Information processing device, terminal device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To achieve facilitation of using cashless settlement processing or point processing, reducing a burden of a commission of a store using both cashless settlement processing and point processing.SOLUTION: An information processing device, which calculates a commission to be imposed on a store capable of using both cashless settlement processing pertaining to commercial transaction and point processing, is configured to comprise: a rate information storage media that stores a preset different commission rate associating presence or absence of both usage; a transaction data acquisition unit that acquires transaction data including settlement information on settlement for each commercial transaction and addition information showing the presence or absence of both usage from a terminal of the store; a commission rate calculation unit that reads a corresponding commission rate from the rate information storage media in accordance with the presence or absence of both usage shown by the addition information, and calculates a commission to be imposed on the store on the basis of the commission rate and the settlement information; and an output unit that outputs information showing a calculated fee.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One aspect of this invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a terminal device, an information processing method, and a program used in an information processing system related to commercial transactions.

Background Art

[0002] When paying for goods or services, non-cash payment methods such as credit cards and electronic money are widely used. Also, point services that give points as a privilege to customers who use a store are also widespread.

[0003] Non-cash payment has merits for consumers, such as not having to carry cash, easier management of expenditures, and receiving a rebate according to the amount of use. Point services also have merits for consumers, such as being able to use saved points as part of the payment and receiving presents or services according to the number of saved points.

[0004] For stores as well, the use of non-cash payment or point services has many merits, such as differentiation from other stores, the effect of attracting customers who want to use non-cash payment or point services, and preventing customer churn by giving a rebate to good customers.

[0005] Here, when using non-cash payment, a franchise store needs to pay a franchise fee to the business operator that provides the payment system. Generally, for each payment, the fee is calculated by multiplying the transaction amount related to the payment by a preset fee rate and is imposed on the franchise store.

[0006] Similarly, when using a point service, a franchise store needs to pay a franchise fee to the business operator that provides the point service. Generally, for each transaction amount or the number of points given for each payment, the fee is calculated by multiplying by a preset fee rate and is imposed on the franchise store.

[0007] Businesses that provide cashless payment systems, or point reward systems for loyalty programs, rely on these merchant fees as one of their revenue sources and hope to see an increase in the number of stores adopting their systems.

[0008] However, merchant fees in Japan for using cashless payment systems tend to be generally higher than in other countries, and as a result, many stores are hesitant to adopt these cashless payment methods due to the associated costs.

[0009] Under these circumstances, if a store that has already implemented a cashless payment system were to introduce a point service to attract more customers, it would result in additional transaction fees.

[0010] On the other hand, in credit card transactions, there is a known technique for calculating fees on a per-member basis according to the cardholder's usage, rather than using a fee rate set by each merchant (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-197382 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] However, while the technology described in Patent Document 1 has the effect of encouraging merchants to acquire high-quality customers in anticipation of reduced transaction fees once the credit card payment system is introduced, it remains difficult to predict the effect of reduced transaction fees when considering the introduction of the payment system, and thus it is still a challenge that makes it difficult to proceed with the introduction. Furthermore, the problem of increased transaction fees due to the combined use of point services has not been resolved.

[0013] This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a technology that reduces the burden of fees on stores when using non-cash payment processing and point processing in commercial transactions, and promotes the use of non-cash payment processing or point processing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To solve the above problems, the first aspect of the present invention is an information processing device for calculating a fee to be imposed on a store that can use both non-cash payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, comprising: a rate information storage medium that stores different fee rates set in advance in association with whether or not the non-cash payment processing and point processing are used in combination; a transaction data acquisition unit that acquires transaction data from the store's terminal for each commercial transaction, including settlement information relating to the settlement of the commercial transaction and additional information indicating whether or not the non-cash payment processing and point processing are used in combination for the commercial transaction; a fee calculation unit that reads the corresponding fee rate from the rate information storage medium according to whether or not the transaction is used in combination as indicated by the additional information included in the acquired transaction data, and calculates a fee to be imposed on the store based on the fee rate and the settlement information included in the acquired transaction data; and an output unit that outputs information representing the calculated fee.

[0015] A second aspect of this invention is an information processing device for calculating a fee for credit card payment processing to be imposed on a store that can use both credit card payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, comprising: a rate information storage medium that stores different fee rates set in advance in association with whether or not credit card payment processing and point processing are used in combination; a transaction data acquisition unit that acquires transaction data from the store's terminal for each commercial transaction, including value information representing the transaction value subject to credit card payment processing for that commercial transaction, and additional information indicating whether or not credit card payment processing and point processing are used in combination for that commercial transaction; a fee calculation unit that reads the corresponding fee rate from the rate information storage medium according to whether or not the transaction is used in combination as indicated by the additional information included in the acquired transaction data, and calculates the fee for credit card payment processing based on the fee rate and the value information included in the acquired transaction data; and an output unit that outputs information representing the calculated fee.

[0016] A third aspect of this invention is that the fee rate information storage medium stores a first fee rate set in the case where the credit payment processing and the point processing are not used in combination, and a second fee rate set to a value lower than the first fee rate in the case where the credit payment processing and the point processing are used in combination, and the fee calculation unit calculates the fee to be imposed on the store by multiplying the fee rate read from the fee rate information storage medium by the transaction value represented by the value information.

[0017] A fourth aspect of this invention is an information processing device for calculating a fee related to point processing, which is imposed on a store that can use both credit payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, comprising: a rate information storage medium that stores different fee rates set in advance in association with whether or not the credit payment processing and point processing are used in combination; a transaction data acquisition unit that acquires transaction data from the store's terminal for each commercial transaction, which includes value information representing the transaction price related to the commercial transaction, point processing information including information on the awarding of points related to the commercial transaction, and additional information indicating whether or not the credit payment processing and point processing are used in combination for the commercial transaction; a fee calculation unit that reads a corresponding fee rate from the rate information storage medium according to whether or not the two are used in combination as indicated by the additional information included in the acquired transaction data, and calculates the fee related to point processing based on the fee rate and at least one of the value information and point processing information included in the acquired transaction data; and an output unit that outputs information representing the calculated fee.

[0018] A fifth aspect of this invention is that the fee rate information storage medium stores a first fee rate set in a case where the credit payment processing and the point processing are not used in combination, and a second fee rate set to a value lower than the first fee rate in a case where the credit payment processing and the point processing are used in combination, and the fee calculation unit calculates the fee related to the point processing by multiplying the fee rate read from the fee rate information storage medium by the transaction value represented by the value information or the number of points awarded calculated based on the point processing information.

[0019] A sixth aspect of the present invention is a terminal device installed in a store that is used in conjunction with an information processing device that calculates a fee to be imposed on a store that can use non-cash payment processing and point processing in connection with a commercial transaction, using different fee rates set in advance in correspondence with whether or not the non-cash payment processing and point processing are used in combination, the terminal device comprising: a payment information acquisition unit that acquires payment information relating to the settlement of a commercial transaction for each commercial transaction; a combination determination unit that determines whether or not the non-cash payment processing and point processing are used in combination for each commercial transaction; a payment data generation unit that generates payment data for each commercial transaction that includes the payment information and additional information indicating whether or not the non-cash payment processing and point processing are used in combination; and an output unit that outputs the generated payment data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to a first aspect of this invention, in an information processing device for calculating a fee to be imposed on a store that can use both cashless payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, transaction data including settlement information relating to the settlement of each commercial transaction and additional information indicating whether or not cashless payment processing and point processing are used together is acquired from a store terminal, and the fee is calculated based on the settlement information included in the transaction data and a fee rate set in advance in association with whether or not cashless payment processing and point processing are used together. In this way, by setting different fee rates according to the additional information indicating whether or not cashless payment processing and point processing are used together, the fee burden on stores due to the combined use of cashless payment processing and point processing can be appropriately and easily reduced, and the use of cashless payment processing and point processing can be promoted.

