JP2001351001A - Electronic coupon management server, electronic coupon system, an electronic coupon distribution method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic coupon system which eliminates a need of a printer, which prints a coupon, and performs follow-up of the use condition of the coupon. SOLUTION: An electronic coupon system 10 is provided with an electronic coupon management server 20, a user terminal 40 which displays the electronic coupon delivered from the electronic coupon management server 20 as bar code information, and a bar code scanner 32 which reads the electronic coupon displayed as bar code information on the user terminal. The electronic coupon management server 20 is provided with an electronic coupon DB 22 where the electronic coupon is stored as bar code information, a user information DB 24 where the use condition of the electronic coupon acquired by a user us stored, and a data transmission/reception delivery module 26 which delivers the electronic coupon DB 22 and the user information DB 24 to the user connected to a network.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic coupon management server for distributing and managing electronic coupons that can be exchanged for various products and services through a network, an electronic coupon system including the electronic coupon management server, and an electronic coupon distribution method. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a system in such a field, a coupon issuing system for providing a coupon for a predetermined product or service to an Internet Web site is known. The above coupon issuing system was operated as follows. First, a user who uses a coupon accesses the above-mentioned website through the Internet, and prints a coupon provided on the website. Then, by presenting the printed coupon at a store, the coupon can be exchanged for various products and services, and a privilege such as a discount can be received.

[0003]

However, the above coupon issuing system has the following problems. First, in order to use the above system, the user had to own a printer for printing coupons. Also, it has been difficult for the coupon provider to follow up when and where the provided coupon was used.

Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, so that a user does not need a printer for printing coupons, and an electronic coupon management server, electronic coupon system, And an electronic coupon distribution method.

[0005]

An electronic coupon management server according to the present invention is an electronic coupon management server for distributing an electronic coupon issued from a content provider to a user connected to a network, wherein the electronic coupon is a bar code. An electronic coupon storage unit that stores information as information and a distribution unit that distributes the electronic coupon stored in the electronic coupon storage unit to a user connected to a network are provided.

[0006] An electronic coupon management server according to the present invention comprises:
The electronic coupon is stored as barcode information, and the stored electronic coupon can be delivered to the user. Thus, an electronic coupon that can be read by the barcode reading device can be provided to the user. Here, “electronic coupons” include those that function as discount tickets, gift vouchers, beer tickets, concert tickets, air tickets, and the like.

[0007] The electronic coupon management server may further include a user information storage unit for storing the usage status of the electronic coupon obtained by the user.

[0008] By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to analyze the hobbies and preferences of each user from the usage status of the electronic coupon stored in the user information storage means.

An electronic coupon system according to the present invention includes the electronic coupon management server, a user terminal for displaying the electronic coupon distributed from the electronic coupon management server as barcode information, and a barcode information displayed on the user terminal. A bar code reader for reading the electronic coupon.

As described above, the electronic coupon system according to the present invention includes the user terminal for displaying the electronic coupon distributed from the electronic coupon management server, and the bar code reader for reading the electronic coupon displayed as bar code information. I have. This allows the user to present the electronic coupon displayed on the user terminal, and does not need to print and use the electronic coupon.

The electronic coupon system further includes an electronic coupon issuing terminal for issuing an electronic coupon and providing the electronic coupon to the electronic coupon management server, and the bar code reading device is connected to the electronic coupon issuing terminal via a network to read the bar code. When an electronic coupon is used in the device, the fact that the electronic coupon has been used is notified to the electronic coupon issuing terminal.

[0012] By adopting such a configuration, the electronic coupon issuing terminal can automatically erase that the issued electronic coupon has been used. As a result, double use of the electronic coupon can be prevented.

An electronic coupon distribution method according to the present invention is an electronic coupon distribution method in which an electronic coupon management server causes a user to use an electronic coupon issued by a content provider, wherein the content provider distributes the electronic coupon by an electronic coupon issuing terminal. An electronic coupon issuing step to be issued, an electronic coupon storing step of storing the electronic coupon issued in the electronic coupon issuing step as barcode information in the electronic coupon management server, and a user storing the electronic coupon in the electronic coupon management server in the electronic coupon storing step. An electronic coupon obtaining step of downloading the electronic coupon to the user terminal, an electronic coupon displaying step of displaying the electronic coupon obtained by the user in the electronic coupon obtaining step on the user terminal as barcode information,
An electronic coupon reading step of reading the electronic coupon displayed on the user terminal by the barcode reading device in the electronic coupon display step.

