WO2017204439A1

WO2017204439A1 - Mediation method of communication module leasing and server for the same

Info

Publication number: WO2017204439A1
Application number: PCT/KR2017/001699
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seung Moo Cho
Original assignee: Bj Networks Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2016-05-24
Filing date: 2017-02-16
Publication date: 2017-11-30
Also published as: KR101731954B1

Abstract

Provided is a mediation method for communication module leasing processed via a mediation company server. The method includes receiving, from a user terminal, a reservation request including module information about a requested communication module and first receipt information about receipt of the requested communication module, determining an affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information, generating affiliated store information including information about the affiliated store for receipt, and transmitting the affiliated store information to the user terminal.

Description

MEDIATION METHOD OF COMMUNICATION MODULE LEASING AND SERVER FOR THE SAME

The present invention disclosed herein relates to a mediation method for leasing a communication module and a server for the same, and more particularly, to a mediation method for leasing a communication module for providing a communication module leasing service and a server for the same

In general, different countries have different companies which install mobile communication networks and provide communication services. Therefore, when traveling to another country, a traveler should use, for example, a roaming service or an additional communication module to use a communication service in the other country.

In order to use a communication module in a country in which a traveler travels, the traveler should visit a booth of a communication company located in the country and should receive a new communication module after making a contract for leasing the communication module with the communication company, and after using the communication module, the traveler should return the communication module to the booth. In this process, the traveler may experience inconvenience.

Meanwhile, a U-SIM chip or a Pocket Wi-Fi module may be used as a communication module. A traveler may install, in his/her own terminal, a U-SIM chip compatible with a mobile communication network of another country so as to communicate in the other country by using the mobile communication network of the other county. Furthermore, the traveler may communicate by using the mobile communication network of the other county via a short-range communication network such as Wi-Fi of Pocket Wi-Fi connected to the mobile communication network of the other county.

The present invention provides a mediation method for leasing a communication module and a server for the same, and more particularly, provides a mediation method for leasing a communication module for providing a communication module leasing service and a server for the same.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a mediation method for communication module leasing processed via a mediation company server, the mediation method including: receiving, from a user terminal, a reservation request including module information about a requested communication module and first receipt information about receipt of the requested communication module; determining an affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information; generating affiliated store information including information about the affiliated store for receipt; and transmitting the affiliated store information to the user terminal, wherein the determining the affiliated store for receipt includes: selecting a candidate affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information from among a plurality of affiliated stores stored in a storage unit of the mediation company server; requesting stock information from an affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt to search for a stock of the requested communication module; receiving the stock information from the affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt; and determining the candidate affiliated store for receipt as the affiliated store for receipt on a basis of the stock information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include transmitting, to the user terminal, a communication module exchange code corresponding to the affiliated store information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include: storing reservation information distinguished by the communication module exchange code; and receiving information about the communication module exchange code from the user terminal or the affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt and transmitting the reservation information corresponding to the communication module exchange code to the user terminal or the affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt, wherein the reservation information may include at least one of booker information about a user, the module information, or the first receipt information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include: receiving exchange code receipt information about the communication module exchange code from the affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt; and storing provision information including information indicating that the requested communication module has been provided according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the exchange code receipt information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include: receiving communication module receipt information about the requested communication module from the user terminal; and storing second receipt information including information indicating that a user has received the requested communication module from the affiliated store for receipt according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the communication module receipt information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include sending a communication request to a received communication module on the basis of the second receipt information, wherein the received communication module may be the requested communication module received by the user from the affiliated store for receipt.

In an embodiment, the method may further include receiving a communication confirmation response outputted by the user terminal via the received communication module in response to the communication request.

In an embodiment, the module information may include target mobile communication network information about a preset target mobile communication network to which the received communication module is to be connected, the communication request may include current mobile communication network information about a mobile communication network currently connected to the received communication module, and the mediation method may further include comparing the target mobile communication network information with the current mobile communication network information.

In an embodiment, the user terminal may connect to the mediation company server via a communication network of a first country, and the affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt may connect to the mediation company server via a communication network of a second country different from the first country.

In an embodiment, the first receipt information may include a country being traveled, a city being traveled, an arrival airport, and an airport arrival time, wherein the selecting the candidate affiliated store for receipt may include selecting the candidate affiliated store for receipt on the basis of at least one of the country being traveled, the city being traveled, the arrival airport, or the airport arrival time.