[0021] According to a second aspect of this invention, in an information processing device for calculating fees related to credit card payment processing, transaction data is acquired from a store terminal, which includes information representing the transaction value subject to credit card payment processing for each commercial transaction, and additional information indicating whether or not credit card payment processing and point processing are used in combination for the commercial transaction. The fee related to the credit card payment processing is calculated based on the information representing the transaction value included in the transaction data and a fee rate set in advance in association with whether or not credit card payment processing and point processing are used in combination. In this way, by setting different fee rates for calculating the fee related to credit card payment processing according to the additional information indicating whether or not credit card payment processing and point processing are used in combination, the fee burden on stores due to the combined use of non-cash payment processing and point processing can be appropriately and easily reduced, and the use of non-cash payment processing and point processing can be promoted.

[0022] According to a third aspect of this invention, when calculating the fees charged to stores for credit card payment processing, a second fee rate, set lower than the first fee rate set for transactions where credit card payment processing and point processing are used together, is applied to commercial transactions where credit card payment processing and point processing are used together. The fee is then calculated by multiplying this fee rate by the transaction value. Therefore, the burden of duplicate fees charged to stores when credit card payment processing and point processing are used together can be reduced. Furthermore, since the fee is calculated by multiplying the transaction value by the fee rate, the effect of reducing the fee rate makes it easier to grasp, and it becomes possible to encourage stores to use credit card payment processing and point processing.

[0023] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in an information processing apparatus that calculates a fee related to point processing, transaction data including value information representing a transaction amount related to each business transaction, point processing information related to point granting, and additional information indicating whether credit settlement processing and point processing are used together for the business transaction is acquired from a store terminal. Based on at least one of the value information and the point processing information and a fee rate set in advance in association with whether credit settlement processing and point processing are used together, a fee related to point processing is calculated. Thus, by setting different fee rates according to the additional information indicating whether credit settlement processing and point processing are used together as the fee rate for calculating the fee related to point processing, it is possible to appropriately and easily reduce the fee burden on the store caused by using non-cash settlement processing and point processing together, and to promote the use of non-cash settlement processing and point processing.

[0024] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in calculating a fee related to point processing imposed on a store, for a business transaction in which credit settlement processing and point processing are used together, a second fee rate set to a value lower than a first fee rate set for a business transaction in which credit settlement processing and point processing are not used together is applied. Further, the fee is calculated by multiplying this fee rate by the transaction amount or the number of points granted. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the burden of the fee that is duplicated and imposed on the store when point processing is used together with credit settlement processing. In addition, since the fee is calculated by multiplying the transaction amount or the number of points granted by the fee rate, it is easy to grasp the effect of reducing the fee due to the reduction of the fee rate, and it becomes possible to encourage the store to use credit settlement processing and point processing.

[0025] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in a terminal device installed in a store, which is used together with an information processing device that calculates a fee imposed on a store capable of combining non-cash settlement processing and point processing related to commercial transactions using different pre-set fee rates associated with the presence or absence of the combination, for each commercial transaction, settlement information regarding the settlement is acquired, the presence or absence of the combination of non-cash settlement processing and point processing is determined, and settlement data including additional information indicating the presence or absence of the combination and the settlement information is generated and output. Thereby, without requiring complicated setting changes, the fee calculation process in the information processing device can be implemented using the settlement data output from the terminal device installed in the store with a relatively simple configuration.

[0026] That is, according to each aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology capable of reducing the fee burden on the store side by combining non-cash settlement processing and point processing in commercial transactions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a system including a terminal device and an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram exemplifying the hardware configuration of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram exemplifying the software configuration of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram exemplifying the hardware configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram exemplifying the software configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure and processing content by the terminal device shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure and processing content by the information processing device shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A shows a first example of a fee rate table that specifies fee rates according to additional information. [Figure 8B] Figure 8B shows a second example of a fee rate table that specifies fee rates according to additional information. [Figure 8C] Figure 8C shows a third example of a fee rate table that specifies fee rates according to additional information. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Embodiments of this invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [One embodiment] [Example 1] (1-1) Composition (1-1-1) System Figure 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of a system including a terminal device and an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] This system connects the store terminal STT of a member store ST that uses a non-cash payment system and a points awarding system related to commercial transactions, the payment service provider server PASV of the payment system provider PA that provides the non-cash payment system, and the points server SPSV of the points provider SP that provides the points awarding system, all via a network NW.

[0030] A network (NW) consists of, for example, a relay network and multiple access networks that access this relay network. Relay networks can include, for example, public networks or private networks using the Internet Protocol. Access networks can include, for example, LANs (Local Area Networks), wireless LANs, mobile phone networks, wired telephone networks, FTTH (Fiber To The Home), and CATV (Cable Television) networks.

[0031] The Payment System Provider (PA) includes all businesses that provide non-cash payment systems, such as credit card companies and electronic money providers. The Payment System Provider (PA) consists of a payment service server (PASV) and a transaction database (PAD).

[0032] The payment service provider server PASV consists of a server computer or personal computer operated by the payment system provider PA. To provide a cashless payment system, the payment service provider server PASV receives payment data transmitted from the store terminal STT and performs settlement processing between the store ST and the customer CS. The payment service provider server PASV according to the first embodiment may include an information processing device 1 according to one embodiment of this invention. The information processing device 1 will be described in more detail later.

[0033] The transaction database PAD comprises a transaction database that links payment data transmitted from each store terminal STT with each store ST, a merchant database that stores various information about each store ST, and a member database that stores each member's identification number, personal information, card number, payment details, payment history, etc.

[0034] A point service provider (SP) is a business that operates a point service (point awarding system) that issues and awards points unique to each store or common to multiple stores to customers based on store usage, such as visiting the store or making payments. A point service provider (SP) consists of a point server (SPSV) and a point database (SPD).

[0035] The point server SPSV consists of a server computer or personal computer operated by the point service provider SP. To provide the point awarding system, the point server SPSV receives point processing data transmitted from the store terminal STT and performs point settlement processing between the store ST and the customer CS.

[0036] The points database SPD comprises a transaction database that links point processing data transmitted from each store terminal STT with each store ST, a merchant database that stores various information about each store ST, and a member database that stores the identification number, personal information, and point history information of each point member as a customer.

[0037] The store terminal STT is a POS (Point of Sale) terminal installed in the store ST, a communication terminal that operates in conjunction with the POS terminal, or a portable information terminal used in place of the POS terminal. The store terminal STT may include a terminal device 100 according to one embodiment of this invention. The terminal device 100 will be described in more detail later.

[0038] Furthermore, the store terminal STT may be a device that manages multiple POS terminals within the store ST. Also, the store ST is not limited to a physical store, but may be an online shop or other non-storefront format. If the store ST is an online shop, the store terminal STT can be implemented as a sales management application with similar functionality to a POS terminal.

[0039] While the payment system provider PA's payment service server PASV and the point service provider SP's point server SPSV are actually connected to numerous terminals from numerous merchants, Figure 1 shows only one store terminal STT from one store ST for convenience. Similarly, Figure 1 shows only one customer CS for convenience, but in reality, there may be many customers CS. Furthermore, in reality, the payment system provider PA often processes settlements through a payment processing company rather than directly interacting with the merchant ST, but for the sake of simplicity, intermediaries such as payment processing companies will be omitted in this explanation. Below, the processing overview will be explained assuming the payment system provider PA in Figure 1 is a credit card company PA.

