User information management system, user information management device, and control method thereof

Abstract

To provide a user information management system capable of improving usability.SOLUTION: A user information management system 1 includes a user information management device 10 for unitarily managing user information 110. The user information management device provides predetermined information required at a client terminal 20 or other systems 30, 40, 50, 60 among information included in the user information. The user information is updated by the client terminal and the other systems and is maintained in the latest state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a user information management system, a user information management device, and a control method thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] When a user uses stores of multiple product providers, the user is often required to authenticate himself / herself each time and to input user information such as the user's name, address, age, etc. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that automatically awards points to a user only when a specific product from a specific manufacturer is purchased, and is not a technology that manages user information in a centralized manner. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-097776 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is inconvenient for the user to input user information into the store's system every time the user purchases a product or the like at a store. Products and the like include both goods and services. It is also time-consuming for the product provider to check user information every time, which reduces the efficiency of providing products and the like. Furthermore, the content of the required user information varies depending on the type of product or the like to be purchased. For example, when a user tries to purchase a product with age restrictions such as alcohol or tobacco, the user needs to prove his or her age.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a user information management system, a user information management device, and a control method thereof that are capable of improving usability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a user information management system according to one aspect of the present invention is a user information management system comprising a user information management device that manages user information and a client terminal that is communicatively connected to the user information management device, and the user information management device provides to the client terminal specific information required by the client terminal from among the information contained in the user information. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide the client terminal with predetermined information that is included in the user information and that is required by the client terminal. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] An overall schematic diagram of the user information management system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of user information. [Diagram 3] 4 is an example of a screen provided by a user information management device. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a pre-registration process. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a personal authentication process. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a process for confirming user attributes (eg, age). [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a payment process when a user purchases a product or the like. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a process of granting first points to a user. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a process of granting second points to a user. [Figure 10] 13 is an example of a screen when a user starts shopping using a client terminal. [Figure 11] An example of a screen prompting a user to authenticate themselves using a client terminal. [Figure 12] An example of a client terminal screen showing completion of age verification and point calculation. [Figure 13] An example of the screen displayed on the client terminal when payment is completed. [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart showing a process of updating user information. [Figure 15] 11 is a flowchart showing a process for executing registration into the second point system on behalf of a user in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The user information management device 10 of this embodiment manages user information in a centralized manner, and provides the user information partially or limitedly to the extent necessary in response to a request from another system. The content of the user information provided to the other system is dynamically controlled according to the situation in which the user information is used. The other systems include, for example, a client terminal 20 installed in a store, a first point management system 30 that issues first points, a second point management system 30 that issues second points, and a payment management system 40.

[0010] The first points are points that are awarded according to the purchase amount of a product, etc., when a product, etc. is purchased by presenting a first point card (not necessarily a paper card, but including becoming a member of a point service on a smartphone). There are two types of first points: points that can be used in a wide area, including throughout Japan and overseas, and points that can be used only in limited areas. The second points are points that are awarded to a user for each provider of the product, etc. or for each type of product, etc., depending on the use of the product, etc. For example, they are often used as advertising and promotional activities for specific products, etc., by the provider of the product, etc.

[0011] The user information managed by the user information management device 10 in a unified manner includes information indicating user attributes. The user attributes are, for example, electronic information such as the user's name, address, contact information, and date of birth. In this embodiment, the user attributes may include information used for biometric authentication of the user (hereinafter referred to as biometric information).

[0012] The user information management device 10 selectively discloses user information including these digitized user attributes (digital identity) to a store, for example, by identity authentication. The centralized management service of user information provided by the user information management device 10 is called a DI service or this service. The user information management device 10 may be referred to as a "DI system" in the drawings.

[0013] The user information management device 10 centrally manages various point IDs and payment information as part of user information. When identity authentication is performed by a client terminal 20 installed in a store, user attributes are provided from the user information management device 10 to the client terminal 20 within the scope required by the client terminal 20. The user information management device 10 not only supports payment for products, etc., but also supports the process of granting various points to the user.

[0014] The user information management device 10 manages the reliability of the user attributes registered in the user information management device 10 for each item. For example, a user can register at least a part of the user attributes in the user information management device 10 by self-declaration. At least a part of the user attributes can also be registered in the user information management device 10 after being confirmed by a third party. For example, when a credit card company registers the result of screening through documents or the like as part of the user attributes in the user information management device 10, the reliability is set high. Furthermore, for example, when a part of the user attributes is obtained by presenting an identification document (driver's license, passport, etc.) in person at a store, the reliability of the user attributes is set high. In contrast, a low reliability is set for self-declared user attributes.

