Electronic receipt issuance system and method

Abstract

By using payment terminals that can take various forms to suit the store's business model, it becomes possible to issue electronic receipts of payment information, thereby improving convenience for both stores and customers. [Solution] A payment terminal installed at a merchant that has a merchant agreement with a merchant management company that has a handling agreement with a cashless payment brand provides payment information regarding the transaction agreement between the merchant and the member to the payment institution of the payment brand, and then receives the payment result from that payment institution. At this time, the payment terminal, using a display control means, presents the payment result to the member through an input display screen, generates an access code for transmitting the display data of the electronic receipt to an information device held by the member, and controls the terminal to display the access code on the input display screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic receipt issuance service in a franchise store that concludes a franchise contract with a franchise store management company that has a handling contract with a cashless payment brand. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic receipt issuance system and method that utilize a payment terminal or the like installed in such a franchise store.

Background Art

[0002] In various industries, in franchise stores that conclude a franchise contract with a franchise store management company that has a handling contract with a cashless payment brand, as a settlement means to support the use of cashless payment by customers during the accounting process of retail sales, all-in-one terminals capable of handling various settlement processes are being used. Various types of such payment terminals that are compatible with the business format of the franchise store have begun to be developed.

[0003] According to such a payment terminal, in the two-way payment procedure by each of the customer side and the store side, the payment details can be mutually confirmed visually or audibly. Also, in the case of an all-in-one payment terminal, various payment procedures including non-contact reading from various IC (Integrated Circuit) cards or smartphones by Near Field Communication (NFC), non-contact reading of one-dimensional or two-dimensional codes, electronic signature input, PIN input, and receipt output can be efficiently implemented.

[0004] Here, in receipt output, usually, since a payment slip is printed on paper, a printer for printing on the paper is required. However, issuing a paper receipt containing payment information is not preferable from the perspective of the store side in terms of the increase in paper cost as the paper usage increases. On the other hand, from the perspective of the customer side, consideration is required for the handling of the paper received each time of purchase, and there is also a risk that the paper receipt is lost after settlement, causing an obstacle to the return procedure.

[0005] To avoid the difficulties associated with such paper receipts, some Point of Sale (POS) systems issue electronic receipts. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a product sales data management system comprising a registration device for registering products operated by a store employee and a settlement device for processing settlements operated by a customer, wherein control information for transmitting an electronic rate to the customer's terminal device is displayed on the display unit of the registration device or settlement device before the settlement is completed. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-125270 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, the product sales data management system disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which the registration device and the settlement device are separate, and in the process from registering purchased products to settlement, it requires the customer to perform various operations on the registration device or the settlement device. Therefore, it is difficult to support payment terminals that can take various forms to accommodate various cashless payment methods.

[0008] The present invention was made to solve these problems, and aims to provide an electronic receipt issuing system and method that can be used with payment terminals that can take various forms to suit the type of business of the store, in a system configuration using an all-in-one payment terminal that can support various cashless payment methods, thereby enabling the issuance of electronic receipts of payment information through the payment terminal and improving convenience for the store and the customer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, in one aspect of the present invention, an electronic receipt issuance system is for issuing settlement results for settlement information relating to transaction contracts between merchants and members as electronic receipts to members who have concluded membership agreements with a payment brand, via a merchant management company that concludes a handling agreement with a payment brand and a merchant that concludes a merchant agreement with the merchant management company, and comprises the following components. That is, (1) A payment terminal installed at a merchant, connected via a network to a payment brand's payment institution, and receiving payment results from the payment institution based on member identification information entered by the member.

[0010] The payment terminal (1) includes the following components: (1-1) An input display screen for receiving member identification information from members and presenting the payment result to the member. and, (1-2) Display control means for generating an access code for transmitting payment information as source data for generating electronic receipts to an information device held by a member, and for controlling the display of the access code on an input display screen.

[0011] Here, the information device reads the access code, and based on the decryption result of the access code, provides the payment information contained in the access code to the electronic receipt processing server, and then receives the display data of the electronic receipt generated by the electronic receipt processing server based on the payment information contained in the access code.

[0012] In this case, the information device displays the content of the electronic receipt on the screen using a document viewer application based on the display data of the electronic receipt received from the electronic receipt processing server, and stores and manages the display data in a folder of any choice on the internal storage based on the member's selection.

[0013] Furthermore, the access code is a primary symbolic code that represents the internet address of the electronic receipt processing server and the payment information related to the transaction contract in URL format.

[0014] Furthermore, payment information includes the actual payment transaction number related to the transaction contract, and the electronic receipt displays the payment transaction number and a second symbol code representing the payment transaction number.

[0015] In this case, the payment terminal reads the second symbol code contained in the electronic receipt displayed on the information device's screen using an input display screen, requests the payment brand's payment institution to process a return to cancel the transaction contract, and displays the result of the return process received from the payment institution on the input display screen.