[0040] In the system shown in Figure 1, suppose a customer (CS) chooses to pay for goods or services at a store (ST) using a credit card. The store terminal (STT) acquires transaction information, for example, by having a store employee at ST operate the code reader attached to the store terminal (ST) to read the barcode attached to the goods, or by having the employee input goods information via the keyboard attached to the store terminal (STT). Goods information includes the type, name, unit price, and quantity of the goods or services. Furthermore, the store terminal (STT) acquires information about the credit card used for payment, for example, by having a store employee at ST read the IC chip or magnetic stripe of the credit card presented by the customer (CS) using a card reader (arrow S1).

[0041] The store terminal STT processes sales and inventory management based on acquired product information and credit card information, and also generates payment data to be sent to the credit card company PA's payment service provider server PASV for settlement. For example, for each payment (transaction), the store terminal STT generates and stores payment data including information that identifies the payment, such as a serial number, the date and time the payment was made, the transaction amount, credit card information (card number, expiration date, security code, etc.), and payment method (lump sum payment / installment payment / revolving payment). At regular intervals or in fixed amounts, it aggregates the stored payment data and sends it to the credit card company PA's payment service provider server PASV for settlement (arrow S2).

[0042] When the payment service provider server PASV receives payment data transmitted from the store terminal STT, it adds the store ST's identification information and stores it as transaction data in the transaction database PAD, while simultaneously preparing for billing to the customer CS linked to the credit card information and payment to the store ST as a merchant, as follows:

[0043] First, the payment service provider server PASV refers to the member database and issues an invoice to each customer CS according to their contract details and payment method (arrow S3). In response, the customer CS pays the invoiced amount to the credit card company PA by bank transfer or direct debit from their bank account (arrow S4). Note that steps S3 and S4, shown by the dotted lines, are not essential to the processing of the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0044] Meanwhile, with respect to the store ST, the payment service provider server PASV processes payment to the store ST based on the payment data, in parallel with or at an appropriate time after the completion of steps S3 and S4, based on the merchant database (arrow S5). At this time, the amount paid to the store ST will be the above-mentioned payment amount minus the fees that should be imposed on merchants of the non-cash payment system.

[0045] Similarly, in the system shown in Figure 1, suppose customer CS expresses their intention to use the point service when purchasing the above product and presents their point card. The store terminal STT acquires point card information by, for example, having a store employee at ST operate the card reader or scanner attached to the store terminal STT to read the IC chip, magnetic stripe, QR code (registered trademark), etc. of the point card (arrow S1).

[0046] The store terminal STT generates point processing data, which includes point processing information that associates the acquired point card information with the product information acquired above, and transmits it to the point service provider SP's point server SPSV (arrow S6). The point processing data includes, for example, information that identifies the transaction, such as a serial number, the date and time the transaction was made, information that identifies the target customer (member ID, point card number, etc.), point processing information such as the type of points, and product information such as the name and type of product involved in the transaction and the transaction price.

[0047] When the point server SPSV receives point processing data transmitted from the store terminal STT, it adds the store ST identification information and stores it in the point database SPD as transaction data, while simultaneously processing the customer CS as a point member and the store ST as a participating store, as follows:

[0048] The point server SPSV first calculates the number of points to be awarded to the customer CS based on predetermined conditions, using point processing data. Next, the point server SPSV reads the customer CS's point balance from the member database and generates point award data including the calculated number of points to be awarded, the point type, and the point balance after the addition, and transmits it to the store terminal STT (arrow S7). The store terminal STT, upon receiving the point award data, generates output data based on the received point award data and prints it on a receipt to be given to the customer CS, or displays it on the display for the customer CS to present. The point server SPSV also stores the calculated number of points to be awarded and the point balance after the addition in the point database SPD, linked to the member database or transaction data.

[0049] The point server SPSV also reads point processing data stored in the point database SPD at regular intervals or in fixed amounts, and calculates the point fee to be charged to the store ST according to the transaction value or the number of points awarded. The calculated point fee is billed to the store ST together with, for example, a fixed monthly usage fee.

[0050] In one embodiment, when non-cash payment and a points service are used in combination in a single commercial transaction (settlement), additional information is added to the settlement data transmitted by the store terminal STT to the payment service provider server PASV for settlement. Upon receiving the settlement data, the payment service provider server PASV determines whether or not the above additional information is present for each transaction when calculating the merchant fee, and calculates the fee by applying different fee rates depending on whether or not the additional information is present. Here, "fee rate" refers to the value applied when calculating the fee, and is expressed, for example, as a percentage (%) of the amount or as an equivalent amount for points (yen / point).

[0051] Furthermore, even when the payment system provider (PA) is an electronic money provider (prepaid / postpaid) or a debit card provider (instant payment), the processing overview can be explained using the same flow as shown in Figure 1.

[0052] Regarding arrow S2, the store terminal STT may send payment data to the payment service provider server PASV in real time for each transaction, or it may accumulate payment data and send it to the payment service provider server PASV periodically, for example, every week or every month. Similarly, regarding arrow S5, the payment service provider server PASV may calculate a fee for each transaction each time it receives payment data from the store terminal STT and charge the store terminal STT a fee for each transaction, or it may calculate a fee for each week each time it receives, for example, a week's worth of payment data from the store terminal STT, or it may receive and accumulate payment data from the store terminal STT every week and calculate a fee on a monthly basis.

[0053] Similarly, with respect to arrow S6, the store terminal STT may send point processing data to the point service provider server SPSV in real time for each transaction, or it may accumulate point processing data and send it to the point service provider server SPSV in batches periodically, for example, every week or every month. Similarly, with respect to arrow S7, the point service provider server SPSV may calculate a fee for each transaction each time it receives point processing data from the store terminal STT and charge the store terminal STT a fee for each transaction, or it may calculate a fee for each week each time it receives, for example, a week's worth of point processing data from the store terminal STT, or it may receive and accumulate point processing data from the store terminal STT on a weekly basis and calculate a fee on a monthly basis.

[0054] Furthermore, arrows S2 and S6 may be executed at different times or simultaneously. Similarly, arrows S5 and S7 may be executed at different times or simultaneously.

[0055] (1-1-2) Terminal device (i) Hardware configuration Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a terminal device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The terminal device 100 is used as part of the store terminal STT installed in each store ST. The terminal device 100 may also be implemented as a separate device that functions in conjunction with the store terminal STT.

[0056] The terminal device 100 has a hardware processor 120A, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). A program memory 120B, a data memory 130, a communication interface 111, and an input / output interface 112 are connected to this hardware processor 120A via a bus 150.

[0057] The input / output interface 112 is connected to an input device 102 and a display device 103 attached to the terminal device 100. The input / output interface 12 takes in operation data entered by the operator through the input device 102, such as a keyboard, touch panel, or mouse, and outputs the display data generated by the terminal device 100 to the display device 103, which uses liquid crystal or organic EL (Electro Luminescence), for display. The input device 102 may also include a card reader, code reader, scanner, etc., connected to the store terminal STT. The input device 102 and display device 103 may be devices built into the terminal device 100, or they may be input devices and display devices of other information terminals that can communicate via a network NW.

[0058] The communication interface 111 includes, for example, one or more wired or wireless communication interfaces, enabling the transmission and reception of information with external devices. For example, a wired LAN may be used as the wired interface, and for example, an interface employing a low-power wireless data communication standard such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth® may be used as the wireless interface.

[0059] The communication interface 111 transmits data between the payment service provider server PASV and the point server SPSV in accordance with the communication protocol defined by the network NW. While TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) is one example of such a communication protocol, it is not limited to this.

