Point management system, point management method and program

Abstract

To provide a point management system, a point management method and a program, capable of allowing a brand owner to widely recognize environmentally friendly printing by a printing company and enhancing environmental consciousness of the printing company.SOLUTION: A point management system that manages a point for a consumer to acquire a coupon, includes: a first registration unit that issues first identification information identifying the point to register the first identification information in first association information; a calculation unit that calculates an actual value of carbon dioxide emission from an active amount for printed matter on which a symbol obtained by encoding the first identification information is printed to calculate the point on the basis of the actual value; and a second registration unit that registers the point calculated by the calculation unit in the first association information in association with the first identification information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a points management system, a points management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] The butterfly logo of the Japan Waterless Printing Association (WPA) is known as a mark given to printed materials printed using environmentally friendly waterless printing, which does not require dampening water. Furthermore, carbon offset printed materials produced by WPA members display the number of grams of CO2 emissions per copy calculated using PGG (Printing Goes Green), a CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions calculation software provided by WPA.

[0003] In addition, the configuration of an automatic computer control system and an ordering system for environmental offset business that includes a printer resource exploration system that measures the consumption of printer resources and collects resource consumption data from printer devices in order to trade environmental offsets has been disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with conventional technology, even if efforts are made to reduce CO2 emissions, it is difficult to communicate the results to brand owners, which means that printing companies' motivation to care about the environment remains unchanged.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a points management system, points management method, and program that can raise awareness among brand owners of environmentally friendly printing by printing companies and can also raise environmental awareness among printing companies. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides a points management system that manages points that consumers can use to obtain coupons, and is characterized by comprising: a first registration unit that issues first identification information that identifies the points and registers the first identification information in first association information; a calculation unit that calculates an actual value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for a printed matter on which a symbol encoded with the first identification information is printed, and calculates the points based on the actual value; and a second registration unit that associates the points calculated by the calculation unit with the first identification information and registers them in the first association information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, printing companies can widely raise awareness among brand owners about environmentally friendly printing, and can also increase environmental awareness among printing companies. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the operation of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the people involved in the eco-point management system of the information processing system according to the embodiment and an outline of the operation. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the eco-point management system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a consumer terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a printing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional block configuration of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of data handled in the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the point registration process of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing changes in the state of the point management DB in the point registration process of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the point acquisition process of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing changes in the state of the point management DB in the point acquisition process of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing changes in the screen display of the consumer terminal during the point acquisition process of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the coupon and other exchange process of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing changes in the screen display of the consumer terminal during the coupon or other exchange process of the information processing system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Below, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the point management system, point management method, and program according to the present invention will be described in detail. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and the components in the following embodiments include those that would be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the scope of what is called equivalents. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the following embodiments.

[0010] (Overall configuration and operation of the information processing system) Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the operation of the information processing system according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the people involved in the eco-point management system of the information processing system according to an embodiment and an outline of the operation. The overall configuration and operation of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

[0011] The information processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a system that registers eco-points based on the actual amount of carbon dioxide emissions generated in the process of producing printed materials, and allows consumers of the products to use the eco-points. Hereinafter, eco-points are points that consumers can accumulate when they purchase environmentally friendly products or services, and that provide some kind of benefit to the consumers when they use them. Hereinafter, eco-points will be simply referred to as points. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 1 includes a brand owner terminal 10 (second terminal), a consumer terminal 20 (first terminal), an eco-point management system 30, a printing management system 40, a printer terminal 41, and a printing press 42. Of these, the printing management system 40, the printer terminal 41, and the printing press 42 belong to the printing company. Furthermore, the brand owner terminal 10, the consumer terminal 20, the eco-point management system 30, and the printing management system 40 are capable of data communication via a network N. Furthermore, the printing management system 40, the printer terminal 41, and the printing press 42, which belong to the printing company, are capable of data communication via a local area network (LAN).

[0012] The brand owner terminal 10 is an information terminal used by a brand owner. Here, a brand owner is a company that receives services provided by the eco-point management system 30, sells printed materials (products) bearing QR codes (registered trademarks) to consumers, and promotes new products by posting coupons, vouchers, or both (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as coupons, etc.) for its products on the app. A coupon is a virtual ticket that confers the right for a consumer to purchase or exchange a product or service at a discounted price, and is a concept that includes the voucher described above. The brand owner corresponds to the "provider" in this invention. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the brand owner terminal 10 requests the eco-point management system 30 to register coupons, etc. for the brand owner's products. The eco-point management system 30 then registers information about the coupons, etc. in the coupon / voucher management DB 310b.

[0013] The consumer terminal 20 is an information terminal such as a PC (Personal Computer) used by a consumer who purchases a product provided by a brand owner. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the consumer terminal 20 reads a QR code printed on a product purchased by the consumer in response to a consumer's operation, and requests the eco point management system 30 to acquire (earn) points corresponding to a point ID (first identification information) included in the QR code. The eco point management system 30 then associates the points corresponding to the point ID with the consumer in the point management DB 310c and adds them to the consumer's accumulated points. Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the consumer terminal 20 requests the eco point management system 30 to acquire coupons, etc., to exchange the consumer's accumulated points for coupons, etc., in response to a consumer's operation. The eco point management system 30 then registers the coupons, etc., as the consumer's coupons, etc.,. This allows the consumer to use the acquired coupons, etc., via the consumer terminal 20.

[0014] Although a QR code is assumed to be printed on the product, this is not limited to this, and any other symbol with encoded information, such as a two-dimensional code (e.g., PDF417 or Data Matrix), a binary code, or a one-dimensional code such as a barcode, may be used. A symbol that combines any of these may also be used. The following describes the case where a symbol that includes a point ID (encodes the point ID) is a QR code.

[0015] The eco-point management system 30 is an information processing device or information processing system that provides a service in which points are registered based on the actual amount of carbon dioxide emissions generated in the process of producing printed materials at the request of printing companies, and consumers who purchase the printed materials (products) can obtain the points and exchange them for coupons, etc. registered by the brand owner.

