METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING GIFT BY USING COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND SYSTEM INCLUDING THE APPARATUS

• US 20090259562A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eleven Street Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hyo-Jung, Joo, Choi, Kyung-Lim, Jae-Hee, Cho
• Granted Patent: US 9,390,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for providing a gift using a communication network and a system including the apparatus. The present invention includes a) providing information about products to a user terminal connected with a gift provision apparatus through the communication network; b) selecting at least one of the products by the user terminal and inputting information of a receipt terminal for receiving the product; c) the user terminal transmitting a message requesting gift provision or a message requesting gift reception for the product to the gift provision apparatus; and d) the gift provision apparatus providing a gift icon corresponding to the product to the receipt terminal when receiving the message requesting gift provision.

Claims

1. A method of providing a gift icon using a communication network, comprising:

a) providing information about products to a user terminal connected with a gift provision apparatus through the communication network,

b) selecting at least one of the products by the user terminal and inputting information of a receipt terminal for receiving the product;

c) the user terminal transmitting a message requesting gift provision or a message requesting gift reception for the product to the gift provision apparatus; and

d) the gift provision apparatus providing a gift icon corresponding to the product to the receipt terminal when receiving the message requesting gift provision.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step b) comprises:

reading an address book including at least one of an e-mail address or a telephone number of the receipt terminal; and

the user terminal selecting the information of the receipt terminal from the address book.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the user terminal and the receipt terminal are wired terminals or mobile terminals.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user terminal and the receipt terminal operate software of enabling messages or data to be transmitted and received in real time through the communication network and transmit and receive the gift icon through the software.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein step d) comprises:

d-1) when the gift icon is transmitted to the receipt terminal, transmitting a message inquiring a storage location of the gift icon to the receipt terminal; and

d-2) when a message requesting transmission of the gift icon is transmitted from the receipt terminal to a predetermined mobile terminal, transmitting the gift icon to the mobile terminal.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein step d-2) further comprises:

d-2a) transmitting a message including a URL in which the gift icon is stored to the mobile terminal.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein step d-2) further comprises:

d-2b) when the mobile terminal connects to the URL and requests download of the gift icon, downloading the gift icon.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

e) when the receipt terminal accepts the gift icon, registering an acceptance completion message in the gift provision apparatus.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step d) provides a web page or wap page for settlement to the user terminal when the gift provision apparatus receives the message requesting gift provision, and provides the gift icon when the settlement has been finished.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

f) the gift provision apparatus receiving the message requesting gift reception and delivering the message requesting gift reception to the receipt terminal;

g) when an acceptance message is received from the receipt terminal, providing a wap page or wap page for settlement to the receipt terminal; and

h) when the settlement has been finished, providing the gift icon to the user terminal.

11. The method as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

displaying a button for return on a screen of the receipt terminal having received the gift icon; and

when the button for return is selected, providing information about the product and a product list, and, when the gift is selected, transmitting the gift icon corresponding to the product to a counterpart terminal of the receipt terminal.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

when a usable period is set, providing a message guiding repayment of money corresponding to the gift icon which is not used for the usable period or conversion to a reserve to the user terminal.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

the gift provision apparatus providing contents of gift icons transmitted for a predetermined period to the user terminal or the receipt terminal.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the gift icon is of a bar-code type.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising:

authenticating validity of the bar-code type gift icon transmitted from a POS (Point Of Sale) terminal installed in a predetermined shop;

transmitting an authentication code corresponding to completion of the authentication to the POS terminal; and

when the bar-code type gift icon has been used, the POS terminal transmitting a message indicating acceptance completion of the gift icon to the gift provision apparatus.

37. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the gift provision server providing contents of gift icons transmitted for a predetermined period to the user terminal or the counterpart terminal.

38. The method as set forth in claim 37, further comprising:

Sa) when settlement has been finished in the counterpart terminal at step Ma), transmitting the gift icon to the terminal or the first mobile terminal, and displaying a button for return on a screen of the terminal or the first mobile terminal; and

Ua) when the button for return is selected, providing a gift list, and when one of the gifts is selected from the gift list, transmitting a gift icon corresponding to the product to the counterpart terminal.

39. The method as set forth in claim 38, wherein the gift icon is of a bar-code type.

40. The method as set forth in claim 39, further comprising:

authenticating validity of the bar-code type gift icon transmitted from a POS (Point Of Sale) terminal installed in a predetermined shop;

transmitting an authentication code corresponding completion of the authentication to the POS terminal; and

when the bar-code type gift icon has been used, the POS terminal transmitting a message indicating acceptance completion of the gift icon to the gift provision apparatus.

