JP7502035B2 - Store device, operation control method thereof, and store device operation control program - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a store device, a method for controlling its operation, and a program for controlling the operation of the store device.

Electronic toll collection systems (ETC systems) are known that allow you to pass through toll booths without stopping when using toll roads. Tolls are collected using an ETC card (credit card) inserted into an ETC on-board unit installed in a vehicle. In recent years, there has been consideration of using ETC card payments at private commercial facilities other than toll collection on toll roads. Patent Document 1 discloses the use of ETC card payments in payment systems at gas stations, drive-through stores, and parking lots.

JP 2004-227055 A

With ETC card payments, payment is made using the ETC card (and the credit card linked to that ETC card) inserted into the ETC on-board unit. For example, if a group of multiple members are in a vehicle and each person orders an item, they cannot each make the payment (payment) individually; the owner of the ETC card inserted into the ETC on-board unit (one of the multiple members) must make the payment.

The purpose of this invention is to enable each individual to order and pay for products, while allowing delivery of ordered products to be done on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis.

The store device according to the first invention includes an order receiving means for receiving an order data set including an individual ordered item identifier, an individual payment identifier, and a common ETC on-board unit identifier transmitted from each of a plurality of user terminals, a payment requesting means for transmitting the payment identifier and the item payment amount specified by the ordered item identifier to a payment institution computer to request payment, and a matching means for matching the ordered item identifiers contained in the plurality of order data sets received by the order receiving means using the ETC on-board unit identifier as a key.

This invention also provides a method for controlling the operation of the above-mentioned store device, and a computer program for implementing this method.

The store device according to the first invention accepts product orders from users who are in vehicles equipped with an ETC onboard unit. The users can place product orders before visiting the store. When they arrive at the store by vehicle, they can smoothly receive the ordered products.

Multiple users aboard vehicles each order products using a user terminal (typically a smartphone) owned by each user. An order product identifier (e.g., a product number for identifying the ordered product) that identifies the ordered product is transmitted from each of the multiple user terminals to the store device. In addition to the order product identifier, a payment identifier (such as a credit card number, debit card number, or other number that can be used for electronic payment) for paying for the ordered product and an ETC onboard unit identifier (such as a number unique to the ETC onboard unit installed in the vehicle) are also transmitted from each of the multiple user terminals to the store device. An order receiving means of the store device receives an order data set including the order product identifier, payment identifier, and ETC onboard unit identifier from each of the multiple user terminals. The order product identifier and payment identifier generally differ for each order data set. On the other hand, the ETC onboard unit identifier is common to multiple order data sets.

The store device requests payment from the payment institution's computer using the payment identifier contained in the order data set received from each of the multiple user terminals and the product price identified by the ordered product identifier also contained in the order data set (processing of the payment request means). Needless to say, the payment request is sent to the computer of the payment institution (e.g., a credit card company) identified by the payment identifier. The payment institution will, for example, pay the product price (the balance after deducting a payment fee from the product price) to the store and debit the product price from the user's bank account at a later date.

The store device further uses the ETC on-board unit identifier included in the order data set as a key to group the multiple ordered item identifiers included in the multiple order data sets (processing of the name matching means). This makes it possible to identify and group together the items ordered from the user terminals of multiple users who are in a specific vehicle.

According to the first invention, while product ordering and payment can be performed individually, delivery of ordered products can be performed on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis, and when the vehicle arrives at the store, the ordered products of the multiple users aboard the vehicle can be delivered together.

In one embodiment, the store device further includes a vehicle arrival information receiving means for receiving arrival information of a vehicle equipped with an ETC onboard unit identified by the ETC onboard unit identifier from an ETC gate installed near the store where the store device is installed. Since the arrival of the vehicle at the store is known, it is possible to prepare for delivery of ordered items of multiple users together. Preferably, when the vehicle arrival information is received by the vehicle arrival information receiving means, the name matching means ends the name matching.

In another embodiment, the order data set includes a store identifier that identifies a store, and an estimated arrival time when a vehicle equipped with an ETC onboard unit identified by the ETC onboard unit identifier will arrive at the store identified by the store identifier. The estimated arrival time can be used to prepare for delivery of ordered items of multiple users together. Preferably, the name matching means ends the name matching when the current time becomes the estimated arrival time or a predetermined time before that.

