How to issue an electronic receipt

Abstract

To provide an electronic receipt issuing method enabling a user to easily check an electronic receipt through a smartphone.SOLUTION: An electronic receipt issuing method includes the steps of: receiving, by an electronic receipt issuing machine, information related to transaction from a POS terminal; generating an address corresponding to the information; and storing transaction information in a server correspondingly to the address; transmitting a generated address to a user terminal through a near-field wireless communication technology; and displaying, by the user terminal, an electronic receipt through the transmitted address.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for generating an electronic receipt so that a user can easily view it on their smartphone. [Background technology]

[0002] When a consumer completes a transaction for purchasing goods or using a service, they receive a receipt. Generally, POS terminals use receipt printers to print out a paper receipt containing transaction details. However, from the consumer's perspective, paper receipts are difficult to manage efficiently and there is a risk of personal information being leaked. Additionally, from the business's perspective, paper receipts incur additional management costs due to the printing process. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The technical problem of the present invention is to provide a method for issuing an electronic receipt so that a user can easily check it on a smartphone. The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned technical problem, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following embodiments. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for issuing an electronic receipt is disclosed, which includes the steps of receiving transaction information related to a transaction, generating an address corresponding to the transaction information, and storing the transaction information in a server corresponding to the address; transmitting the generated address to a user terminal using a short-range wireless communication technology; and displaying an electronic receipt generated corresponding to the transaction information by the user terminal via the transmitted address.

[0005] Here, the transaction information is generated after the transaction is completed.

[0006] Here, the transaction information is generated before the transaction is completed.

[0007] Here, after the user terminal receives the address, the method further includes the steps of: receiving transaction information generated after the transaction is completed; updating the transaction information generated after the transaction is completed corresponding to the address to a server; and displaying a final electronic receipt generated corresponding to the transaction information generated after the transaction is completed.

[0008] Here, the address is uniquely generated in correspondence with the transaction information.

[0009] Here, the address is generated uniquely in correspondence with the transaction information by including a unique identifier.

[0010] Here, the address is a URL for accessing a web page.

[0011] Here, the step of transmitting the generated address by short-range wireless communication technology is a step of transmitting the generated address to the user terminal by an NDEF message including the address as a payload.

[0012] Here, the address is a deep link URL for accessing the application page.

[0013] Further aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the accompanying drawings, the claims, and the following detailed description of the invention.

[0014] These general and specific aspects can be implemented using a system, a method, a computer program, or any combination of systems, methods, and computer programs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the embodiment of the present invention, there is an advantage that a user can check an electronic receipt via a browser without installing a separate application on the smartphone. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an electronic receipt issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the electronic receipt issuing machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a server shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the electronic user terminal shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an electronic receipt issuing system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for issuing an electronic receipt according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic receipt displayed on a smartphone according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for issuing an electronic receipt according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a waiting room displayed on a smartphone according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for issuing an electronic receipt is disclosed, including the steps of receiving transaction information related to a transaction, generating an address corresponding to the transaction information, and storing the transaction information in a server corresponding to the address; transmitting the generated address to a user terminal via short-range wireless communication technology; and displaying an electronic receipt generated corresponding to the transaction information by the user terminal via the transmitted address. Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and has various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this does not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if a detailed description of related prior art is deemed to obscure the gist of the present invention, such a detailed description will be omitted.

[0018] 1 shows an electronic receipt issuing system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic receipt issuing system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a Point of Sale (POS) terminal 100, an e-receipt generator 200, a server 300, and a user device 400.

[0019] The POS terminal 100 is a device that processes transactions for purchasing goods or using services, checks the results, and manages information related to the transactions.

[0020] The POS terminal 100 includes a card reader, a barcode reader, a paper receipt printer, etc., and can be realized by various devices other than a computer or a mobile device. The POS terminal 100 referred to in this invention is a generic name for a device that handles information related to transactions, and includes all devices that have similar functions, such as a POP (Point of Purchase) terminal and a kiosk.

[0021] The POS terminal 100 and the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 can transmit and receive data via a communication system. For example, the communication system may be a wired communication system using a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or a wireless communication system such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (registered trademark). However, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0022] Although FIG. 1 shows the POS terminal 100 as a single device, the present invention is not limited to this and may include multiple devices connected to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200.

[0023] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 is a medium that allows consumers to view electronic receipts on their smartphones. The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits data to the user terminal 400 or exchanges data with the user terminal 400 using short-range wireless connectivity technologies. According to one embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 may include an NFC tag to use the NFC (Near Field Communication) standard. However, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 is not limited thereto and may use other standards such as Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission), Beacon, and ZigBee.

[0024] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 communicates with the server 300 via a communication network (not shown). Here, the communication network may be, but is not limited to, the Internet so that the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 can send and receive data after connecting to the server 300. The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi to connect to the server 300, but is not limited to this.

