KR20020064121A - Method for offering simulated animal or plant for upbringing as purchaser incentive in affiliated shopping malls - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for supplying a virtual rearing creature for buyer as incentive is provided to supply a compensation for a buyer according to a progress of a rearing by supplying a virtual rearing creature from a plurality of affiliated on-line shopping malls for the buyer as an incentive and making the buyer connect to a designated rearing simulation game site and rear the virtual rearing creature. CONSTITUTION: A user buys a commodity in an on-line shopping mall(1). A virtual creature for a rearing is supplied for the user as an incentive(2). The user connects to a rearing simulation game site and rears the supplied virtual creature(3). According to a progress of a rearing, the compensation is supplied(4). An on-line shopping mall informs the supplying details of the virtual creature and user's information to the rearing simulation game site. The rearing simulation game site receives and stores the information. The compensation is constituted by a plurality of items being supplied from the on-line shopping mall.

Description

{Method for offering simulated animal or plant for upbringing as purchaser incentive in affiliated shopping malls}

The present invention relates to a method in which a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls provide a virtual creature for nurturing as an incentive to a buyer, and more particularly, a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls provide a nurturing virtual creature as an incentive for a buyer, The present invention relates to a method of allowing a user to access a designated nurturing simulation game site and nurture it, and to provide a reward to a buyer as the nurturing progresses.

Recently, as the Internet becomes more popular, electronic commerce through the Internet is becoming a new commerce method in addition to the conventional market transactions. Electronic commerce refers to a transaction between a seller who has established a shopping mall in a global communication network called the Internet and a buyer who wants to purchase a product in the shopping mall by means of communication using a computer system. Such e-commerce does not require a large store and a separate management personnel for merchandise display as in the conventional field trading, and has the great advantage that buyers can purchase desired products without much trouble.

In general, online shopping malls provide buyers with various bonus points (miles) or reserves as incentives to boost their operations, and these incentives are designed to increase sales through inducing consumer interest and stimulating purchasing psychology. It is provided for the purpose. The mileage or reserves provided in this way are credited and subsequently exchanged for goods or cash (cashback scheme), and in general, the buyer has to make additional purchases in order to accumulate his mileage or reserves up to a certain amount.

On the other hand, in recent years, the number of Internet sites that provide web content that is directly related to reality is increasing. For example, a number of websites have been created to virtually raise animals or grow plants. These websites allow users to grow creatures in virtual space, providing a different experience, emotional and warm heart. It also ensures that biology learning occurs naturally.

On the other hand, the Internet-based business is roughly divided into the electronic commerce field, including the online shopping mall, the content field to provide a variety of video, audio, type information, etc. and the entertainment / game field. Until now, these fields have not been interconnected, have been developed individually, and have not been proposed so far in the field of Internet business aimed at synergy by appropriately connecting them.

The present invention was conceived in view of the above points, and a number of affiliated online shopping malls provide buyers with virtual creatures for incubation as incentives, and allow the buyers to access and foster designated designated simulation game sites, and foster them. Its purpose is to provide a way to reward buyers as the company progresses.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new concept of incentive providing method that allows a user to enjoy an exciting game and foster a virtual creature provided as an incentive to receive a more valuable reward.

It is another object of the present invention to have an advertisement for a plurality of online shopping malls to which a training simulation game site is affiliated to its web page, and to effect the web promotion on the online shopping mall.

Another object of the present invention is to allow buyers to cultivate virtually the creatures that could not be raised due to environmental limitations in the real life through a simulation game, so that they can naturally learn the growth process of the creatures and develop affection for the creatures. It is.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a new type of e-commerce model in which an online shopping mall and a game are linked to contribute to the activation of electronic commerce.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be described below and will be appreciated by the practice of the invention. Furthermore, the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by means and combinations indicated in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description of the following preferred embodiments, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a network system in which a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls according to the present invention perform a method of providing a virtual creature for development as an incentive to a buyer.

2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a functional configuration of a shopping mall server in the network system of FIG. 1 according to the present invention.

