Method, server, and computer-readable storage medium for managing a loyalty program

Abstract

To provide a method for managing a loyalty program.SOLUTION: A method is executed by a server and a mobile device. The server includes a plurality of accumulated number of loyalty points relating to a plurality of participating shops. The method includes: selecting a plurality of candidate participating shops from the participating shops, on the basis of the number of desired participating shops and a geographical location of a mobile device received by the server; obtaining the plurality of accumulated numbers of the candidate points relating to the candidate participating shops from the accumulated number of the loyalty points; calculating a plurality of adjusted reward thresholds relating to the candidate participating shops; transmitting the candidate participating shops, the accumulated number of the candidate points and the adjusted reward thresholds to a mobile device and displaying them on the mobile device; transmitting a reward token relating to one of exchange shops in response to reception of the plurality of exchange shops selected from the candidate participating shops by a user, to the mobile device; and updating the accumulated number of the loyalty points relating to the exchange shops.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, a server, and a computer readable storage medium for managing a loyalty program. [Background technology]

[0002] In the field of retail promotion, it is common to use loyalty programs as a marketing strategy. In loyalty programs, for example, a store offers a certain promotional campaign based on the unit price of the product sold. In some instances, a store offers a promotion with a reward such as "buy X items, get 1 free," where X is a pre-set number, e.g., 3, 5, 10, etc. However, in many cases, X is too high a hurdle to clear, and customers lack the incentive to purchase X items to earn the reward.

[0003] Furthermore, when the product is food, most customers are reluctant to frequent the same store (e.g., restaurant, food stand) frequently to obtain the reward, and many customers tend to purchase food from stores within a certain distance of their residence or workplace.

[0004] Therefore, offering a loyalty program in which multiple merchants can participate can be beneficial for merchants in the same area or within a certain distance of each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Taiwan Utility Model Patent No. M604929 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method, a server, and a computer-readable storage medium for managing a loyalty program, which can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A method of managing a loyalty program according to the present invention is performed by a system including a server and a mobile device. The mobile device is associated with a user and in communication with the server. The server stores an account for the user, the account including a plurality of accumulated loyalty point counts respectively associated with a plurality of participating merchants. The method includes the steps of: a) in response to detecting that a joint loyalty program feature is enabled, the mobile device displays a configuration screen for setting up the joint loyalty program, the configuration screen including a plurality of number selection tabs, each of the number selection tabs indicating a desired number of participating merchants for the user to redeem accumulated loyalty points in the joint loyalty program; b) in response to one of the number selection tabs being selected, the mobile device obtains a geographic location of the mobile device and transmits to the server the number of desired participating merchants indicated by the selected one of the number selection tabs and the geographic location of the mobile device; and c) the server selects a plurality of candidate participating merchants to participate in the joint loyalty program from the plurality of participating merchants based on the received number of desired participating merchants and the geographic location of the mobile device, and transmits the plurality of candidate participating merchants to the server. The method includes the steps of: obtaining a plurality of candidate cumulative point numbers respectively associated with a plurality of candidate participating stores from the plurality of accumulated loyalty point numbers; calculating a plurality of adjusted reward thresholds respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating stores; and transmitting the plurality of candidate participating stores, the plurality of candidate cumulative point numbers, and the plurality of adjusted reward thresholds to a mobile device; d) the received plurality of candidate participating stores, the plurality of candidate cumulative point numbers, and the plurality of adjusted reward thresholds are displayed on a configuration screen of the mobile device, and in response to a plurality of redemption stores being selected by a user from the plurality of candidate participating stores, the mobile device transmitting the plurality of redemption stores to a server; and e) the server transmitting a first reward token associated with one of the received plurality of redemption stores to the mobile device, and updating the accumulated loyalty point numbers associated with the plurality of redemption stores in the account.

[0008] The server according to the present invention includes a processing unit, a storage unit connecting to the processing unit, and a communication unit for communicating with a mobile device associated with a user.

[0009] The storage unit stores an account for the user, the account including a plurality of accumulated loyalty point values ​​respectively associated with a plurality of participating merchants.