[0016] Furthermore, the payment terminal can take on various forms to suit the business type of the merchant. These forms include a standard type with a dual screen consisting of separate display and input screens for customers and the store, a portable type that can also be used as a barcode reader due to its focus on mobility, and a POS-connected type that can be integrated into a cash register in a merchant's store and has only a customer-facing screen.

[0017] Furthermore, the electronic receipt issuing system further comprises the following components: (2) A system server installed at the merchant management company, connected to the payment institution via a network, and supporting processing related to the merchant management operations.

[0018] Furthermore, in one aspect of the present invention, the electronic receipt issuance method in the electronic receipt issuance system is for issuing an electronic receipt as a settlement result for settlement information relating to a transaction contract between a merchant and a member, via a merchant management company that concludes a handling agreement with a payment brand and a merchant that concludes a merchant agreement with the merchant management company, to a member that concludes a membership agreement with a payment brand, and comprises the following components. That is, (1) A step of providing payment information to a payment brand's payment institution from a payment terminal installed at a merchant via a network, wherein the input display screen of the payment terminal receives member identification information from the member. (2) A step of receiving a settlement result from a settlement institution at a settlement terminal via a network, wherein the input display screen of the settlement terminal presents the settlement result to the member based on the member identification information. and, (3) A step of generating an access code for transmitting payment information as source data for generating an electronic receipt to an information device held by a member, wherein the display control means of the payment terminal controls the payment terminal to display the access code on the input display screen.

[0019] Furthermore, the electronic receipt issuance method further comprises the following components: (4) When the information device reads the access code, the information device provides the payment information contained in the access code to the electronic receipt processing server based on the decryption result of the access code. and, (5) A step in which the information device receives the electronic receipt display data generated by the electronic receipt processing server based on the payment information in the access code.

[0020] Furthermore, the electronic receipt issuance method further comprises the following components: (6) A step in which a system server installed at the merchant management company receives settlement results from a settlement institution via a network, wherein the system server supports processing related to the merchant management operations.

[0021] Furthermore, the electronic receipt issuance method further comprises the following components: (7) When the settlement terminal reads, via an input display screen, a symbol code representing a substantial settlement transaction number related to a transaction contract included in an electronic receipt displayed on the screen of an information device, a step of requesting a return process for canceling the transaction contract from the settlement institution of the settlement brand from the settlement terminal based on the decryption result of the symbol code. And, (8) A step of displaying, on the input display screen, the result of the return process received by the settlement terminal from the settlement institution.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, in a system form using an all-in-one settlement terminal capable of supporting various cashless settlements, by enabling the use of a settlement terminal that can adopt various forms suitable for the business format on the store side, an electronic receipt of settlement information can be issued through the settlement terminal, improving the convenience for both the store and the customer. Further, by reading the settlement transaction number indicated on the electronic receipt with the settlement terminal, the return process for canceling the transaction contract can be automated, further improving the convenience for both the store and the customer.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] A detailed understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification can be obtained from the following description illustrated in relation to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram showing a connection form of various systems related to an electronic receipt issuance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a configuration diagram showing the internal configuration of a franchised store management company side system server in an electronic receipt issuance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] It is a top view and a side view showing the appearance of a standard type settlement terminal on the franchised store side in an electronic receipt issuance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B]These are a top view, a bottom view, and a side view showing the external appearance of a merchant-side portable payment terminal in an electronic receipt issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3C] These are a top view and a side view showing the appearance of a POS-connected payment terminal on the merchant side in an electronic receipt issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a standard payment terminal on the merchant side in an electronic receipt issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] This is a flowchart showing the payment processing process in an electronic receipt issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] This is a flowchart showing the process during return processing in an electronic receipt issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] This is a diagram illustrating the various data and operation / display flows across different systems included in the payment processing process of an electronic receipt issuance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6B] This is a diagram illustrating the various data and operation / display flows across different systems included in the return processing process of an electronic receipt issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing examples of the content of an electronic receipt access code displayed on the touchscreen of a merchant's payment terminal and an electronic receipt displayed on a customer's information device, in an electronic receipt issuance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In addition, in multiple drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same components, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0026] [Connection methods for various systems] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram showing the connection configuration of various systems related to an electronic receipt issuance system according to one embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 1, a scenario is envisioned in which, at a merchant 170 that has an agreement with at least one of various cashless payment brands, a customer 110 who is a member of the said cashless payment brand enters into a purchase transaction contract for goods or services, etc. at the store, and the customer 110 follows the instructions of the staff (employees) of the merchant 170 and performs a payment operation on the merchant-side payment terminal 180, which is a client device of the merchant management company-side system server 160.

[0027] The merchant-side payment terminal 180 is connected via a communication line 100 to the POS system server 130 and payment processing system server 140, as well as the merchant management company-side system server 160 and electronic receipt processing server 190, which will be described later. The electronic receipt issuance system 150 is configured using these various system servers as components.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the communication line 100 connects the POS system server 130 and the payment processing system server 140, as well as each component of the electronic receipt issuance system 150, namely the merchant management company system server 160 and the electronic receipt processing server 190, and the customer-side information device 120, which will be described later, in a way that enables communication between them. The communication line 100 may be, for example, a public network that enables telephone communication and data communication, or it may include a dedicated network that connects only specific systems in a way that enables limited communication between them.