[0015] The client terminal 2 can also request only user attributes having a reliability level equal to or higher than a predetermined value from the user information management device 10. If the user information management device 10 does not hold user attributes having the requested reliability level, it will not disclose the user attributes to the client terminal 20. For example, before selling a product or the like that requires age verification to a user, the client terminal 20 needs to verify that the user has reached the age of majority. In this case, the client terminal 20 needs only user attributes with a high reliability level indicating that the user is an adult. This is because products or the like that require age verification cannot be sold with only self-reported age information with low reliability.

[0016] The user information management system 1 and the user information management device 10 of this embodiment digitize and centrally manage user information (including user attributes) and individually provide user attributes within the range required by each of multiple other systems (other services) and with the required reliability. When a user uses various products, such as supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, hotels, inns, gyms, sports centers, and web services, the user information management system 1 and the user information management device 10 perform (1) age confirmation, (2) payment, (3) point allocation (first points) for cards, and (4) point allocation (second points) for manufacturers.

[0017] By using the user information management system 1 and the user information management device 10, the age of the user can be easily confirmed even in unmanned stores, unmanned registers, etc. Furthermore, providers of products, etc. (e.g. manufacturers) do not need to build their own systems to deliver promotional novelty goods to consumers. EXAMPLES

[0018] The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 14. Figure 1 shows an overview of a user information management system 1.

[0019] The user information management system 1 includes, for example, a user information management device 10 and a plurality of client terminals 20. The user information management device 10 is connected to a plurality of client terminals 20 and a plurality of user terminals 60 via a communication network CN1. The user information management device 10 is connected to a first point management system 30, a second point management system 40, and a payment management system 50 via a communication network CN2. For convenience, in the following description and drawings, the first point system 30, the second point system 40, and the payment system 50 may be abbreviated. The communication networks CN1 and CN2 may be a training communication network or a dedicated communication network. The communication networks CN1 and CN2 may be the same communication network or may be different.

[0020] The user information management device 10 centrally manages user information and provides the user information to other systems that require the user information (e.g., the client terminal 20, the first point management system 30, the second point management system 40, and the payment management system 50) to the extent and with the reliability required by the other systems. The user information includes various user attributes, account information for receiving various points, and payment information.

[0021] The user information management device 10 is configured using a computer including, for example, a processor 12, a memory 13, a communication unit 14, and a user interface unit 15. The memory 13 here includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The processor 12 executes a predetermined computer program (not shown) stored in the memory 13, thereby realizing the functions of the user information management unit 11. The user information management unit 11 manages user information 110, and executes processes such as registration, deletion, update, delivery, and reception. An example of the user information 110 managed by the user information management unit 11 will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

[0022] The communication unit 14 is a device for the user information management device 10 to communicate with the client terminal 20, the point management systems 30 and 40, the payment management system 50, and the user terminal 60. The user interface unit 15 is a device for an administrator or operator of the user information management device 10 to input and output information between the user information management device 10 and the user information management device 10. The user interface unit 15 includes, for example, a monitor display, a keyboard, a pointing device, a printer, a voice recognition device, a voice synthesis device, and the like. The user information management device 10 can also send electronic messages, for example, e-mails, to the administrator of the user information management device 10 or the administrators of the other systems 20, 30, 40, and 50.

[0023] The user information management device 10 can be connected to a storage medium MM. The storage medium MM is configured as, for example, a memory device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, a magneto-optical disk device, a magnetic tape device, or the like, and non-temporarily stores computer programs and data. The storage medium MM can transfer and store computer programs and data to the memory 13 of the user information management device 10. It is also possible to transfer and store computer programs and data from the memory 13 to the storage medium MM. A computer program that realizes the functions of the user information management device 10 is stored in the storage medium MM, the storage medium MM is connected to another computer, and the computer program stored in the storage medium MM is installed in the other computer, thereby making the other computer function as the user information management device 10.

[0024] The client terminal 20 will be described. The client terminal 20 is realized, for example, as a cash register, a POS (Point Of Sale), or the like. The client terminal 20 includes a client application 21, and transmits and receives information to and from the user information management device 10. The client terminal 20 may also include a biometric authentication device 22. The biometric authentication device 22 acquires biometric information used for biometric authentication, such as a fingerprint, a vein pattern, a palm print, an iris, or a voice print, from the user and digitizes it. The information used for biometric authentication is not limited to information indicating physical characteristics such as a vein pattern, but may also be information indicating behavioral characteristics such as walking behavior. Biometric authentication can also be performed by combining multiple pieces of biometric information.