[0010] The processing unit is configured to, in response to receiving the number of desired participating merchants and a geographic location of the mobile device from the mobile device, select a plurality of candidate participating merchants from the plurality of participating merchants to participate in the joint loyalty program based on the number and geographic location of the desired participating merchants, obtain a plurality of candidate cumulative point numbers respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants from the plurality of accumulated loyalty point numbers, calculate a plurality of adjusted reward thresholds respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants, transmit the plurality of candidate participating merchants, the plurality of candidate cumulative point numbers and the plurality of adjusted reward thresholds to the mobile device, and, in response to receiving from the mobile device a plurality of redemption stores selected by the user from the plurality of candidate participating merchants, transmit a first reward token associated with one of the plurality of redemption stores to the mobile device and update the accumulated loyalty point numbers associated with the plurality of redemption stores in the account.

[0011] A computer readable storage medium according to the present invention stores instructions which, when executed by a processing unit of a server in communication with a mobile device, cause the processing unit to perform a method according to the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, the server selects potential participating merchants based on the geographic location of the mobile device and the number of desired participating merchants participating in the joint loyalty program, and transmits the potential participating merchants to the mobile device for display. The user can then select a redemption store from the potential participating merchants and use loyalty points earned at different redemption stores to redeem rewards associated with one of the redemption stores. This reduces the amount of spending required at each store to obtain rewards, making it easier for users to obtain rewards, which leads to business revitalization. Also, potential participating merchants that are not selected as redemption stores can be made visible to potential customers in the joint loyalty program.

[0013] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 3 is a flow chart illustrating steps of a method for managing a loyalty program according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram of a system for performing a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is an example of a configuration screen shown on a mobile device during execution of the method. [Figure 4] 1 is an example of a configuration screen shown on a mobile device during execution of the method. [Diagram 5] 1 is an example of a configuration screen shown on a mobile device during execution of the method. [Figure 6] 1 is an example of a configuration screen shown on a mobile device during execution of the method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Before describing the present invention in more detail, it should be noted that, where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or similar elements which may have similar characteristics.

[0016] As used herein, the terms "couple" or "connect" refer to a direct connection between two or more electrical devices / apparatus / facilities by a conductive material (e.g., wires) or an indirect connection between two electrical devices / apparatus / facilities by one or more other devices / apparatus / facilities or wireless communication.

[0017] 1 is a flow chart illustrating steps of a method for managing a loyalty program according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the method is performed by a system including a server and a mobile device in communication with the server.

[0018] 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a system for performing a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The server 1 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a processing unit 13.

[0019] The processing unit 13 may include, but is not limited to, a single core processor, a multi-core processor, a dual core mobile processor, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and the like.

[0020] The storage unit 12 is connected to the processing unit 13 and may be, but is not limited to, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 12 stores a software application that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing unit 13, cause the processing unit 13 to perform the following operations: In this embodiment, the software application may be a management software application.

[0021] The communication unit 11 is connected to the processing unit 13 and may include, but is not limited to, a network card, a network adapter, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), a short-range wireless communication module corresponding to a short-range wireless communication network using wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, a mobile communication module corresponding to telecommunication using Long Term Evolution (LTE), third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), or fifth generation (5G) wireless mobile communication technologies, etc. The server 1 is configured to communicate with one or more external electronic devices via a network (e.g., the Internet 100 in the embodiment of FIG. 2) using the communication unit 11.

[0022] The server 1 can communicate with one or more electronic devices (e.g., the mobile device 2 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 or other electronic devices in other embodiments). In this embodiment, the mobile device 2 is associated with a user and includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, a processing unit 23, a display unit 24, and a positioning unit 25. The processing unit 23 may be a component similar to the processing unit 13. The communication unit 21 may be a component similar to the communication unit 11 so as to be able to communicate with the server 1 via the Internet 100. The storage unit 22 may be a component similar to the storage unit 12 and stores a software application including instructions that, when executed by the processing unit 23, cause the processing unit 23 to perform the following operations: The display unit 24 may be a touch screen and serves as an interface through which a user of the mobile device 2 can interact with the mobile device 2. The positioning unit 25 may be a global positioning system (GPS) component built into the mobile device 2 and capable of detecting the geographical location of the mobile device 2. It is noted that although only one mobile device 2 is shown in FIG. 2, in practice the server 1 can communicate with multiple different mobile devices 2 simultaneously.