In the first invention, the store device that receives the order data set requests the payment agency's computer to settle the product price (proxy payment). The payment of the product price may be completed through communication between the user terminal and the payment agency's computer prior to placing the product order at the store device.

The store device according to the second invention, which is premised on completing the payment process for the ordered items in advance between the user terminal and the payment institution's computer, includes an order receiving means for receiving an order data set including an individual paid ordered item identifier and a common ETC on-board unit identifier transmitted from each of a plurality of user terminals, and a matching means for matching the multiple paid ordered item identifiers included in the multiple order data sets received by the order receiving means using the ETC on-board unit identifier as a key. An "individual paid ordered item identifier" refers to a number or the like that identifies an item ordered using each of a plurality of user terminals and for which payment (payment) processing has already been performed in advance by the payment institution (paid).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the process of the product ordering system according to the first embodiment. Shows the name matching data. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the processing of a product ordering system according to a modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating the process of a product ordering system according to a second embodiment.

Figure 1 is a block diagram that shows the hardware that constitutes the product ordering system of the first embodiment and its processing.

The product ordering system of the first embodiment is a system that accepts product orders from multiple passengers in a vehicle before they visit a store, and allows them to collect the ordered products together when the vehicle arrives at the store. In the following, we will use the so-called drive-through (a service in which ordered products are collected through a window without getting out of the vehicle) as an example.

A vehicle 10 is equipped with an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) on-board unit 12. The ETC on-board unit 12 has a main body with a processing function unit, an ETC card insertion unit, etc., and an antenna, and may be any type, such as a two-piece type in which the main body and antenna are housed in a single housing (called a two-piece type because it is composed of an ETC on-board unit and an ETC card), a three-piece type in which the antenna is separated from the main body, or a built-in type in which the ETC on-board unit 12 is pre-installed in the vehicle.

The ETC on-board unit 12 has a memory (not shown) in which a management number unique to the ETC on-board unit 12 (hereinafter referred to as the "ETC on-board unit management number") is stored. As explained below, the product ordering system uses the ETC on-board unit management number unique to the ETC on-board unit 12 installed in the vehicle 10.

The ETC vehicle unit 12 has a card insertion section into which an ETC card 11 issued by a credit card company is inserted, allowing tolls for toll roads to be paid by credit card. However, the product ordering system of the first embodiment does not particularly require this ETC card 11. Details of this will become clear from the following explanation.

In the first embodiment, three passengers are on board the vehicle 10, and each of the three passengers carries (owns) their own smartphones 21 to 23. The smartphones 21 to 23 are used to place advance orders for products (orders placed before visiting a store in the vehicle 10). The smartphones 21 to 23 are computer devices equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a display device, an input device, a communication device, a memory, a storage device, etc.

Each of the smartphones 21 to 23 has a product ordering application program (hereinafter referred to as the product ordering app) pre-installed.

When the product ordering app is launched, a screen for selecting a store (a store that offers drive-through service) and selecting the products to order appears on the display screen of the smartphone 21-23. The user selects a store that offers drive-through, selects the products to order, and places the order by following the instructions (options) displayed on the display screen of the smartphone 21-23.

The screens (contents) for selecting stores and products, which are displayed on the display screens of the smartphones 21 to 23 by the product ordering app, are downloaded to each of the smartphones 21 to 23 via the Internet.

The smartphones 21-23 are also input with the card number of the credit card to be used for payment and the ETC on-board unit control number. The credit card number and ETC on-board unit control number may be stored in advance in the memory of the smartphones 21-23, and read out when ordering a product. For example, the product ordering app may request input of the card number and ETS on-board unit control number the first time it is used, and may operate to use the data stored in the memory from the second time onwards (steps (i) and (ii)).

The credit card (card number) used for payment is generally different for each of the owners (three passengers) of smartphones 21-23, so a different credit card number is entered into each of the three smartphones 21-23. On the other hand, the ETC on-board unit management number entered into each of smartphones 21-23 is the same. For example, the management number of the ETC on-board unit 12 installed in vehicle 10 can be displayed on the display screen of the car navigation device equipped in vehicle 10. By each person entering this into smartphone 21-23, the same ETC on-board unit management number is entered into each of the three smartphones 21-23.

