JP2001273420A - System, method and device for supporting purchase of article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely provide price data on articles to each user. SOLUTION: A user 10 accesses the article managing data base of a store 14 from a terminal. The store 14 permits access to the article managing database to previously registered users and returns the price data of an article through a network 12 to the terminal of the user 10. The utilization history of the user is stored in a client managing database and corresponding to the utilization history, the range or price of the article to be provided to the user is changed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a merchandise purchase support system and method, and more particularly to a technology for supporting a merchandise purchase by opening a database managed by a store to users.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When consumers purchase a product, they try to purchase the product at the lowest possible price. Regardless of the fact that the product you want to purchase is only available at a particular store, generally the same product is handled at multiple stores, you will need to compare the product prices of multiple stores with each other to determine where to buy. Become.

Conventionally, a method for a consumer to know the price of a product at a plurality of stores is to go to a store and check it in addition to knowing the price of a small portion of the product by advertising distributed in advance. I didn't get it.

[0004]

On the other hand, due to recent advances in the Internet technology, stores have posted their products on a Web page together with their prices, and the user stays at home using a terminal such as a personal computer and a WWW browser. You can now know the product price.

[0005] However, the product data posted on the Web page is basically intended for an unspecified number of general users, and treats all customers equally and presents the same price to all customers. This is not an attractive system for the user. In addition, a plurality of Web
There is also a problem that accessing the page many times to acquire product data and comparing and comparing prices is complicated.

[0006] Also, due to security issues, particularly in stores where large-scale systems such as large stores are constructed, Web pages are often installed outside the firewall. In this case, various merchandise data managed on the store side are used. To We
There has been a problem that it takes time to reflect the information on page b, or the product database managed by the store cannot be reflected in real time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and has as its object to obtain merchandise-related information, particularly price information, more efficiently for a customer as a user. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and a method and an apparatus which can perform the above.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a system for transmitting and receiving data relating to the purchase of goods using a terminal connected to a communication network and a server computer on a store side. The store-side server computer, a product management database that stores product data of the store, a customer database that stores customer information, and when an access from the terminal is an access of a customer registered in the customer database, Means for transmitting product data in the product management database to the terminal, wherein the terminal accesses a plurality of store-side server computers and receives the product data for each store, Means for displaying product data for each store. By providing the merchandise data stored in the merchandise management database from a plurality of store-side server computers, a customer who is a user can easily compare and contrast the merchandise data of each store.

Here, it is preferable that the product data is different for each customer, and the customer database contains
Preferably, a store use history of the customer is stored, and the product data is different depending on the store use history of the customer. Rather than providing uniform product data to customers as users, providing different product data for each user further increases the satisfaction of each user. For example, for a good customer who often uses the store,
And offer cheaper prices.

[0010] The present invention also provides a method of supporting product purchase using a terminal connected to a store and a server computer connected via a communication network, wherein data for specifying a user and a product desired to be purchased are specified from the terminal. And transmitting the price data of the product determined for each user from the store side server computer to the terminal. It is preferable that the price data of the product is determined according to a use history of the user in the store.

[0011] The present invention also relates to a merchandise purchase support apparatus for acquiring merchandise data from a store server computer connected via a communication network. Means for transmitting data for specifying the desired product, means for receiving the price data of the desired product supplied from the plurality of store-side server computers, and displaying the received plurality of price data for each store in the order of price And means for performing the operation. Since price data from a plurality of stores is displayed in order of price, the user can easily confirm which store has the cheapest product to purchase by visually checking the price data. Here, it is preferable to further include means for displaying a required time to the store. When actually purchasing a product at a store, not only the price but also the time required to reach the store is affected. Therefore, by displaying the required time at the same time, the purchase store can be determined more efficiently.

[0012] The present invention is also a product purchase support device for supplying price data of a product to a terminal connected via a communication network, wherein the device transmits the price data of the product.
It has means for receiving data for specifying a user and data for specifying a desired product for purchase, and means for transmitting price data of the desired product for purchase determined for each user to the terminal. Here, it is preferable to have means for storing a user's usage history and means for setting the price data according to the usage history.

[0013] Thus, appropriate price data can be provided for each user. The usage history data of the user can be used not only for price setting but also for, for example, research on market trends.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of the present embodiment. The user 10 and the store 14 are connected by a wide area network 12 such as the Internet. The user 10 is provided with a terminal such as a personal computer, a PDA, and a mobile phone, and a communication unit for connecting the terminal to the wide area network 12. On the other hand, the store 14 basically has a merchandise management database (DB) operated and managed in the store.
The merchandise management database is connected to the in-store network 16 and shared by terminals in the store.

