JP2001043451A - Comprehensively managing system for sales point - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a comprehensively managing system for sales point realizing comprehensive data management concerning sales points and speedily providing of information. SOLUTION: A central point managing system is provided with a database storing means for storing and totaling information on sales points by each customer's bank account corresponding to the ID code of each member customer, a database control means for obtaining present points by subtracting utilized sales points from sales points stored in the bank account number of the member customer, a customer managing means issuing a recording medium having a memory recording data on customer ID codes and the sales points and managing the medium, and a communication means which is connected with sales managing systems at each member store through a communication line to transmit and receive data. The central point managing system unitarily executes managing of data on the sales points of each member customer and settling processing for it instead of various kinds of sales managing systems at each of the member stores.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method in which a retail store or the like purchases a product or the like at a retail store or the like in order to promote the sale of the product or service (hereinafter referred to as "product or the like"). The present invention relates to a sales point comprehensive management system for centrally managing sales points obtained for each account number of a member customer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a retail store or the like which sells or provides goods or services (hereinafter referred to as "products, etc."), products and the like are used for the purpose of promoting sales and fixing customers. For example, a so-called green stamp or coupon is issued to a customer who has purchased a predetermined amount of money, and a predetermined service is provided to a customer who collects a certain amount or more of the stamp.

[0003] As another conventional technique, in consideration of the inconvenience of a customer who had to bring back and organize the green stamps and coupons as described above, points were given to the customer for every fixed purchase amount. The points are given for each customer and ECR (Electronic Cash Register) or P
A point management system which is managed as electronic data by an OS (Point of Sales) device or the like (hereinafter referred to as a “sales management terminal device”) or an in-store data central processing unit connected to these devices has been proposed. I have.

As an example of such a point management system,
"Point management system" (hereinafter referred to as "preceding example 1") described in JP-A-6-295390 and
"Point tallying system" described in No. 124754
(Hereinafter referred to as “preceding example 2”).

[0005] In the prior art example 1, even if the customer does not have a recording medium for the points or a predetermined member magnetic card, the points can be issued and tabulated by the business operator's computer, and the points information is collected when the customer needs it. A point management system that uses a computer to manage the points issued to a customer to provide a service in order to be able to provide a system that can be known, and that issues points according to commercial transactions. Means, point calculation means for calculating the issued points and totaling the total points, point notification means for notifying point information to the customer, and key input from the customer terminal or store terminal or for customer certification Customer recognition means for identifying the customer by obtaining the customer characteristic information obtained by inputting the characteristic information, wherein the point notifying means performs commercial transactions with the customer specified by the customer recognition means. It discloses a configured number management system to deliver a cumulative points information (FIGS. 1 and 2) prior to.

On the other hand, the prior art 2 is connected to a network having a plurality of affiliated store terminals installed for each affiliated store,
A member store having a network function by connecting the point collection system to a network in order to configure a point aggregation system that aggregates points according to sales when a member uses the member store as points earned by the member. The terminal can be used as a point collection system terminal, and the member's sales amount at the member store is simply transmitted from the member store terminal to the data receiving means, and points according to the sales amount are added to the point number data in the member master file A point totalizing system (FIG. 1) configured to perform the above processing is disclosed.

[0007]

However, the systems described in the first and second prior art examples are both processing apparatuses for point management that are connected online to a predetermined customer terminal directly or via a public communication line. Performs all control and management related to points, such as recognition (or identification) of members, provision of points, and use processing thereof. For this reason, the system of each member store cannot directly participate in the point provision. For example, in the point service of the member store, for example, the point provision rate is changed for each individual product or for each time zone at a certain store. It is difficult to demonstrate the nature and uniqueness.

[0008] Further, since all point management and control are delegated to the processing device for the point control and are recorded only in the storage device of the processing device, each transaction such as a merchandise sales transaction is executed. In this case, unless the storage device of the processing device is accessed via a communication line or the like, the current point information such as points cannot be known,
The time and communication cost for the processing procedure required for the communication connection for the access are enormous.

[0009] Further, existing sales management systems of different types installed in member franchisees, member franchisees or member franchisees (hereinafter referred to as “member franchisees”) are:
When trying to introduce such a point control system, it is necessary to frequently transmit and receive each transaction such as a merchandise sale transaction with a processing device for point control. The central control processing device in the sales management system is tied to communication control processing for such frequent data transmission and reception for a very long time. For this reason, if the point management system of the related art is newly introduced, the existing computer system in the sales management system of the member member store needs to be significantly modified.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The point-of-sales comprehensive management system according to the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned various problems in the conventional point management system. A centralized point management system comprising a centralized point management system for communicating with the various centralized point management systems, including a PLU file for storing data such as the selling price of each single item; The system stores information on points given by a sales management terminal device under the control of each sales management system to a member customer in accordance with a purchase amount or the like.
Database storage means for storing and totaling for each customer account corresponding to the D code; and, when a member customer purchases a product or the like by accessing the database storage means, adds points to the account number of the member customer, If the member customer receives a product or service within the range of the points held by the member customer, the used points are subtracted from the points stored in the customer account of the member customer. Database control means for obtaining points, and a customer ID code for specifying a member customer who purchases a product or the like at the member member store, and the customer ID code possessed by each member customer and the customer ID code Issuing a recording medium having a memory in which data on points is recorded and managing it by customer management means and each member merchant Communication means for communicating with the sales management system, and transmitting and receiving data relating to the sales points given to the individual member customers by the sales management system. Instead of the various sales management systems in a store, the management of data relating to the sales points of each member customer and the settlement processing for the data are performed in a unified manner. .

[0011] Thus, in the sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention, each member member store has flexibility in the point service on the member store side such as changing the point awarding rate for each individual product or each time zone. Maintain uniqueness.