In an embodiment, the affiliated store information may include a location of the affiliated store for receipt and a receipt time of the requested communication module.

In an embodiment, the method may further include: receiving, from the user terminal, return information about return of the requested communication module; and determining an affiliated store for return matched to the return information, wherein the determining the affiliated store for return may include: selecting a candidate affiliated store for return matched to the return information from among the plurality of affiliated stores stored in the storage unit of the mediation company server; and determining the candidate affiliated store for return as the affiliated store for return.

In an embodiment, the return information may include a country being traveled, a city being traveled, a departure airport, and an airport departure time, wherein the selecting the candidate affiliated store for return may include selecting the candidate affiliated store for return on the basis of at least one of the country being traveled, the city being traveled, the departure airport, and the airport departure time.

In an embodiment, the method may further include: receiving payment completion information from a payment company server; and determining whether an amount of paid money indicated in the payment completion information is equal to a pre-stored amount of money to be paid.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a server for a mediation method for communication module leasing includes: a reception unit configured to receive, from a user terminal, module information about a requested communication module and first receipt information about receipt of the requested communication module; an operation unit configured to determine an affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information and generate affiliated store information including information about the affiliated store for receipt; a transmission unit configured to transmit the affiliated store information to the user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal; and a storage unit configured to store information about a plurality of affiliated stores, wherein the operation unit selects a candidate affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information from among the plurality of affiliated stores, requests stock information from an affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt to search for a stock of the requested communication module, receives the stock information from the affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt, and determines the candidate affiliated store for receipt as the affiliated store for receipt on a basis of the stock information.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a mediation method for communication module leasing processed via a mediation company server includes: receiving, from a user terminal, a reservation request including module information about a requested communication module and first receipt information about receipt of the requested communication module; selecting an affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information from among a plurality of affiliated stores stored in a storage unit of the mediation company server; generating affiliated store information about the affiliated store for receipt; transmitting the affiliated store information to the user terminal; and transmitting, to the user terminal, a communication module exchange code corresponding to the affiliated store information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include: receiving exchange code receipt information about the communication module exchange code from an affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt; and storing provision information including information indicating that the requested communication module has been provided according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the exchange code receipt information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include: receiving communication module receipt information about the requested communication module from the user terminal; and storing second receipt information including information indicating that the requested communication module has been received according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the communication module receipt information.

In an embodiment, the method may further include sending a communication request to a received communication module on the basis of the second receipt information, wherein the received communication module may be the requested communication module received by a user from the affiliated store for receipt.

According to the present invention, since a communication module leasing business operator may make a communication module leasing contract online via a communication module leasing mediation business operator, the communication module leasing business operator may efficiently attract customers.

Furthermore, since the communication module leasing mediation business operator may make a communication module leasing contract with a user by using a communication module of the communication module leasing business operator without the need to hold communication modules, the communication module leasing mediation business operator may carry on business without cost of distributing, storing, or managing communication modules.

In particular, when a user travels to another country, the user may make a communication module leasing contract with ease, and may conveniently receive/return a communication module during an entry/exit procedure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication module leasing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a communication module leasing mediation method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a reservation webpage for reserving a communication module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating affiliated store information according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a communication module leasing mediation method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a mediation company server according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication module leasing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication module leasing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a communication module leasing mediation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention may be variously modified and may have various forms. However, particular embodiments are exemplarily illustrated in the drawings and are described in detail below. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to specific forms, but rather cover all modifications, equivalents or alternatives that fall within the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of structures are exaggerated for clarity of illustration. Since an element similar to a specific element is assigned a name similar to the name of the specific element, descriptions of the specific element may also be applied to the element similar to the specific element.

It will be understood that, although the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element could be termed a second element and vice versa without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. The terms of a singular form may include plural forms unless otherwise specified.

It will be further understood that the terms "includes", "including", "has", "having", and the like, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication module leasing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the communication module leasing system may include a mediation company server 100, an affiliated store server 200, and a user terminal 300.

The mediation company server 100 may represent a server (or a mainframe) operated by a communication module leasing mediation business operator. The communication module leasing mediation business operator may mediate, via the mediation company server 100, a communication module leasing contract between a user and a communication module leasing business operator. The mediation company server 100, for example, may be connected to a communication network 5, and may communicate with the affiliated store server 200 and the user terminal 300 via the communication network 5.

