JP6172597B2 - Point Card - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal type point card and a point card reader / writer characterized in that a reward point given to a customer is printed as a mark, and the mark to be printed is processed optically.

  Conventionally, a point card has been used as one of the marketing methods for the purpose of enclosing customers. This point card is introduced in a so-called point card system that provides services such as free gifts and discounts when points are given according to the purchase price, for example, when the points exceed a specified value. As a method of assigning points, a stamp method for stamping a mark on a paper card (see, for example, Patent Document 1), a thermal method for additionally printing a mark on a thermal card, a rewrite method for rewriting the accumulated points, and these There is a point card (for example, see Patent Document 2) that combines a thermal method and a rewrite method.

  The point card using the thermal method or the rewrite method described above is provided with a magnetic layer as a data recording unit on the back surface of the card, for example, and various information such as ID data and reward point data is recorded and recorded on the magnetic layer. A part of the data is printed or erased as display information visualized by repeatedly heating the rewrite layer on the surface with a thermal head. The data recorded on the magnetic layer is stored in the memory provided in the reader / writer, and the collected purchase information and attribute information of the customer can be collected and analyzed, which can be used for sales promotion activities and management of grant points. , Customer visits can be guided and customers can be established.

  Further, a method of loading an IC tag in which ID information or the like is recorded on a rewrite card is adopted. The ID information recorded on the IC tag is read by a card reader / writer, and data processing is performed via a computer connected to the card reader / writer. However, since the method of attaching an IC tag increases the cost of a point card, the fact is that a thermal card capable of only a stamp method or additional recording is introduced in small-scale shopping streets and retail stores. Therefore, the present applicant, as a point card with a low initial manufacturing cost, removes the magnetic layer from the back side of the rewrite card, and rewrites the bar code variable information on the rewrite card (see Patent Document 3). As a rewritable card system device, a small and high-performance card reader / writer (see Patent Document 4) that can handle bar codes of various standards and sizes has been proposed. This card reader / writer includes a camera module 3 as shown in FIG. 5 and can optically read a barcode printed on the point card 1.

JP 2000-99810 A JP 2004-30207 A JP 2012-51354 A JP 2012-53857 A

  Stamp-type point cards are used so that a mark such as a pattern is stamped in accordance with the purchase amount, and a discount coupon is given to a customer when a certain number of marks are accumulated. Since the main purpose is a discount service for the mark, the information printed or written on the card is handwritten or stamped with the minimum necessary information such as name and ID number. Therefore, customer information and purchase history information cannot be mechanically read and the information cannot be managed. Further, if the stamped mark has a complicated pattern, there is a problem that it takes time for the reading process when reading with a card reader / writer as described in Patent Document 4. Furthermore, since inexpensive card base materials and stamps are used, there is a security problem that it is easy to create a counterfeit card or a counterfeit stamp.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can be manufactured at a low cost while enabling the same level of customer information management as a card having an IC tag or a magnetic layer, and the mark printed on the card is optical. It is an object of the present invention to provide a point card and a point card reader / writer capable of performing a quick printing process by shortening the time for reading and processing.

For this reason, the point card of the present invention is provided with a thermal layer on a card base material made of paper material or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material, and prints on the thermal type and reads the printing surface optically. In the point card, at least the identification bar code that records customer information, a plurality of marks that are given according to the usage status and printed in a plurality of columns and lines, and the number and arrangement of the marks, are simple The first feature is that a mark information symbol represented by a simple symbol is provided. A second feature is that the identification barcode is a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode. Further, the third feature is that the mark to be printed is a two-dimensional barcode, and the fourth feature is that the barcode is scrambled.

  Since the above-described mark information symbol is read by an optical method, it takes time to read the complicated character or symbol. Also, the symbols must have a high contrast with the surroundings so that they can be easily recognized. That is, the mark information symbol is preferably printed with a simple symbol. In the present invention, simple symbols include, for example, symbols of extremely simple shapes such as vertical lines, horizontal lines (including negative signs), diagonal lines, dots (including dots, periods and circles), triangles, squares, and positive signs. Say.

The point card and the point card reader / writer of the present invention have the following excellent effects.
(1) Since information is recorded on a bar code and the bar code is printed in the same manner as normal visible information, the information can be recorded on a point card without providing a magnetic layer or IC.
(2) Since the mark information symbol is printed with a simple symbol, the time for reading the mark information optically is shortened, and the printing process can be performed quickly.
(3) If the mark is a two-dimensional barcode, more information can be given to each individual mark, and privilege information can be given.
(4) Since the bar code is scrambled, personal information recorded on the point card can be protected and unauthorized use by a forged card can be prevented.
(5) Since all barcodes and marks printed on the point card can be read optically, the structure of the card reader / writer is simplified.
(6) Card information can be stored and managed by a memory provided in the card reader / writer.

