PRIVACY GIVING DEVICE, PRIVACY GIVING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

Abstract

To provide a privilege granting device, privilege granting method and program which can easily grant points other than a store of a commodity product to a user who purchased the commodity product.SOLUTION: A privilege granting device 200 comprises: an acquisition unit 251 which acquires image data of a receipt received by a user who purchased a commodity product from a store and user identification information allocated to the user who purchased the commodity product; a reading unit 252 which reads purchase attribute data about the purchase of the commodity product from the image data of the receipt; a determination unit 253 which determines whether or not the receipt is a new receipt to which a privilege has not been granted on the basis of the read purchase attribute data; and a point update unit 254 which updates the point of the user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when it is determined that the receipt is the new receipt to which a privilege has not been granted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a privilege granting device, a privilege granting method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the full liberalization of the retail electricity market has progressed, and the competition to acquire customers among electricity retailers, including existing electric power companies, has intensified. In such a competitive environment, it is important for existing electricity retailers to maintain good relationships with existing customers in order to secure operating profits. According to behavioral economics, periodic point allocation to users is effective as a sales activity (retention) for maintaining good relationships with existing customers. For this reason, each electricity retailer encourages existing customers to register as web members, and periodically allocates points to registered web members. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which, when a customer purchases a home appliance at a home appliance retailer, the usage status of the home appliance is confirmed through a network, and the electricity retailer allocates points to the customer who uses the purchased home appliance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-041371 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the method of Patent Document 1, in order to check the usage status of home appliances, a management device must be installed in each residence, which acquires information on the usage status from the home appliances in each residence and transmits this information to a point-giving device via a network. However, installing a management device individually in each residence is practically difficult from the standpoint of installation costs and security. Such problems are not limited to cases where points from an electricity retailer are awarded to users who purchase home appliances, but also exist in cases where points from a store other than the retailer of the product are awarded to users who purchase products other than home appliances for the purpose of retention.

[0005] The present invention has been made against this background, and aims to provide a bonus awarding device, a bonus awarding method, and a program that can easily award points to a user who purchases a product from a store other than the store that sold the product. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a privilege granting device according to the present invention comprises: A reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchases a product by a business other than a retailer that sold the product, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires image data of a receipt that a user who has purchased the product receives from the retailer and user identification information that is assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A reading unit that reads purchase attribute data related to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt; A determination unit that determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the read purchase attribute data; If the receipt is determined to be a new receipt for which no benefit has been granted, The above To the user corresponding to the user identification information The above A privilege granting unit that grants a privilege; Equipped with 、 The determination unit reads a name corresponding to the acquired user identification information from a storage unit, and when a destination name included in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user identification information, determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which a benefit has not yet been granted based on the purchase attribute data. do. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a reward giving device, a reward giving method, and a program that can easily give points to a user who has purchased a product from a store other than the store selling the product. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a points-giving system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a point-giving device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an example of a data table in a user registration data storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of a data table in a purchase attribute data storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1C is a diagram showing an example of a data table in a list of target home appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 1D is a diagram showing an example of a data table in a point data storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 11(a) and 11(b) are flowcharts each showing a flow of a point-granting process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing how a receipt is photographed by a communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of a determination process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing a state in which a message notifying completion of point allocation is displayed by the communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a reward providing device, a reward providing method, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0010] In the embodiment, a case where points of an electric power retailer are given to a user who purchases a home appliance will be described as an example, but the points given to the user are not limited to points of the electric power retailer, and the users to whom points are given are not limited to users who purchase a home appliance. In addition, the benefit given to the user may be a benefit other than points, such as a ticket, a coupon, a discount voucher, or cash.

[0011] The point-granting system 1 according to the embodiment is a system that grants points of an electricity retailer to a user when a receipt indicating that the user has purchased a home appliance is received from the user. The user is a person who has entered into an electricity supply contract with an electricity retailer and has registered as a user in the electricity retailer's point service. The electricity retailer's points are points granted by the electricity retailer's point service, and may be used, for example, to pay electricity bills or may be converted into points of another point service with which the electricity retailer is affiliated.