A communication module, for example, may represent a module required for a terminal to access a mobile communication network in a country being traveled (or another country), such as a U-SIM chip or a Pocket Wi-Fi module. A traveler may install, in his/her own terminal, a U-SIM chip compatible with a mobile communication network of another country so as to communicate in the other country by using the mobile communication network of the other county. Furthermore, the traveler may communicate by using the mobile communication network of the other county via a short-range communication network such as Wi-Fi of Pocket Wi-Fi connected to the mobile communication network of the other county. Furthermore, the communication module may represent a terminal capable of accessing a mobile communication network of a country being traveled.

The term "communication network" used herein may represent not only a wireless communication network such as a mobile communication network but also a wired communication network.

The mediation company server 100 may be a computer or a program which provides a service to a client via the communication network 5. The mediation company server 100, for example, may be implemented as a large-scale computer on which an operating system such as Linux is installed. The mediation company server 100 may include not only a single server but also a plurality of servers. In the case where the mediation company server 100 includes a plurality of servers, the servers may include a file server for managing files, a printer server for controlling a printer, and a communication server for communicating with the outside such as the Internet.

The affiliated store server 200 may represent a server (or a mainframe) operated by a communication module leasing business operator. The communication module leasing business operator may provide a communication service in a country being traveled, and may make an affiliation contract with the communication module leasing mediation business operator. The communication module leasing business operator may make a communication module leasing contract with a user through mediation of the communication module leasing mediation business operator. The affiliated store server 200, for example, may be connected to the communication network 5, and may communicate with the mediation company server 100 and the user terminal 300 via the communication network 5.

The affiliated store server 200 may be a computer or a program which provides a service to a client via the communication network 5, in a similar manner to that of the mediation company server 100. The affiliated store server 200, for example, may be implemented as a large-scale computer on which an operating system such as Linux is installed. The affiliated store server 200 may include not only a single server but also a plurality of servers. In the case where the affiliated store server 200 includes a plurality of servers, the servers may include a file server for managing files, a printer server for controlling a printer, and a communication server for communicating with the outside such as the Internet.

The term "affiliated store" used herein may represent a communication module leasing business operator which has made a mediation contract with a communication module leasing mediation business operator.

The user terminal 300 may represent a terminal such as a desktop computer or a mobile device used by the user. The user may access the mediation company server 100 via the user terminal 300 so as to search for a communication module leasing business operator and a communication module to be used in a country being traveled. The user terminal 300, for example, may be connected to the communication network 5, and may communicate with the mediation company server 100 and the affiliated store server 200 via the communication network 5.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a communication module leasing mediation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the user terminal 300 may transmit a communication module reservation request to the mediation company server 100 (S1).

In an example of the present invention, the communication module reservation request may include reservation information including at least one of module information, first receipt information, return information, booker information, and affiliated store information. The reservation information may be input by the user via the user terminal 300.

The module information may include information on a communication module that the user requests to use the communication module in a country being traveled (hereinafter, may be referred to as a requested communication module). For example, the module information may include a model name, a usage fee, a specification, an image of an outer shape, a communication method, a mobile communication network to be connected, and the like of the requested communication module to be used by the user.

The first receipt information may include information on a time and a place for receiving the requested communication module when the user receives the requested communication module in a country being traveled. For example, the first receipt information may include a country being traveled, a city being traveled, an arrival airport, an airport arrival time, and the like.

The return information may include information on a time and a place for returning the received requested communication module (or may be referred to as a received communication module) when the user returns the received communication module after receiving and using the requested communication module in a country being traveled. For example, the return information may include a country being traveled, a city being traveled, a departure airport, and an airport departure time.

The booker information may be information on the user. For example, the booker information may include a passport number, a name, an age, a nationality, contact information, an email address, a photograph, and the like of the user.

The mediation company server 100 may receive the reservation information from the user terminal 300, and may select an affiliated store for receipt on the basis of the reservation information (S2).

The mediation company server 100 may search for a plurality of pre-stored affiliated stores, and may select, as an affiliated store for receipt, an affiliated store matched to at least one of the module information, the first receipt information, the return information, and the booker information of the reservation information. For example, the mediation company server 100 may search for an affiliated store capable of providing the requested communication module at the airport arrival time and in the arrival airport indicated in the first receipt information, and may determine this affiliated store as the affiliated store for receipt.

