Service point management system for use in sales promotion services

• US 20060218089A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Shigeta, Akihiko, Matsumoto, Mitsuhito, Hiroshima, Yasumasa, Fujiwara, Masao, Tomari, Satoshi, Matsumoto, Mamoru, Tomita, Tokimori
• Application Number:
  US11/444,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218089A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A service point management system employs a computer for managing points issued to each customer who receives service according to the points. A point issue unit issues points to the customer according to transactions performed by the customer. A point accumulation unit calculates and accumulates the issued points. A point notification unit notifies the customer of point information. A customer identification unit identifies the customer according to customer identification data entered through a customer or store terminal. The point notification unit notifies the customer identified by the customer identification unit of the customer'"'"'s cumulative point information before the customer carries out transactions.

Claims

1. A point management system connected with a customer terminal via a communication link, employing a computer for managing points issued to each customer who receives services according to the issued points, comprising:

a point issuing unit to issue the points to a customer according to transactions performed by the customer;

a point accumulation unit to calculate and accumulate the issued points;

a customer identification unit to identify the customer according to customer identification information obtained from the customer terminal; and

a notifying unit to notify the customer of the cumulative points accumulated by the point accumulation unit by sending the cumulative points to the customer terminal when the customer is successfully identified by the customer identification unit, and

wherein the notifying unit further notifies receivable services in a range of the customer'"'"'s present cumulative points.

2. A point management system connected with a customer terminal via a communication link, employing a computer for managing points issued to each customer who receives services according to the issued points, comprising:

a point issuing unit to issue the points to a customer according to transactions performed by the customer;

a point accumulation unit to calculate and accumulate the issued points;

a customer identification unit to identify the customer according to customer identification information obtained from the customer terminal;

a notifying unit to notify the customer of the cumulative points accumulated by the point accumulation unit by sending the cumulative points to the customer terminal when the customer is successfully identified by the customer identification unit;

a selection unit to enable the customer to select a requiring genre of service; and

a displaying unit to display the services belonging to the genre the customer selected, points required for said each service and points additionally required to receive said each service.

3. A point management system connected with a customer terminal via a communication link, employing a computer for managing points issued to each customer who receives services according to the issued points, comprising:

a point issuing unit to issue the points to a customer according to transactions performed by the customer;

a point accumulation unit to calculate and accumulate the issued points;

a customer identification unit to identify the customer according to customer identification information obtained from the customer terminal;

a notifying unit to notify the customer of the cumulative points accumulated by the point accumulation unit by sending the cumulative points to the customer terminal when the customer is successfully identified by the customer identification unit; and

an entering unit to enable the customer to enter a requiring service, and

wherein the displaying unit further displays shortage points for receiving a service corresponding to the service the customer entered.

4. A point management method managing points issued to each customer via a computer, comprising:

extracting purchase data responsive to a first customer transaction;

correlating the extracted purchase data of the first customer transaction with a purchase condition table stored by a provider; and

calculating and issuing points in relation to a customer in accordance with the correlation of the extracted purchase data with the purchase condition table prior to a second customer transaction subsequent to the first customer transaction, and indicating target points for which the customer is eligible to receive a credit.

5. A computer-readable recording medium having a program stored therein to cause a computer to execute operations to manage points issued to customers, comprising:

correlating purchase data of a current customer transaction with a purchase condition table stored by a provider; and

calculating and issuing points in real-time to credit a customer corresponding to the purchase data in accordance with the correlation of the purchase data with the purchase condition table, wherein the customer is provided with the issued points prior to a subsequent customer transaction.

6. A method of managing points issued to each customer, comprising:

calculating points issued to a customer upon completion of a transaction by the customer; and

providing information of the calculated points including target points for which the customer is eligible to the customer, wherein said calculating points and said information of the calculated points is performed without requiring the customer to provide a recordable medium usable to manage the points.