Encoding of identification information

Abstract

The present invention provides a store device equipped with a communication circuit that receives user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items. [Solution] The store device includes a control circuit that calculates the total purchase price, including the tax amount paid at the time of purchase, for one or more items paid by the user when purchasing one or more items. The control circuit generates a tax refund transaction record that encodes user identification information and information that identifies the tax amount as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition. The tax amount is determined based on the associated tax refund category, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a merchant device, a validation device, a server device, a system, and a method.

[0002] In some territories, users who are usually foreign visitors to the territory are provided with the opportunity to purchase items duty-free, provided that they take the items out of the territory. In some territories, a VAT OFF refund system is provided where the eligibility of the user is determined at the time of purchase and the user can pay for the goods without paying VAT. In some territories, a VAT ON system is used where the user pays VAT in advance and a refund is paid after the user submits proof of removal.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present technology, a communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items; a control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by a user when purchasing the one or more items, the total purchase price including the tax amount paid at the time of purchase, and the control circuit generating a tax refund transaction record encoding the user identification information and information identifying the tax amount as an amount to be refunded after the time of purchase when the user satisfies at least one tax refund condition; a control circuit; comprising where the tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category, a merchant device is provided.

[0004] According to a second aspect of the present technology, a communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and inspection information for identifying one or more items; A control circuit configured to trigger the retrieval of information indicating at least one tax refund transaction record associated with a user, wherein each tax refund record of the at least one tax refund transaction record encodes information identifying the tax amount as the amount paid by the user at the time of purchase of one or more items, the tax amount is refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, the tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category; A determination circuit that generates a determination of whether or not at least one tax refund condition is met, Equipped with, The control circuit, in response to a determination that at least one tax refund condition is met, authorizes the refund to be paid to the user. An inspection device will be provided.

[0005] According to a third aspect of this technology, A communication circuit configured to receive a tax refund transaction record from a store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, A control circuit configured to receive a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to the meeting of at least one tax refund condition, to trigger a tax refund to the user, Equipped with, The tax amount is determined based on the tax refund category associated with at least one of one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category. Server equipment will be provided.

[0006] According to a fourth aspect of this technology, A server device according to a third aspect, A shop apparatus according to the first embodiment, A second embodiment comprising at least one inspection device, A system is provided that includes the following features.

[0007] According to a fifth aspect of this technology, a method for operating a store device, A step of receiving user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items, A step of calculating the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user when purchasing one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, A step of generating a tax refund transaction record that encodes user identification information and information that identifies the tax amount as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Includes, The tax amount is determined based on the tax refund category associated with at least one of one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category. A method is provided.

[0008] According to a sixth aspect of this technology, a method for operating an inspection device, A step of receiving user identification information for identifying a user and inspection information for identifying one or more items, A trigger step of retrieving information indicating at least one tax refund transaction record associated with a user, wherein each tax refund record of the at least one tax refund transaction record encodes information identifying the tax amount as the amount paid by the user at the time of purchase of one or more items, the tax amount is refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, the tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes a tax refund category; A step to generate a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, A step of authorizing a refund to be paid to the user in response to a determination that at least one tax refund condition is met, A method is provided that includes this.

[0009] According to a seventh aspect of this technology, a method for operating a server device, The steps include receiving a tax refund transaction record from the store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, A step of receiving a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to the determination that at least one tax refund condition is met, triggering a tax refund to be made to the user, Includes, The tax amount is determined based on the tax refund category associated with at least one of one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category. A method is provided.

[0010] According to the eighth aspect of this technology, A communication circuit configured to receive purchase identification information that identifies one or more items, and a notification that the user wishes to receive a tax refund after purchasing one or more items, A control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by a user when purchasing one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, and the control circuit, in response to a notification, generates a tax refund transaction record encoding information that identifies the amount of tax as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Equipped with, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. Shop equipment will be provided.

[0011] According to a ninth aspect of the present technology, a communication circuit configured to receive, from a store device, a tax refund transaction record encoding information for identifying a user and identifying the tax amount as an amount to be refunded after the purchase of one or more items; a control circuit configured to receive a determination as to whether at least one tax refund condition is satisfied and, in response to at least one tax refund condition being satisfied, trigger the tax amount to be refunded to the user; and comprising where the tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of a store identifier identifying the store where one or more items were purchased and / or a chain identifier identifying the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. a server device is provided.

[0012] According to a tenth aspect of the present technology, a method of operating a store device, comprising: receiving purchase identification information identifying one or more items and a notification that the user desires to receive a tax refund after the purchase of the one or more items; calculating a total purchase price of the one or more items paid by the user at the time of purchase of the one or more items, the total purchase price including the tax amount paid at the time of purchase; generating, in response to the notification, a tax refund transaction record encoding information identifying the tax amount as an amount to be refunded after the purchase when the user satisfies at least one tax refund condition; and including where the tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of a store identifier identifying the store where one or more items were purchased and / or a chain identifier identifying the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. a method is provided.

[0013] According to an eleventh aspect of the present technology, a method for operating a server device, comprising: identifying a user, and receiving, from a store device, a tax refund transaction record encoding information identifying the amount of tax as an amount to be refunded after the purchase of one or more items; determining whether at least one tax refund condition is satisfied, and triggering, in response to at least one tax refund condition being satisfied, a refund of the tax amount to the user; including the tax refund transaction record encoding at least one of a store identifier identifying the store where one or more items were purchased and / or a chain identifier identifying the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. A method is provided.

[0014] A computer-readable storage medium according to a twelfth aspect, comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to execute the method according to any of the fifth to seventh aspects or the tenth to eleventh aspects.

[0015] In some configurations, the computer-readable storage medium is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0016] The present technology will be further described by way of example only, with reference to its configuration shown in the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] A diagram schematically showing a series of steps according to some configurations of the present technology. [Figure 2] A diagram schematically showing a series of steps according to some configurations of the present technology. [Figure 3] A diagram schematically showing a system according to some configurations of the present technology.​​​​ [Figure 5] This diagram schematically illustrates a series of steps based on several configurations of this technology. [Figure 6] This diagram schematically illustrates a series of steps based on several configurations of this technology. [Figure 7] This diagram schematically shows inspection devices with several configurations of this technology. [Figure 8] This diagram schematically illustrates a series of steps based on several configurations of this technology. [Figure 9] This diagram schematically shows server devices with several configurations of this technology. [Figure 10] This diagram schematically illustrates a series of steps based on several configurations of this technology. [Figure 11] This diagram schematically shows store equipment and server equipment in several configurations of this technology. [Figure 12] This diagram schematically shows inspection and server equipment based on several configurations of this technology. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] According to some configurations of this technology, a shop device is provided comprising a communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items. The shop device further comprises a control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user when one or more items are purchased, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase. The control circuit is configured to generate a tax refund transaction record encoding the user identification information and information identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition. The tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category.

[0019] In some territories (for example, a country or a group of countries that share a common border for the purpose of tax refunds), users, who are usually foreign visitors to the territory, are offered the opportunity to purchase items (also called products) without VAT (Value Added Tax), on the condition that they take the items out of the territory. In some jurisdictions, a VAT-off refund scheme is used where the user's eligibility is determined at the time of purchase, and the user can pay for the goods without paying VAT. In some jurisdictions, a VAT-on refund scheme is used where the user prepays the VAT, i.e., pays the amount of tax incurred by the purchase, and is provided with additional information such as additional documents, tax-free forms, and / or digital records showing further details of the transaction, the tax paid, and / or the identity of the user involved in the tax-free transaction. When the user leaves the territory at an airport, ferry port, train station, etc., the user presents the purchased items along with the additional information to customs officials for authorization of a refund of the VAT already paid. In other words, a VAT-off system can be seen as a system where VAT is refunded immediately (for example, never actually leaves the user's account), while a VAT-on system can be seen as a system where VAT refunds are deferred until one or more further conditions are met. A VAT-off system is preferable from the user's perspective because it allows the user to completely avoid paying VAT, while a VAT-on system may be preferable from the tax authority's perspective because it is less susceptible to fraud. The term VAT is used herein to refer to any tax applicable to the sale of goods, which may be referred to as sales tax or consumption tax elsewhere.

[0020] Managing the VAT ON system presents several challenges. While it is theoretically possible to maintain physical copies of documents required to claim a VAT refund after a tax-free transaction (e.g., printed receipts and / or tax-free forms), this approach can be burdensome for users. In some configurations of this technology, the device receives information that identifies a user who may be a foreign traveler or visitor to the territory (e.g., a user residing outside the boundaries used for the purpose of enforcing taxes on that territory). The device also receives information that identifies one or more items, such as the items purchased by the user for which the user intends to claim a VAT refund. The device encodes this information into a tax-free transaction. The encoding may take the form of encoding this information into one or more digital forms, within which the user identification information and the item identification information are encoded as plain text or images.

[0021] Generally, tax refund laws vary by territory and may depend on several additional factors. For example, the VAT paid on some items may differ from that on others, and VAT refunds may be conditional on the amount of VAT refunded falling within one or more thresholds, which may also vary by item type. In such configurations, the amount of VAT paid depends not only on the total amount spent but also on the category of one or more items. This information may be used not only to determine the amount of VAT refunded but also to verify that the goods being taken out are the same as the goods and / or of the same type as those purchased. Therefore, this device helps reduce the possibility of fraud by encoding tax refund category information into the tax refund transaction record, enabling customs officers and / or tax refund authorities to identify the type of goods purchased by the user.

