Exchange rate calculator
First Claim
1. A computation apparatus for computing an exchange rate used in exchanging one or more shop points into one or more common points, the shop points being issued for each shop and usable for payment to the shop, and the common points being usable for payment common to each shop, the computation apparatus comprising:
- a shop point storage unit that stores, in association with each shop, a used house point (UHP) and an active common point (ACP), the used house point (UHP) representing a portion of shop points issued by the shop and has been already used for payment to the shop, and the active common point (ACP) representing a portion of common points that is exchanged from shop points issued by the shop and has not been yet used for payment to any shop;
a function storage unit that stores, for each shop, a function for an exchange rate that a) when the used house point (UHP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a larger number of common points, and b) when the active common point (ACP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a smaller number of common points; and
an exchange rate computation unit that, for each shop, computes an exchange rate, based on the used house point (UHP) and the active common point (ACP) of the shop stored in the shop point storage unit and by using the function of the shop stored in the function storage unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a computation apparatus that is able to adequately obtain a relative value of an incentive point issued by each shop, by computing an exchange rate used in exchanging shop points of the shop into common points. The computation apparatus (25) stores a function for defining the exchange rate (250), and internally maintains, for rate computation, the used house point (UHP) that represents a portion of shop points that has been spent (redeemed) in a shop that has issued the shop points), and the active general point (AGP) that represents a portion of common points that is obtained by exchanging shop points and is not spent yet. A rate function is defined so as to yield a higher exchange rate in exchanging shop points of the shop into common points when the used house point (UHP) of the shop is larger, and to yield a lower exchange rate when the active general point (AGP) of the shop is larger.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A computation apparatus for computing an exchange rate used in exchanging one or more shop points into one or more common points, the shop points being issued for each shop and usable for payment to the shop, and the common points being usable for payment common to each shop, the computation apparatus comprising:
-
a shop point storage unit that stores, in association with each shop, a used house point (UHP) and an active common point (ACP), the used house point (UHP) representing a portion of shop points issued by the shop and has been already used for payment to the shop, and the active common point (ACP) representing a portion of common points that is exchanged from shop points issued by the shop and has not been yet used for payment to any shop; a function storage unit that stores, for each shop, a function for an exchange rate that a) when the used house point (UHP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a larger number of common points, and b) when the active common point (ACP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a smaller number of common points; and an exchange rate computation unit that, for each shop, computes an exchange rate, based on the used house point (UHP) and the active common point (ACP) of the shop stored in the shop point storage unit and by using the function of the shop stored in the function storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A computation method for computing an exchange rate used in exchanging one or more shop points into one or more common points, the shop points being issued for each shop and usable for payment to the shop, and the common points being usable for payment common to each shop, the computation method comprising using a computer to perform the steps of:
-
a shop point storing step of storing, in association with each shop, a used house point (UHP) and an active common point (ACP), the used house point (UHP) representing a portion of shop points issued by the shop and has been already used for payment to the shop, and the active common point (ACP) representing a portion of common points that is exchanged from shop points issued by the shop and has not been yet used for payment to any shop; a function storing step of storing, for each shop, a function for an exchange rate that a) when the used house point (UHP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a larger number of common points, and b) when the active common point (ACP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a smaller number of common points; and an exchange rate computation step of, for each shop, computing an exchange rate, based on the used house point (UHP) and the active common point (ACP) of the shop stored in the shop point storing step and by using the function of the shop stored in the function storing step.
-
-
10. A computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed, causes a computer to function as a computation apparatus for computing an exchange rate used in exchanging one or more shop points into one or more common points, the shop points being issued for each shop and usable for payment to the shop, and the common points being usable for payment common to each shop, the program causing the computer to function as:
-
a shop point storage unit that stores, in association with each shop, a used house point (UHP) and an active common point (ACP), the used house point (UHP) representing a portion of shop points issued by the shop and has been already used for payment to the shop, and the active common point (ACP) representing a portion of common points that is exchanged from shop points issued by the shop and has not been yet used for payment to any shop; a function storage unit that stores, for each shop, a function for an exchange rate that a) when the used house point (UHP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a larger number of common points, and b) when the active common point (ACP) of the shop is larger, computes an exchange rate with which shop points of the shop are exchanged into a smaller number of common points; and an exchange rate computation unit that, for each shop, computes an exchange rate, based on the used house point (UHP) and the active common point (ACP) of the shop stored in the shop point storage unit and by using the fUnction of the shop stored in the function storage unit.
-
Specification