Consumer voting management system

Abstract

The invention provides a consumer voting management system which comprises an account module and a voting module. The account module comprises a first input unit which is used for receiving an account application of a voting account from a consumer and a competitive application of a first consumer; the first processing unit is used for outputting first information about voting accounts of the consumers and second information about a first commodity of the first consumer; and a first output unit for outputting the first information and the second information. The voting module comprises a second input unit used for receiving and storing votes of a plurality of commodities on the competitive list during the voting activity; the second processing unit is used for outputting the ratio of the first selling prices of the plurality of commodities on the competitive list to the number of votes and the average value of the ratios of the plurality of commodities; and a second output unit for outputting the number of votes, the ratio, and the average value of the product name.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a consumer voting management system. Background Technology

[0002] In today's online world, a vast amount of information is transmitted, received, and processed daily, including the collection and transfer of valuable assets. Valuable assets are not limited to fiat currency or money; they also include valuable information. For example, the popularity of a new book or a newly opened restaurant among consumers is a valuable asset for both consumers and businesses. Such comparative information is common in online discussion boards or polls. However, the current lack of a formal and fair system in the market to transform these valuable opinions into market-recognized assets makes it difficult to assess the true value of this information, or even undervalues ​​it. Therefore, there is a need to develop a fair and transparent management system and methodology to transform the information transmitted by consumers into valuable assets. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to a consumer voting management system, comprising: an account module, including: a first input unit for receiving a first signal indicating account applications from voting accounts of multiple consumers, and campaign applications from at least a first consumer among the multiple consumers; a first processing unit for outputting a second signal after being driven by the first signal, indicating first information about the individual voting accounts of the multiple consumers, and second information about a first product of the first consumer; and a first output unit for outputting a third signal after being driven by the second signal, indicating the first information and the second information; and a voting module, including: a second input unit for receiving and storing a fourth signal indicating the number of votes received by multiple products on a campaign list during the voting activity, wherein the multiple products include the first product; a second processing unit for outputting a fifth signal after being driven by the fourth signal, indicating the ratio of a first selling price of the multiple products on the campaign list to the number of votes received, and the average value of the ratio of the multiple products; and a second output unit for outputting a sixth signal after being driven by the fifth signal, indicating the number of votes, the ratio, and the average value of the multiple products.

[0004] In one embodiment, the first processing unit outputs a seventh signal after being driven by the first signal and before outputting the second signal, indicating a request to verify information of the voting accounts of the plurality of consumers; and the first output unit is configured to output an eighth signal after being driven by the seventh signal, indicating the information to be verified.

[0005] In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system further includes a verification module, comprising: a third input unit for receiving the eighth signal; a third processing unit for outputting a ninth signal after being driven by the eighth signal, indicating the verification result of the identity account corresponding to the voting account; and a third output unit for outputting a tenth signal after being driven by the ninth signal, indicating the verification result. The first processing unit is configured to output the second signal after receiving the tenth signal.

[0006] In one embodiment, the second signal output by the first processing unit further indicates that, after the voting account is created, it receives information about a first number of ballots from the second processing unit.

[0007] In one embodiment, after the second signal is output, the second processing unit outputs an eleventh signal at regular intervals, indicating that the voting account has received a second number of ballots from the second processing unit.

[0008] In one embodiment, the second processing unit is configured to set the average value as the selling price of each ballot and to provide the consumer with the option to purchase the ballot at the selling price.

[0009] In one embodiment, the second input unit is configured to receive a twelfth signal indicating a request from the first party of the voting account to donate a ballot to the second party of the voting account; and the second processing unit is configured to output a thirteenth signal after being driven by the twelfth signal, indicating information including the donor's voting account, the recipient's voting account, and the number of ballots donated.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second input unit is configured to receive a thirteenth signal indicating a request from a third party of the voting account to vote for the second product on the candidate list; and the second processing unit is configured to output a fourteenth signal after being driven by the thirteenth signal, indicating information including the third party's voting account, the voting account for the second product, the number of votes, and the reward amount for the third party.

[0011] In one embodiment, the second input unit is further configured to receive a fifteenth signal indicating information about the first selling price of the plurality of goods; and the second output unit, driven by the fifteenth signal, outputs a sixteenth signal indicating the information about the first selling price.

[0012] In one embodiment, after the third output unit outputs the sixth signal, the second processing unit is further configured to output a seventeenth signal indicating information about the second selling price of the first commodity, wherein the second selling price is obtained by multiplying the number of votes for the first commodity by the average value; and the second output unit, driven by the seventeenth signal, outputs an eighteenth signal indicating the information about the second selling price.

[0013] The consumer voting management system of the present invention can effectively transform the information transmitted by consumers into valuable assets, thereby enabling the value of this information to be correctly evaluated and discovered, thus accelerating product improvement and promoting consumer rights. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The aspects of this disclosure will be better understood from the following embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in accordance with standard industry practice, the various structures are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various structures may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of explanation.