[0016] The printing management system 40 is a server device or server system that manages the execution of printing processes. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the printing management system 40 requests the eco-point management system 30 to register a point ID in response to instructions from the printing company, and requests the eco-point management system 30 to register points based on the actual amount of carbon dioxide emissions generated during the printing process of printed materials on the printing press 42. The eco-point management system 30 then calculates points using the actual amount of carbon dioxide emissions and the unit of carbon dioxide emissions representing the unit activity amount stored in the CO2 emission calculation DB 310d, and registers the points in the coupon / voucher management DB 310b. Here, the activity amount indicates the amount of work and processing that generates carbon dioxide during the printing process. Examples of activity amount include the power consumption generated by the operation of the printing press 42, the amount of toner and number of sheets of paper consumed during the printing process, and the number of sheets discarded as waste paper.

[0017] The printing company terminal 41 is an information terminal such as a PC for issuing a job execution command.

[0018] The printing machine 42 is an image forming device that executes a job and prints out in response to an instruction from the printing management system 40 .

[0019] (Hardware configuration of the Eco Point Management System) 4 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an eco-point management system according to an embodiment, with reference to which the hardware configuration of an eco-point management system 30 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, the eco point management system 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 701, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 702, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 703, an auxiliary storage device 705, a media drive 707, a display 708, a network I / F 709, a keyboard 711, a mouse 712, and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) drive 714.

[0021] The CPU 701 is a computing device that controls the overall operation of the eco point management system 30. The ROM 702 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs for the eco point management system 30. The RAM 703 is a volatile storage device that is used as a work area for the CPU 701.

[0022] The auxiliary storage device 705 is a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores various data, programs, etc. The media drive 707 is a device that controls reading and writing of data from and to a recording medium 706 such as a flash memory under the control of the CPU 701.

[0023] The display 708 is a display device configured with a liquid crystal or organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, etc., that displays various information such as a cursor, a menu, a window, characters, or an image.

[0024] The network I / F 709 is an interface for communicating data with external devices such as the brand owner terminal 10, the consumer terminal 20, and the print management system 40 via the network N. The network I / F 709 is, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card) that supports Ethernet (registered trademark) and is capable of wired or wireless communication in accordance with TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / IP (Internet Protocol) or the like.

[0025] The keyboard 711 is an input device for selecting letters, numbers, and various instructions, moving the cursor, etc. The mouse 712 is an input device for selecting and executing various instructions, selecting a processing target, moving the cursor, etc.

[0026] The DVD drive 714 is a device that controls reading and writing of data from and to a DVD 713 such as a DVD-ROM or a DVD-R (Digital Versatile Disk Recordable) as an example of a removable storage medium.

[0027] The above-mentioned CPU 701, ROM 702, RAM 703, auxiliary storage device 705, media drive 707, display 708, network I / F 709, keyboard 711, mouse 712 and DVD drive 714 are communicatively connected to each other via a bus 710 such as an address bus and a data bus.

[0028] The hardware configuration of the eco point management system 30 shown in Fig. 4 is an example, and does not need to include all of the components shown in Fig. 4, or may include other components. Furthermore, the eco point management system 30 is not limited to being configured with a single information processing device as shown in Fig. 4, but may be configured with multiple information processing devices. Furthermore, the hardware configuration of the printing management system 40 is also similar to the hardware configuration shown in Fig. 4.

[0029] (Consumer device hardware configuration) 5 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a consumer terminal according to the embodiment, with reference to which the hardware configuration of the consumer terminal 20 according to the embodiment will be described.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 5, the consumer terminal 20 includes a CPU 801, a ROM 802, a RAM 803, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) 804, an imaging unit 805, an imaging I / F 806, an acceleration / direction sensor 807, and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiving unit 808.

[0031] The CPU 801 is a computing device that controls the overall operation of the consumer terminal 20. The ROM 802 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs used to drive the CPU 801, such as an IPL (Initial Program Loader). The RAM 803 is a volatile storage device that is used as a work area for the CPU 801. The EEPROM 804 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and various data.

[0032] The imaging unit 805 is a built-in imaging device (camera) that captures an image of a subject using an image sensor such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) to obtain image data under the control of the CPU 801. Note that instead of a CMOS image sensor, an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) may also be used. The imaging I / F 806 is an interface for controlling the driving of the imaging unit 805.

[0033] The acceleration / direction sensor 807 is one of various sensors such as an electronic magnetic compass that detects geomagnetism, a gyrocompass, an acceleration sensor, and the like.

[0034] The GNSS receiver 808 is a receiving device that receives positioning signals from positioning satellites, such as GPS (Global Positioning System) signals from GPS satellites.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the consumer terminal 20 further includes a long-distance communication circuit 810, an antenna 810a, a short-distance communication circuit 811, an antenna 811a, a microphone 812, a speaker 813, an audio input / output I / F 814, a display 815, an external device connection I / F 816, a vibrator 817, and a touch panel 818.

[0036] The long-distance communication circuit 810 is a communication circuit that performs wireless communication with other devices via a network N through an antenna 810a in accordance with standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0037] The short-distance communication circuit 811 is a communication circuit that performs short-distance wireless communication with other devices via an antenna 811a in accordance with standards such as NFC (Near Field Communication) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0038] The microphone 812 is a built-in sound collecting device that converts sound into an electrical signal. The speaker 813 is a built-in acoustic device that converts the electrical signal into physical vibrations and outputs sound such as music or voice. The sound input / output I / F 814 is an interface that processes input and output of sound signals between the microphone 812 and the speaker 813 under the control of the CPU 801. The microphone 812 and the speaker 813 may be wirelessly connected headsets.

[0039] The display 815 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays an image of a subject, various icons, etc. The external device connection I / F 816 is an interface conforming to standards such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) for connecting various external devices.

[0040] The vibrator 817 is a device that generates physical vibrations under the control of the CPU 801 .

[0041] The touch panel 818 is an input device that allows the user to perform various functions of the consumer terminal 20 by touching the display 815 .

[0042] The above-mentioned CPU 801, ROM 802, RAM 803, EEPROM 804, imaging I / F 806, acceleration / direction sensor 807, GNSS receiver 808, long-distance communication circuit 810, short-distance communication circuit 811, sound input / output I / F 814, display 815, external device connection I / F 816, vibrator 817, and touch panel 818 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via bus lines 809 such as an address bus and a data bus.