Each of the three passengers uses their own smartphone 21-23 to select a store, select the item to order, and tap the order button. The selected store information (e.g., store identification number), selected order item information (e.g., item number), credit card number, and ETC on-board unit management number are sent from each of the three smartphones 21-23 to the selected store's computer (hereinafter referred to as store device 40) via the Internet as an order data set (step (iii)). The store device 40 is a computer device equipped with a CPU, memory, communication device, input device, display device, etc. Note that, although it is not necessary, the selected store is generally the same for all three passengers.

The order data set may be sent directly from the smartphones 21 to 23 to the selected store device 40 via the Internet, etc., or may be sent, for example, to a headquarters (a computer at a chain headquarters) that oversees multiple stores, and then sent (transferred) from the headquarters to the store device 40.

The store device 40 that has received the order data set sends a credit card payment request for the ordered items to the credit card company's payment processing device (computer device) 31, 32, etc., based on the ordered item information and credit card number included in the order data set (step (iv)). The store device 40 sends the ordered item information, for example the price (amount) of the item identified by the item number, together with the credit card number to the credit card company's payment processing device 31, 32, etc.

The credit card company's payment processing devices 31, 32, etc. carry out payment processing such as credit inquiries and sales processing (step (v)), and the processing results are sent to the store device 40 (step (vi)). Communication between the store device 40 and the payment processing devices 31, 32, etc. is also carried out via the Internet.

The in-store device 40 sends an order acceptance notification to the smartphones 21-23 (step (vii)). In general, assuming that the payment processing by the credit card company's payment processing device 31, 32, etc. has been completed successfully, an order confirmation message such as "Your order has been accepted" is sent to the smartphones 21-23.

When a store receives an order, it can begin preparing the ordered items for delivery (for example, cooking them).

As described above, the order data sets transmitted from the smartphones 21 to 23 to the store device 40 contain the same ETC on-board unit management number. The order information (item numbers) contained in the order data sets are grouped (aggregated) using the ETC on-board unit management number contained in the order data sets (step (viii)). That is, although the order data sets transmitted from each of the smartphones 21 to 23 to the store device 40 are independent, the order information contained in the order data sets is grouped using the ETC on-board unit management number contained in the order data sets as a key. The grouping of order data sets (order information) using the ETC on-board unit management number as a key is hereinafter referred to as "name matching."

The name matching process may be performed by the store device 40, or by a computer device (name matching device) 41 separate from the store device 40. When the name matching process is performed by the store device 40 and a separate name matching device 41, the store device 40 transmits the order data set (or at least the set of the ETC vehicle unit management number and order information contained in the order data set) to the name matching device 41 each time the store device 40 receives the order data set. The store device 40 may request the name matching process from the other computer device, and the store device 40 may receive the processing results.

Figure 2 shows an example of the result of the name matching process executed by the name matching device 41 (name matching data 42 stored in a storage device provided in the name matching device 41).

As described above, each time an order data set is sent from the smartphones 21 to 23, the name matching device 41 performs the name matching process using the ETC on-board unit management number contained therein as a key. Since the three order data sets sent from the three smartphones 21 to 23 contain the ETC on-board unit management number unique to the ETC on-board unit 12 installed in the vehicle 10, the order data sets (order information contained therein) sent from each of these smartphones 21 to 23 are grouped using this ETC on-board unit management number as a key.

When the name matching device 41 receives an order data set containing a new ETC on-board unit management number, it creates a record and stores the ETC on-board unit management number and order information (order number) in that record. When it receives an order data set containing an ETC on-board unit management number that is the same as an ETC on-board unit management number already stored in the name matching data 42, it adds the order information (item number) contained in that other order data set to the already created record that contains that ETC on-board unit management number. Each time an order data set containing the same ETC on-board unit management number is received, the order information (item number) contained in that order data set is added to the record. Record data containing an ETC on-board unit management number and one or more pieces of order information is hereinafter referred to as name matching information.

Returning to FIG. 1, an ETC gate (roadside wireless device) 51 capable of wireless communication with the ETC vehicle-mounted unit 12 is installed near the entrance of the store (for example, at the entrance to the store's parking lot). The ETC gate 51 wirelessly communicates with the ETC vehicle-mounted unit 12 and can read (receive) the ETC vehicle-mounted unit management number stored in the ETC vehicle-mounted unit 12.

