Management server system

Abstract

We provide a management server system that allows users to select the payment method for automatic withdrawal of utility usage fees and reduces the occurrence of situations where automatic withdrawals fail. [Solution] The management server system 1 includes a payment method registration screen presentation means 21 that presents a payment method registration screen 51 to the customer C, prompting them to select and input a payment method for the use of utility infrastructure, and a payment method registration means 22 that registers the payment method based on the selected input data. The payment method registration means 22 registers the payment method as a one-time payment when the one-time payment option 51a is selected, and when the one-time credit card automatic withdrawal option 51b is selected, it connects the customer terminal CM to the payment service provider system 4, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, it uses an inquiry function 22a to inquire with the payment service provider system 4 about the credit card registration status. If the inquiry result is that the payment method is registered, it registers the payment method as an automatic credit card withdrawal; otherwise, it registers the payment method as a one-time payment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management server system, and more specifically, to a management server system that performs management related to utility infrastructures such as water supply and gas.

Background Art

[0002] Utility infrastructures such as water supply and gas (hereinafter simply referred to as "infrastructures") are provided to consumers by water utility operators and gas utility operators (hereinafter referred to as "infrastructure operators"). An infrastructure operator that has concluded a contract for the use and provision of the infrastructure with a consumer (hereinafter referred to as an "activation contract") installs and activates a metering meter for measuring usage, such as a water meter or a gas meter, in the middle of the piping that supplies the infrastructure to the consumer's residence, and charges the consumer for the infrastructure usage fee according to the usage amount ascertained from the metering meter. In recent years, the adoption of IoT (Internet of Things) for these metering meters has been progressing, and the metering meters are connected to a management server system operated by a management company via a communication line such as an internet line, making it possible to centrally manage the usage amount at the consumer's residence and the corresponding usage bills using the management server system. The infrastructure operator connects the infrastructure operator's communication system (hereinafter referred to as the "infrastructure operator side system") to this management server system via a communication line, and by cooperating with the management server system, it is possible to centrally manage the usage status and billing status associated with each metering meter, notification items to consumers, and the like. On the other hand, a consumer connects the consumer's communication terminal (hereinafter referred to as the "consumer side terminal") to this management server system via a communication line, and performs user registration (also referred to as "membership registration", but referred to as "user registration" in the main text of this specification), thereby making it possible to use various user management contents provided by the management server system, and in addition to viewing the usage status, it is possible to perform processing related to payment of usage fees and the like.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 is an invention disclosed by the applicant of the present application, which discloses a management server system (electronic billing and payment system 11 for gas charges) that electronically processes billing and settlement of usage charges (gas charges) for consumers (each gas consumer 3) to whom energy infrastructure (gas) is supplied by infrastructure operators (each gas operator 1). This management server system supports credit card payment, payment at convenience store payment terminals, and electronic payment by electronic money as payment methods for usage charges (see paragraph

[0010] , etc.). Furthermore, this management server system also supports automatic debit by credit card as a payment method for usage charges by cooperating with payment processing companies that provide credit card payment processing services (see paragraph

[0025] , etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-288921 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In this case, when a user selects automatic debit by credit card as the payment method for usage fees in the management server system, the user's terminal is connected to the payment service provider's system, and the user directly registers their credit card for payment with the payment service provider. In other words, the management server system registers that the payment method for usage fees will be automatic debit by credit card, but does not obtain the user's credit card information, and the actual payment by credit card is made by the payment service provider. For this reason, for example, if there was a registration error when registering the credit card with the payment service provider, but the user believes they have registered a credit card for payment, the payment by credit card will not be made, and the payment of usage fees will be delayed. In the management server system disclosed in Patent Document 1, in such cases, the system responds by sending a payment request email to the user requesting payment by another payment method, and the user will understand the need to switch the payment method for usage fees through this payment request email (see paragraph

[0056] ).

[0006] However, if automatic payment of usage fees fails due to registration errors, even though the payment method has been registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, it may cause confusion for users who thought they had registered a credit card for payment, and may result in extra work for infrastructure operators, such as re-billing and delays in payment.

