U.S. patent application number 09/788425 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-04 for portable electronic device and loyalty point system.
Invention is credited to Kawagishi, Toshiyuki.
Application Number | 20010025879 09/788425 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18602230 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010025879 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kawagishi, Toshiyuki |
October 4, 2001 |
Portable electronic device and loyalty point system
Abstract
A portable electronic device, which executes a prescribed
process based on a selling amount of money that is input from a
terminal device, has a memory for storing information concerned
with a loyalty point calculation process corresponding to a selling
amount of money, calculates a loyalty point using information
stored in the memory based on a selling amount of money which is
input from the terminal device and updates a loyalty point stored
in the memory to a calculated loyalty point.
Inventors: |
Kawagishi, Toshiyuki;
(Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
Intellectual Property Group
East Tower, Ninth Floor
1100 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington
DC
20005-3918
US
|
Family ID: |
18602230 |
Appl. No.: |
09/788425 |
Filed: |
February 21, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/375 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
235/375 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 27, 2000 |
JP |
2000-085994 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A portable electronic device to execute prescribed process
according to information on dealt amount of money input from a
terminal device comprising: storage means for storing loyalty
points and information in connection with a loyalty point
calculation process corresponding to a dealt amount of money; means
for calculating a loyalty point using the information stored in the
storage means according to the information on the deal amount of
money input from the terminal unit; and means for updating the
loyalty point stored in the storage means to a loyalty point
calculated by the calculation means.
2. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the
information on the calculation process of the loyalty point stored
in the storage means is an application program for calculating a
loyalty point.
3. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the
storage means stores individual information of a person who is
holding the portable electronic device, a qualification to add a
special loyalty point based on the individual information and a
size of a loyalty point added corresponding to the
qualification.
4. A portable electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the
calculation means includes: means for judging whether the
individual information stored in the storage means satisfies the
qualification; and means for calculating a loyalty point including
a loyalty point that is especially added corresponding to the
qualification when it is judged by the judging means that the
qualification is satisfied.
5. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the
storage means stores a qualification to add a special loyalty point
in connection with date information and a size of a loyalty point
to add corresponding to the qualification.
6. A portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the
calculation means includes: judging means for judging whether the
date information input from the terminal device satisfies the
qualification stored in the storage means; and means for
calculating a loyalty point including a loyalty point that is
especially added corresponding to the qualification when it is
judged by the judging means that the qualification is
satisfied.
7. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the
storage means stores individual information of customers who have a
portable electronic device, qualification for adding a special
loyalty point associated with individual information and date
information, and size of loyalty point to be added especially
corresponding to the qualification.
8. A portable electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the
calculation means includes: means for judging whether the
qualification stored in the storage means is satisfied based on
date information input from the terminal device and individual
information stored in the storage means; and means for calculating
a loyalty point including a loyalty point that is specially added
corresponding to the qualification when it is judged that the
qualification is satisfied.
9. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, further
comprising: output means for outputting a loyalty point calculated
by the calculating means to the terminal device.
10. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, further
comprising: output means for outputting the loyalty point
calculated by the calculating means to the terminal device after
updating the loyalty point stored in the storage means by the
updating means.
11. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, further
comprising: means for executing the exchanging process of the
loyalty point stored in the storage means based on the information
stored in the storage means when an instruction for the exchanging
process to exchange a loyalty point to another valuable thing from
the terminal device; and means for outputting the result of
exchange by the execution means to the terminal device.
12. A portable electronic device according to claim 2, further
comprising: means for executing the loyalty point exchange process
for the loyalty point stored in the storage means according to an
application program stored in the storage means when an instruction
is input from the terminal device for the exchange process to
exchange the loyalty point to another valuable thing; and means for
executing the rewrite of an application program stored in the
storage means according to an instruction from the terminal device
when the exchange process by the execution means is completed.
13. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the
storage means stores the information of the term of validity
relative to the portable electronic device.