[0015] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating a usage scenario according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the development stages of a consumer voting management system according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0017] Figure 3 This diagram shows a block diagram of a consumer voting management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a candidate list table according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5A A bar chart showing the number of votes and selling price of different products according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5B A bar chart showing the number of votes and selling price of different products according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 A flowchart of a consumer voting management method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 7 A block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples of various components for implementing the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify this disclosure. Of course, such examples are merely illustrative and are not intended to be limiting. For example, in the following description, embodiments in which a first component is formed above or on a second component may include instances in which the first and second components are in direct contact, and embodiments in which additional components may be formed between the first and second components such that the first and second components are not in direct contact. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in various instances in this disclosure. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0024] As used herein, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” describe various components, parts, areas, layers, and / or segments, but such components, parts, areas, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by such terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component, part, area, layer, or segment from another. For example, the use of terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” herein does not imply sequence or order unless explicitly indicated by the context.

[0025] This invention relates to a consumer voting management system and method, which can be used to manage consumer voting activities on goods or services sold by various merchants. In the embodiments of this invention, the consumers are natural persons, and the voting management is conducted by a financial institution, such as a bank. The following description uses a bank as the manager as an example; however, this invention is not limited to financial institutions as managers, nor is it limited to natural persons as consumers. Other third-party institutions can act as managers, and non-natural persons can also be consumers.

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram 100 illustrates a usage scenario according to an embodiment of the present invention. Diagram 100 includes the three main participants of the invention: a manager 110, a product provider 120 or the product itself, and a consumer 130. In one embodiment, the manager 110 is a voting management institution, which may be a financial institution, such as a bank, securities firm, investment advisory firm, or other institution related to financial transactions and management. In another embodiment, the manager 110 is an identity management institution, such as an online shopping company or website with members, a product review website, etc. The tasks of the manager 110 may include, but are not limited to, establishing and verifying the identity of voters, managing the start, conduct, and end of voting activities, determining the rules of voting activities, the number of votes received by the campaign product in the voting activities, calculating and publishing the price and related values ​​of the campaign product's price and vote count, and providing an exchange mechanism between the vote count and circulating currency or tokens, etc.

[0027] In one embodiment, when participating in the voting management system of this invention, the product provider 120 can be a merchant that links to at least one physical product or non-physical service, or the product provider 120 can directly represent a product or service. The product provider 120 can be a general store, chain store, department store, sole proprietorship, vendor, night market vendor, etc. In one embodiment, the product provider 120 must possess a merchant identity recognized by the administrator 110 in order for its products or services to participate in voting, in order to maintain the fairness of the voting activity. In one embodiment, the product provider 120 can link to one or more products. In this case, the product provider 120 can have an account with a merchant identity, but must apply for a corresponding dedicated voting account for each product or service, so that consumers can vote for different products or services separately.

[0028] In one embodiment, when participating in the voting management system of this embodiment, consumer 130 can be a natural person who must possess a personal identity recognized by administrator 110 in order to participate in voting, thereby maintaining the fairness of the voting activity. In another embodiment, consumer 130 can be an organization or group, and its voting activity can be designed with different organizations or groups as the voting unit. In this case, the organization or group must possess a voting identity recognized by administrator 110 in order to participate in voting.

[0029] In one embodiment, in the voting management system of the present invention, the manager 110 and the product provider 120 can only have one identity at a time, and cannot have both simultaneously, in order to maintain the fairness of the voting process. That is, the manager 110 cannot simultaneously have the identity of the product provider 120. Similarly, in the voting management system of the present invention, the manager 110 and the consumer 130 can only have one identity at a time, and cannot have both simultaneously; that is, the manager 110 cannot simultaneously have the identity of the consumer 130.

[0030] Figure 2 A flowchart 200 illustrates the development stages of a consumer voting management system according to embodiments of the present invention. Flowchart 200 includes three development stages: a first development stage 210, a second development stage 220, and a third development stage 230. The first development stage 210, also known as the establishment phase, aims to utilize modern technology to enable the consumer voting management system of the present invention to organize consumer opinions on specific products in a simple manner, forming a fair comparison and gradually accumulating valuable information assets. These information assets can be made available to the public. The first development stage 210 requires a certain amount of time to operate, and its development goal is to gain the trust of a broad consumer base in the voting management system, thereby increasing consumer participation.

[0031] In one embodiment, the second development stage 220 is also referred to as the vote count development stage. After the first development stage 210, vote trust is expected to be successfully established, and both merchants and consumers can essentially accept the voting results published by the voting management system of this invention, after which asset exchange activities can proceed. Merchants gain a better reputation by obtaining consumer votes. Consumers will receive rewards from merchants in the form of physical assets. After frequent interactions between voting and goods, a value-linked relationship will be established between the competing goods and their vote count.

[0032] In one embodiment, the third development stage 230 is also referred to as the monetary integration stage. In the third development stage 230, the relationship between the number of votes and the campaign products established in the second development stage 220 can be further converted into a ratio of votes to currency (e.g., 1 vote = 10 New Taiwan Dollars). In other words, the value of a vote can be linked to the value of currency, and each ballot cast reflects a price, or ticket price, based on circulating currency. Therefore, any voting account, whether a general consumer or a consumer with a business identity, can exchange these votes for these ticket prices. The ticket prices will be made public so that people can consider whether to purchase based on this public information, thus maintaining fairness and transparency. In one embodiment, the private sale of ballots in a non-public manner or at any ratio not recognized by the consumer voting management system of this invention is prohibited to maintain fairness and transparency.

