Settlement server, settlement method and program

Abstract

To provide a settlement server, settlement method and program capable of executing processing relating to purchase, donation and electronic settlement of specific vouchers as a series of processing.SOLUTION: A settlement server comprises: a voucher management unit for acquiring and managing, from a service server, information of specific electronic vouchers to be used in preset stores among stores where an electronic settlement service can be used, the specific vouchers acquired as return gifts for donations to municipalities; and a recommendation unit, upon acquiring settlement information including store identification information, when it is determined that a user does not own a specific voucher, from information managed by the voucher management unit, causing a settlement application to display information prompting purchase of the specific voucher. When acquiring information representing that the user is to purchase the specific voucher, a settlement processing unit executes processing for a donation to a municipality, the issuer of the specific voucher, and processing for an electronic settlement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a settlement server, a settlement method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been an electronic payment service that automatically applies vouchers such as gift certificates held by users to perform electronic payment in the electronic payment service.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional technology, when a user does not own a specific voucher, a plurality of operations are required until using a specific voucher donated by making a donation to a local government, and the convenience of the user has been reduced.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and one of the objects is to provide a settlement server, a settlement method, and a program that can execute processing related to the purchase, donation, and electronic settlement of a specific voucher as a series of processing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a settlement server that provides an electronic settlement service in cooperation with a settlement application operating on a user terminal device, the settlement server including: a communication unit that communicates with at least the user terminal device and each of service servers that provide services different from the electronic settlement service; a voucher management unit that obtains and manages information on an electronic specific voucher that has an expiration date and is available at preset designated stores among stores where the electronic settlement service can be used, the information on the specific voucher being obtained as a gift in return for a donation to a local government from the service server; a recommendation unit that, when obtaining settlement information including the store identification information from the user terminal device that has read a store code image including the store identification information displayed in the store via the communication unit, determines whether the user owns a specific voucher by referring to user information, and when it is determined that the user does not own the specific voucher that can be used at the designated store managed by the voucher management unit, causes the settlement application to display information prompting the purchase of the specific voucher obtained from the service server; and a settlement processing unit that, when obtaining information from the settlement application indicating that the user wishes to purchase the specific voucher, performs processing for donation to the local government that is the issuer of the specific voucher and processing for electronic settlement.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a settlement server, a settlement method, and a program that enable the purchase of a specific voucher, donation, and electronic settlement to be performed at once.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the settlement server, settlement method, and program of the present invention will be described. Various devices such as "servers", "management devices", and "information providing devices" that appear below and provide services to users or perform internal analysis may be realized by a decentralized group of devices, and the operators of each device may be different. Also, the holder of the device's hardware (provider of the cloud server) and the operator who actually operates the device may be different. The application program and the settlement server cooperate to provide an electronic settlement service. In the following description, the application program is referred to as a settlement application. The electronic settlement service is a service that supports the settlement related to the purchase of goods and services in a store. The store is, for example, a physical store (actual store) existing in the real space, but may include a virtual store for e-commerce. The virtual store may include those provided by a subject different from the operator of the electronic settlement service. In that case, when settling a purchase in the virtual store, it is controlled to transition to the interface screen of the electronic settlement service. In the electronic settlement service, the store is, for example, treated as belonging to a franchise (brand), and processes such as settlement when a purchase action is performed in the store are mainly carried out between the user and the franchise. Instead of this, processes such as settlement may be carried out between the user and the store.

[0010] [Electronic Settlement Service] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for realizing an electronic settlement service. The electronic settlement service is realized centering around a settlement server 100. The settlement server 100 communicates with each of, for example, one or more user terminal devices 10, one or more first store terminal devices 50, and one or more second store terminal devices 70 via a network NW. The network NW includes, for example, the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a wireless base station, a provider device, and the like.

[0011] The user terminal device 10 is, for example, a portable terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The user terminal device 10 is a computer device having at least an optical reading function, a communication function, a display function, an input reception function, and a program execution function. In the following description, the configurations for realizing these functions are respectively referred to as a camera, a communication device, a touch panel, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), etc. In the user terminal device 10, the payment application 20 is executed by a processor such as a CPU, and it operates to provide an electronic payment service to the user in cooperation with the payment server 100. The payment application 20 is installed in the user terminal device 10 from, for example, an application store, and controls a camera, a communication device, a touch panel, etc.

[0012] The first store terminal device 50 is installed in a store, for example. The first store terminal device 50 is a computer device having at least a product price acquisition function, an optical reading function, a program execution function, and a communication function. The first store terminal device 50 includes a so-called POS (Point of Sale) device, and the product price acquisition function and the optical reading function may be realized by the POS device. The store code image 60 is placed in the store and is a code image such as a QR code (registered trademark) printed on a paper or plastic medium. Note that the store code image 60 may be displayed by a display placed in the store (which may be a display of a terminal device such as a smartphone).

