Payment support device, system, method and program

Abstract

A payment assistance device (1) comprises: a registration unit (11) that registers master biometric information of a user in a storage device when the user enters a predetermined facility; a provisional payment unit (12) that registers deferred payment information based on a financial transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information obtained during the financial transaction by the user at the facility with the master biometric information; and a main payment unit (13) that performs payment processing on unsettled deferred payment information associated with the user according to a predetermined payment timing associated with the user after the financial transaction.

Description

Payment assistance device, system, method, and computer-readable medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a payment support device, a system, a method, and a program.

[0002] In recent years, technology for electronic payments using biometric authentication has become widespread. Patent Document 1 discloses technology for providing services to residents of apartment complexes where usage is controlled by biometric authentication, according to their consumption behavior when biometric authentication is successful at affiliated stores.

[0003] International Publication No. 2022 / 059180

[0004] Here, in electronic payments using biometric authentication, if payment processing is performed for each consumption activity (economic transaction), there is a problem that access to the payment processing system for payment processing is concentrated during the day, for example.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present disclosure is to provide a payment support device, system, method, and program for separating the timing of economic transactions and actual payment processing in electronic payments using biometric authentication, thereby dispersing the concentration of access to payment processing in a payment processing system.

[0006] The payment support device according to the present disclosure comprises: a registration means for registering master biometric information of a user in a storage device when the user enters a predetermined facility; a provisional payment means for registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the user's economic transaction at the facility with the master biometric information; and a main payment means for performing payment processing for the user's outstanding payment schedule information in response to a predetermined payment timing for the user after the economic transaction.

[0007] The payment support system according to the present disclosure comprises: a storage device for provisional payments at a specified facility; and a payment support device, wherein the payment support device comprises: a registration means for registering master biometric information of a user in the storage device when the user enters the facility; a provisional payment means for registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the user's economic transaction at the facility with the master biometric information; and a main payment means for performing payment processing for the user's unsettled payment schedule information in response to a specified payment timing for the user after the economic transaction.

[0008] The payment support method according to the present disclosure involves a computer registering master biometric information of a user in a storage device when the user enters a specified facility, registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in association with the master biometric information in the storage device in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the user's economic transaction at the facility with the master biometric information, and performing payment processing for the user's outstanding payment schedule information in response to a specified payment timing for the user after the economic transaction.

[0009] The payment assistance program according to the present disclosure causes a computer to execute the following steps: a registration process for registering a user's master biometric information in a storage device when the user enters a specified facility; a provisional payment process for registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information, in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the user's economic transaction at the facility with the master biometric information; and a final payment process for performing payment processing for the user's outstanding payment schedule information in response to a specified payment timing for the user after the economic transaction.

[0010] The present disclosure makes it possible to provide a payment support device, system, method, and program for separating the timing of economic transactions and actual payment processing in electronic payments using biometric authentication, thereby dispersing the concentration of access to payment processing in a payment processing system.

[0011] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a payment support device according to the present embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of a payment support method according to the present embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a payment support system according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of advance registration processing A according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of advance registration processing B according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a payment support device according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of provisional payment user registration processing at the time of entry according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the display of provisional payment user registration results according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of provisional payment processing according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the display of provisional payment results according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of final payment processing at the time of exit according to the present embodiment 2. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the display of final payment results according to the present embodiment 2.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and for clarity of explanation, duplicate explanations will be omitted as necessary.

[0013] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a payment support device 1 according to the first embodiment. The payment support device 1 is an information processing device that records planned payment information based on biometric authentication each time an economic transaction (e.g., shopping) occurs at a store or other facility within a predetermined facility, and processes the payment of pending planned payment information at a predetermined payment timing after the economic transaction. A predetermined facility is an area where user entry and exit are managed. The facility also includes locations where economic transactions are possible, such as stores. Examples of facilities include areas where paid or free services can be provided, such as theme parks, event venues, and accommodation facilities. Note that facilities are not limited to buildings. An economic transaction refers to a user's (buyer's) consumption behavior, in which a promise to exchange goods or services for money is made, resulting in a debt (obligation to pay) on the buyer's side. At the time of the economic transaction, payment of money has not yet been made, i.e., the transaction is pending.

