TW201719528A - Feedback system for user account - Google Patents

Abstract

A feedback system includes a user end device configured to couple to network and, via which, communicate with a remote server; and a merchant end device configured to communicate with the network and, via which, couple to the remote server, the merchant end device further configured to couple to the user end device via short-range communications. The merchant end device is configured to access content data and account data via the remote server. The merchant end device is configured to generate an altering message based on an input activity, where the altering message is associated with a favorable feedback for an account, and is recorded in a remote end.

Description

Feedback system for user accounts

The present invention relates to a feedback system, and more particularly to a feedback system for rewarding a premium (e.g., accumulating points or coupons) to a user account based on user behavior or interaction with a particular device.

In general retail outlets or service providers, in order to attract customers to shop regularly, activities such as accumulating points or issuing coupons are available, allowing users to repeat points to collect points or collect/use coupons. The store merchants once again consumed. Traditionally, merchants provide paper collection cards or coupons to consumers as a voucher for points accumulation and coupon conversion. However, as the cumulative points and the activities of issuing coupons become more and more common, consumers may have set cards and coupons from different merchants. It is not easy to save these collection cards and coupons. Consumers do not carry point cards or coupons with them. When the consumer re-enters the merchant that has given the consumer feedback, the discount offered by the merchant may be missed due to the lack of the point card or the coupon. For merchants, it is not easy to manage the distribution of paper cards and coupons. Merchants cannot know which consumers have these issued points or coupons, and they must ask the consumer to show their credentials before they can confirm. If the consumer does not carry these coupons with them, the merchant may lose the opportunity for the consumer to re-sell. Then the accumulated points and measures for issuing coupons cannot effectively achieve the purpose of stimulating consumption. In addition, in terms of the accumulated points, the paper collection card issued by the merchant is a consumable, that is, the points are exchanged and discarded. The general practice of accumulating points is that the merchant is in the consumer's The stamp on the set card is stamped (or a sticker that represents the number of points is attached to the set card) as a voucher for the increase in points. Therefore, merchants also need to invest in the cost of making these physical points. Since the general set card only provides a certain number of set points, consumers need to prepare more set cards to fill up the extra points. Moreover, the number of points on the paper set card can only be increased and cannot be reduced, and the paper collection card lacks a more flexible application. For example, merchants can offer different offers. These different schemes need to be redeemed with different numbers of points. However, consumers cannot redeem (deduct) the points on the set cards according to the points specified by the plan.

In view of this, there is a need for a feedback system that establishes consumer-to-business associations based on consumer interaction with merchants and allows merchants to control feedback to consumers.

The invention provides a feedback system comprising at least one user end device, at least one merchant device and at least one remote server. The user equipment is configured to be communicatively coupled to the network, and the user equipment communicates with the remote server via the network. The merchant device is configured to be communicatively coupled to the network and communicate with the remote server via the network, and the remote server accesses multiple pieces of data of the remote database. The merchant device is further configured to communicate with the user device via short-range communication.

Wherein, the merchant device is configured to perform input according to an input action (such as input through an interface of the local device or input from an interface of the remote device, the input may be an input of accumulated points or about a product The confirmation input of the purchase generates a change message relating to the offer feedback of an account (such as giving an account credit or accumulating an account electronic coupon) and recording it in a remote database.

Further, the remote server may push the notification related to the change due to the change of the message (such as changing the number of points of the account or other preferential items). Message to the user. Compared with the conventional point accumulation and redemption method, the system of the present invention creates an online platform, controls the flow of points between the merchant and the user, and counts the flow between the merchants and the store. The number of points flowing in the system of the present invention is recorded in a specific account data based on the binding relationship between the merchant side and the user side, and the lack of the conventional point card and the discount ticket volume is solved.

100‧‧‧Feedback system

102‧‧‧User terminal device

104‧‧‧Business equipment

106‧‧‧Network

108‧‧‧Server

109‧‧‧Content Access System

110‧‧‧Account Management System

111‧‧‧Pushing engine

112‧‧‧Content database

113‧‧‧ Account Database

200‧‧‧User interface

202‧‧‧Browse interface

204‧‧‧ points field

300‧‧‧Management interface

302‧‧‧Browse interface

304‧‧‧Control interface

400‧‧‧point control interface

402‧‧‧ menu

404‧‧‧ button interface

502-510‧‧‧Steps

602‧‧‧Window

702‧‧‧Window

The first figure illustrates an architectural diagram of the feedback system of the present invention.