[0013] The second store terminal device 70 is used by the operator of the franchise store. The second store terminal device 70 is a smartphone, tablet terminal, personal computer, or the like. In the second store terminal device 70, the interface 72 for the franchise store operates. The interface 72 for the franchise store may be an application for the franchise store or a browser. The interface 72 for the franchise store accepts settings of coupons and the like by the operator of the franchise store and transmits them to the payment server 100. The second store terminal device 70 that is a smartphone has functions such as displaying a code image corresponding to the store code image or reading the code image displayed by the user terminal device 10 by executing the application for the franchise store.

[0014] The payment server 100 realizes electronic payment based on the payment information received from the user terminal device 10 or the first store terminal device 50. The first store terminal device 50 may include a POS device and a franchise store server. In that case, the payment information is transmitted from the POS device to the payment server 100 via the franchise store server. In the following description, without particularly distinguishing this, it is assumed that the payment information is transmitted from the first store terminal device 50.

[0015] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are sequence diagrams illustrating a rough flow of electronic payment. There may be two patterns, pattern 1 and pattern 2, for electronic payment.

[0016] In the case of pattern 1 shown in FIG. 2 (hereinafter referred to as user scan), the user terminal device 10 in the state where the payment application 20 is activated decodes the store code image 60 by means of an optical reading function (S1). The store code image 60 contains information on the store URL (Uniform Resource Locator). This store URL is obtained by adding information capable of identifying the store to the domain of the electronic payment service, and is associated with the franchise store ID, store ID, etc. in the payment server 100 (described later). The payment application 20 transmits first payment information including the store URL and the account ID to the payment server 100 (S2). The payment server 100 searches for store information (described later) from the franchise store ID and store ID corresponding to the store URL, acquires information on the franchise store name and store name (S3), and transmits it to the payment application 20 (S4). The user inputs the payment amount into the user terminal device 10 on the screen where the franchise store name and store name are displayed (S5). Then, the user terminal device 10 generates second payment information including at least the payment amount and transmits it to the payment server 100 (S6). The payment server 100 performs an electronic payment based on the received second payment information (S7). Then, the payment server 100 transmits a payment completion notification (information for displaying a payment completion screen) to the payment application 20 (S8), and the payment application 20 displays a payment completion screen (S9). Note that when the store code image 60 is displayed by a display placed in the store, the store code image 60 may contain not only the store URL but also payment amount information. In this case, the procedure for the user to input the payment amount is omitted, and the payment amount information is included in the first payment information and transmitted to the payment server 100. Information on the franchise store name and store name may be included and displayed on the payment completion screen.

[0017] In the case of Pattern 2 shown in FIG. 3 (hereinafter referred to as store scan), when the payment application 20 is launched, when a payment operation is performed in the payment application 20, when the automatic update timing (for example, every minute) is reached, and at other timings, the payment application 20 sends a request for issuing a one-time code to the payment server 100 (S11). The payment server 100 generates a one-time code (S12) and sends it to the payment application 20 (S13). The payment application 20 displays a code image such as a QR code or a barcode generated based on the one-time code (S14). The user shields (presents) the display surface of the user terminal device 10 against the first store terminal device 50, and the first store terminal device 50 decodes the code image by means of an optical reading function and acquires a one-time code or the like (S15). Then, the first store terminal device 50 generates payment information including a one-time code, a payment amount, a franchise store ID, a store ID, etc., and sends it to the payment server 100 (S16). The information on the payment amount has been acquired in advance by barcode reading, manual input, or the like. The payment server 100 identifies the user corresponding to the one-time code based on the received information and performs an electronic payment (S17). Then, the payment server 100 sends a payment completion notification to the payment application 20 (S18), and the payment application 20 displays a payment completion screen (S19).

[0018] Note that the electronic payment may be performed in only one of the above patterns. Also, the "account ID" described in FIG. 2 may be other information (for example, a telephone number) that can be used as identification information of the user. Further, in the store scan, the issuance of the one-time code may be omitted, and the payment application 20 may display a code image generated based on the user's account ID. In that case, instead of identifying the user corresponding to the one-time code, the payment server 100 identifies the user corresponding to the account ID.

[0019] [Payment Server] FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the settlement server 100 according to the first embodiment. The settlement server 100 includes, for example, a communication unit 110, a settlement content providing unit 120, a settlement processing unit 130, an information management unit 140, a voucher management unit 150, a recommendation unit 160, and a storage unit 170. Components other than the communication unit 110 and the storage unit 170 are realized, for example, when a hardware processor such as a CPU executes a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including a circuit unit; circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory, or may be stored in a removable storage medium (a non-transitory storage medium) such as a DVD or a CD-ROM, and may be installed in the storage device when the storage medium is mounted on a drive device.