[0014] The payment support device 1 includes a registration unit 11, a provisional payment unit 12, and a final payment unit 13. When a user enters a predetermined facility, the registration unit 11 registers the user's master biometric information in a storage device (not shown). The storage device may be either built into the payment support device 1 or connected to the payment support device 1. The "master biometric information" is biometric information to be matched with query biometric information in biometric authentication of the user. Here, the "biometric information" is data indicating a set of features, such as multiple feature points and distances between feature points, extracted from an image capturing at least a part of the user's body.

[0015] In response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during a user's economic transaction at a facility with master biometric information (registered in the storage device), the provisional settlement unit 12 registers payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in association with the master biometric information in the storage device. Here, "biometric authentication" refers to information processing in which master biometric information is matched with query biometric information acquired or input from an individual during authentication, and the authenticity of the individual is confirmed if the degree of match is equal to or greater than a threshold. Here, "query biometric information" refers to biometric information acquired from the user for biometric authentication and is data to be matched with the master biometric information. For example, query biometric information is biometric information acquired by extracting from an image captured of the user during the economic transaction. Furthermore, "payment schedule information" refers to information regarding a payment obligation arising from the economic transaction, but for which payment (e.g., monetary payment) has not yet been made and is scheduled to be made later. The payment schedule information includes, for example, the product or service subject to the economic transaction, the amount, the date and time, and information about the user who conducted the economic transaction with a store or the like within the facility. In this embodiment, the process of registering payment schedule information following successful biometric authentication during a financial transaction is referred to as "provisional payment."

[0016] The payment unit 13 performs payment processing for the user's pending payment information according to a predetermined payment timing for the user after the economic transaction. Here, the "payment timing" is different from the timing of the economic transaction and is assumed to be a certain period of time after the economic transaction. The "payment timing" may be, for example, when the user leaves the facility, a certain period of time after the user leaves, or after the expiration date of the master biometric information. Alternatively, the "payment timing" may be, for example, a periodic timing (daily) during the user's stay at the facility and outside of the facility's economic transaction hours. Furthermore, the "payment processing" refers to the process of electronically paying for the user's pending payment information for which the user has completed an economic transaction but for which payment has not yet been made using the user's electronic payment method. Examples of "electronic payment methods" include, but are not limited to, payments using credit cards, debit cards, electronic money, points, electronic cash, virtual currency, wallets, or other electronic value, or withdrawals from bank accounts. Furthermore, the payment unit 13 executes the payment processing (main payment) using a payment processing system. For example, the payment unit 13 may execute electronic payment by sending a payment processing request for pending payment information of a specific user to a payment processing system external to the payment support device 1. The payment processing system may be an internal function of the payment support device 1.

[0017] 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the payment support method according to the first embodiment. First, when the user enters a predetermined facility, the registration unit 11 registers the user's master biometric information in the storage device (S11). Next, in response to successful biometric authentication by matching the query biometric information acquired during the user's economic transaction at the facility with the master biometric information, the provisional payment unit 12 registers payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in association with the master biometric information in the storage device (S12). Then, the main payment unit 13 performs payment processing for the user's outstanding payment schedule information according to a predetermined payment timing for the user after the economic transaction (S13).

[0018] In this embodiment, the user's master biometric information is stored upon entry to the facility, and the user's scheduled payment information is recorded each time a financial transaction is made within the facility, provided that biometric authentication is successful. Then, payment processing is performed for the pending scheduled payment information of a specific user at a timing after the financial transaction. Therefore, in electronic payments using biometric authentication, the timing of the financial transaction and the actual payment processing can be separated, thereby dispersing the concentration of payment processing accesses in the payment processing system.

[0019] The payment support device 1 includes a processor, memory, and storage device (not shown). The storage device stores a computer program that implements the processing of the payment support method according to this embodiment. The processor then loads the computer program from the storage device into the memory and executes the computer program. This allows the processor to implement the functions of a registration unit 11, a provisional payment unit 12, and a full payment unit 13.

