KR20030041413A - System for alarming information of coupons and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A coupon information alarm system and method using a mobile communication terminal are provided to allow a user to effectively manage coupons by displaying information on a validity term expiration-nearing coupon or on a presently usable coupon. CONSTITUTION: A coupon alarm server receives information on a coupon from a mobile communication terminal(S400). The coupon alarm server analyzes detailed information of the coupon such as a provider, a content and a validity term of the coupon(S402). The coupon alarm server stores the detailed information on the coupon in a user table of a database and registers it as coupon information for an alarm service(S404). The coupon alarm server checks whether there is coupon information to be alarmed to a terminal user(S406). If a coupon is searched as its validity term nears and thus comes within a pre-set alarm reference date range(S408), the coupon alarm server reads corresponding coupon information and terminal information from the database(S410) and wirelessly transfers a coupon alarm message to the user terminal(S412). If a user terminal moves into an area where a specific coupon is available for use(S414), the coupon alarm server reads corresponding coupon information and terminal information from the database(S416) and wirelessly transfers a coupon alarm message to the user terminal(S418).

Description

Coupon information alarm system and method using a mobile terminal {SYSTEM FOR ALARMING INFORMATION OF COUPONS AND METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to a coupon information alarm system and method for enabling coupon information alarm using a mobile communication terminal.

In general, a coupon is produced to promote the sale of a product or to advertise a product and a trade name, and when a user purchases a predetermined product at a restaurant or a department store, the next time, the coupon is purchased for a predetermined amount of the product. This is a general term for a voucher that allows a discount to be applied or a prize voucher that is paid in exchange for the purchase of a product of a predetermined amount or more and can be exchanged for a predetermined prize.

In recent years, various coupons have been produced that can be used not only for the purchase of goods in restaurants and department stores, but also for theatrical, movie and book purchases. It is getting settled. Therefore, if you take advantage of these various coupons will be able to enjoy everyday life, cultural life at a lower cost.

However, in the use of a conventional coupon, the user must be familiar with the available date, place, and business of each coupon, so it is easy to miss the expiration date of the coupon. If the user does not remember the possession of the coupon of the place or company, there were many problems in coupon management, such as losing a convenient opportunity to use the coupon.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a coupon information alarm system and method for enabling coupon information alarm using a mobile communication terminal.

The present invention for achieving the above object, in the coupon information alarm system and coupon alarm service method using a mobile terminal, transmitting the coupon information input by the user to the base station according to the coupon registration request, received through the base station A mobile communication terminal configured to display a coupon information alarm message on a display unit so as to be recognized by a user; When coupon information for a coupon alarm service request is received from the mobile communication terminal, the coupon information is stored in a corresponding terminal table in a database, and when coupon information requiring an alarm is generated, the coupon information alarm message is generated to the corresponding terminal. A coupon alarm server for transmitting; And an exchanger for applying coupon information transmitted from the mobile communication terminal through the base station to the coupon alarm server and transmitting the coupon alarm message generated from the coupon alarm server to the corresponding mobile communication terminal through the base station. Implementing an alarm system, (a) Receiving the coupon information transmitted wirelessly in response to a coupon alarm request from the mobile communication terminal; (b) classifying and storing the coupon information in a terminal-specific table in a database; (c) searching for coupon information requiring an alarm among the coupon information; (d) searching for the corresponding terminal information registered with the coupon information when coupon information requiring the alarm exists; And (e) transmitting a coupon alarm message for the retrieved coupon to the corresponding terminal so that a terminal user can recognize the coupon information. .