The second figure illustrates a user interface suitable for use with the user terminal device of the feedback system of the present invention.

The third figure illustrates a management interface suitable for the merchant device of the feedback system of the present invention.

The fourth figure illustrates a control interface, which is an extension interface of the management interface, and is suitable for the merchant device of the feedback system of the present invention.

The fifth figure illustrates the flow of steps performed by the feedback system of the present invention.

The sixth figure illustrates a user interface displaying a notification window (showing the accumulated points) suitable for the user terminal device of the feedback system of the present invention.

The seventh diagram illustrates a user interface displaying a notification window (showing points for redemption) suitable for the user terminal device of the feedback system of the present invention.

The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein. Communicate to those skilled in the art. The invention may be embodied in a method or apparatus, among other features. Therefore, the present invention can adopt the entire hardware embodiment, the entire soft Specific embodiments, or combinations of specific embodiments of soft and hard aspects. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken as limiting.

Throughout the specification and the scope of the patent application, the following terms are used in the meaning of the explicit meaning unless the content clearly clarifies. The phrase "in one embodiment", as used herein, may refer to the same embodiment, but does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the phrase "in another embodiment" or "in other embodiments", as used herein, may refer to a different embodiment, but does not necessarily mean a different embodiment. Therefore, various embodiments of the invention may be combined as described below without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

In addition, as used herein, the verb "or" is an inclusive "or" and is equivalent to "and/or" unless the content is clearly stated. Unless the content is clearly stated, the narrative "based on" is non-exclusive and allows for other factors based on undescribed. In addition, in the specification, the meaning of "a" and "the" includes the meaning of the plural meaning. The meaning of "middle" includes "middle" and "above".

The feedback system of the present invention covers the user terminal device and the device at the merchant side of the store. Through a management interface of the system of the present invention, the merchant makes the establishment of the membership account and the issuance and verification of the consumption points for the consumers who come to the store, and achieves the purpose of giving the preferential feedback to the consumer or the potential consumer. The meaning of the consumption points described here varies from merchant to merchant. For example, the number of points can represent the amount of consumption of the consumer, the number of times of consumption, or the number of times the store is coming, and the like. Based on the point information change of the established account (such as account point addition or write-off redemption), the message about the point change is then generated and sent to the user device to respond to the point change of the account. The user device generates a display screen for the point change information via a user interface based on the received change message.

Feedback system architecture

Particular embodiments of the feedback system of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of environments. For example, the first figure is a block of the feedback system 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure, used to send preferential feedback. The feedback system 100 is illustrated herein for the purpose of describing various embodiments of the present invention in other environments. As shown in the first figure, the system 100 includes a client device 102, a merchant device 104, a network 106, and a server 108.

The client device 102 and the merchant device 104 can be in the form of any static or mobile computing device, including a desktop computer (eg, a personal computer, etc.), a mobile computer, or a computing device (eg, a personal digital assistant, a laptop, Notebooks, tablets (eg, Apple iPadTM), small laptops, etc.), smart phones (eg, Apple iPhone, Google AndroidTM phones), or other display capabilities and short-range messaging capabilities (such as Bluetooth communication) Or NFC communication) in the form of a computing device.

The user device 102 has a user interface, such as a browsing interface and an input interface, for the user to browse messages and input commands. As shown in the second figure, one of the presentations of the user interface 200 is illustrated. The user interface 200 presented in the second figure includes a point browsing interface 202 that includes a plurality of point fields 204. These points field 204 can indicate the cumulative number of account points depending on whether it is filled. In other embodiments of the invention, the point browsing interface may also be a simple digital display. The user interface is an application stored in the user device 102 and executable by the device. The user interface opens or displays the point browsing interface based on a notification from the server 108; or the user interface opens or displays the point browsing interface based on the short-range signal from the merchant device 104.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment 102 can include a radio frequency identification device (not shown), such as a proximity card having an RF circuit. The RFID device is configured to communicate with the merchant device. The radio frequency identification device can be used as an alternative to identifying the user end device 102. The system of the present invention can include more user end devices, independent of each other.