[0043] The hardware configuration of the consumer terminal 20 shown in FIG. 5 is an example, and it is not necessary for the consumer terminal 20 to include all of the components, and other components may also be included.

[0044] (Printing machine hardware configuration) 6 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a printing press according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the hardware configuration of the printing press according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 6, the printing machine 42 includes a controller 910, a short-range communication circuit 920, an engine control unit 930, an operation panel 940, and a network I / F 950.

[0046] The controller 910 includes a CPU 901, which is the main part of the computer, a MEM-P (system memory) 902, a NB (north bridge) 903, a SB (south bridge) 904, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) 906, a MEM-C (local memory) 907, an HDD controller 908, and an HD 909. Of these, the NB 903 and the ASIC 906 are connected by an AGP (accelerated graphics port) bus 921.

[0047] The CPU 901 is a computing device that performs overall control of the printing machine 42. The NB 903 is a bridge that connects the CPU 901 with the MEM-P 902, the SB 904, and the AGP bus 921, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to the MEM-P 902, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) master, and an AGP target.

[0048] The MEM-P902 includes a ROM 902a, which is memory for storing programs and data that realize the functions of the controller 910, and a RAM 902b, which is used for expanding the programs and data and as a drawing memory during memory printing. The programs stored in the RAM 902b may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable), or a DVD.

[0049] The SB 904 is a bridge for connecting the NB 903 with PCI devices, peripheral devices, etc. The ASIC 906 is an integrated circuit (IC) for image processing applications that has hardware elements for image processing and serves as a bridge connecting the AGP bus 921, PCI bus 922, HDD controller 908, and MEM-C 907. The ASIC 906 includes a PCI target and AGP master, an arbiter (ARB) that forms the core of the ASIC 906, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C 907, multiple direct memory access controllers (DMACs) that perform image data rotation and other operations using hardware logic, and a PCI unit that transfers data between the scanner unit 931 and printer unit 932 via the PCI bus 922. A USB interface or an IEEE 1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) interface may be connected to the ASIC 906.

[0050] The MEM-C 907 is a local memory used as an image buffer for copying and a code buffer. The HD 909 is a storage for storing image data, font data used during printing, and forms. The HDD controller 908 is a controller that controls reading and writing of data from and to the HD 909 under the control of the CPU 901. The HDD controller 908 and the HD 909 may be SSDs.

[0051] The AGP bus 921 is a bus interface for a graphics accelerator card proposed to speed up graphics processing, and by directly accessing the MEM-P 902 at high throughput, the graphics accelerator card can be made faster.

[0052] The short-range communication circuit 920 is a communication circuit such as NFC or Bluetooth. The short-range communication circuit 920 is electrically connected to the ASIC 906 via a PCI bus 922. An antenna 920a for wireless communication is connected to the short-range communication circuit 920.

[0053] The engine control unit 930 includes a scanner unit 931 and a printer unit 932. The scanner unit 931 and the printer unit 932 include image processing functions such as error diffusion or gamma conversion.

[0054] The operation panel 940 is equipped with a panel display section 940a such as a touch panel that displays the current setting values ​​or selection screens, etc., and accepts input from the user, and hard keys 940b consisting of a numeric keypad that accepts setting values ​​for image formation conditions such as density setting conditions, and a start key that accepts a copy start instruction.

[0055] The printing machine 42 can be switched between the document box function, copy function, printer function, and fax function in sequence using the application switching key on the operation panel 940. When the document box function is selected, the printer enters document box mode, when the copy function is selected, the printer enters printer mode, and when the fax function is selected, the printer enters fax mode.

[0056] The network I / F 950 is an interface for data communication via a network, and is an interface capable of communication conforming to, for example, Ethernet, TCP / IP, etc. The network I / F 950 is electrically connected to the ASIC 906 via the PCI bus 922.

[0057] The hardware configuration of the printing machine 42 shown in FIG. 6 is an example, and it is not necessary to include all of the components shown in FIG. 6, or other components may be included.

[0058] (Configuration and operation of functional blocks of information processing systems) Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of functional blocks of an information processing system according to an embodiment. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of data handled in the information processing system according to an embodiment. The configuration and operation of the functional blocks of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 7, the consumer terminal 20 has a communication unit 201, a reading control unit 202, a point acquisition request unit 203, a coupon list request unit 204, a coupon acquisition request unit 205, and a display control unit 206.

[0060] The communication unit 201 is a functional unit that performs data communication with other devices via a long-distance communication circuit 810 .

[0061] The reading control unit 202 is a functional unit that controls the imaging unit 805 in response to the consumer's operation on the touch panel 818 to read the QR code printed on the printed matter (product), decodes the read QR code, and obtains the point ID, which is the identification information for the points.

[0062] The point acquisition request unit 203 is a functional unit that transmits a point acquisition request to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 201, requesting the acquisition of points corresponding to the point ID of the QR code acquired by the reading control unit 202.

[0063] The coupon list request unit 204 is a functional unit that transmits a request for a list of coupons and the like that can be used by the consumer to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 201 in response to the consumer's operation on the touch panel 818.

[0064] The coupon acquisition request unit 205 is a functional unit that transmits a request to acquire a coupon or the like selected by the consumer from a list of available coupons or the like to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 201 .

[0065] The display control unit 206 is a functional unit that controls the display of the display 815 .

[0066] The above-described communication unit 201, reading control unit 202, point acquisition request unit 203, coupon list request unit 204, coupon acquisition request unit 205, and display control unit 206 are realized by the CPU 801 shown in Fig. 5 executing the application 200. Note that some or all of the communication unit 201, reading control unit 202, point acquisition request unit 203, coupon list request unit 204, coupon acquisition request unit 205, and display control unit 206 may be realized by a hardware circuit (integrated circuit) such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) instead of a software program.