3 is a view schematically showing the functional configuration of the training simulation game server in the network system of FIG. 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating how a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls according to the present invention provide a fostering virtual creature as an incentive to a buyer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which a shopping mall server provides a training virtual creature as an incentive to a buyer and notifies the training simulation game server of the provision details.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which a user connects to a training simulation game server, develops his or her virtual creature, and receives a reward.

7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the service menu provided by the training simulation game server according to the present invention.

<Description of main reference numerals in the drawings>

10: user terminal 20: shopping mall server

30: nurture simulation game server 40: network

According to the present invention, a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls according to the present invention for providing a virtual creature for nurturing as incentives to a buyer are provided. And providing a reward to the buyer according to the progress of the development, the method comprising: (a) a user purchasing a product in the online shopping mall; (b) providing a virtual creature for upbringing as an incentive to the user; (c) the user accessing the nurturing simulation game site to nurture a provided virtual creature; And (d) providing a reward to the user as the nurturing progresses. It includes.

Preferably, a method in which a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls according to the present invention provide a virtual creature for cultivation as an incentive to a buyer, wherein the online shopping mall cultivates the details of the virtual creature for cultivation to the user and information of the user. Notifying the simulation game site; And receiving and storing the information notified by the breeding simulation game site. It further includes.

And, the training simulation game site is characterized in that by displaying the advertisement for the plurality of online shopping malls on their web page.

Further, the reward is composed of a plurality of items provided by the plurality of online shopping malls, the user is characterized in that can be provided by selecting the desired from among them.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Prior to this, terms or words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to the common or dictionary meanings, and the inventors should properly explain the concept of terms in order to explain their invention in the best way. Based on the principle that can be defined, it should be interpreted as meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention.

Therefore, the embodiments described in the specification and the drawings shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of the present invention, various modifications that can be replaced at the time of the present application It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations.

1 shows a configuration of a network system in which a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls according to the present invention provide a virtual creature for training as an incentive to a buyer.

The network system includes a plurality of user terminals 10, a plurality of shopping mall servers 20, a training simulation game server 30, and a network 40 interconnecting them.

The user terminal 10 is a computer system of a general netizen, which is used by a user to access a shopping mall server 20 to purchase necessary goods, and to connect to and nurture a virtual creature provided as an incentive to the development simulation game server 30. .

Although not shown, the user terminal 10 is a typical system component and calls the web page based on the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the website operated by the shopping mall server 20 and the training simulation game server 30. And a browser program that displays this web page on a monitor based on the interpretation of Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML) code, and an operating system (OS) program that manages and controls the computer system as a whole. . As the user terminal 10, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile communication terminal, an International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) -2000 terminal, and a wireless Internet phone may be used.

The shopping mall server 20 operates an online shopping mall site and provides a virtual server for training as an incentive to a user who purchases a product as a web server, and notifies the training simulation game server 30 to describe details of the provided details.

The growth simulation game server 30 is a game server that executes and provides a growth simulation game for virtual creatures, and allows a user to participate in a game and develop their own virtual creatures provided from the shopping mall server 20. As the development progresses, a predetermined reward is provided to the user.

According to the present invention, the plurality of shopping mall servers 20 and the training simulation game server 30 are mutually cooperated.

Here, the terminal 10 and the servers 20 and 30 are connected to the network 40 through various conventional devices and methods such as a modem or a CSU / DSU (Channel Service Unit / Digital Service Unit).

The network 40 commonly connects the terminal 10 and the servers 20 and 30 such as a wired / wireless internet network, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile communication network, and performs data communication with each other. Anything you can do is available.

However, hereinafter, for convenience of description, the network 40 is a wired Internet network based on the World Wide Web (WWW), and the user terminal 10 is a personal computer. Explain. However, it is a matter of course that the present invention is not necessarily limited to these examples.

2 schematically shows a functional configuration of a shopping mall server according to the present invention.