[0012] Further, the member customer and the member member store do not access the central point management system via a communication line or the like each time a transaction such as a product sales transaction is performed.
At any time, information on points can be quickly and easily known by reading out the memory contents of an IC chip mounted on an ID card, which is a recording medium possessed by the member customer.

Here, an IC mounted on the ID card
The customer ID code recorded on the chip is recognized by an IC card reading / writing device connected to a sales management terminal device constituting the sales management system in the member member store. By the way, the ID card has a magnetic code and / or a bar code related to the customer ID code at the same time as mounting the IC chip, and the customer ID code of the ID card is the member member store. In which the sales management system is read and recognized by any one of an IC card reading / writing device, a magnetic card reading device, and a bar code reading device connected to the sales management terminal device. be able to.

One of the great features of the sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention is that the points are stored in a stored point account corresponding to the customer ID code in the database storage means of the central point management system. , And a card point stored in a card point account stored in an IC chip mounted on the ID card, each point being configured to be movable between the two accounts. . As a result, the sales management system and central point management system at each member
It eliminates the need to be connected online via a communication line to each other and, even if the sales management terminal at each member store does not necessarily have an IC card reader / writer, each member customer Makes it possible to manage the points owned by.

In the case where the sales management terminal device has the IC card reading / writing device, the points at the time of purchasing a product or the like are regarded as card points.
It is added to the memory of the IC chip mounted on the D card,
Further, when a product or the like is provided, the used points are subtracted from the points stored in the account of the member customer to obtain the current points, and the data relating to these points is stored in the central point management system. Is stored and managed in the database storage means.

If the sales management terminal of the member franchise is not equipped with an IC card reading / writing device, the customer ID in the ID card carried by the customer is not required.
The data relating to the D code is recognized by either a magnetic card reader or a bar code reader connected to the sales management terminal device, and the points are stored in the database storage means of the central point management system as deposit points. To be managed.

[0017] The deposit points stored in the deposit point account of the same member customer and the card /
The card points stored in the point account can be transferred between the accounts via the communication line by using the loading means connected to the sales management system.

The sales management system includes buffer storage means for temporarily accumulating and storing data relating to the points relating to transactions such as product sales within a certain period handled by the sales management terminal device under the jurisdiction. It is preferable that data on the accumulated points is transmitted in batches from the sales management system to the central point management system via the communication line. In this case, of course, real-time transmission via a dedicated communication line or the like may be used.

As described above, the identity between the data stored in the memory of the IC chip mounted on the ID card and the data stored in the point storage means in the central point management system is always maintained. However, the data of the latest transaction related to the addition or subtraction of the points, the previous transaction and the transaction counter are stored in the memory of the IC chip mounted on the ID card, and the information is stored in the memory via the communication line. The information is transmitted from the management system to the central point management system, and is compared with the related information stored in the database storage unit.

The ID card according to the present invention has a prepaid card function by utilizing the multi-functionality of the IC card. The stored amount data is reduced each time according to the amount used. The prepaid amount can be recharged and written by an IC card reading / writing device connected to the sales management system.

Further, the prepaid amount written in the memory of the IC chip mounted on the ID card is added together with the points written on the ID card, and the purchase of goods or the like is performed within the range of the added amount. That can be used at the time. Further, when a change occurs in the purchase of a product or the like in the memory of the IC chip mounted on the ID card, the change amount can be added to the advance amount.

The expiration date of each ID card is not set to a fixed period from the effective date, which is the expiration date of a conventional magnetic card, in consideration of high durability and manufacturing cost that can be used repeatedly, The expiration date management is set so that the card cannot be used when a predetermined period set in advance from the last use date of the card has elapsed. Such an expiration date management period due to non-use may be set to, for example, one year.

The types of IC cards include a contact type connected to an IC card reading / writing device via a connector;
There is a non-contact type in which data can be written to or read from a memory in an IC card by electromagnetic waves. However, in the present invention, the latter non-contact type is considered in consideration of its easy handling and durability for long-term use. A type IC card is used. However, it goes without saying that a contact type IC card is also possible.

Further, in the sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention, the central point is used in order to cope with the rapid spread of communication networks such as the Internet in recent years and telephone shopping, catalog shopping and the like by general consumers. The management system is further connected to a telephone device of the member customer via a public communication line such as a telephone line, or connected to data processing means such as a personal computer of the member customer via a predetermined communication network. Automatically responds to a predetermined inquiry / inquiry about the current point, the deposit point, etc. from a customer, a predetermined inquiry / inquiry about personal information, or a request for predetermined information about general information provided for a member customer. In addition, to assist the member customer in inputting information It includes a voice response unit, and a customer confirmation means for, based on the input information inputted from the member customer to identify the member customer to verify its authenticity. Here, in view of the fact that an IC card is a kind of cash voucher, in order to secure its security, the input information for specifying a member customer and confirming its validity is determined by the central point management system by each member. This is performed by confirming the customer ID code given to the customer and the password selected and registered in advance by the customer.

Further, the central point management system includes:
Further, in response to a request from a member customer input to the voice response device, the deposit point possessed by the member customer is stored on an ID card carried by the customer.
Means for issuing a certificate permitting movement to a card point in the memory of the C chip. The certificate is for permitting the transfer of the deposit points possessed by the member customer to a card point account in a memory of an IC chip mounted on an ID card possessed by the customer. This is effective when the member member store to be set up cannot be used.