[0060] The program memory 120B uses a combination of non-volatile memory that can be written to and read at any time, such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), and non-volatile memory such as ROM as storage media, and stores programs necessary to execute various control processes according to one embodiment.

[0061] The data memory 130 uses a combination of non-volatile memory, such as an HDD or SSD that allows writing and reading at any time, and volatile memory, such as RAM (Random Access Memory), as storage media, and is used to store various data acquired and created in the process of various information processing, including the calculation of fees.

[0062] (ii) Software configuration Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the software configuration of a terminal device 100 according to one embodiment of this invention, in relation to the hardware configuration shown in Figure 2.

[0063] A payment information storage unit 131 is provided in the storage area of ​​the data memory 130.

[0064] The payment information storage unit 131 is used to store the acquired payment information. However, the payment information storage unit 131 is not a mandatory component and may be provided on an external storage medium such as a USB memory stick or on a storage device such as a database server located in the cloud.

[0065] The control unit 120 consists of the hardware processor 120A and the program memory 120B, and includes a software-based processing function unit which includes a payment information acquisition unit 121, a payment data generation unit 122, a combined determination unit 123, and an output control unit 124. All of these functions are implemented by causing the hardware processor 120A to execute a program stored in the program memory 120B. The control unit 120 may also be implemented in various other forms, including integrated circuits such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays).

[0066] The payment information acquisition unit 121 acquires payment information related to each transaction, such as the date and time the payment was made, the transaction amount, credit card information, and payment method, from the store terminal STT or through an input device 102 such as a code reader or barcode scanner, and stores it in the payment information storage unit 131.

[0067] The payment data generation unit 122 reads the payment information stored in the payment information storage unit 131 and performs processing to generate payment data to be sent to the credit card company PA's business server PASV for settlement.

[0068] The combined service determination unit 123 determines for each transaction whether or not a credit card and a points service were used in combination, adds additional information based on the determination result to the payment data generated by the payment data generation unit 122, and passes it to the output control unit 124.

[0069] The output control unit 124 generates output data based on the received payment data and outputs it via the communication interface 111 or the input / output interface 112.

[0070] (1-1-3) Information Processing Device (i) Hardware configuration Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The information processing device 1 is used as part of the payment service provider server PASV. Alternatively, the information processing device 1 may be implemented as a separate device that functions in conjunction with the payment service provider server PASV.

[0071] The information processing device 1 has, for example, a hardware processor 20A such as a CPU. A program memory 20B, a data memory 30, a communication interface 11, and an input / output interface 12 are connected to this hardware processor 20A via a bus 50.

[0072] The input / output interface 12 is connected to the input device 2 and display device 3 attached to the information processing device 1. The input / output interface 12 takes in operation data entered by the operator through the input device 2, such as a keyboard, touch panel, or mouse, and outputs the display data generated by the information processing device 1 to the display device 3, which uses liquid crystal or organic EL, for display. The input device 2 and display device 3 may be devices built into the device 1, or they may be input devices and display devices of other information terminals that can communicate via a network NW.

[0073] The communication interface 11 includes, for example, one or more wired or wireless communication interfaces, enabling the transmission and reception of information with external devices. For example, a wired LAN may be used as the wired interface, and for example, an interface employing a low-power wireless data communication standard such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth may be used as the wireless interface.

[0074] The communication interface 11 transmits data to the store terminal STT in accordance with the communication protocol defined by the network NW. While TCP / IP is one example of a communication protocol, it is not limited to this.

[0075] The program memory 20B uses a combination of non-volatile memory, such as an HDD or SSD that allows writing and reading at any time, and other non-volatile memory such as ROM, as storage media, and stores programs necessary to execute various control processes according to one embodiment.

[0076] The data memory 30 uses a combination of non-volatile memory, such as an HDD or SSD, which allows writing and reading at any time, and volatile memory, such as RAM, as storage media, and is used to store various data acquired and created in the process of performing various information processing, including the calculation of fees.

[0077] (ii) Software configuration Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the software configuration of an information processing device 1 according to one embodiment of this invention, in relation to the hardware configuration shown in Figure 4. The data memory 30 includes a transaction data storage unit 31, a rate information storage unit 32, and a commission storage unit 33 in its storage area.

[0078] The transaction data storage unit 31 is used to store the acquired transaction data (or settlement data).

[0079] The fee rate information storage unit 32 is used to store fee rate information used for calculating fees in the form of a fee rate table.

[0080] The fee storage unit 33 is used to store the calculated fee.

[0081] However, the above-mentioned memory units 31 to 33 are not mandatory and may be provided in, for example, the transaction database PAD mentioned above, external storage media such as USB memory, or storage devices such as database servers located in the cloud.

[0082] The control unit 20 consists of the hardware processor 20A and the program memory 20B, and includes a software-based processing function unit which includes a transaction data acquisition unit 21, an additional information extraction unit 22, a rate information acquisition unit 23, a commission calculation unit 24, and an output control unit 25. All of these functions are implemented by having the hardware processor 20A execute a program stored in the program memory 20B. The control unit 20 may also be implemented in various other forms, including integrated circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs.

[0083] The transaction data acquisition unit 21 accesses the transaction database PAD to acquire transaction data (or settlement data) that should be subject to the fee calculation process, and stores it in the transaction data storage unit 31.

[0084] The additional information extraction unit 22 extracts value information representing the transaction price for each settlement (transaction) from the transaction data stored in the transaction data storage unit 31, and performs a process to determine whether or not there is any additional information associated with it. The additional information extraction unit 22 also extracts the additional information if it exists, and passes information indicating that it does not exist to the rate information acquisition unit 23 if it does not. The additional information extraction unit 22 also passes the extracted value information to the commission calculation unit 24.

[0085] The rate information acquisition unit 23 reads the corresponding fee rate from the fee rate table stored in the rate information storage unit 32 based on the information received from the additional information extraction unit 22, and passes it to the fee calculation unit 24.

[0086] The fee calculation unit 24 calculates the fee based on the fee rate received from the fee rate information acquisition unit 23 and the value information received from the additional information extraction unit 22, and stores the calculated fee in the fee storage unit 33.

[0087] The output control unit 25 reads the information stored in the fee storage unit 33, generates output data, and outputs it via the communication interface 11 or the input / output interface 12.

[0088] (1-2) Operation Next, the information processing operation by the terminal device 100 and information processing device 1 configured as described above will be explained.

[0089] (1-2-1) Terminal device First, we will explain the processing operation of the terminal device 100, which functions as part of the store terminal STT installed in the store ST. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure and processing content of such a terminal device 100.

[0090] In one embodiment, the terminal device 100 monitors in step S101 for the presence of a trigger to start the process of generating and outputting payment data to be sent to the business server PASV. In this state, for example, if an operator inputs a request via the input device 102 to instruct the generation and output of payment data, and the terminal device 100 receives this request as a start trigger, the terminal device 100 executes the process as follows.

[0091] First, in step S102, the terminal device 100, under the control of the control unit 120, receives the payment information acquired by the store terminal STT via the input / output interface 112 or the communication interface 111 using the payment information acquisition unit 121, and stores it in the payment information storage unit 131. Alternatively, the terminal device 100 may acquire payment information directly from a card reader or scanner as an input device 102. The payment information is information relating to the settlement of a single commercial transaction, and includes information on the date and time the settlement was made, information on the transaction amount related to the settlement, credit card information (credit card number, expiration date, security code, payment method, etc.) if credit card payment was made, and information relating to the point service (point card number, membership number, point type, etc.) if a point service was used.