The merchant device 104 has a management interface that includes, for example, a browsing interface and an input interface. As illustrated in the third figure, the management interface 300 can include a member profile browsing interface 302 and a control interface 304. The control interface 304 can include multiple interfaces. Single, such as coupon delivery, coupon verification, point accumulation, member data editing, etc. These interface menus are each associated with a particular control interface. For example, by clicking on the menu of "active points" via the control interface 304, the management interface 300 is directed to the point accumulation operation interface. For example, the fourth figure illustrates a point control interface 400, which includes a browsing interface and an input interface for presenting member information and its account points and input buttons for adding or redeeming points. The merchant device 104 obtains membership information (such as member name, mobile phone number, e-mail address, consumption record or accumulated points, etc.) according to an access to the server 108 and accumulates the interface or points through the management interface 300. The browsing interface of the 400 is displayed. The merchant device 104 transmits a change notification to the server 108 according to the input of the input interface of the point control interface 400. The management interface and its associated interface are applications stored on the merchant device 108 and executable by the device. The merchant device 104 is located within a certain distance or range, and uses a short-range communication (such as Bluetooth or NFC) to play a pairing signal or a search signal, thereby identifying the existing user terminal within the certain distance or range. Device 102.

The client device 102 and the server 108 and the merchant device 104 and the server 108 are communicatively coupled to each other via the network 106. The network 106 can be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any combination of networks, such as the Internet. Both the client device 102 and the merchant device 104 can be connected to the network 106 through one of the plurality of communication links, and the server 108 is coupled to the network 106 via a communication link. The communication link includes a wireless link of an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN), a global interoperability microwave access (WiMAX) link, a base station network link, and a wireless personal area network (PAN) link ( For example, BluetoothTM links, Ethernet links, Universal Serial Bus (USB) links, and more.

The server 108 can be implemented in one or more computer systems, including one or more servers, which can be in the form of any computing device described herein or otherwise, and having the functions described herein. ability. The server 108 includes a content access system 109, an account management system 110, and a push engine 111. The content access system 109 is shipped according to the request of the client device 102 or the merchant device 104. Work.

The content access system 109 accesses a content repository 112. As shown in the first figure, the content repository 112 is coupled to the server 108 via a communication link. The content database 112 is composed of a plurality of pieces of content data, and includes multimedia content materials and text materials, which can constitute content information such as electronic coupons or redemption of offers. The content material is provided by the merchant's server, such as server 108. The server 108 extracts, adds, and/or modifies the content material in the content repository 112 via the content access module 109. The plurality of pieces of content material of the content database 112 can be associated with at least one merchant.

Account management system 110 accesses an account repository 113. As shown in the first figure, the account database 113 is connected to the server 108 via a communication link. The account database 113 is composed of a plurality of account materials. Each account profile is based on a member's identity information. For example, the account information may include the member's name, contact information, and identification of the member's user device. The account management system 110 establishes account information about the client device 102 based on a binding relationship established between the client device 102 and the merchant device 104. For the binding method between the user end and the merchant end, refer to Taiwan Patent Application No. 104113650, which discloses a system and method for pushing commercial service content to use in a binding relationship with a merchant device. End device. Alternatively, the creation of the account profile may also be based on input data via the management interface of the merchant device 104 (eg, entering the user's identification identity, phone number) and editing by the account management system 110. In other embodiments of the present invention, the establishment of the account profile is accomplished by the server 108 accessing the client device 102. For example, when a user interface, such as an application, is downloaded or installed on the client device 102, the server 108 issues an access request to the user device 102 according to the download action, requesting access. User identification data and/or identification code of the user device (such as UUID). The account management system 110 creates the account information based on the obtained identification data, and notes whether the account downloads the application specified by the merchant in the data.

In the system of the present invention, the client device receives a push message from the remote server, and the push message is generated based on a change message. The push message can be a newsletter. The remote server determines whether to push the short message to the user device according to whether the user device is installed with a specific application. The change message is generated based on a binding relationship between a user end and a merchant end, and the binding relationship is established according to the identification transmitted by the user end device and the merchant device.