The deposit points possessed by one member customer can be transferred to the deposit point account of another member customer, thereby increasing the usefulness of the ID card as a cash voucher. In this case, the card points stored in the memory of the IC chip mounted on the ID card possessed by one member customer are added to their own deposit points, and then transferred to the deposit point account of another member customer. For example, it is possible to transfer a card point of one member customer to a card point of another member customer on condition of the central point management system. And such transfer of deposit points,
The IC card read / write device connected to the sales management system, or the telephone device of a member customer connected via a public communication line such as a telephone line, or the member customer connected via a predetermined communication network Is processed based on a request input from the data processing means to the central point management system. The request input is to secure the security, to identify the member customer and to confirm its validity, to register the customer ID code assigned to each member customer by the central point management system and to select and register the customer in advance. It is executed by confirming the PIN code. Further, the data of the card point stored in the IC chip mounted on the ID card can be encrypted.
It has means for decrypting and encrypting the data of the card point.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an example of a sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the overall configuration of a comprehensive sales point management system according to the present invention.

The sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of different types of sales management systems (A in the figure) each having a PLU file for storing data such as a selling price for each product at a plurality of member member stores. Or F
And a central point management system that communicates with these sales management systems. The plurality of sales management systems and the POS system under their jurisdiction are completely different types of systems including their operating systems and data contents in PLU files. It can be easily connected and works in conjunction. This is because the central point management system according to the present invention does not directly relate to, and does not restrict, the configuration and content of the POS system of the sales management system in each member member store. For example, the percentage of points given to the purchase amount,
The increase / decrease of points for each product / time zone is a freely set item of the sales management system of each member member store.

Each sales management system and central point management system transmits and receives data via a communication line such as a dedicated line or a public line. However, data may be exchanged via a data recording medium such as a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a CD, or a magneto-optical disk. In the present invention, the exchange of data relating to transactions such as the provision of points or the use of points to member customers by the member member stores does not necessarily have to be performed in real time between each sales management system and the central point management system. This holds true even for batch communication processing of data accumulated within a certain period. This is because, in the point management system of the present invention, as will be described in detail later, the point data given to each member customer is separately managed in two points, a deposit point account and a card point account, and security is improved. This is due to the feature of the present invention in which a high IC card is used, the card point account is managed off-line, and this is treated as data that can be moved between each other.

[0031] The central point management system constituting the present invention unifies the management of data relating to the points of each member customer and the settlement processing therefor in place of various sales management systems in each member member store. It is characterized by. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, the point is given to the member customer in the sales management system of the member franchise in which the member customer purchases a product or the like. Is not directly involved in granting As a result, each member merchant can increase or decrease the point award rate for the purchase price of products and the like, and also increase or decrease the point award rate for each individual product or for each purchase time zone. And maintain and demonstrate uniqueness.

The central point management system according to the present invention assigns a customer ID code for individually managing member customers to each member customer, and provides a recording medium such as an IC card for recording the customer ID code to the customer member. Issue. Each member customer presents his or her own recording medium when purchasing a product or the like. The sales management device installed at the member member store reads the customer ID code of the customer recorded on the recording medium, and the sales management system that controls the sales management device assigns the sales management system of the store to the customer. The data relating to the designated points is written to the IC card and transmitted to the central point management system.
The central point management system centrally manages and manages data on points transmitted from each sales management system for each customer ID code.

As shown in FIG. 1, the central point management system includes various types of information such as customer information, transaction information such as product purchase, acquired point information, and the like stored and stored for each customer account corresponding to the customer ID code. It has database storage means for storing and storing data as a database. These various data are normalized so as to be established as a predetermined database, and are configured and handled as a collection of mutually redundant data without redundancy so that they can be shared for a plurality of processing purposes for point management control. Will be The data format can be any of a relational data model, a hierarchical data model, and a network data model. However, in the present invention, the deposit point and the card point must be stored and managed as separate and independent data elements as point data for the same customer ID code.
The database storage means is constituted by a secondary storage device such as a large-capacity magnetic disk or a magneto-optical disk for storing the data.

The customer management means assigns a customer ID code (for example, a 10-digit number) to a member who wishes to apply for membership by a predetermined member application form, and issues a recording medium on which this is recorded. Has functions. The customer management unit is connected to the database storage unit and the database control unit, and operates in cooperation with each other. The recording medium issued to each member customer and the contents of data to be stored therein will be described later.

The database control means constitutes a database management system together with control processing of hardware devices and software constituting the central point management system. The database management system includes a storage management function for managing a physical configuration of a database stored in the database storage means, an input / output management function for accessing a beta base, a buffer management function on a main storage, and a Parallel control function for controlling simultaneous access, query processing function for optimizing database query processing, addition / change function of customer information, transaction management function for managing completed transactions such as point addition / subtraction And various functions such as a screen display function for easily accessing the database and an end user interface function for creating a report based on the access result. If the data is configured as a database based on a relational model,
Each process in the above function is executed based on the SQL system.

The central point management system further includes data communication means for communicating with a plurality of external sales management systems. The data communication means is for mutually controlling the transmission and reception of data in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol with the central control device constituting the sales management system in each member member store, and is capable of transmitting a large amount of data in a short time. For efficient transmission and reception, a buffer storage unit for temporarily storing data is provided. In many cases, the external sales management system is directly connected to the external sales management system by a dedicated line, but may be connected to a public line for digital communication. In this case, the connection is made via a PBX (telephone exchange). The data communication with the sales management system having a small amount of data is not necessarily performed via a communication line, and may be performed by reading a portable storage medium such as a floppy disk or a magneto-optical disk that is sent. .

The central point management system, which is the center of the sales point comprehensive management system, functions as member customer management and point management for each member.
Requires the role of an information center. Therefore, the central point management system according to the present invention includes a voice response device. In the information center, those who should attend to calls from members or non-members are handled by operators, and calls that can be handled unattended are handled by voice response devices. The functions of the information center include processes such as inquiries regarding points from member customers and requests to transfer points to other member customers. In the case of a request accompanied by a process, a security check is performed by checking a pre-registered password, and the process is executed.