[0033] Figure 3 A block diagram of a consumer voting management system 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 The consumer voting management system 300 includes an account module 310, a voting module 320, a verification module 330, a currency exchange module 340, an input interface 350, and an input interface 360. Figure 3 The consumer voting management system 300 shown is only one embodiment. The consumer voting management system 300 of the present invention may omit some of the modules shown above, or add other modules.

[0034] In one embodiment, the account module 310 includes an account input unit 302, an account processing unit 304, and an account output unit 306. In one embodiment, the account input unit 302 receives a signal indicating the login information and account application requests of multiple consumers (e.g., consumer A and consumer B), and transmits the account application request signal to the account processing unit 304. The account processing unit 304, driven by the signal from the account input unit 302, establishes identity accounts for the consumers who submitted account application requests, such as bank account A and bank account B, and outputs the relevant identity account information to the account output unit 306 as a signal. The account output unit 306 receives the signal output by the account processing unit 304 and outputs another signal indicating the identity account information. In this embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 is established by a bank; therefore, the establishment of its identity accounts is bank accounts A and B. Each consumer's bank accounts A and B can consist of some basic information, such as the consumer's name, gender, age, account name, account password, identification number, and financial credit status.

[0035] In one embodiment, the account processing unit 304 of the account module 310 is used to establish identity accounts for groups or organizations composed of multiple consumers, and to treat these groups or organizations as individuals, establishing bank accounts for them, and outputting the relevant bank account information to the account output unit 306 as a signal. The account output unit 306 is used to receive the signal output by the account processing unit 304 and output another signal indicating the information of the aforementioned relevant identity accounts. The threshold for establishing identity accounts for groups or organizations can be the same as the threshold for establishing identity accounts for general individual consumers, or it can be assigned a higher or lower threshold. In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 is established by a membership system, such as the membership system of an online shopping website or a portal website. Therefore, the identity accounts established are membership accounts for each consumer, and the account processing unit 304 outputs the relevant membership account information to the account output unit 306 as a signal. In this case, each consumer's membership account can consist of some basic information, such as the consumer's name, gender, age, account name, account password, identification number, consumption history, or browsing history.

[0036] In one embodiment, the account input unit 302 receives a signal indicating a request for voting accounts from multiple consumers (e.g., consumer A and consumer B), and transmits the request signal to the account processing unit 304. The account processing unit 304, driven by the signal from the account input unit 302, creates voting accounts for the consumers who requested accounts, such as voting account A and voting account B, and outputs the information of voting accounts A and B as a signal. In one embodiment, each consumer's voting account A and B correspond to their identity accounts A and B respectively to verify their identity. When the consumer voting management system 300 creates a voting account and needs to verify its authenticity, it receives the corresponding identity account from the account module 310 through the verification module 330 and verifies the identity based on the information in the identity account. Each consumer's voting account A and B may consist of some basic information, such as the consumer's name, account name, account password, corresponding personal identity account, voting records, remaining votes, number of votes received, and voter information. In one embodiment, the account processing unit 304 of the account module 310 is used to establish relevant voting accounts for groups or organizations composed of consumers, and to treat these groups or organizations as individuals, thereby establishing voting accounts for these groups or organizations, and outputting the information of the relevant voting accounts to the account output unit 306 as a signal. The account output unit 306 is used to receive the signal output by the account processing unit 304 and output another signal indicating the information of the aforementioned relevant voting accounts. The threshold for establishing voting accounts for groups or organizations can be the same as the threshold for establishing voting accounts for general individual consumers, or it can be assigned a higher or lower threshold. In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 is established by a membership system, such as the membership system of an online shopping website or a portal website, therefore the voting accounts established correspond to its membership accounts, and the information of the relevant membership accounts is output to the account output unit 306 as a signal. The account output unit 306 is used to receive the signal of the aforementioned information of the relevant membership accounts output by the account processing unit 304 and output another signal indicating the information of the aforementioned relevant membership accounts. When the consumer voting management system 300 wants to verify the authenticity of a voting account, it will receive the corresponding member account information of the member system through the verification module 330 to verify its identity.

[0037] In one embodiment, the account input unit 302 receives a signal indicating one or more consumers' campaign requests and transmits the campaign request signal to the account processing unit 304. The account processing unit 304, driven by the signal from the account input unit 302, lists the names of the goods sold or manufactured by the requesting merchant on the campaign list. In one embodiment, any consumer or merchant wishing to place their sold or manufactured goods on the campaign list for consumer voting needs to apply for a voting account for their goods, serving as the exclusive voting account for those goods. In one embodiment, the same consumer or merchant can apply for multiple voting accounts, allowing multiple goods under their name to be eligible for listing on the campaign list. In this case, the names of goods corresponding to different voting accounts are publicly listed on the campaign list and can also serve as the names of the voting accounts. In one embodiment, when a consumer or merchant applies to rejoin the campaign, they can request that the names of the goods to be campaigned be listed on the campaign list. In one embodiment, the names of goods listed on the campaign list must not be duplicated to avoid confusion among voters. If there are concerns about confusion arising from duplicate or excessively similar product names listed on the election list, the consumer voting management system 300 must establish a dispute resolution mechanism to eliminate such duplicate or excessively similar product names. In one embodiment, product names listed on the election list are protected by intellectual property rights, such as trademark rights. In one embodiment, when a consumer or merchant applies to rejoin the election, in addition to submitting product names listed on the election list, they can also submit merchant information listed on the election list, such as merchant contact information (e.g., address, telephone number, online account, etc.), to incidentally achieve marketing or advertising purposes. In this case, the voting account usually needs to pay a participation fee, as well as a fee for listing product names or other merchant information. This fee can be replaced by a certain number of votes, or by a certain amount of currency or other equivalent discount coupons, tokens, or assets. Therefore, in addition to the signal indicating that a voting account has been established, the signal output by the voting processing unit 314 can also indicate that some consumers who have submitted election applications have paid a certain number of votes or currency to the voting processing unit 314. After the consumer submits a request to run for election and provides information such as the names of the products or other merchants listed on the election list, the voting processing unit 314 can create an election list, which lists the names of the products participating in the election in order, for general consumers to vote on.