14. A portable electronic device according to claim 13, further
comprising: judging means for judging whether the term of validity
of the portable electronic device has expired by comparing the date
information input from the terminal device with the term of
validity information stored in the storage means; means for
executing the loyalty point calculation process by the calculation
means when the judging means judges that the term of validity is
not yet expired and to execute the exchange process to exchange the
loyalty point stored in the storage means to another valuable thing
based on the information stored in the storage means when the
judging means judges that the term of validity is expired; and
means for outputting the loyalty point calculated by the
calculation means to the terminal device when the term of validity
is judged to have not yet been expired by the judging means and to
output the information showing that the term of validity has been
expired together with the result of exchange by the execution means
to the terminal device.
15. A portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the
storage mean stores the information on the term of validity of the
portable electronic device.
16. A portable electronic device according to claim 15, further
comprising: judging means for judging whether the term of validity
of the portable electronic device was expired by comparing the date
information input from the terminal device with the term of
validity information stored in the storage means; means for
executing the loyalty point calculation process by the calculation
means when the judging mean judges that the term of validity has
not yet been expired and execute the exchange process to exchange
the loyalty point stored in the storage means to another valuable
thing according to the application program stored in the storage
means when the judging means judges that the term of validity was
already expired; means for outputting the loyalty point calculated
by the calculation means to the terminal device when the judging
means judges that the term of validity has not yet been expired and
to output the information showing that the term of validity was
already expired to the terminal device together with the result of
exchange by the execution means; means for executing the rewrite of
the application program stored in the storage means according to
the instruction from the terminal device after outputting the
information showing the expiration of the term of validity by the
output means when the judging means judges that the term of
validity was already expired; and control means for controlling the
calculation means to execute the loyalty point calculation process
according to the rewritten application program stored in the
storage means after completing the rewriting process by the
rewriting means.
17. A loyalty point system comprising a terminal device having an
input means for inputting prescribed information and a portable
electronic device to execute prescribed processes for the
information input from the terminal device; wherein, the portable
electronic device includes: storage means for storing a prescribed
application program for calculating loyalty points corresponding to
a dealt amount of money and loyalty points; means for calculating a
loyalty point based on the information on dealt amount of money
input from the terminal device according to the application program
stored in the storage means; means for updating the loyalty point
stored in the storage means to the loyalty point calculated by the
calculation means; and output means for outputting the loyalty
point calculated by the calculating means to the terminal device;
the terminal device includes: display means for displaying a
loyalty point output from the portable electronic device.
18. A loyalty point system according to claim 17, wherein the
terminal device further includes: a application storage means for
storing another application program separately from the application
program stored in the portable electronic device; and output means
for outputing a rewriting instruction of the application program
and another application program stored in the application storage
means to the portable electronic device according to the
instruction from the input means.
19. A loyalty point system according to claim 17, wherein the
portable electronic device further includes: means for executing
the process to rewrite the application stored in the storage means
to the application program output from the terminal device
according to the rewriting instruction of the application program
output from the terminal device.
20. A loyalty point system according to claim 17, wherein the
terminal device further includes: means for instructing the
exchange process to exchange the loyalty point stored in the
portable electronic device to another valuable thing; the portable
electronic device further includes: means for executing the
exchange process of the loyalty point stored in the storage means
based on the application program stored in the storage means when
the exchange process to exchange the loyalty point to another
valuable thin is instructed from the terminal device; and output
means for outputting the result of exchange by the execution means
to the terminal device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a portable electronic
device that is held by customer and to store individual information
and more particularly to a portable electronic device that is
capable of providing a service to add loyalty point according to a
degree of utilization of a store by customer and a loyalty point
system in the retail business.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A special benefit system called as a loyalty point system
has been introduced into retail stores including supermarkets in
recent years. This system converts a total amount of money of
purchased merchandises into loyalty points every time when a
customer purchased merchandises and the loyalty points are
accumulated. When the accumulated loyalty points reach a prescribed
value, a little gift or a coupon is presented/merchandises
purchased next time are discounted aiming at the fixation of
customers.