[0025] The server 300 may be a dedicated server or a cloud server, but the present invention is not limited to this and various types of servers can be applied.

[0026] The server 300 is connected to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 via a communication network (not shown), receives data from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200, and stores the data in a database. The server 300 is also connected to the user terminal 400 via a communication network (not shown), and transmits data to the user terminal 400. Here, the communication network may be the Internet, but is not limited to this. The user terminal 400 can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or a mobile network to connect to the server 300, but is not limited to this.

[0027] The user terminal 400 is a device that allows the user, who is the subject of the transaction, to check the electronic receipt. The user terminal 400 includes, but is not limited to, a smartphone, a smart watch, a smart device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless communication terminal, etc.

[0028] The user terminal 400 is a device that supports short-range wireless connectivity technologies so as to be able to wirelessly communicate over short distances with the electronic receipt issuing machine 200. According to one embodiment, the user terminal 400 may support a near field communication (NFC) function. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the user terminal 400 may support functions such as Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission), Beacon, and ZigBee.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 shown in FIG.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 includes a network interface unit 210, a communication interface unit 220, a memory 230, a program storage unit 240, a control unit 250, an address generation unit 260, an NFC tag control unit 270, and the like.

[0031] The network interface unit 210 works in conjunction with a communication network to provide the interface necessary to transmit the address and the corresponding transaction information to the server 300 .

[0032] The communication interface unit 220 provides an interface required to receive transaction information from the POS terminal 100 in conjunction with the communication system.

[0033] The memory 230 performs the function of temporarily storing data processed by the control unit 250, transaction information sent to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200, and the like.

[0034] The program memory unit 240 is equipped with control software that performs tasks such as sending data to the server 300, receiving data from the POS terminal 100, generating an address corresponding to transaction information, and generating a message corresponding to the address and programming it into an NFC tag.

[0035] The control unit 250 is a type of central processing unit that controls the entire process of issuing electronic receipts in the electronic receipt issuing machine 200. That is, the control unit 250 performs various services, such as running the control software installed in the program storage unit 240.

[0036] The address generator 260 generates a unique address corresponding to the received transaction information. Here, the address means a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that can access a website or web page on the Internet, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0037] The address generator 260 generates a unique address by including a unique identifier corresponding to the transaction information in the address. For example, the address may have a "web address / identifier" format. Here, the identifier format may be a combination of letters, numbers, special characters, etc., and may have various lengths, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0038] In one embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 may generate an identifier using content related to the transaction information. For example, the identifier may be generated based on information about the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 and the date and time the transaction information was generated. In another embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 may generate an identifier using hash technology. Here, hash technology refers to technology that uses a hash function to obtain a result value corresponding to an input value. In this case, the identifier may be a result value obtained by using hash technology with the transaction information as an input value. However, the method of generating an identifier in the present invention is not limited to this.

[0039] The NFC tag controller 270 generates a message corresponding to the address and controls the NFC tag to emit the message as a near-field communication signal. According to an embodiment, the message may be in a specific format used for near-field communication. Here, the specific format refers to a format that enables the user terminal 400, which receives the message, to immediately perform a predetermined action. For example, the NFC tag controller 270 generates and emits an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) message. The NDEF message includes information to be transmitted to the user terminal 400. Here, the NDEF message includes an address as information (payload). Thereafter, the user terminal 400 performs a predetermined action upon receiving the NDEF message. Here, the predetermined action may be opening a web page linked to the address in a browser.

[0040] The above-mentioned components may exist as a single component by combining two or more functionally linked components, or a single component may exist as multiple components separated according to their functions. Furthermore, each component may include other components or exclude existing components in order to operate efficiently. The names of the components are determined for convenience according to their roles, but are not limited to these and may be variously named.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the server 300 shown in FIG.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 3, the server 300 may include a communication unit 310, a memory 320, a program storage unit 330, a control unit 340, a database 350, and an e-receipt application programming interface (e-receipt API) 360.

[0043] The communication unit 310 provides an interface necessary for transmitting and receiving signals in the form of data between the server 300 and the user terminal 400, and between the server 300 and the electronic receipt issuing machine 200. Here, the communication unit 310 may be a device including hardware and software necessary for transmitting and receiving control signals, data signals, etc. to and from other network devices via a wireless connection.

[0044] The memory 320 temporarily or permanently stores data processed by the control unit 340. Here, the memory 320 may include a magnetic storage medium or a flash storage medium, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0045] The program storage unit 330 can store a program consisting of instructions that instruct all the processes executed by the control unit, which will be described later.

[0046] The control unit 340 is a type of central processing unit and controls the entire process of issuing an electronic receipt, such as receiving data from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 and providing an electronic receipt to the user terminal 400. In other words, the control unit 340 drives the control software installed in the program storage unit 330 and controls each component in the server 300 to perform the function of providing an electronic receipt.