[0038] In one embodiment, if a voting account has not submitted a campaign application, meaning that the voting account does not have any goods it sells or manufactures that it wishes to have listed on the campaign list, then the voting account can be considered a consumer's voting account, and the name of the voting account can be chosen not to be disclosed. In one embodiment, the account name of the aforementioned undisclosed voting account can be a random number or a serial number.

[0039] In one embodiment, the voting account of the consumer voting management system 300 is similar to, but also different from, a bank account as an identity account. Similarly, the ballots in this embodiment are similar to circulating currency, but also different. The consumer voting management system 300 is similar to a general bank or financial institution in that the voting account can store ballots, and ballots can circulate between different voting accounts, just as a bank account can store currency, and currency can circulate between different bank accounts. The difference between the consumer voting management system 300 and a bank is that the ballots circulated in the voting account of this invention do not have the asset value recognized in the financial market as the currency circulated by a bank. On the other hand, the voting account of the consumer voting management system 300 is somewhat similar to those in government-organized public office elections. First, the voting account of the consumer voting management system 300 needs to be verified to prove that the ballots it holds are valid, just as the voting qualifications of voters participating in public office elections need to be verified to confirm their eligibility before they can vote. The difference lies in the voting criteria. In public office elections, the voting object is a person, and the basis for voting can be factors such as ability, character, and political views. In contrast, in the Consumer Voting Management System 300, the voting object is a product, and the basis for voting can be factors such as brand, performance, quality, and price. Furthermore, different voting accounts within the Consumer Voting Management System 300 may not have the same number of votes, and the actual number of votes cast in each voting session is not fixed.

[0040] In one embodiment, when a consumer requests to establish a voting account, the verification module 330 of the consumer voting management system 300 verifies the voting account to ensure fairness in voting by preventing unauthorized nominee accounts from affecting the fairness of the vote. Verification is typically done by checking information in the identity account within the consumer voting management system 300, such as requiring the consumer to provide the name and password of their corresponding identity account or other confidential information to confirm the authenticity of the voting account owner. In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 requires that the user of a voting account (consumer) is also the user of their corresponding identity account, ensuring that user tracking and data storage of voting accounts can be achieved by tracking the user of their corresponding identity account. In one embodiment, the account name or password of a consumer's voting account and identity account may be the same or different. In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 is established by a bank, therefore, the consumer's identity account is their bank account. In this case, the bank must ensure that it has full access to all data of its customers' identity accounts, including their financial situation, to ensure that the corresponding voting account can be verified through the identity account. Using a bank account as the identity account for consumer voting and as verification credentials for the consumer voting account has another advantage: it allows the asset value of the votes in the voting account to correspond to a value measured in currency. In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 is established by a membership system, such as the membership system of an online shopping website or a portal website; therefore, the identity account of its consumers is its membership account. In other words, the consumer voting management system 300 determines the authenticity and fairness of the voting account by verifying the identity account in the account module 310.

[0041] In one embodiment, the verification module 330 includes a verification input unit 322, a verification processing unit 324, and a verification output unit 326. The verification input unit 322 receives a signal indicating a verification request for a voting account. In one embodiment, the verification processing unit 324 verifies the relevant voting account after being driven by the signal received via the verification input unit 322. As described above, the verification process performed by the verification processing unit 324 is through receiving the identity account (which may be a bank account or membership account) corresponding to the voting account being verified in the account module 310. In one embodiment, the verification process performed by the verification processing unit 324 is through receiving verification information input by the consumer being verified, such as name and password. Other items available for identity account verification may include: name, gender, age, account name, account password, identification number, financial credit status, and transaction history. When the verification process ends, the verification processing unit 324 outputs a signal indicating whether the verification process was successful or unsuccessful. In one embodiment, the verification output unit 236 is used to output a signal indicating the above-mentioned verification result after being driven by the signal issued by the verification processing unit 324.

[0042] In one embodiment, when a merchant of a voting account wants to list a product name on the campaign list, remove a product name from the campaign list, or modify a product name or other information on the campaign list, the identity verification described above must be performed again to ensure the authenticity of the voting account and the product name on the campaign list.