[0012] Home appliances are household electrical products that are primarily used at home and can consume electricity supplied by electricity retailers. Home appliances eligible for points are durable consumer goods, and are preferably purchased for a certain amount or more, for example, 100,000 yen or more including tax. Examples of home appliances eligible for points include air conditioners, televisions, refrigerators, induction heating (IH) cooking heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines.

[0013] A receipt is a document that proves that a seller has received money from a user in exchange for a product. Receipts that are eligible for points can be handwritten receipts, receipts printed by a machine such as a cash register, or electronic receipts that are paper receipts digitized. It is preferable that a receipt contains at least the recipient's name, purchase date, purchased item, purchase amount, and information related to the store.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the point-giving system 1 includes a communication terminal 100 owned by a user and a point-giving device 200 managed by an administrator. The administrator is a person who manages the point service of the power retailer, and is an employee of the power retailer or a person commissioned by the same. The communication terminal 100 is, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, and includes a camera that can photograph an object at the user's instruction. The point-giving device 200 is an example of a reward-giving device that grants rewards to users, and is, for example, a general-purpose computer. The communication terminal 100 and the point-giving device 200 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication line such as the Internet.

[0015] The communication terminal 100 photographs the receipt provided by the retailer when purchasing the home appliance based on the user's instructions, and transmits the image data of the receipt to the point-giving device 200. The point-giving device 200 acquires image data of the receipt transmitted from each communication terminal 100, and determines whether the receipt corresponding to the acquired image data is a new receipt to which points have not yet been assigned. If the receipt is a new receipt to which points from the electricity retailer have not yet been assigned, the point-giving device 200 assigns points from the electricity retailer to the user. The new points from the electricity retailer that are assigned to the user are assigned upon the purchase of the home appliance, and therefore the number of points is fixed per receipt regardless of the type of home appliance or the purchase amount. The number of new points is, for example, 3000 points.

[0016] In customer retention through point allocation, it is common for a company to allocate points to users who purchase its products or services, but customer retention through the point allocation system 1 is characterized in that electricity retailer points are allocated to users who have a contract with the electricity retailer based on the user's purchase history of home appliances. Since home appliances are repeatedly purchased every few years, granting points to users on the occasion of the purchase of home appliances encourages the use of electricity supplied by the electricity retailer and allows the electricity retailer to have regular contact with users, which is expected to lead to continuous customer retention by the electricity retailer.

[0017] 2, communication terminal 100 includes an operation unit 110, a display unit 120, an image capturing unit 130, a communication unit 140, a storage unit 150, and a control unit 160. The units of communication terminal 100 are connected to each other via an internal bus (not shown).

[0018] The operation unit 110 receives an instruction from a user, and supplies the control unit 160 with an operation signal corresponding to the received operation.

[0019] Based on data supplied from the control unit 160, the display unit 120 displays various images to the user.

[0020] The operation unit 110 and the display unit 120 may be configured with a touch panel. The touch panel displays an operation screen that accepts predetermined operations, and supplies the control unit 160 with an operation signal that corresponds to the position on the operation screen where the measurer makes a touch operation.

[0021] The image capturing unit 130 captures an image of an object based on an operation signal received from the operation unit 110 in response to a user's instruction. The image capturing unit 130 is, for example, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera.

[0022] The communication unit 140 is an interface that can be connected to a communication network such as the Internet. The communication unit 140 transmits, for example, image data of a receipt captured by the image capturing unit 130 to the point-giving device 200.

[0023] The storage unit 150 includes, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and a flash memory. The storage unit 150 stores programs executed by the control unit 160 and various data. The storage unit 150 stores user identification (ID) individually assigned to users who own the communication terminal 100. The user ID is an example of user identification information for identifying each user. The storage unit 150 also temporarily stores various information and functions as a work memory for the control unit 160 to execute processes.

[0024] The control unit 160 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and controls each unit of the communication terminal 100. The control unit 160 executes a program stored in the storage unit 150 to execute the point granting process of FIG. 5. Specifically, the control unit 160 causes the photographing unit 130 to photograph a receipt based on a user's instruction, and controls the communication unit 140 to transmit image data of the photographed receipt to the point granting device 200. The control unit 160 also controls the communication unit 140 to receive a message from the point granting device 200, and causes the display unit 120 to display the message. The above is the hardware configuration of the communication terminal 100.