[0023] In use, a user installs a software application on the mobile device 2. The software application is, for example, a client-end application released by a party (e.g., a loyalty management company) associated with the server 1. In an embodiment of the present invention, a user can operate the mobile device 2 to communicate with the server 1 and register an account to participate in a loyalty program provided by the loyalty management company. A plurality of merchants (each of which may be a brick-and-mortar store, a food truck, a cloud kitchen, etc.) can participate in the loyalty program. Thus, a user who has registered an account and participated in the loyalty program can obtain loyalty points based on the amount of spending each time spending at a merchant (hereinafter referred to as a "participating merchant") that has participated in the loyalty program. When a certain number of loyalty points are accumulated, they can be redeemed for products or discount coupons at the participating merchant. The registered account is stored in the storage unit 12 of the server 1, and the account includes a plurality of accumulated loyalty point numbers indicating the number of loyalty points accumulated by the user at a plurality of participating merchants. The server 1 can store accounts associated with different users.

[0024] In addition, the storage unit 12 of the server 1 may further store information related to each registered account (e.g., account name / password, user personal information, usage history, etc.) and information related to each participating merchant (e.g., merchant name, geographic location, logo / image, point acquisition rules, point exchange rules, etc.). The communication unit 11 of the server 1 may further communicate with a plurality of point-of-sale (POS) terminals associated with the participating merchants, thereby obtaining information related to the loyalty points awarded each time the user consumes (e.g., the user's account, the merchant used, the amount spent, the number of loyalty points awarded). Note that operations related to the acquisition of loyalty points are well known in the relevant art, and the details thereof are omitted for brevity.

[0025] In this embodiment, the method includes the following steps S1 to S11. Referring back to FIG. 1, in step S1, the processing unit 23 of the mobile device 2 running the client-end application detects whether the collaborative loyalty program function is enabled. Specifically, for example, after running the client-end application, the processing unit 23 controls the display unit 24 to display a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI includes a number of interactive icons that enable interaction between the user and the client-end application, and one of the interactive icons includes, for example, a text "Try our collaborative loyalty program". When the one of the interactive icons is clicked by the user, the collaborative loyalty program function is enabled.

[0026] When it is detected that the joint loyalty program function is enabled, in step S2, the processing unit 23 controls the display unit 24 to display a configuration screen for setting up the joint loyalty program, the configuration screen including a number of number selection tabs 31. Each of the number selection tabs 31 indicates a desired number of participating merchants for the user to redeem the loyalty points accumulated in the loyalty program. FIG. 3 shows an exemplary configuration screen. The exemplary configuration screen includes four number selection tabs 31, each indicating a desired number of participating merchants, which are 2, 3, 4, and 5. Note that the number of number selection tabs 31 in the configuration screen and the number of desired participating merchants indicated by the number selection tabs 31 may be different and are not limited to the example of FIG. 3. Then, the user is instructed to select one of the number selection tabs 31.

[0027] In step S3, in response to one of the number selection tabs 31 being selected by the user, the processing unit 23 of the mobile device 2 obtains the geographic location of the mobile device 2 from the positioning unit 25 and controls the communication unit 21 to transmit the number of desired participating merchants (hereinafter "selected number of desired participating merchants") indicated by the selected one of the number selection tabs 31 (hereinafter referred to as the "selected number selection tab") (or the selected number selection tab) and the geographic location of the mobile device 2 to the communication unit 11 of the server 1. In some embodiments, the processing unit 23 of the mobile device 2 may further control the communication unit 21 to transmit certain user information (e.g., name, phone number, registered accounts, etc.) to the server 1.

[0028] In step S4, using the received number of selected desired participating merchants and the geographical location of the mobile device 2, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 selects a plurality of candidate participating merchants from the plurality of participating merchants to participate in the joint loyalty program, obtains a plurality of candidate accumulated point numbers respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants from a plurality of accumulated loyalty point numbers of the user's account in the memory unit 12, and calculates a plurality of adjusted reward thresholds respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants.

[0029] Specifically, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 selects participating merchants as candidate participating merchants that are within a predetermined range from the geographic location of the mobile device 2. The predetermined range is negatively correlated with the number of selected desired participating merchants.