[0020] The storage unit 170 is an HDD, a flash memory, a RAM (Random Access Memory), or the like. The storage unit 170 may be a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device accessible by the settlement server 100 via a network. Information such as user information 172, settlement content information 174, affiliated store / store information 176, and voucher information 178 is stored in the storage unit 170.

[0021] The communication unit 110 is a communication interface for connecting to the network NW. The communication unit 110 is, for example, a network interface card.

[0022] The settlement content providing unit 120 has, for example, the function of a web server and provides information (content) for displaying various screens of the electronic payment service to the user terminal device 10. The settlement content providing unit 120 appropriately reads necessary content from the settlement content information 174 and provides it to the user terminal device 10. The user terminal device 10 accepts various inputs by the user in a state where the content is reproduced by the payment application 20, and transmits the above-mentioned settlement information and the like to the payment server 100.

[0023] The settlement processing unit 130 performs settlement processing based on the settlement information transmitted by the user terminal device 10 or the first store terminal device 50. The settlement processing unit 130 performs settlement processing while referring to the user information 172.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the content of the user information 172. The user information 172 is an example of the user's registration information. The user information 172 includes, for example, a user URL, an account ID, a phone number, a password, as well as an email address, a user ID, name, address, date of birth, registration date, remaining recharge amount, post-payment setting, post-payment limit, post-payment usage amount, available post-payment amount, voucher ID, terminal payment method, payment priority setting, priority 1, priority 2, card payment method, affiliated card number, bank account, credit card number, recharge history information, settlement history information, and other information that are associated. The user URL is used for money transfer processing between users. When newly registering for the electronic payment service, registration of a phone number and password is required. The account ID is issued to the user by the payment server 100, and the user ID is an ID that the user can optionally set (not necessarily set). Similarly, the email address, and name, address, and date of birth are also information that the user can optionally set (not necessarily set). The registration date is the date when the user registered for the electronic payment service (the date when the account was created). Hereinafter, an instance of the user (electronic payment account) in which these pieces of information are associated is referred to as an account.

[0025] The remaining balance of the charge indicates the information of the remaining balance of the electronic money set by the user by remitting money to the account in advance. As means of remittance, there are remittances from the ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) of the designated operator (bank), remittances from the registered bank account, etc. The post-payment setting is information indicating whether the setting for enabling electronic payment by post-payment has been completed or not, and is set to either "completed" or "not completed". The post-payment limit is the limit amount of post-payment available per month, the post-payment used amount is the amount of post-payment already used in the current month, and the post-payment available amount is the amount of post-payment available in the current month obtained by subtracting the post-payment used amount from the post-payment limit. Although only one post-payment limit is shown in the figure, in reality, there are further upper limits per day, etc., and the lower of them may be set as the post-payment limit. Further details of the post-payment will be described later. The payment method setting is setting information indicating whether the user conducts an electronic payment using the remaining balance of the charge or a payment by post-payment at that time. Each of the bank account and the credit card number is information (account number, card number) of the bank account or credit card number that can receive deposits for the electronic payment service. The charge history information is the history of the user increasing the remaining balance of the charge by remitting money to the electronic payment service in advance. The settlement history information is information showing the breakdown of the settlements made by the user (date and time, store ID of the store where the purchase action was taken, settlement amount, payment method, etc.) for each settlement.

[0026] A voucher ID is identification information that can identify a specific voucher. Details of the specific voucher will be described later. The voucher ID stored in the user information 172 is linked to the voucher ID stored in the voucher information 178 described later. Multiple voucher IDs may be linked to one user. The voucher automatic application setting includes information indicating whether to automatically apply a specific voucher and perform an electronic payment when the user makes an electronic payment if there is a specific voucher available. Furthermore, the voucher automatic application setting includes a payment method (combined payment method) to be used when the amount of the specific voucher is less than or equal to the purchase amount. The voucher automatic application setting can be set by the user himself / herself. The combined payment method is set to either payment by the remaining charge amount in the electronic payment service or post-payment by credit card.

[0027] The payment priority setting is information indicating whether the user has set the priority of the electronic payment methods. When the payment priority setting is valid, it indicates that the user has set the priority of the electronic payment methods. When the payment priority setting is invalid, it indicates that the user has not set the priority of the electronic payment methods. As the payment priority setting, for example, two payment methods can be set (priority 1, 2). The payment method is set to either payment by the remaining charge amount or payment by post-payment, for example.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the content of the affiliated store / store information 176. The affiliated store / store information 176 includes, for example, a first table 176A in which an affiliated store ID and a store ID are associated with a store URL, a second table 176B in which an affiliated store name and sales amount (described above) are associated with the affiliated store ID, and a third table 176C in which a store name is associated with the store ID. In addition to these information, the affiliated store / store information 176 may include information such as the category of the affiliated store or store, the location of the store, and the settlement pattern.