Furthermore, the mediation company server 100 may search for the plurality of pre-stored affiliated stores, and may select, as an affiliated store for return, an affiliated store matched to at least one of the module information, the first receipt information, the return information, and the booker information of the reservation information. For example, the mediation company server 100 may search for an affiliated store in which the user is allowed to return the communication module at the airport departure time and in the departure airport indicated in the return information, and may determine this affiliated store as the affiliated store for return.

The mediation company server 100 may generate affiliated store information (S3). The affiliated store information may include affiliated store information about the affiliated store for receipt and affiliated store information about the affiliated store for return. The affiliated store information about the affiliated store for receipt may include pieces of information for guiding the user to receive the requested communication module from the affiliated store for receipt. The affiliated store information about the affiliated store for receipt may be, for example, text-type or image-type information and may include pieces of information about a location of the affiliated store for receipt, an operating time of the affiliated store for receipt, an available time for receiving the requested communication module from the affiliated store for receipt, requirements for receiving the requested communication module, and types and prices of communication modules available from the affiliated store for receipt.

The mediation company server 100 may transmit the affiliated store information to the user terminal (S4). The user may check the affiliated store information via the user terminal 300, and may check a method of receiving the requested communication module requested by the user.

The mediation company server 100 may transmit a communication module exchange code to the user terminal 300 after transmitting the affiliated store information (S5). The communication module exchange code which is, for example, a preset code between the communication module leasing mediation business operator and the communication module leasing business operator may be stored in advance in the mediation company server 100 and the affiliated store server 200.

The communication module exchange code may be, for example, a barcode, a QR code, or a code composed of a combination of numbers.

As an example of the present invention, the mediation company server 100 may distinguish/classify/recognize the reservation information by using the communication module exchange code. In other words, a plurality of pieces of the reservation information may respectively correspond to different communication exchange codes, and may be distinguished/recognized from each other by virtue of each communication module exchange code.

Therefore, the mediation company server 100 may transmit the communication module exchange code corresponding to the affiliated store information to the user terminal 300 after transmitting the affiliated store information of the reservation information.

In each operation, when the mediation company server 100 receives the communication module exchange code and a request for the reservation information from the user terminal 300 or the affiliated store server 200, the mediation company server 100 may transmit the reservation information corresponding to the communication module exchange code to the user terminal 300 or the affiliated store server 200.

The user may visit the affiliated store for receipt with reference to the affiliated store information and may present the communication module exchange code to the affiliated store for receipt, and then the affiliated store for receipt may check the communication module exchange code and may provide the requested communication module to the user.

When the affiliated store for receipt receives the communication module exchange code, the affiliated store server 200 may transmit exchange code receipt information to the mediation company server 100 (S6). The exchange code receipt information may include, for example, information indicating that the affiliated store for receipt has received the communication module exchange code and information indicating that the requested communication module has been provided according to the communication module exchange code.

The mediation company server 100 may receive the exchange code receipt information, and may store provision information on the basis of the exchange code receipt information (S7). The provision information may include, for example, information indicating that the affiliated store for receipt has provided the requested communication module to the user according to the communication module exchange code.

Meanwhile, when the user receives the requested communication module, the user terminal 300 may transmit communication module receipt information to the mediation company server 100 (S8). The communication module receipt information may include, for example, information indicating that the user has provided the communication module exchange code and information indicating that the user has received the requested communication module according to the communication module exchange code.

The mediation company server 100 may receive the communication module receipt information, and may store second receipt information on the basis of the communication module receipt information (S9). The second receipt information may include, for example, information indicating that the user has received the requested communication module according to the communication module exchange code.

Since the communication module leasing business operator may make a communication module leasing contract using online via the communication module leasing mediation business operator by using the system described above, the communication module leasing business operator may efficiently attract customers and may increase business efficiency.

Furthermore, since the communication module leasing mediation business operator may make a contract with the user by using a communication module of the communication module leasing business operator without the need to possess/hold communication modules, the communication module leasing mediation business operator may make profits without cost of distributing, storing, or managing communication modules.