[0025] The client terminal 20 can be installed in various facilities such as supermarkets, convenience stores, apparel shops, gyms, insurance stores, real estate agencies, restaurants, stations, airports, beauty salons, pharmacies, hospitals, etc. The client terminal 20 may be built into a cash register or a POS as described above, or may be provided in a device such as a reception device, a ticket vending machine, or an information device.

[0026] The biometric authentication device 22 may be provided integrally with the client terminal 20, or may be provided separately from the client terminal 20 and connected to the client terminal 20 by wire or wirelessly. Note that a user terminal 60 carried by a user may also be used as the biometric authentication device 22.

[0027] The first point management system 30 is a system that, when a user purchases (uses) a product or the like using a first point card, grants first points corresponding to the purchase price or the like to the user's first point account (first point ID). The first points can be used as payment when purchasing a product or the like. The first point card may be either a common point card that can be used at stores in other types of businesses, or a unique card that can be used only at a specific store. The user accesses the first point management system 30 in advance and creates an account (first point ID) for the first points, and registers the information of the first point ID in the user information management device 10.

[0028] The second point management system 40 is a system that gives points, novelty goods, etc. to a user when the user purchases a product or the like from a specific product provider. The user accesses the second point management system 40 in advance, creates an account for second points (second point ID), and registers information on the second point ID in the user information management device 10. In an embodiment described later, the user information management device 10 creates a second point ID on behalf of the user for the second points selected by the user on the user information management device 10.

[0029] Both the first point management system 30 and the second point management system 40 hold member information (information identifying a user having an ID) at the time the point ID was created. When the user information management device 10 indicates the point ID, each of the point management systems 30, 40 grants a predetermined number of points to the user.

[0030] The payment system 50 is a system for making payments by credit card, for example. Instead of a credit card, payments may be made by cash cards, prepaid cards, debit cards, or other means.

[0031] The user terminal 60 is a terminal used by a user, and is, for example, a so-called smartphone or tablet. The user terminal 60 may have any shape. The user terminal 60 may be in the form of a watch, a bracelet, a collar, a glasses, or a goggles. The user can communicate with the client terminal 20 using the short-distance communication function of the user terminal 60, or can directly communicate with the user information management device 10 using the data communication function.

[0032] 2 shows an example of user information 110. The user information 110 manages a plurality of user attributes (or management items) 111 in association with a name of a verification organization 112, a reliability level 113, a list 114 of when the information is used, and the like.

[0033] User attributes (management items of user information; the same applies below) include, for example, name, date of birth, gender, telephone number, email address, address, biometric information 1, biometric information 2, DIID, first point ID, second point ID, and payment information.

[0034] Attributes from "Name" to "Address" are basic information. Biometric information 1 and 2 are information selected from, for example, finger vein patterns, palm prints, fingerprints, etc. Since using only one piece of biometric information can be inconvenient and there is also a risk of fluctuation in authentication accuracy, multiple pieces of biometric information are registered.

[0035] The DIID is a user ID (identification information) for using a centralized management service of user information (digital identity) provided by the user information management device 10. A user is an entity that manages information indicating attributes, and may include not only people but also organizations, devices, services, etc. The "DI system" in the figure indicates the user information management device 10 as described above.

[0036] The first point ID and the second point ID have already been described. Here, one each is shown, but in reality, multiple first point IDs and multiple second point IDs can be managed in the user information 110. The payment information is also as described above.

[0037] The verification agency 112 as a "predetermined agency" is the name of the agency that verified the user attributes when they were registered in the user information management device 10. Examples of the verification agency 112 include a credit card company (abbreviated as "card" in the figure), the user information management device 10 (abbreviated as "DI system" in the figure), a supermarket (abbreviated as "super" in the figure), and a bank. There are also companies that issue various points. The "user himself" is not an agency but is a verifying entity of the user attributes, and is therefore listed as one of the verification agencies 112. The reliability 113 is information indicating the reliability of the attribute 111, and is set and updated for each piece of information of the attribute 111. The reliability 113 is set according to the nature of the information of the attribute 111 and the method used by the verification agency 112 to verify the user, as shown in FIG. 2. For example, if the information on the user's name is verified by a credit card company with reference to an identification document, the reliability 113 is "medium". If the information on the user's address is set by the user himself, the reliability 113 is "low". Also, if the user's biometric information is set in person at a supermarket or bank after the user is asked to present an identity document, the reliability 113 will be "high." In this way, the reliability 113 can be set according to, for example, the nature of the information in the attribute 111, the type of the verification agency 112, or the verified content, or a combination of these.