[0022] Refund category information may be encoded in various ways. In some configurations, a refund category includes one or more of the following: a tax classification code, a product identification code, a text description of the product, a text description of the tax classification code, the tax rate associated with the product, and / or a tax threshold associated with the product. Refund categories may also be defined by territory; for example, a refund category may be one of several refund category candidates available in that territory, as defined by the central tax authority. Alternatively, refund categories may be defined per store, accompanied by a store identifier associated with that store.

[0023] In some configurations, at least one tax refund condition includes a refund category condition that depends on at least one tax refund category. In other words, a user's eligibility for a refund after the time of purchase may be based on the refund category associated with the product(s) purchased by the user. For example, in some territories, a user may have one or more upper or lower limits (thresholds) on certain types of products that can be purchased tax-free. Therefore, if a user has too many or too few items belonging to a particular tax refund category, the user may not be able to claim a refund (or a full refund).

[0024] In some configurations, the tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. In some territories, at least one tax refund condition may include store / chain / mall-specific tax refund conditions that require the user to meet one or more limits (thresholds) in order to be eligible for a tax refund transaction. By encoding the identifiers in the tax refund transaction record, it becomes possible to determine whether one or more limits have been met if the user has made multiple different visits to the same store, different stores within the same chain, or different stores within the same mall.

[0025] In some configurations, a store belongs to a group of one or more stores that are grouped together. The store and / or chain identifier may include a group identifier that identifies the group of stores to which the store belongs. For example, the same group identifier may be provided to different stores within a chain. Or, in addition to that, the same group identifier may be provided to different shops within a shopping mall. The group identifier may be encoded in the tax refund transaction record together with the store identifier (which may be specific to the store or specific to the store's brand).

[0026] In some configurations, at least one tax refund condition includes a total tax payment condition that depends on the total amount of tax paid by the user within a predefined period. The predefined period may be defined differently for each territory, may be the duration of the user's trip to that territory, or may be a fixed period such as days, weeks, or months.

[0027] In some configurations, the total tax payment condition requires that the total amount of tax paid by the user exceeds a predetermined threshold. This predetermined threshold may be determined on an item-by-item basis or it may be a global threshold that must be exceeded regardless of the tax refund category of the purchased item.

[0028] In some configurations, a predetermined threshold depends on at least one tax refund category. For example, one tax refund category may have a first predetermined threshold, and another tax refund category may have a second predetermined threshold. The first and second predetermined thresholds may be chosen to be different from each other.

[0029] In some configurations, the total tax payable condition requires that the total tax paid by the user falls within a predefined range. The user may only be eligible for a tax refund for goods within a specific price range. The predefined range may be defined per product, per store, per store chain, per shopping mall, and / or per tax category. The predefined range may be defined by upper and lower thresholds. The upper and lower thresholds may differ by product, store, chain, shopping mall, and / or tax category. Alternatively, the predefined range and / or one of the upper and lower thresholds may be common to multiple different stores, products, chains, shopping malls, and / or tax categories.

[0030] In some configurations, the device includes a communication circuit configured to transmit tax refund transaction records to a server device. The tax refund transaction records may be transmitted to and stored in the server device, which can then determine whether the tax refund conditions are met. The tax refund transaction records may be combined with other tax refund transaction records provided to the server, which encode information identifying the same user. The determination of whether the tax refund conditions are met may be based on the combined tax refund records identifying the same user.

[0031] In some configurations, the tax refund transaction record includes information indicating the total purchase price, the pre-tax price equal to the total purchase price minus the tax amount, the total tax amount, the per-item tax amount for at least one of the one or more items, and / or at least one of the tax amounts for each tax refund category. In some configurations, this information is sufficient to identify the tax paid for each item and the category of that item. As mentioned above, this may include an indication of the category and the tax paid, and / or information of the specific item from which the category can be derived, and information of the cost of the item from which the tax paid can be derived.

[0032] In some configurations, user identification information includes at least one of the following: the user's passport information, a token identifier associated with the user, a device-independent identifier for the user, a device identifier associated with the user's device, a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code associated with the user, and / or the user's biometric data. The user identification information is sufficient to identify the user in the database in order to associate a tax refund transaction record with other tax refund transaction records of the same user. In some configurations, the user may be provided with identifiers such as, for example, a token identifier, a device-independent identifier, a device identifier (e.g., an identifier unique to the user's device), and / or a one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode, which may be provided in hard copy or in a digital format on the user's device. Alternatively, or in addition, the user may use biometric information to identify themselves, for example, using one or more facial recognition algorithms provided on the user's mobile device or store equipment.

[0033] In some configurations, the control circuit, in response to receiving user identification information, requests data from the server device for one or more items associated with the user. In other words, the shop device may perform one or more initial steps to identify the user and / or determine whether at least one tax refund condition is met. For example, the shop device may request information to allow the shop to verify the user's identity. Information to verify the user's identity may include a scanned image of the user's photo ID, which allows the shop to verify that the user is the person associated with the user identification information. In some configurations, the shop device may display the requested information to the shop, and once the shop has verified the user's identity, a confirmation notification may be sent to the server device.

[0034] In some configurations, the control circuit is configured to trigger the display of data for at least one of one or more items on a display device associated with the device. The display device may be provided on the store device or as a separate display device that can be connected to the store device.

[0035] In some configurations, the data for one or more items includes current tax payment information associated with the user, and the control circuit is configured to determine whether at least one tax refund condition is met.

[0036] In some configurations, the control circuit, in response to a determination that at least one tax refund condition is not met, determines one or more actions that the user must take to satisfy at least one tax refund condition. In some configurations, the shop device may be linked to an item database and may suggest items that the user can purchase to satisfy the tax refund condition.

[0037] In some configurations, the control circuit is configured to trigger a display device associated with the device to show at least one of the following: an indicator of whether at least one tax refund condition has been met, and / or an indicator of one or more actions. Thus, a store may allow a user to check whether at least one tax refund condition has been met after purchasing one or more items, or to provide an indicator of how much more the user needs to spend to meet at least one tax refund condition.

[0038] In some configurations, the store device includes a display circuit configured to display information about one or more items associated with a tax refund transaction. In some configurations, the display circuit is configured to control the display of one or more buttons for receiving input information related to a tax refund transaction. In some configurations, the display is a touchscreen display.

[0039] In some configurations, the communication circuit is configured to communicate with the user's mobile device to receive user identification information. The communication circuit may also include a short-range wireless communication circuit that enables the store device to exchange information, such as user identification information, with the mobile device.

[0040] In some configurations, the communication circuit is configured to transmit a copy of the tax-free transaction record to a mobile device. The tax-free transaction record may be transmitted directly from the mobile device, for example, via a short-range wireless communication circuit. Alternatively, the tax-free transaction record may be transmitted indirectly, for example, via a Wi-Fi network and / or the internet.

[0041] In some configurations, the store equipment includes a printing circuit configured to print a physical copy of the tax-free transaction record. Thus, the store equipment may be able to provide the user with a physical copy (e.g., a paper copy) of the tax-free transaction record upon request.

[0042] In some configurations, the user is a traveler visiting from a foreign territory. The territory may be a single country or a group of countries that share a common border for tax purposes. A foreign territory is territory outside a common border. The user may be registered as a national of the foreign territory; for example, the user may have a passport or ID card registered in the foreign territory. The user's passport or ID card may be required as proof that the user is a visitor to the territory.

[0043] In some configurations, a testing device is provided that includes a communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and testing information for identifying one or more items. The testing device includes a control circuit configured to trigger the retrieval of information indicating at least one tax refund transaction record associated with a user, wherein each tax refund record of the at least one tax refund transaction record encodes information identifying a tax amount as an amount paid by the user at the time of purchase of one or more items, and the tax amount is refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition. The tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes a tax refund category. The testing device further includes a determination circuit that generates a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met. In response to a determination indicating that at least one tax refund condition is met, the control circuit authorizes a refund to be paid to the user.

[0044] The verification device is provided to allow the user to verify (e.g., confirm) a tax refund. In some configurations, at least one tax refund condition may be met as a result of the user entering user identification information and verification information into the verification device. User identification information may be provided in any of the above forms. Multiple forms of user identification information may be associated with the same user, and the user may provide the same user identification information (i.e., the same form of identification information, e.g., passport number or token identifier), but this is not required, and the user may provide different forms of identification information at the verification station (assuming that the different forms of identification information are associated with the user and are recorded, for example, in an account associated with the user stored in a server device). The verification device determines whether at least one refund condition is met. This may be achieved through communication with a server device to retrieve the tax refund transaction record associated with the user. If at least one tax refund condition is met, the refund to the user is authorized. The tax refund amount may be the total amount of tax paid by the user in multiple transactions (e.g., at multiple stores or in multiple visits to the same store). Alternatively, the tax refund amount may be only a portion of the total tax amount, for example, if there is a limit to the amount of tax that can be refunded in a territory, the tax refund amount may be the lesser of the total tax amount paid by the user and the limit. The tax refund amount and / or at least one tax refund condition may differ depending on the tax refund category associated with the item. Therefore, providing a tax refund category in the tax refund transaction record increases the certainty that the product or item being taken out was purchased by the user. Authorizing a refund to a user may include triggering the refund, for example, refunding the tax amount to the user, for example, paying the user cash, and / or sending a certain amount of fiat currency, digital currency, or cryptocurrency.Alternatively, authorizing a refund may include authorizing the withdrawal of cash from an ATM or similar device (for example, by providing the user with a single usage code, which may be used alone or in addition to user identification information to authorize the user to withdraw cash), or authorizing a server device to transfer currency to the user's account. The inspection device may be owned / operated by the tax refund provider, but in some configurations, the inspection device may be owned / operated by customs. In some configurations, authorizing a refund to a user may include issuing a withdrawal confirmation to a server device operated by the tax refund provider, which can then issue the refund, subject to, for example, one or more further checks.