[0007] In view of these points, the object of the present invention is to provide a management server system that allows users to select automatic credit card payment as the payment method for utility usage fees, and that reduces the occurrence of situations where automatic payments fail. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The management server system according to the present invention is A management server system that connects via a communication line to the infrastructure operator's system of an infrastructure operator providing optical infrastructure, the customer's terminal of a customer who has entered into an activation contract for optical infrastructure provided by the infrastructure operator, and the payment processing operator's system of a payment processing operator providing credit card payment processing services for the use of optical infrastructure, and manages the use of optical infrastructure. A payment method registration screen presentation means that presents a payment method registration screen to the customer's terminal, which allows the customer to select and input a payment method from multiple options, including at least one-time payment options and an option for automatic credit card withdrawal. A payment method registration means that receives the selected input data entered on the payment method registration screen from the customer's terminal and registers the payment method for the usage fees of the utility infrastructure in the activation contract based on the selected input data, Equipped with, The payment method registration mechanism has an inquiry function that checks the credit card registration status with the payment processing company's system, When the system receives input data indicating that the "pay-per-use" option has been selected, it registers the payment method as "pay-per-use". Upon receiving input data indicating that the option for automatic debit by credit card has been selected, the customer terminal is connected to the payment service provider's system. After a period of time has elapsed during which the payment service provider's system is able to accept credit card information input, the system uses an inquiry function to check the status of the credit card registration for payment in the activation contract. If the inquiry result indicates that the credit card information for payment is registered, the payment method is registered as automatic debit by credit card. If the inquiry result indicates that the credit card information for payment is not registered, the payment method is registered as pay-per-use. It is characterized by the following:

[0009] In this management server system, The system includes a means for instructing the customer's terminal to display the registered status of the payment method, The instruction method for presenting the registered payment method will instruct the user to present that a credit card for payment is registered if the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, and after verification, if the payment method is registered as payment on a per-use basis, it will instruct the user to present that a credit card for payment is not registered.

[0010] More specifically, the means for instructing the presentation of the registered payment method, in response to the means for presenting the payment method registration screen, If the payment method is registered as pay-per-use without prior inquiry, instruct the system to display the payment method registration screen without indicating whether a credit card is registered, with the pay-per-use option selected. If the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, instruct the user to present the payment method registration screen with the automatic withdrawal option selected and a message indicating that the credit card for payment is registered. If, after verification, the payment method is registered as pay-per-use, instruct the customer to present the payment method registration screen with the pay-per-use option selected and a message indicating that no credit card for payment is registered.

[0011] Furthermore, in this management server system, It has a function to send email notifications of payment requests and a payment processing means that performs settlement processing based on the payment method registered by the payment method registration means. The payment processing method, if the payment method is registered as pay-per-use, will send an email notification of payment request to the customer's terminal, guide the customer to the payment method registration screen via the payment method registration screen display device, and then execute the payment processing according to the customer's selection. If the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, the payment processing will be executed without sending an email notification of payment request to the customer's terminal, and after the payment processing is completed, the customer's terminal will be notified that the payment processing has been completed.

[0012] Such a management server system is suitable as a management system for at least one of the utility infrastructures, either gas or water. Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the management server system of the present invention, it is possible to provide a management server system that allows selection of an automatic debit payment method by credit card for utility service usage fees, and reduces the occurrence of situations where the automatic debit fails to be processed. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic configuration diagram of a network system centered on a management server system to which the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing an example of a payment method registration screen in the management server system of Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing an example of a credit card information confirmation screen in the payment processing provider side system that cooperates with the management server system of Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing an example of the payment method registration screen displayed from the second time onward in the management server system of Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the flow of payment method registration in the management server system of Figure 1. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the management server system to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments show an example of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the configurations of the embodiments.

[0016] (Configuration of Management Server System 1) Figure 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a network system centered on a management server system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a payment method registration screen in the management server system 1. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a credit card information registration screen in a payment agency operator side system 4 that cooperates with the management server system 1. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a payment method registration screen displayed for the second and subsequent times in the management server system 1, and shows examples of three patterns of registration screens that differ according to the registration status after the previous display. First, the configuration of the management server system 1 will be described using these drawings.