As shown in FIG. 15, the central point management system uses a telephone customer or a data processing device such as a personal computer to receive an order via a public line or the like from a data processing device such as a telephone device or an online shopping order via the Internet. It is also possible to have a function to accept. In this case, for example, through the Internet, a central point management system can be used to set up a unique home page on the Internet to accept shopping orders, and also for mail-order sales issued by member stores. It is also possible to accept shopping orders based on catalogs. In such a case, the inquiry of the deposit points, the addition and addition of the points, or the subtraction processing of the used points need not be performed based on the data reception from the sales management system of the member member store, but are directly performed.

By connecting an IC card reading / writing device to the data processing device, it is possible to make an inquiry about a card point, an inquiry about a prepaid balance, or a deposit.

The homepage of the central point management system established on the Internet also functions as an advertising medium for widely publicizing the system to non-members, and lists member stores and member store stores. , And have a function to accept online membership applications.

An example of data contents transmitted and received between the central point management system and each sales management system will be described later.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the overall configuration of a sales management system in a member member store. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a relatively large-scale sales management system, and has a plurality of stores (a to e stores), each of which has a plurality of units installed in the store. Sales management terminal (POS
A central control device installed in, for example, an office of a member store that supervises these in-store processors, which is equipped with an in-store processor (in-store control device) connected to the terminal device and the like. It transmits and receives data to and from the point management system. Thus, for a single store member, an in-store processor would be connected to the central point management system.

In a store of a member member store which is an actual purchase site of a product or the like by a customer, a plurality of sales management terminal devices connected to a bar code reader for reading a product code (bar code) attached to the product are provided. A table is installed. Each of the plurality of sales management terminal devices accesses the in-store processor in the store for each registered scanning of the purchased product, acquires data such as the product name and price of the product, and displays the data on the display device. . The in-store processor includes a storage device that stores a PLU file that stores a product name, a price, and the like for each product code handled in the store. The PLU file stores, in addition to the product display name and sales price for each product code, various data corresponding to the product code, such as the number of stocks, the ordering supplier, the purchase price, the discount price by time zone, and the like. I have.

When a member customer purchases a product or the like at a member member store, the sales management system of the store gives points at a fixed rate to the total purchase amount.
In addition, when a member customer receives a service such as a product using the points owned by the customer at the store, a process is performed in which points corresponding to the price of the product are deducted from the points accumulated by the customer. Will be However, depending on the sales management system, points to be given may be added to each product code in the PLU file. Furthermore, the member customer stores points to be deducted when receiving the service of providing goods or the like at the store using the points owned by the member customer for each product code in the PLU file. Points may be given or points may be used.

As described above, in the sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention, the point is given to the member customer and the use of the point by the member customer is basically performed between the sales management system of the member member store and the member customer. Because it is performed directly, the central point management system does not uniformly restrict items related to the point assignment or use of the sales management system. It is possible to maintain and demonstrate the flexibility and uniqueness of the point service such as changing the award rate of sales points.

As described above, the central point management system according to the present invention receives the data relating to the points given or used between the member customers and the sales management system of each member store from the sales management system of the member stores. Is centrally managed.

The central point management system accumulates data such as the latest selling merchandise and product consumption trends for each age group of member customers based on information on points transmitted from the sales management system of each member member store. As a result, it is possible to provide the information obtained by totalizing and analyzing this to each member member store. Therefore, for each member merchant,
Membership customer enrollment procedures, management of changes, etc., total management of points for each member customer, including purchases of products at other member franchisees, inquiries about points, etc. can all be entrusted to the central point management system. Become like This makes it possible to obtain much more useful product sales information regularly and in a timely manner than the information obtained from the sole sales system, and at the same time imbalances in point use and awarding that occur between member stores. Regardless of this, it became possible to bear the cost equally for the service actually enjoyed.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a device configuration of the sales management terminal device in the sales management system. As shown, the sales management terminal includes a CPU device, a random access memory device (RAM) for temporarily storing data and the like, and a read-only memory device (ROM) for storing fixed data and fixed programs. A control device containing a memory device, an I / O device for interfacing with various peripheral devices, and an indoor communication control device for connecting an in-store processor and an indoor communication line such as a LAN, and a connection to the control device And various peripheral devices.

The peripheral devices include a scanner (bar code reader) for optically reading a product code (bar code) attached to a product, and a magnetic card reader for reading a magnetic code such as a magnetic card and a credit card. Device, key input device for inputting data to sales management terminal device, customer display device and operator display device for displaying product name and price, etc., drawer for storing cash, purchase for customer A receipt issuance printer or the like for issuing a receipt on which information on the details and points of the product is printed is connected. The printer usually includes a journal printer for recording and storing the details of products handled by the sales management terminal device. However, the journal printer stores the journal record in the R
This is unnecessary in the case of a terminal device that employs an electronic journal stored and stored in a magnetic storage device (not shown) such as an AM or a floppy disk.

As shown in FIG. 3, it is desirable that the sales management terminal device constituting the present invention is equipped with an IC card reading / writing device as much as possible. As a result, the point information generated by product purchase or the like can be reflected each time in the memory in the IC card issued to the member customer and held by each member customer, and the member customer completes the purchase of the product etc. It is possible to grasp the latest information of the points owned by the user at the time of the execution. However, the sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention is established even if all sales management terminal devices constituting the sales management system are not necessarily equipped with an IC card reading / writing device.