[0045] In some configurations, refunds are paid in at least one of the following forms: cash refunds paid in cash, cash refunds paid to the user's payment card, cryptocurrency, digital currency, currency-agnostic value (e.g., loyalty points), and / or deposits into the user account associated with the user. In some configurations, the user may specify one or more preferred refund forms to be used. In some configurations, refunds are paid to the payment card used by the user in transactions associated with the user. Refunds may be made in fiat currency or cryptocurrency. The term “fiat currency” is understood to mean a currency that has been declared legal tender by a government or legal body. Examples of fiat currencies include the US dollar (USD), British pound (GBP), Japanese yen (JPY), and euro (EUR). The term “cryptocurrency” is understood to mean a digital asset or currency that uses cryptographic technology to regulate the generation of currency units, verify the movement of funds, and operate independently of a central bank. Examples of cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Litecoin (LTC), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). Transactions or payments may be made in cryptocurrency as an alternative to fiat currency. A given cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin (BTC), has an exchange rate with fiat currency, for example, BTC 1 = USD 8695. The refund method may be selectable by the user at the inspection station or prior to travel (for example, in the user's online account associated with the user and the tax refund transaction record associated with that user). The refund may be made in full in one form or divided into multiple forms. For example, 50% of the refund may be paid in digital currency and 50% in fiat currency, for example, paid to the user's payment card. Alternative refund options will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the refund may be paid as a charitable donation.

[0046] In some configurations, this determination includes an automated determination that one or more items meet the tax refund requirements. The automated determination may be based on one or more pre-configured rules. The result of the automated determination may be approval (e.g., "Green Channel" service) or denial (e.g., "Red Channel" service). If the transaction is not automatically approved, for example, if the transaction is denied by the automated service, the user may be directed to a customs officer for approval of the purchase.

[0047] In some configurations, the determination circuit performs an automatic determination in response to the tax amount being below a check threshold. Automatic determination may only be possible if the tax amount is below the check threshold, and the check threshold may be based on the tax refund category of the purchased items. If the tax amount is above the check threshold, the refund is not automatically approved, and the user may be directed to a customs officer for purchase approval. Automatic determination does not have to be based solely on the transaction price. Instead, automatic determination may be based on one or more of the user history, the tax refund category of the purchased items, the quantity of different items purchased, and / or the user's travel period.

[0048] In some configurations, the determination circuit, in response to the tax amount exceeding the inspection threshold, indicates to the user that further approval is required. The user may then be directed to a customs officer.

[0049] In some configurations, the inspection devices are located at exit points within the territory. For example, the devices may be located at airports, ferry ports, railway stations, or the territory's land borders. Multiple inspection devices may be provided at each exit point. Furthermore, the inspection devices may be located in dedicated refund offices within the territory so that users can have their purchases checked prior to their travel. In some configurations, the inspection devices are implemented as self-service kiosks.

[0050] In some configurations, a server device is provided that includes a communication circuit configured to receive a tax refund transaction record from a store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items. The server device further includes a control circuit configured to receive a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met and, in response to the meeting of at least one tax refund condition, to trigger a tax refund to the user. The tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category.

[0051] The server device receives tax refund transaction records from one or more store devices. As described above, the tax refund transaction records identify a user (i.e., a specific user who purchased the item identified in the tax refund transaction record). The server device may be provided with a storage circuit for storing a database containing tax refund transaction records associated with multiple different users. Upon receiving a tax refund transaction record, the control circuit may perform a search in the database to retrieve information that identifies an existing tax refund transaction record associated with the user. For example, the search may be performed based on all or part of the user identification information contained in the received tax refund transaction record. The control circuit may then store the received tax refund transaction record in the database. The control circuit is configured to receive a determination of whether one or more tax refund conditions are met, based on all of the tax refund transaction records stored for that user and the received tax refund transaction record. The determination may be based at least in part on one or more conditions checked by the server and conditions checked by a checker associated with the server. The result of the determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met may also be stored in the database, associated with the user. If one or more tax refund conditions consist of multiple tax refund conditions, the database may store an indication of which tax refund conditions are met and which are not. For example, the server may determine that one or more threshold conditions are met based on transaction records stored in association with a user. However, the server device may require the receipt of inspection confirmation information from the inspection device in order for all tax refund conditions to be met. The server device is connected to the store device and the inspection device (for example, via a network). The determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met may be based on information received from the store device and information received from the inspection device. For example, the determination may require confirmation from the inspection device that the user has completed the inspection process at the exit point of the territory.

[0052] In some configurations, a shop device is provided, comprising a communication circuit configured to receive purchase identification information identifying one or more items and a notification that the user wishes to receive a tax refund after the purchase of one or more items. The shop device further comprises a control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user at the time of purchase, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase. In response to the notification, the control circuit generates a tax refund transaction record encoding information identifying the amount of tax to be refunded as an amount to be refunded after the time of purchase, provided that the user meets at least one tax refund condition. The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of a store identifier identifying the store from which the one or more items were purchased and / or a chain identifier identifying the chain of stores from which the one or more items were purchased.

[0053] In some configurations, a server device is provided that includes a communication circuit configured to receive a tax refund transaction record from a store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items. The server device further includes a control circuit configured to receive a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met and, in response to the meeting of at least one tax refund condition, to trigger a tax refund to the user. The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of a store identifier that identifies the store from which one or more items were purchased and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores from which one or more items were purchased.

[0054] In some configurations, a system is provided comprising a server device, at least one store device, and at least one inspection device. The at least one store device may be located in one store or in multiple stores. The at least one inspection device may be located at a single exit point in the territory or at multiple exit points in the territory.

[0055] Next, a specific configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached diagram.

[0056] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an approach to receiving a tax refund related to a purchase. The approach shown in Figure 1 involves User 1 (e.g., a traveler) receiving a conventional store receipt from Store 3 when purchasing one or more items, including payment of taxes related to the purchase. The store receipt is then presented to Customs 5 along with the goods. Customs 5 then determines eligibility and inspects the store receipt. The tax authority 7 then accepts the inspected receipt, processes the tax refund, and makes the payment to User 1. The payment to User 1 may be made in any appropriate form, for example, by depositing the tax refund amount onto a payment card, by giving User 1 cash, or by transferring the money to User 1's account. For example, User 1 may prefer that the payment be made directly to their bank account. User 1 provides their bank account to the tax authority 7 so that the payment can be processed and completed.

[0057] Overall, the process of claiming a tax refund consists of the following four steps: 1. Purchase of goods by User 1, including payment of taxes related to the purchase. 2. Presenting relevant information to Customs 5. 3. Determining User 1's eligibility for a refund 4. Refund of taxes paid by User 1

[0058] The systems described above require the collection and storage of large amounts of information (such as documents or data). This necessitates users keeping records of information themselves (for example, by keeping receipts) or carrying identification information (for example, a passport or some other token linked to the account) at the time of purchase to associate receipt information with the account. In either case, users must retain at least some physical information, which places an administrative burden on them.

[0059] Furthermore, since any receipt can be presented for a refund, there is an incentive for collusion between the store and the user. Also, once outside the shop, there is the possibility of "receipt purchase," where domestic customers sell their receipts to the user (either by directly selling the physical receipt or by offering to make a purchase using the user's token so that the purchase is recorded in the user's account). User 1 may only be asked to present the goods for inspection, and claims may be made for all receipts that User 1 can collect. Therefore, the risk of fraud regarding refunds for receipts for which no goods have been taken out or were not intended to be taken out is lax.

[0060] The tax refund system described in relation to Figure 1 is a VAT ON system, where users pay VAT upfront and then receive a refund for their purchases. While a VAT OFF system, where users receive an immediate refund, is theoretically possible, some territories avoid such systems because they could create further opportunities for fraud.

[0061] Figure 2 shows exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems for managing the refund process in the VAT ON process. In the exemplary process, shopping and receipt collection (issuing 30) are separated from further processing (acquiring 32, authorization 34, and payment 36).

[0062] Similar to credit and debit cards, there can be multiple providers of issuance services and multiple acquirers for transactions and processing. For example, there can be multiple Tax Refund Offices (TROs). Transaction issuance can follow standard message types for transmission to authorization and payment systems. Various point-of-sale (POS) devices and in-store support for travelers' shopping can be provided.

[0063] In an exemplary configuration, the store system provides transaction issuance 30 using POS devices and / or software provided by the TRO, the TRO host system performs acquiring 32, the customs approval system performs authorization 34 (inspection), and the TRO host system performs refund payment 36 using a kiosk (inspection station) at the exit point from the territory. In some exemplary configurations, eligibility and identity determination are moved from the point of sale to the exit point from the territory. The exemplary configurations can provide ease of use of the approach described with reference to Figure 1, which is recognized by the system users, and can also enhance consistency.