[0020] Alternatively, each component of payment assistance device 1 may be realized by dedicated hardware. Furthermore, some or all of the components of each device may be realized by general-purpose or dedicated circuits, processors, etc., or a combination of these. These may be configured by a single chip, or by multiple chips connected via a bus. Some or all of the components of each device may be realized by a combination of the above-mentioned circuits, etc., and a program. Furthermore, processors that can be used include central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), quantum processors (quantum computer control chips), etc.

[0021] Furthermore, when some or all of the components of payment support device 1 are realized by multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc., the multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be centrally or decentralized. For example, the information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be realized as a client-server system, cloud computing system, etc., in which each device is connected via a communication network. Furthermore, the functions of payment support device 1 may be provided in the form of SaaS (Software as a Service).

[0022] <Embodiment 2> Embodiment 2 is a specific example of the above-described embodiment 1. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a payment support system 1000 according to embodiment 2. Payment support system 1000 is an information system for performing shopping in a shopping area 502 within facility 5 using biometric authentication (e.g., facial authentication) and settling any outstanding items together (post-payment) when leaving facility 5.

[0023] The payment support system 1000 includes a user terminal 100-0, an authentication infrastructure system 200, a payment support device 300, a payment processing system 400, an entrance terminal 51, temporary payment terminals 52-1 to 52-3, and an exit terminal 53. The user terminal 100-0, the authentication infrastructure system 200, the payment support device 300, the payment processing system 400, the entrance terminal 51, the temporary payment terminals 52-1 to 52-3, and the exit terminal 53 are communicatively connected via a network N. Here, the network N is a wired or wireless communication line. Note that in the following description, biometric authentication is referred to as face authentication, and biometric information is referred to as facial feature information; however, other technologies using captured images can be applied to biometric authentication and biometric information. For example, biometric information may be data (features) calculated from physical characteristics unique to an individual, such as fingerprints, voiceprints, veins, retina, or iris patterns.

[0024] In the following description, the user terminals 100-0 and 100-1 may be simply referred to as "user terminals 100." In the following description, the provisional payment terminals 52-1, 52-2, and 52-3 may be simply referred to as "provisional payment terminals 52." In the following description, the users U0, U1, U2-1, U2-2, U2-3, and U3 may be simply referred to as "users U."

[0025] User U0 is located outside facility 5 and possesses a user terminal 100-0 and a credit card 101. The user terminal 100-0 is equipped with a built-in camera (not shown) and a storage medium 110, and is capable of communicating via one or more short-range wireless communication methods and other wireless communication methods. Examples of short-range wireless communication include, but are not limited to, near field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). The storage medium 110 stores a user ID 111 and facial feature information 112 in association with each other. In other words, the storage medium 110 is an example of a storage medium carried by user U0. The user ID 111 is identification information for user U0. The facial feature information 112 is an example of master biometric information of user U0, and is a feature vector indicating a set of feature amounts, such as the distance between feature points corresponding to the positions of the eyes, nose, mouth, etc., extracted from a facial image of user U0.

[0026] The storage medium 110 is not limited to one built into the user terminal 100, but may be an IC card such as a My Number card. In this case, the user terminal 100 may read the master biometric information from the IC card in which the master biometric information is stored.

[0027] The user terminal 100-0 has the configuration of a known mobile terminal such as a smartphone, and stores a program that implements the pre-registration processes A and B described below. A control unit (not shown) of the user terminal 100-0 loads the program into memory and executes the program, causing the user terminal 100-0 to realize the pre-registration processes A and B.

[0028] The credit card 101 has card information 1011 stored in a built-in storage medium. The credit card 101 is an example of an electronic payment method. The card information 1011 includes the credit card number, the user's name, the expiration date, a personal identification number, etc.

[0029] The authentication infrastructure system 200 is an information system that extracts facial feature information from a facial image of a user U and issues a user ID corresponding to the facial feature information. The authentication infrastructure system 200 may have a database that associates facial feature information with user IDs.

[0030] The payment processing system 400 is an information system that performs the above-described payment processing (electronic payment). In particular, the payment processing system 400 stores payment user information 410. The payment user information 410 is information that associates a user ID 411 with card information 412. The user ID 411 is information corresponding to the above-described user ID 111. The card information 412 is information corresponding to the above-described card information 1011.