[0017] The management server system according to the present invention is a server system that manages the use of optical infrastructure by connecting via a communication line to the infrastructure operator's system of an infrastructure operator that provides optical infrastructure, the customer's terminal of a customer that has entered into an activation contract for optical infrastructure provided by the infrastructure operator, and the payment processing operator's system of a payment processing operator that provides credit card payment processing services for at least the usage fees of optical infrastructure. As an example to which the present invention is applied, management server system 1, as shown in Figure 1, is a gas management server system that manages the use of gas, including billing and payment of gas usage fees, with the optical infrastructure to be managed being gas. Management Server System 1 is configured as a single system within a network system that includes Gas Supply System 2 (Infrastructure Supply System 2), which includes a gas meter 2a (meter reading meter 2a) installed at customer C's home (gas usage location); Gas Utility Company B (Infrastructure Utility Company B), which supplies gas to customer C's home, and Payment Service Provider System 4, which is installed on the side of Payment Service Provider P, which provides credit card payment processing services in cooperation with gas usage fee collection. Management Server System 1 is installed on the side of Management Company M, which is entrusted by Gas Utility Company B to centrally monitor gas usage at customer C's home. Management Server System 1 is connected to Gas Supply System 2, Gas Utility Company System 3, and Payment Service Provider System 4 via communication lines. Communication between Management Server System 1 and Gas Utility Company B's Gas Utility Company System 3 takes place via a communication network such as a VPN. The management server system 1 and the payment service provider system 4 used by the payment service provider P are connected via communication lines such as the internet network or mobile phone network, and communication takes place between the two. Furthermore, the management server system 1 is a server system that can be used by consumer C who has a gas service activation contract with gas company B. Consumer C can connect to the management server system 1 from their consumer terminal CM. The management server system 1 and the consumer terminal CM are connected via communication lines such as the internet network or mobile phone network, and communication takes place between the two.

[0018] Management Server System 1 is a system that enables gas company B to centrally manage gas supply operations at customer homes where it is obligated to provide gas under an activation contract, including billing and payment processing, by linking with gas company system 3. To this end, management server system 1 collects and aggregates meter reading data showing the amount of gas used at customer homes. Meter reading data is collected when a meter reader reads the gas meter 2a at the customer's home and transmits the collected data from the meter reader's terminal, or when a gas supply system 2, which is configured to have an automatic meter reading function that automatically reads and communicates the meter, automatically transmits the meter reading data, and management server system 1 acquires this transmitted meter reading data either directly or via gas company system 3.

[0019] On the other hand, the management server system 1 is a system that provides various content to the customer-side terminal CM connected to the customer C so that the customer C can understand their own usage status. More specifically, the management server system 1 is a system that can provide management content related to the use of gas contracted by the registered user C to the customer-side terminal CM via a communication line on a portal site exclusively for registered users. Customer C, who has entered into an activation contract with gas company B for the use of gas, can register as a user by registering user information such as email address on their customer-side terminal CM, such as a smartphone or personal computer, and can use the management content provided by the management server system 1 to manage gas usage, including checking gas usage, viewing billing details, and gas usage payment-related matters.

[0020] The management server system 1, which supports the management of gas usage for both gas company B and consumer C, is a computer system having a control unit, a memory unit, a communication unit, etc., and is equipped with a database 10 for storing various data. For example, the management server system 1 is equipped with a business management database 11 for storing information about gas company B, a user management database 12 for storing information about consumer C who has registered as a user of the portal site, an activation contract management database 13 for storing information about the use of activated gas on an activation contract basis, and other databases 10 necessary for management as needed. In addition, the management server system 1 is equipped with a processing unit 20 that performs various processes so that gas company B and consumer C can view and manage their gas usage (hereinafter simply referred to as "management") while providing various content.

[0021] The business management database 11 is a database that stores information about gas business operator B, which provides gas. The business management database 11 stores information that is appropriately selected from among the information that gas business operator B uses to provide gas-related services, including information about gas administrators, the status of each gas contract, information about retailers, the number of service users, the number of billing users, payment processing company P, notification history to consumer C, and other information necessary for gas business operator B to provide gas-related services.