The sales management terminal device often includes a scanner for reading a barcode of a purchased product. Further, a magnetic card reader for reading a magnetic card such as a credit card is often connected. Therefore, although the customer ID code is recorded in the memory of the IC card issued to each member customer by the central point management system, the customer ID code is stored on the IC card.
If the bar code and the magnetic code corresponding to the code are described or recorded at the same time, the member customer can be specified even if the sales management terminal device is not connected to the IC card reading / writing device, Information management related to points by purchase or the like is possible as a system.

Therefore, the bar code and the magnetic code corresponding to the customer ID code are simultaneously written and recorded on the IC card issued to each member customer by the central point management system. FIG. 11 shows an IC used in the present invention.
Here is an example of a card. The IC card shown here is a so-called non-contact type IC card which transmits and receives data to and from an IC card reading / writing device via an electromagnetic wave. The other side (side B) is a magnetic stripe portion 1 in which a customer ID code for specifying a member customer holding the IC card is recorded as a magnetic code, and a customer ID code 3 has a bar code 4 described as a bar code. Further, a signature section 2 for signing by a member customer is provided on the surface. These magnetic stripe portion, bar code display portion and signature column portion may be provided on any side of the card.

As described above, in the sales point comprehensive management system according to the present invention, all the sales management terminal devices constituting the sales management system are not necessarily I
Even without the C card reading / writing device, the central point management system can manage the point information of each member customer. However, when a product or the like is purchased by a sales management terminal device to which the IC card reading / writing device is not connected, at that time, data relating to points due to the purchase of the product is not recorded in the memory of the IC card. Further, in the present invention, even if data relating to points newly generated by product purchase or the like is recorded in the memory of the IC card, the sales management system and the central point management system in the store are always connected via the communication line. Since there is no need to store the points, the point data recorded in the memory in the IC card and the point data stored in the customer account corresponding to the customer ID code stored in the database of the central point management system Are not always the same, and inconsistencies may arise between them.

Therefore, in the point-of-sales comprehensive management system of the present invention, such point data to be managed is classified and managed in two separate categories, ie, deposit points and card points. We are dealing. The deposit points and the card points are points that can be acquired and owned by the same member customer by purchasing products and the like, and can be used by the same member customer, so that the points can be moved to each other at any time.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an overall flow of point data in the sales point comprehensive management system.

In FIG. 4, when a member customer purchases a product or the like at an A member store or a B member store where an IC card reading / writing device is installed, the sales management terminal device of the store is Then, the point data corresponding to the purchase price is written as a card point into the memory of the non-contact type IC card possessed by the member customer using the IC card reading / writing device. The sales management system that has jurisdiction over the sales management terminal device has a card / card for the central point management system.
As a point, the purchase information data is transmitted in real time or batch. In response to this, the central point management system updates the contents of the card point of the customer account in the point information of the database storage means in the central point management system corresponding to the customer ID code of the customer.

Next, the same member customer reads the IC card /
If you purchase a product at a C-member store or a D-member store where no writing device is installed, the sales management terminal of the store will be a magnetic card reader or barcode reader, The customer recognizes the customer ID code by reading the magnetic stripe or bar code on the IC card possessed by the customer, and stores point data corresponding to the purchase amount and the like as a deposit point in a storage device (buffer storage) in the sales management system of the store. Means). Then, the sales management system transmits the purchase information data as a deposit point to the central point management system in real time or batch. In response, the central point management system updates the contents of the deposit points of the customer account corresponding to the customer ID code of the customer.

As a result, the sales point management system of the present invention has a problem that the point management system of the prior art has a problem of necessity of frequent data transmission / reception for each transaction such as a merchandise sales transaction. And IC
At the same time, the problem of point management by transaction processing such as product purchase in a product sales terminal device not equipped with a card reading / writing device was solved.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a processing flow when a non-contact type IC card is read in a merchandise selling terminal device having an IC card reading / writing device. FIG. FIG. 7 shows an example of a processing flow at the time of merchandise registration (scanning), and FIG. 7 shows an example of a processing flow when writing card data to be changed generated as a result of merchandise purchase from an IC card reader / writer to an IC card. Show.

5 to 7, I / P represents an in-store processor, POS represents a sales management terminal, B / R represents a bar code reader, and R / W represents an IC card reader / writer. . FIG. 5 shows an example of a processing flow in the sales management system when the IC card reading / writing device reads out the data contents written in the memory in the non-contact type IC card.

(1) For a non-contact type IC card placed at a predetermined place of the IC card reading / writing device, (2) by operating a card reading key, (3) the sales management terminal device Send a read command to the read / write device. The IC card reading / writing device performs data communication with the non-contact type IC card by electromagnetic waves in response to the read command, reads out the card data, and sends the card data to the sales management terminal device. The transmitted data is encrypted data or the like. (4) Next, the read data is sent to the in-store processor, and after being decoded, (5) the data is sent back to the sales management terminal device. (6)
The sales management terminal checks the customer ID code and the like stored in the non-contact type IC card and the expiration date, and if there is no problem, (7) the current card point number and the prepaid balance are displayed on the display. Will be displayed. The expiration date check is performed not from the date of issuance of the IC card but for a predetermined period (eg, within one year) from the last use date
It is checked whether or not the above has elapsed.