[0029] The information device 120 on the customer 110's side uses various applications, including a web browser and a PDF (Portable Document Format) reader (including a PDF viewer), to read the access code displayed on the payment terminal 180 on the merchant's side using its built-in camera. By accessing the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) link obtained by decrypting this access code, the information device 120 presents the customer 110 with the content of the electronic receipt provided by the electronic receipt processing server 190. The information device 120 includes general-purpose portable PCs (Personal Computers), tablet computers, smartphones, etc.

[0030] The POS system server 130 stores product information such as product code, name, unit price, classification, and manufacturer. It provides functions such as transmitting product information to the merchant-side payment terminal 180 in response to product inquiries received from the terminal, and aggregating product sales received from the payment terminal 180 and presenting the payment results to the customer 110 via the payment terminal 180. However, if a dedicated application with POS system functions such as product registration and product sales is installed on the payment terminal 180, coordination processing between the POS system server 130 and the payment terminal 180 is not required.

[0031] The payment processing system server 140 acts as a gateway between the payment processing company and the merchant management company's system server 160, handling a portion of the payment flow via the merchant's payment terminal 180. The payment processing system server 140 responds to payment requests received from the payment terminal 180 and transmits the results of the payment processing by the relevant payment processing company to the payment terminal 180.

[0032] The merchant management company's system server 160 has a contract with at least one of various cashless payment brands and handles the other end of the payment flow between the user company of the payment processing system server 140 and the merchant 170 via the merchant-side payment terminal 180. In response to the payment results received from the payment processing system server 140, the system server 160 transmits the sales settlement results for the sales transaction from the relevant merchant to the payment terminal 180.

[0033] The types of cashless payments envisioned here include card payments, electronic money payments, and code payments. In card payments, the merchant's payment terminal 180 reads the customer's credit card, prepaid card, debit card, or other card, or an information device. In particular, in electronic money payments, the payment terminal 180 reads the IC card or information device, including balance top-ups. In code payments, the payment terminal 180 reads a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code displayed on an information device, corresponding to a credit card, debit card, balance top-up, or bank account. The various payment methods described above also include specifications that add common points or proprietary points.

[0034] For example, in the case of credit card payments, the merchant management company's system server 160 acts as the merchant contracting company's acquirer, coordinating with the payment processing system server 140, which has a contract with the issuer, to provide card payment services between the customer 110 and the merchant 170. It should be noted that the merchant management company may also act as both the issuer and the acquirer.

[0035] The merchant-side payment terminal 180 is installed at merchants 170 that have concluded a merchant agreement with the merchant management company. It is an all-in-one payment terminal that supports various cashless payment processes during the accounting of retail sales transactions conducted within the store, enabling customers 110 to make payments for the purchase of goods or services. As will be described later, this payment terminal 180 can take various forms to suit the type of business the store operates. These include, for example, a standard type with two input display screens, one for the customer and one for the store, as a dual screen; a portable type that can also be used as a barcode reader due to its focus on mobility; and a POS-connected type (unit type) that can be integrated into an existing cash register and has only a customer-facing screen.

[0036] The electronic receipt processing server 190 is a web server that publishes a website for issuing electronic receipts on the communication line 100, and provides the customer 110 with payment information between the customer 110 and the merchant 170 as an electronic receipt. Various data of the electronic receipt issued from this website are provided directly as content from the electronic receipt processing server 190 to the customer-side information device 120. When the electronic receipt processing server 190 receives a reference request from the information device 120, it transmits to the information device 120 the content of the payment information, which is generated based on the payment transaction specification included as a parameter in the access code for itself and the receipt frame master data (standard phrase format) that it has already stored.

[0037] [Internal configuration of the merchant management company's system server] Figure 2 is a configuration diagram showing the internal configuration of the merchant management company's system server 160 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the system server 160 is configured similarly to a computer intended for general server use and supports processing functions related to merchant management operations. More specifically, in the system server 160, the control unit 210, main memory unit 212, input unit 214, output unit 216, communication interface 218, and auxiliary storage unit 220 are connected to each other via the system bus 200 so that they can communicate with one another.

[0038] The auxiliary storage unit 220 contains a merchant information management unit 230, a customer information management unit 232, and a payment information management unit 234, each of which will house application programs for processing various types of data. The programs held in these components are loaded into the main storage unit 212 based on a call instruction from the control unit 210, and then various calculations are performed.

[0039] Furthermore, within the auxiliary storage unit 220, subsystems are constructed to manage data and programs in file / database format, including a merchant information storage unit 240, a customer information storage unit 242, and a usage history information storage unit 244. The data and programs stored in these components are loaded into the main storage unit 212 based on a call instruction from the control unit 210 and used for processing various calculations.