[0047] Here, the control unit 340 can include any type of device capable of processing data, such as a processor. Here, the processor may refer to, for example, a data processing device built into hardware having circuits physically structured to execute functions indicated by codes or instructions included in a program.

[0048] The database 350 stores the entire address, an identifier included in the address, other information representing the address, or other information representing the identifier and transaction information in a linked manner, so that the server 300 can easily check transaction information from information relating to the address.

[0049] The electronic receipt application programming interface 360 ​​provides an interface for various applications to convert transaction information into an electronic receipt format, and also provides an interface for displaying the generated electronic receipt in the form of a web page linked to an address.

[0050] These components are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, server 300 may further include additional components, or some of the components described above may be omitted, as necessary.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the electronic user terminal 400 shown in FIG.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 4, the user terminal 400 includes a network interface unit 410, a communication interface unit 420, a memory 430, an input / output unit 440, a program storage unit 450, a control unit 460, a display control unit 470, and the like.

[0053] The network interface unit 410 provides an interface necessary for receiving an electronic receipt in conjunction with a communication network.

[0054] The communication interface unit 420 provides an interface necessary for receiving data from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 via short-range wireless communication technology.

[0055] The memory 430 performs the function of temporarily storing data processed by the control unit 460, addresses received from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200, and the like.

[0056] The input / output unit 440 may be configured with a touch-recognition display controller or various other input / output controllers. For example, the touch-recognition display controller provides an output interface and an input interface between the device and the user. The touch-recognition display controller transmits and receives electrical signals to and from the control unit 460. The touch-recognition display controller also displays visual output to the user, which may include text, graphics, images, videos, and combinations thereof. Such input / output unit 440 may be, for example, a predetermined display element such as a touch-recognition-enabled organic light-emitting display (OLED) or liquid crystal display (LCD). The input / output unit 440 may display an electronic receipt on a web page accessed based on the received address so that the user can confirm it.

[0057] The program storage unit 450 is equipped with control software that receives messages from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200, checks the format of the received message, and, in the case of an NDEF message, accesses the address included in the NDEF message via a browser as a pre-set operation.

[0058] The control unit 460 is a type of central processing unit that controls the entire process of displaying an electronic receipt on the user terminal 400. That is, the control unit 460 performs various services, such as running the control software installed in the program storage unit 450.

[0059] 5 shows an electronic receipt issuing system 20 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the electronic receipt issuing system 20 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a POS terminal 100 including the functionality of an electronic receipt issuing machine, a server 300, and a user terminal 400.

[0060] The electronic receipt issuing system 20 in Fig. 5 is almost the same as the electronic receipt issuing system 10 in Fig. 1. However, in the embodiment in Fig. 5, the electronic receipt issuing machine is not a separate device, but is realized in the form of a program recorded on a recording medium readable by a POS terminal. Therefore, the embodiment in Fig. 5 is characterized in that the POS terminal 100 includes the functions of the electronic receipt issuing machine.

[0061] FIG. 6 illustrates a method for issuing an electronic receipt according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 6, in step 101, a user completes a transaction.

[0063] Here, completing a transaction means that all items selected by the user have been scanned with the POS terminal 100, discounts and savings have been applied as necessary, and the corresponding price has been paid using a payment method.

[0064] When a transaction is completed, the POS terminal 100 acquires transaction information. The transaction information is a collection of all information related to the completed transaction. For example, the transaction information may include the transaction date and time, the name of the product or service, the unit price, the quantity, the payment amount, the additional tax amount, information on the transaction method, the savings amount, the discount amount, the final payment amount reflecting the discount, the trade name, the business operator number, the representative's name, address, and telephone number, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0065] The transaction information is data in which the above-mentioned information is recorded in a text file format. For example, the format of the transaction information may be a TXT (Text) file, an RTF (Rich Text Format) file, an XML (Extensible Markup Language) file, a JSON (Java Script Object Notation) file, a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file, or a TSV (Tab-Separated Values) file, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0066] In step 102 , the POS terminal 100 transmits transaction information to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 .

[0067] 1, the POS terminal 100 transmits transaction information to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 by wired communication or wireless communication. As shown in FIG. 5, the POS terminal 100 and the electronic receipt issuing machine are integrated, so transaction information is transmitted internally.

[0068] In step 103, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates an address corresponding to the received transaction information.

[0069] Here, the address means a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that can access a website or web page on the Internet, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0070] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 is characterized by generating one unique address corresponding to transaction information. This is because address clashes occur when the same address is generated corresponding to different transaction information. The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates a unique address by including a unique identifier corresponding to the transaction information in the address. For example, the address may have a "web address / identifier" format. Here, the identifier format may be a combination of letters, numbers, special characters, etc., and may have various lengths, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0071] In one embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 may generate an identifier using content related to the transaction information. For example, the identifier may be generated based on information about the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 and the date and time the transaction information was generated. In another embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 may generate an identifier using hashing technology. Here, hashing technology refers to technology that uses a hash function to obtain a result value corresponding to a single input value. In this case, the identifier may be a result value obtained by hashing technology using the transaction information as an input value.