[0031] (Pre-registration) Here, it is assumed that user U of payment support system 1000 has associated his / her own master biometric information with information on his / her electronic payment method by the time he / she enters facility 5 at the latest. For example, it is assumed that facial feature information 112 stored in storage medium 110 is associated with card information 1011 via user ID 111. Specifically, by pre-registration processes A and B described below, user ID 111 stored in storage medium 110 and card information 1011 stored in credit card 101 are registered on the payment processing system 400 side in association with user ID 411 and card information 412.

[0032] 4 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of the pre-registration process A according to the second embodiment. First, the user terminal 100-0 photographs the face of the user U0 in response to an operation by the user U0 (S201). Then, the user terminal 100-0 transmits the photographed face image to the authentication infrastructure system 200 via the network N (S202).

[0033] The authentication infrastructure system 200 receives a facial image from the user terminal 100-0 via the network N. The authentication infrastructure system 200 then extracts facial feature information A (master biometric information) from the received facial image (S203). Specifically, the authentication infrastructure system 200 detects a facial area from the received facial image, extracts multiple feature points that indicate the person's facial features from the detected facial area, and calculates the distance between each of the feature points. The authentication infrastructure system 200 then extracts a set of the positions of the extracted multiple feature points and a set of the calculated distances between each of the feature points as facial feature information A. The authentication infrastructure system 200 then issues a new user ID (S204). Thereafter, the authentication infrastructure system 200 returns the issued user ID and the extracted facial feature information A to the user terminal 100-0 via the network N (S206). The user terminal 100-0 stores the user ID 111 and facial feature information 112 (facial feature information A) received from the authentication infrastructure system 200 in association with each other in the storage medium 110 (S207).

[0034] After the pre-registration process A, the pre-registration process B is performed. Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of the pre-registration process B according to the second embodiment. It is assumed that the user ID 111 and facial feature information 112 are registered in association with each other in the storage medium 110 of the user terminal 100-0, as described above.

[0035] First, the user terminal 100-0 reads the card information 1011 from the credit card 101 (S211). For example, the user U0 holds the credit card 101 over the user terminal 100-0 to perform a reading operation, input a PIN number, etc. The user terminal 100-0 reads the card information 1011 from the credit card 101 through predetermined short-range wireless communication. Note that the user terminal 100-0 may also obtain the card information (credit card number, expiration date, PIN number, etc.) through manual input by the user U0.

[0036] Furthermore, the user terminal 100-0 photographs the face of the user U0 in response to an operation by the user U0 (S212). The user terminal 100-0 then extracts facial feature information B from the photographed facial image (S213). The user terminal 100-0 then compares the facial feature information 112 (facial feature information A, master biometric information) stored in the storage medium 110 with the facial feature information B (query biometric information) extracted in step S213 (S214) and calculates the degree of match. If the degree of match is equal to or greater than a threshold, the user terminal 100-0 determines that facial authentication has been successful, and if the degree of match is less than the threshold, it determines that facial authentication has failed. If facial authentication has failed, the pre-registration process B ends.

[0037] If the facial authentication is successful in step S214, the user terminal 100-0 identifies the user ID 111 for which authentication was successful (S215). Specifically, the user terminal 100-0 reads the user ID 111 associated with the facial feature information 112 for which facial authentication was successful from the storage medium 110. The user terminal 100-0 then transmits a payment user registration request, including the user ID 111 identified in step S215 and the card information 1011 read in step S211, to the payment processing system 400 via the network N (S216).

[0038] In response, the payment processing system 400 receives a payment user registration request from the user terminal 100-0 via the network N. The payment processing system 400 then performs credit check based on the card information 1011 included in the received payment user registration request (S217). Note that the credit check process can use known technology. If registration is not approved as a result of the credit check, the pre-registration process B ends.

[0039] If registration is approved through credit confirmation in step S217, the payment processing system 400 associates the credit-confirmed card information 412 with the user ID 411 included in the received payment user registration request and registers them in the payment user information 410 (S218).The payment processing system 400 then transmits a registration completion notice to the user terminal 100-0 via the network N (S219).

[0040] In response to this, user terminal 100-0 receives a registration completion notice from payment processing system 400 via network N, and displays a message indicating that registration has been completed on the screen (S220).

