since the related action is the purchase of the specific device 5, the sponsor 3 sells the specific device 5 as a related service. In short, since the related action is carried out between the sponsor 3 and the customer 2, the sponsor 3 can accurately grasp the implementation status of the related action by the customer 2. Therefore, in the authentication step, the certification information grasped by the service provider 1 side and the certification information grasped by the sponsor 3 side are compared, and the customer 2 is authenticated based on the comparison result.

Here, in the authentication step, authentication is performed using a certificate as certification information. A "certificate" as referred to in this disclosure is issued to customer 2 in exchange for performing one or more related actions. In this embodiment, since the related action is the purchase of the specific device 5, the certificate is, for example, a warranty for the specific device 5. That is, when the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5 from the sponsor 3 as a related action, the sponsor 3 issues a warranty for the specific device 5 to the customer 2 in exchange for this related action. In the authentication method according to the present embodiment, a certificate such as a guarantee issued in this manner is used as certification information in the authentication step. The certificate may be an actual printed document or may be a data document that can be viewed on the user terminal 20 or the like.

The issuing step is performed by the issuing unit 32 of the sponsor-side system 30 in the authentication system 100. That is, the issuing step is a step of issuing a certificate based on an application from the customer 2. In short, in this embodiment, the certificate used in the authentication step is not actively issued by the sponsor 3, but is issued by the sponsor 3 only after receiving an application from the customer 2.

Further, the transfer step is performed by the transfer unit 35 of the sponsor-side system 30 in the authentication system 100. That is, the transfer step is a step in which at least a portion of the remuneration that the sponsor 3 obtains through one or more related actions is transferred from the sponsor 3 to the service provider 1 when providing the service. That is, when the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5 as a related action, the sponsor 3 who sells the specific device 5 will receive a reward. Therefore, by handing over at least a portion of the remuneration from the sponsor 3 to the service provider 1, the service provider 1 can recover the funds related to the service. In other words, the service provider 1 needs funds to raise (increase) the consideration (purchase unit price) for the customer 2 who has performed the related action. At least a portion of the remuneration transferred from the sponsor 3 to the service provider 1 in the transfer step is used as this resource.

6 and 7 show a specific example of authenticating the customer 2 using the authentication method according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a procedure when the customer 2 performs a related action. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a procedure for authenticating a customer 2 who has performed a related action.

That is, when the customer 2 performs the related action, as shown in FIG. 6, the sponsor 3 sells the specific equipment 5 through an intermediary 6 such as a store or a construction company (P1, P2). . At this time, the intermediary agent 6 introduces and explains the specific equipment 5 to the customer 2, including an explanation of the plans A to F, which represent the relationship between related actions and consideration. Then, when the customer 2 purchases the specific device 5, the intermediary agent 6 carries out work related to the installation and construction of the specific device 5. At this time, the sponsor 3 records the sales history of the specific device 5 in the history management section 31 of the sponsor system 30.

Thereafter, the customer 2 applies to the sponsor 3 via the intermediary agent 6 for issuance of a certificate (warranty) for the purchase of the specific device 5 (P3, P4). At this time, the customer 2 sends the date and time of purchase of the specific device 5, information about the customer 2, information about the purchased specific device 5, etc. as application information to the sponsor 3 to apply for issuance. As a result, an application is made to the sponsor 3 to issue a warranty for the specific device 5 as a certificate.

The sponsor 3 who has received the certificate issuance application executes the issuance step of issuing a guarantee as a certificate via the intermediary agent 6 (P5, P6). At this time, the certificate (guarantee) is attached with at least identification information that can identify the certificate (for example, a warranty number, etc.). The sponsor 3 records the identification information of the certificate (guarantee) in the history management section 31 of the sponsor system 30 in association with the application information from the customer 2.

After the customer 2 performs the related action (purchase of the specific device 5) as described above, when authenticating the customer 2, as shown in FIG. , a service subscription request, etc. is made (P11). Specifically, the intermediary agent 6 requests the service provider 1 to issue the link and ID of the application site. The application site here is a website for applying for a service provided by the service provider 1, and is managed by the service provider 1, for example. Upon receiving this request, the service provider 1 issues a link and ID to the application site. The link and ID of the issued application site are notified from the broker 6 to the customer 2 (P12).