[0029] The information management department 140 manages user information 172 and franchise / store information 176 based on the information acquired from the user terminal device 10 and the second store terminal device 70. The information management department 140 adds, edits, deletes, etc. new records for the user information 172 and the franchise / store information 176.

[0030] [Electronic payment] When the settlement processing department 130 acquires settlement information from the user terminal device 10 or the first store terminal device 50, it refers to the user information 172 to obtain the "settlement method setting" of the user. For users whose "settlement method setting" is set to "charge balance", the settlement processing department 130 performs electronic payment as follows. For example, the settlement processing department 130 performs electronic payment by reducing the charge balance managed in association with the user ID and increasing the item value of the franchise's sales amount. The item value of the franchise's sales amount is not used as electronic money itself, and the amount corresponding to the item value of the sales amount is remitted to the bank account in a cycle according to the agreement between the franchise and the electronic payment service.

[0031] For users whose "setting information" is set to "postpaid", the settlement processing department 130 performs electronic payment as follows. Postpaid is set separately from "credit payment" through cooperation with a credit card company, which is a separate entity from the operator of the electronic payment service. The operator of the electronic payment service acts as the creditor and allows electronic payment that does not depend on the charge balance within the scope of the postpaid limit. In order to receive the postpaid service, it may be required to obtain a credit card provided by the operator of the electronic payment service. The amount used for postpaid is settled in a lump sum on the payment date of the following month, for example, by direct debit from the bank account. In this case, the settlement processing department 130 performs a provisional settlement by adding the settlement amount to the postpaid usage amount and subtracting the same amount from the available postpaid amount. At the closing date, it performs the process of direct debiting the settlement for the current month to the payment date of the following month as described above, or requests the operator of the credit card company to perform the process. If the settlement amount exceeds the available postpaid amount at the time of provisional settlement, an error notification is returned to the settlement application 20.

[0032] When the remaining recharge balance is less than a certain amount, the payment processing unit 130 may execute auto - recharge. The user can set on the payment app 20 in advance whether to execute auto - recharge when the remaining recharge balance is less than a certain amount. For example, when it is less than 1000 yen, the setting is to auto - recharge 5000 yen. If the auto - recharge setting in the user information 172 is valid, auto - recharge can be executed; if it is invalid, auto - recharge is not executed. The payment processing unit 130 conducts electronic payment and compares the remaining recharge balance with a certain amount each time the remaining recharge balance is updated. When it is determined that the remaining recharge balance is less than a certain amount, the payment processing unit 130 executes auto - recharge. When the payment processing unit 130 executes auto - recharge, it updates the user information 172 with the latest remaining recharge balance obtained by adding the auto - recharged amount and the remaining recharge balance.

[0033] The voucher management unit 150 acquires and manages information on specific vouchers obtained as return gifts for donations to local governments from the service server 300. Information regarding the specific vouchers is stored in the voucher information 178. The voucher management unit 150 acquires information from the voucher information 178 as needed and updates the information each time an electronic payment using the specific vouchers is made. Although the electronic payment service may handle general vouchers other than specific vouchers, the following description focuses solely on specific vouchers.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of voucher information 178. The voucher information 178 is information in which information such as an amount, a used amount, an available amount, an expiration date, available stores, and available municipalities is associated with a voucher ID that is identification information of a specific voucher. The amount is the purchased amount for each specific voucher. The used amount is the amount that has already been used for the specific voucher. The available amount is the amount obtained by subtracting the used amount from the amount. The expiration date indicates the expiration date on which the specific voucher can be used. The available stores refer to the stores where the specific voucher can be used. The available municipality is information corresponding to the available stores when the issuer of the specific voucher is a municipality. The municipality may be at the prefecture level, at the city, town, or village level, or an autonomous group such as a shopping street.

[0035] The service server 300 provides services to users in cooperation with the settlement server 100 or the settlement application 20. In the present embodiment, the service server 300 will be described as providing services related to hometown tax payment to users, but instead (in addition), it may provide other services. Other services are, for example, services corresponding to the mini-apps described later. The services related to hometown tax payment are, for example, services that provide users with the agency of hometown tax payment. For example, it is a service that accepts hometown tax payments from users or provides users with products (including specific vouchers) corresponding to hometown tax payments. Other services are, for example, food delivery services, taxi dispatching services, shopping services, and the like.

[0036] When a user uses the services provided by the service server 300 to make hometown tax payments, the settlement server 100 that cooperates with the service server 300 assigns a specific voucher to the user's settlement application 20. The user can use the specific voucher within the settlement application 20 at the stores where the specific voucher is available.