[0040] The control unit 210 functions as a central processing unit (CPU), controlling the operation of individual system components and performing data calculations, particularly loading data and programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 220 into the main memory unit 212 to perform various calculations. The main memory unit 212 functions as the main memory, storing various data and programs input from the input unit 214, the communication interface unit 218, and the auxiliary storage unit 220 based on instructions from the control unit 210, as well as computer-executable instructions, and saving the data after calculations have been performed on these.

[0041] The input unit 214 provides an interface for receiving various commands and data (for example, data from various masters and tables) from the system operator. The output unit 216 provides an interface for controlling the generation of output data for displaying various processed data to the operator, and output data for printing said data.

[0042] The communication interface unit 218 provides an interface that functions when sending and receiving various data between the customer-side information device 120, the POS system server 130, the payment processing system server 140, the merchant-side payment terminal 180, the electronic receipt processing server 190, and other internal systems and devices.

[0043] Here, the embodiment of the server configuration of the merchant management company's system server 160 only needs to function as a single system configuration. For example, it may be located inside a single server computer, or each system component may be configured by distributing it in parallel as multiple sets of units, or multiple server computers may be combined and configured to share data and programs.

[0044] More specifically, the merchant information management unit 230 manages the information that each merchant that has contracted with a cashless payment brand has registered with that cashless payment brand, and stores this registration information in the merchant information storage unit 240. Such registration information includes, for example, merchant ID (Identification), name, address, representative, industry, business hours, transportation access, and HP (Home Page) site information.

[0045] The Customer Information Management Unit 232 manages the information that each customer who has entered into a membership agreement with a cashless payment brand has registered with that cashless payment brand, and stores this registration information in the Customer Information Storage Unit 242. Such registration information includes, for example, customer ID (membership number), name, address, telephone number, email address, gender, date of birth, occupation, and job title.

[0046] The payment information management unit 234 manages the sales transaction data of the merchant 170 corresponding to the payment result issued by the payment processing system server 140 that receives a payment request from the merchant-side payment terminal 180, and stores this payment information in the usage history information storage unit 244. Such registered information includes, for example, the payment ID (payment transaction number), merchant ID, customer ID (membership number), payment brand ID (card company ID), payment date and time, payment method, payment amount, and breakdown of transaction items.

[0047] [External configuration of merchant-side payment terminal (standard payment terminal)] Figure 3A is a top view (a) and a side view (b) showing the appearance of a standard payment terminal, which is included in one form of the merchant payment terminal 180 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3A, the standard payment terminal 182 installed in the merchant 170 has various input / output devices built in to support various cashless payment methods, and with the introduction of a dedicated application that has POS system functionality, it eliminates the need for coordination processing with the POS system server 130. In particular, a touchscreen 300 with a screen size of approximately 7.0 inches and a touchscreen 302 with a screen size of approximately 4.0 inches are installed facing each other on both the store side and the customer side, respectively.

[0048] Here, the merchant-side payment terminal 180, as a payment terminal according to the present invention, preferably has screens on both the store side and the customer side, but at least the customer side should have a display input screen with a screen size and resolution that enables the display of an access code to an electronic receipt site, and it should be possible to perform various operations related to cashless payment using this screen.

[0049] As shown in Figures 3A(a) and (b), on the customer side, the touchscreen 302 is equipped with functions for displaying various payment information, inputting electronic signatures and PINs, and a contactless IC card reader using near-field communication (NFC), based on the assumption that it will be operated by the customer 110 at the settlement stage of the payment process, thereby enabling card payments and electronic money payments. The code reading camera 304 enables code payments by capturing images of one-dimensional or two-dimensional codes displayed on the information device 120.

[0050] Furthermore, the contact-type IC card reader slot 308 enables card payments by providing a function to read IC cards that do not support contactless reading. The bidirectional magnetic card reader slot 306 enables card payments by providing a dual head that can simultaneously read both the front and back sides of a magnetic card.

[0051] On the other hand, at the store level, the touchscreen 300 supports retail sales accounting primarily through software-based operation, by providing functions such as display, confirmation, and output for various payment methods, based on the premise that it will be operated by the staff of the merchant 170 during the registration and settlement stages of payment processing. The printer with an auto-cutter built into the main body of the standard payment terminal 182 ejects the receipt paper printed as a payment result from the printer output port 310, and automatically cuts and outputs the paper for each transaction.

[0052] [External configuration of merchant-side payment terminal (portable payment terminal)] Figure 3B shows top view (a), bottom view (b), and side view (c) of a portable payment terminal included in one form of the merchant-side payment terminal 180 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3B, the portable payment terminal 184 installed in the merchant 170 incorporates various input / output devices to support various cashless payment methods, excluding the printer's printing function. In particular, a touchscreen 320 with a screen size of approximately 5 inches is installed on the customer side.

[0053] As shown in Figures 3B(a) to (c), the top surface of the touchscreen 320 is equipped with functions for displaying various payment information, as well as functions for inputting electronic signatures and PINs, based on the premise that it will be operated by either the customer 110 or the staff of the merchant 170, or both, during the settlement stage of payment processing. The touchscreen 320 is equipped with a contactless IC card reader function using near-field communication (NFC), enabling it to support card payments and electronic money payments. The code reading camera 322 functions in the same way as the code reading camera 304 in Figure 3A.

