Method and system for providing a payback to a user and distributor based on product use

• US 7,685,018 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Oki, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): JANVIER, JEAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/883,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,198 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/1, 705/26, 705/51, 705/54, 705/14.31, 705/14.32, 705/14.33, 705/14.19, 705/14.27
• US Class Current: 705/14.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward

Abstract

The present invention relates to a payback system and a payback method for calculating a payback value to a customer receiving a service by using a product provided (for free or payment) from a product manufacturer or a middleman, or to the middleman. The payback value is calculated based on the use results of the service (including a service on a network) by a product user.

Claims

1. A payback system in which a customer receives a product directly or via a middleman from a product provider or a product and service provider, and receives a service from a service provider or the product and service provider by using the product, characterized by:

recording means for recording a use of services received from the product by the customer;

storage means for storing use results of the recorded services received by the customer by using the product; and

determination means for determining, based on the stored recorded use results related to the product, a payback value or payback values to both the customer and the middleman.

2. The payback system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that:

the product is an information-processing product; and

the service is provided by means of the information-processing product.

3. A payback system for making payback to both a product user and a middleman when a service is received by using a product distributed by a product manufacturer or the middleman, characterized by:

a storage device storing use result information of the service received by the product user by using the product; and

a calculation device calculating a payback value or payback values to both the product user and the middleman based on the stored use result information stored in said storage device.

4. The payback system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that:

the product is an information-processing product; and

the service is provided by means of the information-processing product.

5. A payback system in which a customer receives a product directly or via a middleman from a product provider or a product and service provider, and receives a service from a service provider or the product and service provider by using the product, characterized by:

a storage device storing use result information of the service received by the customer by using the product; and

a determination device determining a payback value or payback values of the product to both the customer and the middleman based on the stored use result information stored in said storage device.

6. The payback system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that:

the product is an information-processing product; and

the service is provided by means of the information-processing product.

7. A payback system for making payback to a customer and a middleman when a service is received by using a product distributed by a product distributor such as a manufacturer or the middleman, comprising:

distribution channel storage means for storing information correlating the distributed product by the product distributor to the customer;

product usage storage means for storing information about the customer'"'"'s use of the product; and

calculation means for calculating a payback value or payback values to the customer and the middleman based on the stored information about the customer'"'"'s use of the product.