[0022] The user management database 12 is a database that stores information about users C who have registered on the portal site. The user management database 12 stores information that is appropriately selected from among user ID, password, user name, user address, telephone number, email address and other recipient information, nickname, age, gender, and other information used to identify the user.

[0023] The gas service activation contract management database 13 stores information selected as appropriate from among the following for each activation contract: contract information, gas company B that supplies gas, gas user C, users who have registered on the portal site, gas supply location, gas usage status, operating status (maintenance and safety data) of gas meter 2a that measures usage, rate menu information used to calculate usage charges, past usage charges, payment-related information such as payment method, billing amount, and payment status, and other information for managing gas usage.

[0024] The processing unit 20 is equipped with various means for the control unit to issue commands to the communication unit and the like in accordance with a computer program stored in the memory unit, and to execute various processes. The processing unit 20 performs various processes by referencing, registering, and updating each database 10, such as the business operator management database 11, the user management database 12, and the activation contract management database 13, and by providing various content to gas business operator B and consumer C via the communication unit. The processing unit 20 is equipped with means related to the processing to which the present invention is applied, including a payment method registration screen presentation means 21, a payment method registration means 22, a registered payment method presentation instruction means 23, and a settlement processing means 24. These means will be described below. The processing unit 20 executes processes related to per-payment and automatic withdrawal, but the basic means for executing processes related to per-payment and automatic withdrawal can be those that are already known, such as those disclosed in Patent Document 1, and will not be described here. Furthermore, the processing unit 20 performs various other processes related to gas usage, such as collecting and aggregating meter reading data, registering members, and issuing invoices. However, known methods can be used to perform these processes, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0025] The payment method registration screen presentation means 21, when a customer C who has registered to use the registered user-only portal site starts using the management content for registering the payment method for gas usage charges on the registered user-only portal site, presents the customer-side terminal CM with a payment method registration screen 51, as shown in Figure 2, which allows the customer to select and input a payment method for gas usage charges from multiple selection items. The selection items on this payment method registration screen 51 include at least the option 51a for one-time payment and the option 51b for automatic withdrawal by credit card. When customer C selects the radio button for either the one-time payment option 51a or the automatic withdrawal by credit card option 51b and presses the registration button 51c, the selection input data corresponding to the selected option is sent to the management server system 1, and the payment method registration process is started with the content corresponding to the selection input data. The management content for registering the payment method for gas usage charges can be accessed by selecting a URL link or entering a URL shown in the guidance email from the management server system 1, scanning a two-dimensional barcode on an invoice, selecting a menu on the registered user-only portal site, etc.

[0026] When the payment method registration means 22 receives the selection input data entered on the payment method registration screen 51 from the customer-side terminal CM, it registers the payment method for gas usage charges in the activation contract based on the received selection input data. More specifically, when the payment method registration means 22 receives selection input data indicating that the option item 51a for payment each time has been selected, it registers the payment method as payment each time. Furthermore, when the payment method registration means 22 receives selection input data indicating that the option item 51b for automatic withdrawal by credit card has been selected, it connects the customer-side terminal CM to the payment service provider's system 4. At that point, the payment service provider's system 4 provides the customer-side terminal CM with a screen 52 for inputting credit card information for payment, as shown in Figure 3. When customer C presses the "Add New Card Information" button 52a on the credit card information input screen 52, a separate credit card information input screen is presented to the customer terminal CM by the payment service provider's system 4. By entering the credit card information there and pressing the registration button, the payment service provider P verifies the validity of the credit card. If it is valid, the credit card is registered in the payment service provider's system 4 as the credit card for paying gas usage charges.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the payment method registration means 22 has an inquiry function 22a that queries the payment service provider system 4 for the status of credit card registration. After the customer terminal CM is connected to the payment service provider system 4, the payment method registration means 22 queries the payment service provider system 4 for the status of credit card registration for payment related to the activation contract using the inquiry function 22a after a period of time has elapsed (60 minutes in this embodiment) during which the payment service provider system 4 is able to accept input of credit card information. If the payment method registration means 22 receives an inquiry result from the payment service provider system 4 indicating that credit card information for payment is registered, it registers the payment method as automatic debit by credit card. On the other hand, if the payment method registration means 22 receives an inquiry result from the payment service provider system 4 indicating that credit card information for payment is not registered, it registers the payment method as pay-per-use.