[0067] Note that the functional units of the consumer terminal 20 shown in FIG. 7 are conceptual representations of functions, and are not limited to such configurations. For example, the multiple functional units illustrated as independent functional units in the consumer terminal 20 shown in FIG. 7 may be configured as a single functional unit. On the other hand, the function of a single functional unit in the consumer terminal 20 shown in FIG. 7 may be divided into multiple units and configured as multiple functional units. Furthermore, the functional units of the consumer terminal 20 do not need to be configured as distinct software modules as shown in FIG. 7; it is sufficient that the functions of the functional units as a whole are realized by executing the app 200 on the consumer terminal 20.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 7, the eco point management system 30 has a communication unit 301 (receiving unit), a coupon registration unit 302 (third registration unit), an ID registration unit 303 (first registration unit), a point calculation unit 304 (calculation unit), a point registration unit 305 (second registration unit), a judgment unit 306, a point addition unit 307 (addition unit), a coupon list acquisition unit 308, a coupon processing unit 309 (processing unit), and a memory unit 310.

[0069] The communication unit 301 is a functional unit that performs data communication with other devices via the network I / F 709 .

[0070] The coupon registration unit 302 is a functional unit that, when a registration request for a coupon or the like is received from the brand owner terminal 10 via the communication unit 301, registers information about the coupon or the like in the coupon / exchange voucher management DB 310b in the storage unit 310. As shown in Fig. 8, the coupon / exchange voucher management DB 310b (second association information) is a database made up of tables and the like that associate and manage the brand owner (identification information, etc.) (third identification information), the product name to which the coupon or the like can be applied, the points required to obtain the coupon or the like, the store where the coupon or the like can be used, the number of issued coupons, the expiration date for use, and the conditions for obtaining the coupon or the like.

[0071] The ID registration unit 303 is a functional unit that, when a point ID registration request is received from the print management system 40 via the communication unit 301, issues a new point ID and registers the point ID in the point management DB 310c (first association information) of the storage unit 310. As shown in Fig. 8, the point management DB 310c is a database made up of tables and the like that associate and manage a point ID, the brand owner that provides the product to which the points associated with the point ID have been awarded, the points associated with the point ID, and the user ID (second identification information) of the consumer who has earned the points. When the ID registration unit 303 registers a point ID in the point management DB 310c, first, the point ID and the brand owner corresponding to the point ID are registered in association with each other.

[0072] When the communication unit 301 receives a point registration request from the print management system 40, the point calculation unit 304 calculates predicted and actual carbon dioxide emissions from the printing activity amount received along with the point registration request and the unit of measurement indicating the carbon dioxide emissions of a unit activity amount stored in the CO2 emission calculation DB 310d, calculates points from the predicted and actual values, and registers the points in the coupon / voucher management DB 310b. Specifically, the point calculation unit 304 obtains a predicted carbon dioxide emissions amount from a learning model that predicts the carbon dioxide emissions amount from the printing activity amount, and calculates the actual carbon dioxide emissions amount by multiplying the predicted carbon dioxide emissions amount by the unit of measurement obtained from the CO2 emission calculation DB 310d. The point calculation unit 304 then calculates points using the following formula (1):

[0073] Points = predicted CO2 emissions - actual CO2 emissions (1)

[0074] That is, the smaller the actual value is relative to the predicted value (the greater the amount of carbon dioxide reduction), the more points are calculated. As shown in Fig. 8, the CO2 emission calculation DB 310d is a database that manages the basic unit of activity amount, etc. The information managed in the CO2 emission calculation DB 310d is used to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emission.

[0075] In addition to calculating points using the above-mentioned formula (1), the point calculation unit 304 may, for example, obtain points by multiplying the value calculated by the above-mentioned formula (1) by a coefficient, or may obtain points by adding a numerical value such as the number of login days during a campaign period to the right-hand side of formula (1), or may add points to the right-hand side in order to stimulate consumers' desire to purchase through, for example, a limited-time promotion. Furthermore, the point calculation unit 304 may change the above-mentioned point calculation method for each industry, manufacturer, etc.

[0076] The point registration unit 305 is a functional unit that registers the points calculated by the point calculation unit 304 in association with the point ID registered in the point management DB 310c by the ID registration unit 303.

[0077] The determination unit 306 is a functional unit that, when a point acquisition request is received by the communication unit 301 from the consumer terminal 20, determines whether the points corresponding to the point ID received together with the point acquisition request are already acquired points. Specifically, the determination unit 306 refers to the point management DB 310c and determines whether the points are already acquired based on whether the user ID associated with the point ID has already been registered. In other words, when the user ID associated with the point ID has already been registered, the determination unit 306 determines that the points corresponding to the point ID have already been acquired.

[0078] The point addition unit 307 is a functional unit that, when the determination unit 306 determines that the points corresponding to the point ID are not already acquired points, refers to the user management DB 310a in the storage unit 310 and adds the points corresponding to the point ID to the owned points corresponding to the user ID of the consumer terminal 20 that sent the point acquisition request received by the communication unit 301. The user management DB 310a (management information) is a database made up of tables and the like that associate and manage user IDs, login passwords, and user owned points, as shown in Fig. 8.

[0079] The coupon list acquisition unit 308 is a functional unit that, when a request to acquire a list of coupons, etc. is received from the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301, refers to the coupon / exchange voucher management DB 310b and acquires a list of coupons, etc. that can be used by the consumer of the consumer terminal 20. For example, the coupon list acquisition unit 308 acquires a list of coupons, etc. that satisfy expiration dates or conditions from among the coupons, etc. registered in the coupon / exchange voucher management DB 310b.

[0080] The coupon processing unit 309 is a functional unit that, when a request to acquire a coupon or the like selected by a consumer is received from the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301, refers to the user management DB 310a and, if the points required to acquire the coupon or the like are less than or equal to the points held by the consumer, processes the coupon or the like as if it were owned by the consumer.

[0081] The storage unit 310 is a functional unit that stores a user management DB 310a, a coupon / exchange ticket management DB 310b, a points management DB 310c, a CO2 emission amount calculation DB 310d, etc., which are shown in Fig. 8. The storage unit 310 is realized by the auxiliary storage device 705 shown in Fig. 4.