[0025] 3, the point-giving device 200 includes an operation unit 210, a display unit 220, a communication unit 230, a storage unit 240, and a control unit 250. The individual units of the point-giving device 200 are connected to each other via an internal bus (not shown).

[0026] The operation unit 210 receives instructions from an administrator who manages the point giving device 200, and supplies an operation signal corresponding to the received operation to the control unit 250. The operation unit 210 includes, for example, a mouse and a keyboard.

[0027] The display unit 220 displays various images to the administrator based on image data supplied from the control unit 250.

[0028] The communication unit 230 is an interface that can be connected to a communication network such as the Internet. The communication unit 230 receives image data of a receipt transmitted from the communication terminal 100, for example.

[0029] The storage unit 240 includes, for example, a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, and a hard disk. The storage unit 240 stores programs executed by the control unit 250 and various data, for example, the number of new points to be given to a user who purchases a home appliance. The storage unit 240 also temporarily stores various information and functions as a work memory for the control unit 250 to execute processing. The storage unit 240 further includes a user registration data storage unit 241, a purchase attribute data storage unit 242, a target home appliance list 243, and a point data storage unit 244.

[0030] 4(a), the user registration data storage unit 241 stores user registration data such as a user's name, address, telephone number, and email address in association with a user ID. The user registration data is acquired when a user registers for the point service, and is stored in the user registration data storage unit 241 with an individual user ID assigned to each user.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 4(b), the purchase attribute data storage unit 242 stores purchase attribute data, which is information about each item written on a receipt obtained by a user when purchasing a product, in association with a user ID. The purchase attribute data includes, for example, information about the recipient's name, purchase date, purchased item, purchase amount, and store. The purchased item is an item for identifying the type of home appliance, such as the name, product number, or model of the home appliance.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 4(c), the target home appliance list 243 is an example of a data table that lists home appliances for which points are awarded. The home appliances for which points are awarded are arbitrarily set by the administrator, but it is preferable that they are durable consumer goods and have been purchased for a certain amount or more.

[0033] 4(d), the point data storage unit 244 stores the latest number of points given to a user in association with the user ID. The number of points stored in the point data storage unit 244 is updated every time the user uses points or the point giving device 200 gives points.

[0034] Returning to Fig. 3, the control unit 250 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each unit of the point awarding device 200. The control unit 250 executes a program stored in the storage unit 240 to execute the point awarding process of Fig. 5(a) and (b) and the determination process of Fig. 7. Functionally, the control unit 250 includes an acquisition unit 251, a reading unit 252, a determination unit 253, a point update unit 254, and an output unit 255.

[0035] The acquisition unit 251 acquires the image data of the receipt and the user ID transmitted from each communication terminal 100.

[0036] The reading unit 252 reads the purchase attribute data of the receipt from the image data of the receipt acquired by the acquisition unit 251. Specifically, first, text data is generated by executing a character recognition process, for example, an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) process, on the image of the receipt. OCR is software that recognizes a character string from an image and converts it into text data. Note that if the receipt is an electronic document, it is possible to read the text data from the electronic document, and therefore reading the text data by OCR is not necessary. Then, the purchase attribute data of the receipt corresponding to each item in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242 is read from the text data.

[0037] The determination unit 253 refers to the user registration data storage unit 241 and determines whether the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251 has already been registered in the user registration data storage unit 241. If the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251 has already been registered in the user registration data storage unit 241, the reading unit 252 executes reading of the purchase attribute data of the receipt from the image data of the receipt described above. This makes it possible to limit the recipients of points to users who have already been registered.

[0038] The determination unit 253 reads the name corresponding to the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251 by referring to the user registration data 41 in Fig. 4(a), and determines whether the addressee in the purchase attribute data read by the reading unit 252 matches the name corresponding to the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251. If the addressee on the receipt matches the name registered with the user, the process for awarding points can be continued. This makes it possible to avoid awarding points to a user when the addressee on the receipt differs from the name registered with the user.