[0037] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of a process for granting a specific voucher. In this process, it will be described that settlement is made using the settlement application 20.

[0038] First, after the user performs an operation to purchase a specific voucher of a predetermined local government (an operation related to the payment of a donation) in the service provided by the service server 300, and then selects to perform the settlement of the donation amount using the settlement application 20, the settlement application 20 is launched (S10). When the user inputs the donation amount in the launched settlement application 20 and performs a settlement operation, the settlement server 100 performs the settlement (S12). In S10 and S12 above, the service server 300 and the settlement server 100 are in cooperation. Cooperation means, for example, that the service server 300 and the settlement server 100 share the identification information of the user who has performed the settlement with each other, the content of the process related to the settlement, and the like. The identification number of the user may be an account ID, or may be another identification number that enables the service server 300 and the settlement server 100 to identify the user.

[0039] Next, the service server 300 sends a request for issuing a specific voucher to the settlement server 100 (S14). The issuance request includes the identification information (account ID) of the user, the identification information (voucher ID) of the specific voucher, the granted amount, the expiration date, information on available stores, and the request ID (some information may be omitted). For example, the service server 300 determines the content of the specific voucher (the stores where the specific voucher can be used, the granted amount, the expiration date) according to the content of the donation selected by the user and the above-mentioned settlement. Note that in the issuance request, the information on available stores may be omitted. In this case, it is sufficient that the information in which the information on available stores is associated with the identification number of the specific voucher is stored in the storage unit 170 of the settlement server 100.

[0040] Next, in response to the request in S14, the payment server 100 grants a specific voucher in the user's payment app 20 (S16). For example, the payment server 100 identifies the user based on the identification information of the user included in the request ID, and grants a specific voucher to the payment app 20 (user) of the identified user.

[0041] Next, the payment server 100 returns the grant result of the specific voucher to the service server 300 using the request ID as a key (S18). As a result, the service server 300 includes information indicating that a specific voucher has been granted to the donation in the interface screen showing the donation history for the user, and displays this interface screen on the display unit of the user terminal device 10 (S18).

[0042] In this way, the service server 300 and the payment server 100 can cooperate to grant a specific voucher to the user.

[0043] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the flow of the process in which a specific voucher is granted. In this process, it will be described that the payment is made without using the payment app 20. The description will focus on the differences from the process of FIG. 8 described above.

[0044] First, when the user selects to make a payment (donation payment) for purchasing a specific voucher by a payment method different from the payment app 20 in the service provided by the service server 300, the payment is made using the selected payment method (S10A). At this time, the service server 300 includes buttons for account linking and specific voucher acquisition in the interface screen of the donation history, and displays this interface screen on the display unit of the user terminal device 10. When the user operates the button (S11A), the service server 300 sends a cooperation request to the payment server 100 (S11B). For example, when the button is operated, the payment app 20 sends the identification number of the user to the payment server 100.

[0045] Next, the payment server 100 returns the identification information of the user to the service server 300 (S11C). As a result, the service server 300 can obtain the identification number of the user who performed the button operation. Note that the above display and operation of the button may be omitted. In this case, for example, when the content of the target donation is selected, the service server 300 may automatically send a cooperation request to the payment server 100. Since the processes of S14 - S18 are the same as the processes of S14 - S18 in FIG. 9, the description thereof is omitted.

[0046] In this way, the service server 300 and the payment server 100 can cooperate to assign a specific voucher to the user.

[0047] In the above example, it has been described that the user purchases a specific voucher and the specific voucher is assigned to the user. Instead (or in addition), when a user different from the user performs an operation to purchase a specific voucher in the service provided by the service server, the payment server 100 acquires the request sent by the service server 300, and based on the acquired request, executes a process for assigning a specific voucher to another user designated by the different user. The designation is specified by, for example, the user's telephone number or account ID.

[0048] When the recommendation unit 160 acquires payment information including store identification information from the user terminal device 10 or the first store terminal device 50 via the communication unit 110, it refers to the user information 172 to determine whether the user owns a specific voucher. When it is determined that the user does not own a specific voucher that can be used at the set store from the information managed by the voucher management unit 150, the payment app 20 is caused to display information prompting the purchase of the specific voucher acquired from the service server 300.

[0049] When the settlement processing unit 130 obtains information from the settlement app 20 indicating that the user wishes to purchase a specific voucher, it performs processing for donating to the local government that is the issuer of the specific voucher and processing for electronic payment. When the settlement processing unit 130 determines from the information managed by the voucher management unit 150 that the user owns a specific voucher that can be used at the set store, and the settlement app 20 is set to automatically apply the specific voucher and conduct electronic payment, the settlement processing unit 130 causes the specific voucher to be applied and conducts electronic payment.