[0028] The Registered Payment Method Presentation Instruction Means 23 instructs the Payment Method Registration Screen Presentation Means 21 to display the registration status of the payment method to at least the customer-side terminal CM. More specifically, when customer C starts using the management content for registering the payment method for gas usage charges on the registered user-only portal site again, the Registered Payment Method Presentation Instruction Means 23 instructs the customer-side terminal CM to display that a credit card for payment is registered if the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, and after verification, to display that a credit card for payment is not registered if the payment method is registered as pay-per-use. As an example, the registered payment method presentation instruction means 23 instructs the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 to present the payment method registration screen 51 with the payment option 51a selected, as in the initial state, without displaying whether a credit card is registered, if the payment method is registered as payment each time without inquiry, as shown in Figure 4(a); if the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, as shown in Figure 4(b), the payment method registration screen 51 is presented with the payment option 51b selected, along with a display 51d indicating that a credit card for payment is registered; and if the payment method is registered as payment each time after inquiry, as shown in Figure 4(c), the payment method registration screen 51 is presented with the payment option 51a selected, along with a display 51e indicating that a credit card for payment is not registered.

[0029] The payment processing means 24 has a function to send email notifications of payment requests and executes payment processing based on the payment method registered by the payment method registration means 22. The payment processing means 24 may use known email notification and payment execution methods for email notification and payment execution processing. However, if the payment method is registered as a one-time payment, it sends an email notification of a payment request to the customer-side terminal CM, and guides the customer-side terminal CM to the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 to present the payment method registration screen 51, and then executes payment processing according to the selection result of customer C. If the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, it executes payment processing without sending an email notification of a payment request to the customer-side terminal CM. After executing the payment processing, the payment processing means 24 notifies the customer-side terminal CM that the payment processing has been executed.

[0030] In the management server system 1 equipped with the means described above, payment methods are registered in a manner that particularly reduces registration errors when registering automatic withdrawals by credit card, through the payment method registration screen presentation means 21, payment method registration means 22, registered payment method presentation instruction means 23, and settlement processing means 24 of the processing unit 20. The registration of payment methods in the management server system 1 will be further explained below.

[0031] (Registration of payment methods in management server system 1) Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of payment method registration in the management server system 1. As before, the management server system 1 provides a portal site exclusively for registered users so that consumer C, who has entered into an activation contract with gas company B for gas usage, can manage their gas usage. Once consumer C registers to use the portal site exclusively for registered users, they will be able to access various management content on the portal site provided by the management server system 1 from the consumer terminal CM. Using one of these management contents, consumer C can register their gas usage fee payment method from the payment method registration screen 51, selecting at least one payment option 51a and an automatic credit card withdrawal option 51b. The flow of payment method registration in the management server system 1 will be explained below, mainly referring to Figure 5.

[0032] First, user C, who has registered to use the registered user-only portal site, uses the user-side terminal CM to request access to the payment method registration content by selecting or entering a URL link shown in the guidance email from the management server system 1, scanning a QR code on an invoice, etc., or selecting a menu item on the registered user-only portal site, thereby starting the payment method registration process.

[0033] In the management server system 1, when the registration of a payment method is started, the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 first presents the payment method registration screen 51 to the customer terminal CM (S1), and accepts the customer C's selection input of either "pay-per-use" or "automatic withdrawal by credit card" (S2).

[0034] In the management server system 1, when the selection input reception (S2) accepts the selection of "pay per use", the payment method registration means 22 registers the payment method for usage fees as "pay per use" (S3), and the payment method registration screen presentation means 23 instructs the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 to present the next payment method registration screen 51 to the customer-side terminal CM, which is set to a pattern that does not display whether or not a credit card is registered, as shown in Figure 4(a) (S4), and the registration of the payment method is completed.