[0039] The determination unit 253 determines whether the purchased item included in the purchase attribute data of the receipt is included in the items listed in the applicable home appliance list 243 of Fig. 4(c). If the purchased item included in the purchase attribute data of the receipt is included in the items listed in the applicable home appliance list 243, the process for point allocation can be continued. This makes it possible to limit the home appliance items eligible for point allocation.

[0040] The determination unit 253 determines whether the receipt corresponding to the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 251 is a new receipt to which points have not yet been assigned, based on the purchase attribute data of the receipt read by the reading unit 252. Specifically, it compares each item of the purchase attribute data extracted by the reading unit 252 with each item of the purchase attribute data for each receipt stored in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242, and searches whether purchase attribute data in which all items overlap with the purchase attribute data extracted by the reading unit 252 exists in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242. If the purchase attribute data in which all items overlap does not exist in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242, the determination unit 253 determines that the receipt corresponding to the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 251 is a new receipt to which points have not yet been assigned, and continues the process for assigning points.

[0041] In addition, the determination unit 253 determines that points have already been awarded for the receipt corresponding to the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 251 not only when the user ID is the same and all items of the purchase attribute data are duplicated, but also when the user IDs are different but all items of the purchase attribute data are duplicated, thereby preventing duplicate awarding of points to the same receipt.

[0042] The point update unit 254 is an example of a reward provision unit that provides a reward to a user when it is determined that the receipt of the user is a new receipt to which points have not been provided. When it is determined by the determination unit 253 that the receipt corresponding to the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 251 is a new receipt to which points have not been provided, the point update unit 254 updates the points stored in the point data storage unit 244 and associated with the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251. Specifically, the point update unit 254 reads out the number of points stored in the point data storage unit 244 in association with the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251, adds the new number of points to the read number of points, and stores the latest number of points in the point data storage unit 244.

[0043] The output unit 255 outputs to the outside the receipt determination result by the determination unit 253 or the point update result by the point update unit 254. The output unit 255 creates a message indicating, for example, the receipt determination result by the determination unit 253 or the point update result by the point update unit 254, and transmits information related to the message to the communication terminal 100. The above is the hardware configuration of the point giving device 200.

[0044] (Points allocation process) 5(a) and 5(b), a flow of the point assignment process executed by the communication terminal 100 and the point assignment device 200 in cooperation with each other will be described below. The point assignment process is a process in which, when the point assignment device 200 acquires image data of a receipt from the communication terminal 100, the point assignment device 200 assigns points to the user corresponding to the communication terminal 100 if the receipt is a new receipt to which points have not yet been assigned.

[0045] The user operates the operation unit 110 of the communication terminal 100 to cause the photographing unit 130 to photograph a receipt and request transmission of image data of the receipt, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 5(a), when the control unit 160 of the communication terminal 100 receives a request from the user (step S11), it controls the communication unit 140 to transmit the image data of the receipt together with the user ID stored in the storage unit 150 to the point-granting device 200 (step S12).

[0046] As shown in Fig. 5(b), when the acquisition unit 251 of the point granting device 200 receives image data of a receipt and a user ID from each communication terminal 100 (step S21), the control unit 250 executes a determination process to determine whether or not to grant points for the acquired receipt (step S22). The flow of the determination process executed by the control unit 250 of the point granting device 200 will be described below with reference to Fig. 7.

[0047] (Decision making process) First, the judgment unit 253 refers to the user registration data storage unit 241 and judges whether the received user ID has already been registered in the user registration data storage unit 241 of Fig. 4(a) (step S31). If the user ID has already been registered in the user registration data storage unit 241 (step S31; Yes), the process proceeds to step S32. On the other hand, if the user ID has not already been registered in the user registration data storage unit 241 (step S31; No), the output unit 255 creates a message indicating that the user registration is incomplete and prompts the user to newly register for the point service (step S36), and returns the process.

[0048] If the result of the process in step S31 is Yes, reading unit 252 reads text data from the image data of the receipt received in step S21 in Fig. 5(b) and reads purchase attribute data including the read items of addressee, purchase date, and purchased items (step S32). The text data read from the image data of the receipt includes purchase attribute data including the items of addressee, purchase date, and purchased items, and purchase attribute data corresponding to each item in purchase attribute data storage unit 242 in Fig. 4(b) is read from the text data.