1 is a network configuration of the coupon information alarm system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a coupon information registration process in a mobile communication terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an operation control flowchart for a coupon information alarm service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the operation of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration of a mobile communication system implemented to enable an alarm service for a discount coupon according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a mobile station (MS) 100 is a user interface device that receives coupon information to perform an alarm service when a user requests a coupon alarm service from a user. A short message service message is transmitted wirelessly to a coupon alarm server 108 connected to a mobile switching center (MSC) 104 through a base station (BTS) 102 to request a coupon alarm service. In addition, when a message for the coupon information alarm is received from the coupon alarm server 108, the corresponding coupon information is displayed so that the terminal user can easily recognize the existence of the coupon. SMSC (SMS Center) 106 is a place for processing the SMS messages transmitted and received between the base station 102 and the mobile communication terminal 100 in the embodiment of the present invention coupon information message sent by the user coupon coupon server ( 106, and converts the coupon alarm message authorized from the coupon alarm server 108 into an SMS message and wirelessly transmits it to the corresponding terminal.

The coupon alarm server 108 receives coupon information requested for an alarm service from the mobile communication terminal 100 and stores a table for each user in a database (Data Base: DB) 110 and includes the coupon information. If the expiration date is imminent or the current location of the terminal is located near a business that can use the coupon, the user can be notified by alarming the coupon information. Do it. In this case, the coupon alarm server 108 may check the current location information of the terminal registered by using a terminal location tracking service provided from a communication operator, or a schedule management server (Personal) that manages personal information of a terminal user. In conjunction with Information Management System (PIMS), the location of the terminal may be determined according to schedule information of the terminal user registered in the alarm service. The exchange 104 applies the SMS message transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 100 through the base station 102 to the coupon alarm server 108, and from the coupon alarm server 108 through the SMSC 106. An SMS message for the generated coupon alarm is transmitted to the corresponding mobile communication terminal 100 through the base station 102.

2 is a detailed block diagram of a mobile communication terminal 100 implemented to enable a coupon alarm service according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the controller 200 controls the overall operation of the terminal 100 and controls operations of each unit for the coupon information alarm service in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. The memory 216 stores a predetermined program for controlling the overall operation of the terminal 100, and presets data input / output when the overall operation of the terminal 100 is performed by the controller 200. Save to the area. The duplexer 210 communicates with the base station 102 through the antenna ANT and separates a signal transmitted / received. The receiver 212 receives a radio signal input through the antenna ANT under a predetermined control, receives the radio signal separated by the duplexer 210, amplifies, filters, and outputs a weak signal. do. The transmitter 208 filters and amplifies a radio signal output from the audio unit 214, which will be described below, under predetermined control, and transmits the amplified signal through the duplex 210 through the antenna ANT.

The audio unit 214 modulates the voice signal input through the microphone MIC into a wireless signal under the control of the control unit 200, and demodulates the wireless signal received through the receiver 212 to the speaker SP. It sends out as a signal. In addition, when a ring signal is generated from the base station 102, the receiver 212 detects the ring signal and transmits the ring signal through a ringer. The key input unit 202 includes a plurality of numeric keys, and generates corresponding key data when the user presses a predetermined key and outputs the corresponding key data to the control unit 200. The display unit 204 displays various types of information of the mobile communication terminal 100 under the control of the controller 200, and receives and displays key data generated by the key input unit 202 and various information signals of the controller 200. . The video processor 206 processes image data received from an external network such as the Internet according to the control of the controller 200 in accordance with the LCD format of the terminal display unit 204.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a coupon information registration process for a coupon alarm service in a mobile communication terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

First, when a user wants to receive a coupon alarm service using a mobile communication terminal, the user inputs a key for requesting a coupon registration through the key input unit 202. The coupon registration key is a key for the user to register the coupon information in the mobile communication terminal for the coupon alarm service according to an embodiment of the present invention, may be provided separately for an embodiment of the present invention, the existing key combination The coupon registration function may be implemented. That is, when the coupon information registration key is input from the user, the terminal control unit 200 switches to the coupon information input mode in response to this in step S300, and displays the coupon information input screen on the display unit 204 in step S302. Display so that the user can enter the coupon information to receive the alarm service.