The ETC gate 51 transmits the received ETC vehicle control number to the name matching device 41 (step (ix)).

The name matching device 41, which has received the ETC on-board unit management number, ends the name matching process for the name matching information (record) including the ETC on-board unit management number, and transmits the name matching information including the received ETC on-board unit management number to the store device 40 (step (x)). Based on the name matching information, the store can store multiple ordered items received from each of the smartphones 21 to 23 together in one bag, for example, and hand over the bundled items to the passengers of the vehicle 10 through the window (step (xi)).

When the name matching process is completed or when the product is handed over, the corresponding name matching information may be erased in the name matching device 41.

In this way, the product ordering system allows customers to order products in advance before actually visiting the store, and they can pick up the products immediately when they arrive at the store. This helps reduce waiting times when the store is crowded.

Product orders and credit card payments can be made by each of the owners of smartphones 21 to 23, so there is no need for a representative to pay the full amount once and then go through the trouble of billing others. Furthermore, even though each passenger places an order individually, multiple passengers can be treated as a single group when picking up products at the store. This also greatly simplifies the process of picking up products at the store.

In the first embodiment described above, when the vehicle 10 passes through the ETC gate 51, the name matching process is terminated and preparation for delivery of the goods begins. Instead of determining the end timing of the name matching process as the timing when the vehicle 10 passes through the ETC gate 51, the smartphones 21-23 may transmit the estimated time of arrival at the store specified in the store information to the store device 40, and the name matching process may be terminated at the estimated arrival time (or a predetermined time before the estimated arrival time (for example, one minute before)). The estimated time of arrival at the store may be obtained from a car navigation system installed in the vehicle 10, or may be calculated by a product ordering app installed in the smartphones 21-23 using the distance between the current location and the store specified in the store information and the travel speed of the vehicle 10. In this case, the passage of the vehicle 10 through the ETC gate 51 can be used to notify a store clerk that the vehicle 10 has arrived at the store.

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the outline of the processing of a product ordering system that is a variation of the first embodiment. The timing of credit card payment differs from that of the product ordering system shown in Figure 1.

In the product ordering system of the modified first embodiment, the credit card payment process is carried out when the vehicle 10 arrives at the store, i.e., when the vehicle 10 passes through the ETC gate 51 (steps (viii), (ix), and (x)). That is, after the store device 40 receives notification of the ECT vehicle-mounted unit management number read by the ETC gate 51, it requests payment from the credit card company's payment processing device 31, 32, etc.

For example, if a store only sells products that can be prepared in advance, there is no need to consider cooking time, and preparation for delivery of the ordered products can begin after the vehicle 10 arrives at the store. The modified product ordering system is suitable for such stores.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the outline of the processing of the product ordering system of the second embodiment. It differs from the product ordering system of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 in that the credit card payment processing is carried out between the smartphones 21-23 and the credit card company's payment processing devices 31, 32, etc., rather than between the store device 40 and the credit card company's payment processing devices 31, 32, etc.

When the order button is tapped on each of the smartphones 21 to 23, a payment request including the credit card number and the price (amount) of the ordered item is sent from the smartphones 21 to 23 to the payment processing device 31, 32, etc. of the credit card company (step (iii)), and the processing result is returned (steps (iv) and (v)).

After that, an order data set is sent from each of the smartphones 21 to 23 to the store device 40. Unlike the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the order data set includes the selected store information, the selected ordered product information, information indicating that payment has already been completed for the product identified by the ordered product information (paid ordered product information), and the ETC vehicle unit management number, and the credit card number is not included in the order data set. Subsequent processing is the same as in the first embodiment.

10 Vehicles
12 ETC on-board unit
21, 22, 23 Smartphone
31, 32 Payment processing device
40 Store equipment
41 Name matching device
51 ETC Gate