[0072] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an identifier is used when generating an address (URL), and the address is then sent to the user terminal 400 via NFC, ensuring the following: First, it ensures that only one electronic receipt is issued to one user. Second, it ensures that the server 300 can view the address (URL) only from one user terminal 400, i.e., one user. Therefore, if another user attempts to view the same address, the address will no longer function, which has the advantage of maintaining personal privacy and security.

[0073] In step 104 , the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits the transaction information and the corresponding address information to the server 300 .

[0074] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 can transmit the transaction information and the corresponding entire address, an identifier contained in the address, other information representing the address, or other information representing the identifier to the server 300, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0075] In step 105, the server 300 stores the transaction information received from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 and the corresponding address information.

[0076] According to steps 104 and 105, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits the transaction information and the corresponding address information to the server 300, which then stores the information, allowing the user to later check the electronic receipt reflecting the transaction information on the web simply via a link to the address on the user terminal 400. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic receipt is viewed in the form of a web page via a browser, which means that the user does not need to install a specific mobile application on their smartphone to view the electronic receipt.

[0077] In step 106, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates and emits a near field communication signal corresponding to the address.

[0078] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits information to the user terminal 400 via near field communication (NFC). According to one embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates and emits a message in a specific format used for near field communication. Here, the specific format refers to a format that allows the user terminal 400, which receives the message, to immediately perform a predetermined action. For example, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates and emits an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) message. The NDEF message includes information to be transmitted to the user terminal 400. Here, the NDEF message includes an address as information (payload). Thereafter, the user terminal 400 performs a predetermined action upon receiving the NDEF message. Here, the predetermined action may be opening a web page linked to the address in a browser.

[0079] In FIG. 6, step 106 is shown to be performed after step 105, but the present invention is not limited to this, and step 105 and step 106 may be performed simultaneously, or step 105 may be performed after step 106.

[0080] In step 107, the user terminal 400 taps the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 to receive the address.

[0081] The user terminal 400 receives information from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 via near field communication. The user terminal 400 may include a device, application, or application programming interface that supports or helps support NFC functionality. According to one embodiment, the user terminal 400 receives an NDEF message that includes an address as a payload by coming within a few tens of centimeters (cm) of the electronic receipt issuing machine 200.

[0082] According to step 107, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits the address to the user terminal 400 via short-range wireless communication, so that the user terminal 400 can obtain information about the electronic receipt by simply and quickly tapping on the electronic receipt issuing machine 200, and there is no need to enter personal information into the POS terminal 100 to obtain the electronic receipt.

[0083] In steps 108 and 109, the user terminal 400 accesses the specified web page based on the received address and displays the electronic receipt.

[0084] The user terminal 400 accesses a web page on the Internet linked to the received address. The user terminal 400 receives the address via an NDEF message and automatically accesses the web page linked to the address as a preset operation. The server 300 has already saved transaction information corresponding to the address. The server 300 converts the transaction information into an electronic receipt format using an application described below. The server 300 displays the generated electronic receipt in the form of a web page linked to the address. Therefore, the user terminal 400 can view the electronic receipt by accessing the web page linked to the address.

[0085] The electronic receipt can be generated by various types of applications, such as, but not limited to, a Progressive Web App, a Responsive Web App, a Rich Internet App, a Single Page App, or a Multi Page App.

[0086] An electronic receipt is a type of electronic document that displays transaction information according to a set of rules in a format defined by a provider. Here, the provider refers to an entity that sells goods or provides services in a transaction. For example, the provider may be, but is not limited to, a merchant or a retailer, and is a concept distinct from the consumer, user, or customer described in this invention.

[0087] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic receipt according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] As shown in Fig. 7, the electronic receipt may be displayed in the form of a web page via a browser. The electronic receipt may include the transaction date and time, product or service name, unit price, quantity, payment amount, additional tax, card name, receipt approval number, trade name, business number, representative name, address, telephone number, etc. The format of the electronic receipt is determined by the provider and is not limited to the one shown in the figure.

[0089] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a consumer can view an electronic receipt without installing a specific application on their smartphone. In the past, issuing an electronic receipt using a specific application required the consumer to have the specific application installed on their smartphone and to log in, which was inconvenient. However, because the electronic receipt of the present invention can be viewed in the form of a web page through a browser, consumers do not need to install a separate application, sign up for a website, or log in to receive the electronic receipt.

[0090] According to one embodiment of the present invention, consumers can easily view electronic receipts on their smartphones by simply tapping on an electronic receipt issuing machine. The present invention transmits a URL to the smartphone via an NDEF message, and the smartphone immediately executes the URL according to a command preset in the NDEF message. Therefore, consumers can view the electronic receipt through the browser with just a tap, without having to take any other action.