[0082] The above-mentioned communication unit 301, coupon registration unit 302, ID registration unit 303, point calculation unit 304, point registration unit 305, determination unit 306, point addition unit 307, coupon list acquisition unit 308, and coupon processing unit 309 are realized by executing a program by CPU 701 shown in Fig. 4. Note that some or all of the communication unit 301, coupon registration unit 302, ID registration unit 303, point calculation unit 304, point registration unit 305, determination unit 306, point addition unit 307, coupon list acquisition unit 308, and coupon processing unit 309 may be realized by a hardware circuit (integrated circuit) such as an FPGA or ASIC, rather than by a software program.

[0083] Note that the functional units of the eco point management system 30 shown in FIG. 7 are conceptual representations of functions, and are not limited to such configurations. For example, the multiple functional units illustrated as independent functional units in the eco point management system 30 shown in FIG. 7 may be configured as a single functional unit. On the other hand, the function of a single functional unit in the eco point management system 30 shown in FIG. 7 may be divided into multiple units and configured as multiple functional units. Furthermore, the functional units of the eco point management system 30 do not need to be configured as distinct software modules as shown in FIG. 7, and it is sufficient that the functions of the functional units as a whole are realized by executing a program in the eco point management system 30.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 7, the print management system 40 includes a communication unit 401, an ID registration request unit 402, a code generation unit 403, a print control unit 404, and a point registration request unit 405.

[0085] The communication unit 401 is a functional unit that performs data communication with other devices via the network I / F 709 .

[0086] The ID registration request unit 402 is a functional unit that, when a printing job execution command is received by the communication unit 401 from the printing company terminal 41, sends a request to register the point ID of the points corresponding to the printed material related to the job to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 401.

[0087] The code generation unit 403 is a functional unit that generates a QR code including information on the point ID when the point ID is received by the communication unit 401 from the eco point management system 30. The QR code may include a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or the like for accessing the eco point management system 30 when read.

[0088] The print control unit 404 is a functional unit that controls the operation of the printer 42. For example, the print control unit 404 prints the QR code generated by the code generation unit 403 on the printed matter (product).

[0089] The point registration request unit 405 is a functional unit that calculates the amount of activity based on the job of the job execution command received by the communication unit 401, and transmits a point registration request together with the amount of activity to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 401.

[0090] The above-described communication unit 401, ID registration request unit 402, code generation unit 403, print control unit 404, and point registration request unit 405 are realized by executing a program by CPU 701 shown in Fig. 4. Note that some or all of the communication unit 401, ID registration request unit 402, code generation unit 403, print control unit 404, and point registration request unit 405 may be realized by a hardware circuit (integrated circuit) such as an FPGA or ASIC, rather than by a software program.

[0091] Note that the functional units of the print management system 40 shown in FIG. 7 are conceptual representations of functions, and are not limited to this configuration. For example, the multiple functional units illustrated as independent functional units in the print management system 40 shown in FIG. 7 may be configured as a single functional unit. On the other hand, the function of a single functional unit in the print management system 40 shown in FIG. 7 may be divided into multiple units and configured as multiple functional units. Furthermore, the functional units of the print management system 40 do not need to be configured as distinct software modules as shown in FIG. 7; it is sufficient that the functions of the functional units as a whole are realized by executing a program in the print management system 40.

[0092] (Point registration process flow for information processing system) Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of point registration processing in the information processing system according to the embodiment. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing changes in the state of the point management DB in the point registration processing in the information processing system according to the embodiment. The flow of point registration processing in the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 9 and 10.

[0093] <Step S11> In response to an operation by the printing company, the printing company terminal 41 transmits a job execution command for printing the desired product to the printing management system 40. Then, the communication unit 401 of the printing management system 40 receives the job execution command.

[0094] <Step S12> When a print job execution command is received by the communication unit 401 from the printing company terminal 41, the ID registration request unit 402 of the print management system 40 transmits a registration request for the point ID of the points corresponding to the printed matter related to the job to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 401. Then, the communication unit 301 of the eco point management system 30 receives the registration request for the point ID.

[0095] <Step S13> When a point ID registration request is received from the print management system 40 via the communication unit 301, the ID registration unit 303 of the eco point management system 30 issues a new point ID and registers the point ID in the point management DB 310c of the storage unit 310. In this case, the issued point ID is a unique ID that does not overlap with point IDs that have already been issued. When the ID registration unit 303 registers a point ID in the point management DB 310c, first, the point ID and the brand owner corresponding to the point ID are associated and registered, as shown in FIG.

[0096] <Step S14> Furthermore, the ID registration unit 303 transmits the issued point ID to the print management system 40 via the communication unit 301. Then, the communication unit 401 of the print management system 40 receives the point ID.

[0097] <Step S15> When the communication unit 401 receives a point ID from the eco point management system 30, the code generation unit 403 of the print management system 40 generates a QR code including information about the point ID.

[0098] <Step S16> The print control unit 404 of the print management system 40 prints the QR code generated by the code generation unit 403 on the printed matter (product).

[0099] <Step S17> Then, the point registration request unit 405 of the print management system 40 calculates the amount of activity based on the job of the job execution command received by the communication unit 401, and transmits the amount of activity together with a point registration request to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 401. Then, the communication unit 301 of the eco point management system 30 receives the amount of activity and the point registration request.

[0100] <Step S18> When the communication unit 301 receives the activity amount and point registration request from the print management system 40, the point calculation unit 304 of the eco point management system 30 acquires the basic unit from the CO2 emission amount calculation DB 310d.

[0101] <Step S19> Then, the point calculation unit 304 calculates the predicted and actual values ​​of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity and the basic unit, calculates points using the above-mentioned formula (1), and registers them in the coupon / exchange ticket management DB 310b.

[0102] In addition to calculating points using the above-mentioned formula (1), the point calculation unit 304 may, for example, obtain points by multiplying the value calculated by the above-mentioned formula (1) by a coefficient, or may obtain points by adding a numerical value such as the number of login days during a campaign period to the right-hand side of formula (1), or may add points to the right-hand side in order to stimulate consumers' desire to purchase through, for example, a limited-time promotion. Furthermore, the point calculation unit 304 may change the above-mentioned point calculation method for each industry, manufacturer, etc.