[0030] For example, in the example of FIG. 3 where the number of selected desired participating stores is 2, the predetermined range is 2 kilometers, and there are 9 participating stores within 2 kilometers of mobile device 2 that are selected as candidate participating stores (e.g., sushi restaurant A, coffee shop B, rice bowl shop C, milk tea shop D, hamburger restaurant E, fried chicken shop F, ramen shop G, drink shop H, and pasta restaurant I).

[0031] Figure 4 shows another configuration screen. In the example of Figure 4, the number of selected desired participating stores is 3, the predetermined range is 1 kilometer, the drink shop H, which is more than 1 kilometer but less than 2 kilometers away from the geographical location of the mobile device 2, is not selected as a candidate participating store, and the sushi shop A, the coffee shop B, the rice bowl shop C, the milk tea shop D, the hamburger restaurant E, the fried chicken shop F, the ramen shop G, and the pasta restaurant I are determined to be within 1 kilometer from the mobile device 2 and are selected as candidate selected stores.

[0032] Figure 5 shows another configuration screen. In the example of Figure 5, the number of selected desired participating stores is 4, the predetermined range is 500 meters, and sushi shop A, coffee shop B, rice bowl shop C, milk tea shop D, hamburger restaurant E, fried chicken shop F, ramen shop G, and pasta restaurant I are determined to be within 500 meters from mobile device 2 and become candidate participating stores, and at this point, mobile food truck J has just moved within 500 meters of mobile device 2, so mobile food truck J is also selected as a candidate participating store.

[0033] Figure 6 shows another configuration screen. In the example of Figure 6, the number of selected desired participating stores is 5, the predetermined range is 300 meters, Ramen shop G is not selected as a candidate participating store because it is within 300 to 500 meters from the geographic location of mobile device 2, and mobile food truck J just moves within 300 meters of mobile device 2, and sushi shop A, coffee shop B, rice bowl shop C, milk tea shop D, hamburger restaurant E, fried chicken shop F, and pasta restaurant I are also within 300 meters of mobile device 2, so the number of candidate participating stores is 8.

[0034] In this way, generally, the greater the number of desired participating stores selected, the narrower the predetermined range, and the fewer the number of desired participating stores selected, the wider the predetermined range. The number of desired participating stores and the corresponding predetermined distance are not limited to the examples of Figures 3 to 6. The predetermined range may also be set according to the geographic location of the mobile device 2. For example, when the user is in a place where participating stores are densely packed, such as a food court, a night market, or a commercial area, the distance between the participating stores is relatively short, and setting the predetermined range corresponding to the number of desired participating stores narrower can encourage the user to concentrate consumption in that place. On the other hand, when the user is in a place where participating stores are scattered, the predetermined range may be set wider.

[0035] In some embodiments, for example, if a participating store is a store that provides delivery services within a certain range (e.g., 10 kilometers), in step S4, if the geographic location of the mobile device 2 is within the certain range of the participating store (if the participating store can deliver products to the user), the participating store is also selected as a candidate participating store.

[0036] Each participating merchant has its own points earning rules (units of merchandise or amount spent to earn loyalty points) and points redemption rules (number of loyalty points that can be redeemed for rewards, i.e., reward threshold). The calculation of the adjusted reward threshold is described below.

[0037] In step S5, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 controls the communication unit 11 to send the multiple potential participating merchants, the multiple potential accumulated point numbers, and the multiple adjusted reward thresholds to the mobile device 2 via the communication unit 21.

[0038] In step S6, the processing unit 23 of the mobile device 2 controls the display unit 24 to display a plurality of possible participating merchants, a plurality of possible accumulated points, and a plurality of adjusted reward thresholds on a configuration screen.

[0039] The candidate participating stores are displayed with letters. For example, in the example of Figure 3, the candidate participating stores Sushi shop A, Coffee shop B, Rice bowl shop C, Milk tea shop D, Hamburger restaurant E, Fried chicken shop F, Ramen shop G, Drink shop H, and Pasta restaurant I are each displayed as AI on the configuration screen.