[0064] Under the VAT-off approach, shop staff and cashiers are expected to be able to verify a traveler's eligibility for a tax refund by examining their passport. In reality, many travelers are reluctant to carry their passports while shopping, so shops actually allow travelers to fill in the necessary details on the refund receipt after they have left the shop.

[0065] In contrast, in an exemplary configuration where a VAT ON scheme is used, the user (such as a traveler) provides user identification information (such as a token) at the time of purchase to associate the purchase with that user. However, since VAT is not refunded at the point of sale, the eligibility determination can be postponed until, for example, the user has passed through an exit point from the territory. By moving the eligibility determination away from the point of sale, reliance on poorly trained individuals can be reduced, and eligibility can then be performed by appropriately equipped machines and resources.

[0066] Possible user identification information (also called tokens or token identifiers) includes passport numbers, passports, ID card numbers, ID cards, driver's license numbers, driver's licenses, payment card numbers, payment cards, card refund operator card numbers, card refund operator cards, visitor card numbers, visitor cards, user-defined identifiers, and mobile phone numbers. In some examples, tokens may include cryptocurrency wallet addresses. As noted, a token can be a visitor card or other visitor token that can be issued to a user, for example, upon entering a territory, with or without identity verification at this stage. A visitor token can be, for example, a chip card or magnetic stripe card with a unique number.

[0067] By presenting a token at the time of purchase, a record of the purchase can be associated with the token. A computer record can be created from the association between the token and the transaction identifier (e.g., sales receipt) of one or more purchase transactions. The token can then be used to verify the refund of the purchase by retrieving the transaction(s) record when leaving the territory.

[0068] The following describes, with reference to Figure 2, the system and method of an exemplary embodiment of a territorial tax refund system, in which multiple TROs partner with shops to provide tax refunds to travelers through users of self-service kiosks 22 (an example of an inspection device) located at exit points from the territory.

[0069] In the first stage 102, a token is assigned to the user. This can be done via the user's mobile device before or at the time of entering the territory, at the point of sale, or at any point before making the first tax-refundable purchase. For example, the user can choose which token to use. For example, the user can specify a particular token to use (e.g., one of the token types referenced above, e.g., a cryptocurrency wallet) for use, for example, via a website, at a point-of-sale terminal, or in response to a request from a store. For example, by registering on a website provided by the TRO, the user can register their details and associate their details with a token. The TRO can then provide the user with information about the refund opportunity and process. Alternatively, or in addition, a token (e.g., the visitor card mentioned above) can be issued to the user. The user's details can then be recorded at an input station located at the issuance point, such as the point of entry or point of sale, or the issued token can be linked to the user's details previously entered on the TRO's website. For example, the user's cryptocurrency wallet address can be recorded as one of the user's details so that the user's cryptocurrency wallet is linked to the issued token. A suitable input station may include, for example, a computer processor containing processing logic, computer memory, a keypad, a keyboard, a touch-sensitive screen, a card reader, a machine-readable identifier reader, a document scanner, or a voice-activated input, as well as one or more input interfaces in one or more forms, such as a display, a printer, a card writer, or a speaker, and one or more output interfaces in one or more forms. The input station may also be equipped with fingerprint reading and / or camera technology for verifying biometric information held on a machine-readable user identifier (e.g., an ID document such as a passport).

[0070] The token identifier (for example, a number unique to the token) can be provided to the acquiring host server system 20 (an example of a server device) along with the user (traveler) details and stored there, where the identifier and user details are recorded (stored). For example, if the token is a cryptocurrency wallet, the token identifier may be the address of the cryptocurrency wallet. The host server system 20 can consist of one or more server computers, each having one or more processors and memory containing processing logic, located in a single location or a distributed system. System efficiency is improved when the token identifier and user details are transferred to and recorded in the host server system in real time.

[0071] In the next stage 104, user 12 can, for example, make a purchase at a store. When presented with a regular shop receipt, user 12 may be asked whether a tax refund is needed (or the user may request a tax refund). If a refund is desired, a second simple transaction can be created by entering a receipt identifier (such as a receipt number), the price of the purchased items, and a token identifier. Thus, in this exemplary embodiment, information including the three items (receipt identifier, purchase amount, and token identifier) ​​can then be electronically transmitted by the store system 14 to the acquiring server system 20. The store system 14 may comprise one or more computers, each having one or more processors and memory containing processing logic, located in a single location or within a distributed system.

[0072] Since there may be multiple TROs in the market, there may be multiple acquiring system hosts 20. The relationship between a store and a TRO is the same as the relationship between a store and an acquirer (using the example of a credit / debit card). Each TRO partners with a store and is responsible for the point-of-sale (POS) device and the integrated software that creates the tax refund transaction. Thus, transaction messages can be sent to the TRO acquiring host system 20 105, where further processing can be performed. The transaction message format between the POS and the acquiring host can be unique and can take any appropriate form. For example, a transaction message sent between the store system 14 and the acquiring host 20 may include a token identifier (e.g., token number), a receipt identifier (e.g., receipt number), a purchase item reference number, a store identifier, a TRO identifier, a date and time stamp, and a security hash (for tamper prevention). In addition, it may include information about a tour guide, a promotional code, or any other data that the TRO wishes to collect.

[0073] Since each TRO can have its own separate acquiring host system 20, trade secret information can be kept separate, as each TRO can only see transactions generated by the merchants with which it has a partnership. All tax refund transactions generated by the merchants with which it has a partnership can be stored in the database of the acquiring host system 20. Transaction records stored in the memory of the acquiring host system may include, for example, a token identifier (e.g., token number), a receipt identifier (e.g., receipt number), a purchase item reference number, a merchant identifier, and a date and time stamp. The acquiring host system 20 can also assign a unique transaction identifier (e.g., a unique transaction number) to each transaction, making a unique number available within the system and allowing the transaction to be tracked during processing.

[0074] The message switch 24 provides a neutral location for all messages to be sent and received, and for messages to be properly formatted and sent. For example, a transaction message may include one or more of the following: a transaction identifier (e.g., transaction number), a token identifier (e.g., token number), a receipt identifier (e.g., receipt number), a purchase item reference number, a store identifier, a TRO identifier, a date and time stamp, and a security hash (for tamper prevention). Depending on the specific implementation, the message switch 24 may be a separate system or may be combined with the customs approval system 26.

[0075] Transactions received by each acquiring host system 20 can be forwarded to the customs approval system 26 via the message switch 24. The customs approval system may comprise one or more computers, each having one or more processors and memory containing processing logic.

[0076] Transaction messages received by the TRO on the acquiring host system 20 can be formatted according to the proposed standard (e.g., GR-ISO) and sent to the message switch 24. The message switch can be configured to pass the transaction messages to the customs approval system 26.

[0077] The customs approval system 26 provides an approval system for authorizing refunds and can be operated by the customs authorities or by a third-party organization acting on their behalf. The customs approval system 26 can automatically approve or deny tax refund transactions based on rules set up in the system by customs. The customs approval system 26 can also be accessed manually by customs officers.

[0078] A self-service inspection station (also called a kiosk or inspection device) 22 located at the exit point of the territory can be connected to a message switch 24. The inspection station 22 can be configured to prompt the user to present an identification document to be read (e.g., an identification document such as a passport). The inspection station 22 may be equipped with one or more input interfaces in the form of one or more of the following: a keypad, keyboard, touch-sensitive screen, card reader, scanner, or voice-activated input, and one or more output interfaces in the form of one or more of the following: a display, printer, card writer, or speaker. The inspection station 22 may also be equipped with fingerprint reading and / or camera technology to verify biometric information held on the machine-readable user identification document (e.g., an ID document such as a passport).

[0079] In one example, inspection station 22 can be configured to determine a user's eligibility for a tax refund by machine-reading an identifier. In this example, inspection station 22 determines eligibility by reading information from the identifier and checking the information against an internal database containing information on domestic / ineligible travelers. In this case, if the user's nationality or status is not on the list (negative approval), the user can be considered eligible. Alternatively, or in addition to the above, inspection station 22 can be configured to determine eligibility by checking the information against an internal database containing information on non-domestic / eligible travelers. In this case, if the user's nationality or status is on the list (positive approval), the user can be considered eligible.

[0080] As described above, the inspection station 22 may also be equipped with a fingerprint scanner and / or a camera, which can be used to verify the user's identity using biometric information held on a machine-readable identifier (e.g., an identification document such as a passport).

[0081] If the user's eligibility is determined at inspection station 22, inspection station 22 can be configured to prompt the user to present a token. If the user presents a token, inspection station 22 can be configured to pass one or more inspection request messages to customs approval system 26 via message switch 24 to request a list of all tax refund transaction records associated with the user from all TROs.

[0082] In another example, inspection station 22 may be configured to prompt the user to enter a user identifier and token, and then pass an inspection request message to the customs approval system to request approval based on both the user's eligibility and the transaction recorded in relation to the transaction. In this other example, inspection station 22 may send an inspection request message containing information from the identifier and a token identifier, and the customs approval system may determine eligibility and whether or not to inspect the transaction.

[0083] The customs approval system 26 can be activated to respond to an inspection request message by retrieving all transactions associated with the token from its database and / or acquiring host system 20, and can apply the rules set out to determine approval or denial.

[0084] For example, the customs approval system 26 can be configured to automatically approve transactions based on established rules ("green channel") or to automatically deny transactions based on rules also established within the customs approval system 26 ("red channel").