In particular, when the user travels to another country, the user may make a communication module leasing contract with ease via the communication module leasing mediation business operator, and may conveniently receive a communication module during an entry/exit procedure by simply presenting the communication module exchange code.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a reservation webpage for reserving a communication module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, in an example of the present invention, the mediation company server 100 may provide, to the user terminal 300, a reservation webpage for inputting the reservation information, and may receive the reservation information input to the reservation webpage by the user.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the reservation webpage provides, for example, a field for inputting an arrival airport and a date of entry as the first receipt information, a field for inputting a departure airport and a date of departure as the return information, and a field for inputting the passport number, the name, the age, the nationality, the contact information, the email address, and the like of the user as the booker information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating affiliated store information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the affiliated store information may provide the location of the affiliated store for receipt in a text and image form, and may provide the operating time of the affiliated store for receipt in a text form. In general, the affiliated store for receipt may be located in an airport. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the affiliated store information may provide a schematic map of the Incheon International Airport, and may indicate that the affiliated stores for receipt are located between Exit 10 and Exit 11 and between Exit 7 and Exit 8.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a communication module leasing mediation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Since the communication module leasing mediation method of FIG. 5 is similar to the communication module leasing mediation method of FIG. 2, differences related to additional operations A1 to A9 are described below, and descriptions of the above-mentioned operations S1 to S9 are not provided below.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, in an example of the present invention, the selecting an affiliated store for receipt (S2) may include searching for a candidate affiliated store (S21), requesting stock information (S22), searching for a stock (S23), and transmitting the stock information (S24).

In an example of the present invention, the mediation company server 100 may store a plurality of affiliated stores and pieces of information about the affiliated stores in advance. Service countries of the affiliated stores, locations of the affiliated stores, and the number and models of communication modules possessed by the affiliated stores may be different from each other.

The mediation company server 100 may select a candidate affiliated store for receipt matched to the reservation information from among the affiliated stores. As an example of the present invention, the mediation company server 100 may select a candidate affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information of the reservation information. For example, the mediation company server 100 may search for an affiliated store capable of providing a communication module at the airport arrival time and in the arrival airport indicated in the first receipt information, and may determine this affiliated store as the candidate affiliated store for receipt. Furthermore, for example, the mediation company server 100 may search for an affiliated store capable of providing a communication module matching the model name, the usage fee, the specification, the image of the outer shape, the communication method, the mobile communication network to be connected, and the like of the requested communication module included in the module information, and may determine this affiliated store as the candidate affiliated store for receipt.

The mediation company server 100 may request the stock information from the affiliated store server 200 of the candidate affiliated store for receipt in order to search for a stock of the requested communication module (S22). The stock information may include the module information and the first receipt information.

The affiliated store server 200 of the candidate affiliated store for receipt may search a database of the affiliated store server 200 on the basis of the stock information to determine whether the requested communication module is in stock (S23), and may generate the stock information according to a result of the search and may transmit the stock information to the mediation company server 100 (S24).

The stock information may include information indicating whether there is a stock of the requested communication module in the candidate affiliated store for receipt at the time and in the place indicated in the first receipt information.

The mediation company server 100 may receive the stock information, and may determine the candidate affiliated store for receipt as the affiliated store for receipt on the basis of the stock information. For example, the mediation company server 100 may determine the candidate affiliated store for receipt as the affiliated store for receipt when the mediation company server 100 determines, on the basis of the stock information, that the candidate affiliated store for receipt is able to provide the requested communication module requested by the user at the time and in the place indicated in the first receipt information, or the mediation company server 100 may not determine the candidate affiliated store for receipt as the affiliated store for receipt, and may search for another candidate affiliated store for receipt to request the stock information from the other candidate affiliated store for receipt when the mediation company server 100 determines, on the basis of the stock information, that the candidate affiliated store for receipt is not able to provide the requested communication module requested by the user at the time and in the place indicated in the first receipt information.

In an example of the present invention, during the searching for a candidate affiliated store for receipt (S21), a plurality of candidate affiliated stores for receipt may be found. In this case, the mediation company server 100 may request the stock information from each of the candidate affiliated stores for receipt (S22), and may receive pieces of the stock information from the candidate affiliated stores for receipt. Accordingly, the candidate affiliated stores for receipt may be determined as a plurality of affiliated stores for receipt.

As described above, the mediation company server 100 may generate the affiliated store information (S3), and may transmit the affiliated store information to the user terminal 300. The affiliated store information may include the affiliated store information about the affiliated stores for receipt.