[0040] In the configuration screen, the number of product-related images displayed corresponding to each candidate participating store indicates the adjusted reward threshold associated with the candidate participating store. For example, for Sushi Shop A, the original reward threshold is 10, meaning that if you have 10 loyalty points for Sushi Shop A, you can redeem rewards for Sushi Shop A. In the example of FIG. 3, since the number of desired visiting stores selected is 2, the associated adjusted reward threshold for Sushi Shop A is 5 (the original reward threshold of 10 divided by the number of selected participating stores, 2), and five sushi-shaped images are displayed as product-related images for Sushi Shop A in the configuration screen.

[0041] In addition, the number of circles displayed in the configuration screen corresponding to each candidate participating store indicates the number of candidate accumulated points, which is the number of loyalty points already acquired and accumulated at the candidate participating store. The circles are generally displayed to surround the product-related images, but when the number of candidate accumulated points is greater than the adjusted reward threshold (i.e., when the number of candidate accumulated points is already in a state where it can be exchanged for some reward), the number of circles will be greater than the number of product-related images, so that the circles may be displayed only as circles (without surrounding the product-related images). For example, in the configuration screen of FIG. 3, for coffee shop B, the adjusted reward threshold is 5 and the number of candidate accumulated points is 2 (there are two circles surrounding the product-related images), and for hamburger restaurant E, the adjusted reward threshold is 8 and the number of accumulated points is 4 (there are four circles surrounding the product-related images). In the configuration screen of FIG. 4, for milk tea shop D, the adjusted reward threshold is 7 and the number of candidate accumulated points is 10 (there are seven circles surrounding the product-related images and three circles not surrounding the product-related images).

[0042] Furthermore, a square displayed in the configuration screen corresponding to each candidate participating store indicates that the candidate accumulated points have reached the adjusted reward threshold, and the number of squares is the same as the number of corresponding product-related images (adjusted reward threshold). For example, in the configuration screen of FIG. 3, for fried chicken store F, the adjusted reward threshold is 5, the candidate accumulated points are also 5, and since the adjusted reward threshold has been reached, the squares are displayed surrounding each of the circled product-related images. This allows the user to easily know the loyalty point collection status of each candidate participating store.

[0043] In some embodiments, the adjusted reward threshold for each potential participating merchant is calculated by dividing the original reward threshold for that potential participating merchant by the number of selected desired participating merchants. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, each adjusted reward threshold was calculated by dividing the corresponding original reward threshold by 2, which is the number of selected desired participating merchants. Similarly, in the example of FIG. 4, each adjusted reward threshold was calculated by dividing the corresponding original reward threshold by 3, which is the number of selected desired participating merchants, in the example of FIG. 5, each adjusted reward threshold was calculated by dividing the corresponding original reward threshold by 4, which is the number of selected desired participating merchants, and in the example of FIG. 6, each adjusted reward threshold was calculated by dividing the corresponding original reward threshold by 5, which is the number of selected desired participating merchants. Note that if the division result is not an integer, the division result is rounded up to the next higher integer to obtain the adjusted reward threshold. Specifically, for Sushi Restaurant A, whose original reward threshold is 10, in the example of Figure 3, 10 is divided by 2, so the adjusted reward threshold is 5; in the example of Figure 4, 10 is divided by 3 and rounded up, so the adjusted reward threshold is 4; in the example of Figure 5, 10 is divided by 4 and rounded up, so the adjusted reward threshold is 3; and in the example of Figure 6, 10 is divided by 5, so the adjusted reward threshold is 2.

[0044] Without a joint loyalty program, a user must earn 10 loyalty points (i.e., reward threshold, e.g., by purchasing 10 plates of sushi) at Sushi Shop A to redeem a reward (e.g., one plate of sushi) at Sushi Shop A, and must earn 20 loyalty points (i.e., reward threshold, e.g., by purchasing 20 cups of milk tea) at Milk Tea Shop D to redeem a reward (e.g., one cup of milk tea) at Milk Tea Shop D. With a joint loyalty program, the reward thresholds at each shop are lowered, and users may earn rewards without spending much at a particular shop. Since it is easier for users to earn rewards, their willingness to spend increases, leading to business revitalization.