[0035] Furthermore, when the management server system 1 receives the selection of "automatic withdrawal by credit card" in the selection input reception (S2), the payment method registration means 22 connects the customer-side terminal CM to the payment service provider-side system 4 (S5), waits for a predetermined time (at least the time required for the payment service provider-side system 4 to accept credit card information input) (S6), and then inquires about the registration status of the credit card for payment to the payment service provider-side system 4 (S7). Then, the payment method registration means 22 confirms the inquiry result from the payment service provider-side system 4 in response to the inquiry about the registration status of the credit card (S7) (S8).

[0036] In the confirmation of the inquiry result (S8), if the inquiry result is "Credit card already registered", the payment method registration means 22 registers the payment method for usage fees as "Automatic withdrawal by credit card" (S9), and the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 is instructed by the registered payment method presentation instruction means 23 to present the next payment method registration screen 51 to the customer-side terminal CM, which is set to a pattern showing an indication 51d that a credit card for payment is registered, as shown in Figure 4(b) (S10), and the registration of the payment method is completed.

[0037] On the other hand, if the inquiry result (S8) indicates "credit card not registered," the customer C selects "automatic withdrawal by credit card," but the payment method registration means 22 registers the payment method for usage fees as "pay-per-use" (S11). The payment method registration screen presentation means 23 instructs the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 to present the next payment method registration screen 51 to the customer terminal CM, which displays a message 51e indicating that no credit card for payment is registered, as shown in Figure 4(c) (S12), and the registration of the payment method is terminated.

[0038] (Effects / Actions) As explained above, the management server system 1 is a management server system that manages gas usage by connecting via communication lines to the infrastructure operator system 3 of gas company B, the customer terminal CM of customer C who has entered into a gas activation contract, and the payment processing company system 4 of payment processing company P which provides credit card payment processing services for gas usage fees. Furthermore, the management server system 1 includes a payment method registration screen presentation means 21 that presents a payment method registration screen 51 to the customer terminal CM, which allows customer C to select a payment method for gas usage fees from multiple options, including at least one-time payment option 51a and an automatic credit card withdrawal option 51b, and a payment method registration means 22 that registers the payment method based on the selected input data entered on the payment method registration screen 51. In addition, the management server system 1 has an inquiry function 22a that inquires about the credit card registration status from the payment processing company system 4, and when the one-time payment option 51a is selected, the payment method is registered as one-time payment. On the other hand, when the option 51b for automatic debit by credit card is selected, the payment method registration means 22 connects the customer-side terminal CM to the payment service provider system 4, which provides a screen 52 for inputting credit card information for payment. After a period of time has elapsed in which the payment service provider system 4 can accept input of credit card information, the inquiry function 22a inquires with the payment service provider system 4 about the credit card registration status related to the activation contract. If the inquiry result indicates that credit card information for payment is registered, the payment method is registered as automatic debit by credit card. If the inquiry result indicates that credit card information for payment is not registered, the payment method is registered as pay-per-use. In other words, in the management server system 1, when registering the payment method for gas usage charges, automatic debit by credit card will not be registered unless confirmation is made with the payment service provider P. Therefore, the management server system 1 can reduce the occurrence of situations where automatic debits fail when they are supposed to be made.

[0039] Therefore, the management server system 1 is a management server system that allows users to select automatic payment by credit card for gas usage charges, and can reduce the occurrence of situations where automatic payments fail.