[0043] In one embodiment, the voting module 320 includes a vote input unit 312, a vote processing unit 314, and a vote output unit 316. In one embodiment, when a voting account is newly established, the vote processing unit 314 of the voting module 320 is configured to provide a certain number (e.g., one hundred) of ballots free of charge to qualified voting accounts to encourage their participation in subsequent voting activities. In one embodiment, when a voting account is created, or before or during a voting activity, a merchant's voting account can use the vote processing unit 314 of the voting module 320 to provide a certain number (e.g., one hundred) of ballots free of charge to other voting accounts to encourage their participation in subsequent voting activities and to vote for the merchant's products. In one embodiment, after a voting account is created, the vote processing unit 314 provides a certain number (e.g., ten) of ballots to the voting account at fixed intervals. In one embodiment, when a voting account is newly established, or before or during a voting activity, a voting account can provide a certain number (e.g., one hundred) of ballots free of charge to other specific or unspecified voting accounts through the voting module 320 of the consumer voting management system 300, to encourage their participation in subsequent voting activities. In response to the various forms of ballot donation described above, such as donations from the ballot processing unit 320 to a voting account or donations between different voting accounts, the ballot processing unit 304 of the account module 310 or the ballot processing unit 314 of the voting module 320 is configured to send signals indicating and recording the donor, recipient, and number of ballots donated. The aforementioned act of donating ballots... Figure 2 The first development stage 210 of the consumer voting management system 300 is particularly important, as it can increase consumer participation in voting activities organized by the consumer voting management system 300. In one embodiment, the currency exchange module 340 of the consumer voting management system 300 converts ballots or votes received in a voting activity into equivalent circulating currency. Therefore, providing free ballots in the first development stage 210 of the consumer voting management system 300 can increase participation from both consumers and businesses. In one embodiment, due to the mechanism of giving away ballots, the number of ballots in circulation will gradually increase over time. Therefore, it is necessary to normalize the asset value of the ballots to avoid diminishing the asset value of existing ballots.

[0044] In one embodiment, if an administrator of the consumer voting management system 300 wants to initiate a voting activity, they can transmit a voting request to the voting module 320 via the input interface 350 or network interface (not shown) of the consumer voting management system 300, causing the voting module 320 to initiate the voting activity. The administrator can set a voting period for the voting activity, after which voting will stop. The consumer voting management system 300 can receive consumer voting behavior via the input interface 350 or network interface. In one embodiment, the voting input unit 312 of the consumer voting management system 300 receives and records the action of a voting account casting a ballot for a product, and updates the flow of ballots and changes in the number of votes in real time. In one embodiment, during the voting activity, the voting input unit 312 receives and stores one or more signals reflecting the voting behavior of voting accounts during the voting activity, and the voting input unit 312 continuously updates the number of votes for multiple products on the candidate list in response to these voting behaviors. For example, if voting account A casts a vote for product C, the number of votes in voting account A will decrease by one, while the number of votes for product C's voting account D will increase by one. This information, including that the vote came from voting account A, will be recorded in the voting input unit 312. At the end of the voting period, the voting module 320's voting input unit 312 or voting processing unit 314 calculates the number of votes for each product participating in the voting activity on the candidate list, and the voting accounts from which these votes came, and transmits this information to the voting output unit 316. The voting output unit 316 outputs the vote count to the output interface 360, which then publishes the received vote counts for the products to the public or notifies participating consumers and merchants.

[0045] In one embodiment, the ballots held by the voting accounts of the consumer voting management system 300, cast for a particular product during a voting activity, represent the number of votes supporting a particular merchant or product, generally referred to as positive votes. In other embodiments, the ballots held by the voting accounts, cast for a particular product during a voting activity, represent the number of votes against a particular merchant or product, generally referred to as negative votes. When negative votes are used for voting, their function is not only to not increase the number of votes for the voted product, but to actually decrease it by one vote, thereby increasing the impact of each vote. In one embodiment, when the voting calculation unit 314 calculates the number of votes for each product, it subtracts the number of negative votes from the number of positive votes to obtain the final vote count.

[0046] In one embodiment, the voting processing unit 314 calculates the price-to-vote ratio (PVR) of multiple items on the campaign list, based on their pre-adjustment prices and corresponding vote counts, as well as the average price-to-vote ratio (APVR). The voting output unit 314 then outputs these information—including item prices, vote counts, ratios, and the average ratio—to the voting output unit 316 in signal form. In another embodiment, the voting output unit 316 outputs a signal indicating the item name, corresponding vote count, ratio, and average ratio on the campaign list, to announce or notify voting accounts.

[0047] In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 allows participating businesses or products to use advertising to encourage consumers to vote for them. Through the consumer voting behavior recorded by the voting module 320, participating businesses or products can identify the voting accounts that voted for them. Therefore, participating businesses or products can add their own advertisements to the announcements in the consumer voting management system 300, stating that consumers who vote for them will receive rewards. These rewards can be discount coupons, membership points, other goods, or currency provided by the participating businesses. The reward for each vote is also influenced by various factors, such as the cost of the business's participation, the intensity of the vote, consumer interest in the voting activity, and the value of the goods or services involved in the vote. The method of distributing these rewards can be determined by the participating businesses, rather than by the consumer voting management system 300. However, the consumer voting management system 300 can facilitate the aforementioned reward activities by providing voting records of voting accounts. For example, when the voting input unit 312 of the voting module 320 receives a signal indicating that a voter has voted, the calculation unit 314 of the voting module 320 will send another signal, recording the aforementioned voting records and the relevant reward activities of the businesses, as part of the voting record to provide to voters as proof of their votes, thereby increasing the willingness of consumers and businesses to participate in voting activities. In one embodiment, the voting module 320 receives currency through identity account A (or B) and provides a certain number of ballots to the voting account.