[0050] Also, when the amount for which the specific voucher was purchased is less than the purchase amount required for electronic payment, the settlement processing unit 130 conducts electronic payment using another payment method (combined payment method) in combination. When the sum of the remaining balance of the specific voucher and the remaining balance or available amount by the combined payment method is still less than the purchase amount required for electronic payment, the settlement processing unit 130 may conduct electronic payment using the payment method or auto-charge set in the priority order of payment methods in combination.

[0051] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the display of the settlement app 20 that displays information prompting the purchase of a specific voucher. The interface screen IM1 is a screen prompting the purchase of a specific voucher obtained from the service server 300 by the recommendation unit 160. In the area AR1, there is an input field for specifying the donation amount (the purchase amount of the specific voucher). Below the input field, there are three options for the specific voucher amount, and the amount of the specific voucher corresponding to the purchase amount may be selected by default. Also, the recommendation unit 160 may display the amount of the specific voucher selected by default in a highlighted manner.

[0052] In Fig. 10, the default selected item is a specific voucher worth 5,000 yen. In area AR2, details corresponding to the amount of the selected specific voucher are displayed. First, 500 yen, which is the purchase amount planned to be settled by this electronic payment, is displayed on the first line. On the second line, 5,000 yen, which is the amount of the selected specific voucher, is displayed. On the third line, 3,500 yen, which is the amount to be donated to ○○ County, △△ Town, exists. For example, 70% of the purchase amount of the specific voucher becomes the amount to be donated. On the fourth line, 1,500 yen, which is the remaining balance of the specific voucher that can be received, is displayed. The amount obtained by subtracting the donation amount from the purchase amount of the specific voucher is the remaining balance of the specific voucher that the user can receive. On the fifth line, 1,000 yen, which is the remaining balance of the specific voucher after this electronic payment, is displayed. It is the amount obtained by subtracting the 500 yen purchase amount from the remaining balance of the specific voucher that can be received.

[0053] If the user agrees to the content of AR2, they check the checkbox located at the bottom of AR2 and press the button labeled "Purchase Voucher, Donate to ○○ County, △△ Town & Settle" in area AR3. Then, the settlement processing unit 130 smoothly performs a series of processes for purchasing the specific voucher, making a donation, and electronic payment. As a result, a series of processes for purchasing the specific voucher, making a donation, and electronic payment are realized as stress-free operations for the user.

[0054] When another specific voucher amount displayed in AR1 is selected, the details corresponding to the amount of the specific voucher in AR2 are recalculated by the recommendation unit 160, and the details corresponding to the newly selected specific voucher amount are displayed. If, for example, a specific voucher amount of 1,000 yen is selected, 700 yen, which is 70% of the specific voucher amount, is donated, and the remaining balance of the specific voucher that the user can receive becomes 300 yen, which is less than the purchase amount. In that case, the settlement processing unit 130 performs electronic payment using a combined settlement method. For example, 300 yen is paid from the remaining balance of the specific voucher, and the remaining 200 yen is electronically settled using the recharge balance, etc.

[0055] In this way, the payment app 20 that provides an electronic payment service in cooperation with the payment server 100 may display an image for accepting the designation of the donation amount of a specific voucher (for example, an image presenting options for the donation amount and allowing selection) and an image for accepting the purchase of the voucher based on the information obtained from the payment server 100 or the information obtained from the service server 300. At that time, the payment app 20 may further display an image presenting one or both of the purchase details of the voucher and the state of the account after the purchase. The payment app 20 transmits the content selected by the user, the content for which the purchase is instructed, etc. to the payment server 100 or the service server 300.

[0056] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the display of the payment app 20 after the electronic payment is completed. When the AR3 in FIG. 10 is pressed, the payment processing unit 130 purchases a specific voucher, donates it to the local government that is the issuer of the specific voucher, performs an electronic payment, and an interface screen IM2 indicating that the electronic payment is completed is displayed on the payment app 20. In the area AR4, it is displayed as "500 yen commodity voucher of ○○ County △△ Town", and in the area AR5, it is displayed as "○○ County △△ Town commodity voucher" as the payment method, indicating that the electronic payment has been made using the remaining balance of the specific voucher.

[0057] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the payment server 100 according to the embodiment. The payment processing unit 130 acquires payment information from the user terminal device 10 or the first store terminal device 50 (S100). The payment information is information on the electronic payment that the user wants to perform, including the store identification information.

[0058] The payment processing unit 130 determines whether the store can use the specific voucher based on the acquired store identification information (S110). If it is a store that cannot use the specific voucher, an electronic payment using the charge balance, etc. is performed (S120).

[0059] In the process of S110, if it is determined that the store attempting to perform electronic payment can use a specific voucher, the payment processing unit 130 determines whether the user owns a valid specific voucher (S130).