[0049] Next, the determination unit 253 reads the name corresponding to the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251 with reference to the user registration data 41 in Fig. 4(a), and determines whether the addressee in the purchase attribute data read by the reading unit 252 matches the name corresponding to the user ID acquired by the acquisition unit 251 (step S33). If it is determined that the addressee in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user ID (step S33; Yes), the process proceeds to step S34. On the other hand, if it is determined that the addressee in the purchase attribute data does not match the name corresponding to the user ID (step S33; No), a message is created to the effect that the addressee on the receipt is different from the name registered by the user (step S37), and the process returns.

[0050] Next, the determination unit 253 determines whether the purchased item in the purchase attribute data read in step S32 is an item for which points are to be awarded and is listed in the eligible home appliance list 243 in Fig. 4(c) (step S34). If it is determined that the purchased item in the purchase attribute data is an item for which points are to be awarded (step S34; Yes), the process proceeds to step S35. On the other hand, if it is determined that the purchased item in the purchase attribute data is not an item for which points are to be awarded (step S34; No), a message is created to the effect that the purchased item on the receipt is not an item for which points are to be awarded (step S37), and the process returns.

[0051] If the result of the process in step S34 is Yes, the determination unit 253 determines whether the receipt corresponding to the image data received in step S21 is a new receipt to which points have not been assigned, based on the purchase attribute data read in the process in step S23 (step S35). Specifically, the purchase attribute data for each receipt stored in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242 in FIG. 4(b) is referenced, and a search is performed to determine whether purchase attribute data that overlaps in all items with the purchase attribute data read in the process in step S23 exists in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242. If no purchase attribute data that overlaps in all items with the purchase attribute data read in the process in step S23 exists in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242, the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which points have not been assigned.

[0052] If it is determined that the receipt is a new receipt for which points have not yet been assigned (step S35; Yes), the point update unit 254 reads the number of points corresponding to the user ID received in step S21 of FIG. 5(b) from the point data storage unit 244 of FIG. 4(d), adds the new number of points to the read number of points, and stores the latest number of points in the point data storage unit 244, thereby updating the points owned by the user (step S36).

[0053] After the process of step S36 ends, the output unit 255 creates a message to the effect that new points have been awarded (step S37), and returns the process.

[0054] On the other hand, if it is determined that the receipt is not a new one (step S35; No), the output unit 255 creates a message to the effect that points have already been awarded to the receipt (step S37), and returns the process. The above is the flow of the determination process.

[0055] Returning to FIG. 5(b), the output unit 255 transmits the message created in the process of step S22 to the communication terminal 100 (step S23), and the process ends.

[0056] 5(a), when the control unit 160 of the communication terminal 100 receives a message from the point assigning device 200 (step S13), it causes the display unit 120 to display the received message (step S14), and ends the process. For example, when a message is sent from the point assigning device 200 to inform the user that points have been assigned, the control unit 160 of the communication terminal 100 causes the display unit 120 to display a message screen as shown in FIG. The above is the flow of the point allocation process.

[0057] As described above, the point-granting device 200 according to the embodiment includes an acquisition unit 251 that acquires image data of a receipt received from a retailer by a user who has purchased a product and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product, a reading unit 252 that reads purchase attribute data related to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt, a determination unit 253 that determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the read purchase attribute data, and a point update unit 254 that updates the points of the user corresponding to the acquired user identification information stored in the point data storage unit 244 when it is determined that the receipt is a new receipt to which no points have been granted. This makes it possible to easily grant points to a user who has purchased a product from a store other than the store of the product.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications are possible.