By adopting such a method, the user can display the obtained electronic coupon as barcode information on the user terminal and read the electronic coupon with the barcode reader. This allows the user to present the electronic coupon displayed on the user terminal, and does not need to print and use the electronic coupon.

The electronic coupon distribution method may further include an electronic coupon information notifying step of notifying the electronic coupon issuing terminal of information of the electronic coupon read in the electronic coupon reading step.

By providing the electronic coupon information notifying step of notifying the electronic coupon issuing terminal of the information of the electronic coupon read in the electronic coupon reading step, the electronic coupon issuing terminal can check that the issued electronic coupon has been used. Reconciliation can be performed automatically.
As a result, double use of the electronic coupon can be prevented.

In the electronic coupon distribution method, the electronic coupon information notifying step further includes a second electronic coupon information notifying step of notifying the electronic coupon management server of the electronic coupon information notified to the electronic coupon issuing terminal. It may be characterized.

As described above, the electronic coupon management server includes the second electronic coupon information notification step of further notifying the electronic coupon information notified to the electronic coupon issuing terminal to the electronic coupon management server. , The usage status of the electronic coupon can be obtained from the information, and the hobbies and preferences of each user can be analyzed.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of an electronic coupon system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the electronic coupon system 10. The electronic coupon system 10 includes an electronic coupon management server 20 connected to the Internet (network) 12, an electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 for issuing an electronic coupon, and a user terminal 40 for a user to use the electronic coupon. ing.

The electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 is used by the content provider 34 and issues an electronic coupon in the form of barcode information. The electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 is connected to a barcode scanner 32 that can read the electronic coupon of the barcode information. The barcode scanner 32 used here is a barcode scanner 32 widely used at present, and it is not necessary to introduce a new device in order to read an electronic coupon.

The electronic coupon management server 20 stores an electronic coupon issued by the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 as bar code information in an electronic coupon database (hereinafter, referred to as a bar code information).
An electronic coupon DB) 22 and a user information database (hereinafter, “user information DB”) 24 that stores information of users who use the electronic coupon. Each database is connected to the data transmission / reception module 26, and can transmit / receive data via the Internet 12 to update the contents.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the electronic coupon DB 22. The electronic coupon DB 22 stores items of the name of each electronic coupon that the electronic coupon management server 10 can download to the user, the remaining number of each electronic coupon, the expiration date for downloading each electronic coupon, and the identification number of each electronic coupon. I have. Here, for example, the remaining number of electronic coupons that can be issued to an unspecified number of users such as F department store gifts is not specified. In addition, regarding the usage status, an identification number is not defined for an electronic coupon that does not require a follow-up survey. Some valid download expiration dates are set and some are not set.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the user information DB 24. The user information DB 24 includes information on the user, information on the electronic coupon downloaded by the user,
Information on the use history of the electronic coupon is stored. To be more specific, the user name and the password are information on the user, the downloaded electronic coupon name, the identification number and the download date and time are the electronic coupon information, and the usage history indicates whether or not the electronic coupon has been used as the usage history, If used, date and time of use,
Each place of use is stored.

The user terminal 40 used by the user to use the electronic coupon has a screen 42 for displaying the electronic coupon as barcode information B. Also,
The user terminal 40 is preferably a portable terminal that is easy to carry so that the electronic coupon displayed on the screen 42 can be presented at a store that uses the electronic coupon. In the present embodiment, the user terminal 40 Is a mobile phone.

Next, the operation of the electronic coupon system 10 in the present embodiment will be described, and an embodiment of the electronic coupon distribution method according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the electronic coupon system 10. First, the content provider 34 issues an electronic coupon using the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30, and transmits the electronic coupon from the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 to the electronic coupon management server 20 (S1).
0). Here, it is assumed that the content provider 34 is a store that handles a certain product. When receiving the electronic coupon from the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30, the electronic coupon management server 20 stores the received electronic coupon in the electronic coupon DB 22 (S12). For example, when an electronic coupon of a 1000 yen ticket of the S musical instrument is received from the S musical instrument (content provider), it is written into the third column of the electronic coupon DB 22 as shown in FIG. This S musical instrument 10
The 00 yen ticket can be downloaded until July 30, and each electronic coupon is given an identification number.