In an example of the present invention, the user may check the information on the affiliated stores for receipt from the user terminal 300, and may select a desired affiliated store for receipt from among the affiliated stores for receipt and may input the selected affiliated store for receipt to the user terminal 300. In an example of the present invention, the user terminal 300 may transmit, to the mediation company server 100, selection information including information on the affiliated store for receipt selected by the user from among the affiliated stores for receipt (A1).

In an example of the present invention, the user terminal 300 may transmit first payment information to the mediation company server 100 to make a payment (A2). The first payment information may include, for example, information on a payment settled via the user terminal 300 or may include a request for requesting that the mediation company server 100 should process a payment.

The mediation company server 100 may transmit determined communication module information to the affiliated store server 200 of the affiliated store for receipt selected by the user (A3). Upon receiving the determined communication module information, the affiliated store server 200 may store information indicating that a communication module has been selected by the user and a contract for leasing the requested communication module has been made according to the reservation information. The affiliated store server 200 may transmit, to the mediation company server 100, determined communication module confirmation information in response to the determined communication module information (A4).

In an example of the present invention, the transmitting a communication module exchange code (S5) may be performed after the mediation company server 100 receives the determined communication module confirmation information.

In an example of the present invention, when the storing second receipt information (S9) is completed, the mediation company server 100 may confirm that the user has received the requested communication module according to the reservation information, and may transmit second payment information to the affiliated store server 200 (A5). The second payment information may include, for example, information on a payment settled via the mediation company server 100 or may include a request for requesting that the affiliated store server 200 should process a payment.

In an example of the present invention, when the second receipt information is stored, the mediation company server 100 may send a communication request to the received communication module on the basis of the second receipt information to determine whether the user terminal 300 is connected to a mobile communication network of a country being traveled or smoothly communicates via the mobile communication network (A6). As described above, the received communication module represents a communication module received by the user from the affiliated store for receipt.

When the user terminal 300 is connected to a mobile communication network of a country being traveled via the received communication module, the user terminal 300 may receive the communication request, and may output a communication confirmation response via the received communication module in response to the communication request (A7).

The communication confirmation response may include current mobile communication network information about a mobile communication network currently connected to the received communication module. Furthermore, the mediation company server 100 may store in advance target mobile communication network information about a preset target mobile communication network to which the received communication module is to be connected.

In an example of the present invention, the mediation company server 100 may compare the target mobile communication network information with the current mobile communication network information, and may determine whether a mobile communication network connected to the received communication module matches the preset target mobile communication network (A8). When the two communication networks match each other, the mediation company server 100 may determine that the received communication module is connected as intended, or when the two communication networks do not match each other, the mediation company server 100 may determine that the received communication module is connected to a mobile communication network different from a preset mobile communication network and may output an error message.

The target mobile communication network information may be included in, for example, the module information, and the mediation company server 100 may receive and store the target mobile communication network information. The target mobile communication network may be selected by the user according to communication speeds, communicative areas, usage fees, and the like of different mobile communication networks of a country being traveled, during the requesting reservation of a communication module (S1) or the transmitting selection information (A1).

When the user return the received communication module to the affiliated store for return after using the received communication module according to the communication module leasing contract, the affiliated store server 200 may transmit a communication module return confirmation to the mediation company server 100 (A9). The mediation company server 100 may receive the communication module return confirmation, and may store, on the basis of the communication module return confirmation, information indicating that the received communication module has been returned.

Furthermore, since the communication module leasing mediation business operator may make a contract with a user by using a communication module of the communication module leasing business operator without the need to hold communication modules, the communication module leasing mediation business operator may make profits without cost of distributing, storing, or managing communication modules.

In particular, when the user travels to another country, the user may make a communication module leasing contract with ease, and may conveniently receive a communication module during an entry/exit procedure by simply presenting the communication module exchange code.

Furthermore, since the stock information of the affiliated store for receipt is used, and pieces of the stock information of a plurality of affiliated stores are provided to the user, user convenience may be improved.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a mediation company server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the mediation company server 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a reception unit 110, an operation unit 120, a storage unit 130, and a transmission unit 140.

In an example of the present invention, the reception unit 110 may receive data including various pieces of information from the user terminal 300 and the affiliated store server 200 via a communication network. In more detail, the reception information 110 may receive the reservation information, the stock information, the selection information, the first payment information, the determined communication module confirmation information, the communication module receipt information, the communication confirmation response, the communication module return confirmation, etc.