[0054] Furthermore, on the underside, the barcode reading camera 324 functions as a barcode reader, capable of reading barcodes attached to purchased items, based on the assumption of operation by the customer 110 during the payment processing registration stage. The light 326 has the function of illuminating the purchased item to be photographed with auxiliary light in conjunction with the imaging timing of the barcode reading camera 324, thereby enabling the barcode reading camera 324 to receive reflected light from the barcode on the item. The bidirectional magnetic card reader slot 328 and the contact-type IC card reader slot 330 function similarly to the bidirectional magnetic card reader slot 306 and the contact-type IC card reader slot 308 in Figure 3A, respectively.

[0055] [External configuration of merchant-side payment terminals (POS-connected payment terminals)] Figure 3C shows a top view (a) and a side view (b) of a POS-connected payment terminal, which is included in one form of the merchant-side payment terminal 180 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3C, the POS-connected payment terminal 186 installed in the merchant 170 incorporates various input / output devices to support various cashless payment methods, but can be integrated into the cash register in the merchant 170 without introducing a dedicated application with POS system functionality, and requires coordination processing with the POS system server 130. In particular, a touchscreen 340 with a screen size of approximately 5.5 inches is installed on the customer side.

[0056] As shown in Figures 3C(a) and (b), on the top side, the touchscreen 340 and code reading camera 342 function similarly to the customer-side touchscreen 302 and code reading camera 304 in Figure 3A, respectively. Also, the bidirectional magnetic card reader slot 344 and contact IC card reader slot 346 function similarly to the bidirectional magnetic card reader slot 306 and contact IC card reader slot 308 in Figure 3A, respectively.

[0057] [Internal configuration of merchant payment terminals] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the standard payment terminal 182 on the merchant side, as shown in Figure 3A. As shown in Figure 4, the internal configuration of the standard payment terminal 182 is similar to that of a computer for professional client use in order to support functions specialized for accounting processing of retail sales.

[0058] More specifically, in the standard payment terminal 182, the control unit 410, main memory unit 412, input unit 414, display unit 416, printing unit 418, output unit 420, communication IF 422, and auxiliary storage unit 430 are interconnected via the system bus 400 so as to be able to communicate with each other. Note that the internal configurations of the portable payment terminal 184 and the POS-connected payment terminal 186 in Figures 3B and 3C are substantially the same as the internal configuration of the standard payment terminal 182 in Figure 4, except for the absence of the printing unit 418, and therefore are not illustrated further in this specification.

[0059] The auxiliary storage unit 430 contains a payment processing control unit 440 and an electronic receipt issuance control unit 442, which will each contain application programs for handling various types of data. The programs held in these components are loaded into the main storage unit 412 based on a call instruction from the control unit 410, and then various calculations are executed.

[0060] Furthermore, the auxiliary storage unit 430 includes a settlement information storage unit 450, which houses subsystems for managing data and programs in file / database format. The data and programs stored in this component are loaded into the main storage unit 412 based on a call instruction from the control unit 410 and used for processing various calculations.

[0061] The control unit 410 functions as a central processing unit (CPU), controlling the operation of individual system components and performing data calculations, particularly loading data and programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 430 into the main memory unit 412 and executing various calculations. The main memory unit 412 functions as the main memory, storing various data and programs input from the input unit 414, the communication IF unit 422, and the auxiliary storage unit 430 based on instructions from the control unit 410, as well as computer-executable instructions, and saving the data after calculations have been performed on these.

[0062] The input unit 414 provides an interface for receiving various commands or data input from built-in input devices (touchscreens 300 and 302, IC card reader slot 308, magnetic card reader slot 306, and code reading camera 304). The communication interface unit 422 provides an interface that functions when sending and receiving various data with customer-side information equipment 120, POS system server 130, payment processing system server 140, merchant management company-side system server 160, electronic receipt processing server 190, and other internal systems and devices.

[0063] The display unit 416 provides an interface (display control means) that controls the display of data on the touchscreens 300 and 302 that presents information requiring confirmation by the customer 110 or the staff of the merchant 170 in various payment transactions. When the printing unit 418 outputs the payment result data to the printer built into the main unit as the data to be printed, receipts showing accounting details or receipts showing the payment result are ejected from the printer output port 350 as sheets of paper separated for each transaction. The output unit 420 provides an interface (output control means) that controls the generation of output data for presentation to the customer 110 or the staff of the merchant 170 as various processed data other than for display or printing.

[0064] The payment processing control unit 440 receives payment requests entered by the customer 110 through each input interface of the payment terminal 180, transmits these payment requests to the payment processing system server 140, and then outputs the payment results received from the payment processing system server 140 through each output interface of the payment terminal 180. In this way, the payment processing control unit 440 handles one part of the payment processing that takes place between the customer 110 and the cashless payment brand.