[0005] This system generally uses card type media including
magnetic cards and the like. In other words, a customer who is a
member of this system and carrying a membership card issued from a
store shows the membership card to a store clerk when purchases
merchandises and pays a price. The shop clerk registers the sales
data of the merchandise purchased by that customer in such a
merchandise sales data processor as an electronic cash register, a
POS terminal, etc. At the same time, the card data of the
membership card is read by a card reader/writer provided to the
merchandise sales data processor. An accumulated loyalty point up
to the last time is recorded on this membership card.
[0006] After reading accumulated loyalty point data of a membership
card by the card reader/writer, the merchandise sales data
processor obtains the total amount of money for merchandise
purchased by a customer by processing the registered merchandise
sales data and converts the total amount of money into a loyalty
point. Then, the loyalty point calculated this time is added to the
accumulated loyalty point data read from the membership card and
this added value is written into the membership card as an
accumulated loyalty point up to the present time by the card
reader/writer. This loyalty point system has been programmed as
described above.
[0007] In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 9-212743
and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 6-76124, the
application of this system to provide the special service, wherein
loyalty points are calculated by changing the point conversion
ratio according to the amount of money and by setting the loyalty
point conversion at a higher level than the ordinary level, was
disclosed.
[0008] In the existing system described above, point information is
read out of a card that recorded loyalty points and after
calculating loyalty point by a card processor that is generally
called as a reader/writer, the calculated loyalty point information
is recorded on a card. However, there was a possibility of
illegally calculating loyalty points by maliciously rewriting a
program stored in a card processor by a store clerk. Further, for
calculating loyalty points it is necessary to output individual
information recorded on a card to an external device (a card
processor), there is generated a problem from, the viewpoint of
security.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
portable electronic device and a loyalty point system capable of
calculating loyalty points corresponding to individual information
while keeping the security.
[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a
portable electronic device for executing a prescribed process
according to information related to the selling amount of money
that is input from a terminal device, which comprises: a means to
store information on a calculation process of loyalty points
corresponding to a selling amount of money and a calculated loyalty
point; a means to calculate loyalty point using information stored
in the storage means according to information on an amount of money
of sales that is input from the terminal device; and a means to
update the loyalty point stored in the storage means to a loyalty
point calculated by the calculation means.
[0011] Further, according to the present invention, there is
provided a loyalty point system, which comprises a portable
electric device including: a storage means to store a prescribed
application program for calculating loyalty point corresponding to
an amount of money for sales and loyalty point; a means to
calculate loyalty point according to the application program stored
in the storage means based on the dealt amount of money that is
input from the terminal device; a means to update the loyalty point
stored in the storage means to the loyalty point calculated by the
calculating means; and an output means to output the loyalty point
calculated by the calculating means to the terminal device, and the
terminal device including a display means to display the loyalty
point that is output from the portable electronic device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a loyalty point
system using an IC card as a portable electronic device of the
present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the basic function of the
IC card that is used for the loyalty point system;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control of an IC card
7 that is used for the loyalty point, system;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a table showing individual information stored in a
data memory of an IC card;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a table showing loyalty point service information
relative to a loyalty point service application stored in a data
memory of an IC card;
[0017] FIG. 6 shows flowcharts relative to a reader/writer and an
IC card for explaining a loyalty point adding process that is
executed when a customer who has an IC card purchases a
merchandise, etc. by a loyalty point system.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a loyalty point
calculating process of the IC card 7 in Step ST16 shown in FIG.
1;
[0019] FIG. 8 are flowcharts for explaining the installation of a
loyalty point service application to an IC card of which term of
validity is over in the loyalty point system using an IC card;
and
[0020] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the installation of a
loyalty point service application to an IC card and an associated
cashing process in the loyalty point system using an IC card.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described below referring to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a
diagram for explaining a loyalty point system A using an IC card as
a portable electronic device involved of the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 1, the loyalty point system A has a host computer 1
as a higher device having a memory 2, an auxiliary storage 6
connected to this host computer 1, a reader/writer 8 as a terminal
unit, a display unit 9 and a keyboard 10.