Next, the user accesses the electronic coupon management server 20 using the user terminal 40, and requests the electronic coupon management server 20 to download the electronic coupon (S14). When receiving the electronic coupon download request (S16), the electronic coupon management server 20 authenticates the user who made the download request (S18), and downloads the electronic coupon (S20). The authentication performed at this time differs depending on the content of the electronic coupon. For example, an electronic coupon having a property that can be issued to an unspecified number of users, such as a discount ticket attached to a flyer or a flyer, performs simple authentication, and performs an unspecified number of operations, such as a concert ticket or a flight ticket. If the electronic coupon is of a nature that cannot be issued to the user, personal authentication with high security is performed.

The user downloads and acquires an electronic coupon from the electronic coupon management server 20 (S2).
2). Here, the user terminal 40 may have a memory or a file for storing the downloaded electronic coupon. Having the memory or the file in this way is convenient because the downloaded electronic coupon can be temporarily stored in the memory or the file and displayed on the screen 42 when necessary.

After downloading the electronic coupon to the user terminal 40, the electronic coupon management server 20 writes the distribution of the electronic coupon to the user in the user information DB 24 and updates it (S24). User BBB is April 1
When the R restaurant discount is downloaded at 13:15 on the 8th, information on the electronic coupon is written in the user information DB 24 as shown in FIG. At this point,
Since the electronic coupon is not used, the use category is “not yet” and no data is included in the items of the date and time of use and the place of use.

Next, the user sends the acquired electronic coupon to the user terminal 40 at a store using the electronic coupon.
Is displayed on the screen 42 (S26). The user presents the electronic coupon displayed as barcode information on the screen 42 of the user terminal 40 at the store, and the barcode scanner 32 installed at the store reads the electronic coupon displayed on the screen 42 of the user terminal 40 (S28). ). Then, the barcode scanner 32 displays the validity of whether the electronic coupon is valid (S30). This allows the clerk to determine whether the electronic coupon is valid.

Subsequently, the barcode scanner 32 notifies the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 that the electronic coupon has been used (S32). At this time, an identification number of the used electronic coupon, a use time, a place, and the like are notified as electronic coupon information. The electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 that has been notified of the electronic coupon information from the barcode scanner 32 erases the use of the issued electronic coupon (S
34).

Then, the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 notifies the electronic coupon management server 20 of the electronic coupon information (S36). The electronic coupon management server 20, which has received the electronic coupon information from the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30, updates the user information DB 24 based on the electronic coupon information (S38). For example, it is assumed that the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 is notified from the barcode scanner 32 of the S musical instrument that the S musical instrument 1000 yen ticket with the identification number 96338 has been used on May 14 in the Shinjuku store of the S musical instrument. In this case, the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 is
The electronic coupon management server 30 searches for the user to whom the used electronic coupon has been distributed based on the notified identification number.
Then, it is found that the used electronic coupon has been delivered to the user BBB, and the use history of the user BBB in the user information DB 24 is updated as shown in FIG.

The electronic coupon system 10 of the present embodiment
Is a user terminal 4 which uses an electronic coupon as barcode information.
Since the electronic coupon is displayed at 0 and the electronic coupon is read by the barcode scanner 32, the user does not need to print and use the electronic coupon, and the convenience of the electronic coupon can be improved.

In the electronic coupon system 10 of the present embodiment, the bar code scanner 32 that has read the electronic coupon notifies the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 of the identification number of the electronic coupon.
Can automatically clear that the issued electronic coupon has been used.

The electronic coupon management server 20 of the present embodiment has a user information DB 24. Then, the electronic coupon management server 20 updates the user information DB 24 by notifying the electronic coupon management terminal 20 of the electronic coupon information including the identification number, use time, and place of use of the electronic coupon from the electronic coupon issue terminal 30. Can be. That is, the time and place at which the electronic coupon issued to each user was used can be stored in the user information DB 24 as a history. Thus, from the status of the electronic coupon issued to each user, it is possible to analyze what site each user accesses in the virtual world and what he is interested in. Then, based on the usage status of the issued electronic coupon, whether or not the issued electronic coupon was actually used, and when and where it was used, each user goes to when and where in the real world. It is possible to analyze the life style of Noka. As described above, it is possible to analyze a user's hobbies, preferences, lifestyles, and the like from two directions, virtual and real, which is very effective for a marketing strategy.