[0038] The usage list 114 is information that is created in advance to provide user information to the extent required by other systems that use the user information. For example, the contents (items) of user information required at the time of identity authentication, at the time of payment, at the time of first point allocation, and at the time of second point allocation are registered in advance. The usage list 114 may be created so that different user information can be provided in the same usage scenario. For example, the content of user information provided to one first point management system 30 may be different from the content of user information provided to another first point management system 30.

[0039] Fig. 3 is an example of a screen of user information provided by the user information management device 10. The user information management device 10 provides a page G1 shown in Fig. 3 to a user who uses a service (DI service) that centrally manages user information. Page G1 is called a My Page for each user. My Page G1 includes, for example, a user information display section GP11, a point ID registration information display section GP12, and a credit card information display section GP13.

[0040] The user information display unit GP11 displays the user information registered in the user information management device 10. If any part of the registered user information has changed, the user can request an update of the registered contents. The user information may be updated by a third party using a client terminal 20 installed in a store or the like, or by the user himself / herself. However, if the user himself / herself updates the user attributes, the reliability of the information may decrease.

[0041] The point ID registration information display unit GP12 displays the first point ID and the second point ID registered in the user information management device 10. A list of frequently used point cards may be displayed, and a mark GP14 indicating that a point card registered by the user may be displayed on the list, or only the point cards registered by the user may be displayed on the display unit GP12.

[0042] The credit card information display section GP13 displays information about the credit card that the user has registered in the user information management device 10. A part of the card number is concealed for security reasons. Well-known credit cards may be displayed in a list format, and a mark GP14 may be set for the credit card used by the user from the list.

[0043] 4 is a sequence diagram showing the pre-registration process. Using the user terminal 60, the user creates his / her own account in the first point management system 30, the second point management system 40, the payment management system 50, etc., and registers at least a part of the account information (ID) and attribute information in the user information management device 10 (S1).

[0044] FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the personal authentication process. A user may be required to perform personal authentication at a store or the like. In this case, the user requests the client terminal 20 to perform personal authentication (S2). The user may operate the screen of the client terminal 20 to request the performance of personal authentication, may request the performance of personal authentication from the user terminal 60 to the client terminal 20, or may request the performance of personal authentication from a store clerk operating the client terminal 20. This request for personal authentication includes, for example, biometric information of the user. For example, the user holds the palm of the hand over the biometric authentication device 22 to have the vein pattern read. The client terminal 20 transmits the biometric information (here, the vein pattern) acquired from the user to the user information management device 10, and requests the user information management device 10 to perform personal authentication (S20).

[0045] The user information management device 10 performs identity authentication by comparing information (biometric information in this case) registered in the user information 110 with the biometric information received from the client terminal 20 (S21). The user information management device 10 transmits a result of identity authentication to the client terminal 20 (S22). The user information management device 10 notifies the client terminal 20 that identity authentication has been successful by transmitting the ID (DIID) of the user information unified management service determined from the biometric information to the client terminal 20. When the client terminal 20 receives the service ID (DIID) from the user information management device 10, it confirms that identity authentication has been successful (S23). In response to this, if the user information management device 10 determines that there is no corresponding person as a result of comparing the biometric information, the user information management device 10 notifies the client terminal 20 of an error indicating identity authentication failure, and the client terminal 20 knows that identity authentication of the user has failed (S23). In this case, the user can prove his / her identity by presenting an official document such as a driver's license on which basic information of the user's attributes (such as name, address, telephone number, and date of birth) is written to the store clerk operating the client terminal 20. However, in unmanned stores or unmanned registers, it is time-consuming to verify the identity of the user by presenting an official document. The user's name, address, email address, and so on can be acquired by the user information management device 10 when the user acquires the service ID of the user information management device 10.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing a process of confirming a user attribute (e.g., age). When a user wishes to purchase a product or the like with an age restriction, the client terminal 20 requests the user information management device 10 to confirm the user's age as a user attribute (S3). For example, when a user attempts to purchase alcohol or tobacco at an unmanned store or unmanned register, the user is asked to confirm that he or she has reached adulthood. Thus, when the user causes the biometric authentication device 22 connected to the client terminal 20 to read the biometric information, the client terminal 20 requests the user information management device 10 to confirm the user's age. This age confirmation request includes the biometric information acquired from the user and the reliability desired by the client terminal 20.