[0022] The auxiliary storage 6 houses an application program 3, a
communication library program 4 and a data file 5. It is also
possible to install programs, etc. in the auxiliary storage 6 from
a storage medium, for example, a floppy disk 11. The reader/writer
8 reads and writes (transmission/reception) a message to the IC
CARD 7 in contact or non-contact with it. The display unit 9 is to
inform, the operating procedures and the operating state. The
keyboard 10 is used to input amount of purchase and other data by
operator.
[0023] The reader/writer 8 as a terminal unit has a display 8a as a
display means, a keyboard 8b as an input means, and an IC card slot
8c (as this embodiment is explained using a contact type IC card).
The display 8a displays the process contents in the reader/writer
8, information relative to information forwarded from the IC card
7, etc. The keyboard 8b is for inputting various kinds of
information and, for example, to select the process contents in the
reader/writer 8, input a code and amount of money information.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional blocks of the IC
card 7. As shown in FIG. 2, the IC card 7 is composed of portions
for executing fundamental functions such as a read/write portion
17, a code set up/code collation unit 18 and an encrypting/decoding
unit 19, and a supervisor 16 to manage these fundamental
functions.
[0025] The read/write portion 17 is a functional portion to read,
write or erase data from/to a data memory, etc. The code set
up/code collation unit 18 stores a code number that is set by a
user, protects it from being read and after setting the code
number, collates it with a code number that is input from an
external device and approves the subsequent process. The
encrypting/decoding unit 19 has a function to execute the
encryption to prevent leakage and forgery of communication data and
the decoding the encrypted data when data is exchanged between the
reader/writer 8 and the IC card 7 via a communication line. The
supervisor 16 has a function to read a functional code input from
the reader/writer 8 or a functional code added to data, and have
the IC card 7 to execute the operation according to the contents of
the code.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control block of the IC card
7. As shown in FIG. 3, the IC card 7 is composed of a CPU 21, a
data memory 22, a program memory 23 and a work memory 24 , which
are storage memories, and a contact portion 25 to get the
electrical contact with the reader/writer 8, to execute such
functions as shown in FIG. 2. Out of these devices, the CPU 21, the
data memory 22, the program memory 23 and the work memory 24 are
formed into a single IC chip (or a plurality of IC chips) and
embedded in the main body of IC card.
[0027] The program memory 23 is composed of, for example, a mask
ROM and stores a control program of the CPU 21 equipped with a
subroutine to realize such the fundamental functions as described
above and further, has a function to download an application
program.
[0028] The data memory 22 is used for storing applications
including a loyalty point service application and data and is
composed of, for example, a non-volatile memory that can be erased
such as EEPROM. The work memory 24 is a memory that is used in
working and is composed of, for example, such a volatile memory as
RAM, etc.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a table T1 relative to
individual information that is stored in the data memory 22 of the
IC card 7. As shown in FIG. 4, such individual information as, for
example, name "HANAKO TOSHIBA" 22a, date of birth "1970-3-3" 22b,
management number "98765" 22c, phone number "03-1234-5678" 22d,
number of times of coming to store "3 times" 22e, purchase amount
of money "12345 Yen" 22f, number of loyalty points "500 points"
22g, adding date of loyalty point "2000-1-1" 22h, and term of
validity "2000-3-31" 22I are stored in the data memory 22.
[0030] Of these individual information, information relative to
name 22a, date of birth 22b and management number 22c is a fixed
information. Information relative to phone number 22d, number of
times of coming to the store 22e, purchase amount of money 22f,
number of loyalty point 22g, adding data of loyalty point 22h and
term of validity 22I are variable information. In particular, of
these variable information, number of times of coming to the store
22e, purchase amount of money 22f, number of loyalty points 22g and
adding date of loyalty point 22h are information to be updated
whenever a customer who has the IC card 7 purchases
merchandises.