[0045] After the multiple candidate participating merchants, multiple candidate accumulated point numbers, and multiple adjusted reward thresholds are displayed on the configuration screen, the user selects multiple redemption merchants from the multiple candidate participating merchants to redeem the loyalty points for rewards. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, the user selects any candidate participating merchant as a redemption merchant. For example, the user may select sushi restaurant A and milk tea restaurant D as redemption merchants that have reached their respective adjusted reward thresholds, or may select fried chicken restaurant F and drink restaurant H as redemption merchants.

[0046] In step S7, in response to the multiple redemption merchants being selected by the user, the processing unit 23 of the mobile device 2 controls the communication unit 21 to send the multiple redemption merchants to the communication unit 11 of the server 1.

[0047] In step S8, in response to the server 1 receiving the multiple redemption stores, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 determines whether the redemption stores are valid. Specifically, the processing unit 13 determines whether the number of redemption stores is the same as the number of selected desired participating stores, and further determines, for each of the redemption stores, whether the associated candidate accumulated point number (or the associated accumulated loyalty point number) has reached the associated adjusted reward threshold. If the determination is positive, the flow proceeds to step S10. If not, the flow proceeds to step S9.

[0048] If the redemption store is not valid, in step S9, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 generates an alert to prompt the user to reselect the redemption store, and controls the communication unit 11 to send it to the mobile device 2 for display, and the flow then returns to step S6.

[0049] Also, once the redemption store is selected, the processing unit 23 of the mobile device 2 can determine whether the redemption store is valid and output an alert to the user, so that the processing unit 23 may determine that the redemption store is valid before sending the redemption store to the server 1. Therefore, in some embodiments, steps S8 and S9 may be omitted.

[0050] If the redemption store is valid, in step S10, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 sends a first reward token associated with one of the received multiple redemption stores to the mobile device 2. For example, if the redemption stores are sushi restaurant A and milk tea store D, the first reward token can be redeemed for one plate of sushi associated with sushi restaurant A, or for one cup of milk tea associated with milk tea store D. Also, in some embodiments, the one of the redemption stores to which the first reward token is associated may be specified by the user who applied for the reward.

[0051] In some embodiments, the one of the redemption stores to which the first reward token is associated may be selected in sequence or randomly from among multiple redemption stores. For example, if there are multiple users who have selected Sushi Restaurant A and Milk Tea Shop D as their redemption stores, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 will send one of the first reward tokens associated with Sushi Restaurant A and the first reward tokens associated with Milk Tea Shop D to the associated mobile device 2 in sequence or randomly.

[0052] In step S11, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 updates the accumulated loyalty points associated with the multiple redemption merchants in the account associated with the user. Specifically, for each of the redemption merchants, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 updates the accumulated loyalty points by subtracting the associated adjusted reward threshold from the associated accumulated loyalty points. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, in which the redemption merchants are Sushi restaurant A and Milk tea shop D, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 subtracts the adjusted reward threshold 5 from the loyalty points 5 associated with Sushi restaurant A of the user, and subtracts the adjusted reward threshold 10 from the loyalty points 10 associated with Milk tea shop D of the user. Also, steps S10 and S11 may be performed simultaneously or in any order.

[0053] This completes the method and the user redeems a reward at an associated redemption merchant using the first reward token.

[0054] In some embodiments, in order to promote a luxury store that does not participate in the joint loyalty program and has a relatively high per-use amount, if the geographic location of the mobile device 2 is within a certain range (e.g., 6 kilometers) from the luxury store, the configuration screen may further display the accumulated loyalty points and reward threshold associated with the luxury store (e.g., Steakhouse K shown in FIGS. 3 to 6). Since the luxury store does not participate in the joint loyalty program, it cannot be selected as a redemption store. In some embodiments, when the determination is positive in step S8, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 may further provide the mobile device 2, via the communication unit 11, with an online lottery that provides a chance to win a second reward token associated with the luxury store. For example, since the original reward threshold of Steakhouse K is 20, the online lottery associated with Steakhouse K is set to have a 1 in 20 chance of winning a reward. A user operates the mobile device 2 to participate in an online lottery, and the result of the online lottery is transmitted from the mobile device 2 to the server 1, and the server 1 transmits a second reward token to the mobile device 2 if the result of the online lottery is a winning result. In this way, the joint loyalty program can also promote sales at luxury stores. Note that the online lottery is carried out by conventional techniques, and the details are omitted for the sake of brevity.