[0092] Next, in step S103, the terminal device 100, under the control of the control unit 120, uses the payment data generation unit 122 to read the payment information stored in the payment information storage unit 131 and generate payment data to be transmitted to the business operator server PASV. The payment data is generated according to a data format specified in advance by the credit card company PA.

[0093] In step S104, the terminal device 100, under the control of the control unit 120, uses the combined use determination unit 123 to determine whether or not the pre-set combined use conditions are met, that is, whether or not the point service was used together with the credit card payment. In one embodiment, the combined use determination unit 123 determines that the combined use conditions are met if the settlement information for a single commercial transaction includes both specific credit card information related to a specific credit card company PA and specific point card information related to a specific point service provider SP. If it is determined that the combined use conditions are met, the process proceeds to step S105; if it is determined that the conditions are not met, the process proceeds to step S106.

[0094] In step S105, the terminal device 100, under the control of the control unit 120, uses the co-use determination unit 123 to add additional information to the payment data generated by the payment data generation unit 122, indicating that the co-use conditions are met. The additional information can be added in any way. For example, if there is free space in the data format for the payment data, a specific value can be set in this free space, and this value can be shared between the terminal device 100 and the payment service provider server PASV, and used as additional information indicating that the co-use conditions are met.

[0095] Next, in step S106, the terminal device 100, under the control of the control unit 120, outputs settlement data, with or without additional information, via the output control unit 124.

[0096] Furthermore, the processes in steps S101 to S106 described above may be performed at any time and for any data unit. For example, the start of the settlement data generation and output process described in step S101 does not need to be in response to an instruction from the operator. Alternatively, the terminal device 100 may use an internal timer to generate a trigger at regular intervals, and the process may be started periodically in response to that trigger, or it may be performed each time data is received from the store terminal STT. Or, the store terminal STT may store unprocessed settlement information in a storage unit (not shown), monitor the storage unit, and instruct the terminal device 100 to start the settlement data generation and output process each time a certain amount of unprocessed settlement information is accumulated.

[0097] (1-2-2) Information Processing Device Next, we will describe the processing operation of the information processing device 1, which functions as part of the payment service provider server PASV. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure and processing content of such an information processing device 1.

[0098] In one embodiment, the information processing device 1 monitors for the presence or absence of a trigger to start the fee calculation process in step S201. In this state, for example, if an operator inputs a request to instruct the calculation of the fee via the input device 2, and this request is received as a start trigger, the information processing device 1 executes the fee calculation process as follows.

[0099] First, in step S202, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, reads the necessary transaction data from the transaction database PAD using the transaction data acquisition unit 21 and stores it in the transaction data storage unit 31. The transaction data acquisition unit 21, for example, accesses the transaction database PAD and extracts transaction data corresponding to the identification information of the store ST specified by the operator and the specified period. Each record included in the transaction data corresponds to a unit settlement related to a unit commercial transaction and includes at least date and time information and transaction price information related to the commercial transaction. The transaction data acquisition unit 21 may also acquire settlement data from the store terminal STT via the network NW and use this settlement data as transaction data for calculating the commission. In this case, the transaction data acquisition unit 21 adds the identification information of the store ST to the acquired settlement data and stores it in the transaction data storage unit 31.

[0100] Next, in step S203, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, reads the records stored in the transaction data storage unit 31 using the additional information extraction unit 22, extracts transaction price information along with information identifying the settlement and information identifying the store ST, and passes it to the commission calculation unit 24.

[0101] In step S204, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, uses the additional information extraction unit 22 to determine whether or not there is additional information for the record read from the transaction data storage unit 31 in step S203. If it is determined that there is no additional information, the process proceeds to step S206.

[0102] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S204 that there is additional information, the information processing device 1 proceeds to step S205, and the additional information extraction unit 22 extracts the additional information and passes it to the rate information acquisition unit 23. In one embodiment, the additional information is identified as a value set in the free area of ​​a data format predetermined between the credit card company PA and the store ST. The additional information extraction unit 22 extracts this value as additional information and passes this value to the rate information acquisition unit 23.

[0103] In step S206, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, uses the rate information acquisition unit 23 to acquire rate information representing the corresponding rate from the rate rate table stored in the rate information storage unit 32, based on the identification information of the store ST and the presence or absence of additional information (or values ​​extracted as additional information). The rate rate table may be a data table set individually for each store ST, or a data table set commonly for each store type. Alternatively, the rate information acquisition unit 23 may acquire rate information from another database managed by the credit card company PA. Alternatively, the rate information acquisition unit 23 may acquire rate information by accessing a database that stores a shared rate table among multiple credit card company PAs, which is centrally managed by another business operator (not shown).

[0104] The commission rate is set to a different value depending on the additional information provided. In one embodiment, when additional information is provided, i.e., when a points service is used in conjunction with credit card payment, the commission rate is set to be lower than when no additional information is provided.

[0105] Figure 8A shows an example of a fee rate table stored in the fee rate information storage unit 32. This fee rate table is set for a specific merchant (ID=B00XX01), and is categorized as "Y (additional information present)" or "N (no additional information)" depending on whether or not additional information is present, and the fee rate to be applied in each case is shown. In the example in Figure 8A, when the additional information is "Y", a point service was used along with the credit card payment, so the fee rate applied to the calculation of the credit card fee is set to 2.8% in order to reduce the burden on the merchant. On the other hand, when the additional information is "N", a credit card payment was made, but the point service was not used, so the standard fee rate of 3.5% is applied as is.

[0106] Figure 8B shows another example of a fee rate table stored in the fee rate information storage unit 32. This fee rate table is set for a specific merchant (ID=B00XX05), and additional information is categorized into "Condition 1," "Condition 2," and "N / A (Not Applicable)," with the applicable fee rate shown for each case. For example, "Condition 1" is set for cases where a point service is used along with credit card payment and points are awarded at a predetermined rate according to the transaction value; "Condition 2" is set for cases where a point service is used along with credit card payment, but bonus points unrelated to the transaction value are awarded; and "N / A" is set for cases where a point service is not used in conjunction with credit card payment. Such conditional categorization can be easily implemented by the terminal device 100 setting different "values" in the available area for cases matching "Condition 1" and cases matching "Condition 2" when generating payment data, and sharing these values ​​with the credit card company PA. This method allows for even more detailed conditional settings by setting multiple conditions.

[0107] By pre-setting a fee rate table like the one described above, merchants will see a reduction in the amount of fees charged by credit card companies (PA) for transactions where both credit card payments and point services are used. Therefore, presenting such a fee rate table provides an incentive for credit card payment system merchants to further encourage the introduction of point services. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8B, by presenting detailed conditions tailored to the business model of each store, it is possible to further encourage stores (ST) to introduce point services.

[0108] Next, in step S207, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, calculates the merchant fee using the fee calculation unit 24 based on the value information extracted in step S203 and the fee rate information obtained in step S206.

[0109] For example, the fee calculation unit 24 calculates the merchant fee for each transaction by multiplying the transaction value obtained from the price information by the fee rate. For example, if the transaction value is 10,000 yen and the acquired fee rate is 3.0%, the calculation would be 10,000 yen × 0.03 = 300 yen.

[0110] The fee calculation unit 24 stores the calculated fee in the fee storage unit 33, associating it with the transaction data. The calculated fee may be stored as an association with each record of the transaction data (i.e., for each settlement), or it may be stored as a separate data table for each store ST, distinct from the transaction data.

[0111] In step S208, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, can create output data based on the information read from the fee storage unit 33 by the output control unit 25, and output it via the communication interface 11 or the input / output interface 12. For example, the output control unit 25 reads transaction data for each store ST, including the calculated fee information, at regular intervals, and generates output data that presents the amount obtained by subtracting the total fees from the total amount billed by the store ST as the payment amount to the store ST. This output data can then be transmitted to the store ST via the network NW and also output to the display device 3 for presentation to the operator. Upon receiving the presentation, the operator can perform any processing, such as processing payment to the store ST or matching it with the remittance details.