The shopping mall server 20 may include a server engine 22, a plurality of web pages 24, a member management module 26a, a shopping mall management module 26b, a virtual creature providing module 26c, and a providing history notification module ( 26d), a member database (Data Base: DB) 28a, a product DB 28b, a virtual creature provision DB 28c, and a provision history DB 28d.

The server engine 22 provides a plurality of web pages 24 to the connected user terminal 10, and is a platform for server-side programs such as the modules 26a to 26d. To provide.

Here, the web page 24 is preferably written in HTML format, but may be written in any format as long as it can be read by a computer system.

The member management module 26a requests membership registration to a user accessing through the network 40, receives the user's information including ID and password, stores the information in the member DB 28a, and manages the user. The authentication is performed to verify that the user is a legitimate user using the ID and password.

The shopping mall management module 26b is interlocked with the product DB 28b, which stores information on sales products, provides the user with the information on the web page and accesses them, and processes the user's purchase order. As a purchase incentive, we execute a process routine that presents and selects free gifts, mileage, and virtual creatures for development to the user (buyer).

The virtual creature providing module 26c is a program that provides a user with a virtual creature for breeding when a buyer selects a breeding virtual creature among incentives provided, and stores the information of the breeding virtual creature provided according to the purchase price. It is linked with the virtual creature providing DB 28c.

The offer details notification module 26d is a program for notifying the upbringing simulation game server 30 of the details of providing the virtual creature for upbringing to the purchaser as an incentive, and is interlocked with the provided details DB 28d for this purpose.

3 schematically shows the functional configuration of the training simulation game server according to the present invention.

The training simulation game server 30 includes a server engine 32, a plurality of web pages 34, a notification history acquisition module 36a, a member management module 36b, a training simulation game management module 36c, and exchange. The market game management module 36d, the reward providing module 36e, the member DB 38a, the member virtual creature DB 38b, the virtual creature image DB 38c, and the reward DB 38d are included.

Description of elements that can be understood by the description of FIG. 2 described above will be omitted.

The notification details acquisition module 36a is a program that receives and acquires "the details provided by the shopping mall server 20 for the member's virtual creatures for training", and stores the acquired information in the member virtual creature DB 38b.

On the other hand, the shopping mall server 20 also informs the development simulation game server 30 of the member information, and thus, the development simulation game server 30 receives the notified member information and stores it in the member information DB 38a in its own. And manage. According to the present invention, the member of the shopping mall server 20 is automatically registered as a member of the training simulation game server 30.

The member management module 28b is a program for verifying whether a user is a legitimate user by using an ID and a password for a login of a user to be connected. The member management module 28b is linked with a member DB 38a in which member information is stored.

The nurturing simulation game management module 26c configures and provides an image of the virtual creature of the user in the nurturing simulation game environment. The program is provided by the user executing a game in which the virtual creature is nurtured. 38c).

The exchange market game management module 36d is a program that executes and provides an exchange market game in which users can exchange their virtual creatures.

The reward providing module 26e is a program that provides a predetermined reward according to the value of the virtual creature of the user according to the request for providing the reward of the user, and is linked with the reward DB 38d.

With reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, a description will be given of a method in which a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls according to the present invention provide a breeding virtual creature as an incentive to a buyer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of a shopping mall server providing a virtual creature for training as an incentive to a buyer and notifying the training simulation game server of the provision details.

Referring to the drawings, a general netizen user runs a browser program in his computer 10 and enters a domain name of a shopping mall site in a URL input window, thereby operating the shopping mall server 20. (Step S100).

In response to the connection, the shopping mall server 20 transmits the web page on which the sale goods are posted to the user terminal 10 (step S102). The transmitted web page is displayed by the user's browser program and confirmed to the user (step S104). Through this process, the user confirms a product to be purchased, makes a purchase decision, and registers a purchase order ( Step S106).

The shopping mall server 20 processes a user's purchase order, and of course, this process may include a payment processing process of a normal purchase price (step S108). Next, the shopping mall server 20 presents a free gift, mileage, a growing virtual creature, etc. to the buyer as an incentive, and allows the user to select the desired one (step S110). For example, if a user purchases a product worth 50,000 won, the prize money is 2 pencils, 2 miles of mileage, and 1 egg of a virtual creature for breeding.