[0055] In some embodiments, the server 1 may provide a giveaway event periodically (e.g., monthly) to promote sales of participating merchants. For example, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 determines funds for the giveaway event (e.g., from membership fees paid by participating merchants to a loyalty management company) and uses the funds to provide a number of third reward tokens associated with the participating merchants. Specifically, during the giveaway event, the processing unit 13 of the server 1 transmits the third reward token to some or all of the mobile devices 2 that have received the first reward token (i.e., the mobile devices 2 of users who have participated in the collaborative loyalty program and redeemed rewards). This motivates users to continue transacting with the participating merchants even after redeeming their loyalty points for rewards. The third reward token may, for example, be associated with a specific or any one of the participating merchants (not necessarily a potential participating merchant) and may be redeemed for merchandise or a reduction in the amount of use.

[0056] In addition to the above-mentioned joint loyalty program, the server 1 may also provide a regular loyalty program. For example, the user operates the mobile device 2 to select only one of the participating stores and transmit a point redemption request associated with the one of the participating stores to the server 1 to redeem the rewards of the one of the participating stores. In response to receiving the point redemption request, the server 1 transmits a fourth reward token associated with the one of the participating stores to the mobile device 2.

[0057] In addition to restaurants, participating shops may be hotels, theme parks, tourist attractions, taxis, hair salons, etc. In addition, since customers need to actually visit the area where the method is carried out, it leads to revitalization of the area.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a server is provided, including a communication unit, a storage unit, and a processing unit. The communication unit is capable of communicating with a mobile device (e.g., mobile device 2 of FIG. 2). The storage unit stores a software application including instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to perform the steps of the method of FIG. 1.

[0059] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processing unit of a server in communication with a mobile device, cause the processing unit to perform the steps of the method of FIG.

[0060] In summary, the present invention provides a method, a server, and a computer-readable storage medium for managing a loyalty program. According to the method, the server selects candidate participating merchants based on the geographic location of the mobile device and the number of participating merchants desired to participate in the joint loyalty program. Then, the user can select a redemption store from the candidate participating merchants and redeem the loyalty points earned at different redemption stores for rewards related to one of the redemption stores. This reduces the amount of spending required to obtain rewards at each store, making it easier for users to obtain rewards, which leads to business revitalization. In other words, the method results in a "share purchase" of rewards. Also, the candidate participating merchants that are not selected as redemption stores can be exposed to potential customers in the joint loyalty program.

[0061] In the above description, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that one or more other embodiments may be implemented without the specific details. In addition, in the description of "one embodiment" or "one embodiment" in this specification, it should be understood that all descriptions accompanied by ordinal numbers or other indications may be included in the specific implementation of the present invention having specific aspects, structures, and features. Furthermore, in this specification, multiple variations are sometimes incorporated into one embodiment, drawing, or description thereof, but this is for the purpose of streamlining the specification and for the purpose of understanding the multiple aspects of the present invention, and one or more features or specific examples in one embodiment may be implemented together with one or more features or specific examples in other embodiments, where appropriate, in the implementation of the present invention.

[0062] Although the embodiments and modified examples of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these, and is intended to encompass all modifications and equivalent configurations as various configurations falling within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Server 11 Communication unit 12 Storage Unit 13 Processing Unit 2. Mobile Devices 21 Communication unit 22 Storage Unit 23 Processing Unit 24 Display Unit 25 Positioning unit 100 Internet S1-S11 Step