[0031] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a table T2 of the loyalty point
service information related to the loyalty point service
application stored in the data memory 22 of the IC card 7. As shown
in FIG. 5, "Item", "Qualification", "Ratio of Service" for the
service to be added especially in connection with the individual
information are to be stored/set on the table T2 of the loyalty
point service.
[0032] As the "Item" to be added to the service especially in
connection with the individual information, for example, "Number of
Basic Loyalty points" 30, "Number of Visiting Store" 31, "Date of
Birth" 32, "Purchase Amount of Money" 33 and "Phone Number" 34 are
stored/set. Corresponding to "Number of Basic Loyalty Points" 30,
"Every 100 Yen" 30a and "5 Loyalty point" 30b are stored as
"Qualification" and "Service Ratio", respectively. So, it is so set
that 5 loyalty points are added to the number of basic loyalty
points for the purchase of every 100 yen.
[0033] Further, corresponding to "Number of Visting Store", plural
figures are set for "Qualification" and "Service Ratio" so that a
different "Service Ratio" is set for each qualification step. That
is, as "Qualification", "Above 5", "Above 10" and "Above 20" 31a
are set by stages. As "Service Ratio", "2 multiple", "3 multiple"
and "5 mulitple" 31b are set by stages. As a result, when the
number of visiting store is above 5, the calculated number of
loyalty points is doubled and when above 10, the number of loyalty
points is trebled and when above 20, it is increased by 5
multiple.
[0034] Further, corresponding to the date of birth 32, "Agreed with
Date" 32a is stored as "Qualification" and "3 multile" is stored as
"Service Ratio". As a result, it is so set that when "Date of
Birth" agreed with the date information, the number of calculated
loyalty points is further trebled.
[0035] Further, corresponding to "Purchase Amount of Money" 33,
plural figures are set for "Qualification" and "Service Ratio" so
that "Service Ratio" becomes different according to the
qualification step. That is, "Above 50,000 yen", "Above 80,000 yen"
and "Above 100,000 yen" 33a are set by stages as "Qualification".
"2 multiple", "3 multiple" and "5 multiple" 33b are stored by
stages as "Service Ratio". As a result, it is so set that when the
purchase amount of money is above 50,000 yen, the calculated number
of loyalty points is further doubled, when above 80,000 yen, it is
trebled and when above 100,000 yen, it is further increased by 5
multiple.
[0036] Further, corresponding to "Phone Number", "Lower 2 digits
agrees with 01" 34a is stored as "Qualification" and "3 multiple"
34b is stored as "Service Ratio". It is so set that as a result,
when the lower 2 digits of a phone number agreed with "01",the
calculated number of loyalty points is further trebled.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the loyalty point
adding process executed by the reader/writer 8 and the IC card 7
when a customer who has the IC card 7 purchased merchandises
according to the loyalty point system using the IC card 7 set as
described above. As shown in FIG. 6, first when the IC card is
inserted into the IC card slot 8c of the reader/writer 8 (ST10),
various purchase information, for example, purchase amount of money
and the like are input by a store clerk from the keyboard (ST11).
When the purchase information is input in the step ST11, the
reader/writer 8 outputs the purchase information and also, the date
information to the IC card 7 (ST12) and is put in the standby state
(ST13).
[0038] When the purchase information and date information are input
from the reader/writer 8 to the IC card 7 via the contact portion
25 (ST14 and ST15), the CPU 21 executes the loyalty point
calculation process described later (ST16). When the loyalty points
are calculated in Step ST16, the CPU 21 updates the individual
information 22e-22h stored in the data memory 22. That is, the CPU
21 stores a new figure of "Number of visiting store" 22e with "+1"
added in the table T1 of the data memory 22. Further, CPU 21 stores
a new purchase amount of money added with the purchase amount of
money of this time in the table T1. Further, the CPU 21 stores a
new number of loyalty point added a number of loyalty point
calculated this time to "Number of loyalty points" 22g in the Table
T1 and stores the data information of this time for "Adding date of
loyalty point" 22h in the Table T1 (ST17). In addition, the CPU 21
outputs the loyalty point information calculated in Step ST16 to
the reader/writer 8 (ST18).