[0085] If the customs approval system 26 makes a decision (approval / denial) regarding a transaction, an approval message (inspection request response message) is automatically returned to the appropriate acquiring host system 20 via the message switch 24. The acquiring host system 20 updates the existing tax refund transaction record for the transaction using the approval message (approval, denial, modification).

[0086] The decision to grant refunds is left to the TRO, as the TRO is responsible to the tax authorities for the transaction. Therefore, the customs approval host does not function as a payment authorization host; rather, the TRO's acquiring host system 20 is a record-keeping system.

[0087] Each acquiring host system 20 formats a refund message indicating which transactions have been approved for "Green Channel" automatic payments and sends it to the inspection station. The TRO that issued the token is given an initial position on the inspection station, and its transactions are displayed.

[0088] If all retrieved transactions have approved codes, the user is offered the "Green Channel" service and is asked how they would like to receive their refund. If any of the transactions are not approved, the user is offered the "Red Channel" service and is instructed to go to a customs officer for further processing.

[0089] If the refund option is a payment card (such as a credit card), the refund can be automatically processed to the registered payment card. If no payment card is registered, the testing station can prompt the user to insert the card to be refunded into the machine.

[0090] If a user requests a cash equivalent refund and uses a TRO-issued token that can store the cash amount, the refund amount can be deposited into the token.

[0091] If a user requests a cash equivalent refund and does not use a TRO-issued token, a stored value card can be issued from inspection station 22.

[0092] If the refund option is cryptocurrency, the refund can be automatically made to the registered cryptocurrency wallet. If no cryptocurrency wallet is registered, the inspection station can prompt the user to provide the address of the cryptocurrency wallet to which the refund will be made. For example, the user may be prompted to provide a QR code, barcode, or other machine-readable identifier representing the address of the cryptocurrency wallet to a scanner associated with the inspection station. The user may then launch an application on their mobile phone or other portable electronic device to provide the machine-readable identifier. Alternatively, the user may print the machine-readable identifier on a card or paper and present it to the scanner. In another example, the inspection station may prompt the user to manually enter the address of the cryptocurrency wallet, for example, using a keyboard or touchscreen display associated with the inspection station. If the token is a cryptocurrency wallet and / or the token identifier is the address of the cryptocurrency wallet, the inspection station may be configured to automatically make the refund to the cryptocurrency wallet associated with the token without asking the user to confirm the refund payment method. Alternatively, the inspection station may be configured to prompt the user to confirm that the refund will be made to the cryptocurrency wallet associated with the token. If the user prefers to receive the refund payment through a different method, the user can respond negatively to this confirmation, and the testing station is configured to ask the user about their preferred refund payment method, as described above.

[0093] The above process is repeated for each remaining TRO that has a transaction associated with the token.

[0094] If red channel processing is indicated, the inspection station prompts the user to present the token and identification to the customs officer, who can then use the token to initiate processing. The customs officer may be provided with an approval station that is linked to or forms part of the customs approval system 26. However, in other examples, the approval station may be decoupled from and / or remote from the customs approval system, and may communicate with the customs approval system, for example, via a message switch.

[0095] In response to the input of a token identifier (for example, swiping a card through a machine if the token is a magnetic stripe card, or scanning a machine-readable identifier representing the address of a cryptocurrency wallet if the token is a cryptocurrency wallet), the approval station can be configured to use the token identifier to send an information retrieval message to the customs approval system 26, which can then retrieve a list of approved and rejected transactions associated with the token.

[0096] Subsequently, customs officers can approve or deny each transaction, or change the amount. Customs officers can input the result of their decision using the input device(s) of the approval station 28. The result of the decision is transmitted by the customs approval system 26 to the appropriate acquiring host system 20 via the message switch 24. The acquiring host system 20 at this time includes tax refund transactions with approval codes (approved, denied, or amount changed).

[0097] Next, the user returns to the testing station 22, presents their token again, and may be prompted about the refund method as described above.

[0098] The customs authorization system 26 can be configured to operate in one or both of two operating modes. In one operating mode, transaction information is stored in each acquiring host system 20. In the first operating mode, the customs authorization system 26 is operable to retrieve transaction information from each acquiring host system 20 in order to examine the refund. The authorization result is communicated to the appropriate acquiring host system 20 via the message switch 24. The acquiring host system 20 at this time includes the tax refund transaction with an authorization code (authorization, denial, amount change). In the second operating mode, the customs authorization system maintains a copy of each transaction in its own database, associated not only with the relevant token identifier but also with the acquiring host system identifier. In this case, the customs authorization system 26 returns the transaction and authorization code to the relevant acquiring host system 20. The difference between the two modes is that in the second mode, the customs authorization system maintains a copy of all data from all acquiring host systems 20.

[0099] Secure transmissions, messages, and protocols can be used to transmit information using existing software, equipment, and processes known for handling secure financial transactions for electronic payments. Therefore, a standards-based message format can be used to transmit refund transactions. Using a standard message format allows for multiple TRO providers while requiring Customs and Internal Revenue Services to handle only a single system for approval.

[0100] By recording the transaction in the acquiring host system 20 and / or customs authorization system 26 using the transaction identifier, purchase amount, and token identifier, and by maintaining a user details record linked to the token identifier within the acquiring host system, the customs authorization system 26 can be configured to retrieve the refund transaction from the TRO's acquiring host system 20 based on the presentation of the token, provide a "yes / no" response to the request for refund authorization, and transmit the result to the acquiring host system 26.

[0101] In the illustrated example, communication between the acquiring host system(s) 20 and the customs approval system 26 can be achieved by a message switch 24. The message switch 24 can provide a dedicated network between the customs approval system 26 and the acquiring host system 20 of one or more TROs. Alternatively, communication can be performed via a secure switching channel operating on a public network such as the Internet.

[0102] In an exemplary embodiment, an automated inspection station (kiosk) 22 may be provided to enable automated preliminary screening of refund transactions that generate a “red channel / green channel” response without human intervention. The automated preliminary screening process can be implemented, for example, using an inspection station 22 (e.g., a kiosk) located at an exit point from the territory.

[0103] The inspection station 22 or an approval system communicating with the inspection station 22 (for example, a customs approval system 26) may provide rules defining “red channel” requirements for, for example, high-value purchases and / or certain types of purchases. “Red channel” operations may require the user to present a token, shopping receipt, passport, and purchased goods to a customs officer for approval.

[0104] The inspection station 22 or the approval system 26 communicating with the inspection station may provide rules defining “green channel” situations that provide automatic approval for low-priced items and / or purchases by travelers from certain countries.

[0105] Figure 3 is a schematic system configuration diagram that provides an overview of the exemplary overall system configuration of an exemplary embodiment.

[0106] Figure 3 shows various systems connected via networks such as the Internet 15.

[0107] Figure 3 shows multiple user computers 13 (e.g., desktops, laptops, personal data assistants, mobile phones, etc.) connected to the network 15. The user computers 13 can be used by users (e.g., travelers) to access a website and register a token. This website could, as an example, be provided by one of several TROs, a tourism or travel organization or authority.

[0108] Figure 3 shows a plurality of input stations 17 connected to a network 15. The input stations 17 can be installed, for example, at immigration points (e.g., immigration areas of airports), tourist information centers, retail stores, etc. The input stations 17 may be equipped with one or more input interfaces in one or more forms, such as a keypad, keyboard, touch-sensitive screen, passport or other ID document reader, card reader, scanner, or voice-activated input, and one or more output interfaces in one or more forms, such as a display, printer, card writer and / or dispenser, or speaker. In an exemplary embodiment, the input station may be operable to issue tokens, such as cards having a unique identifier.

[0109] Figure 3 shows a plurality of store devices 14 connected to a network 15. Each store device 14 may include one or more computer systems, each computer system may include one or more processors containing processing logic, memory, and one or more point-of-sale devices, which may include one or more input interfaces in one or more forms of, for example, a keypad, keyboard, touch-sensitive screen, card reader, scanner, or voice-activated input, and one or more output interfaces in one or more forms of, for example, a display, printer, card writer, or speaker.

[0110] Figure 3 shows multiple TRO acquiring host systems 20 connected to network 15. Each acquiring host system may include one or more computer systems, each having one or more processors and memory containing processing logic.

[0111] Figure 3 shows a message switch 24 connected to network 15. In this example, the message switch 24 functions as a communication interface between the acquiring host system 20, the inspection station, and the customs approval system 26.

[0112] Figure 3 shows a plurality of inspection devices 22 connected to network 15. The inspection devices 22 can be placed at exit points (for example, airport departure areas). The inspection devices 22 may be equipped with one or more input interfaces in the form of one or more of the following: a keypad, keyboard, touch-sensitive screen, passport or other ID document reader, card reader, scanner, or voice-activated input; and one or more output interfaces in the form of one or more of the following: a display, printer, card writer and / or dispenser, or speaker. The inspection devices may also be equipped with one or more devices for inputting the user's biometric information, such as a fingerprint scanner or camera.

[0113] The fact that users are familiar with ATMs and similar machines means that self-service kiosk-style inspection stations at exit points will be accepted by users.

[0114] As mentioned above, in one example, the inspection station 22 may be equipped with a reader for automatically reading machine-readable identification (for example, machine-readable passports or other machine-readable identification documents), thereby enabling automatic verification of the user's identity and eligibility for refunds. The inspection station 22 may prompt the user to present a token identifier. As shown above, the token can take the form of a magnetic stripe card, chip card, barcode, QR code, or a number that needs to be entered on a keypad.