Further, the electronic coupon distribution method of the present embodiment utilizes the above-mentioned electronic coupon system 10, so that the same effects as above can be obtained.

Next, an electronic coupon system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Although the basic configuration of the electronic coupon system 50 of the second embodiment is the same as that of the electronic coupon system 10 of the first embodiment as shown in FIG.
Is different.

The electronic coupon system 50 includes an electronic coupon management server 20 connected to the Internet 12,
An electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 for issuing an electronic coupon,
User terminal 40 for user to use electronic coupon
And

The electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 and the user terminal 40 have the same functions as those described in the first embodiment. The barcode scanner 32 connected to the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 and capable of reading barcode information also has the same functions as those described in the first embodiment.

The electronic coupon management server 20 includes an electronic coupon DB 22 for storing the electronic coupon issued by the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 as barcode information, and a data transmitting / receiving module 26 connected to the electronic coupon DB 22.
And Then, data can be transmitted and received through the Internet 12 and the contents of the electronic coupon DB 22 can be updated.

Next, the operation of the electronic coupon system 50 according to the second embodiment will be described, and a second embodiment of the electronic coupon distribution method according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the electronic coupon system 50. First, the content provider 34 issues an electronic coupon using the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30, and transmits the electronic coupon from the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 to the electronic coupon management server 20 (S5).
0). When receiving the electronic coupon from the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30, the electronic coupon management server 20 stores the received electronic coupon in the electronic coupon DB 22 (S5).
2).

Next, the user accesses the electronic coupon management server 20 through the user terminal 40, and requests the electronic coupon management server 20 to download the electronic coupon (S54). When receiving the electronic coupon download request (S56), the electronic coupon management server 20 downloads the electronic coupon (S58).

After the user acquires the electronic coupon from the electronic coupon management server 20 (S60), the acquired electronic coupon is displayed on the user terminal 40 on the screen 42 at the store using the electronic coupon (S62).

The user presents the electronic coupon displayed as barcode information on the screen 42 of the user terminal 40 at the store, and the barcode scanner 32 installed in the store reads the electronic coupon displayed on the user terminal 40 (S6).
4). Then, the barcode scanner 32 displays the validity of whether the electronic coupon is valid (S66). This allows the clerk to determine whether the electronic coupon is valid.

Subsequently, the barcode scanner 32 notifies the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 that the electronic coupon has been used (S68). At this time, the use time and place of the electronic coupon are notified as electronic coupon information. The electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 receives the electronic coupon information from the barcode scanner 32 (S70).

The electronic coupon system 50 of the second embodiment
The user terminal 4 uses the electronic coupon as barcode information as in the electronic coupon system 10 of the first embodiment.
Since the electronic coupon is displayed at 0 and the barcode scanner 32 reads the electronic coupon, the user does not need to print the electronic coupon, and the convenience of the electronic coupon can be improved.

Further, the electronic coupon system 50 of the present embodiment does not have the user information DB 24 as compared with the electronic coupon system 10 of the first embodiment, so that the electronic coupon system 50 can be realized with a simple configuration.
Further, since it is not necessary to write the identification number of the issued electronic coupon in the user information DB 24 or to update the use status of the electronic coupon when the electronic coupon is used, the electronic coupon distribution method that simplifies the procedure. Can be realized. Electronic coupon system 50 of the second embodiment
Is particularly effective when an electronic coupon to be distributed is issued to an unspecified number of users, such as a flyer or a leaflet, and it is not necessary to apply that the electronic coupon has been used.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

In the above embodiment, the barcode scanner 3
2 is directly connected to the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30, but as shown in FIG. 7, it is assumed that a plurality of barcode scanners 32 are provided and connected to the electronic coupon issuing terminal 30 via the Internet 12. Is also good. By adopting such a configuration, when the same electronic coupon can be used in a plurality of places, for example, it is also used for an electronic coupon that can be used in a plurality of stores in the same chain and a ticket such as an air ticket or a bullet train. be able to.

It is also possible to set an expiration date on the downloaded electronic coupon.

[0053]

According to the electronic coupon management server of the present invention, since the electronic coupon is stored as barcode information, the stored electronic coupon can be delivered to the user as barcode information. Thus, the user to whom the electronic coupon has been distributed can display the electronic coupon as barcode information on the user terminal.

