Service point management system for use in sales promotion services

• US 6,965,869 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1997
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hiroshima, Yasumasa, Fujiwara, Masao, Tomari, Satoshi, Matsumoto, Mamoru, Akihiko, Shigeta, Tomita, Tokimori
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, JOHN L
• Application Number:
  US08/864,762
• Time in Patent Office: 3,092 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/405, 364/407, 140/8, 705/1, 705/7, 705/10, 705/14, 705/16, 705/17, 705/21, 705/24, 705/41, 705/37, 235/375, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 377/5
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• 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

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 using a computer to manage points issued to each customer of a plurality of customers who receives service according to an amount of points, comprising:

a customer identification unit to identify each customer according to a customer identification information;

a storing unit to store points for each customer;

a calculation unit of the computer to calculate an amount of points for each customer'"'"'s current transaction using a calculation rate based on at least one specific condition including a purchase amount of the current transaction;

an issuing unit to issue the calculated amount of points;

an accumulation unit to accumulate the issued points to the stored points for each customer; and

a changing unit to change the calculation rate.

2. The point management system of claim 1, wherein the changing unit changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to each customer'"'"'s past transaction record.

3. The point management system of claim 2, wherein each customer'"'"'s past transaction record comprises a number of times of customer transactions.

4. The point management system of claim 2, wherein each customer'"'"'s past transaction record comprises a number of times of customer access to the point management system through a terminal.

5. The point management system of claim 1, wherein the changing unit changes the calculation rate for each object in each customer'"'"'s current transaction.

6. The point management system of claim 1, wherein the changing unit changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to a time zone of the transaction.

7. The point management system of claim 1, wherein the changing unit changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to a day of the transaction.

8. The point management system of claim 1, wherein the changing unit changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to an area of the transaction.

9. The point management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a notifying unit to notify each customer of the stored and issued points via a terminal.

10. A point management system using a computer to manage points issued to each customer of a plurality of customers who receives service according to an amount of points, comprising:

a customer identification unit to identify each customer according to a customer identification information;

a storing unit to store points for each customer;

a calculation unit of the computer to calculate an amount of points for each customer'"'"'s current transaction using a predetermined-calculation rate based on a least one specific condition including a purchase amount of the current transaction;

an issuing unit to issue the calculated amount of points;

an accumulation unit to accumulate the issued points to the stored points for each customer; and

a changing unit to change a total amount of accumulated points according to a frequency of each customer'"'"'s transactions.

11. The point management system of claim 10, further comprising:

a notifying unit to notify each customer of the stored and issued points via a terminal.

12. A method of managing points issued to each customer of a plurality of customers who receives service according to an amount of points, the method employing a computer and comprising:

identifying each customer according to a customer identification information;

storing points for each customer;

calculating at the computer an amount of points for each customer'"'"'s current transaction using a calculation rate based on at least one specific condition including a purchase amount of the current transaction;

issuing the calculated amount of points;

accumulating the issued points to the stored points for each customer; and

changing the calculation rate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to each customer'"'"'s past transaction record.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each customer'"'"'s past transaction record comprises a number of times of customer transactions.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each customer'"'"'s past transaction record comprises a number of times of customer access to the point management system through a terminal.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each object in each customer'"'"'s current transaction.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to a time zone of the transaction.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to a day of the transaction.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to an area of the transaction.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

notifying each customer of the stored and issued points via a terminal.

21. A method of managing points issued to each customer of a plurality of customers who receives service according to an amount of points, the method employing a computer and comprising:

identifying each customer according to a customer identification information;

storing points for each customer;

calculating at the computer an amount of points for each customer'"'"'s current transaction using a calculation rate based on at least one specific condition including a purchase amount of the current transaction;

issuing the calculated amount of points;

accumulating the issued points to the stored points for each customer; and

changing a total amount of accumulated points according to a frequency of each customer'"'"'s transactions.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

notifying each customer of the stored and issued points via a terminal.

23. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions for managing points issued to each customer of a plurality of customers who receives service according to an amount of points, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying each customer according to a customer identification information;

storing points for each customer;

calculating an amount of points for each customer'"'"'s current transaction using a calculation rate based on at least one specific condition including a purchase amount of the current transaction;

issuing the calculated amount of points;

accumulating the issued points to the stored points for each customer; and

changing the calculation rate.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to each customer'"'"'s past transaction record.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein each customer'"'"'s past transaction record comprises a number of times of customer transactions.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein each customer'"'"'s past transaction record comprises a number of times of customer access to the point management system through a terminal.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each object in each customer'"'"'s current transaction.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to a time zone of the transaction.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to a day of the transaction.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the changing operation changes the calculation rate for each customer'"'"'s current transaction according to a day of the transaction.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

notifying each customer of the stored and issued points via a terminal.

32. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions for managing points issued to each customer of a plurality of customers who receives service according to an amount of points, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying each customer according to a customer identification information;

storing points for each customer;

calculating an amount of points for each customer'"'"'s current transaction using a calculation rate based on at least one specific condition including a purchase amount of the current transaction;

issuing the calculated amount of points;

accumulating the issued points to the stored points for each customer; and

changing a total amount of accumulated points according to a frequency of each customer'"'"'s transactions.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

notifying each customer of the stored and issued points via a terminal.