16. A method of providing a gift icon using a communication network, comprising:

i) providing information about products to a user terminal connected with a gift provision apparatus through the communication network;

ii) when a gift is selected by the user terminal, providing an address book corresponding to the user terminal to the user terminal;

iii) when information of at least one receipt terminal is selected from the address book, the gift provision apparatus providing a message including a URL (Unique Resource Locator) of a gift icon corresponding to the product to the receipt terminal; and

iv) when the receipt terminal connects with the gift provision apparatus using the URL and requests download of the gift icon, providing the gift icon to the receipt terminal.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein step iii) comprises:

iii-1) when the address book is divided into a plurality of groups and stored, and at least one group is selected from the address book, the gift provision apparatus transmitting a web page or wap page for settlement to the user terminal; and

iii-2) performing settlement by transferring memories or using a credit card in the user terminal.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising

when settlement has been performed by transferring memories or using a credit card in the user terminal, providing the gift icon to a mobile terminal included in a group selected from the address book or an e-mail address.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:

when a usable period is set, providing a message guiding repayment of money corresponding to the gift icon which is not used for the usable period or conversion to a reserve to the user terminal.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein in the gift icon, one of a download period and a usable period is set, and, when the download period or the usable period has elapsed, download or usage is prohibited.

21. The method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

when a recipient accepts the gift in a shop, registering an acceptance completion message transmitted from a terminal of the shop in the gift provision apparatus.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

the gift provision apparatus providing contents of gift icons transmitted from a predetermined period to the user terminal.

23. A method of providing a gift icon using a communication network, comprising:

A-1) providing information about products to a mobile terminal connected with a gift provision apparatus through a mobile communication network;

A-2) selecting a gift by the mobile terminal, and selecting one of pieces of several information of a receipt terminal, having requested settlement for the product from an address book;

A-3) transmitting the gift icon to the receipt terminal when the mobile terminal selects a button for request of receipt of the gift icon corresponding to the product;

A-4) when the receipt terminal selects an acceptance message for the gift request and pays money for the gift, transmitting a predetermined message including a URL (Unique Resource Locator) of a gift icon corresponding to the product to the mobile terminal; and

A-5) when the mobile terminal connects with the URL and then requests download of the gift icon, downloading the gift icon.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

A-6) when the gift icon has been downloaded to the receipt terminal, displaying a button for return on a screen of the mobile terminal; and

A-7) when the button for return is selected, providing a gift list, and, when one of gifts is selected from the gift list, transmitting a gift icon corresponding to the product to the mobile terminal.

25. The method as set forth in claim 23, further comprising

at least one of information of the mobile terminal for receiving the gift icon, and a download period or usable period of the gift icon being set and recorded in the gift provision apparatus;

and

the gift provision apparatus providing contents of gift icons transmitted for a predetermined period to the mobile terminal or the receipt terminal, and providing a message guiding repayment of money corresponding to the gift icon which is not used for the usable period or conversion to a reserve.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein step A-4) comprises:

A-4a) when the gift icon is transmitted to the receipt terminal, if the receipt terminal is a wired terminal, transmitting a message inquiring a storage location of the gift icon; and

A-4b) when a message requesting transmission of the gift icon to a predetermined mobile terminal is received from the receipt terminal, transmitting the gift icon.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein step A-4b) comprises A-4b-1) providing a message including a URL in which the gift icon is stored to the mobile terminal.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein step A-4b) further comprises A-4B-2) when the mobile terminal connects with the URL and requests download of the gift icon, downloading the gift icon.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28, wherein the gift icon is of a bar-code type.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29, further comprising:

authenticating validity of the bar-code type gift icon transmitted from a POS (Point Of Sale) terminal installed in a predetermined shop;

transmitting an authentication code corresponding to completion of the authentication to the POS terminal; and

when the bar-code type gift icon has been used, the POS terminal transmitting a message indicating acceptance completion of the gift icon to the gift provision apparatus.

31. A method of providing a gift icon using a communication network, comprising:

B-1) providing information about products to a terminal operating software (hereinafter referred to as a messenger) of enabling messages and data to be transmitted and received in real time through a wired communication network

B-2) when the terminal selects a product, a counterpart terminal and a button of gift request, transmitting an icon corresponding to the product to the counterpart terminal connected through the messenger; and

B-3) when the counterpart terminal selects an acceptance message for the gift request, providing the gift icon corresponding to the product to the terminal or a first mobile terminal registered in the messenger.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising:

B-4) when the gift icon is transmitted to the terminal or the first mobile terminal at step B-3), displaying a button for return on a screen of the terminal or the first mobile terminal; and

B-5) when the button for return is selected, providing a gift list, and when one of gifts is selected from the gift list, transmitting a gift icon corresponding to the product to the counterpart terminal.