The customer 2 uses the notified link and ID of the application site to access the application site D1 using, for example, the user terminal 20 (P13). At this time, the customer 2 inputs information about the customer 2 and the like on the application site D1. In response to this, the service provider 1 issues an application ID and password to the customer 2 on the application site D1 (P14).

When the application ID and password are issued, the customer 2 notifies the intermediary agent 6 of information on necessary documents such as a certificate (guarantee) along with the application ID and password (P15). As a result, the intermediary agent 6 applies for the service on the application site D1 on behalf of the customer 2 (P16).

When the service application is made, the service provider 1 notifies the intermediary agent 6 and the customer 2 that the contract application has been made (P17). Here, the service provider 1 applies for confirmation of the certificate (guarantee) to the sponsor 3 (P18). That is, since the sponsor 3 records the identification information of the certificate (warranty) in association with the application information from the customer 2 in the history management unit 31 of the sponsor side system 30, the service provider 1 Upon receiving a confirmation request from a person, we will check the identification information, etc. At this time, the authentication unit 13 on the service provider 1 side and the external authentication unit 33 on the sponsor 3 side cooperate to authenticate the customer 2, that is, execute the authentication step.

When the customer 2 is successfully authenticated, the sponsor 3 notifies the service provider 1 of the authentication result (P19). At this time, the sponsor 3 also performs a transfer step of paying at least a portion of the remuneration as the source to the service provider 1. As a result, the service provider 1 completes all processes for providing the service to the customer 2, and notifies the customer 2 of the start of the service (P20). The service start notification may include information on the consideration (purchase unit price) determined (set) by the consideration setting method.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an authentication method.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the authentication system 100 determines whether the customer 2 has performed a related action (S11). When the related action is performed (S11: YES), the authentication system 100 determines whether there is an application for issuance (S12). When the issuance application is made by the customer 2, the authentication system 100 causes the issuance unit 32 to execute an issuance step for issuing a certificate (certificate) (S13). After that, the authentication system 100 stores the application information including the information of the customer 2, etc. in the history management unit 31 (S14).

After that, the authentication system 100 determines whether there is an application for the service (S15). When a service application is made, in the authentication system 100, the authentication unit 13 on the service provider 1 side and the external authentication unit 33 on the sponsor 3 side cooperate to authenticate the customer 2, that is, execute an authentication step. (S16). At this time, information (certification information) regarding the certificate (guarantee) is checked between the service provider 1 and the sponsor 3, and it is determined whether the two match (S17). Customer 2 is authenticated.

If the mutual certification information matches (S17: YES), the authentication system 100 determines that the authentication is successful (S18), and the sponsor 3 pays the service provider 1 at least a portion of the remuneration as the source. A transfer step is performed (S19). If the mutual certification information does not match (S17: NO), the authentication system 100 determines that the authentication has failed (S20).

This completes a series of processes related to the authentication method. The authentication system 100 authenticates the customer 2 by repeatedly executing processes S11 to S20. The flowchart in FIG. 8 is merely an example of an authentication method, and processes may be omitted or added as appropriate, or the order of processes may be changed as appropriate.

(3) Modifications Embodiment 1 is only one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. Embodiment 1 can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the objective of the present disclosure can be achieved. Each of the figures described in this disclosure is a schematic diagram, and the ratio of the size and thickness of each component in each figure does not necessarily reflect the actual size ratio.

Functions similar to those of the price setting method according to the first embodiment may be realized by a computer program, a non-temporary recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, or the like. A (computer) program according to one embodiment is a program for causing one or more processors to execute a consideration setting method.

Furthermore, the same functions as the authentication method according to the first embodiment may be realized by a computer program, a non-temporary recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, or the like. A (computer) program according to one embodiment is a program for causing one or more processors to execute an authentication method.

Modifications of the first embodiment will be listed below. The modified examples described below can be applied in combination as appropriate.

The consideration setting system 10 or the authentication system 100 in the present disclosure includes a computer system. A computer system mainly consists of a processor and a memory as hardware. The functions of the consideration setting system 10 or the authentication system 100 in the present disclosure are realized by a processor executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, may be provided through a telecommunications line, or may be recorded on a non-transitory storage medium readable by the computer system, such as a memory card, optical disc, hard disk drive, etc. may be provided. A processor in a computer system is comprised of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) or large scale integrated circuits (LSIs). The integrated circuits such as IC or LSI referred to herein have different names depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), which is programmed after the LSI is manufactured, or a logic device that can reconfigure the connections inside the LSI or reconfigure the circuit sections inside the LSI, may also be used as a processor. I can do it. The plurality of electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip, or may be provided in a distributed manner over a plurality of chips. A plurality of chips may be integrated into one device, or may be distributed and provided in a plurality of devices. The computer system herein includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller is also composed of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits or large-scale integrated circuits.