[0041] The order of the card information reading process in step S211 and the face authentication process in steps S212 to S215 in FIG. 5 may be reversed.

[0042] The pre-registration process for associating the master biometric information with the electronic payment method information in advance is not limited to the above. For example, pre-registration process A may be completed by the user terminal 100-0 without going through the authentication infrastructure system 200. Specifically, steps S202 and S206 in FIG. 4 may be omitted, and the user terminal 100-0 may perform steps S203 and S204 following step S201, and then perform step S207. Furthermore, pre-registration process B may omit face authentication (steps S212 to S215 in FIG. 5).

[0043] (Facility) Returning to Figure 3, the explanation continues. Facility 5 has entrance terminal 51 installed near entrance 501, temporary payment terminals 52-1, 52-2, 52-3, ... installed in shopping area 502, and exit terminal 53 installed near exit 503. Note that there must be at least one temporary payment terminal 52. Entrance terminal 51, temporary payment terminal 52, and exit terminal 53 are examples of authentication terminals.

[0044] The entrance terminal 51 performs facial authentication of user U1 entering the facility 5. If facial authentication is successful, the facial feature information and user ID are registered in the payment support device 300. This allows user U1 to make provisional payments (shopping and receiving paid services) within the shopping area 502 through facial authentication while staying at the facility 5. The entrance terminal 51 is an information terminal that performs provisional payment user registration processing together with the payment support device 300. The entrance terminal 51 may be an unmanned terminal installed at the entrance, such as a kiosk terminal or tablet terminal, or an information terminal for staff installed at a manned counter, such as a hotel check-in counter. In other words, the provisional payment user registration processing may be performed unmanned or manned. Therefore, the entrance terminal 51 may be an entrance authentication terminal installed at the entrance gate of the entrance 501, or a kiosk terminal or tablet terminal installed at a location other than the entrance gate. The entrance 501 does not have to be an entrance gate, and the entrance terminal 51 may be any terminal installed near the entrance 501.

[0045] The temporary payment terminal 52 permits shopping on the condition that face authentication of the shopper, user U2, is successful in a store or the like within the shopping area 502. Here, the temporary payment terminal 52 may be an information terminal for unmanned temporary payments, such as a kiosk terminal or a tablet terminal, or may be an information terminal for a salesperson in manned sales.

[0046] The exit terminal 53 permits user U3 exiting the facility 5, on the condition that facial authentication is successful, allows the user U3 to exit, makes the final payment, and deletes the information registered at the time of provisional payment. Here, the exit terminal 53 may be an information terminal that performs the final payment and exit process unmanned, such as a kiosk terminal or tablet terminal, or may be an information terminal for staff installed at a manned counter.

[0047] (Configuration of payment support device) Payment support device 300 is an example of the above-described payment support device 1. Payment support device 300 may be configured redundantly with multiple servers, and each functional block may be realized by multiple computers.

[0048] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of payment support device 300 according to the second embodiment. Payment support device 300 includes storage unit 310, memory 320, communication unit 330, and control unit 340. Storage unit 310 is an example of a storage device such as a hard disk or flash memory. Storage unit 310 stores provisional payment user information 311, payment schedule information 3121, ..., payment schedule information 312n (n is a natural number), and program 313. Provisional payment user information 311 is stored in storage unit 310 for the number of provisional payment users to be registered. Furthermore, zero or more pieces of payment schedule information are stored in storage unit 310 per provisional payment user. Program 313 is a computer program that implements the processing of the payment support method according to the second embodiment.

[0049] The provisional payment user information 311 is information about a user who, after entering the facility 5, conducted economic transactions using facial authentication in the shopping area 502 during their stay and was permitted to postpone electronic payment (main payment) until later (provisional payment). The provisional payment user information 311 is information that associates a user ID 3111, facial feature information 3112, an expiration date 3113, and a payment limit 3114. The user ID 3111 is identification information of a user U who is a visitor to the facility 5, and is information equivalent to the user ID 111 described above. The facial feature information 3112 is an example of master biometric information, and is information equivalent to the facial feature information 112 described above. The expiration date 3113 is the expiration date and time of the period during which the facial feature information 3112 is valid. In other words, the expiration date 3113 is the expiration date and time of the period during which the user U is allowed to make provisional payments within the facility 5. The payment limit 3114 is the upper limit of the amount of money that the user U is allowed to make provisional payments within the facility 5. The provisional payment user information 311 may include destination information of the user terminal carried by the user corresponding to the user ID 3111 .