Accordingly, the terminal user inputs coupon information to receive an alarm service on the coupon information input screen, where the coupon information may be information such as a coupon issuing company name, coupon contents, and expiration date. Then, the terminal controller 200 receives the alarm service request coupon information input from the user through the coupon input screen in step S304. Subsequently, the terminal controller 200 proceeds to step S306 to check whether the input of the coupon information through the coupon information input screen is completed, and proceeds to step S308 when the input of the coupon information is normally completed. In step S308, the terminal controller 200 generates a coupon alarm service request message to which the coupon information received from the coupon information input screen is attached, and proceeds to step S310, in which the coupon alarm service request message is an SMS message. By converting to the wireless communication to the coupon alarm server 108 according to an embodiment of the present invention connected to the exchange 104 via the base station 102.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control flow for registration of coupon information requested for a coupon alarm service and a coupon alarm service in a coupon alarm server 108 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4.

First, the coupon alarm server 108 is a server for alarming coupon information to a corresponding terminal when a preset coupon alarm condition is satisfied for coupon information requested for a coupon alarm service from a mobile communication terminal user. Coupon information to perform the alarm service will be received as an SMS message. That is, when the coupon alarm server 108 receives the coupon information wirelessly transmitted from the mobile communication terminal for the coupon alarm service, the process proceeds to step S402 in response to this (S402) to receive and receive the coupon information. It analyzes the details of the coupon, such as the company name, coupon details, expiration date of the coupon. The coupon alarm server 108 proceeds to step S404 and stores the analyzed coupon details in the corresponding user table in the database 110 and registers the coupon information to perform an alarm service.

The coupon alarm server 108 checks whether there is coupon information to be alarmed to the corresponding terminal user among the coupon information of the mobile communication terminal user registered in the database 110 (S406). That is, the coupon alarm server 108 may periodically check the coupon information to determine the coupon information having an expiration date of the expiration date which is near the preset expiration date of the coupon as the coupon information to alert the user. Also, by using the location information of each registered mobile communication terminal to check whether the terminal moves to a specific coupon available area of the terminal registered in the database 110, the coupon to be alarmed to the terminal user Information can be judged. In the above, the reference date is preferably set to a date before the expiration date, such as 3 days or 4 days before the expiration date of the coupon, and the coupon use area refers to the use of the coupon. This means a shopping mall or an area where a specific business is located. For example, if there is a free drink coupon that can be used at a restaurant TGI Friday among the registered coupons, the terminal user who registered the coupon moves to TGI Friday. If it is determined that the coupon alarm server 108 is to read the coupon information sent to the terminal to inform the user of the coupon information.

That is, if the coupon is searched for an incoming coupon within the preset alarm reference date range among the registered coupons, the coupon alarm server 108 proceeds to step S410 in response to this in step S408. The coupon information and the terminal information are read from the database 110, and in step S412, the coupon alarm message including the coupon information is wirelessly transmitted to the terminal as an SMS message. Accordingly, the terminal user can recognize that the expiration date of the coupon owned by him is nearing the expiration date.

On the contrary, when a terminal moving to a usable area of a particular coupon is detected among the owner terminals of the registered coupon, the coupon alarm server 108 responds to the response in step S414 in step S416. In step S418, the coupon information and the terminal information are read from the database 110, and in step S418, the coupon alarm message including the coupon information is wirelessly transmitted to the terminal as an SMS message. Accordingly, the terminal user can recognize the coupon information available in the area in which the terminal user is moving. That is, for example, when a terminal user having a KFC free coupon coupon is located at a specific place such as Jongno, Daehak-ro, Myeong-dong, etc. where the KFC branch is located, the coupon alarm server 108 is the terminal and the user has a free KFC coupon. By notifying the user, the user can recognize the coupon information that may be needed in the current location to be able to use the coupon usefully.

Meanwhile, in the above description, when the coupon alarm server 108 receives the location information of the mobile communication terminal registered with the alarm service and moves to the location where the corresponding terminal can use the coupon, the coupon information has been described. The server 108 provides coupon information that can be used at the location in accordance with the time when the user moves to a specific location according to the schedule information of the mobile terminal user in conjunction with a schedule management server that manages the schedule information of the mobile communication terminal. You may. That is, for example, when a user who registers a free KFC coupon coupon has time to move to a place where a KFC branch is located according to schedule information, the area where the user is currently located is the same as when using the location information of the terminal by alarming the coupon information. Coupon information that can be used in will be able to recognize.