[0047] In response to a request from the client terminal 20, the user information management device 10 identifies the service ID of the user from the biometric information of the user, reads out the date of birth of the identified user, and confirms the age as a user attribute (S31). The user information management device 10 returns the result of the age confirmation and the reliability of the information used for the confirmation (here, the date of birth) to the client terminal 20 (S32). When confirmation of whether or not the user is an adult is requested, the user information management device 10 can simply reply to the client terminal 20 whether or not the user is an adult, rather than replying the date of birth or age. Alternatively, the age may be divided into a plurality of stages, such as "infant", "minor", "adult", "middle-aged", and "elderly", and the user information management device 10 may return information indicating which stage the user belongs to and the reliability to the client terminal 20.

[0048] In step 31, the user information management device 10 checks (S31) whether the data of the user's date of birth has a reliability equal to or higher than the reliability requested by the client terminal 20. For example, if the user has self-reported their date of birth, or if the date of birth has been confirmed by an objectively unreliable third party, the user information management device 10 returns a message to the client terminal 20 indicating that the age could not be confirmed (whether the user is an adult or not is unknown) (S32).

[0049] The client terminal 20 checks the result of the determination of the user attributes by the user information management device 10 (S33), and notifies the user whether or not the product, etc. can be used, depending on the check result. If the user is a minor, the client terminal 20 notifies the user that products, etc. with age restrictions cannot be sold (used) to the user. Although alcohol and tobacco have been given as examples of products, etc. with age restrictions, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to, for example, a system for issuing student discounts, a system for managing entry and exit based on the presence or absence of qualifications to public facilities that can only be used by those who live or work in a specified area, and the like.

[0050] 7 is a sequence diagram showing a payment process when a user purchases a product, etc. The user brings the purchased product, etc. to a cash register in an unmanned store or a self-service register in a manned store, and attempts to pay for it by operating the screen of the client terminal 20. The client terminal 20 requests the user information management device 10 to carry out the payment process (S4).

[0051] When the user information management device 10 receives a request from the client terminal 20, it checks the payment information registered in the user information 110 (S41) and requests payment to the payment system 50 selected by the user (S42). The payment request from the user information management device 10 to the payment system 50 includes information necessary for payment, such as the credit card number, name, validity period, and security number.

[0052] The payment management system 50 carries out the payment process (S43) and notifies the user information management device 10 of the result (S44). The user information management device 10 notifies the client terminal 20 of the result of the payment process received from the payment management system 50 (S45). The client terminal 20 checks whether the payment has been completed normally (S46), and if the payment has been completed normally, issues a receipt to the user.

[0053] 8 is a sequence diagram showing a process of granting first points to a user. Here, only one first point management system 30 is shown, but in reality, the first points in each first point management system 30 are updated according to the first points registered by the user. When a certain first point is linked to another first point, each first point is updated for the related first point management systems 30.

[0054] First, the client terminal 20 requests a first point ID from the user information management device 10 in response to, for example, an instruction from a user (S5). This request includes the service ID of the user requesting the first points to be awarded. After the payment process, the first point awarding process shown in FIG. 8 may be automatically executed.

[0055] When the user information management device 10 receives a request from the client terminal 20, it checks the first point ID corresponding to the service ID by referring to the user information 110 (S51), and notifies the client terminal 20 of the first point ID (S52). The client terminal 20 uses the first point ID received from the user information management device 10 to access the first point management system 30, and requests an update of the first points, i.e., in this case, the granting of the first points (S53). This request includes the first point ID and the purchase amount of the product or the like.

[0056] The first point management system 30 calculates the number of first points to be assigned to the first point ID and updates the number of first points stored in the first point ID (S54). The first point management system 30 notifies the client terminal 20 of the update result of the first points (S55). The client terminal 20 notifies the user of the update result of the first points received from the first point management system 30 (S56).

[0057] Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram showing a process of granting second points to a user. For example, in response to an instruction from a user, the client terminal 20 requests the user information management device 10 to update the second point ID (S6). This request includes the service ID of the user requesting the grant of second points and the user's purchase history. After the payment process, the second point grant process shown in Fig. 9 may be automatically executed.

[0058] When the user information management device 10 receives a request from the client terminal 20, it checks the second point ID corresponding to the service ID, and checks and tallies the second points to be awarded for each provider of the product or for each product (S61). The user information management device 10 requests the second point management system 40 to update the second points (S62).