[0065] The electronic receipt issuance management unit 442 generates an access code (including URL (Uniform Resource Locator) format) for the electronic receipt processing server 190, which includes payment information relating to the purchase transaction contract between the customer 110 and the merchant 170 as parameters, based on the payment result received from the payment processing system server 140. The unit then displays a symbol code generated as the encoding of this access code, such as a one-dimensional code (including a barcode) or a two-dimensional code (including a QR code (registered trademark)), on the customer-side touchscreen 302 via the display unit 416.

[0066] Furthermore, the electronic receipt issuance management unit 442 stores the result of generating an access code for the electronic receipt processing server 190 in the payment information storage unit 450. Such an access code includes, for example, the internet address of the electronic receipt processing server 190, payment ID (payment transaction number), merchant ID, customer ID (member number), payment brand ID (card company ID), processing number, terminal number, date and time of use, payment amount, and details of the transaction (including transaction details, slip number, expiration date, payment category, handling category, product category, number of installments, payment start month, bonus installments, etc.). The address of the electronic receipt processing server 190 is stored as a program-fixed value in the merchant-side payment terminal 180, as specified by the merchant management company-side system server 160.

[0067] [Process flow of the electronic receipt issuance system] Figures 5A and 5B are flowcharts showing the respective processes during payment processing and return processing in the electronic receipt issuance system 150 shown in Figure 1. Figures 6A and 6B are linkage diagrams showing the various data and operation / display flows across different systems included in the respective processes during payment processing and return processing shown in Figures 5A and 5B. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing examples of the content of the electronic receipt access code (a) displayed on the customer-side touchscreen of the merchant-side payment terminal 180 and the electronic receipt (b) displayed on the screen of the customer-side information device 120 from the electronic receipt processing server 190.

[0068] This document describes the process assuming the adoption of a standard payment terminal 182 as the merchant-side payment terminal 180. When a portable payment terminal 184 or a POS-connected payment terminal 186 is used as the merchant-side payment terminal 180, the operation is performed in much the same way as when using the standard payment terminal 182, as the operation of the store-side touchscreen is handled as an operation on the POS system server side or as an automation of the relevant operation process; therefore, it is not illustrated further in this specification. The portable payment terminal 184 allows switching between product registration and payment settlement states independently, but the display of the electronic receipt access code occurs when the device is switched to the payment settlement state.

[0069] (During payment processing) As shown in Figures 5A and 6A during the payment processing, in step S500, when customer 110 makes a payment request to the staff of merchant 170, the staff of merchant 170 accesses the "Start Payment" button displayed on the store-side touchscreen 300 of the merchant-side payment terminal 180 as a payment start operation 600, prompting customer 110 to input cashless payment details. In response, customer 110 displays their desired cashless payment method (smartphone, various cards, etc.) on the corresponding input interface of the payment terminal 180 as a cashless payment input operation 602. The payment terminal 180 then reads the internal information of the cashless payment method (member identification information, etc.) and sends payment request data 604 to the payment processing system server 140.

[0070] Next, in step S504, the payment processing system server 140 requests payment processing from the payment processing institution corresponding to the payment details, based on the payment request data 604 received from the merchant payment terminal 180. Subsequently, in step S506, the payment processing system server 140 transmits the payment result data 610 and 612 received from the payment processing institution to the merchant management company system server 160 and the merchant payment terminal 180, respectively.

[0071] Next, in step S512, the merchant management company's system server 160 stores the payment result data 610 received from the payment processing system server 140 as sales transaction data in the usage history information storage unit 244. Subsequently, in step S514, the payment terminal 180 displays the cashless payment result on the store's touchscreen 300 and the customer's touchscreen 302, respectively, based on the payment result data 612 received from the payment processing system server 140, and the customer 110 and the staff of the merchant 170 recognize both the payment result display 614.

[0072] Next, in step S518, the merchant-side payment terminal 180 displays an electronic receipt access code display 618 on the customer-side touchscreen 302, allowing the customer 110 to recognize the instruction to receive an electronic receipt. For example, the display of the electronic receipt receipt instruction screen is configured as shown in Figure 7(a). In particular, this receipt instruction includes an electronic receipt access code 700 as a two-dimensional code for accessing the electronic receipt processing server 190.

[0073] Here, the electronic receipt receipt instruction screen is dismissed based on a tap of the OK button displayed on the screen, or a timeout due to the elapsed time. If the customer 110 requests that this screen be displayed again, the merchant payment terminal 180 generates the electronic receipt receipt instruction screen again based on the access code stored in the payment information storage unit 450 and provides it to the customer 110.

[0074] Next, in step S520, as an electronic receipt access code reading operation 620, when the customer 110 captures the electronic receipt access code 700 displayed on the customer touchscreen 302 of the merchant payment terminal 180 through the camera lens built into the customer-side information device 120, the information device 120 transmits electronic receipt issuance request data 624 to the electronic receipt processing server 190 based on the reading result (result of decoding) of the electronic receipt access code 700.