[0115] Next, the inspection device can determine eligibility for a refund based on information held in the customs approval system or TRO acquiring host system that defines the one or more purchases associated with the identifier, in order to determine whether to inspect the refund associated with one or more purchases. Optionally, the inspection station 22 can receive biometric information and verify the user's identity by comparing it with information held on the machine-readable identifier.

[0116] In one example, the inspection device, in response to the input of a token identifier, sends a request to a server for information defining one or more purchases associated with the identifier, compares the information received from the server defining one or more purchases associated with the identifier with predefined rules to determine whether or not to inspect the refund, and can have the output interface notify the user whether or not the refund was automatically inspected (i.e., whether the inspection was performed automatically). If the refund was inspected, the inspection station can send a confirmation to the server that the inspection for the refund has been performed.

[0117] In another example, the inspection station could, in response to the input of a token identifier, send a request to a server to determine whether or not to inspect the refund, and in response to the server's response indicating whether or not the refund for one or more purchases has been inspected, have the output interface notify the user whether or not the refund has been inspected (i.e., whether the inspection was performed automatically).

[0118] Alternatively, users can be prompted to go in for a manual inspection by customs officers.

[0119] The verification device can also act to prompt the user to specify how the refund should be made (e.g., to a credit card or in cash). If the user selects a credit card, the transaction can be automatically refunded. If the user selects cash, the device can issue the user a fully valid debit card with the refund amount or prompt the user to go to an airside location to receive the cash. If the user selects cryptocurrency, the device can automatically refund the transaction to a cryptocurrency wallet or prompt the user to provide a cryptocurrency wallet address as described above.

[0120] If the result is a "red channel" response, the user can be prompted to show how the refund will be processed if approved, and then directed to the customs desk for further checks.

[0121] At the customs desk, customs can use an authorization station to retrieve information from the server system using a token identifier.

[0122] The approval station may be equipped with one or more input interfaces in one or more forms, such as a keypad, keyboard, touch-sensitive screen, card reader, scanner, or voice-activated input, and one or more output interfaces in one or more forms, such as a display, printer, card writer, or speaker.

[0123] Using the token identifier, customs officers can retrieve transaction information from the server system, inspect documents and goods, and decide whether to approve or deny the refund.

[0124] If a refund is approved and the user has requested a credit card refund, the credit card transfer can be automatically initiated in response to the customs officer approving the refund using an approval station. Alternatively, a debit card can be generated by an approval station or inspection station.

[0125] Figure 4 schematically shows the shop device 100 in several configurations of this technology. The shop device 100 is provided with a communication circuit 102 and a control circuit 104. The communication circuit 102 is configured to receive input from the shop that operates the shop device 100 and to communicate with the server device (described in more detail below). The communication circuit 102 is configured to receive user identification information and purchase identification information. The user identification information identifies the user (shopper or tourist, etc.) who purchases items from the shop. The purchase identification information identifies one or more items purchased by the user. The user identification information and purchase identification information are provided to the control circuit 104 by the communication circuit 102. The control circuit 104 is configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items, including the total amount of taxes payable for one or more items. The tax payable for each of the one or more items may be based on the tax rate associated with the tax refund category of that item. Once the total purchase price is calculated, the control circuit generates a tax refund transaction record that encodes the user identification information and the tax amount to be refunded. The tax refund transaction record also encodes the tax refund category and / or store identifier. The control circuit then triggers the communication circuit to transmit the tax refund transaction record to the server device.

[0126] Figure 5 schematically illustrates a series of steps performed by the store device in several configurations of this technology. The flow begins in step S10, where the store device receives user identification information to identify the user. The flow then proceeds to step S12, where the store device receives purchase identification information to identify one or more items. The flow then proceeds to step S14, where the store device calculates the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user, including the total tax amount paid at the time of purchase, based on the respective tax refund categories of one or more items. The flow then proceeds to step S16, where the store device generates a tax refund transaction record encoding the user identification information and information identifying the tax amount. The flow then proceeds to step S18, where the store device encodes the tax refund category information into the tax refund transaction record.

[0127] Figure 6 schematically illustrates a series of steps performed by the store device in several configurations of this technology. The flow begins in step S20, where the store device receives user identification information to identify the user. The flow then proceeds to step S22, where the store device receives purchase identification information to identify one or more items. The flow then proceeds to step S24, where the store device calculates the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user, including the total tax amount paid at the time of purchase. The flow then proceeds to step S26, where the store device generates a tax refund transaction record encoding the user identification information and information identifying the tax amount. The flow then proceeds to step S28, where the store device encodes store identification information and / or chain identification information into the tax refund transaction record.

[0128] Figure 7 schematically shows an inspection device 110 in several configurations of this technology. The inspection device 110 includes a communication circuit 112, a control circuit 114, and a determination circuit 116. The communication circuit 112 is configured to receive user identification information and inspection information. The user identification information identifies the user who wishes to use the inspection device. The inspection information identifies the items that the user has purchased and is attempting to take out of the territory. The inspection information may include scanning barcodes associated with one or more items purchased by the user. The communication circuit 112 passes the received user identification information and inspection information to the control circuit 114. The control circuit 114 triggers the communication circuit to retrieve user purchase information, including information identifying the purchase and the total amount of tax paid by the user at the time of purchase of one or more items. The control circuit 114 passes the information, including user identification information, inspection information, and information identifying the user's purchase, to the determination circuit 116. The determination circuit 116 determines whether the conditions for a tax refund are met. In particular, the determination circuit 116 verifies whether the items taken out by the user (identified by the inspection information) match those indicated by the information received from the server device. The determination circuit 116 may also verify the user's identity. If the tax refund conditions are met, the determination circuit 116 indicates this to the control circuit, which authorizes the refund to be paid to the user. If the tax refund conditions are not met, the determination circuit 116 indicates this to the control circuit, which notifies the user that they need to speak with a customs officer to complete the inspection process.

[0129] Figure 8 schematically illustrates a series of steps performed by an inspection device in several configurations of this technology. The flow begins in step S30, where the inspection device receives user identification information to identify the user. The flow then proceeds to step S32, where the inspection device receives inspection information to identify one or more items. The flow then proceeds to step S34, where the inspection device triggers the retrieval of information indicating the tax refund transaction record associated with the user. The flow then proceeds to step S36, where it is determined whether the tax refund conditions are met. If it is determined in step S36 that the tax refund conditions are met, the flow proceeds to step S38, where the refund is authorized. If it is determined in step S36 that the tax refund conditions are not met, the flow proceeds to step S40, where the user is directed to a customs officer.

[0130] Figure 9 schematically shows a server device 120 in several configurations of this technology. The device 120 is provided with a communication circuit 122 and a control circuit 124. The communication circuit 122 is configured to receive tax refund transaction records from the store device. The tax refund transaction record encodes information that identifies the user and information that identifies one or more purchases. The tax refund transaction record also encodes information indicating the tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items. The communication circuit 122 passes the tax refund record to the control circuit, which is configured to determine whether the tax refund conditions are met and, if the tax refund conditions are met, to trigger a refund to the user. The control circuit 124 is configured to make the determination through interaction with the inspection device 110. The server device 120 stores the tax refund transaction records until the inspection device 110 requests the tax refund transaction records by providing a mark of user identification information associated with one or more of the tax refund transaction records stored in the server device 120. The server device 120, in response to a request from the inspection device 110, provides the inspection device 110 with a mark for the tax refund transaction record. The inspection device 110 may then determine that the items indicated in the tax refund transaction record have been taken out. Once the inspection is complete, the communication circuit 122 receives notification that the inspection was successful (one or more tax refund conditions are met) or that the inspection failed (one or more tax refund conditions are not met). If the inspection is successful, the control circuit 124 receives notification (e.g., an authorization message) indicating that the inspection was successful and triggers a refund to the user. The control circuit 124 may also mark the tax-free transaction as completed in the tax refund transaction record.

[0131] Figure 10 schematically shows a series of steps performed by the server device 120 in several configurations of this technology. The flow starts in step S30, where the server device 120 determines whether or not a tax refund transaction record has been received from the store device. If it is determined in step S30 that no tax refund transaction record has been received, the flow remains in step S30. If it is determined in step S30 that a tax refund record has been received from the store device, the flow proceeds to step S32, where it is determined, for example, through communication with the inspection device 110, whether or not at least one tax refund condition has been met. If it is determined in step S32 that at least one tax refund condition has been met, the flow proceeds to step S34, where a tax refund is triggered. If it is determined in step S32 that at least one tax refund condition has not been met, the flow proceeds to step S36, where the tax refund transaction may be stored in a memory circuit associated with the server device 120.

[0132] Figure 11 schematically illustrates a series of interactions between the store device 100 and the server device 120. The interaction begins in step S40, when the store device 100 receives user identification information of a user making a purchase in the store. Next, in step S42, the store device 100 receives purchase identification information that identifies one or more items purchased by the user. In step S44, the store device 100 calculates the total purchase price, i.e., the tax-inclusive price, including the tax amount paid by the user at the time of purchase. In step S46, the store device 100 generates a tax refund transaction record. The tax refund transaction record encodes information that identifies the user, a tax refund category associated with at least one of the items purchased by the user, and a record of the items purchased by the user, including the total tax amount. Next, in step S48, the store device 100 transmits the tax refund transaction record to the server device 120. In step S50, the server device performs a search in the database of tax-exempt transaction records based on the user identification information. The purpose of the search is to determine whether or not the user is registered in the database. In step S52, the server device 120 determines whether or not the tax refund conditions are met and records the tax refund transaction record in the database.