[0048] Figure 4This diagram illustrates a table 400 showing the candidate lists for different products according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the candidate list is also published when the consumer voting management system 300 issues a notification for a voting activity. The publication method can be a physical table, posted in the lobby or counter of the institution where the consumer voting management system 300 is located, or published via a web browser page. Each voting account can refer to the candidate list attached to each voting activity notification to decide whether to participate in the vote or which product to vote for. The first column of table 400 represents the names of each voting account X1, X2, X3, and X4. The second column of table 400 lists the product names of each voting account, namely McDonald's, MOS Burger, Burger King, and Wendy's Burger. The third column represents the price of each product (in currency units, such as New Taiwan Dollars or other national currencies). In one embodiment, table 400 also includes a fourth column representing the latest number of votes for each product during the voting activity. In this embodiment, the products corresponding to each voting account X1, X2, X3, and X4 constitute a product combination, which can be seen as a combination of products that can be provided by the product provider (merchant), or as the merchant's representative products. In one embodiment, the prices of voting accounts X1, X2, X3, and X4 are NT$70, NT$100, NT$90, and NT$60, respectively. Consumers can refer to Table 400 to decide which product to vote for.

[0049] Voting can be conducted in various ways, such as through bank counters, bank or financial institution ATMs, or through the network interface of the consumer voting management system 300, such as a browser login page, allowing consumers to log in to their bank accounts or voting accounts to cast their votes. Generally, a voting account receives a voting card from the consumer voting management system 300, which contains a chip and functions like a regular chip-based financial card, storing voting account information such as account name, password, number of votes, etc. In one embodiment, the voting card can also be integrated into a financial card or other membership card for easy carrying by the voting account holder. In one embodiment, each voting account can be used for more than just voting. Figure 4Voting can be made for products listed on Form 400 of the election list, or for voting accounts not listed on Form 400. After a voting account casts a vote, it receives a voting certificate from the consumer voting management system 300, which contains information including: the voting account name, the name of the voted product, the number of votes cast, and the reward received. The voting certificate can be printed on paper or stored electronically on a voting card. The printed form can be presented as a barcode, points card, prize redemption code receipt, or other form to facilitate gift redemption for the voting account holder. For example, gifts can be redeemed by scanning a barcode, exchanging points for gifts of equivalent value, or redeeming gifts using the prize redemption code on the prize redemption code receipt. Voting rewards or gifts can be cash, merchant goods, discount coupons, membership points, etc. In one embodiment, the voting certificate does not list the reward received. In this case, it indicates that the voted merchant has no intention of increasing its vote count through rewards and only wants consumers to vote based on the product's terms.

[0050] In one embodiment, the voting input unit 312 is configured to receive a signal indicating the pre-adjustment price information of the goods applying to be listed on the election list, and the voting output unit 316, driven by the signal containing the pre-adjustment price information, outputs another signal indicating the pre-adjustment price information.

[0051] Figure 5A A bar chart showing the number of votes and prices of different goods according to embodiments of the present invention. The left bar chart shows two pieces of information for each goods; the right bar shows the price of each goods before the voting activity; and the left bar shows the number of votes each goods received during the voting activity. In one embodiment, the number of votes received by voting accounts X1, X2, X3, and X4 are 428, 371, 209, and 72 votes, respectively.

[0052] In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 announces the vote count to the consumers and merchants participating in the voting activity, and may further announce the vote count to the general public. From the product prices and voting results in the bar chart on the left, it can be seen that consumers have different evaluations of the cost-performance ratio of the products participating in the vote. This is precisely the purpose of the consumer voting management system 300 in holding a fair and open voting activity—to effectively and fairly reveal consumer evaluations and further bridge the gap between the products offered by merchants and consumers' expectations.

[0053] In one embodiment, the value of a vote may depend on the "Average Price to Vote Ratio" (APVR). The calculation of APVR is divided into two stages: the first stage is to calculate the Price to Vote Ratio (PVR) of all goods, and the second stage is to calculate the average of all PVR values ​​based on the PVR of all goods, thus obtaining APVR.

[0054] For example, from Figure 5A As we can see, before the price adjustments, the PVR for each product was as follows: McDonald's was 70 / 428, MOS Burger was 100 / 371, Burger King was 90 / 209, and Wendy's was 60 / 72. APVR is the average of the PVR for all products. That is, APVR = (70 / 428 + 100 / 371 + 90 / 209 + 60 / 72) / 4 = 0.424.

[0055] In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 announces the PVR (Price-to-Valuation Ratio) and final APVR (Average Price-to-Valuation Ratio) of each product to consumers and merchants participating in the voting activity. It may also further announce the vote counts to the general public. The calculated PVR and APVR of each product clearly reflect the difference between the price-to-performance ratio of each merchant and the average price-to-performance ratio. These calculated values ​​can be used to adjust product prices to increase sales or profits. This is precisely the purpose of the consumer voting management system 300 in conducting fair and open voting activities—to effectively and fairly reveal consumer evaluations and further bridge the gap between the products offered by merchants and consumer expectations.

[0056] In one embodiment, the average APVR value can be used as the monetary value (ticket price) of the ballots calculated by the consumer voting management system 300 for this voting activity. For example, the voting processing unit 314 sets the average APVR as the ticket price for each ballot and is configured to allow consumers or voting accounts to purchase ballots at the ticket price.