Here, when the user selects the free gift, the shopping mall server 20 processes the purchased product and the free gift to the user together, and if the mileage is selected, accumulates the corresponding mileage in the user's mileage account.

A feature of the present invention is to provide a virtual creature for incubation as an incentive, and to allow the user to foster and receive a greater reward.

Therefore, the shopping mall server 20 may post the content on a web page so that the user recognizes the advantages of the virtual creature for the growth as an incentive and the like at the time of the user's incentive selection.

In addition, although a number of incentives have been presented and selected by the buyer above, alternatively, only incubating virtual creatures can be provided as incentives, in which case the incentive selection step of the buyer is omitted.

In this case, it is assumed that the user selects a virtual creature for growth from among the presented incentives (step S112). Preferably, the shopping mall server 20 requests a member registration to the user selected the breeding virtual creature (step S114). Member registration is executed by inputting and registering necessary information including an ID and a password in a member registration web page (step S116). The ID of the member registered member and the information of the virtual creature for the breeding provided by the member are related to each other and stored in the provision details DB 28d in the shopping mall server 20 (step S118).

Although not shown in the drawing, the shopping mall server 20 posts the location information of the training simulation game site to the web page so that the user can recognize it.

Next, as described above, the shopping mall server 20 notifies the training simulation game server 30 of the newly provided virtual creature to the member through the data communication together with the information of the member (step S120).

In response to the notification, the upbringing simulation game server 30 receives the informed information and stores it in the member virtual creature DB 38b and the like in the self (step S122).

As a result, the user accesses the shopping mall server 20 to purchase a necessary product, and is provided with a virtual creature for training as an incentive, while the shopping mall server 20 notifies the training simulation game server 30 of the offer details. The process is complete.

In addition, as described above, the type and number of virtual creatures for breeding provided as an incentive may be determined according to the purchase price. For example, when the purchase price is between 50,000 and 60,000 won, one egg is provided. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the type and number of the provided virtual creatures may be set based on various criteria.

Next, FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which a user connects to a training simulation game server, develops his or her virtual creature, and receives a reward.

Referring to the drawing, a user who is provided with a virtual creature for breeding from the shopping mall server 20 accesses the breeding simulation game server 30 to grow the virtual creature (step S200).

On the connection, the training simulation game server 30 transmits a login web page to the user terminal 10 (step S202). The content of requesting the user to execute the login is posted on the login web page. Therefore, the user inputs his or her ID and password registered in the shopping mall server 20 and executes the login (step S204).

With respect to the login, the training simulation game server 30 performs member authentication of whether the user is a legitimate user by using the user's ID and password (step S206).

As a result of the authentication, if the user is a legitimate user, the training simulation game server 20 transmits the main web page where the service menu is posted to the user (step S208). Of course, if the user is not a legitimate user, the training simulation game server 20 requests the user to re-login.

Referring to FIG. 7 showing the configuration of the service menu posted on the main web page, the service menu may include a menu for “cultivation simulation game execution”, “virtual biological exchange market game execution”, and “receipt receiving”. .

First, it is assumed that the user selects a menu of "Run nurturing simulation game" to participate in the nurturing simulation game (step S210).

In response, the rearing simulation game server 30 provides the user with a screen (web page) on which the rearing simulation game including the image of the rearing virtual creature of the logged-in user is executed (step S212).

The screen in which the training simulation game is executed includes an image of the user's virtual creature, a portion where the requirements of the virtual creature are displayed, and a means icon used by the user to process the virtual creature's requirements. For example, if a chick, a virtual creature, has a lean image and shows a requirement such as "hungry", the user may select a means icon such as "feed" to handle the requirements of the virtual creature. In this way, if the user properly handles the requirements of the virtual creatures, the virtual animals are raised.