Claims (6)

an order receiving means for receiving an order data set including an individual ordered item identifier, an individual payment identifier, and a common ETC on-board unit identifier, the order data set being transmitted from each of the plurality of user terminals;
a payment request means for transmitting the payment identifier and the product payment amount specified by the ordered product identifier to a computer of a payment institution to request payment;
a matching means for creating a record when an order data set including a new ETC on-board unit identifier is received, storing the ETC on-board unit identifier and the ordered product identifier in the record, and for matching a plurality of the ordered product identifiers included in the plurality of order data sets received by the order receiving means by using the ETC on-board unit identifier as a key, by additionally registering the ordered product identifier included in the different order data set to the already created record including the ETC on-board unit identifier when an order data set including the same ETC on-board unit identifier as the stored ETC on-board unit identifier is received;
a vehicle arrival information receiving means for receiving arrival information of a vehicle equipped with an ETC on-board unit identified by the ETC on-board unit identifier from an ETC gate installed near the store where the store device is installed, and an erasing means for terminating name matching by the name matching means when the vehicle arrival information is received by the vehicle arrival information receiving means, and erasing the record when the name matching process is completed or when the delivery of the product is completed.
Store equipment. an order receiving means for receiving an order data set including an individual settled order product identifier and a common ETC on-board unit identifier, the order data set being transmitted from each of the plurality of user terminals;
a matching means for creating a record when an order data set including a new ETC on-board unit identifier is received, storing the ETC on-board unit identifier and the ordered product identifier in the record, and for matching a plurality of the paid ordered product identifiers included in the plurality of order data sets received by the order receiving means using the ETC on-board unit identifier as a key by additionally registering the ordered product identifier included in the different order data set to the already created record including the ETC on-board unit identifier when an order data set including the same ETC on-board unit identifier as the stored ETC on-board unit identifier is received;
a vehicle arrival information receiving means for receiving arrival information of a vehicle equipped with an ETC on-board unit identified by the ETC on-board unit identifier from an ETC gate installed near the store in which the store device is installed, and an erasing means for terminating name matching by the name matching means when the vehicle arrival information is received by the vehicle arrival information receiving means, and erasing the record at the timing when the name matching process is completed or when the delivery of the product is completed .
Store equipment. The order data set includes a store identifier for identifying a store, and an estimated arrival time of a vehicle equipped with an ETC on-board unit identified by the ETC on-board unit identifier at the store identified by the store identifier,
The store device according to claim 1 or 2. When the current time becomes the expected arrival time or a predetermined time before that, the name matching means ends the name matching.
The store device according to claim 3 . An order receiving means receives an order data set including an ETC on-board unit identifier, a payment identifier, and an ordered product identifier, the order data set being transmitted from each of the plurality of user terminals;
A payment request means transmits the payment identifier and the payment amount for the product identified by the ordered product identifier to a computer of a payment institution to request payment;
a matching means for matching the order item identifiers included in each of the received order data sets using the ETC on-board unit identifier as a key by creating a record when the order data set including a new ETC on-board unit identifier is received, storing the ETC on-board unit identifier and the ordered item identifier in the record, and when the order data set including the same ETC on-board unit identifier as the stored ETC on-board unit identifier is received, additionally registering the ordered item identifier included in the different order data set to the already created record including the ETC on-board unit identifier,
A vehicle arrival information receiving means receives arrival information of a vehicle equipped with an ETC on-board unit identified by the ETC on-board unit identifier from an ETC gate installed near the store in which the store device is installed,
When the vehicle arrival information receiving means receives the vehicle arrival information, the name matching means ends the name matching, and the record is erased by the erasing means when the name matching process ends or when the delivery of the product is completed.
A method for controlling the operation of in-store equipment. An order receiving means receives an order data set including an individual settled order product identifier and a common ETC on-board unit identifier, the order data set being transmitted from each of the plurality of user terminals;
a matching means for creating a record when an order data set including a new ETC on-board unit identifier is received, storing the ETC on-board unit identifier and the ordered product identifier in the record, and for receiving an order data set including an ETC on-board unit identifier that is the same as the stored ETC on-board unit identifier, additionally registering the ordered product identifier included in the different order data set to the already created record including the ETC on-board unit identifier, thereby matching the multiple paid ordered product identifiers included in the multiple order data sets received by the order receiving means using the ETC on-board unit identifier as a key;
A vehicle arrival information receiving means receives arrival information of a vehicle equipped with an ETC on-board unit identified by the ETC on-board unit identifier from an ETC gate installed near the store in which the store device is installed,
When the vehicle arrival information receiving means receives the vehicle arrival information, the name matching means ends the name matching, and the record is erased by the erasing means when the name matching process ends or when the delivery of the product is completed.
A method for controlling the operation of in-store equipment.

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