[0057] In one embodiment, each merchant adjusts its product prices based on the APVR provided by the consumer voting management system 300. The adjustment can be made in several ways, one of which is using the APVR value as a reference point. For example, by... Figure 5AThe bar chart shows the number of votes for each product. Based on the APVR value of 0.424 calculated above, the suggested retail price for each product is as follows: McDonald's received 484 votes, so its adjusted price could be 484 * 0.424 = 205 yuan. MOS Burger received 371 votes, so its adjusted price could be 371 * 0.424 = 275 yuan. Burger King received 209 votes, so its adjusted price could be 209 * 0.424 = 89 yuan. Wendy's received 72 votes, so its adjusted price could be 72 * 0.424 = 31 yuan.

[0058] The above-described methods for adjusting product prices are merely suggestions. Individual retailers can also set different prices for their products based on other factors, such as market analysis reports, consumer feedback, and the pricing power of various brands. Figure 5B A bar chart showing the number of votes and selling prices of different goods according to embodiments of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 5B The number of votes each product received and Figure 5A The displayed values ​​are the same, therefore the PVR and final APVR values ​​calculated by the consumer voting management system 300 for each product remain unchanged. However, because the factors considered by each merchant are not entirely the same, the adjusted prices of each product may not be the same as those calculated using the PVR and APVR values. For example, Figure 5B The price changes show that McDonald's has adjusted its price to 90 yuan, MOS Burger to 80 yuan, Burger King to 70 yuan, and Wendy's to 60 yuan.

[0059] In one embodiment, the voting input unit 312 receives a signal indicating the adjusted selling price of a product applying for inclusion on the campaign list, wherein the adjusted selling price may be obtained via an APVR value calculated by the reference voting processing unit 314 or other factors. Furthermore, the voting output unit 316, driven by the signal containing the adjusted selling price information, outputs another signal indicating the adjusted selling price information.

[0060] In one embodiment, the consumer voting management system 300 itself can also be the object of voting, allowing consumers to express their approval of the system through voting. Voters can purchase ballots at a predetermined price and store them in their voting accounts. In this case, the predetermined price for purchasing ballots generally refers to the product price calculated using the aforementioned APVR value. Therefore, consumers can purchase more ballots at the predetermined price to vote for any product, including products they are campaigning for. Since the adjusted prices of these products are calculated based on the aforementioned APVR, unfair competition is avoided. Furthermore, since each consumer knows the value of APVR and understands that each product's voting account can also vote for its own product, each product's voting account will understand not to vote too much for itself, thus preventing a rapid increase in the ballot price.

[0061] Figure 6 This diagram shows a flowchart of a consumer voting management method 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Method 600 can be... Figure 3 The displayed consumer voting management system is executing a 300 error. This is understandable. Figure 6 Additional steps may be provided before, during, and after the steps shown, and some of the steps described below may be replaced or removed to improve other embodiments of the consumer voting management method 600. The order of the steps in the consumer voting management method 600 may be interchanged.

[0062] In step 602, a first signal is received from the first input unit, which indicates an account application from a plurality of consumers' voting accounts and an election application from at least the first consumer among the plurality of consumers.

[0063] In step 604, after being driven by the first signal, a second signal is output from the first processing unit, which indicates first information about the individual voting accounts of the plurality of consumers and second information about the first product of the first consumer.

[0064] In step 606, after being driven by the second signal, a third signal is output from the first output unit, which indicates the first information and the second information.

[0065] In step 608, a fourth signal is received from and stored from the second input unit, indicating the number of votes received by multiple items on the campaign list during the voting activity, wherein the multiple items include the first item.

[0066] In step 610, after being driven by the fourth signal, a fifth signal is output from the second processing unit, which indicates the ratio (PVR) of the first price of the plurality of goods on the election list to the number of votes, and the average value (APVR) of the ratio of the plurality of goods.

[0067] In step 612, after being driven by the fifth signal, a sixth signal is output from the second output unit, which indicates the number of votes, the ratio, and the average value of the plurality of commodities.

[0068] Figure 7 A block diagram of a system 700 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. System 700 is used to implement a consumer voting management system 300, which includes a processor 701, a network interface 703, an input and output (I / O) device 705, a memory 707, a memory 709, and a bus 708. The bus 708 interconnects the network interface 703, the I / O device 705, the memory 707, the memory 709, and the processor 701.

[0069] Processor 701 may include processor 240. Processor 701 may be used to implement account processing unit 304, voting processing unit 314, or verification processing unit 324. Processor 701 is configured to execute program instructions for performing each step of the consumer voting management method 600 described herein. In some embodiments, processor 701 is configured to implement account module 310, voting module 320, verification module 330, and currency exchange module 340.

[0070] Network interface 703 is configured to access remotely stored program instructions and data over a network (not shown). In some embodiments, network interface 703 is used to remotely receive account request requests, campaign merchandise request requests, voting requests, or ballot transfer requests, etc., input by consumers and merchants.

[0071] I / O device 705 includes input devices and output devices, which can be applied to account input unit 302, account output unit 306, vote input unit 312, vote output unit 316, verification input unit 322, and verification output unit 326, respectively. In one embodiment, I / O device 705 is used to enable a user to interact with system 700. In some embodiments, input devices include a keyboard, mouse, and other devices. Furthermore, output devices include a display, printer, and other devices.