Moreover, it is not an essential configuration for the consideration setting system 10 or the authentication system 100 that at least some of the functions of the consideration setting system 10 or the authentication system 100 are integrated into one housing. The components of the consideration setting system 10 or the authentication system 100 may be provided in a distributed manner in a plurality of housings. For example, some of the functions of the consideration setting system 10 may be provided in a separate housing from the consideration setting system 10. Furthermore, at least some of the functions of the consideration setting system 10 or the authentication system 100 may be realized by a cloud (cloud computing) or the like.

On the contrary, in Embodiment 1, at least some of the functions of the price setting system 10 or the authentication system 100 that are distributed over a plurality of devices may be integrated into one housing. For example, functions that are distributed between the consideration setting system 10 and the sponsor side system 30 may be integrated into one housing.

Further, the customer 2 is not limited to an individual living in a single-family house (house H1), but may be, for example, an individual living in each unit of an apartment complex, a manager of an apartment complex, or the like. Furthermore, the service provision target (in the first embodiment, the electric energy purchase target) may be not limited to the house H1 owned by the customer 2, but also a non-residential facility. Examples of non-residential facilities include factories, buildings, stores, offices, schools, welfare facilities, or hospitals.

Further, the period to which the consideration determined (set) by the consideration setting method is applied is not necessarily limited to a predetermined length of application period, but may be limited to a variable length of application period, for example. However, it does not have to be restricted. If the applicable period has a variable length, the length of the applicable period may change depending on the related behavior, for example.

Furthermore, when the service provided by service provider 1 is the sale of electrical energy, the consideration is determined such that the unit sales price, which is the consideration, is discounted for customer 2 who has performed the related action. It is preferable. In this case, the candidate value may be, for example, a value equivalent to the purchase unit price itself obtained by subtracting the discount amount from the basic fee, or a value equivalent to the discount amount. Furthermore, the candidate value may be an increase rate or a discount rate for the basic charge.

Further, the provision of related services to the customer 2 is not limited to the sponsor 3, but may be provided by the service provider 1. In this case, since the service provider 1 itself becomes the provider of the related service, no exchange (assignment) of remuneration occurs between the service provider 1 and the sponsor 3.

Further, it is not essential that the intermediary agent 6 be present between the sponsor 3 and the customer 2, and the sponsor 3 and the customer 2 may conduct transactions directly. That is, for example, the sponsor 3 may directly sell the specific device 5 as a related service to the customer 2 without going through the intermediary agent 6.

Further, one customer 2 may be associated with a plurality of service providers 1 so that one customer 2 receives services from a plurality of service providers 1.

Further, in the first embodiment, in the authentication step, the service provider 1 authenticates the customer 2 based on the comparison result of the certification information performed with the sponsor 3; however, the present invention is not limited to this. Customer 2 may be authenticated independently. That is, in the authentication step, the customer 2 may be authenticated at the service provider 1 through the sponsor 3 based on the certification information, and the entity performing the authentication may be the sponsor 3, for example. In this case, in the authentication step, the sponsor 3 authenticates the customer 2, and the service provider 1 authenticates the customer 2 based on the authentication result of the sponsor 3.

(Embodiment 2)
The consideration setting method according to the present embodiment differs from the consideration setting method according to the first embodiment in that the consideration differs depending on the time period. Hereinafter, configurations similar to those in Embodiment 1 will be given the same reference numerals and descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

That is, in this embodiment, the consideration (purchase amount) is set for each time period, for example, the consideration (purchase amount) is different in the morning (from 6:00 to 12:00) and in the afternoon (from 12:00 to 19:00). In this case, in the consideration setting method, consideration may be set (determined) for each of multiple time periods, or only consideration for one time period may be set as the standard consideration, and consideration for other time periods may be set (determined). It may be determined based on standard consideration.

According to the configuration of the present embodiment, it is possible to set a different price depending on the time of day instead of a uniform price, which makes it easier to set a more appropriate price.

Further, as a modification of the second embodiment, the consideration may differ not only depending on the time period in which one day (24 hours) is divided into a plurality of periods, but also for each period such as the day of the week, week, month, or season.