Since the user information storage means is provided, it is possible to analyze the hobbies and preferences of each user from the usage status of each user's electronic coupon stored in the user information storage means.

According to the electronic coupon system of the present invention,
Since the user terminal has a barcode reading device that can read an electronic coupon displayed as barcode information, the user only needs to present the electronic coupon displayed on the user terminal, and print the electronic coupon. There is no need to use it.

Further, since the electronic coupon issuing terminal is connected to the bar code reader, the information of the electronic coupon read and used by the bar code reader can be transmitted to the electronic coupon issuing terminal. Thus, the electronic coupon issuing terminal can erase that the issued electronic coupon has been used.

Further, according to the electronic coupon distribution method of the present invention, the user can display the obtained electronic coupon as barcode information on the user terminal and read the electronic coupon with the barcode reader. This allows the user to present the electronic coupon displayed on the user terminal, and does not need to print and use the electronic coupon.

Since the electronic coupon issuing terminal has an electronic coupon information notifying stage for notifying the electronic coupon issuing terminal of information of the electronic coupon read in the electronic coupon reading stage, the electronic coupon issuing terminal confirms that the issued electronic coupon has been used. Reconciliation can be performed automatically.

The electronic coupon management server further includes a second electronic coupon information notification step of notifying the electronic coupon management server of the electronic coupon information notified to the electronic coupon issuing terminal in the electronic coupon information notification step. Can acquire the usage status of the electronic coupon from the notified information of the electronic coupon, and analyze the hobbies and preferences of each user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic coupon system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic coupon DB according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user information DB according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of the electronic coupon system of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an electronic coupon system according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of the electronic coupon system of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the electronic coupon system.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Electronic coupon system, 12: Internet, 20: Electronic coupon management server, 22: Electronic coupon database, 24: User information database,
26: data transmission / reception module, 30: electronic coupon issuing terminal, 32: barcode scanner, 40: user terminal, 42: screen.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06K 7/00 G06K 7/00 U (72) Inventor Teruaki Aizawa 5 Higashino Kitanogamicho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto No. 22 Kyocera Communication System Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5B049 CC00 GG02 5B055 CC00 5B072 CC24 DD01 MM09 MM11

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An electronic coupon management server that distributes an electronic coupon issued from a content provider to a user connected to a network, an electronic coupon storage unit that stores the electronic coupon as barcode information, and the electronic coupon. A distribution unit that distributes the electronic coupon stored in the storage unit to the user connected to a network. 2. The electronic coupon management server according to claim 1, further comprising a user information storage unit that stores a use status of the electronic coupon acquired by the user. 3. The electronic coupon management server according to claim 1 or 2, a user terminal that displays the electronic coupon distributed from the electronic coupon management server as barcode information, and the user terminal as barcode information. An electronic coupon system, comprising: a barcode reader that reads the displayed electronic coupon. 4. An electronic coupon issuing terminal for issuing the electronic coupon and providing the electronic coupon to the electronic coupon management server, wherein the bar code reader is connected to the electronic coupon issuing terminal via a network, and the bar code reader is 4. The electronic coupon system according to claim 3, wherein when the electronic coupon is used, the use of the electronic coupon is reported to the electronic coupon issuing terminal. 5. An electronic coupon distribution method in which an electronic coupon management server causes a user to use an electronic coupon issued from a content provider, wherein the content provider issues an electronic coupon by an electronic coupon issuing terminal. An electronic coupon storing step of storing the electronic coupon issued in the electronic coupon issuing step as barcode information in the electronic coupon management server; and the user being stored in the electronic coupon management server in the electronic coupon storing step. An electronic coupon acquisition step of downloading the electronic coupon to a user terminal; and an electronic coupon display step of displaying the electronic coupon acquired by the user in the electronic coupon acquisition step as barcode information on the user terminal. Electronic coupon distribution method characterized by and an electronic coupon reading step of reading the serial said electronic coupon displayed on the user terminal in an electronic coupon display phase by the bar code reader. 6. The electronic coupon distribution method according to claim 5, further comprising an electronic coupon information notifying step of notifying the electronic coupon issuing terminal of information of the electronic coupon read in the electronic coupon reading step. . 7. The electronic coupon information notifying step further includes a second electronic coupon information notifying step of notifying the electronic coupon management server of information of the electronic coupon notified to the electronic coupon issuing terminal. The electronic coupon distribution method according to claim 6, wherein