[0103] <Step S20> As shown in FIG. 10, the point registration unit 305 of the eco point management system 30 associates the points calculated by the point calculation unit 304 with the point ID registered in the point management DB 310c by the ID registration unit 303 and registers them.

[0104] <Step S21> Then, the point registration unit 305 transmits a notification that the points have been successfully registered to the print management system 40 via the communication unit 301. Then, the communication unit 401 of the print management system 40 receives the notification that the points have been successfully registered.

[0105] <Step S22> The communication unit 401 of the print management system 40 transmits the information received from the eco point management system 30 that the points have been successfully registered to the printer terminal 41. The printer terminal 41 then displays a message that the points have been successfully registered, and ends the point registration process.

[0106] In the example of the point registration process shown in Figure 9, the QR code is printed first, and then the points are calculated and registered. However, this is not limited to this. The points may be calculated and registered after the printed matter is created, and then only the QR code may be printed on the printed matter again after the points have been confirmed.

[0107] (Point acquisition process flow of information processing system) Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the point acquisition processing of the information processing system according to the embodiment. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing changes in the state of the point management DB during the point acquisition processing of the information processing system according to the embodiment. Fig. 13 is a diagram showing changes in the screen display of the consumer terminal during the point acquisition processing of the information processing system according to the embodiment. The flow of the point acquisition processing of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 11 to 13.

[0108] <Step S31> The reading control unit 202 of the consumer terminal 20 controls the imaging unit 805 in response to a consumer's operation on the touch panel 818 to read the QR code printed on the printed matter (product), decode the read QR code, and obtain a point ID, which is point identification information. For example, the consumer performs a login operation on the screen of the consumer terminal 20 shown in FIG. 13(a), and taps a button for reading a barcode on the top screen shown in FIG. 13(b). Furthermore, when the QR code is read by the reading control unit 202, the display control unit 206 displays the read QR code on the display 815, as shown in FIG. 13(c).

[0109] <Step S32> The point acquisition request unit 203 of the consumer terminal 20 transmits a point acquisition request requesting acquisition of points corresponding to the point ID of the QR code acquired by the reading control unit 202 to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 201. Then, the communication unit 301 of the eco point management system 30 receives the point acquisition request and the point ID.

[0110] <Step S33> When a point acquisition request is received from the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301, the judgment unit 306 of the eco point management system 30 refers to the point management DB 310c and acquires the points corresponding to the point ID received along with the point acquisition request.

[0111] <Step S34> Then, the determination unit 306 refers to the point management DB 310c and determines whether the acquired points are already acquired points based on whether the user ID associated with the point ID received together with the point acquisition request is already registered. If the acquired points are already acquired points, the process proceeds to step S35, and if the acquired points are not already acquired points, the process proceeds to step S36.

[0112] <Step S35> If the determination unit 306 determines that the points have already been acquired, it sends a points-acquired error to the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301, indicating that the points cannot be acquired. The communication unit 201 of the consumer terminal 20 then receives the points-acquired error. The display control unit 206 of the consumer terminal 20 then displays the points-acquired error received by the communication unit 201 on the display 815. In this case, the consumer has failed to acquire the points. The point acquisition process then ends.

[0113] <Step S36> When the judgment unit 306 determines that the points corresponding to the point ID are not already acquired points, the point addition unit 307 of the eco point management system 30 refers to the user management DB 310a and updates the points held corresponding to the user ID of the consumer of the consumer terminal 20 that sent the point acquisition request received by the communication unit 301 by adding the points corresponding to the point ID.

[0114] <Step S37> The point addition unit 307 transmits the added points and the resulting total value (updated owned points) to the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301. Then, the communication unit 201 of the consumer terminal 20 receives the point acquisition error. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12, the point addition unit 307 registers the user ID of the consumer of the consumer terminal 20 as the user ID corresponding to the point ID received by the communication unit 301 in the point management DB 310c. This indicates that the points corresponding to the point ID have been acquired, and prevents fraudulent use such as double reading of the QR code. Note that the information indicating that points have been acquired is not limited to registering the user ID, and it is also possible to simply register flag information indicating that points have been acquired.

[0115] Then, the display control unit 206 of the consumer terminal 20 displays the added points received by the communication unit 201 and the resulting total value on the display 815. In this case, the consumer has successfully acquired points. Figure 13(d) shows an example in which the acquired points are displayed on the display 815 of the consumer terminal 20. Note that the total value of points (updated owned points) may also be displayed on the display 815. Then, the point acquisition process ends.

[0116] In this way, it is expected that consumers will purchase more products from brand owners in order to earn more points, and that printing companies will make efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in order to be registered with a high number of points and be chosen as partners by brand owners.

[0117] (Flow of coupon exchange processing in the information processing system) Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of coupon exchange processing in the information processing system according to the embodiment. Fig. 15 is a diagram showing changes in the screen display of the consumer terminal during coupon exchange processing in the information processing system according to the embodiment. The flow of coupon exchange processing in the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 14 and 15.

[0118] <Step S51> In order to exchange the points that the consumer has for coupons, etc., the consumer operates the touch panel 818 of the consumer terminal 20 to display a list of coupons, etc. that the consumer can use. For example, the consumer displays the My Page screen shown in Fig. 15(b) from the top screen of the consumer terminal 20 shown in Fig. 15(a) and presses the point exchange button.

[0119] <Step S52> In response to a consumer's operation on the touch panel 818, the coupon list request unit 204 of the consumer terminal 20 transmits a request for a list of coupons, etc. that the consumer can use to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 201. Then, the communication unit 301 of the eco point management system 30 receives the request for a list of coupons, etc. that the consumer can use.

[0120] <Step S53> When a request to acquire a list of coupons, etc. is received from the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301, the coupon list acquisition unit 308 of the eco point management system 30 refers to the coupon / exchange voucher management DB 310b and acquires a list of coupons, etc. that can be used by the consumer of the consumer terminal 20. For example, the coupon list acquisition unit 308 acquires a list of coupons, etc. that satisfy expiration dates or conditions from among the coupons, etc. registered in the coupon / exchange voucher management DB 310b.