[0091] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a consumer can receive an electronic receipt on his / her smartphone without providing personal information such as an email address or phone number to a business operator. That is, the present invention has advantages of preventing unnecessary leakage of personal information during a payment transaction, shortening the procedure and time required for issuing a receipt, and allowing the consumer to easily check an electronic receipt on his / her smartphone.

[0092] According to one embodiment of the present invention, consumers can receive electronic receipts on their smartphones regardless of the payment method. Conventionally, when a card company issues an electronic receipt, the consumer could only receive the receipt when paying with the card. However, the present invention issues an electronic receipt on the consumer's smartphone in conjunction with a business's POS terminal, so consumers can receive an electronic receipt regardless of the payment method, such as cash, debit card, credit card, mobile payment, or easy payment.

[0093] According to one embodiment of the present invention, consumers can advantageously receive an electronic receipt that includes all information related to a transaction. Conventionally, when an electronic receipt is issued via a related application or SMS (Short Message Service) after a card payment, mobile payment, or simple payment, only limited information related to the transaction is displayed on the electronic receipt. In such cases, for example, only the total payment amount is displayed, and details related to the transaction (such as the contents and quantity of the items purchased, the price of each item, and tax) are not displayed. However, according to the electronic receipt issuing method of the present invention, consumers can advantageously receive an electronic receipt that includes all information related to the transaction.

[0094] FIG. 8 illustrates a method for issuing an electronic receipt according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 8, in step 201, the user has not yet initiated a transaction or has at least partially initiated a transaction.

[0096] Unlike Fig. 6, in step 201, the user's transaction has not yet been completed. In step 201, the user has not yet paid the corresponding price for the selected items using a payment method. For example, step 201 may occur before the user scans the first item at the POS terminal for checkout, when the user has scanned at least one item at the POS terminal for checkout, or when the user has scanned all items at the POS terminal but has not yet completed payment.

[0097] In step 202 , the POS terminal 100 transmits the interim transaction information to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 .

[0098] 1, the POS terminal 100 transmits the interim transaction information to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 by wired communication or wireless communication. As shown in FIG. 5, the POS terminal 100 and the electronic receipt issuing machine are integrated, so the transaction information is transmitted internally.

[0099] Here, intermediate transaction information is distinguished from completed transaction information, which will be described later. Intermediate transaction information is a collection of all information related to a transaction for which payment has not yet been completed. For example, intermediate transaction information may include the transaction date and time, product or service name, unit price, quantity, subtotal, trade name, business number, representative name, address, telephone number, etc. However, intermediate transaction information does not include the total amount, information regarding the payment method, the amount of savings, the amount of discounts, or the final payment amount reflecting discounts.

[0100] The provisional transaction information may be data stored in any format, such as, but not limited to, data in which the above-mentioned information is recorded in a text file format.

[0101] In step 203, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates an address corresponding to the received interim transaction information.

[0102] Here, the address means a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that can access a website or web page on the Internet, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0103] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 is characterized by generating one unique address corresponding to the interim transaction information. This is because address clashes occur when the same address is generated corresponding to different transaction information. The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates a unique address by including a unique identifier corresponding to the interim transaction information in the address. For example, the address may have a "web address / identifier" format. Here, the identifier format may be a combination of letters, numbers, special characters, etc., and may have various lengths, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0104] In one embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 may generate an identifier using content related to the interim transaction information. For example, the identifier may be generated based on information about the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 and the date and time the transaction information was generated. In another embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 may generate an identifier using hashing technology. Here, hashing technology refers to technology that uses a hash function to obtain a result value corresponding to an input value. In this case, the identifier may be a result value obtained by hashing technology using the interim transaction information as an input value.

[0105] In step 204 , the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits the intermediate transaction information and the corresponding address information to the server 300 .

[0106] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 can transmit the intermediate transaction information and the corresponding entire address, an identifier contained in the address, other information representing the address, or other information representing the identifier to the server 300, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0107] In step 205, the server 300 stores the intermediate transaction information received from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 and the corresponding address information.

[0108] In step 206, the electronic receipt machine 200 generates and emits a near field communication signal corresponding to the address.

[0109] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits information to the user terminal 400 via near field communication (NFC). According to one embodiment, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates and emits a message in a specific format used for near field communication. Here, the specific format refers to a format that allows the user terminal 400, which receives the message, to immediately perform a predetermined action. For example, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 generates and emits an NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format) message. The NDEF message includes information to be transmitted to the user terminal 400. Here, the NDEF message includes an address as information (payload). Thereafter, the user terminal 400 performs a predetermined action upon receiving the NDEF message.

[0110] In FIG. 8, step 206 is shown to be performed after step 205, but the present invention is not limited to this, and step 205 and step 206 may be performed simultaneously, or step 205 may be performed after step 206.

[0111] In step 207, the user terminal 400 taps the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 to receive the address.