Claims

1. 1. A method of managing a loyalty program, the method being performed by a system including a server and a mobile device, the mobile device being associated with a user and in communication with the server, the server storing an account for the user, the account including a plurality of accumulated loyalty points associated with a plurality of participating merchants, the method comprising: a) in response to detecting that a collaborative loyalty program feature is enabled, the mobile device displays a configuration screen for setting up a collaborative loyalty program, the configuration screen including a plurality of number selection tabs, each of the number selection tabs indicating a desired number of participating merchants for the user to redeem accumulated loyalty points in the collaborative loyalty program; b) in response to one of the number selection tabs being selected, the mobile device obtaining a geographic location of the mobile device and transmitting to the server the number of the desired participating merchants indicated by the selected one of the number selection tabs and the geographic location of the mobile device; c) the server selects a plurality of candidate participating merchants from the plurality of participating merchants to participate in the joint loyalty program based on the received number of the desired participating merchants and the geographic location of the mobile device, obtains a plurality of candidate accumulated point numbers respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants from the plurality of accumulated loyalty point numbers, calculates a plurality of adjusted reward thresholds respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants by dividing a plurality of original reward thresholds respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants by the number of the desired participating merchants, and transmits the plurality of candidate participating merchants, the plurality of candidate accumulated point numbers, and the plurality of adjusted reward thresholds to the mobile device; d) the received plurality of candidate participating merchants, the plurality of candidate accumulated points, and the plurality of adjusted reward thresholds are displayed on the configuration screen of the mobile device, and in response to a plurality of redemption merchants being selected by the user from the plurality of candidate participating merchants, the mobile device transmits the plurality of redemption merchants to the server; e) the server sending the received first reward token associated with one of the plurality of redemption merchants to the mobile device and updating the number of accumulated loyalty points associated with the plurality of redemption merchants in the account; method.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step a) includes the mobile device executing a software application that provides the collaborative loyalty program functionality to the user.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step c), the plurality of potential participating merchants are within a predetermined range from the mobile device, and the predetermined range is negatively correlated with the number of desired participating merchants.

4. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein step e) further comprises the server providing the mobile device with an online drawing offering a chance to win second reward tokens associated with luxury merchants that do not participate in the collective loyalty program.

5. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the server sending a second reward token associated with only one of the participating merchants to the mobile device in response to receiving a points redemption request associated with the one of the participating merchants.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step e), the first reward token is associated with one of the plurality of redemption merchants selected in a rotating or random manner.

7. the server is in communication with a plurality of the mobile devices and stores a plurality of the accounts associated with each of the mobile devices; 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the server periodically offering a giveaway event, the giveaway event transmitting a second reward token associated with the participating merchant to at least a portion of the mobile devices that have received the first reward token.

8. A server for managing a loyalty program, the server comprising: a processing unit; a storage unit connected to the processing unit; and a communication unit for communicating with a mobile device associated with a user; the storage unit stores an account for the user, the account including a plurality of accumulated loyalty points associated with a plurality of participating merchants respectively; The processing unit includes: in response to receiving from the mobile device a number of desired participating merchants and a geographic location of the mobile device, select a number of candidate participating merchants from the plurality of participating merchants to participate in the joint loyalty program based on the number of desired participating merchants and the geographic location, derive a number of candidate cumulative point numbers respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants from the plurality of cumulative loyalty point numbers, calculate a number of adjusted reward thresholds respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants by dividing a number of original reward thresholds respectively associated with the plurality of candidate participating merchants by the number of desired participating merchants, and transmit the plurality of candidate participating merchants, the plurality of candidate cumulative point numbers, and the plurality of adjusted reward thresholds to the mobile device; configured, in response to receiving from the mobile device a plurality of redemption stores selected by the user from the plurality of potential participating stores, to transmit to the mobile device a first reward token associated with one of the plurality of redemption stores and update the number of accumulated loyalty points associated with the plurality of redemption stores in the account; server.

9. The server of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of potential participating merchants are within a predetermined range from the mobile device, and the predetermined range is negatively correlated with the number of desired participating merchants.

10. 10. The server of claim 8, wherein the processing unit is further configured to provide the mobile device with an online drawing offering a chance to win second reward tokens associated with luxury merchants that do not participate in the collective loyalty program.

11. The server of claim 8, wherein the processing unit is further configured to send a second reward token associated with only one of the participating merchants to the mobile device in response to receiving a points redemption request associated with the one of the participating merchants.

12. The server of claim 8 , wherein the first reward token is associated with one of the plurality of redemption merchants, selected in a rotating or random manner.

13. The communication unit communicates with a plurality of the mobile devices, and the storage unit stores a plurality of the accounts associated with each of the mobile devices; 10. The server of claim 8, wherein the processing unit is further configured to periodically offer a giveaway event, the giveaway event transmitting a second reward token associated with the participating merchant to at least a portion of the mobile devices that have received the first reward token.

14. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processing unit of a server in communication with a mobile device, cause said processing unit to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 7.

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