[0060] In the process of S130, if it is determined that the user does not own a valid specific voucher, the recommendation unit 160 acquires information on the specific voucher from the service server 300 via the communication unit 110 (S140).

[0061] The recommendation unit 160 causes the payment application 20 to display a screen prompting the purchase of the specific voucher using the acquired information on the specific voucher (S150). When the user performs an operation to purchase the specific voucher, the payment processing unit 130 acquires information indicating the intention to purchase the specific voucher from the payment application 20 (S160). The payment processing unit 130 performs the purchase (donation) of the specific voucher (S170). If the user does not purchase the specific voucher in the process of S160, electronic payment using the remaining balance of the charge or the like is performed (S120).

[0062] In the process of S130, if the user owns a valid specific voucher, the payment processing unit 130 performs electronic payment using the specific voucher owned by the user without prompting the purchase of the specific voucher (S180). This process will be described with reference to FIG. 13.

[0063] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the settlement server 100 when performing electronic settlement using a specific voucher. Note that the processing of this flowchart illustrates the processing using the auto-charge setting, but the auto-charge setting may not be used in the electronic settlement using a specific voucher. In the figures after FIG. 13, the specific voucher balance is expressed as "VB (Voucher Balance)", the charge balance is expressed as "CB (Charge Balance)", the available amount for deferred payment is expressed as "DP (Deferred Payment)", the auto-charge amount is expressed as "AC (Auto Charge)", and the purchase amount is expressed as "PA (Purchase Amount)". It is assumed that the user has set the combined settlement method to settlement by charge balance, set the priority order of the payment methods to charge balance and deferred payment in that order, and enabled the auto-charge setting.

[0064] The settlement processing unit 130 determines whether the balance of the specific voucher owned by the user is equal to or greater than the purchase amount (VB≥PA) (S200). If the balance of the specific voucher is equal to or greater than the purchase amount (VB≥PA), the settlement processing unit 130 performs electronic settlement using the specific voucher balance (S210). If the balance of the specific voucher is less than the purchase amount, the settlement processing unit 130 determines whether the total amount of the specific voucher balance and the charge balance is equal to or greater than the purchase amount (VB + CB≥PA) (S220).

[0065] If the total amount of the specific voucher balance and the charge balance is equal to or greater than the purchase amount (VB + CB≥PA), the settlement processing unit 130 performs electronic settlement using the specific voucher balance and the charge balance in combination (S230). If the total amount of the specific voucher balance and the charge balance is less than the purchase amount, it is determined whether the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, and the available amount for deferred payment is equal to or greater than the purchase amount (VB + CB + DP≥PA) (S240).

[0066] When the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, and the available amount for deferred payment is equal to or greater than the purchase amount, the settlement processing unit 130 performs electronic settlement using the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, and the available amount for deferred payment (S250). When the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, and the available amount for deferred payment is less than the purchase amount, the settlement processing unit 130 executes auto-charge and determines whether the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, the available amount for deferred payment, and the auto-charge amount is equal to or greater than the purchase amount (VB + CB + DP + AC ≧ PA) (S260).

[0067] When the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, the available amount for deferred payment, and the auto-charge amount is equal to or greater than the purchase amount, the settlement processing unit 130 performs electronic settlement using the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, the available amount for deferred payment, and the auto-charge amount (S270). When the total amount of the specific voucher balance, the charge balance, the available amount for deferred payment, and the auto-charge amount is less than the purchase amount, the settlement processing unit 130 determines the settlement as failed and outputs an error notification to the settlement app 20 (S280).

[0068] According to the embodiment described above, the processing related to the purchase, donation, and electronic settlement of the specific voucher can be executed as a series of processes, and the convenience for the user can be improved. Also, when the user owns a specific voucher, it can be automatically applied to perform electronic settlement. Even if the balance of the specific voucher is insufficient, other settlement methods can be used in combination to perform electronic settlement, so the convenience for the user can be improved.

[0069] As described above, the embodiments for implementing the present invention have been described using the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0070] 10 User terminal device 20 Settlement app 100, 100A Settlement server 120, 120A Settlement Content Provision Unit 122A Display Control Unit 130 Settlement Processing Unit 140 Information Management Unit 150 Voucher Management Unit 160 Recommendation Unit

Claims

1. A payment server that provides an electronic payment service in cooperation with a payment application that runs on a user terminal device, a communication unit that communicates with at least the user terminal device and a service server that provides a service other than the electronic payment service; a voucher management unit that acquires information on specific vouchers from the service server and manages the information on the specific vouchers, the specific vouchers being electronic vouchers that have an expiration date and can be used at preset stores among stores that can use the electronic payment service, and that are acquired as gifts in return for donations to local governments; when payment information including the store identification information is acquired via the communication unit from the user terminal device that has read a store code image including store identification information displayed at the store, determining whether or not the user owns the specific voucher by referring to the user information; a recommendation unit that, when it is determined from the information managed by the voucher management unit that the user does not own the specific voucher that can be used at the set store, displays information obtained from the service server on the payment application to encourage the user to purchase the specific voucher; a payment processing unit that, when the user acquires information from the payment app that the user will purchase the specific voucher, performs processing for making a donation to the local government that issued the specific voucher and processing for electronic payment; Payment server.