[0112] Furthermore, the processes in steps S201 to S208 described above may be performed at any time and for any data unit. For example, the start of the fee calculation process described in step S201 does not need to be in response to an instruction from the operator. Instead, the internal timer of the information processing device 1 may generate a trigger at regular intervals, and the process may be started periodically in response to that trigger, or it may be performed each time data is received from the store terminal STT. Alternatively, the payment service provider server PASV may monitor the data accumulated in the transaction database PAD and instruct the information processing device 1 to start the fee calculation process whenever a certain amount of data for which fees have not been calculated has accumulated.

[0113] [Example 2] In the above-described Embodiment 1, the information processing device 1 was described as being implemented as part of the payment service provider server PASV of a credit card company PA. However, the information processing device 1 may also be implemented as part of the point server SPSV of a point service provider SP. This Embodiment 2 will be described focusing on the differences from Embodiment 1.

[0114] (2-1) Composition The information processing device 1 according to Embodiment 2 is used as part of the point server SPSV. Alternatively, the information processing device 1 may be implemented as a separate device capable of functioning in conjunction with the point server SPSV.

[0115] (i) Hardware configuration The information processing device 1 according to Example 2 can employ the same hardware configuration as described in Example 1.

[0116] (ii) Software configuration The information processing device 1 according to Example 2 can employ the same software configuration as described for Example 1 with reference to Figure 5. The specific functions of each functional unit that differ from those of Example 1 will be described below.

[0117] The transaction data acquisition unit 21 accesses the point database SPD to acquire transaction data that should be used for fee calculation processing and stores it in the transaction data storage unit 31.

[0118] The additional information extraction unit 22 extracts value information representing the transaction price or the associated number of points awarded for each settlement (transaction) from the transaction data stored in the transaction data storage unit 31, and performs a process to determine whether or not there is any associated additional information. The additional information extraction unit 22 also extracts the additional information if it exists, and passes information indicating that it does not exist to the rate information acquisition unit 23 if it does not. The additional information extraction unit 22 also passes the extracted value information or number of points awarded to the fee calculation unit 24.

[0119] The rate information acquisition unit 23 reads the corresponding fee rate from the fee rate table stored in the rate information storage unit 32 based on the information received from the additional information extraction unit 22, and passes it to the fee calculation unit 24.

[0120] The fee calculation unit 24 calculates the fee based on the fee rate received from the fee rate information acquisition unit 23 and the value information received from the additional information extraction unit 22, and stores the calculated fee in the fee storage unit 33.

[0121] The output control unit 25 reads the information stored in the fee storage unit 33, generates output data, and outputs it via the communication interface 11 or the input / output interface 12.

[0122] (2-2) Operation Next, the information processing operation of the information processing device 1 configured as described above will be explained with reference to Figure 7, similar to the example in Example 1. The terminal device 100 used in conjunction with the information processing device 1 in Example 2 operates in generally the same manner as the terminal device 100 described in Example 1. However, the point processing data transmitted by the terminal device 100 to the point service provider SP is generated in accordance with a data format specified in advance by the point service provider SP. Then, similar to Example 1, if the combined use determination unit 123 of the terminal device 100 determines that both specific point card information and specific credit card information are included in the settlement information related to a single commercial transaction, the settlement data generation unit 122 sets a specific value in the available area of ​​the point processing data.

[0123] Similar to Example 1, the information processing device 1 monitors for the presence of a trigger to start the fee calculation process in step S201. In this state, for example, if an operator inputs a request to instruct the calculation of the fee via the input device 2, and this request is received as a start trigger, the information processing device 1 executes the fee calculation process as follows.

[0124] First, in step S202, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, reads the necessary transaction data from the point database SPD using the transaction data acquisition unit 21 and stores it in the transaction data storage unit 31. The transaction data acquisition unit 21, for example, accesses the point database SPD and extracts transaction data corresponding to the identification information of the store ST specified by the operator and the specified period. Each record included in the transaction data corresponds to a unit settlement related to a unit commercial transaction and includes date and time information related to the commercial transaction, transaction price information, information identifying the point member, and the number of points awarded. The transaction data acquisition unit 21 may also acquire settlement data from the store terminal STT via the network NW and use this settlement data as transaction data for calculating fees. In this case, the transaction data acquisition unit 21 adds the identification information of the store ST to the acquired settlement data and stores it in the transaction data storage unit 31.

[0125] Next, in step S203, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, reads the records stored in the transaction data storage unit 31 using the additional information extraction unit 22, extracts the number of points awarded or transaction value information along with information identifying the settlement and information identifying the store ST, and passes it to the fee calculation unit 24.

[0126] In step S204, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, uses the additional information extraction unit 22 to determine whether or not there is additional information for the record read from the transaction data storage unit 31 in step S203. If it is determined that there is no additional information, the process proceeds to step S206.

[0127] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S204 that there is additional information, the information processing device 1 proceeds to step S205, and the additional information extraction unit 22 extracts the additional information and passes it to the rate information acquisition unit 23. In one embodiment, the additional information is identified as a value set in the free area of ​​a data format predetermined between the point business operator SP and the store ST. The additional information extraction unit 22 extracts this value as additional information and passes this value to the rate information acquisition unit 23.

[0128] In step S206, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, uses the rate information acquisition unit 23 to acquire rate information representing the corresponding rate from the rate rate table stored in the rate information storage unit 32, based on the identification information of the store ST and the presence or absence of additional information (or values ​​extracted as additional information). The rate rate table may be a data table set individually for each store ST, or a data table set commonly for each store type. Alternatively, the rate information acquisition unit 23 may acquire rate information from another database managed by the point business operator SP. Alternatively, the rate information acquisition unit 23 may acquire rate information by accessing a database that stores a shared rate table among multiple point business operators SP, which is centrally managed by another business operator (not shown).

[0129] The commission rate is set to a different value depending on whether or not additional information is provided. In one embodiment, when additional information is provided, i.e., when a credit card payment is made in conjunction with the use of a points service, the commission rate is set to be lower than when no additional information is provided.

[0130] For example, as shown in Figure 8A, when a credit card is used in conjunction with the point service (Y (with additional information)), a lower fee rate is applied to the calculation of the point service fee than when they are not used together (N (without additional information)).

[0131] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8B, when setting multiple conditions, for example, "Condition 1" can be set as the case when a point card is presented and credit card payment is made in installments, "Condition 2" can be set as the case when a point card is presented and credit card payment is made in a lump sum, and "N / A" can be set as the case when a point card is presented but credit card payment is not used (payment is made in cash). Such conditional settings can be easily implemented by the terminal device 100 setting different "values" in the available area depending on whether "Condition 1" is met or "Condition 2" is met when generating point processing data, and sharing these values ​​with the point service provider SP. This method allows for even more detailed conditional settings by setting multiple conditions.

[0132] Figure 8C shows another example of a fee rate table stored in the fee rate information storage unit 32 of the information processing device 1. This fee rate table is set up as a common table for the merchant group (ID=B001X01~B001X99), and, as in Figure 8A, additional information is categorized as "Y" or "N", and the applicable fee rate for each case is shown as the amount per point (PT). In Figure 8C, in the case of "Y", i.e., when the point service and credit card payment are used in combination, a fee rate of 1.5 yen / PT is applied to the number of points awarded, and in the case of "N", i.e., when the point service and credit card payment are not used in combination, a fee rate of 2.2 yen / PT is applied.