[0039] When loyalty point information that is output from the IC
card 7 is input (ST19), the reader/writer 8 displays that
information on the display 8a for visual check by a customer who
has an IC card (ST20), ejects the IC card for returning to that
customer (ST21) and terminates the loyalty point adding
process.
[0040] FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the loyalty point
calculation process of the IC card in Step ST16 shown in FIG. 6. As
shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 21 of the IC card 7 first calculates a new
purchase amount of money by adding the purchase amount of money
information of this time included in the purchase information input
in Step ST14 to "Purchase Amount of Money" 22f on the table T1 of
the data memory 22. Then, based on "Qualification" of "Number of
Basic Loyalty Points" 30; that is, "Every 100 Yen" and "Service
Ratio"; that is, "5 point" on the Table T2 of the data memory 22,
the CPU 21 calculates the number of basic loyalty point A
corresponding to a new money information (ST30).
[0041] Next, the CPU 21 compares a new number of visiting store,
which is "+1" added to the number of times read from "Number of
Visiting Store" 22e on the table T1 of the data memory 22, with the
number of times that is set for "Qualification" (Above 5 times, 10
times and 20 times) 31a of "Number of Visiting Store" (ST31) on the
table T2 of the data memory 22. As a result of the comparison in
Step ST31, when the new number of visiting store is in excess of 5,
10 or 20, special loyalty points corresponding to the number of
visiting store are added. That is, numbers of loyalty point B that
is the number of basic loyalty points calculated in Step ST30
multiplied by "Service Ratio" (2, 3 or 5 multiple) 31b
corresponding to the Table T2 is calculated (ST32). As a result of
the comparison in Step ST31, when a new number of times of visiting
store is less than 5, a special loyalty point according to the
number of visiting store is not added (that is, B=A) (ST33).
[0042] Next, the CPU 21 compares the date read from "Date of Birth"
22b of the Table T1 with the date information input in Step ST15
(ST34). As a result of the comparison in Step ST34, when the date
of birth agreed with the data of this time, the special loyalty
point in connection with the date of birth is added. That is, the
number of loyalty points C is calculated by multiplying the number
of loyalty points B calculated in Step ST32 or ST33 by "Service
Ratio" (3 multiple) corresponding to "Date of Birth" 32 on the
table T2 (ST35). As a result of the comparison in Step ST34, when
the date of birth does not agree with the date of this time, a
special loyalty point in connection with the date of birth is not
added (that is, C=B) (ST36).
[0043] Then, the CPU 21 compares the selling amount of this time
that is included in purchase information input in Step ST14 with
the amount of money set for the qualification (above 50,000 yen,
80,000 yen and 10,000 yen) 33a of "Purchase Amount of Money" 33 on
the table T2 (ST37). As a result of the comparison in Step ST37,
when the purchase amount of money of this time is in excess of
50,000 yen or 80,000 yen or 100,000 yen, a special loyalty point in
connection with the purchase amount of money is added. That is, the
number of loyalty points D is calculated (ST38) by multiplying the
number of loyalty points C that is calculated in Step ST35 or ST36
by "Service Ratio" (2, 3 or 5 multiple) 33b corresponding to
"Purchase Amount of Money" 33 on the tale T2. As a result of the
comparison in Step ST37, when the purchase amount of money of this
time is below 50,000 yen, a special loyalty point in connection
with the purchase amount of money is not added (that is, D=C)
(ST39).
[0044] Then, the CPU 21 compares the lower two digit values of a
phone number read from "Phone Number" 22d on the table T1 with a
value "01" set for "Qualification" (the lower two digits are 01) of
"Phone Number" 34 on the table T2 (ST40). As a result of the
comparison in Step ST40, when the lower two digits are "01", a
special loyalty point in connection with the phone number is added.