Normally, the store 14 manages a database by a product management system represented by POS or the like, and this database also includes price data of all products existing in the store. In the present embodiment, the product management database existing in the store 14 is also made public to general users so that the general user can easily know the product price of the store. For this reason, the store 14 has a customer management database that stores information on users who are permitted to open the product management database, a customer authentication and identification unit that authenticates whether or not the user accessed from the terminal is a pre-registered user, It has a product information generation unit for reading data from the database and providing it to the user, and a communication unit for connecting to the wide area network 12.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the user terminal. The information input unit inputs a product name that the user desires to purchase. Also, a user ID and other data for identifying the user are input. Multiple product names can be entered. The storage unit stores an accessible store (that is, an accessible store-side product management database) and a product category handled by the store. The store information search unit searches a store handling the product input from the information input unit from the data stored in the storage unit, and accesses the store via the communication unit. Since there are usually a plurality of stores that handle a certain product, the store information search unit requests the plurality of stores to transmit product data. Further, when a plurality of product names are input from the information input unit, transmission of product data is requested to a plurality of stores for each product.

The merchandise data returned from the store is analyzed by the merchandise information analyzing section via the communication section, that is, the modulated or encrypted merchandise data is demodulated or decoded and supplied to the multiple information totalizing section. . The multiple information tabulation unit
The merchandise data returned from a plurality of stores is integrated, and the data is put together in a list format, for example, in ascending order of price and output to the display unit. When a plurality of products are input, the merchandise data is returned from each store for each of the plurality of products, so that the products are displayed in a list format after the products. By looking at this list, the user can easily know the store where the price of the input product is the lowest. In addition, in the multiple information totaling unit, it is also preferable to select the cheapest store and display it on the display unit instead of simply displaying the product data in a list. Also, by storing the address of each store in the storage unit, the product data and the address of the store handling the product or the required time (or distance) from the user 10 to the store can be displayed on the display unit at the same time. it can. That is, upon receiving the product data, the multiple information totalizing unit sorts the product data based on the price, and based on the data specifying the store added to the product data,
The address data of the store is read from the storage unit, and the user 1
The required time (or required distance) from 0 to the store is calculated and displayed on the display unit. Thus, the user can not only know which store is the cheapest, but also how far the store is away, and can use it as a guide when actually purchasing a product. Further, the plural information totalizing unit may not only select a store having the lowest price for a plurality of commodities but also calculate a purchase route based on address data of the store and display it on the display unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the store 14. In addition to an interface for using the merchandise management database in the store, a customer management database and a customer authentication identification unit for general users to use the merchandise management database are provided. When the user makes a request from the terminal, it authenticates whether the accessed user is a user stored in advance in the customer management database, that is, a user who has been permitted to use the product management database, and generates a permission signal for the authenticated user. The permission signal is returned from the unit to the user terminal via the communication unit. Then, when the user transmits the product name in response to the permission signal, the product search unit reads out product data on the product from the product management database and supplies the product data to the product information generation unit. The product data is the price of the product, and it is preferable that this price be different for each customer. That is, in the customer management database, in addition to the customer ID, name, address, and the like, past use histories (the number of purchases and the purchase amount at the store) are stored. Price. The product management database itself can store the price according to the customer's usage history, but the product management database is basically a database for managing products in stores, so for each product It is also preferable to add uniform price data and adjust the uniform price according to the usage history of the user who has accessed the product information generation unit. The product data generated in this way is returned to the terminal of the user who has accessed via the communication unit. The operation timing of the communication unit, the interface, and the storage unit is controlled by the system control management unit.

In such a configuration, the operation of the present system will be described below in more detail.

First, a user who wants to use the merchandise management database on the store side registers the customer with the store in advance and acquires an ID for authentication from the store. Store 1
The customer management database of No. 4 stores the IDs given together with the names and addresses of registered users. It is preferable to register a password for use in addition to the ID. After registering the ID and password, the terminal is connected to a wide area network. Then, the name of the product desired to be purchased and the ID and password for authentication are input from the information input section of the terminal.

FIG. 4 illustrates an initial screen displayed on the user terminal. A field for inputting a product that the user desires to purchase is displayed, and the user inputs a product name from the information input unit (for example, a keyboard) in this field.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a screen on which the user has specifically input a product desired to be purchased on the screen of FIG. When the user completes the input, the store information search unit identifies the category or genre of the product from the input product name, and searches the storage unit for a store with a high possibility of handling the product. In the case of FIG. 5, since the merchandise category is fresh food, supermarkets and department stores are searched as stores. Stores obtained by the search are displayed on the display,
The user is prompted to enter an ID and a password for each store. Then, when the ID and the password are input, the store information search unit outputs the user ID to each store obtained by the search.
And password. Of course, it is also preferable that the user ID and password are stored in the storage unit for each store, and the store information search unit acquires the ID and password at the same time as the store and automatically transmits the ID and password to the store. .

The store receiving the ID and the password,
The received ID and password are collated with the customer management database to authenticate whether the user is a registered user. If the user is an authenticated user, the permission signal generation unit generates a permission signal and transmits the permission signal to the user terminal. The user terminal that has received the permission signal transmits the product name input by the user to the store to the store.