The operation unit 120 may perform various operations on the basis of received information and data, and may control the reception unit 110, the storage unit 130, and the transmission unit 140. In more detail, the calculation unit 120 may perform the determining an affiliated store for receipt (S2), the requesting stock information (S22), the generating affiliated store information (S3), the storing provision information (S7), the storing second receipt information (S9), and the assessing mobile communication network information (A8).

The storage unit 130 may store/update the reservation information and the affiliated store information, and may provide pieces of information in response to a request from the operation unit 120.

The transmission unit 140 may transmit data including various pieces of information to the user terminal 300 and the affiliated store server 200 via a communication network. In more detail, the transmission unit 140 may transmit the request for stock information, the affiliated store information, the determined communication module information, the communication module receipt information, the second payment information, the communication request, etc.

The reception unit 110, the operation unit 120, the storage unit 130, and the transmission unit 140 may actively operate, or may passively operate in response to a request from the user terminal 300 or the affiliated store server 200 only when the user terminal 300 or the affiliated store server 200 makes the request.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication module leasing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, the communication module leasing system may include a plurality of affiliated store servers. As an example of the inventive concept, the affiliated store servers may include first and second

affiliated store servers

201 and 202.

At least one of the first and second

affiliated store servers

201 and 202, the mediation company server 100, or the user terminal 300 may be located in a different country from that of another server or terminal, and may use a communication network of the different country.

For example, the user terminal 300 may be located in a first country and may use a communication network N1 of the first country, the first affiliated store server 201 may be located in a second country and may use a communication network N2 of the second country, the second affiliated store server 202 may be located in a third country and may use a communication network N3 of the third country, and the mediation company server 100 may be located in a fourth country.

The user terminal 300 may access the mediation company server 100 using the communication network N1 of the first country, and the first and second

affiliated store servers

201 and 202 may access the mediation company server 100 using the communication networks N2 and N3 of the second and third countries respectively.

The mediation company server 100 may transmit/receive data to/from the user terminal 300 and the first and second

affiliated store servers

201 and 202 using the communication networks N1 to N3 of the first to third countries.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication module leasing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a communication module leasing mediation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Since the communication module leasing mediation method of FIG. 9 is similar to the communication module leasing mediation method of FIG. 2, differences related to additional operations F1 to F3 are described below, and descriptions of the above-mentioned operations S1 to S9 are not provided below.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, in an example of the present invention, the communication module leasing mediation system may further include a payment company server 400. The payment company server 400 may represent a server operated by a company which provides an online payment service. The payment company server 400, for example, may be connected to the communication network 5, and may communicate with the mediation company server 100, the affiliated store server 200, and the user terminal 300 via the communication network 5.

The user may proceed to make a payment after checking the affiliated store information. The user terminal 300 may send a payment request to the payment company server 400 (F1). The payment company server 400 may process a payment in response to the payment request and may transmit a process result to the user terminal 300 (F2), and may transmit payment completion information to the mediation company server 100 (F3).

The mediation company server 100 may receive the payment completion information, may determine, on the basis of the payment completion information, whether an amount of paid money indicated in the payment completion information is equal to a pre-stored amount of money to be paid, and may determine whether a payment is completed.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is understood that the present invention should not be limited to these exemplary embodiments but various changes and modifications can be made by one ordinary skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

A mediation method for communication module leasing processed via a mediation company server, the mediation method comprising:

receiving, from a user terminal, a reservation request comprising module information about a requested communication module and first receipt information about receipt of the requested communication module;

determining an affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information;

generating affiliated store information comprising information about the affiliated store for receipt; and

transmitting the affiliated store information to the user terminal,

wherein the determining the affiliated store for receipt comprises:

selecting a candidate affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information from among a plurality of affiliated stores stored in a storage unit of the mediation company server;

requesting stock information from an affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt to search for a stock of the requested communication module;

receiving the stock information from the affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt; and

determining the candidate affiliated store for receipt as the affiliated store for receipt on a basis of the stock information.
The mediation method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the user terminal, a communication module exchange code corresponding to the affiliated store information.
The mediation method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing reservation information distinguished by the communication module exchange code; and

receiving information about the communication module exchange code from the user terminal or the affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt and transmitting the reservation information corresponding to the communication module exchange code to the user terminal or the affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt,