[0040] Furthermore, the management server system 1 is equipped with a registered payment method presentation instruction means 23 that instructs the system to present the registration status of the payment method to at least the customer-side terminal CM. The registered payment method presentation instruction means 23 instructs the system to present the payment method registration screen 51 with the payment option 51a selected and without indicating whether a credit card is registered if the payment method has not been inquired about and is registered as a one-time payment; instructs the system to present that a credit card for payment is registered if the payment method is registered as an automatic withdrawal by credit card; and instructs the system to present that a credit card for payment is not registered if the system has been inquired about and is registered as a one-time payment. More specifically, the registered payment method presentation instruction means 23 instructs the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 to present the payment method registration screen 51 with the payment option 51a selected and without displaying whether a credit card is registered if the payment method is registered as payment on a per-use basis without inquiry; to present the payment method registration screen 51 with the payment option 51b selected and with a display 51d indicating that a credit card for payment is registered if the payment method is registered as automatic debit by credit card; and to present the payment method registration screen 51 with the payment option 51a selected and with a display 51e indicating that a credit card for payment is not registered if the payment method is registered as payment on a per-use basis after inquiry. As a result, the management server system 1 can show the user C whether automatic debit by credit card is correctly registered or not, so that the user C can recognize the payment method for the usage fee that is actually registered and, in some cases, notice a registration error and be prompted to re-register, thereby reducing the occurrence of situations where automatic debits are not debited.

[0041] Furthermore, the management server system 1 has a function to send email notifications of payment requests and is equipped with a payment processing means 24 that executes settlement processing based on the payment method registered by the payment method registration means 22. When the payment method is registered as a one-time payment, the payment processing means 24 sends an email notification of a payment request to the customer-side terminal CM, and guides the customer-side terminal CM to the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 to present the payment method registration screen 51, and then executes settlement processing according to the customer C's selection. However, when the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, the payment processing is executed without sending an email notification of a payment request to the customer-side terminal CM, and after the settlement processing is completed, the customer-side terminal CM is notified that the settlement processing has been completed. Therefore, the management server system 1 makes it less likely to inconvenience customer C who has registered for automatic withdrawal by credit card, and improves the convenience of customer C.

[0042] [Other forms] Although the present invention has been described above based on the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention, and for example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0043] (1) The database configuration, electrical connection method, display items and display content on the customer terminal described in the above embodiment are examples and can be modified to the extent that they do not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0044] (2) In the embodiments described above, the gas company B (infrastructure company B) and the management company M were described as separate entities, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The gas provider and the management company for centralized management of gas usage may be the same entity. In that case, the management server system and the provider system may be integrated.

[0045] (3) In the embodiments described above, a gas company was used as an example of infrastructure operator B, and the management server system was described as a system for managing gas usage. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A management server system that allows automatic debit by credit card as a payment method for the use of energy infrastructure and reduces the occurrence of situations where automatic debits fail is also suitable for managing energy infrastructure other than gas, such as water provided by water utilities. In other words, a management server system to which the present invention is applied is also suitable for managing other energy infrastructure such as water in addition to gas.

[0046] (4) In the embodiments described above, the management server system 1 was described as being used for management of the use of the same type of energy infrastructure, such as for gas management, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the management server system may be used to comprehensively manage different types of energy infrastructure, such as gas and water, provided by the same operator.

[0047] (5) In the embodiments described above, there were two types of payment methods for usage fees that could be selected from the payment method registration screen 51: "pay-per-use" and "automatic withdrawal by credit card." However, the present invention is not limited to these. For example, for "pay-per-use," multiple options may be presented from the beginning, such as "payment at a convenience store or bank," "payment by credit card," and "payment by electronic money." For "automatic withdrawal," "automatic withdrawal from a bank account" may be presented in cooperation with a bank.

[0048] (6) In the embodiments described above, the registered payment method presentation instruction means 23 was described as instructing the payment method registration screen presentation means 21 to present the registration status of the payment method to at least the customer-side terminal CM, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The registered payment method presentation instruction means only needs to instruct the customer to present what the registered payment method is, and may instruct the presentation to be made on a separate screen, or to present it in a way other than on a screen, such as by voice.