In FIG. 6, (8) a bar code representing a product code of a product purchased by a member customer is optically read by a bar code reading device connected to the sales management terminal. The sales management terminal accesses the PLU file in the in-store processor every time the product code is read, and reads out the product name (the product name displayed on the display and printed on the receipt) and the sales price related to the product code. register. When the registration of all the purchased commodities is completed, the total amount is calculated and displayed on the display. (9) A payment method, for example, cash, point usage, payment from a prepaid balance, payment by a credit card, etc. is specified, and payment processing is performed. (10) When the payment method is point use, the amount of use points desired by the member customer is input from the key input device, and as a result, the total payment amount is determined. (11)
The total payment amount is displayed on the display, and when the deposit amount is input from the key input device, the change amount is displayed, and the payment settlement of the commodity purchase price is completed. (12) As for the transaction result of the product purchase, points corresponding to the total payment amount are calculated, and the card points to be updated are calculated by adding the points to the current card points. In addition, card
If an upper limit is set for the point value, a process of transferring the excess amount to deposit points is performed, or if an upper limit is set for the prepaid balance, no further payment processing is accepted. As described above, the upper limit is set for the card point value and the prepaid amount in the present system in order to prevent occurrence of unexpected damage of a certain amount or more to the member customer because these are treated like cash. .

In FIG. 7, (13) a card write command is issued by operating a card write key in the sales management terminal device, and calculated based on a transaction generated as a result of product purchase. The card data to be updated is transmitted to the in-store processor. (14) The in-store processor encrypts the card data to be updated, and (15) returns the card data to the merchandise sales terminal device. (16) Further, the merchandise selling terminal device transmits the card data to the IC card reading / writing device. The IC card reader / writer communicates data with the non-contact IC card by electromagnetic waves based on the card write command, and writes card data to be updated on the non-contact IC card. (17) After the card is updated, the updated point balance is displayed on the display, and (1)
8) A receipt issued to the member customer is printed out by the merchandise sales terminal device.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a receipt print content issued by the sales management terminal device in the sales management system.

The sales management terminal device in this system is
The printed content of the receipt issued to the member customer who purchased the product etc. includes the sales details such as the member member store name, store name, date and time, the name of the purchased product, the amount, the total amount, etc.
D code, card points newly granted in this purchase, card points used in this purchase,
The card points after settlement, the prepaid amount given by the change, the points and prepaid amount used in the current purchase, the prepaid balance and points after settlement, etc. are printed.

FIG. 9 shows an example of card system data transmitted from the sales management system to the central point management system. FIG. 10 shows an example of member purchase detail data transmitted from the sales management system to the central point management system.

From each sales management system to the central point management system, the central point management system is required to centrally manage points (card points and deposit points), prepaid amount, etc. of each member customer. System data and member purchase detail data are transmitted. The transmission method of these data may be not only real-time transmission when a transaction occurs, but also batch transmission at regular intervals, or sending a recording medium such as a disk.

As shown in FIG. 9, the card system data transmitted or sent includes customer ID code, purchase date and time, member member store ID code and its store ID code, total purchase amount, payment method (cash, cash, Credit card, gift certificate, debit card, prepaid card, distinction of point use, etc.), the remaining number of each point (card point and deposit point), granted points and used points, prepaid balance and prepaid deposit amount etc. is there.

The member purchase detailed data shown in FIG. 10 is stored in the sales management system of the member member store when the member customer purchases the product or the like at the member member store and transmitted to the central point management system. It is data for each purchase, and includes customer ID code, purchase date and time, member member store ID code and its store ID code, detailed data of purchased merchandise, and the like.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the appearance of an IC card used in the present invention, as described above. The IC card used in the present invention is of a non-contact type that transmits and receives data via electromagnetic waves because of its simplicity of handling when writing and reading data and its frequent use over a long period of time. This is because the durability is excellent. Writing and reading of data to and from the IC card by the IC card reading / writing device can be easily completed by placing the IC card in a predetermined place provided in the IC card reading / writing device for a short time.

FIG. 12 shows a processing flow in the IC card. An IC card is an ultra-small card-shaped data processing device, including a control chip, a ROM for storing programs and fixed data, a RAM or ROM for storing data,
The IC chip of the A / D converter, the D / A converter, and the serial-parallel converter is built in. What is an IC card reading / writing device?
Data transmission and reception are performed by electromagnetic waves. For this reason, an antenna means for detecting an electromagnetic wave, various means for detecting, modulating and demodulating a detection signal, an oscillator, and a power supply means for operating these IC chips and the like are incorporated therein. The power supply means may be a small button battery or the like, but here, electric energy obtained by detecting and rectifying an electromagnetic wave for data transmission is stored in a capacitor or the like and used as a power supply.

FIG. 13 shows an example of data items stored in the memory in the IC card. As shown here,
The memory in the IC card held by each member customer is
Data having substantially the same contents as the card system data indicated by 0 is stored. This makes it possible to confirm the consistency with the data stored in the database storage means of the central point management system. Since the data stored in the memory of the IC card is encrypted, not only is it possible to prevent unauthorized use of the IC card that is handled in the same manner as cash,
This prevents unauthorized reading and writing of data in the card.

FIG. 14 shows a flow of downloading from a deposit point to a card point by direct mail. This enables the member customer to move his or her holding points to card points and use his / her points when purchasing goods, etc., but to be able to cope with the case where the loading device is not in the vicinity. .

First, a member customer inputs a request to move information from a deposit point to a card point to the information center of the central point management system. The central point management system checks the deposit points and the like of the member customer stored in the database storage means, and then downloads the direct mail (card) that permits downloading as card points to the memory of the IC card possessed by the customer. DM certificate). The member customer who has received the DM certificate brings the DM certificate to a member member store and has it added to the card point in the memory of the IC card.

FIG. 15 shows an example of the function of the information center in the central point management system. The central point management system according to the present invention has an information center in which an automatic telephone exchange (PBX) and a voice response device (IVR) are installed. As a result, the operator who responds to calls from members or non-members is handled by the operator, and the voice response device responds to calls that can be handled unattended. The functions of the information center include processing such as inquiries about points from members and requests to transfer points to other members.
In the case of a request accompanied by a process, a security check is performed by checking a pre-registered password, and the process is executed.