The various configurations (including modified examples) described in Embodiment 2 can be employed in appropriate combination with the various configurations (including modified examples) described in Embodiment 1.

(summary)
As explained above, the consideration setting method according to the first aspect is a method for setting consideration for a service provided by a service provider (1) to a customer (2), and includes a registration step, a determination step, has. The registration step is a step of registering candidate values corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to the service. The determining step is a step in which, when the customer (2) performs one or more related actions, the consideration for the customer (2) who has performed the related action is determined from candidate values corresponding to the performed related action. .

According to this aspect, the consideration for the customer (2) can be determined in the determination step using the correspondence between the related behavior registered in the registration step and the candidate value. In other words, when the customer (2) performs any of the related actions related to the service, the consideration for the customer (2) is determined from the candidate value associated with this related action. Therefore, for customer (2), the compensation for the services he receives will be determined according to the related actions he has carried out, so it is fair compared to the compensation applied to other customers. It becomes easier to set consideration. In addition, since the service provider (1) can set various compensations for each customer (2), it becomes easier to set appropriate compensations. As a result, there is an advantage in that it is easier to set the price for the service.

In the consideration setting method according to the second aspect, in the first aspect, the one or more related actions include at least one of purchasing and borrowing a specific device (5) related to the service.

According to this aspect, it is possible to promote at least one of the purchase and borrowing of the specific device (5) by the customer (2).

In the consideration setting method according to the third aspect, in the second aspect, the specific device (5) includes a device that reduces the burden of service on the service provider (1).

According to this aspect, at least one of the purchase and borrowing of the specific device (5) by the customer (2) is promoted, thereby reducing the burden on the service provider (1) regarding the service.

In the consideration setting method according to the fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the candidate value is determined according to the degree of contribution of the corresponding related action to the service.

According to this aspect, consideration is determined according to the degree of contribution of the customer (2) to the service.

The consideration setting method according to the fifth aspect is that in any of the first to fourth aspects, when the customer (2) performs a plurality of related actions, a plurality of values corresponding to the plurality of related actions performed are From the candidate values, the compensation for the customer (2) who has performed a plurality of related actions is determined.

According to this aspect, without registering candidate values corresponding to a combination of a plurality of related actions, from a plurality of candidate values corresponding to a plurality of related actions, a customer (2) who has performed a plurality of related actions can be Consideration can be determined.

In the consideration setting method according to the sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the service includes purchasing electrical energy (E1) from the customer (2).

According to this aspect, it is easy to set the consideration for purchasing the electrical energy (E1).

The consideration setting method according to the seventh aspect further includes an authentication step in any one of the first to sixth aspects. In this case, there is a sponsor (3) separate from the service provider (1) who provides a related service for causing the customer (2) to perform one or more related actions. The authentication step involves the authentication of the customer (2) at the service provider (1) through the sponsor (3) based on proof information indicating that the customer (2) has performed one or more relevant actions during the provision of the service. This is the step of performing authentication.

According to this aspect, it is possible to promote the use of the related services provided by the sponsor (3) by the customer (2).

The consideration setting method according to the eighth aspect further includes a transfer step in any one of the first to seventh aspects. In this case, there is a sponsor (3) separate from the service provider (1) who provides a related service for causing the customer (2) to perform one or more related actions. The transfer step is a step in which at least a portion of the remuneration that the sponsor (3) obtains through one or more related actions is transferred from the sponsor (3) to the service provider (1) when providing the service.

According to this aspect, the service provider (1) can use at least a portion of the remuneration received from the sponsor (3) to fund the service.

The consideration setting method according to the ninth aspect is a method for setting consideration for a service in which a service provider (1) purchases electrical energy (E1) from a customer (2), and includes a registration step and a determination step. have The registration step is a step of registering candidate values corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to the service. The determining step is a step in which, when the customer (2) performs one or more related actions, the consideration for the customer (2) who has performed the related action is determined from candidate values corresponding to the performed related action. . The one or more related actions include at least one of purchasing and borrowing an energy storage device having a function of storing energy related to the service.

According to this aspect, the consideration for the customer (2) can be determined in the determination step using the correspondence between the related behavior registered in the registration step and the candidate value. In other words, when the customer (2) performs any of the related actions related to the service, the consideration for the customer (2) is determined from the candidate value associated with this related action. Therefore, for customer (2), the compensation for the services he receives will be determined according to the related actions he has carried out, so it is fair compared to the compensation applied to other customers. It becomes easier to set consideration. In addition, since the service provider (1) can set various compensations for each customer (2), it becomes easier to set appropriate compensations. As a result, there is an advantage in that it is easier to set the price for the service.