[0059] The second point management system 40 updates the second points for the second point ID indicated by the client terminal 20 (S63), and notifies the user terminal 60 of the update result (S65).

[0060] Since the update of the second point is often performed by so-called batch processing, rather than real-time processing like the update of the first point, it takes time until the second point of the second point ID is actually updated. Therefore, after requesting the second point management system 40 to update the second point, the user information management device 10 may notify the user terminal 60 that the update of the second point has been requested and that it will take some time to complete the update (S64). This notification of waiting for update may be transmitted from the user information management device 10 to the user terminal 60 via the client terminal 20.

[0061] 10 is an example of a screen G2 when a user is shopping. On the screen of the client terminal 20 provided at a POS or the like, for example, buttons are displayed for selecting whether to start shopping after identity authentication (button GP21) or to start shopping without identity authentication (button GP22). Note that the identity authentication here is identity authentication using biometric information, and the user does not need to enter a password or present an official document such as a driver's license.

[0062] In this embodiment, since shopping at an unmanned store or unmanned cash register is assumed, unless identity authentication is successful, age-restricted products and the like cannot be purchased. Furthermore, since the user information management system 1 completes identity authentication before starting shopping, the store can encourage the user to shop smoothly and sell products and the like efficiently.

[0063] 11 is an example of a screen G3 that prompts the user to authenticate himself / herself. The screen G3 displayed on the client terminal 20 displays a method of authenticating the user using text and / or graphics.

[0064] 12 is an example of screen G4 indicating completion of age confirmation and point calculation. Screen G4 displayed on client terminal 20 includes, for example, an area for displaying the remaining points, an area for selecting a payment method, an area for manually selecting a product without a barcode, and a button for calling a store clerk.

[0065] Fig. 13 is an example of a screen G5 that is displayed on the client terminal 20 when payment is completed. When payment is completed, a message is displayed on the screen G5 indicating that the first points and second points will be awarded for the first point ID and second point ID held by the user. The "pre-linked points" in Fig. 13 is an example of the first points, and the "manufacturer points" is an example of the second points.

[0066] 14 shows an example of a process for updating user information. All or part of the user information 110 managed centrally by the user information management device 10 can be updated by a user or a third party (S100). Here, the user or third party who updates the user information is called an "organization."

[0067] When the user information management device 10 receives a request to update user information (S101), it checks the update source that has issued the update request (S102).

[0068] The user information management device 10 sets the reliability of each item of the updated user information according to the type of the user information update source (S103), and rewrites the value of the user information (S104). The order of steps S103 and S104 may be reversed, or steps S103 and S104 may be performed simultaneously.

[0069] The user information management device 10 can also notify other systems related to the user information management system 1 of the update of the user information (S105). This notification can include the type of the update source, the contents of the updated user information, the set reliability, and the like. The other systems are, for example, the first point management system 30 and the second point management system 40 selected by the user, the payment management system 50, and the like. Although not shown in the figure, the other systems notified from the user information management device 19 update the member information and the like they hold. If the reliability of the updated user information is high, the other systems update the user information.

[0070] The user information management device 10 sets a contribution degree for the organization that updated the user information (S106). The contribution degree may be set uniformly for all items of the user information. The contribution degree may be adjusted by a weight according to the item of the user information.

[0071] The user information management device 10 distributes a part of the profits obtained by the user information management system 1 as a reward at a predetermined timing according to the degree of contribution of each organization (S200). The profits of the user information management system 1 are, for example, a usage fee for the user information management service provided by the user information management system 1. In other words, a company or the like that uses the user information management service provided by the user information management system 1 can earn a reward from the user information management system 1 by contributing to updating the latest user information while paying the usage fee to the user information management system 1.

[0072] According to the present embodiment configured as described above, the user information management device 10 manages user information in a centralized manner and provides only the user information required by other systems. Instead of providing all items of user information managed by the user information management device 10 in a uniform manner, the user information is provided individually and limitedly to the extent required by the company or the like (other system) that uses the user information depending on the situation in which the user information is used. This makes it possible to prevent useless information that is not used by the company or the like that uses the user information from being provided by the user information management device 10, to manage the user information secretly, and to improve the reliability of the user information management system 1. Furthermore, since only the required user information is provided, the load on the communication network can also be reduced.

[0073] When this embodiment is applied to an unmanned store or an unmanned cash register, a user can freely shop, including for products with age restrictions, simply by authenticating his or her identity using biometric authentication, improving usability.