Further, the central point management system according to the present invention accepts an order for telephone shopping or online shopping via the Internet from a data processing device such as a telephone device or a personal computer owned by a member customer via a public line. . If via the Internet, establish a unique home page on the Internet as a central point management system, accept shopping orders, and furthermore, such as shopping orders based on mail-order catalogs issued by member merchants. Become a key base for e-commerce.

FIG. 16 shows a loading device, a central point management system, and an IC used in the present invention.
An example of a method of transmitting and receiving data between cards will be described.

The loading device is installed at a member member store or the like, connected to the central point management system via a public line or a dedicated line, and includes an IC card reading / writing device,
It has a display device for displaying operation guidance and processing results, and a key input device for inputting numerical values. Further, it is desirable to have a printer for printing the result as a member service.

When the member customer wants to move points between the card points on the IC card and the deposit points stored in the central point management system, the transfer is realized by using the loading device. (1) Place the card at a predetermined position of the IC card reading / writing device connected to the loading device. (2) The loading device reads the card information through the IC card reading / writing device, and at the same time, (3) requests the member customer to input a preset personal identification code for the customer ID code of the card. . (4) The member customer inputs the personal identification code from the key input device, and (5) inputs the direction of the point movement and the point from the key input device. (6) The loading device transmits the customer ID code read from the IC card and the input personal identification code to the central point management system using communication network means such as a public line. (7) In response to a request from the loading device, the central point management system confirms the identity and validity of the member customer, confirms the balance of the point account of the customer ID, and determines whether the requested transfer is possible. After that, the card point after the movement is calculated, and the result is notified to the loading device. (8) The loading device writes the card point to the card through the IC card reading / writing device in response to the notification from the central point management system. (9) The card point on the card is updated. (10) The central point management system updates the balance of the deposit points and card points managed by the customer ID code based on the information of the completion of the card writing sent from the loading device to the central point management system. .

By distributing and installing such a loading device widely, the member customer can always obtain his / her deposit points and card / card when he / she desires.
The point can be moved.

[0081]

As described in detail above, the comprehensive sales point management system according to the present invention manages point data to be handled by dividing the data into two separate categories, namely, deposit points and card points. A point account is managed offline using a high-security IC card, and this deposit point and card
Points are acquired and owned by the same member customer by purchasing products and the like, and can be used. As a result, a point management problem that can occur due to transaction processing such as product purchase in a product sales terminal device not equipped with an IC card read / write device, that is, point data recorded in a memory in the IC card and central point management. This solves the problem of mutual inconsistency that can occur between point data stored in the customer account corresponding to the customer ID code stored in the database of the system.

Further, since the central point management system and the sales management system in each member store eliminate the necessity of constantly communicating with each other online, a great communication cost in the conventional point management system is eliminated. Was able to be reduced.

Further, the central point management system that communicates with a plurality of sales management systems is not directly involved in the structure and contents of the sales management system in each member store, and is not restricted. The sales management system maintains its originality and versatility, such as the rate of points given to the purchase price and the increase / decrease of points for each product / time zone, and can be used without significant modification of existing computer systems. The introduction of the point management system of the invention has become possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of a sales point comprehensive management system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the overall configuration of a sales management system in a member member store.

FIG. 3 shows a device configuration example of a sales management terminal device in the sales management system.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an overall flow of point data in the sales point comprehensive management system.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a processing flow when reading an IC card in a merchandise sales terminal device having an IC card reading / writing device.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a processing flow at the time of product registration at the time of product purchase in a product sales terminal device.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a processing flow when writing card data to be changed generated as a result of product purchase from an IC card reading / writing device to an IC card.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a receipt print content issued by a sales management terminal device in the sales management system.

FIG. 9 shows an example of card system data transmitted from the sales management system to the central point management system.

FIG. 10 shows an example of member purchase detail data transmitted from the sales management system to the central point management system.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the appearance of an IC card used in the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows a processing flow in the IC card.

FIG. 13 shows an example of items of data stored in a memory in an IC card.

FIG. 14 shows a flow of downloading from a deposit point to a card point by direct mail.

FIG. 15 shows an example of the function of the information center in the central point management system.

FIG. 16 shows an example of a loading device, a central point management system, and a method of transmitting and receiving data between IC cards used in the present invention.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Hayashi 1-11-2 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside the Akyupie Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshiro Shinano 1-11-2 Yoyogi Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Akyupi Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Uto Ogawa 1-11-2 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo F-term in Akyupie Co., Ltd. (reference) 3E042 BA08 BA14 BA18 CA02 CA03 CC03 CC04 CC06 CC10 CD04 EA01 5B049 AA01 AA02 AA04 BB11 CC02 CC39 DD01 DD02 DD04 EE01 EE21 EE23 EE25 EE26 EE28 FF06 FF08 FF09 GG01 GG05 GG07

Claims (22)