wherein the reservation information comprises at least one of booker information about a user, the module information, or the first receipt information.
The mediation method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving exchange code receipt information about the communication module exchange code from the affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt; and

storing provision information comprising information indicating that the requested communication module has been provided according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the exchange code receipt information.
The mediation method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving communication module receipt information about the requested communication module from the user terminal; and

storing second receipt information comprising information indicating that a user has received the requested communication module from the affiliated store for receipt according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the communication module receipt information.
The mediation method of claim 5, further comprising:

sending a communication request to a received communication module on the basis of the second receipt information,

wherein the received communication module is the requested communication module received by the user from the affiliated store for receipt.
The mediation method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a communication confirmation response outputted by the user terminal via the received communication module in response to the communication request.
The mediation method of claim 7,

wherein the module information comprises target mobile communication network information about a preset target mobile communication network to which the received communication module is to be connected,

wherein the communication request comprises current mobile communication network information about a mobile communication network currently connected to the received communication module,

wherein the mediation method further comprises comparing the target mobile communication network information with the current mobile communication network information.
The mediation method of claim 1, wherein the user terminal connects to the mediation company server via a communication network of a first country, and the affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt connects to the mediation company server via a communication network of a second country different from the first country.
The mediation method of claim 1,

wherein the first receipt information comprises a country being traveled, a city being traveled, an arrival airport, and an airport arrival time,

wherein the selecting the candidate affiliated store for receipt comprises selecting the candidate affiliated store for receipt on the basis of at least one of the country being traveled, the city being traveled, the arrival airport, or the airport arrival time.
The mediation method of claim 1, wherein the affiliated store information comprises a location of the affiliated store for receipt and a receipt time of the requested communication module.
The mediation method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the user terminal, return information about return of the requested communication module; and

determining an affiliated store for return matched to the return information,

wherein the determining the affiliated store for return comprises:

selecting a candidate affiliated store for return matched to the return information from among the plurality of affiliated stores stored in the storage unit of the mediation company server; and

determining the candidate affiliated store for return as the affiliated store for return.
The mediation method of claim 12,

wherein the return information comprises a country being traveled, a city being traveled, a departure airport, and an airport departure time,

wherein the selecting the candidate affiliated store for return comprises selecting the candidate affiliated store for return on the basis of at least one of the country being traveled, the city being traveled, the departure airport, and the airport departure time.
The mediation method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment completion information from a payment company server; and

determining whether an amount of paid money indicated in the payment completion information is equal to a pre-stored amount of money to be paid.
A server for a mediation method for communication module leasing, the server comprising:

a reception unit configured to receive, from a user terminal, module information about a requested communication module and first receipt information about receipt of the requested communication module;

an operation unit configured to determine an affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information and generate affiliated store information comprising information about the affiliated store for receipt;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the affiliated store information to the user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal; and

a storage unit configured to store information about a plurality of affiliated stores,

wherein the operation unit selects a candidate affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information from among the plurality of affiliated stores, requests stock information from an affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt to search for a stock of the requested communication module, receives the stock information from the affiliated store server of the candidate affiliated store for receipt, and determines the candidate affiliated store for receipt as the affiliated store for receipt on a basis of the stock information.
A mediation method for communication module leasing processed via a mediation company server, the mediation method comprising:

receiving, from a user terminal, a reservation request comprising module information about a requested communication module and first receipt information about receipt of the requested communication module;

selecting an affiliated store for receipt matched to the module information and the first receipt information from among a plurality of affiliated stores stored in a storage unit of the mediation company server;

generating affiliated store information about the affiliated store for receipt;

transmitting the affiliated store information to the user terminal; and

transmitting, to the user terminal, a communication module exchange code corresponding to the affiliated store information.
The mediation method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving exchange code receipt information about the communication module exchange code from an affiliated store server of the affiliated store for receipt; and

storing provision information comprising information indicating that the requested communication module has been provided according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the exchange code receipt information.
The mediation method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving communication module receipt information about the requested communication module from the user terminal; and

storing second receipt information comprising information indicating that the requested communication module has been received according to the communication module exchange code, on the basis of the communication module receipt information.
The mediation method of claim 18, further comprising:

sending a communication request to a received communication module on the basis of the second receipt information,

wherein the received communication module is the requested communication module received by a user from the affiliated store for receipt.
The mediation method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a communication confirmation response outputted by the user terminal via the received communication module in response to the communication request.