33. The method as set forth in claim 31 further comprising:

B-4) when the gift icon is transmitted to the terminal or the first mobile terminal at step B-3), displaying a button for return on a screen of the terminal or the first mobile terminal; and

B-5) when the button for return is selected, providing a gift list, and when one of gifts is selected from the gift list, transmitting a gift icon corresponding to the product to the counterpart terminal.

34. The method as set forth in claim 33, further comprising:

when a user having the gift icon accepts the gift in a predetermined shop, registering an acceptance completion message transmitted from a terminal of the shop in the gift provision server.

35. A method of providing a gift icon using a communication network, comprising:

Ga) providing information about products to a terminal operating software (hereinafter referred to as a messenger) of enabling messages and data to be transmitted and received in real time through a wired communication network;

Na) the terminal selecting a gift provision button or gift request button for providing or receiving the product as a gift;

Da) when the terminal selects the product, a counterpart terminal for receiving the product and the gift provision button, transmitting a gift icon corresponding to the product to the counterpart terminal connected through the messenger;

Ra) when the terminal selects the product, the counterpart terminal and the gift request button, transmitting information about the gift icon to the counterpart terminal; and

Ma) when the counterpart terminal selects an acceptance message for the gift icon, displaying a settlement page corresponding to the gift icon to the counterpart terminal, and when the settlement has been finished, transmitting the gift icon to the terminal.

36. The method as set forth in claim 35, further comprising:

when a usable period is set, the gift provision server providing a message guiding repayment of money corresponding to the gift icon which is not used for the usable period or conversion to a reserve to the user terminal.

54. The method as set forth in claim 35, further comprising the gift provision server providing contents of gift icons transmitted for a predetermined period to the user terminal or the counterpart terminal.

41. An apparatus of providing a gift icon using a communication network, comprising:

a product information management unit for providing product information about products to be provided as a gift and URL information corresponding to the product information to a purchaser terminal,

a gift icon management unit for managing gift icons corresponding to the products and managing whether the gift icon has been used; and

a control unit for selecting one of the products provided by the product information management unit, and when a receipt terminal for receiving the product is selected and then settlement has been finished, providing the gift icon corresponding to the product to the receipt terminal.

42. The apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein the apparatus further comprises an address book management unit for managing an address book including at least one of a telephone number and e-mail address of the receipt terminal and consisting of at least one group and providing the address book at a request of the purchaser terminal.

43. The apparatus as set forth in claim 42, wherein the gift icon management unit is in conjunction with the address book and manages download, use, and usable period expiration of the gift icon.

44. The apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein the user terminal and the receipt terminal are user terminals or mobile terminals.

45. The apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein the user terminal and the receipt terminal operate software of enabling messages or data to be transmitted and received in real time through the communication network and transmit and receive the gift icon through the software.

46. The apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein when a button for gift provision displayed on a screen of the user terminal is selected, the control unit provides a settlement screen to the user terminal according to the gift provision, and, when a button for gift request is selected, provides a guide message and the settlement screen on a screen of the receipt terminal having requested the gift.

47. A system for providing a gift icon using a communication network, comprising

a user terminal for receiving information about products, selecting a product and being provided with information about selection of at least one receipt terminal for receiving the products, whether the receipt terminal receives a gift icon corresponding to the product and whether the gift icon has been used;

and

a gift provision apparatus for providing the information about products to the user terminal, providing the gift icon to the receipt terminal and managing download, use, and usable period expiration of the gift icon.

48. The system as set forth in claim 47, wherein the user terminal is in conjunction with an address book and requests gift provision for each group included in the address book.

49. The system as set forth in claim 47, wherein the user terminal and the receipt terminal are user terminals or mobile terminals.

50. The system as set forth in claim 49, wherein the user terminal and the receipt terminal operate software of enabling messages or data to be transmitted and received in real time through the communication network and transmit and receive the gift icon through the software.

51. The system as set forth in claim 50, further comprising a receipt terminal for downloading the gift icon from the gift provision apparatus and storing it, being provided with a gift corresponding to the gift icon from an affiliated shop appointed by the gift icon or receiving a message prohibiting use of the gift icon from the gift provision apparatus when the usable period of the gift icon has lapsed.

52. The system as set forth in claim 51, wherein the receipt terminal displays a button for return on a screen after reception of the gift icon, and when the button for return and a predetermined product are selected, transmits a gift icon corresponding to the predetermined product to a counterpart terminal having transmitting the gift icon.

53. The system as set forth in claim 52, wherein the gift provision apparatus transmits a use prohibition message to the receipt terminal having received the gift icon when the product corresponding to the gift icon is accepted in an appointed affiliated shop and the usable period of the gift icon has lapsed.

55. The system as set forth in claim 48, wherein the user terminal and the receipt terminal are user terminals or mobile terminals.