[0112] The user terminal 400 receives information from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 via near field communication. The user terminal 400 may include a device, application, or application programming interface that supports or helps support NFC functionality. According to one embodiment, the user terminal 400 receives an NDEF message that includes an address as a payload by coming within a few tens of centimeters of the electronic receipt issuing machine 200.

[0113] In steps 208 and 209, the user terminal 400 accesses the specified web page based on the received address and displays a preliminary e-receipt.

[0114] The user terminal 400 accesses a web page on the Internet linked to the received address. The server 300 pre-stores interim transaction information corresponding to the address. The server 300 converts the interim transaction information into a provisional electronic receipt format using an application. The server 300 displays the generated provisional electronic receipt in the form of a web page linked to the address. Thus, the user terminal 400 can check the provisional electronic receipt by accessing the web page linked to the address.

[0115] The provisional electronic receipt can be generated by various types of applications, such as, but not limited to, a Progressive Web App, a Responsive Web App, a Rich Internet App, a Single Page App, or a Multi Page App.

[0116] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the user terminal 400 may display a message informing the user that the user is "preparing your final e-receipt" rather than displaying a provisional e-receipt.

[0117] In step 210, the user completes the transaction. Upon completion of the transaction, the POS terminal 100 obtains completed transaction information. In one embodiment, the completed transaction information is a collection of all information related to the completed transaction.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the complete transaction information may include the transaction date and time, name of the product or service, unit price, quantity, trade name, business number, representative name, address, telephone number, as well as the final payment amount, final additional tax amount, and information regarding the payment method.

[0119] In another embodiment, the complete transaction information may include all information related to a transaction that has been paid for after membership discounts or rewards have been reflected. In this case, the complete transaction information may include, in addition to the information described above, membership information, reward information, reward amount, discount information, discount amount, and the final payment amount after the discount has been reflected.

[0120] Like the provisional transaction information, the complete transaction information may be data stored in any format, such as a text file containing the above information.

[0121] In step 211, the POS terminal 100 transmits the complete transaction information to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200.

[0122] 1, the POS terminal 100 transmits transaction information to the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 by wired communication or wireless communication. As shown in FIG. 5, the POS terminal 100 and the electronic receipt issuing machine are integrated, so transaction information is transmitted internally.

[0123] In step 212, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 transmits the complete transaction information and the corresponding address information to the server 300.

[0124] The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 stores intermediate transaction information and the corresponding address in advance. The intermediate transaction information is replaced or updated with complete transaction information. Therefore, the electronic receipt issuing machine 200 uses the address corresponding to the intermediate transaction information as the address corresponding to the complete transaction information. Therefore, in this case, there is no risk of address clashes occurring. The electronic receipt issuing machine 200 can transmit the complete transaction information, the entire address stored in advance, an identifier included in the address, other information representing the address, or other information representing the identifier to the server 300, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0125] In step 213, the server 300 updates the intermediate transaction information to complete transaction information using the address information received from the electronic receipt issuing machine 200.

[0126] In steps 214 and 215, the user terminal 400 accesses the specified web page based on the received address and displays the updated e-receipt.

[0127] The user terminal 400 accesses a web page on the Internet linked to the received address. The server 300 has already updated and saved the complete transaction information corresponding to the address. The server 300 converts the complete transaction information into an electronic receipt format using an application. The server 300 displays the generated final electronic receipt in the form of a web page linked to the address. Thus, the user terminal 400 can view the final electronic receipt by accessing the web page linked to the address.

[0128] The final electronic receipt can be generated by various types of applications, such as, but not limited to, a Progressive Web App, a Responsive Web App, a Rich Internet App, a Single Page App, or a Multi Page App.

[0129] The electronic receipt issuing method shown in Fig. 6 is characterized in that after a transaction is completed, the user can check the electronic receipt by tapping their smartphone on the electronic receipt issuing machine. In contrast, the electronic receipt issuing method shown in Fig. 8 is characterized in that even before the transaction is completed, the user can tap their smartphone on the electronic receipt issuing machine to receive the address of a related web page, and after the transaction is completed, the final electronic receipt is automatically updated and the user can check it.

[0130] The method for issuing an electronic receipt according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is mostly similar to the methods shown in Figures 6 and 8. Only the differences will be described below.

[0131] In step 103 of Figure 6 and step 203 of Figure 8, the electronic receipt issuing machine generates an address corresponding to the received transaction information. Here, the address means a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that can be used to access a website or web page on the Internet.

[0132] However, according to another embodiment of the electronic receipt issuing method, the address here refers to a deep link URL that allows immediate access to a mobile application page or a web application page.

[0133] The deep link URL may be generated directly in response to the transaction information, but is not limited to this. The electronic receipt issuing machine may first generate a URL in response to the transaction information and then derive the deep link URL.

[0134] Meanwhile, in steps 108 and 109 in FIG. 6 and steps 214 and 215 in FIG. 8, the user terminal 400 accesses the specified web page based on the received address and displays the electronic receipt.