[0075] Next, in step S524, the electronic receipt processing server 190 generates an electronic receipt containing settlement information relating to the purchase transaction contract between the customer 110 and the merchant 170 based on the electronic receipt issuance request data 624 received from the customer-side information device 120, and transmits the result of generating this electronic receipt as electronic receipt issuance data (electronic receipt display data) 626 to the information device 120.

[0076] Next, in step S526, the customer-side information device 120 displays the contents of the electronic receipt on the screen using a document viewer application (including a PDF reader) based on the electronic receipt issuance data 626 received from the electronic receipt processing server 190. The customer 110 stores the image file (including a PDF file) received by the information device 120 as the electronic receipt issuance data 626 in a folder of their choice on the internal storage of the information device 120, thereby managing each electronic receipt file issued similarly from the past to the future.

[0077] For example, the content display of the electronic receipt is configured as shown in Figure 7(b). In particular, in this content display, the "approval number," which is the actual settlement transaction number, is displayed as the settlement transaction number 710, and a symbol code representing the "approval number," such as a one-dimensional code (including a barcode) or a two-dimensional code (including a QR code®), is displayed as the settlement transaction code 720. Note that the settlement transaction code 720 is not included in the parameters of the electronic receipt access code 700, but is added by a symbol code generation application installed on the electronic receipt processing server 190.

[0078] (During the return process) As shown in Figures 5B and 6B during the return process, in step S550, when customer 110 requests a return from a staff member of merchant 170, the staff member of merchant 170 accesses the "Start Return" button displayed on the store-side touchscreen 300 of the merchant-side payment terminal 180 as a return start operation 650, prompting customer 110 to cancel the payment. In response, customer 110 displays the electronic receipt received as payment information subject to return processing on the screen of the customer-side information device 120 as a payment cancellation information display 654.

[0079] Next, in step S552, the customer 110, while the electronic receipt is still displayed on the screen of the customer-side information device 120, presents the payment transaction code 720 in the electronic receipt to the code reading camera 304 of the merchant-side payment terminal 180, and the payment terminal 180 reads the payment transaction number contained within the symbol of the payment transaction code 720. Subsequently, in step S554, the payment terminal 180 accepts a payment cancellation request based on the payment transaction number read from the information device 120 and transmits the payment cancellation request data 656 to the payment processing system server 140.

[0080] Next, in step S558, the payment processing system server 140 requests the payment processing institution corresponding to the payment details to cancel the payment based on the payment cancellation request data 656 received from the merchant-side payment terminal 180. Subsequently, in step S560, the payment processing system server 140 transmits the payment cancellation result data 662 received from the payment processing institution to the merchant management company-side system server 160 and the payment terminal 180, respectively.

[0081] Next, in step S566, the merchant management company system server 160 stores the payment cancellation result data 662 received from the payment processing system server 140 as sales handling update data in the usage history information storage unit 244. Subsequently, in step S568, the merchant payment terminal 180 displays the payment cancellation result on the store-side touchscreen 300 and the customer-side touchscreen 302, respectively, based on the payment cancellation result data 664 received from the payment processing system server 140, and the customer 110 and the staff of the merchant 170 recognize both the payment cancellation result display 666.

[0082] Furthermore, customer 110 needs to manage each electronic receipt file issued in the same manner from the past to the future by performing update operations such as adding a payment cancellation identification mark or deleting the file itself to the electronic receipt files that are subject to payment cancellation among the group of electronic receipt files stored in any folder on the internal storage of the information device 120.

[0083] [Effects of the Embodiment] Thus, according to the embodiments of the present invention, in a system configuration using an all-in-one payment terminal compatible with various cashless payment methods, by enabling the use of a payment terminal that can take various forms suited to the business type of the store, it is possible to issue an electronic receipt of payment information through the payment terminal, thereby improving convenience for both the store and the customer. Furthermore, by reading the payment transaction number displayed on the electronic receipt with the payment terminal, the return process for canceling the transaction contract can be automated, further improving convenience for both the store and the customer.

[0084] While the principles of the present invention have been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various embodiments can be realized with modifications in configuration and details without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. That is, the present invention can take various forms, such as systems, apparatus, methods, programs, or storage media. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0085] 100 communication lines 110 Customers (Payment Brand Members) 120 Customer side information equipment 130 POS system server 140 Payment Processing System Server 150 Electronic receipt issuance system 160 Merchant Management Company System Server 170 participating merchants (merchants accepting various payment brands) 180 Merchant-side payment terminals 182 Standard Payment Terminal 184 Portable payment terminals 186 POS-connected payment terminal 190 Electronic receipt processing server 200 System Bus 210 Control Unit 212 Main memory 214 Input section 216 Output section 218 Communication Interface Section 220 Auxiliary storage section 230 Affiliated store information management department 232 Customer Information Management Department 234 Payment Information Management Department 240 Member store information storage section 242 Customer information storage unit 244 Usage history information storage unit 300 store-side touchscreens 302 Customer-side touchscreen 304 Code Reading Camera 306 Bidirectional Magnetic Card Reader Slot 308 Contactless IC card reader slot 310 Printer output port with automatic cutter 320 Touchscreen 322 Code Reading Camera 324 Barcode reading camera 326 Light 328 Bidirectional Magnetic Card Reader Slots 330 Contactless IC card reader slots 340 Touchscreen 342 Code reading camera 344 Bidirectional Magnetic Card Reader Slots 346 Contactless IC card reader slot 400 System Bus 410 Control Unit 412 Main memory 414 Input section 416 Display section 418 Printing Department 420 Output section 422 Communication Interface Section 430 Auxiliary storage 440 Payment Processing Control Unit 442 Electronic receipt issuance control unit 450 Payment Information Storage Unit 700 Electronic receipt access codes 710 Payment Transaction Number 720 Payment Transaction Code