[0049] (7) In the embodiments described above, the payment method registration means 22 was described as making an inquiry after a period of time has elapsed (60 minutes in the embodiment) in which the payment service provider's system 4 can accept input of credit card information, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The inquiry by the payment method registration means only needs to be an inquiry that can confirm whether the credit card has been registered correctly, for example, it may be made when a notification of registration completion is received from the payment service provider's terminal and the inquiry is made based on that notification. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 1...Management server system, 2...Gas supply system (infrastructure supply system), 2a...Gas meter (meter reading meter), 3...Gas business operator system (infrastructure business operator system), 4...Payment processing business operator system, 10...Database, 11...Business operator management database, 12...User management database, 13...Activation contract management database, 20...Processing unit, 21...Payment method registration screen display means, 22...Payment method registration means, 22a...Inquiry function, 23...Registered payment method display instruction Step 24...Payment processing method, 51...Payment method registration screen, 51a...Selection item (for one-time payment), 51b...Selection item (for automatic withdrawal by credit card), 51c...Register button, 51d...Display (indicating that a credit card for payment is registered), 51e...Display (indicating that a credit card for payment is not registered), 52...Input screen, 52a...Add button, B...Gas company (infrastructure operator), C...Customer, CM...Customer-side terminal, M...Management company, P...Payment processing company

Claims

1. A management server system that manages the use of the optical infrastructure, connected via a communication line to the infrastructure operator's system of an infrastructure operator providing optical infrastructure, the customer's terminal of a customer who has entered into an activation contract for the optical infrastructure provided by the said infrastructure operator, and the payment processing operator's system of a payment processing operator providing credit card payment processing services for the use of optical infrastructure. A payment method registration screen presentation means that presents a payment method registration screen to the customer's terminal, which allows the customer to select and input a payment method from multiple options, including at least one option for payment each time and one option for automatic withdrawal by credit card. A payment method registration means that receives the selected input data entered on the payment method registration screen from the customer-side terminal and registers the payment method for the usage fees of the utility infrastructure in the activation contract based on the selected input data, Equipped with, The aforementioned payment method registration means is The system has an inquiry function to check the credit card registration status with the payment processing company's system, Upon receiving the selection input data indicating that the aforementioned payment option has been selected, the payment method is registered as payment per transaction. Upon receiving the selection input data indicating that the option for automatic debit by credit card has been selected, the customer terminal is connected to the payment service provider's system. After a period of time has elapsed during which the payment service provider's system is able to accept credit card information input, the inquiry function is used to inquire with the payment service provider's system about the status of the credit card registration for payment in the activation contract. If the inquiry result indicates that the credit card information for payment is registered, the payment method is registered as automatic debit by credit card. If the inquiry result indicates that the credit card information for payment is not registered, the payment method is registered as pay-per-use. A management server system characterized by the following features.

2. In the management server system described in claim 1, The system includes a registered payment method presentation instruction means that instructs the customer-side terminal to present the registered status of the payment method, The aforementioned registered payment method presentation instruction means, if the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, instructs the system to present that a credit card for payment is registered, and if, after verification, the payment method is registered as payment on a per-use basis, instructs the system to present that a credit card for payment is not registered. Management server system.

3. In the management server system according to claim 2, The aforementioned means for indicating the registered payment method will provide the means for indicating the payment method registration screen. If the payment method is registered as pay-per-use without prior inquiry, instruct the system to display the payment method registration screen without indicating whether a credit card is registered, with the pay-per-use option selected. If the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, instruct the user to present the payment method registration screen with the option for automatic withdrawal by credit card selected and a message indicating that the credit card for payment is registered. If, after verification, the payment method is registered as pay-per-use, the user is instructed to present the payment method registration screen with the pay-per-use option selected and a message indicating that no credit card for payment is registered. Management server system.

4. In the management server system described in claim 1, The payment method registration means has a function to send email notifications of payment requests and also has a payment processing means that performs settlement processing based on the payment method registered by the payment method registration means. The payment processing means, if the payment method is registered as pay-per-use, sends an email notification of payment request to the customer terminal, and guides the payment method registration screen presentation means to display the payment method registration screen to the customer terminal based on the customer's selection, and then executes the payment processing according to the customer's selection; if the payment method is registered as automatic withdrawal by credit card, it executes the payment processing without sending an email notification of payment request to the customer terminal, and after the payment processing is completed, it notifies the customer terminal that the payment processing has been completed. Management server system.

5. In the management server system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The energy infrastructure under management is at least either gas or water. Management server system.

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