[0059] (Modification) In the above embodiment, the receipt is photographed by the communication terminal 100, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image data of the receipt photographed by another communication terminal or photographing device may be transferred to the communication terminal 100, and the communication terminal 100 may transmit the image data to the point-giving device 200. The image data of the receipt may be transmitted to the point-giving device 200 by a communication terminal or server other than the communication terminal 100, for example, a communication terminal or server owned by a seller, on behalf of the user.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the image data of the receipt is transmitted to the point-giving device 200, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the communication terminal 100 may read the purchase attribute data from the image data of the receipt and transmit the purchase attribute data to the point-giving device 200. In addition, if the receipt is an electronic receipt, the communication terminal 100 may transmit the purchase attribute data included in the electronic receipt to the point-giving device 200 as is. In these cases, the acquisition unit 251 of the point-giving device 200 may acquire the purchase attribute data together with the user ID. In addition, a communication terminal or server other than the communication terminal 100, for example, a communication terminal or server owned by a seller, may transmit the purchase attribute data to the point-giving device 200 on behalf of the user.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the user ID is stored in the storage unit 150, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the user may operate the operation unit 110 to input the user ID before transmitting the image data of the receipt.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the purchase attribute data is read from the image data of the receipt, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the administrator may display the image data of the receipt transmitted from the communication terminal 100 on the display unit 220 of the point allocating device 200, grasp the purchase attribute data from the receipt, and input each item of the purchase attribute data storage unit 242 by operating the operation unit 210.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the determination unit 253 of the point allocating device 200 determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which points have not been allocated based on each item of the purchase attribute data read from the receipt, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, image data of a receipt to which points have been allocated may be stored in the storage unit 240, and the determination unit 253 may compare the image data of the receipt acquired with the image data of the receipt stored in the storage unit 240, and if it is determined that the two images are the same, it may determine that the receipt corresponding to the acquired image data has been allocated points. The image data of the receipt determined by the determination unit 253 to be a new receipt to which points have not been allocated may be stored in the storage unit 240 in association with, for example, a user ID. The image data of the receipt stored in the storage unit 240 may be stored in the purchase attribute data storage unit 242 in association with each item of the purchase attribute data.

[0064] In the comparison of image data of receipts by the determination unit 253, for example, the similarity between the image of the receipt acquired by the acquisition unit 251 and the image stored in the storage unit 240 may be estimated based on a trained model that estimates the similarity between the two images to be compared, and the two images may be determined to be identical if the estimated similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold. In this case, the storage unit 240 of the point-granting device 200 may store a trained model generated by machine learning based on the learning data, and the control unit 250 may functionally include a learning unit that generates the trained model by machine learning. The trained model is a model that outputs the similarity of two images to be compared in response to input of pixel values ​​of each pixel of these images.

[0065] The learning unit generates a trained model by machine learning with reference to the training data, and stores the generated trained model in the storage unit 240. Specifically, supervised learning is performed using a plurality of data sets included in the training data as training data. For example, a neural network is used for the supervised learning. The neural network includes an input layer to which input data is input, an output layer to which output data is output, and at least one intermediate layer. The learning unit adjusts the weights of the connections of each layer in the neural network using a plurality of data sets included in the training data as training data. For example, an error backpropagation method may be used to adjust the parameters.

[0066] In the above embodiment, a certain number of points are given to the user who transmits the image data of the receipt, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, information indicating whether each user is a user who has switched contracts from another power company may be stored in the storage unit 240, and when a user who has switched contracts transmits image data of a receipt for the first time, the number of points given may be increased.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the number of points per receipt is fixed, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of points to be awarded for each type of home appliance may be stored in advance in the applicable home appliance list 243 of the storage unit 240, the type of home appliance may be identified based on the purchase attribute data of the receipt, and points may be awarded based on the identified type of home appliance.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the user registration data storage unit 241 and the point data storage unit 244 are separate data tables, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a data table may be created in which the items in the user registration data storage unit 241 and the point data storage unit 244 are organized by user ID.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the determination process determines whether the addressee on the receipt matches the registered user name, determines whether the purchased item included in the purchase attribute data of the receipt is an item for which points have been awarded, and then determines whether the receipt is a new receipt for which points have not yet been awarded, but the present invention is not limited to this. The order of the above processes may be changed as appropriate. For example, it may be determined whether the receipt is a new receipt for which points have not yet been awarded, and then determines whether the purchased item included in the purchase attribute data of the receipt is an item for which points have been awarded.