[0074] Even in companies operating unmanned stores, the age of users can be confirmed without compromising their privacy, and products with age restrictions can be sold efficiently.

[0075] The user information management device 10 can support the granting of first points to users from the first point management system 30, which improves usability for companies operating unmanned stores and the like.

[0076] The user information management device 10 can sort the purchase history of the user by provider of the product or by product, and can support the second point management system 40 in giving the second points to the user. Therefore, the second point management system 40 can simplify the user management in-house by entrusting the task of identifying the user to the user information management device 10, thereby improving usability. EXAMPLES

[0077] A second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 15. In this embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In this embodiment, the user information management device 10 performs registration in the second point management system 40 on behalf of the user.

[0078] Fig. 15 is a flow chart showing the process (S300) of registering a second point ID in the second point management system 40 on behalf of the user. For example, the user selects the second point campaign for which he / she wishes to register on My Page G1 shown in Fig. 3 (S301). The selected second point campaign is given a mark GP14.

[0079] The user information management device 10 accesses the second point management system 40 that manages the second point campaign selected by the user (S302). The user information management device 10 acquires information required to register the user in the second point campaign from the user information 110 (S303), and registers the user in the second point management system 40 (S304).

[0080] The present embodiment thus configured also achieves the same effects as those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the application registration for the second point campaign that is carried out relatively frequently and repeatedly for each season or product is performed on behalf of the user, improving the usability for the user. For companies and the like that operate the second point management system 40, the system can also easily gather applicants through the user's My Page G1, improving the convenience.

[0081] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications are included. For example, the above-mentioned embodiment has been described in detail to easily explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration. Furthermore, each embodiment can be appropriately combined as long as there is no obvious contradiction.

[0082] The present specification discloses the following aspects so that those skilled in the art can implement them.

[0083] (Aspect 1) A user information management system including a user information management device that manages user information and a client terminal that is communicably connected to the user information management device, The user information management device is a user information management system that provides the client terminal with predetermined information required by the client terminal from among information included in the user information.

[0084] (Aspect 2) The user information management system according to Aspect 1, wherein the predetermined information includes information necessary for authenticating the user.

[0085] (Aspect 3) The user information management system according to any one of Aspects 1 and 2, wherein the predetermined information further includes a reliability indicating the reliability of the information.

[0086] (Aspect 4) A user information management system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, in which the content of the information included in the predetermined information changes in response to a request from the client terminal.

[0087] (Aspect 5) A user information management system described in any one of Aspects 1-4, in which multiple ranks are set for the reliability, and information having a reliability of a predetermined rank or higher corresponding to a request from the client terminal is transmitted to the client terminal.

[0088] (Aspect 6) A user information management system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, in which the plurality of ranks included in the specified information are provided as graded values ​​calculated based on a specified criterion.

[0089] (Viewpoint 7) A user information management system described in any one of Viewpoints 1-6, wherein the user information management device is further connected to a payment system, and requests payment from the payment system using the payment amount received from the client terminal and a portion of the user information of the user corresponding to the payment amount.

[0090] (Viewpoint 8) The user information management device is further connected to a first point management system that awards first points to the user in accordance with the user's use of a point card, and uses the first point number calculated by the client terminal and a portion of the user information of the user corresponding to the first point number to request the first point management system to award the first points. A user information management system described in any one of Views 1-7.

[0091] (Aspect 9) The user information management device is further connected to a second point management system which grants second points to the user for each provider of a product or service (hereinafter referred to as a product, etc.) or for each product, etc., depending on the user's use of the product, etc., and a user information management system described in any one of Aspects 1-8 which requests the second point management system to grant second points using the second point number calculated by the client terminal and a portion of the user information of the user corresponding to the second point number.

[0092] (Aspect 10) A user information management system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 9, wherein the reliability includes information about a predetermined organization that has verified the contents of the user information.

[0093] (Aspect 11) The user information management system according to any one of Aspects 1-10, wherein the user information management device pays a reward to the specified institution.

[0094] (Aspect 12) A user information management system according to any one of Aspects 1 or 2, wherein the information required for the personal authentication includes information used for biometric authentication of the user.