[0135] However, in another embodiment of the electronic receipt issuing method, since the address is a deep link URL, the user terminal 400 immediately accesses the specified mobile application page or web application page based on the received address and displays the electronic receipt.

[0136] Specifically, the user terminal 400 executes an application to access a mobile application page or a web application page linked to the received address. The user terminal 400 receives the address via an NDEF message, executes the associated application as a preset operation, and accesses the page linked to the address.

[0137] In an alternative embodiment, if the user terminal 400 does not have the relevant application installed, the user terminal 400 installs the required application and then accesses the mobile application page or web application page linked to the address. In this case, the user terminal 400 also receives the address via an NDEF message and performs a preset operation to install the required application and access the page linked to the address.

[0138] Throughout the specification, when a part "comprises" a certain element, it means that it may further include other elements, not excluding other elements, unless otherwise specified. Also, in this specification, a "part" may be a hardware component such as a processor or circuit, and / or a software component executed by a hardware component such as a processor.

[0139] On the other hand, in an embodiment of the present invention, each component, functional block, or means may be composed of one or more sub-components, and the electrical, electronic, or mechanical functions performed by each component may be realized by various known elements or mechanical elements such as electronic circuits, integrated circuits, and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), and may be realized individually or by integrating two or more components into one.

[0140] Combinations of the blocks in the accompanying block diagrams and steps in the flowcharts may be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be loaded into the processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a portable notebook computer, a network computer, a mobile device such as a smartphone, or other programmable data processing device, so that the instructions, when executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device, generate means for performing the functions described in the blocks in the accompanying block diagrams or steps in the flowcharts. These computer program instructions can also be stored in a memory available to the computer or computer-readable memory that directs the computer or other programmable data processing device to implement the functions in a particular manner, so that a product can be produced that includes instruction means for performing the functions described in the blocks in the block diagrams or steps in the flowcharts. The computer program instructions can also be loaded into the computer or other programmable data processing device to generate a process that causes a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing device, providing steps for performing the functions described in the blocks in the block diagrams and steps in the flowcharts.

[0141] Also, each block or step may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for performing a specific logical function. Furthermore, it should be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions described in the blocks or steps may occur out of order. For example, two blocks or steps shown in succession may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, and sometimes the blocks or steps may be executed in the reverse order depending on the relevant function.

[0142] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, these are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0143] Embodiments of the present invention can be utilized by businesses by providing a method for issuing electronic receipts that consumers can easily view on their smartphones. [Explanation of symbols]

[0144] 10 Electronic receipt issuing system 100 POS terminals 200 Electronic receipt issuing machine 210 Network Interface Unit 220 Communication interface section 230 memory 240 Program Memory Unit 250 control section 260 Address Generation Unit 270 NFC tag control unit 300 servers 310 Communications Department 320 memory 330 Program Memory Unit 340 Control Unit 350 databases 360 Electronic Receipt Application Programming Interface 400 User Terminals 410 Network Interface Unit 420 Communication Interface Unit 430 memory 440 Input / output section 450 Program Memory Unit 460 Control Unit 470 Display control unit

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic receipt generated in response to transaction information, comprising: generating a unique identifier using hashing technology based on at least one of the transaction date and time, information about the terminal that provided the electronic receipt, and the transaction information; generating an address including the unique identifier for displaying the transaction information; Sending the transaction information and the address to a server connected to the Internet; A method for issuing an electronic receipt, the method comprising: generating an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) signal including the address as a payload in a format that enables a terminal on a receiving side of the electronic receipt to perform a preset operation after receiving the electronic receipt; generating the NDEF signal via NFC (Near-Field Communication) and transmitting the signal to the terminal on the receiving side; and enabling the terminal on the receiving side to immediately display the electronic receipt via a web page or application page corresponding to the address after receiving the address.

2. Before the transaction is completed, generating the address including the unique identifier to display interim transaction information indicating a portion of the transaction information; transmitting the intermediate transaction information and the address to the server so that the recipient terminal can obtain the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet; Upon completion of said transaction, The method for issuing an electronic receipt according to claim 1, wherein complete transaction information indicating the complete content of the transaction information is sent to the server, causing the server to update the intermediate transaction information, which is the transaction information obtainable from the address, to the complete transaction information.

3. 2. The method for issuing an electronic receipt according to claim 1, wherein the address is transmitted to the recipient terminal via the NFC, and the recipient terminal, after receiving the address, acquires the electronic receipt via a web page or an application page corresponding to the address.