[Claims] Claims: 1. Multiple POS at multiple member franchises
A sales point comprehensive management system comprising a sales management system such as a system and a central point management system communicating with the sales management system, wherein the central point management system is an ECR or A customer ID for specifying each member customer with information on points given or used by a sales management terminal device such as a POS terminal device to a member customer who purchased a product or the like.
A database storage means for storing and totaling for each customer account corresponding to the code; and accessing the database storage means to add points to the customer account of the member customer when the member customer purchases a product or the like. If the member customer receives a product or the like within the range of the points possessed by the member customer, the current point is obtained by subtracting the point from the points stored in the account number of the member customer. And a customer ID code for specifying a member customer who purchases a product or the like at the member member store, and issues a recording medium that records the customer ID code possessed by each member customer. Communication with the customer management means for managing the sales management system and the sales management system at each member member store. Data communication means for transmitting and receiving data relating to the points given to the member customers under the jurisdiction, whereby the central point management system replaces the various sales management systems in each member member store with each other. A point management system for managing data related to the points of the member customers and a settlement process therefor. 2. The recording medium is an ID card,
The ID card has an IC chip equipped with a memory device mounted thereon, and the customer ID code recorded therein is connected to a sales management terminal device constituting the sales management system at the member member store. 2. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 1, wherein the system is read and recognized by an IC card reading / writing device. 3. The recording medium is an ID card,
The ID card is equipped with an IC chip having a memory device.
It has a magnetic code and / or a bar code related to the D code, and the customer ID code of the recording medium is connected to a sales management terminal device constituting the sales management system in the member franchise. IC card reading /
The comprehensive sales point management system according to claim 1, wherein the system is read and recognized by any one of a writing device, a magnetic card reader, and a barcode reader. 4. The point is stored in a deposit point stored in a deposit point account corresponding to a customer ID code in a database storage means of the central point management system and an IC chip mounted on the ID card. 4. The sales point system according to claim 2, wherein the card points are stored in a card point account, and each point is configured to be movable between the two accounts. Management system. 5. When the sales management terminal device includes the IC card reading / writing device, the points given at the time of purchasing a product or the like are mounted on the ID card as the card points. Is added to the memory of the IC chip, and the points used when the product or the like is provided are subtracted to obtain the current point, and data relating to the point is stored in the database storage means of the central point management system. Being managed
The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 4, wherein: 6. When the sales management terminal device does not include the IC card reading / writing device, data relating to the customer ID code in the ID card possessed by the customer is connected to the sales management terminal device. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the points are recognized by either a magnetic card reader or a barcode reader, and the points are stored and managed in a data-base storage means of the central point management system as deposit points. 4. The sales point comprehensive management system described in 4. 7. The sales management system further comprises loading means for moving the points between the deposit point account and the card point account via a communication line. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 4. 8. The sales management system includes buffer storage means for temporarily accumulating and storing data relating to the points related to transactions such as product sales within a certain period handled by a sales management terminal device under jurisdiction. 7. The sales point system according to claim 5, wherein the data on the accumulated points is transmitted in batches from the sales management system to the central point management system via the communication line. Management system. 9. The memory of an IC chip mounted on the ID card stores data of the latest transaction, previous transaction, and transaction counter related to the addition or subtraction of the points, and the information is stored via a communication line. The sales point according to claim 7, wherein the sales point is transmitted from the sales management system to the central point management system, collated with the related information stored in the database storage unit, and stored in the database storage unit. Comprehensive management system. 10. The IC card mounted on the ID card to have a prepaid card function.
A predetermined range of prepaid amount data that can be used when purchasing a product or the like is stored in the memory of the chip, and the prepaid amount data is reduced each time according to the amount used.
The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 2 or 3. 11. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 10, wherein the prepaid amount can be re-deposited such as an increase by an IC card reading / writing device connected to the sales management system. 12. The prepaid amount written in a memory of an IC chip mounted on the ID card,
The point is added to the point written on an IC chip mounted on a card, and can be used when purchasing a product or the like within a range of the added amount.
The sales point comprehensive management system according to 0 or 11. 13. The memory of the IC chip mounted on the ID card, further comprising a structure in which, when a change occurs at the time of purchasing a product or the like, the change amount is added to the advance amount. Claim 10 or 11
Sales point comprehensive management system described in. 14. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 9, wherein the ID card is set to have an expiration date management that disables use of the ID card when a predetermined period set in advance from the last use date of the ID card has elapsed. 15. The central point management system is further connected to a member customer's telephone device via a public communication line such as a telephone line or to a member customer's data processing means via a predetermined communication network. Automatically in response to a predetermined inquiry / inquiry regarding the current point, the deposit point, etc. from the member customer, a predetermined inquiry / inquiry regarding personal information, or a request for predetermined information regarding general information provided for the member customer. A voice response device for responding to the request and assisting the information input method by the member customer, and a customer confirmation for identifying the member customer based on the input information input from the member customer and confirming its validity 2. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 1, further comprising: means. 16. The input information for identifying a member customer and confirming its validity is obtained by confirming a customer ID code assigned to each member customer by the central point management system and a pre-registered PIN code. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 15, wherein 17. The central point management system according to claim 1, wherein the card point account of an IC chip memory mounted on an ID card possessed by the customer has the deposit point possessed by the member customer in response to a request from the member customer. 5. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 4, further comprising means for issuing a certificate permitting the user to move to the sales point. 18. The point-of-sales management system according to claim 4, wherein the central point management system enables the transfer of the deposit points of one member customer to the deposit point account of another member customer. system. 19. The central point management system according to claim 1, wherein the card point data stored in a memory of an IC chip mounted on an ID card held by one member customer is transferred to the card point account of another member customer. 5. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 4, wherein the system can be transferred on condition of the central point management system. 20. The transfer of the deposit point is performed by the IC card reading / writing device connected to a sales management system,
Or, based on a request input to the central point management system from a telephone device of a member customer connected via a public communication line such as a telephone line, or data processing means of the member customer connected via a predetermined communication network. 20. The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the sales point comprehensive management system is processed. 21. The request input by the member customer for the transfer of the points includes a customer ID code assigned to each member customer by the central point management system and a customer ID code in advance in order to identify the member customer and confirm its validity. 21. Performed by confirming a registered PIN code.
Sales point comprehensive management system described in. 22. Card data stored in an IC chip mounted on the ID card is encrypted, and means for encrypting and decrypting the ID card data is provided.
The sales point comprehensive management system according to claim 4.