[0121] <Step S54> Then, the coupon list acquisition unit 308 transmits the acquired list of available coupons, etc. to the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301. Then, the communication unit 201 of the consumer terminal 20 receives the list of available coupons, etc.

[0122] <Step S55> Then, the display control unit 206 of the consumer terminal 20 causes the display 815 to display a list of available coupons, etc. received by the communication unit 201. For example, the display control unit 206 causes the display 815 to display the list of available coupons, etc., as shown in Fig. 15(d). Note that the display screen for points acquired by reading the QR code (the screen shown in Fig. 15(c)) may be transitioned to a display screen for a list of coupons, etc., as shown in Fig. 15(d).

[0123] <Step S56> The consumer selects, via the touch panel 818, the coupon or coupons that he or she wishes to exchange for points from the list of available coupons or coupons displayed on the display 815 of the consumer terminal 20.

[0124] <Step S57> The coupon acquisition request unit 205 of the consumer terminal 20 transmits a request to acquire a coupon or the like selected by the consumer from a list of available coupons or the like to the eco point management system 30 via the communication unit 201. Then, the communication unit 301 of the eco point management system 30 receives the request to acquire the coupon or the like.

[0125] <Step S58> When a request to acquire a coupon or the like selected by a consumer is received from the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301, the coupon processing unit 309 of the eco point management system 30 compares the points required to acquire the coupon or the like with the points held by the consumer in the user management DB 310a. If the points required to acquire the coupon or the like are greater than the points held by the consumer (if there are insufficient points), the process proceeds to step S59, and if the required points are equal to or less than the held points (if there are enough points), the process proceeds to step S61.

[0126] <Step S59> If the points required to acquire a coupon or the like are greater than the points held by the consumer, the coupon processing unit 309 transmits an error indicating insufficient points to the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301. The communication unit 201 of the consumer terminal 20 then receives the error indicating insufficient points.

[0127] <Step S60> The display control unit 206 of the consumer terminal 20 displays the error message indicating the lack of points received by the consumer terminal 20 on the display 815. Then, the coupon exchange process is terminated.

[0128] <Step S61> If the points required to acquire a coupon or the like are equal to or less than the points held by the consumer, the coupon processing unit 309 processes the coupon or the like as if it were owned by the consumer.

[0129] <Step S62> Furthermore, the coupon processing unit 309 deletes the coupons etc. acquired by the consumer from the list of available coupons etc. acquired by the coupon list acquisition unit 308 .

[0130] <Step S63> The coupon processing unit 309 refers to the user management DB 310a and subtracts the points required to acquire the coupon or the like from the points held by the consumer.

[0131] <Step S64> The coupon processing unit 309 transmits a notification that the coupon or the like has been successfully acquired (obtained) to the consumer terminal 20 via the communication unit 301. Then, the communication unit 201 of the consumer terminal 20 receives the notification that the coupon or the like has been successfully acquired (obtained).

[0132] <Step S65> The display control unit 206 displays on the display 815 a message indicating that the coupon etc. received by the consumer terminal 20 has been successfully acquired (obtained), and then ends the coupon etc. exchange process.

[0133] As described above, in the eco point management system 30 according to this embodiment, the ID registration unit 303 issues a point ID that identifies points for consumers to obtain coupons and registers the point ID in the point management DB 310c, the point calculation unit 304 calculates an actual value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for printed matter on which a QR code encoding the point ID is printed and calculates points based on the actual value, and the point registration unit 305 associates the points calculated by the point calculation unit 304 with the point ID and registers them in the point management DB 310c. This allows brand owners to widely recognize that a printing company has performed environmentally friendly printing as a point, and can also raise environmental awareness among printing companies.

[0134] In the above-described embodiments, when at least one of the functional units of each device included in the information processing system 1 is realized by executing a program, the program is provided by being pre-installed in a ROM or the like. In the above-described embodiments, the programs executed by each device included in the information processing system 1 may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R (Compact Disk-Recordable), or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc). In the above-described embodiments, the programs executed by each device included in the information processing system 1 may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. In the above-described embodiments, the programs executed by each device included in the information processing system 1 may be provided (for example, provided as a web application) or distributed via a network such as the Internet. In the above-described embodiments, the programs executed by each device included in the information processing system 1 have a modular configuration including at least one of the above-described functional units. In actual hardware, the CPU reads and executes the programs from a storage device, thereby loading and generating the above-described functional units on a main storage device.

[0135] The aspects of the present invention are as follows. <1> A points management system for managing points for consumers to obtain coupons, a first registration unit that issues first identification information that identifies the point and registers the first identification information in first association information; a calculation unit that calculates a performance value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for a printed matter on which a symbol in which the first identification information is encoded is printed, and calculates the points based on the performance value; a second registration unit that associates the points calculated by the calculation unit with the first identification information and registers them in the first association information; It is a point management system equipped with the following. <2> the first registration unit issues the first identification information when a job is generated in a print management system of a printing company; a receiving unit that receives the activity amount for the printed material based on the job; The calculation unit calculates the actual value from the amount of activity received by the receiving unit. <1> This is a point management system described in the above. <3> the calculation unit obtains a predicted value from the amount of activity for the printed material using a learning model that predicts a predicted value of carbon dioxide emission from the amount of activity, and calculates the points based on the predicted value and the actual value. <1> or <2> This is a point management system described in the above. <4> The receiving unit further receives the first identification information included in the symbol read by the first terminal of the consumer, a determination unit that determines whether the points associated with the first identification information received by the receiving unit have been acquired in the first association information; The said further comprising <2> This is a point management system described in the above. <5> The system further comprises an adding unit that, when the determining unit determines that the points have not been acquired, adds the points determined by the determining unit to be not acquired to the points of the consumer in management information that manages the points of the consumer, and associates the points with second identification information that identifies the consumer in the first association information and registers them. <4> This is a point management system described in the above. <6> the determination unit determines that the point has been acquired when the second identification information associated with the point is registered in the first association information; <5> This is a point management system described in the above. <7> a third registration unit that, upon request from a second terminal of a provider of the printed matter, associates third identification information of the provider, points required to obtain a coupon, and product names to which the coupon can be applied, and registers these in second association information. <2> This is a point management system described in the above. <8> the receiving unit receives a coupon acquisition request from the first terminal of the consumer, a processing unit that compares the points of the consumer in management information that manages the points of the consumer with the required points associated with the coupon corresponding to the acquisition request received by the receiving unit in the second association information, and if the required points are equal to or less than the points of the consumer, processes the coupon as being owned by the consumer; The said further comprising <7> This is a point management system described in the above. <9> The symbol is a QR code. <1> ~ <8> 1 is a point management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9. <10> A point management method for managing points for consumers to obtain coupons, comprising: a first registration step of issuing first identification information that identifies the point and registering the first identification information in first association information; a calculation step of calculating a performance value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for a printed matter on which a symbol in which the first identification information is encoded is printed, and calculating the points based on the performance value; a second registration step of associating the calculated points with the first identification information and registering them in the first association information; This is a point management method having the above. <11> On the computer, A point management method for managing points for consumers to obtain coupons, comprising: a first registration step of issuing first identification information that identifies the point and registering the first identification information in first association information; a calculation step of calculating a performance value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for a printed matter on which a symbol in which the first identification information is encoded is printed, and calculating the points based on the performance value; a second registration step of associating the calculated points with the first identification information and registering them in the first association information; This is a program for executing the above.