That is, the number of loyalty points E is calculated (ST41) by
multiplying the number of loyalty points D calculated in Step ST38
or ST39 by "Service Ratio" (3 multiple) 34b corresponding to "Phone
Number" on the table T2. As a result of the comparison in Step
ST40, when the lower 2 digits are not "01", a special loyalty point
in connection with the phone number is not added (that is, E=D)
(ST42). Thus, the number of loyalty points E calculated in Step
ST41 or ST42 is decided as the number of loyalty points at this
time and the loyalty point calculation process is terminated
(ST43).
[0045] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the installation of a
loyalty point service application in the IC card 7 that expired the
data of validity in the loyalty point system A using the IC card 7
set as described above. That is, in this embodiment, when the term
of validity of the IC card 7 expired, after the cashing process of
loyalty points, the application in the IC card is changed to
another higher loyalty point service application. Further, those
portions for the same process as shown in FIG. 6 are assigned with
the same step numbers.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 8, when the IC card is first inserted into
the IC card slot 8c of the reader/writer 8 (ST10), various kinds of
purchase information including purchase amount of money information
are input by a store clerk through the keyboard 8b (ST11). When the
purchase information is input in ST11, the reader/writer 8 outputs
the purchase information to the IC card 7 (ST12) and also, outputs
the date information and is placed in the standby state (ST13).
[0047] When purchase information and date information are input to
the IC card 7 from the reader/writer via the contact portion 25
(ST14 and ST15), the CPU 21 reads "Term of Validity" 22i out of the
table T1 of the data memory 22 and compares it with date
information input in Step ST15 (ST50). As a result of the
comparison in Step ST50, when the date is judged to be within the
term of validity, the work proceeds to the loyalty point
calculation process in Step 16. Further, when the date is judged to
be within the term of validity, the process contents after Step
ST16 are the same as the processes after Step ST16 shown in FIG. 6.
Further, when it is judged the term of validity expired as a result
of the comparison in Step ST50, the CPU 21 reads "Number of Loyalty
Points" 22g out of the table T1 and outputs information on the
expiration of the term of validity to the reader/writer 9 together
with this "Number of Loyalty Points" as cashing information of
loyalty point (ST51).
[0048] When information on cashing loyalty point and information on
the term of validity expiration output from the IC card 7 are input
to the reader/writer 8, the reader/writer 8 executes a prescribed
cashing process for information on the cashing loyalty point and
returns the service for the cashing loyalty point to a customer
holding the IC card 7 (ST53). Further, the reader/writer 8 outputs
a loyalty point service application for changing with the improved
services including loyalty point ratio, etc. based on the input
information on the expiration of term of validity (ST54).
[0049] When the loyalty point service application for changing is
input to the IC card 7 from the reader/writer 8, the CPU 21 updates
the loyalty point service application in the data memory 22 (ST55).
When the updating of the application in Step ST55 is completed, the
CPU 21 proceeds to Step ST56 and executes the loyalty point
calculation process for the purchase of this time (ST56). When the
loyalty point is calculated in Step ST56, the CPU 21 updates the
individual information 22e-22h stored in the data memory 22. That
is, the CPU 21 stores a new number of times with "+1" added to
"Number of Visiting Store" 22e in the table T1 of the data memory
22, stores a new purchase amount of money with the purchase amount
of money of this time added to "Purchase Amount of Money" 22f in
the Table T1, stores a new number of loyalty points with the number
of loyalty points calculated this time added to "Number of Loyalty
Points" 22g in the table T1, and stores the date information of
this time for "Adding Date of Loyalty Point" 22h of the table T1
(ST57). In addition, the CPU 21 outputs information on the loyalty
point calculated in Step ST56 to the reader/writer 8 (ST58).