[0133] Figure 12 schematically illustrates a series of interactions between the inspection device 110 and the server device 120. In step S60, the inspection device 110 receives user identification information. Then, in step S62, the inspection device 110 receives inspection identification information from the user. The inspection identification information may include information about one or more items purchased by the user to be taken out of the territory. In step S64, the inspection device 110 requests tax refund transaction information associated with the user from the server device 120. The request includes user identification information. The server device 120 receives the request and, in step S66, performs a search in the database based on the user identification information included in the request. In step S68, the server device 120 returns the tax refund transaction record associated with the user to the inspection device 110. Then, in step S70, the inspection device verifies the removal of the purchased items. Verification of removal may be automated based on scanning the barcodes of one or more items shown in the tax refund transaction record, or it may require authorization from a customs officer. Once the purchased items are confirmed, an inspection confirmation is sent from the inspection device 110 to the server device 120 in step S72. In step S74, the server device 120 returns the items to the user and updates the information in the database.

[0134] In a concise summary, a shop device is provided comprising a communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items. The shop device further comprises a control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user when one or more items are purchased, the total purchase price including the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase. The control circuit is configured to generate a tax refund transaction record encoding the user identification information and information identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition. The tax amount is determined based on an associated tax refund category, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category.

[0135] In this application, the phrase "configured to..." is used to mean that the elements of the device have a configuration that enables them to perform a defined operation. In this context, "configuration" means the arrangement or method of interconnection of hardware or software. For example, the device may have dedicated hardware to provide the defined operation, or a processor or other processing device may be programmed to perform that function. "Configured to..." does not imply that the elements of the device need to be modified in any way to provide the defined operation.

[0136] In this application, a list of features accompanied by the phrase "at least one of" means that any one or more of those features may be provided individually or in combination. For example, "[A], [B], and [C]" includes any of the following options: A only (without B or C), B only (without A or C), C only (without A or B), a combination of A and B (without C), a combination of A and C (without B), a combination of B and C (without A), or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0137] While exemplary configurations of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these exact configurations, and that those skilled in the art can make various changes, additions, and modifications to these configurations without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, various combinations of the features of the dependent claims and the features of the independent claims can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0138] Some components of this technology are described by the following numbered clauses. Article 1. A communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items, A control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by a user when purchasing one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, and the control circuit is configured to generate a tax refund transaction record encoding user identification information and information identifying the amount of tax as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Equipped with, The tax amount is determined based on the tax refund category associated with at least one of one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category. Shop equipment. Article 2. A store apparatus as described in Clause 1, wherein at least one tax refund condition includes a refund category condition that depends on at least one tax refund category. Article 3. A store device as described in Clause 1 or 2, wherein the tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies a chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. Article 4. A store apparatus as described in Clause 3, wherein the store belongs to a group of one or more stores that are grouped together in the same group. Article 5. A shop device as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein at least one tax refund condition includes a total tax payment condition that depends on the total amount of tax paid by the user within a predefined period. Article 6. A store device as described in Clause 5, which has a total tax payment condition that requires the total amount of tax paid by the user to exceed a predetermined threshold. Article 7. A store apparatus as described in Clause 6, wherein a predetermined threshold depends on at least one tax refund category. Article 8. A store device as described in any one of Clauses 4-7, where the total tax payment condition requires that the total tax amount paid by the user is within a predefined range. Article 9. A shop device as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 8, comprising a communication circuit configured to transmit tax refund transaction records to a server device. Article 10. Tax refund transaction records, Total purchase price, The price excluding tax is equal to the total purchase price minus the tax amount. Total tax amount, The per-item tax for at least one of one or more items, and / or, Tax amounts by tax refund category, A shop apparatus as described in any one of clauses 1 to 9, including information indicating at least one of the following. Article 11. User identification information, User's passport information, Token identifier associated with the user, User device-independent identifier, Device identifier associated with the user's device, A one-dimensional or two-dimensional code associated with the user, and / or, User biometric data, A shop apparatus as described in Clause 10, comprising at least one of the following: Article 12. A store apparatus as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 11, wherein the control circuit requests data of one or more items associated with the user from the server device in response to the receipt of user identification information. Article 13. The shop device according to Clause 12, wherein the control circuit is configured to trigger the display of at least one of the data of one or more items on a display device associated with the shop device. Article 14. The store apparatus described in Clause 12 or 13, wherein the data for one or more items includes current tax payment information associated with a user, and the control circuit is configured to determine whether at least one tax refund condition is met. Article 15. The shop apparatus as described in Clause 14, wherein the control circuit determines, in response to a determination that at least one tax refund condition is not met, one or more actions that the user must take in order for at least one tax refund condition to be met. Article 16. The shop device according to Clause 15, wherein the control circuit is configured to trigger the display on a display device associated with the shop device an indicator of whether or not at least one tax refund condition has been met, and / or an indicator of one or more actions. Article 17. A store apparatus according to any one of the clauses 1 to 16, comprising a display circuit configured to display information on one or more items associated with a tax refund transaction. Article 18. The store apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the display circuit is configured to control the display of one or more buttons for receiving input information related to a tax refund transaction. Article 19. A shop device as described in Clause 17 or 18, wherein the display is a touchscreen display. Article 20. A store apparatus as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 19, wherein the communication circuit is configured to communicate with the user's mobile device to receive user identification information. Article 21. A store apparatus as described in Clause 20, wherein the communication circuit is configured to transmit a copy of the tax-free transaction record to a mobile device. Article 22. A shop apparatus as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 21, comprising a printing circuit configured to print a physical copy of a tax-free transaction record. Article 23. A shop device as described in any one of clauses 1 to 22, where the user is a traveler visiting from a foreign territory. Article 24. The communication circuit is configured to receive notification that the purchase will be made in the name of the intermediary company. The control circuit is configured to encode information in the tax refund transaction record that indicates the intermediary's invoice for the sale of one or more purchased items from the intermediary to the user. A store apparatus as described in any one of clauses 1 to 23. Article 27. A communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and inspection information for identifying one or more items, A control circuit configured to trigger the retrieval of information indicating at least one tax refund transaction record associated with a user, wherein each tax refund record of the at least one tax refund transaction record encodes information identifying the tax amount as an amount paid by the user at the time of purchase of one or more items, the tax amount is refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, the tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category; A determination circuit that generates a determination of whether or not at least one tax refund condition is met, Equipped with, The control circuit, in response to a determination that at least one tax refund condition is met, authorizes the refund to be paid to the user. Inspection device. Article 28. The refund is Cash refunds paid in cash, Cash refunds paid to the user's payment card. cryptocurrency, Digital currency, Value independent of currency, and / or, Deposits into user accounts associated with the user, The inspection equipment described in Clause 27, which is paid for in at least one of the following forms. Article 29. An inspection device as described in Clause 27 or 28, which includes an automatic determination that one or more items meet the tax refund requirements. Article 30. An inspection device as described in Article 29, wherein the determination circuit performs an automatic determination in response to the tax amount being below the inspection threshold. Article 31. The inspection device described in Clause 30, wherein the determination circuit indicates to the user that further approval is required in response to the tax amount being above an inspection threshold. Article 32. An inspection device as described in any one of clauses 27 to 31, where the inspection device is located at the exit point of the territory. Article 33. An inspection device as described in any one of clauses 27 to 32, wherein the inspection device is implemented as a self-service kiosk. Article 34. A communication circuit configured to receive a tax refund transaction record from a store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, A control circuit configured to determine whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and to trigger a tax refund to the user in response to the meeting of at least one tax refund condition, Equipped with, The tax amount is determined based on the tax refund category associated with at least one of one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category. Server device. Article 35. The server equipment described in Clause 34, At least one shop device as described in any one of clauses 1 to 26, At least one inspection device as described in any one of clauses 27 to 33, A system equipped with these features. Article 36. A method for operating a store device, A step of receiving user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items, A step of calculating the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user when purchasing one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, A step of generating a tax refund transaction record that encodes user identification information and information that identifies the tax amount as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Includes, The tax amount is determined based on the tax refund category associated with at least one of one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category. method. Article 37. A method for operating an inspection device, A step of receiving user identification information for identifying a user and inspection information for identifying one or more items, A step of triggering the retrieval of information indicating at least one tax refund transaction record associated with a user, wherein each tax refund record of the at least one tax refund transaction record encodes information that identifies the tax amount as an amount paid by the user at the time of purchase of one or more items, the tax amount is refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, the tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category, A step to generate a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, A step of authorizing a refund to be paid to the user in response to a determination that at least one tax refund condition is met, A method that includes this. Article 38. The steps include receiving a tax refund transaction record from the store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, The steps include: determining whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to at least one tax refund condition being met, triggering a tax refund to the user; Includes, The tax amount is determined based on the tax refund category associated with at least one of one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category. method. Article 39. A communication circuit configured to receive purchase identification information that identifies one or more items, and a notification that the user wishes to receive a tax refund after purchasing one or more items, A control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by a user when purchasing one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, and the control circuit, in response to a notification, generates a tax refund transaction record encoding information that identifies the amount of tax as an amount to be refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Equipped with, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. Shop equipment. Article 40. A communication circuit configured to receive a tax refund transaction record from a store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, A control circuit configured to determine whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and to trigger a tax refund to the user in response to the meeting of at least one tax refund condition, Equipped with, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. Server device. Article 41. A method for operating a store device, The steps include receiving purchase identification information that identifies one or more items, and a notification that the user wishes to receive a tax refund after purchasing one or more items, A step of calculating the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user when purchasing one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, Steps include: generating a tax refund transaction record that encodes information identifying the tax amount as a refundable amount after the time of purchase, in response to a notification, if the user meets at least one tax refund condition; Includes, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. method. Article 42. The steps include receiving a tax refund transaction record from the store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, The steps include: determining whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to at least one tax refund condition being met, triggering a tax refund to the user; Includes, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where one or more items were purchased. method. 43. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform the method described in any one of the clauses 36-38 or 41 or 42.