[0136] 1. Information Processing Systems 10 Brand Owner Devices 20 Consumer Devices 30 Eco Point Management System 40 Printing Management System 41 Printer terminal 42 Printing machine 200 apps 201 Communications Department 202 Reading control unit 203 Point Acquisition Request Section 204 Coupon List Request Section 205 Coupon acquisition request section 206 Display control unit 301 Communications Department 302 Coupon Registration Section 303 ID Registration Department 304 Point Calculation Section 305 Point Registration Department 306 Judgment section 307 Point Addition Section 308 Coupon List Acquisition Unit 309 Coupon Processing Unit 310 Storage section 310a User management DB 310b Coupon / voucher management DB 310c Point management DB 310d CO2 emissions calculation DB 401 Communications Department 402 ID registration request section 403 Code Generation 404 Printing control unit 405 Point registration request section 701 CPU 702 ROM 703 RAM 705 Auxiliary storage 706 Recording Media 707 Media Drive 708 Display 709 Network I / F 710 Bus 711 keyboard 712 Mouse 713 DVD 714 DVD drive 801 CPU 802 ROM 803 RAM 804 EEPROM 805 Imaging unit 806 Imaging I / F 807 Acceleration and direction sensor 808 GNSS receiver 809 Bus Line 810 Telecommunications Circuit 810a antenna 811 Near field communication circuit 811a antenna 812 Mike 813 Speaker 814 Sound input / output I / F 815 Display 816 External device connection I / F 817 Vibrator 818 Touch Panel 901 CPU 902 MEM-P 902a ROM 902b RAM 903 NB 904SB 906 ASIC 907 MEM-C 908 HDD Controller 909 HD 910 Controller 920 Near field communication circuit 920a antenna 921 AGP Bus 922 PCI bus 930 Engine control unit 931 Scanner 932 Printer section 940 Operation Panel 940a Panel display 940b hard key 950 Network I / F N Network [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0137] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2016-541055

Claims

1. A points management system for managing points for consumers to obtain coupons, a first registration unit that issues first identification information that identifies the point and registers the first identification information in first association information; a calculation unit that calculates a performance value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for a printed matter on which a symbol in which the first identification information is encoded is printed, and calculates the points based on the performance value; a second registration unit that associates the points calculated by the calculation unit with the first identification information and registers the points in the first association information; A points management system with

2. the first registration unit issues the first identification information when a job is generated in a print management system of a printing company; a receiving unit that receives the activity amount for the printed material based on the job; The point management system according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the performance value from the amount of activity received by the receiving unit.

3. A point management system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the calculation unit obtains a predicted value from the activity level for the printed material using a learning model that predicts the predicted value of carbon dioxide emissions from the activity level, and calculates the points based on the predicted value and the actual value.

4. The receiving unit further receives the first identification information included in the symbol read by the first terminal of the consumer; a determination unit that determines whether the points associated with the first identification information received by the receiving unit have been acquired in the first association information; The point management system according to claim 2, further comprising:

5. The point management system of claim 4 further comprises an addition unit that, when the judgment unit determines that the points have not been acquired, adds the points determined by the judgment unit to have not been acquired to the points of the consumer in the management information that manages the points of the consumer, and associates and registers the points with second identification information that identifies the consumer in the first association information.

6. The points management system according to claim 5 , wherein the determination unit determines that the points have been acquired when the second identification information associated with the points is registered in the first association information.

7. A point management system as described in claim 2, further comprising a third registration unit that, upon request from a second terminal of the provider of the printed material, associates the provider's third identification information, the points required to obtain a coupon, and the product name to which the coupon can be applied, and registers them in the second association information.

8. the receiving unit receives a coupon acquisition request from the first terminal of the consumer; a processing unit that compares the points of the consumer in management information that manages the points of the consumer with the required points associated with the coupon corresponding to the acquisition request received by the receiving unit in the second association information, and if the required points are equal to or less than the points of the consumer, processes the coupon as being owned by the consumer; The point management system according to claim 7, further comprising:

9. The point management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the symbol is a QR code.

10. A point management method for managing points for consumers to obtain coupons, comprising: a first registration step of issuing first identification information that identifies the point and registering the first identification information in first association information; a calculation step of calculating a performance value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for a printed matter on which a symbol in which the first identification information is encoded is printed, and calculating the points based on the performance value; a second registration step of associating the calculated points with the first identification information and registering them in the first association information; A point management method having the above points.

11. On the computer, A point management method for managing points for consumers to obtain coupons, comprising: a first registration step of issuing first identification information that identifies the point and registering the first identification information in first association information; a calculation step of calculating a performance value of carbon dioxide emissions from the amount of activity for a printed matter on which a symbol in which the first identification information is encoded is printed, and calculating the points based on the performance value; a second registration step of associating the calculated points with the first identification information and registering them in the first association information; A program to execute.

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