Claims

1. An electronic receipt issuing system for issuing electronic receipts as settlement results for settlement information relating to transaction contracts between a merchant and a member, via a merchant management company that enters into a handling agreement with a payment brand and a merchant that enters into a merchant agreement with the merchant management company, to a member that enters into a membership agreement with the payment brand, A payment terminal installed at the aforementioned merchant, connected via a network to the payment institution of the aforementioned payment brand, and which receives the payment result from the payment institution based on the member identification information entered by the member. Equipped with, The aforementioned payment terminal is A screen for receiving member identification information from the member and displaying the payment result to the member, A display control means for generating an access code for transmitting the payment information as source data for generating the electronic receipt to an information device held by the member, and for controlling the display of the access code on the input display screen. An electronic receipt issuing system characterized by including the following.

2. The electronic receipt issuing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the information device reads the access code, provides the payment information contained in the access code to the electronic receipt processing server based on the decryption result of the access code, and then receives the display data of the electronic receipt generated by the electronic receipt processing server based on the payment information contained in the access code.

3. The electronic receipt issuing system according to claim 2, characterized in that the information device displays the content of the electronic receipt on the screen using a document viewer application based on the display data of the electronic receipt received from the electronic receipt processing server, and stores and manages the display data in any folder on the internal storage based on the member's selection.

4. The electronic receipt issuing system according to claim 2, characterized in that the access code is a first symbol code that represents the internet address relating to the electronic receipt processing server and the payment information relating to the transaction contract in URL format.

5. The electronic receipt issuing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the settlement information includes a substantial settlement transaction number relating to the transaction contract, and the electronic receipt displays the settlement transaction number and a second symbol code representing the settlement transaction number.

6. The electronic receipt issuing system according to claim 5, characterized in that the payment terminal reads the second symbol code contained in the electronic receipt displayed on the screen of the information device using the input display screen, requests the payment institution of the payment brand to process a return to cancel the transaction contract, and displays the result of the return process received from the payment institution on the input display screen.

7. The payment terminal is capable of taking various forms to suit the business type of the affiliated store, and these various forms include a standard type having a dual screen consisting of separate display input screens for customers and stores, a portable type that can also be used as a barcode reader in pursuit of mobility, or a POS-connected type that can be incorporated into a cash register in the affiliated store and has only a customer-facing screen, according to claim 1.

8. A system server installed at the aforementioned merchant management company, connected to the aforementioned payment institution via the aforementioned network, and supporting processing related to the management operations of the aforementioned merchants. The electronic receipt issuing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

9. An electronic receipt issuance method in an electronic receipt issuance system for issuing an electronic receipt to a member who has a membership agreement with the payment brand, via a merchant management company that has a handling agreement with the payment brand and a merchant that has a merchant agreement with the merchant management company, for issuing an electronic receipt as a settlement result for settlement information relating to a transaction agreement between the merchant and the member. The steps include providing the payment information to the payment institution of the payment brand from a payment terminal installed at the merchant via the network, wherein the input display screen of the payment terminal receives member identification information from the member, The steps include: receiving the payment result from the payment institution at the payment terminal via the network, wherein the input display screen of the payment terminal presents the payment result to the member based on the member identification information; A step of generating an access code for transmitting the payment information as source data for generating the electronic receipt to an information device held by the member, wherein the display control means of the payment terminal controls the display of the access code on the input display screen of the payment terminal. An electronic receipt issuing method characterized by comprising the following features.

10. When the information device reads the access code, the information device provides the payment information contained in the access code to the electronic receipt processing server based on the decryption result of the access code. The steps include: receiving the display data of the electronic receipt generated by the electronic receipt processing server based on the payment information in the access code in the information device; The electronic receipt issuing method according to claim 9, further comprising the above.

11. A step in which a system server installed at the merchant management company receives the settlement result from the settlement institution via the aforementioned network, wherein the system server supports processing related to the merchant management operations. The electronic receipt issuing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

12. When the payment terminal reads a symbol code representing the actual settlement transaction number relating to the transaction contract, which is included in the electronic receipt displayed on the screen of the information device, using the input display screen, the payment terminal requests the settlement institution of the payment brand to process a return to cancel the transaction contract, based on the decoding result of the symbol code. The steps include displaying the result of the return processing received from the payment institution to the payment terminal on the input display screen. The method for issuing an electronic receipt according to claim 9, further comprising the above.

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