  In this way, since customer information is barcoded and printed on the card, the magnetic layer and IC which are conventional information recording means are omitted, and further, paper material or PET material is used for the card substrate, Point cards can be manufactured at low cost. Further, since a magnetic head and a magnetic reader are not required from the card reader / writer, the card reader / writer can be manufactured at a low cost.

It is a top view which shows the printing surface of the point card which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the printing surface of the point card which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the printing surface of the point card which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the printing surface of the point card which concerns on 4th embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the internal structure of the reader / writer for point cards which concerns on this invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a point card according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[First embodiment]
With reference to FIG. 1, the printing surface of the point card 1 which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. On the printing surface of the point card 1, an identification barcode 4, a plurality of marks 5, and a mark information symbol 6 are printed. The card base material is a paper material or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material, and the identification barcode 4 is printed as a two-dimensional barcode that records personal information such as customer name, membership number, and contact information. Used as information recording means. The mark 5 preferably has a pattern according to the product or service, and a predetermined number of marks are printed as reward points, for example. The mark information symbol 6 is printed with numerical information and arrangement information related to the mark 5 with vertical black bars. Since the mark information symbol 6 is optically read, it is preferably a simple symbol. The mark information symbol 6 is determined in accordance with the number information and the arrangement information of the marks 5. For example, two mark information symbols 6 are printed every time one mark 5 is printed. As the number increases, the mark information symbol 6 is printed. Further, when the mark 5 is printed, the arrangement information of the mark 5 is acquired by the card reader / writer from the printed mark information section 6 and printed after confirming the place where the mark 5 is printed next. . As shown in FIG. 5, the camera module 3 in the card reader / writer 2 optically reads the mark information symbol 6 to recognize the number information and arrangement information of the associated mark 5, and the card reader / writer 2. It is also possible to confirm the consistency of the mark 5 printed on the point card 1 by comparing with past information recorded in an internal memory (not shown).

[Second Embodiment]
With reference to FIG. 2, the printing surface of the point card 1 which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the mark 5 is printed with a two-dimensional barcode. Hereinafter, description of the same parts as those in the first embodiment will be omitted. The point card 1 according to the present embodiment has a two-dimensional barcode printed on the mark 5. This two-dimensional barcode is printed when a privilege service is provided according to the usage status of the customer. The customer can acquire the assigned valuable information by reading the printed two-dimensional barcode with a device having a barcode reading function. For example, valuable information recorded on a two-dimensional bar code such as providing a birthday privilege for a customer, a discount ticket for a specific product, or a voucher, or pulling a premium lottery by guiding to a WEB site is available in various service forms. Can be taken.

[Third embodiment]
With reference to FIG. 3, the printing surface of the point card 1 which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the pattern of the mark 5 is different and the mark information symbol 6 is printed in a circle.

[Fourth embodiment]
With reference to FIG. 4, the printing surface of the point card 1 which concerns on the 4th embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the identification barcode 4 is a one-dimensional barcode, the pattern of the mark 5 is different, and the mark information symbol 6 is different. The identification barcode 4 is used when customer information is printed as a one-dimensional barcode and the amount of customer information to be recorded is small. The mark 5 is printed as a two-dimensional barcode when the customer usage condition satisfies a certain condition. For example, assuming that a certain condition is the number of collections of the same mark 5, as shown in FIG. 4, when seven identical marks 5 are printed, the next mark 5 is printed with a two-dimensional barcode. Thus, it becomes possible to provide a privilege service by printing a two-dimensional barcode as a reward for collecting the mark 5. The mark information symbol 6 is printed in a quadrangle, and the number and arrangement thereof correspond to the number information and arrangement information of the mark 5 as described above.

  In the present embodiment described above, the identification barcode 4 and the mark 5 printed on the point card 1 can be protected by scrambling the two-dimensional barcode.

  The bar code used in this embodiment is a standardized code such as JAN, CODE 39, ITF, etc., which are generally known at present. A suitable code may be newly developed. Further, the gist of the present invention is that the mark information symbol is printed with a simple symbol to reduce the time spent for optical recognition, and is not limited to the above embodiment, and does not depart from the gist. It goes without saying that modifications can be made within the range.

1 Point card 2 Card reader / writer 3 Camera module 4 Identification bar code 5 Mark 6 Mark information symbol

Claims (4)

A card base made of paper or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material is provided with a thermal layer, and printing is performed in a thermal manner, and at least customer information is recorded on a point card in which the printing surface is optically read. A barcode for identification, a plurality of marks that are given according to the use situation, printed on a plurality of columns and a plurality of lines, and a mark information symbol represented by a simple symbol corresponding to the number and arrangement of the marks are provided. Point card characterized by that.   The point card according to claim 1, wherein the identification barcode is a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode.   The point card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mark to be printed is a two-dimensional barcode.   4. The point card according to claim 2, wherein the bar code is a scrambled bar code.

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