[0095] (Aspect 13) A user information management system including a user information management device that manages user information used in a store, and a client terminal that is communicatively connected to the user information management device and provided in a POS (Point Of Sales) register installed in the store, wherein the user information management device extracts predetermined information included in the user information for each usage situation of the user information required by the client terminal and provides the information to the client terminal, and the user information management device further includes a first point management system that grants first points to the user in accordance with the user's use of a point card, a second point management system that grants second points to the user for each provider of a product or service (hereinafter referred to as a product, etc.) or for each product, etc., in accordance with the user's use of the product, etc., and a payment system. and a user terminal used by the user, wherein at least a portion of the user information can be updated using one or more of the following institutions: the client terminal, the first point management system, the second point management system, the payment system, and the user terminal, wherein the user information management device stores the updated user information together with the trustworthiness of the institution that updated the user information, and further wherein the user information management device sets a contribution level for updating the user information to the institution that updated the user information, and distributes a portion of the profits earned by the user information management device based on the set contribution level.

[0096] (Point 14) A user information management device that is communicatively connected to a client terminal and manages user information, the user information management device having a user information management unit that manages the user information, the user information management unit providing the client terminal with specific information contained in the user information that is required by the client terminal.

[0097] (Aspect 15) A user information management device used in the user information management system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 13.

[0098] (Aspect 16) A storage medium for realizing on a computer a user information management device used in the user information management system according to any one of aspects 1 to 13.

[0099] (Aspect 17) A method for controlling a user information management device that is communicatively connected to a client terminal and manages user information, the method comprising causing a user information management unit that manages the user information to provide to the client terminal specific information contained in the user information that is required by the client terminal. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1: user information management system, 10: user information management device, 20: client terminal, 30: first point management system, 40: second point management system, 50: payment management system, 60: user terminal

Claims

1. A user information management system including a user information management device that manages user information and a client terminal that is communicably connected to the user information management device, The user information management device provides, to the client terminal, predetermined information required by the client terminal among information included in the user information. User information management system.

2. The predetermined information includes information necessary for authenticating the user. The user information management system according to claim 1 .

3. The predetermined information further includes a reliability indicating the reliability of the information. The user information management system according to claim 1 .

4. The content of the information included in the predetermined information changes according to a request from the client terminal. The user information management system according to claim 1 .

5. A plurality of ranks are set for the reliability, and information having a reliability of a predetermined rank or higher corresponding to a request from the client terminal is transmitted to the client terminal. The user information management system according to claim 3 .

6. The plurality of ranks included in the predetermined information are provided as step values ​​calculated based on a predetermined criterion. The user information management system according to claim 5 .

7. The user information management device is further connected to a payment system, and requests the payment system to make a payment using the payment amount received from the client terminal and a part of the user information of the user corresponding to the payment amount. The user information management system according to claim 1 .

8. The user information management device is further connected to a first point management system that grants first points to the user in response to the user's use of a point card, and requests the first point management system to grant the first points using the first point number calculated by the client terminal and a part of the user information of the user corresponding to the first point number. The user information management system according to claim 7.

9. The user information management device is further connected to a second point management system that grants second points to the user for each provider of a product or service (hereinafter referred to as a product, etc.) in response to the user's use of the product, etc., and requests the second point management system to grant second points using the second point number calculated by the client terminal and a part of the user information of the user corresponding to the second point number. The user information management system according to claim 7.

10. The reliability includes information about a predetermined organization that has verified the contents of the user information. The user information management system according to claim 3 .

11. The user information management device pays a reward to the predetermined organization. The user information management system according to claim 1 .

12. The information required for the identity authentication includes information used for biometric authentication of the user. The user information management system according to claim 2 .

13. A user information management system including a user information management device that manages user information used in a store, and a client terminal that is communicably connected to the user information management device and is provided in a POS (Point Of Sales) register installed in the store, the user information management device extracts predetermined information included in the user information for each usage situation of the user information required by the client terminal, and provides the extracted information to the client terminal; Furthermore, the user information management device is communicatively connected to a first point management system that grants a first point to the user in response to the user's use of a point card, a second point management system that grants a second point to the user for each provider of a product or service (hereinafter referred to as a product, etc.) or for each product, etc., in response to the user's use of the product, etc., a payment system, and a user terminal used by the user, At least a part of the user information can be updated using one or more of the following: the client terminal, the first point management system, the second point management system, the payment system, and the user terminal; the user information management device stores the updated user information together with a trustworthiness of an institution that updated the user information; Furthermore, the user information management device sets a contribution level for updating the user information to the organization that updated the user information, and distributes a part of the profits obtained by the user information management device based on the set contribution level. User information management system.

14. A user information management device that is communicatively connected to a client terminal and manages user information, A user information management unit that manages the user information is provided. The user information management unit provides the client terminal with predetermined information required by the client terminal among information included in the user information. User information management device.

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