A consideration setting system (10) according to a tenth aspect is used for setting consideration for a service provided by a service provider (1) to a customer (2), and includes a registration section (11) and a determination section (12). , is provided. A registration unit (11) registers candidate values corresponding to each of one or more related actions related to a service. When the customer (2) performs one or more related actions, the determining unit (12) selects a candidate value corresponding to the performed related action from among the candidate values already registered in the registration unit (11). Then, the compensation for the customer (2) who performed the relevant action is determined.

According to this aspect, the determination unit (12) can determine the consideration for the customer (2) using the correspondence between the related actions and candidate values registered in the registration unit (11). . In other words, when the customer (2) performs any of the related actions related to the service, the consideration for the customer (2) is determined from the candidate value associated with this related action. Therefore, for customer (2), the compensation for the services he receives will be determined according to the related actions he has carried out, so it is fair compared to the compensation applied to other customers. It becomes easier to set consideration. In addition, since the service provider (1) can set various compensations for each customer (2), it becomes easier to set appropriate compensations. As a result, there is an advantage in that it is easier to set the price for the service.

The program according to the eleventh aspect is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the consideration setting method according to any one of the first to ninth aspects.

According to this aspect, the consideration for the customer (2) can be determined in the determination step using the correspondence between the related behavior registered in the registration step and the candidate value. In other words, when the customer (2) performs any of the related actions related to the service, the consideration for the customer (2) is determined from the candidate value associated with this related action. Therefore, for customer (2), the compensation for the services he receives will be determined according to the related actions he has carried out, so it is fair compared to the compensation applied to other customers. It becomes easier to set consideration. In addition, since the service provider (1) can set various compensations for each customer (2), it becomes easier to set appropriate compensations. As a result, there is an advantage in that it is easier to set the price for the service.

The configurations according to the second to ninth aspects are not essential to the consideration setting method and can be omitted as appropriate.

1 Service provider 2 Customer 3 Sponsor 5 Specific equipment 10 Consideration setting system 11 Registration department 12 Determination department 51 Water heater (energy storage device)
52 Energy storage equipment (energy storage equipment)
E1 Electric energy

Claims (11)

A consideration setting method executed by a computer system functioning as a consideration setting system for setting consideration for services provided by a service provider to a customer, the method comprising:
The service is the purchase of electrical energy from the customer,
an authentication step of authenticating the customer based on proof information indicating that the customer has performed one or more related actions that reduce the burden associated with the service provided by the service provider;
a determining step of determining the consideration for the customer who performed the related action from a value corresponding to the related action performed by the customer;
How to set consideration. The one or more related actions include at least one of purchasing and borrowing specific equipment related to the service;
The consideration setting method according to claim 1. The specific device includes a device that reduces expenses related to the service of the service provider.
The consideration setting method according to claim 2. The value corresponding to the related action performed by the customer is determined according to the degree of contribution of the corresponding related action to the service.
The consideration setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 3. If the customer performs multiple related actions,
determining the consideration for the customer who has performed the plurality of related actions from a plurality of the values corresponding to the plurality of related actions performed;
The consideration setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The related action that reduces the burden related to the service is the related action that reduces the purchase burden of the electrical energy.
The consideration setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A sponsor that provides a related service for causing the customer to perform the one or more related actions exists separately from the service provider;
The consideration setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A sponsor that provides a related service for causing the customer to perform the one or more related actions exists separately from the service provider,
When providing the service, the method further comprises a transfer step of transferring at least a part of the remuneration that the sponsor receives from the one or more related actions from the sponsor to the service provider.
The consideration setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The one or more related actions include at least one of purchasing and borrowing an energy storage device having a function of storing energy related to the service.
The consideration setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 8. Used to set consideration for services provided by service providers to customers,
The service is the purchase of electrical energy from the customer,
Based on proof information indicating that the customer has performed one or more related actions related to the service that reduce the burden of the service provider on the service, an authentication unit that authenticates the customer at a service provider;
a determining unit that determines the consideration for the customer who has performed the related action based on a value corresponding to the related action performed by the customer;
Consideration setting system. A program for causing one or more processors to execute the consideration setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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