[0072] Storage device 707 is configured to store program instructions and data accessed by those instructions. In some embodiments, storage device 707 includes a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, such as a disk or optical disk. In some embodiments, storage device 705 includes one or more databases for storing information about identity and voting accounts in the account module (e.g., consumer's name, gender, age, account name, account password, identification number, financial credit status, spending history, or browsing history), product names of campaign items on the campaign list, the number of votes received by campaign items, the price before adjustment, and the price after adjustment, and other voting-related information.

[0073] Memory 709 is configured to store program instructions executed by processor 701 and data accessed by those instructions. Memory 709 may also include a database for storing vote counts, PVR values, and APVR values. In some embodiments, memory 709 includes any combination of random access memory (RAM), other volatile storage devices, read-only memory (ROM), and other non-volatile storage devices.

[0074] The consumer voting management system 300 of the present invention offers several advantages. First, for consumers, the consumer voting management system 300 allows them to express their opinions on products and provides them with clear and fair reference suggestions for product selection. Second, for businesses, the consumer voting management system 300 can provide businesses with a reference for selecting inventory, and can serve as a formal and fair evaluation system for market research on new or existing products. Furthermore, in Figure 2 The third development stage 230, as shown, allows businesses to enhance their reputation by purchasing votes from customers as a form of advertising. Finally, regarding the market system, how does it address the issue of inflation? Figure 2 In the third development stage 230, the consumer voting management system 300 can use a certain number of votes to measure the value of money, thereby achieving positive monitoring of the inflation rate. Furthermore, for market researchers, the consumer voting management system 300 is essentially like conducting market research, only the results are shared with the public. By providing real-time reference information on product sales, the risk of investing in related businesses' stocks can be reduced.

[0075] The foregoing outlines the structures of several embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to better understand aspects of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure can be readily used as a basis for designing or modifying other manufacturing processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and / or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art should also recognize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, and that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A consumer voting management system, comprising: The account module includes: A first input unit is configured to receive a first signal indicating an account application from a plurality of consumers' voting accounts, and an election application from at least the first consumer among the plurality of consumers; A first processing unit, driven by the first signal, outputs a second signal indicating first information about the individual voting accounts of the plurality of consumers, and second information about the first product of the first consumer; and The first output unit is configured to output a third signal after being driven by the second signal, which indicates the first information and the second information; and The voting module includes: The second input unit is used to receive and store a fourth signal, which indicates the number of votes received by multiple items on the campaign list during the voting activity, wherein the multiple items include the first item; The second processing unit, driven by the fourth signal, outputs a fifth signal indicating the ratio of the first selling price of the plurality of goods on the election list to the number of votes received, and the average of the ratios of the plurality of goods; and The second output unit is used to output a sixth signal after being driven by the fifth signal, which indicates the number of votes, the ratio, and the average value of the plurality of commodities.

2. The consumer voting management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After being driven by the first signal and before outputting the second signal, the first processing unit outputs a seventh signal, which indicates a request to verify the information of the voting accounts of the plurality of consumers; as well as The first output unit is used to output an eighth signal after being driven by the seventh signal, which indicates the information requested for verification.

3. The consumer voting management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, It further includes a verification module, which includes: The third input unit is used to receive the eighth signal; and The third processing unit is configured to output a ninth signal, driven by the eighth signal, indicating the verification result of the identity account corresponding to the voting account; and The third output unit, driven by the ninth signal, outputs a tenth signal indicating the verification result. The first processing unit is used to output the second signal after receiving the tenth signal.

4. The consumer voting management system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second signal output by the first processing unit further indicates that after the voting account is created, it receives information about a first number of ballots from the second processing unit.

5. The consumer voting management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, After the second signal is output, the second processing unit outputs an eleventh signal at regular intervals, which indicates that the voting account has received a second number of ballots from the second processing unit.

6. The consumer voting management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second processing unit is configured to set the average value as the price of each ballot and to allow the consumer to purchase the ballot at the price of the ballot.

7. The consumer voting management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second input unit is used to receive a twelfth signal, which indicates information indicating a request from the first voting account to donate a ballot to the second voting account; as well as The second processing unit is used to output a thirteenth signal after being driven by the twelfth signal, which specifies information including the voting account of the donor, the voting account of the recipient, and the number of votes donated.

8. The consumer voting management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second input unit is used to receive a thirteenth signal, indicating a request from a third party of the voting account to vote for the second item on the candidate list; and The second processing unit is used to output a fourteenth signal after being driven by the thirteenth signal, which specifies information including the voting account of the third party, the voting account of the second product, the number of votes, and the reward amount for the third party.

9. The consumer voting management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second input unit is further configured to receive a fifteenth signal, which indicates information about the first selling price of the plurality of goods; and After being driven by the fifteenth signal, the second output unit outputs the sixteenth signal, which indicates the information of the first selling price.

10. The consumer voting management system according to claim 9, characterized in that, After the third output unit outputs the sixth signal, The second processing unit is further configured to output a seventeenth signal indicating information about the second selling price of the first commodity, wherein the second selling price is obtained by multiplying the number of votes received by the first commodity by the average price; and After being driven by the seventeenth signal, the second output unit outputs the eighteenth signal, which indicates the information of the second selling price.

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