Claims

1. A communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items, A control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user when the user purchases one or more of the items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, and the control circuit is configured to generate a tax refund transaction record encoding the user identification information and information identifying the amount of tax as an amount refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Equipped with, The aforementioned tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the aforementioned one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the aforementioned tax refund category. Shop equipment.

2. The above-mentioned at least one tax refund condition includes a refund category condition that depends on the above-mentioned at least one tax refund category, The store apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where the one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where the one or more items were purchased. The store apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The store belongs to a group of one or more stores that are grouped together in the same group. The store apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The at least one tax refund condition includes a total tax payment condition that depends on the total amount of tax paid by the user within a predefined period. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The aforementioned total tax payment condition requires that the total tax amount paid by the user exceeds a predetermined threshold. The store apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The predetermined threshold depends on the at least one tax refund category. The store apparatus according to claim 6.

8. The aforementioned total tax payment condition requires that the total tax amount paid by the user is within a predefined range. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7.

9. The system includes a communication circuit configured to transmit the aforementioned tax refund transaction records to a server device. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The aforementioned tax refund transaction record, The aforementioned total purchase effect, The tax-exclusive price equal to the amount obtained by subtracting the aforementioned tax amount from the aforementioned total purchase price. Total tax amount, The per-item tax amount for at least one of the aforementioned one or more items, and / or, Tax amounts by tax refund category, Information including at least one of the following: The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The aforementioned user identification information, The user's passport information, The token identifier associated with the aforementioned user, The aforementioned user's device-independent identifier, The device identifier associated with the user's device, A one-dimensional or two-dimensional code associated with the user, and / or, The user's biometric data, Including at least one of the following: The store apparatus according to claim 10.

12. The control circuit, in response to receiving the user identification information, requests data for one or more items associated with the user from the server device. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The control circuit is configured to trigger at least one of the data of the one or more items to be displayed on the display device associated with the store equipment. The store apparatus according to claim 12.

14. The data for one or more of the aforementioned items includes current tax payment information associated with the user, and the control circuit is configured to determine whether or not the at least one tax refund condition is met. The store apparatus according to claim 12 or 13.

15. The control circuit, in response to a determination that at least one tax refund condition is not met, determines one or more actions that the user must take in order for the at least one tax refund condition to be met. The store apparatus according to claim 14.

16. The control circuit is configured to trigger a display device associated with the store equipment to show an indicator of whether or not the at least one tax refund condition is met, and / or at least one of the indicators of the one or more actions. The store apparatus according to claim 15.

17. The system includes a display circuit configured to display information about one or more items associated with the aforementioned tax refund transaction. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The display circuit is configured to control the display of one or more buttons for receiving input information related to the tax refund transaction. The store apparatus according to claim 17.

19. The aforementioned display is a touchscreen display. The store apparatus according to claim 17 or 18.

20. The communication circuit is configured to communicate with the user's mobile device in order to receive user identification information. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. The communication circuit is configured to transmit a copy of the tax-free transaction record to the mobile device. The store apparatus according to claim 20.

22. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 21, comprising a printing circuit configured to print a physical copy of the tax-free transaction record.

23. The aforementioned user is a traveler visiting from a foreign territory. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

24. The aforementioned communication circuit is configured to receive notification that the purchase will be made in the name of the intermediary company. The control circuit is configured to encode information indicating the intermediary's invoice for the sale of one or more purchased items from the intermediary to the user into the tax refund transaction record. The store apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 23.

27. A communication circuit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user and inspection information for identifying one or more items, A control circuit configured to trigger the retrieval of information indicating at least one tax refund transaction record associated with the user, wherein each tax refund record of the at least one tax refund transaction record encodes information identifying the tax amount as the amount paid by the user at the time of purchase of the one or more items, the tax amount is refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, the tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category; A determination circuit that generates a determination of whether or not the above-mentioned at least one tax refund condition is met, Equipped with, The control circuit, in response to the determination that at least one of the tax refund conditions is met, authorizes the refund to be paid to the user. Inspection device.

28. The aforementioned refund is, Cash refunds paid in cash, The cash refund paid to the aforementioned user's payment card, cryptocurrency, Digital currency, Value independent of currency, and / or, Deposit to the user account associated with the aforementioned user, Payment is made in at least one of the following forms: The inspection apparatus according to claim 27.

29. The determination includes an automatic determination that one or more of the items meet the tax refund conditions. The inspection apparatus according to claim 27 or 28.

30. The determination circuit performs the automatic determination in response to the fact that the tax amount is below the inspection threshold. The inspection apparatus according to claim 29.

31. The determination circuit, in response to the tax amount being equal to or greater than the inspection threshold, indicates to the user that further approval is required. The inspection apparatus according to claim 30.

32. The aforementioned inspection device is located at the exit point of the territory. The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 31.

33. The aforementioned inspection device is implemented as a self-service kiosk. The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 32.

34. A communication circuit configured to receive a tax refund transaction record from a store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, A control circuit configured to receive a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to the meeting of the at least one tax refund condition, to trigger a refund of the tax amount to the user, Equipped with, The aforementioned tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the aforementioned one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the aforementioned tax refund category. Server device.

35. The server device according to claim 34, A shop device according to any one of claims 1 to 26, An inspection device according to any one of claims 27 to 33, A system equipped with these features.

36. A method for operating store equipment, A step of receiving user identification information for identifying a user and purchase identification information for identifying one or more items, A step of calculating the total purchase price of the one or more items to be paid by the user at the time of purchase of the one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax to be paid at the time of purchase, A step of generating a tax refund transaction record that encodes the user identification information and information that identifies the tax amount as an amount to be refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Includes, The aforementioned tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the aforementioned one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the aforementioned tax refund category. method.

37. A method for operating an inspection device, A step of receiving user identification information for identifying a user and inspection information for identifying one or more items, A triggering step of retrieving information indicating at least one tax refund transaction record associated with the user, wherein each tax refund record of the at least one tax refund transaction record encodes information identifying the tax amount as the amount paid by the user at the time of purchase of the one or more items, the tax amount is refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, the tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the tax refund category, A step of generating a determination of whether or not the above-mentioned at least one tax refund condition is met, A step of authorizing a refund to be paid to the user in response to the determination that at least one of the aforementioned tax refund conditions is met, A method that includes this.

38. A method for operating a server device, The steps include receiving a tax refund transaction record from the store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, Steps include receiving a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to the at least one tax refund condition being met, triggering a refund of the tax amount to be made to the user, Includes, The aforementioned tax amount is determined based on a tax refund category associated with at least one of the aforementioned one or more items, and the tax refund transaction record encodes the aforementioned tax refund category. method.

39. A communication circuit configured to receive purchase identification information that identifies one or more items, and a notification that the user wishes to receive a tax refund after the purchase of the said one or more items, A control circuit configured to calculate the total purchase price of one or more items paid by the user when the user purchases one or more of the items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax paid at the time of purchase, and the control circuit, in response to the notification, generates a tax refund transaction record encoding information that identifies the amount of tax as an amount to be refunded after the time of purchase if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, Equipped with, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where the one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where the one or more items were purchased. Shop equipment.

40. A communication circuit configured to receive a tax refund transaction record from a store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, A control circuit configured to receive a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to the meeting of the at least one tax refund condition, to trigger a refund of the tax amount to the user, Equipped with, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where the one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where the one or more items were purchased. Server device.

41. A method for operating store equipment, The steps include receiving purchase identification information that identifies one or more items, and a notification that the user wishes to receive a tax refund after the purchase of the said one or more items, A step of calculating the total purchase price of the one or more items to be paid by the user at the time of purchase of the one or more items, wherein the total purchase price includes the amount of tax to be paid at the time of purchase, In response to the aforementioned notification, if the user meets at least one tax refund condition, the user generates a tax refund transaction record that encodes information identifying the tax amount as an amount to be refunded after the time of purchase, Includes, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where the one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where the one or more items were purchased. method.

42. A method for operating a server device, The steps include receiving a tax refund transaction record from the store device, which encodes information identifying the user and identifying the tax amount as an amount refunded after the purchase of one or more items, Steps include receiving a determination of whether at least one tax refund condition is met, and in response to the at least one tax refund condition being met, triggering a refund of the tax amount to be made to the user, Includes, The tax refund transaction record encodes at least one of the following: a store identifier that identifies the store where the one or more items were purchased, and / or a chain identifier that identifies the chain of stores where the one or more items were purchased. method.

43. A computer-readable storage medium that includes a computer-readable instruction, when executed by one or more processors, causes one or more processors to perform the method according to any one of claims 36 to 38, 41, or 42.

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