[0070] In the above embodiment, an electricity retailer, acting as a business other than a retailer of a product, awards its own points, but the present invention is not limited to this. A business other than a retailer of a product is not limited to an electricity retailer, and may be, for example, a gas retailer, an oil retailer, a water business, or a communication business. The products for which each business awards points are products and services that each business supplies to users, such as gas, oil (including gasoline, light oil, and kerosene), tap water, and equipment that consumes data communication traffic. A gas business may award gas business points to users who purchase gas equipment that consumes gas, such as a gas water heater, a gas heater, or a gas stove.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the communication terminal 100 and the point-granting device 200 are communicatively connected to each other via a communication line such as the Internet, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the communication terminal 100 and the point-granting device 200 may be communicatively connected to each other via a communication cable or a known short-range communication technology.

[0072] In the above embodiment, various data are stored in the storage units 150, 240 of the communication terminal 100 and the point granting device 200, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, all or part of the various data may be stored in an external control device or computer via a communication network.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the communication terminal 100 and the point granting device 200 operate based on the programs stored in the storage units 150 and 240, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the functional configuration realized by the programs may be realized by hardware.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the point-giving device 200 is, for example, a general-purpose computer, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the point-giving device 200 may be realized by a computer provided on a cloud.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the processing performed by the communication terminal 100 and the point awarding device 200 was realized by devices having the above-mentioned physical configuration executing programs stored in the memory units 150, 240, but the present invention may also be realized as a program or as a storage medium on which the program is recorded.

[0076] In addition, a program for executing the above-mentioned processing operations may be stored and distributed on a non-transitory recording medium readable by a computer, such as a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or an MO (Magneto-Optical Disk), and the program may be installed on a computer to configure an apparatus that executes the above-mentioned processing operations.

[0077] The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these, and various embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the claims. The components described in the embodiments and modifications can be freely combined. In addition, inventions equivalent to the inventions described in the claims are also included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Point system 100 Communication terminal 200 Points Granting Device 240 Storage section 242 Purchase attribute data storage unit 244 Point data storage unit 250 Control section 251 Acquisition Department 252 Reading unit 253 Judgment section 254 Points Update Section

Claims

1. A reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchases a product by a business other than a retailer that sold the product, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires image data of a receipt that a user who has purchased the product receives from the retailer and user identification information that is assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A reading unit that reads purchase attribute data related to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt; A determination unit that determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the read purchase attribute data; a reward provision unit that provides the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been provided; Equipped with The determination unit reads a name corresponding to the acquired user identification information from a storage unit, and when a recipient name included in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user identification information, determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which a benefit has not yet been granted based on the purchase attribute data. Bonus granting device.

2. A reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchases a product by a business other than a retailer that sold the product, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires purchase attribute data regarding the purchase of the product included in a receipt received from the retailer by a user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A determination unit that determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the acquired purchase attribute data; a reward provision unit that provides the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been provided; Equipped with The determination unit reads a name corresponding to the acquired user identification information from a storage unit, and when a recipient name included in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user identification information, determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which a benefit has not yet been granted based on the purchase attribute data. Bonus granting device.

3. A reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchases a product by a business other than a retailer that sold the product, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires image data of a receipt that a user who has purchased the product receives from the retailer and user identification information that is assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A reading unit that reads purchase attribute data related to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt; A determination unit that determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the read purchase attribute data; a reward provision unit that provides the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been provided; Equipped with The product is an electrical appliance that consumes electricity, The company is an electricity retailer that supplies electricity to users. Bonus granting device.

4. A reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchases a product by a business other than a retailer that sold the product, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires purchase attribute data regarding the purchase of the product included in a receipt received from the retailer by a user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A determination unit that determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the acquired purchase attribute data; a reward provision unit that provides the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been provided; Equipped with The product is an electrical appliance that consumes electricity, The company is an electricity retailer that supplies electricity to users. Bonus granting device.