In addition, the description of the present invention has been described with an example of transmitting a coupon alarm message transmitted / received between the mobile communication terminal 100 and the coupon alarm server 108 through an SMS message, but using a wireless email or a push method. It is obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that the transmission of messages is possible through the wireless data download method. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by the claims rather than by the described embodiments.

As described above, the present invention by displaying by the user through the mobile communication terminal coupon information that is near the expiration of the expiration date or coupon information useful in the place where the user is located, so that the user can recognize In addition, there is an advantage that the user can efficiently manage the coupon even if the user does not check the expiration date or available area of the coupon owned by the user.

Claims (9)

In the coupon information alarm system using a mobile terminal, A mobile communication terminal which transmits coupon information input by a user to a base station according to a coupon registration request, and displays a coupon information alarm message received through the base station on a display unit so that the user can recognize the coupon information alarm message; When coupon information for a coupon alarm service request is received from the mobile communication terminal, the coupon information is stored in a corresponding terminal table in a database, and when coupon information requiring an alarm is generated, the coupon information alarm message is generated to the corresponding terminal. A coupon alarm server for transmitting; And And a switch that applies the coupon information transmitted from the mobile communication terminal through the base station to the coupon alarm server, and transmits the coupon alarm message generated from the coupon alarm server to the corresponding mobile communication terminal through the base station. Coupon information alarm system. The method of claim 1, The coupon information alarm system is connected to the exchange, SMSC unit for converting a message for the coupon information alarm generated from the mobile communication terminal and the coupon alarm server to an SMS text message; coupon further comprising a coupon Information alarm system. The method of claim 1, The coupon alarm server checks the expiration date of the registered coupons, and if there is a coupon that has expired within a predetermined reference date range, the coupon information is read to inform the terminal that the expiration of the coupon expiration date is imminent. Coupon information alarm system, characterized in that for transmitting a coupon alarm message. The method of claim 1, The coupon alarm server uses the location information of the mobile communication terminals registered in the coupon alarm service when the terminal located in the available area of the specific coupon registered by the mobile terminal is searched for by the corresponding terminal. Coupon information alarm system, characterized in that for transmitting a coupon alarm message indicating that the available area of the. The method of claim 1, When the coupon alarm server searches for a terminal located in an area where a specific coupon registered by the mobile terminal is available according to the schedule information among the mobile communication terminals, using the schedule information of the mobile communication terminals registered in the coupon alarm service Coupon information alarm system, characterized in that for transmitting a coupon alarm message to inform the terminal that the available area of the particular coupon. The method of claim 1, The coupon alarm server further comprises a database for storing coupon information transmitted from the registered mobile communication terminals in a terminal table. In the coupon information alarm service method in the coupon information alarm system using a mobile communication terminal, (a) receiving coupon information transmitted wirelessly according to a coupon alarm request from the mobile communication terminal; (b) classifying and storing the coupon information in a terminal-specific table in a database; (c) searching for coupon information requiring an alarm among the coupon information; (d) searching for the corresponding terminal information registered with the coupon information when coupon information requiring the alarm exists; And (e) transmitting a coupon alarm message for the searched coupon to the corresponding terminal to enable a terminal user to recognize the coupon information. The method of claim 7, wherein The coupon alarm message is transmitted to the corresponding terminal of the coupon when the coupon is entered within the predetermined predetermined date range of the expiration date of the registered coupons is characterized in that the expiration of the expiration date of the coupon is imminent. Coupon alarm service method. The method of claim 7, wherein The coupon alarm message is transmitted to the corresponding terminal when the terminal located in the available area of the specific coupon registered by the user among the mobile communication terminals registered in the coupon alarm service is searched for the use of the specific coupon to the terminal user. Coupon alarm service method characterized in that the notification that you entered the available area.