[0133] By pre-setting a fee rate table like the one described above, merchants will see a reduction in the amount of fees charged by the point service provider (SP) for transactions where point services are used in conjunction with credit card payments. Therefore, by presenting such a fee rate table, it is possible to further incentivize point service merchants to adopt credit card payment systems. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8B, by presenting detailed conditions tailored to the business model of each store, it is possible to further encourage stores (ST) to adopt credit card payment systems.

[0134] Next, in step S207, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, calculates the merchant fee using the fee calculation unit 24 based on the number of points awarded or the value information extracted in step S203 and the fee rate information obtained in step S206.

[0135] For example, the fee calculation unit 24 calculates the merchant fee for each transaction by multiplying the transaction value obtained from the price information by the fee rate. For example, if the transaction value is 10,000 yen and the acquired fee rate is 3.0%, the calculation would be 10,000 yen × 0.03 = 300 yen. Alternatively, the fee calculation unit 24 calculates the merchant fee for each transaction by multiplying the number of points awarded by the fee rate. For example, if the number of points awarded is 10 points and the acquired fee rate is 1.5 yen / PT, the calculation would be 10 PT × 1.5 yen / PT = 15 yen.

[0136] The fee calculation unit 24 stores the calculated fee in the fee storage unit 33, associating it with the transaction data. The calculated fee may be stored as an association with each record of the transaction data (i.e., for each settlement), or it may be stored as a separate data table for each store ST, distinct from the transaction data.

[0137] In step S208, the information processing device 1, under the control of the control unit 20, can create output data based on the information read from the fee storage unit 33 by the output control unit 25, and output it via the communication interface 11 or the input / output interface 12. In one example, the output control unit 25 reads transaction data for each store ST, including the calculated fee information, at regular intervals, and generates output data to be presented to the store ST as the billing amount, along with fixed usage fees and other charges to the store ST. This output data can then be transmitted to the store ST via the network NW and also displayed on the display device 3 for the operator.

[0138] As described in Example 1, the processes in steps S201 to S208 above may be performed at any time and for any data unit. For example, the start of the fee calculation process described in step S201 does not have to be in response to an instruction from an operator. Instead, the internal timer of the information processing device 1 may generate a trigger at regular intervals, and the process may be started periodically in response to that trigger, or it may be performed each time data is received from the store terminal STT. Alternatively, the point server SPSV may monitor the data accumulated in the point database SPD and instruct the information processing device 1 to start the fee calculation process whenever a certain amount of data for which no fee has been calculated has accumulated.

[0139] (effect) As detailed above, in one embodiment of this invention, an information processing device 1 for calculating a fee to be imposed on a store ST that can use both non-cash payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions refers to payment information and additional information indicating whether or not both non-cash payment processing and point processing were used for each commercial transaction, and calculates the fee based on a fee rate that is set in advance to be different depending on the additional information.

[0140] As a result, store STs that can use both cashless payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions will be charged a fee different from the sum of the fees charged for each individual use when both are used together. Therefore, it is possible to provide an incentive for store STs that have already implemented either cashless payment processing or point processing and are considering further implementation of the other, or store STs that have not yet implemented either and are considering implementing both processing systems, by reducing the burden of fees.

[0141] For example, a store that was already using a points service but was hesitant to introduce credit card payments because it felt burdensome to be charged duplicate fees might be encouraged to adopt the system if a fee rate is reduced for transactions using both points services and credit card payments. Alternatively, a store that was not using either points services or credit card payments but was considering introducing both systems simultaneously could be encouraged to adopt the system by presenting a fee rate table like the one described above.

[0142] In the above embodiment, the burden of fees on merchants can be easily reduced by simple operations such as changing the settings of the fee rate table or setting a specific value in the available space of the payment data transmitted from each store, without requiring complex system changes.

[0143] [Other embodiments] However, this invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, each process described in Figures 1 to 7 above may be processed sequentially (continuous or real-time) each time new data is acquired in the store terminal STT, payment service provider server PASV, point server SPSV, or information processing device 1, or the acquired data may be accumulated and processed in batches at regular intervals or in fixed amounts.

[0144] Furthermore, the payment system provider PA and the point service provider SP may be the same business. Similarly, the payment service provider server PASV and the point service provider SPSV may be a single integrated device. Alternatively, the payment service provider server PASV and the point service provider SPSV may be able to exchange information via a network NW and determine whether the conditions for combined use are met by comparing payment data with each other. If the payment service provider server PASV and the point service provider SPSV are a single device, arrows S2 and S6 shown in Figure 1 may be implemented as a single data flow. Similarly, arrows S5 and S7 may also be a single data flow. In this case, either the merchant fee for non-cash payments or the merchant fee for point services may be reduced according to the conditions for combined use, or both merchant fees may be reduced. For example, the rate information acquisition unit 23 of the information processing device 1 can be configured to read multiple fee rate tables stored in the rate information storage unit 32, and the fee calculation unit 24 can be configured to calculate multiple merchant fees simultaneously, in parallel, or sequentially. In other words, the processing of the information processing device 1 described in Example 1 and the processing of the information processing device 1 described in Example 2 can be performed simultaneously, in parallel, or sequentially by a single information processing device 1.

[0145] The acquisition of transaction information by the store terminal STT or terminal device 100 is not limited to the examples shown above. Information may also be acquired by reading JAN codes, QR codes, electronic tags, etc., using a code reader, electronic tag reader, scanner, etc. attached to the store terminal STT or terminal device 100, or by acquiring text information through image recognition using a camera. Alternatively, a store employee operating the terminal may input information by operating a touch panel or buttons, and the input information may be acquired.

[0146] The "combined use" described above is not limited to cases where the customer expresses their intention to use both a credit card and a points service simultaneously at the time of payment. Even if there is a time difference, for example, if a credit card and a points service linked to the same customer service account are used at the same store on the same day, it may be set up to be considered "combined use."

[0147] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described as the terminal device 100's co-use determination unit 123 determining whether the co-use conditions are met based on the information included in the payment information, it is not limited to this. For example, when paying for goods at a store terminal STT, if a point card is presented at the same time as a credit card payment, the store terminal STT operator can press a predetermined button on the POS terminal to set a flag in the payment data indicating that the co-use conditions have been met.

[0148] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described as adding additional information by the combination determination unit 123 of the terminal device 100 when it is determined that the combination conditions are met, it is not limited to this. For example, the terminal device 100 may be configured to add additional information only when the combination conditions are not met, or it may be configured to add different additional information depending on whether the combination conditions are met or not.

[0149] Furthermore, although the information processing device 1 has been described as reading the fee rate table from the fee rate information storage unit 32 of the data memory 30, the fee rate table may be stored in an external database or any other storage medium.

[0150] Furthermore, the commission rate may vary according to the payment method for each settlement data. For example, it may be set such that the commission rate varies according to whether it is a lump-sum payment or a deferred payment, or the classification of combined use conditions may be finely set according to various payment methods such as the combined use of gift vouchers and credit cards or the presence or absence of presenting other membership cards, so as to set various commission rates. Similarly, the commission rate may vary according to the type of points. For example, the classification of combined use conditions may be set according to whether the points are granted according to the transaction amount, points granted regardless of the transaction amount (such as store visit points, rainy day points, birthday month points, etc.), or campaign points (period-limited points with a limited usage period, store-limited points with a limited usage store).

[0151] Generally, the settlement data sent from the store ST to the credit card company PA for billing does not include detailed product information. However, for settlements related to settlement data including detailed product information, the commission rate may be further reduced. As a result, the credit card company PA can additionally obtain so-called POS data and utilize it for marketing.