5. The determination unit compares the purchase attribute data with purchase attribute data stored in a storage unit for each receipt, and determines that the receipt is a new receipt to which points have not yet been assigned if there is no purchase attribute data in the storage unit that overlaps all items. The privilege granting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The benefit is a point provided by the business operator, the benefit providing unit reads out the number of points stored in the storage unit in association with the acquired user identification information, adds a new number of points to the read number of points, and stores the latest number of points in the storage unit, thereby updating the points stored in the storage unit. The privilege granting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A reward granting method executed by a reward granting device for a business entity other than a retailer that has sold a product to grant a reward to a user who has purchased the product, comprising: an acquiring step of acquiring image data of a receipt received from the store by the user who has purchased the product and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A reading step of reading purchase attribute data related to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt; a determining step of determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been given based on the read purchase attribute data; a reward giving step of giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Including, In the determination step, a name corresponding to the acquired user identification information is read from a storage unit, and if a recipient name included in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user identification information, it is determined whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the purchase attribute data. Method of awarding rewards.

8. A reward granting method executed by a reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchases a product by a business other than a retailer that sold the product, comprising: an acquiring step of acquiring purchase attribute data regarding the purchase of the product included in a receipt received from the retailer by the user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A determination step of determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been given based on the acquired purchase attribute data; a reward giving step of giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Including, In the determination step, a name corresponding to the acquired user identification information is read from a storage unit, and if a recipient name included in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user identification information, it is determined whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been granted based on the purchase attribute data. Method of awarding rewards.

9. A reward granting method executed by a reward granting device for a business entity other than a retailer that has sold a product to grant a reward to a user who has purchased the product, comprising: an acquiring step of acquiring image data of a receipt received from the store by the user who has purchased the product and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A reading step of reading purchase attribute data related to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt; a determining step of determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been given based on the read purchase attribute data; a reward giving step of giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Including, The product is an electrical appliance that consumes electricity, The company is an electricity retailer that supplies electricity to users. Method of awarding rewards.

10. A reward granting method executed by a reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchases a product by a business other than a retailer that sold the product, comprising: an acquiring step of acquiring purchase attribute data regarding the purchase of the product included in a receipt received from the retailer by the user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A determination step of determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been given based on the acquired purchase attribute data; a reward giving step of giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Including, The product is an electrical appliance that consumes electricity, The company is an electricity retailer that supplies electricity to users. Method of awarding rewards.

11. Computer, A program for causing a business entity other than a retailer that sold a product to function as a reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchased the product, The computer, An acquisition means for acquiring image data of a receipt received from the retailer by a user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; reading means for reading purchase attribute data relating to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt; a determination means for determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no special benefit has been given based on the read purchase attribute data; a reward giving means for giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Function as a The determination means reads a name corresponding to the acquired user identification information from a storage unit, and when a recipient name included in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user identification information, determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which a special benefit has not yet been granted based on the purchase attribute data. program.

12. A computer comprising: A program for causing a business entity other than a retailer that sold a product to function as a reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchased the product, The computer, An acquisition means for acquiring purchase attribute data regarding the purchase of the product, which is included in a receipt received from the retailer by the user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A determination means for determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been given based on the acquired purchase attribute data; a reward giving means for giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Function as a The determination means reads a name corresponding to the acquired user identification information from a storage unit, and when a recipient name included in the purchase attribute data matches the name corresponding to the user identification information, determines whether the receipt is a new receipt to which a special benefit has not yet been granted based on the purchase attribute data. program.

13. Computer, A program for causing a business entity other than a retailer that sold a product to function as a reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchased the product, The computer, An acquisition means for acquiring image data of a receipt received from the retailer by a user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; reading means for reading purchase attribute data relating to the purchase of the product from the image data of the receipt; a determination means for determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no special benefit has been given based on the read purchase attribute data; a reward giving means for giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Function as a The product is an electrical appliance that consumes electricity, The company is an electricity retailer that supplies electricity to users. program.

14. A computer comprising: A program for causing a business entity other than a retailer that sold a product to function as a reward granting device for granting a reward to a user who purchased the product, The computer, An acquisition means for acquiring purchase attribute data regarding the purchase of the product, which is included in a receipt received from the retailer by the user who has purchased the product, and user identification information assigned to the user who has purchased the product; A determination means for determining whether the receipt is a new receipt to which no benefit has been given based on the acquired purchase attribute data; a reward giving means for giving the reward to a user corresponding to the acquired user identification information when the receipt is determined to be a new receipt to which no reward has been given; Function as a The product is an electrical appliance that consumes electricity, The company is an electricity retailer that supplies electricity to users. program.

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