[0050] When information of loyalty point that is output from the IC
card 7 is input to the reader/writer 8 (ST59), the loyalty point is
displayed on the display 8a for the visual check by a customer who
has the IC card (ST60), the IC card is ejected for returning to the
customer (ST61), the application change process and the loyalty
point adding process are terminated.
[0051] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the installation of a
loyalty point service application to the IC card 7 in connection
with the cashing process of loyalty points in the loyalty point
system A using the IC card 7 set as described above. In this
embodiment, when the cashing process of loyalty point recorded in
the IC card 7 is executed, the loyalty point service application in
the IC card 7 is changed to another higher loyalty point service
application for further increase the service.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 9, when the IC card is first inserted into
the IC card slot 8c of the reader/writer 8 (ST70), a store clerk
selects "Loyalty Point Cashing Process" through the keyboard 8b
(ST71). When the loyalty point cashing process is selected in Step
ST71, the reader/writer 8 first outputs a cashing process command
to the IC card 7 and becomes the standby state (ST72).
[0053] When the cashing process command is input to the IC card 7
from the reader/writer 8 via the contact portion 25 (ST73), the CPU
21 reads loyalty point information out of "Number of Loyalty
Points" 22g on the table T1 of the data memory 22 (ST74) and
outputs it to the reader/writer 8 as loyalty point cashing
information (ST75).
[0054] When loyalty point cashing information output from the IC
card is input, the reader/writer 8 executes a prescribed cashing
process for cashing loyalty point information according to the
preset loyalty point service application, and returns a service
according to the cashing loyalty point to a customer who has the IC
card (ST76). Further, the reader/writer 8 outputs the loyalty point
service changing application to the IC card (ST77).
[0055] When the loyalty point service changing application is input
to the IC card 8 from the reader/writer 8, the CPU 21 updates the
loyalty point service application in the data memory 22 (ST78).
When the application updating in Step ST78 is completed, the CPU 21
outputs the information that the application was updated to the
reader/writer 8 (ST79).
[0056] When information associated with the updating of the
application is input from the IC card 7 (ST80), the reader/writer 8
displays the completion of the application updating on the display
8a for a store clerk (ST81), ejects the IC card for returning to a
customer who has the IC card (ST82), and terminates the application
change process.
[0057] As described above, this invention is able to calculate a
loyalty point in an IC card based on a loyalty point service
application which is pre-stored in the IC card memory by inputting
purchase information comprising at least purchase amount of money
into the IC card. As a result, it has an effect to prevent the
forgery of illegal loyalty points.
[0058] Further, because loyalty service loyalty points are
calculated/updated on an IC card, it becomes possible to calculate
loyalty points without installing a loyalty point service
application to the reader/writer and executing the data processing
by the reader/writer. Accordingly, a burden of the data process on
the reader/writer can be largely reduced, and it becomes possible
to use a cheap reader/writer and contribute to the spread use of
the loyalty service point system.
[0059] Further, as described above, this invention calculates
loyalty service points in connection with individual information
without obtaining it from an IC card, that is, adds loyalty service
points especially in connection with individual information.
Therefore, it has an effect that loyalty service points can be
added in connection with individual information while retaining its
security without leaking individual information to the outside.
[0060] Further, as described above, this invention is capable of
updating the loyalty point service application that is stored in an
IC card. Accordingly, it becomes possible to easily change size of
loyalty points calculated in an IC card and service objects to
which loyalty points are added. Particularly in this embodiment,
when the loyalty point cashing process is executed, the loyalty
point service application can be changed to another loyalty point
service application which is for providing a further improved
service including loyalty point ratio or after executing the
loyalty point cashing process for an IC card of which term of
validity is expired, it can be changed to the loyalty point service
application. Accordingly, the service to an IC card holding
customer is increased and the spread use/firmly fixing of the
loyalty point system.
[0061] As explained above, according to the present invention, it
is possible to calculate loyalty point information and service
loyalty points can be calculated corresponding to individual
information while holding security.
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