[0152] Also, although the information processing device 1 has been described as obtaining the commission rate for each unit settlement and calculating the commission, it is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to group a plurality of settlements having the same combined use conditions and configure it to obtain the commission rate for each group and calculate the commission.

[0153] In addition, non-cash settlement is not limited to just credit cards and electronic money. The above-described embodiment is applicable to the entire settlement system in which usage fees are incurred for franchise stores, such as debit cards, QR code settlements, and house electronic money.

[0154] Similarly, point services or point awarding systems are not limited to systems in which points are awarded via a point server SPSV as described above. The above embodiments are applicable to any information processing system employing a similar system. For example, the above embodiments are fully applicable to instant point cashback or cash cashback systems that do not involve a point server SPSV, where processing is completed (or appears to be completed) at a POS terminal or user terminal, as long as a merchant fee is charged for the use of the information processing system.

[0155] Furthermore, the point card used for the point service is not limited to a tangible card. For example, point card information can be obtained by having a customer (CS) scan a QR code displayed on the screen of their mobile device with the code reader of the store terminal (STT). Alternatively, point card information may be registered only in the store terminal (STT). For example, a customer (CS) stating their name and date of birth and indicating that they are a point member may be considered an indication of intent to use the point service, and a store employee (ST) may input this information into the store terminal (STT) to add a flag to the payment data. Alternatively, in the case of online shopping, a customer checking the "Earn Points" checkbox may be considered an indication of intent to use the point service, and it may be determined that both a credit card and the point service were used.

[0156] Furthermore, the use of point services is not limited to those that generate points based on the purchase price of goods or services. Transactions in which points are awarded for visiting a store, regardless of the price, can also be included in the scope of application of the above embodiment, or the use of points may include using points as part of the price, or exchanging points for prizes or gift certificates.

[0157] Furthermore, the functional units 121-124 of the terminal device 100 and the functional units 21-25 of the information processing device 1 may be distributed across cloud servers, edge servers, etc., and these devices may work together to perform processing. In addition, the fee rate table may be set arbitrarily through consultation between the credit card company PA and the store ST, or a program that analyzes payment data to find the optimal solution may be used.

[0158] Furthermore, the configuration of the fee rate table and other aspects can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of this invention.

[0159] In short, this invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and in the implementation stage, the components can be modified and materialized without departing from the gist of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Moreover, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0160] 1...Information processing device, 2...Input device, 3...Display device, 11...Communication interface, 12...Input / output interface, 20...Control unit, 20A...Hardware processor, 20B...Program memory, 21...Transaction data acquisition unit, 22...Additional information extraction unit, 23...Rate information acquisition unit, 24...Commission calculation unit, 25...Output control unit, 30...Data memory, 31...Transaction data storage unit, 32...Rate information storage unit, 33...Commission storage unit, 50...Bus, 100...Terminal device, 102...Input device, 103...Display device, 111...Communication interface, 11 2... Input / Output Interface, 120... Control Unit, 120A... Hardware Processor, 120B... Program Memory, 121... Payment Information Acquisition Unit, 122... Payment Data Generation Unit, 123... Combined Use Determination Unit, 124... Output Control Unit, 130... Data Memory, 131... Payment Information Storage Unit, 150... Bus, CS... Customer, ST... Store, STT... Store Terminal, NW... Network, PA... Payment System Provider, PASV... Payment Provider Server, PAD... Transaction Database, SP... Point Provider, SPSV... Point Server, SPD... Point Database.

Claims

1. A program for calculating the fees to be imposed on stores that allow the combined use of non-cash payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, The computer is used to calculate the fees to be imposed on the store based on the settlement information and fee rates related to the settlement of commercial transactions. The aforementioned fee rate is set such that if the settlement information relating to the settlement of the commercial transaction includes information on non-cash payments and information on point services, the fee rate is lower than if the information on non-cash payments and information on point services is not included. program.

2. A program for calculating the fees related to credit card payment processing, which are imposed on stores that allow the combined use of credit card payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, Based on the settlement information and fee rates related to the settlement of commercial transactions, the fee for the aforementioned credit card payment processing is calculated, Have the computer run it, The aforementioned fee rate is set such that if the settlement information relating to the settlement of the commercial transaction includes credit card information and point card information, the fee rate is lower than if the credit card information and point card information are not included. program.

3. The aforementioned fee rate includes a first fee rate set in cases where the credit card information and point card information are not included, and a second fee rate set to a value lower than the first fee rate in cases where the credit card information and point card information are included. The fee to be imposed on the store is calculated by multiplying the fee rate by the transaction value represented by the value information included in the settlement information. The program according to claim 2.

4. A program for calculating the fee related to point processing, which is imposed on stores that allow the combined use of credit card payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, The computer is instructed to perform the following: calculate the fee for point processing based on settlement information related to commercial transactions and the fee rate. The aforementioned fee rate is set such that if the settlement information relating to the settlement of the commercial transaction includes credit card information and point card information, the fee rate is lower than if the credit card information and point card information are not included. program.

5. The aforementioned fee rate includes a first fee rate set in cases where the credit card information and point card information are not included, and a second fee rate set to a value lower than the first fee rate in cases where the credit card information and point card information are included. The fee for the point processing is calculated by multiplying the fee rate by the transaction value represented by the value information included in the settlement information, or by the number of points awarded calculated based on the point processing information regarding the awarding of points. The program according to claim 4.

6. A program that generates settlement data for calculating fees to be imposed on stores that allow the combined use of non-cash payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, To obtain settlement information related to the settlement of commercial transactions, To determine whether the aforementioned non-cash payment processing and the aforementioned point processing are used in conjunction with commercial transactions, The process involves generating payment data including the payment information and additional information for calculating the fee to be imposed on the store using the aforementioned payment information and the fee rate, wherein the fee rate is set by the information processing device for calculating the fee, used to calculate the fee to be imposed on the store, and is set so that when non-cash payment and point services are used in combination, the fee rate is lower than when non-cash payment and point services are not used in combination. Outputting the generated payment data A program that causes the computer of a terminal device to execute something.

7. An information processing method performed by an information processing device for calculating a fee to be imposed on a store that allows the combined use of non-cash payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, The system includes the ability to calculate the fee to be imposed on the store based on the settlement information related to the settlement of the commercial transaction and the fee rate, The aforementioned fee rate is set such that if the settlement information relating to the settlement of the commercial transaction includes information on non-cash payments and information on point services, the fee rate is lower than if the information on non-cash payments and information on point services is not included. Information processing methods.

8. An information processing method performed by a terminal device that outputs settlement data for calculating fees to be imposed on stores that allow the combined use of non-cash settlement processing and point processing for commercial transactions, The process of obtaining settlement information related to the settlement of commercial transactions and The process of determining whether a point service was used in conjunction with non-cash payment for the commercial transaction in question, A process for generating settlement data, which includes the aforementioned settlement information and additional information for calculating the fee to be imposed on the store using the fee rate, wherein the fee rate is set by an information processing device for calculating the fee, used to calculate the fee to be imposed on the store, and is set so that when non-cash payment and point services are used in combination, the fee rate is lower than when non-cash payment and point services are not used in combination. The process of outputting the generated settlement data and An information processing method comprising the following:

9. An information processing device for calculating fees to be imposed on stores that allow the combined use of non-cash payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, Processor and The processor comprises, The memory is an information processing device that stores the program described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

10. A terminal device that generates settlement data for calculating fees to be imposed on stores that can use both cashless payment processing and point processing for commercial transactions, Processor and The processor comprises, The memory is a terminal device that records the program described in claim 6.

Images