The push engine 111 is configured to push a notification content via the network 106 to the client device 102 based on changes or updates to the account profile. The server 108 responds to a change or update message (for example, accumulation or redemption of points) from the merchant device 104, and correspondingly changes the related account information and organizes the changed account data into the notification content, and automatically pushes the user to the notification content. End device 102. The push engine 111 can also push account data to each device based on a query request from the client device 102 or the merchant device 104. The content of the push includes account information, offer content information, point accumulation information, and point redemption information. As shown in the second figure, the point browsing interface 202 of the user interface 200 displays the account accumulation points based on the push message from the server 108. As shown in the fourth figure, the point control interface 400 displays the accumulated points of the current account and the menus available for operation based on the push message from the server 108. The content of the push notification is not limited to being presented by a specific interface. For example, the push engine 111 includes a short message (SMS) push engine. The presentation of the newsletter can be set by the merchant server.

Furthermore, the feedback system of the present invention may further comprise a point management system (not shown). The point management system is configured to count the flow and distribution of points, such as to establish the type, quantity, validity, etc. of the points. The point management system can include a database for recording the number of points sent and the number of write-offs for the purpose of point management. For example, statistics can be made for specific merchants based on multiple records in the database, such as the number of events held in the store (such as punch cards), the number of points sent in the event, and the event has been redeemed. The number of points and the number of members who redeem points in the event, etc.

In addition, the feedback system of the present invention may include a sales channel server (figure Not shown), which is configured to communicate with the server 108 and share the content database 112 and account database 113 with the server 108. The path server is coupled to a plurality of merchant servers (such as server 108) via network 106 and hosts a shopping website. The merchant server 108 can be configured to transmit a few content messages to the access server and display them simultaneously through the shopping website and related products. The access server can be configured to transmit a cumulative point request to the merchant server 104 based on a purchase confirmation message from the client device 102. The configuration setting between the merchant server 104 and the path server can be implemented by the conventional means in the field, and the description is omitted.

The feedback method based on the above feedback system and the verification method will be described below.

Feedback (cumulative points / coupons)

As shown in the fifth figure, in step 502, the method starts by establishing a binding relationship between the user end and the merchant side. The merchant device 104 of the first figure completes a binding relationship with the client device 102 via short-range communication. The binding relationship may be like a binding between the merchant and the client device 102, a binding of the merchant to the user identity, or a binding between the merchant device 104 and the client device 102. In general, the short-range communication coverage of the merchant device 104 is equivalent to the range of a store. Therefore, as long as the consumer is like a mobile phone entering the store, the mobile phone can immediately perform the pairing step with the device on the merchant side. A related art can be realized by the method of Taiwan Patent Application No. 104113650. Once the binding relationship is established, the binding information is presented via the management interface in response to a query request from the merchant device 104.

The client device 102 and the merchant device 104 may not need to repeatedly establish a binding. The established binding relationship is stored in a certain database (such as the account database 113). Thereafter, the merchant device 104 can identify the user terminal device 102 via short-range communication and search for the relevant binding record according to the identification result.

In step 504, after determining that the user device 102 has a binding relationship with the merchant device 104, the server 108 commands the merchant device 104 to initiate a management interface based on the binding relationship, such as the interface 300 of the third figure. . Interface 300 includes The browsing interface 302 and the control interface 304 are displayed, wherein the browsing interface 302 displays the member account information related to the user device 102 according to the confirmed binding relationship, and the control interface 304 displays a control menu for the member account data. For example, control interface 304 includes a one-point cumulative operational menu. The control interface 304 switches to another control interface, such as the interface 400 of the fourth figure, for the selection of the operational menu for the cumulative number of points.

In step 506, interface 304 or interface 400 generates a change message for the account profile based on a change (or update) behavior. The control interface 304 as shown in the third figure includes a coupon delivery menu. The control interface 304 generates a change message including the coupon identification information for the specific account data in response to the selection of the coupon release menu, and instructs the member account to obtain a designated coupon. The interface 400 as in the fourth figure includes a point input field 402. Field 402 displays a cumulative number of points, such as 20 points, in response to an input or response to an external message (eg, regarding a member purchasing a merchant's product through a third party shopping website, or about a member punching a card in a merchant's store), and the cumulative point The number is embedded with a change message indicating that the member account has increased by 20 points.

The server 108 records the changed content to the corresponding account data according to the change message, for example, the account adds 20 points or the account obtains the coupon.

In step 508, the server 108 pushes a notification content or a short message notification to the user terminal according to whether the user-side device 102 associated with the member account is installed with the application specified by the merchant. The server 108 determines from the record in the account data whether the user terminal device 102 has installed an application specified by the merchant. The notification content and the SMS notification described here are transmitted via different protocols. The SMS notification is transmitted via a GSM system.