2. When the payment processing unit acquires information indicating that the user will purchase the specific voucher from the payment application, the payment processing unit performs a process for making a donation to the local government and a process for electronic payment without requesting an operation for applying for a donation to the local government that issued the specific voucher. The payment server according to claim 1.

3. The specific voucher has a plurality of denominations set, the recommendation unit causes the payment application to display a screen recommending an amount corresponding to a purchase amount necessary for the electronic payment, among the plurality of amounts; The payment server according to claim 1.

4. The specific voucher has a plurality of denominations set, the recommendation unit causes the payment application to display a screen that displays the plurality of amounts side by side and highlights an amount corresponding to a purchase amount required for the electronic payment; The payment server according to claim 1.

5. The payment processing unit determines, based on the information managed by the voucher management unit, that the user owns the specific voucher that can be used at the set store, and, if the user has set in the payment app that the specific voucher is to be automatically applied to make an electronic payment, applies the specific voucher and makes an electronic payment. The payment server according to claim 1.

6. the payment processing unit, if the amount used to purchase the specific voucher is less than the amount required for the electronic payment, performs the electronic payment using another payment method in addition; The payment server according to claim 1.

7. The specific voucher can be used at a plurality of the set stores. The payment server according to claim 1.

8. A payment server that provides an electronic payment service in cooperation with a payment application that runs on a user terminal device, a communication unit that communicates with at least the user terminal device, a first store terminal device, and a service server that provides a service other than the electronic payment service; a voucher management unit that acquires information on specific vouchers from the service server and manages the information on the specific vouchers, the specific vouchers being electronic vouchers that have an expiration date and can be used at preset stores among stores that can use the electronic payment service, and that are acquired as gifts in return for donations to local governments; the first store terminal device reads a code image including information capable of identifying a user displayed on the user terminal device, and when the code image is acquired from the first store terminal device via the communication unit, the first store terminal device refers to user information of the user identified from the code image to determine whether or not the user owns a specific voucher; a recommendation unit that, when it is determined from the information managed by the voucher management unit that the user does not own the specific voucher that can be used at the set store, displays information obtained from the service server on the payment application to encourage the purchase of the specific voucher; a payment processing unit that, when the user acquires information to the effect that the user will purchase the specific voucher from the payment application, performs processing for making a donation to the local government that issued the specific voucher and processing for electronic payment; Payment server.

9. A processor of a payment server that provides an electronic payment service in cooperation with a payment application running on a user terminal device, Communicating with at least the user terminal device and a service server providing a service other than the electronic payment service; obtaining information on a specific electronic voucher that has a set expiration date and can be used at a preset set of stores among stores that can use the electronic payment service, the specific voucher being obtained as a gift in return for a donation to a local government from the service server and managing the information; when payment information including the store identification information is obtained from the user terminal device that has read a store code image including store identification information displayed at the store, determining whether or not the user has a specific voucher by referring to the user information; When it is determined from the managed information that the user does not own the specific voucher that can be used at the set store, information obtained from the service server is displayed on the payment application to encourage the user to purchase the specific voucher; When the user acquires information from the payment app that the user is to purchase the specific voucher, the payment app performs a process for making a donation to the local government that issued the specific voucher and a process for electronic payment. Payment method.

10. A processor of a payment server that provides an electronic payment service in cooperation with a payment application running on a user terminal device, A process of communicating with at least the user terminal device and a service server that provides a service other than the electronic payment service; A process of acquiring information on a specific electronic voucher, which has an expiration date and can be used at a preset set of stores among stores where the electronic payment service can be used, from the service server and managing the information on the specific voucher acquired as a gift in return for a donation to a local government; a process of determining whether or not a user has a specific voucher by referring to user information when payment information including the store identification information is obtained from the user terminal device that has read a store code image including the store identification information displayed at the store; When it is determined from the managed information that the user does not own the specific voucher that can be used at the set store, a process of displaying information obtained from the service server on the payment application to encourage the user to purchase the specific voucher; When the user acquires information from the payment app that the user is to purchase the specific voucher, the payment app performs a process for making a donation to the local government that issued the specific voucher and a process for electronic payment, The program to be executed.

Images