4. A computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic receipt generated in response to transaction information, comprising: Before the transaction is completed, generating an address including a unique identifier for displaying intermediate transaction information indicating a portion of the transaction information; Transmitting the intermediate transaction information and the address to a server connected to the Internet; Upon completion of said transaction, By transmitting complete transaction information indicating the complete content of the transaction information to the server, the server updates the intermediate transaction information, which is the transaction information obtainable from the address, to the complete transaction information; transmitting the address to a terminal of a recipient of the electronic receipt via short-range wireless communication, thereby causing the recipient terminal to acquire the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet; The unique identifier is generated using hashing technology based on at least one of the transaction date and time, information about the terminal that provided the electronic receipt, and the transaction information; The address is transmitted to the receiver terminal via the short-range wireless communication by a signal corresponding to a format that enables the receiver terminal to perform a preset operation after receiving the address; the short-range wireless communication is NFC (Near-Field Communication), the transmission of the address to the receiver terminal via the NFC is performed by a signal corresponding to an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) including the address as a payload; The method for issuing an electronic receipt includes transmitting the address to the recipient terminal via the short-range wireless communication, and allowing the recipient terminal to obtain the electronic receipt via a web page or application page corresponding to the address after receiving the address.

5. an address generation unit that generates a unique identifier using hashing technology based on at least one of the transaction date and time, information on the terminal that provides the electronic receipt generated according to the transaction information, and the transaction information, and generates an address including the unique identifier for displaying the transaction information; a transmitting unit that transmits the transaction information and the address to a server connected to the Internet; an electronic receipt issuing device comprising: a signal generating unit that generates an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) signal including the address as a payload in a format that enables a terminal that receives the electronic receipt to perform a preset operation after receiving the electronic receipt; generates the NDEF signal via NFC (Near-Field Communication) and transmits the signal to the terminal that receives the electronic receipt; and causes the terminal that receives the electronic receipt to immediately display the electronic receipt via a web page or application page that corresponds to the address after receiving the address.

6. An electronic receipt issuing system including: an issuing device that is connectable to the Internet and generates electronic receipts in accordance with transaction information; a server that is connectable to the Internet; and a terminal that is connectable to the Internet and that is connectable to the issuing device via short-range wireless communication and that receives the electronic receipt, The issuing device generating a unique identifier using hashing technology based on at least one of the transaction date and time, information on the terminal providing the electronic receipt, and the transaction information, and generating an address including the unique identifier for displaying the transaction information; Sending the transaction information and the address to the server; An electronic receipt issuing system that generates an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) signal including the address as a payload in a format that enables the receiving terminal to perform a preset operation after receiving the address, generates the NDEF signal via NFC (Near-Field Communication) and transmits the signal to the receiving terminal, and enables the receiving terminal to immediately display the electronic receipt via a web page or app page corresponding to the address after receiving the address.

7. A computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic receipt generated in response to transaction information, comprising: generating an address including a unique identifier for displaying the transaction information; Sending the transaction information and the address to a server connected to the Internet; generating a short-range wireless communication signal including the address as a payload, and causing a terminal on the side to which the electronic receipt is to be provided to acquire the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet; Before the transaction is completed, generating the address including the unique identifier to display interim transaction information indicating a portion of the transaction information; transmitting the intermediate transaction information and the address to the server so that the recipient terminal can obtain the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet; Upon completion of said transaction, A method for issuing an electronic receipt, which causes the server to update the intermediate transaction information, which is the transaction information obtainable from the address, to the complete transaction information by sending complete transaction information indicating the complete content of the transaction information to the server.

8. an address generation unit that generates an address including a unique identifier for displaying transaction information; a transmitting unit that transmits the transaction information and the address to a server connected to the Internet; a signal generating unit that generates a short-range wireless communication signal including the address as a payload, and causes a terminal that is to receive an electronic receipt generated according to the transaction information to acquire the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet, Before the transaction is completed, the address generation unit generates the address including the unique identifier in order to display interim transaction information indicating a part of the transaction information; the transmitting unit transmits the intermediate transaction information and the address to the server so that the recipient terminal can obtain the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet; Upon completion of said transaction, The sending unit sends complete transaction information indicating the complete content of the transaction information to the server, thereby causing the server to update the intermediate transaction information, which is the transaction information that can be obtained from the address, to the complete transaction information.

9. An electronic receipt issuing system including: an issuing device that is connectable to the Internet and generates electronic receipts in accordance with transaction information; a server that is connectable to the Internet; and a terminal that is connectable to the Internet and that is connectable to the issuing device via short-range wireless communication and that receives the electronic receipt, The issuing device generating an address including a unique identifier for displaying the transaction information; Sending the transaction information and the address to the server; generating a short-range wireless communication signal including the address as a payload, and causing the receiver terminal to acquire the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet; Before the transaction is completed, generating the address including the unique identifier to display interim transaction information indicating a portion of the transaction information; transmitting the intermediate transaction information and the address to the server so that the recipient terminal can obtain the electronic receipt from the address via the Internet; Upon completion of said transaction, An electronic receipt issuance system that sends complete transaction information indicating the complete content of the transaction information to the server, causing the server to update the intermediate transaction information, which is the transaction information that can be obtained from the address, to the complete transaction information.

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