In step 510, the user initiates a user interface in response to the change notification to display the changed content. The notification content is presented via a particular user interface of the client device 102. For example, a notification window with textual content can be displayed, such as window 602 of the sixth drawing. The notification window can switch to a particular user interface in response to a read, such as the second interface 200. The user interface 200 and the notification window can be presented simultaneously, such as the application interface 200 specified by the merchant can be opened by the user. The notification window responds to the opening of the application and is displayed with the interface 200. If the application specified by the merchant is not installed on the user side, the server 108 pushes the notification to the user side by using the short message notification. The user interface 200 displays the latest cumulative number of points based on the notification content. Even if the user does not store the notification from the server 108, the user can download the changed account data from the server 108 again through the application specified by the merchant. The interface 200, as shown in the second figure, can be configured to be a printed pattern like a physical point card with a plurality of points field 204. The accumulation of points is discriminated based on whether the field 204 is filled. In the case of a newsletter notification, the word information is accumulated or the coupon is obtained.

The steps performed by the feedback system of the present invention may not necessarily be performed in the order described above. In some embodiments, the steps 504 and 510 can be performed simultaneously, that is, after confirming the binding relationship between the user end and the merchant end, the interface between the user end and the merchant starting device can be simultaneously based on the binding relationship.

Write-off (exchange points / coupons)

The server of the merchant side corresponds the accumulated points of each account to the items that can be redeemed according to the account information list and the content data list. The content data list is composed of a plurality of preferential materials, each of which includes points redemption goods or coupons, which may have information such as project name, serial number, text content, multimedia content, validity, and the like. Each offer contains a threshold, which is related to the number of at least one type of credit. If the accumulated points of an account satisfy the threshold of a preferential information, the preferential information is provided to the user device or the merchant device that browses the account information. In addition, if the accumulated points of the account do not satisfy the threshold of a preferential information, the information may be selectively provided to the device of the user or the merchant. As shown in the fourth figure, the interface 400 of the merchant device has a redemption menu, and includes a plurality of button interfaces 404. Each button interface 404 is composed of content of a preferential material, and includes related text information and/or pictures. The selectability of a button interface 404 depends on whether the accumulated points of the account satisfy the threshold of the offer data associated with the interface 404. The merchant device selects an action in response to one of the button interfaces 404 that can be selected, and generates a change. Signal. According to the change signal, the account data is recorded as the number of points deducted and the write-off of the item or the note coupon converted by the note deduction point. Similarly, the server pushes a notification about the change of the point/coupon to the user according to the change message, and presents the notification content via the specified interface, such as a window 702 of the user interface of the seventh figure.

In other embodiments of the invention, the redemption of points or the acquisition of coupons is not necessarily initiated by the merchant device.

100‧‧‧Feedback system

102‧‧‧User terminal device

104‧‧‧Business equipment

106‧‧‧Network

108‧‧‧Server

109‧‧‧Content Access System

110‧‧‧Account Management System

111‧‧‧Pushing engine

112‧‧‧Content database

113‧‧‧ Account Database

Claims (7)

A feedback system comprising: a user device configured to be communicatively coupled to a network, the user device communicates with a remote server via the network; and a merchant device configured to Communicating with the network and communicating with the remote server via the network, the merchant device is further configured to communicate with the user device via short-range communication, wherein the merchant device is The remote server accesses the content data and the account data, wherein the merchant device is configured to generate a change message according to an input action, and the change message is related to the preferential feedback of an account and recorded and stored at the remote end, wherein The user equipment receives a push message from the remote server, and the push message is generated based on the change message. For example, in the feedback system of claim 1, wherein the user terminal device receives a push message from a remote server, and the push message is a short message. For example, in the feedback system of claim 2, the remote server determines whether to push the short message to the user device according to whether the user device is installed with a specific application. For example, in the feedback system of claim 1, the generating the change message is based on a binding relationship between a user end and a merchant end, and the binding relationship is based on the user device and the merchant end. The identification of the device transmission is established. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the user equipment comprises a radio frequency identification device, and the radio frequency identification device is configured to communicate with the merchant device. The feedback system of claim 1 of the patent scope also includes a point management system configured to count the flow and distribution of points. The feedback system of claim 1 further includes a sales channel server configured to communicate with the remote server and share the content data and account data with the remote server. .