A number of such training simulation-related games have been developed starting with a single program of damagochi games that were once popular, and among them, may be adopted for proper implementation of the present invention and applied to the present invention. The training simulation game itself is not the main technical gist of the present invention, and thus the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Basically, users often have to connect to and participate in the simulation game site to foster their virtual creatures. Preferably, the breeding simulation game provides a means for the user to learn about the creature naturally during the game, for example, the virtual creature is a chick, and the requirement is "too hot! The chick has a temperature of 23 ° C-25 ° C. Is best at ... ".

As described above, by executing the rearing simulation game (step S212), the user rears his or her virtual creature and finally completes the rearing (step S214).

When the rearing is completed, the rearing simulation game server 30 provides a reward to the user according to the value of the reared virtual creature (step S216). At this time, the form of compensation may be a free gift, mileage, cash and the like.

For example, if the user raised one egg as one adult chicken, the gifts that could be provided at the time of egg were 2 pencils and the mileage was 2 points, but the gifts that could be provided for grown chickens were 6 pencils, More valuable rewards are offered, such as 6 mileage points.

On the other hand, compensation may be made in the development progress stage and the development stage, not the completion stage of the development. For example, if an egg is being raised as a child chicken, four pencils and four mileage points may be provided if a reward is provided in this state.

As such, as the development of virtual creatures proceeds as a basic matter, the user is provided with a greater reward.

As a result, the process in which the user connects to the training simulation game server 30 to develop his or her virtual creature and is provided with a reward is completed.

Meanwhile, after logging in, the user may select a menu item of “Virtual biological exchange market game play” from the service menu of FIG. 7 and exchange his or her virtual creature with the virtual creature of another user.

Then, the user may be provided with a reward in place of his or her virtual creature at any time by selecting the "receipt of reward" menu from the service menu of Figure 7 after login.

According to the present invention, a reward provided to a user is composed of a plurality of items, and the user can select and receive a desired reward from among them. This is because, for example, an electronic product shopping mall may provide an electronic product, and in the case of a book shopping mall, a reward of a plurality of items may be provided from a plurality of affiliated shopping malls, for example.

Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the training simulation game server 30 advertises a number of online shopping malls affiliated with its web page. In this case, a banner advertisement may be adopted as the advertisement, and provides a hyper-link with the online shopping mall.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated by the limited embodiment and drawing, this invention is not limited by this, The person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs, Of course, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalent claims.

According to the present invention, there is provided a new concept of incentive providing method that allows an online shopping mall to provide virtual buyers as incentives to buyers and foster them through exciting games.

In addition, according to the present invention, the training simulation game site can secure access to the site of many users, and the online shopping mall can obtain synergy effect through mutual cooperation such as advertising on the training simulation game site.

In addition, according to the present invention, a new Internet business model in which e-commerce and games are linked is presented.

As a result, it is possible to make a significant contribution to the activation of electronic commerce, which is emerging as a new commercial method.

Claims (4)

A number of affiliated online shopping malls provide buyers with virtual creatures for incubation as incentives, allow buyers to access and foster designated simulation game sites, and reward buyers as they progress. A user purchasing a product at the online shopping mall; Providing a virtual creature for training as an incentive to the user; The user accessing the nurturing simulation game site to nurture a provided virtual creature; And Providing a reward to the user as the nurturing progresses; A plurality of affiliated online shopping malls, including a method of providing virtual creatures for nurturing as incentives to buyers The method of claim 1, Notifying, by the online shopping mall, the training simulation game site of the details of providing the training virtual creature to the user and information of the user; And Receiving and storing the information notified by the breeding simulation game site; A plurality of affiliated online shopping malls further comprising: providing a virtual creature for training as an incentive to the buyer According to claim 1, Wherein the training simulation game site, a plurality of affiliated online shopping malls, the incentive to provide buyers virtual creatures as incentives to buyers, characterized in that by displaying the advertisements for the plurality of online shopping malls on their web page The method of claim 1, The reward is composed of a plurality of items provided by the plurality of online shopping malls, and the user can select a desired one from among the plurality of online shopping malls associated with the buyer as an incentive to the buyer virtual How to give a creature