The store that has received the product name accesses the product management database and reads the data of the product,
Supply to the product information generation unit. The product information generation unit adjusts the price of the product based on the usage history of the user stored in the customer management database and transmits the price to the terminal via the communication unit. For example, if the price of a tomato stored in the product management database is 100 yen per piece,
Send this price to users who have used it less,
For a user who uses frequently, the price is set to 95 yen. Such a process is performed for all the products transmitted from the terminal, and returned to the terminal as product data. In addition,
In addition to adjusting the product price according to the usage history, it is also preferable to change the range of the product whose price data is disclosed according to the usage history. For example, in the example of FIG. 5, price data is provided for all fresh foods for a user who uses a relatively large number of times, but a price of a specific vegetable is provided for a user who uses a relatively small number of times. Only provide data. The merchandise data includes data specifying a store and price data, and is returned after being appropriately encrypted so that other general users cannot know it.

The terminal receiving the product data including the price from each store demodulates the product data and sorts and displays the product data of a plurality of stores in ascending order of price. Further, based on the data specifying the store included in the product data, the address data of the store is read from the storage unit, and the required time to the store is calculated.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a list format displayed on the display unit of the terminal. This is a case where merchandise data is returned from the A store, the B store, and the C store for the product "tomato" input by the user.
Since the store is 105 yen and the store C is 110 yen, the list is displayed in this order. The required time to each store is also displayed at the same time. The display of the required time takes into account that many users do not like to go far, even if cheap. In the figure, a selection switch is further displayed in front of each store so that the user can select any store. Similarly, for the other products "cabbage" and "beef (loin)" input by the user, product data from a plurality of stores are displayed in a list in ascending order of price.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen when the user selects the B store for tomato. Similarly, for other products, the user determines a store desired to be purchased based on a balance between price and required time. Of course, it is also preferable that the terminal automatically selects the cheapest store among the plurality of stores and displays the same on the display unit instead of selecting the user. Or purchase cost = (price) · (time required)
It is also preferable to calculate the purchase cost of each store using the following calculation formula, and automatically select and display the store with the lowest purchase cost. Of course, a predetermined weighting factor may be added to each of the price and the required time. It is also preferable that the weight can be appropriately selected by the user.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a schedule screen displayed after selecting all the products (tomato, cabbage, beef) inputted by the user. The merchandise to be purchased is displayed for each store, and the user can print this list as appropriate to use as a reference for purchasing the merchandise. In addition, since the address of the store where the product should be purchased is read and acquired from the storage unit, the terminal can search for a shopping route from the place where the user is located (for example, at home) and display it on the display unit.

FIG. 9 shows an example of such a route. Departing from home, first go to B store, where you buy tomatoes and beef. Next, it is a route to go to D store, purchase cabbage and return to home. In particular, when the B store and the D store are the first stores to go, such a route display may be useful. When a user purchases a product at a store based on a shopping list or route display, by presenting his / her own ID to the store, the store can update the usage history of the customer management database based on this user ID. It can be reflected in the next product data provision.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The product information can be reliably provided to each user, and the user can easily determine the most suitable store to purchase the product based on this information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a terminal in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a store in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an initial input screen.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a screen on which a product name is input.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a selection screen.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a schedule screen.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a route screen.

[Description of Signs] 10 users, 12 wide area networks, 14 stores.

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A system for transmitting and receiving data on product purchase using a terminal connected to a store and a server computer via a communication network, wherein the store server computer stores product data of the store. A management database, a customer database for storing customer information, and means for transmitting product data in the product management database to the terminal when the access from the terminal is a customer registered in the customer database. The terminal has a means for accessing the plurality of store-side server computers and receiving the product data for each store, and a means for displaying the product data for each store. A featured product purchase support system. 2. The merchandise purchase support system according to claim 1, wherein the merchandise data is different for each customer. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the customer database stores a store use history of the customer, and the product data differs according to the store use history of the customer. Product purchase support system. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the product data includes a price of the product, and the displaying unit displays the product data of the store in the order of the price. Product purchase support system. 5. A method of supporting product purchase using a terminal connected to a store and a server computer connected via a communication network, wherein a plurality of data specifying a user and a plurality of data specifying a product desired to be purchased are provided from the terminal. And transmitting the price data of the product determined for each user from the store-side server computer to the terminal. 6. The product purchase support method according to claim 5, wherein the price data of the product is determined according to a use history of the user at the store. 7. A merchandise purchase support device for obtaining merchandise data from a store-side server computer connected via a communication network, wherein a plurality of said store-side server computers specify data for specifying a user and a desired product for purchase. Means for transmitting data to be supplied, and
A product purchase support device comprising: means for receiving the price data of the product desired to be purchased; and means for displaying a plurality of received price data in order of price for each store. 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: means for displaying a required time to said store. 9. A merchandise purchase support apparatus for supplying merchandise price data to a terminal connected via a communication network, wherein the data for specifying a user and the merchandise desired to be transmitted are transmitted from the terminal. And a means for transmitting to the terminal price data of the product desired to be purchased determined for each of the users. 10. The product purchase support device according to claim 9, further comprising: means for storing a use history of the user; and means for setting the price data in accordance with the use history.