[0050] The scheduled payment information 3121 is information indicating the details of an economic transaction that has been performed using facial recognition and is not yet settled, and therefore is scheduled to be finalized in the future. In other words, the scheduled payment information 3121 is information that is pending and requires final settlement. The scheduled payment information 3121 is information that associates a provisional payment ID 31211, provisional payment date and time 31212, a user ID 31213, an amount 31214, and provisional payment details 31215. The provisional payment ID 31211 is identification information for the provisional payment. The provisional payment date and time 31212 is the date and time when the provisional payment was made. The user ID 31213 is identification information for user U who made the provisional payment (face recognition was successful), and is information equivalent to the user ID 111 described above. The amount 31214 is the amount that needs to be paid (to make the final payment) for the provisionally settled economic transaction. The provisional payment details 31215 are the details of the provisionally settled economic transaction. Provisional payment details 31215 is information indicating the details and breakdown of the product or service name, for example. Note that payment schedule information 3122 to 312n is information equivalent to payment schedule information 3121. For example, payment schedule information 3121 to 312n may be for the same user, i.e., may share user ID 31213, but may have different other information.

[0051] The memory 320 is a volatile storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), and is a storage area for temporarily storing information during operation of the control unit 340. The communication unit 330 is a communication interface with the network N.

[0052] Control unit 340 is a processor, or control device, that controls each component of payment support device 300. Control unit 340 loads program 313 from storage unit 310 into memory 320 and executes program 313. In this way, control unit 340 realizes the functions of registration unit 341, provisional payment unit 342, actual payment unit 343, and deletion unit 344.

[0053] The registration unit 341 is an example of the registration unit 11 described above. When the user U enters the facility 5, the registration unit 341 registers the provisional payment user information 311 of the user U in the storage unit 310. Here, if facial authentication of the user U at the entrance terminal 51 is successful at the time of entry to the facility 5, the registration unit 341 receives a provisional payment user registration request from the entrance terminal 51. The provisional payment user registration request includes facial feature information A (master biometric information) and a user ID acquired from the user terminal 100 carried by the user U. In response to the provisional payment user registration request received from the entrance terminal 51, the registration unit 341 performs credit check on the user ID included in the request. In other words, if biometric authentication of the user at the time of entry is successful, the registration unit 341 performs credit check on the user based on the master biometric information included in the provisional payment user registration request. If credit is confirmed, the registration unit 341 registers provisional payment user information 311, including the user ID whose credit has been confirmed and the facial feature information (master biometric information) included in the request, in the storage unit 310. At this time, the registration unit 341 may also include the expiration date and payment limit of the provisional payment of the user U in association with the master biometric information in the provisional payment user information 311. In other words, if biometric authentication is successful by comparing the master biometric information acquired from the user terminal 100 carried by the user U at the time of entry with the query biometric information acquired from the user U at the time of entry, the registration unit 341 registers the master biometric information in the storage device.

[0054] The provisional payment unit 342 is an example of the provisional payment unit 12. The provisional payment unit 342 receives a provisional payment request from the provisional payment terminal 52 and performs facial authentication based on the facial image included in the request. If the facial authentication is successful, the provisional payment unit 342 generates payment schedule information for the economic transaction in the request for the user whose facial authentication was successful and registers it in the storage unit 310.

[0055] The provisional payment unit 342 may register the scheduled payment information at the time of the economic transaction in the storage unit 310 in association with the master biometric information of the user U, according to the total amount of the pending scheduled payment information of the user U who successfully passed biometric authentication at the time of the economic transaction and the payment limit of the user U. Note that the provisional payment unit 342 may not approve the provisional payment depending on the service or product content. Furthermore, the provisional payment unit 342 may not approve the provisional payment if the total amount exceeds the payment limit.

[0056] The payment unit 343 is an example of the payment unit 13 described above. The payment unit 343 performs payment processing for a specific user U for the total amount of two or more pieces of unsettled payment information for the user U at the payment timing for the specific user U. Specifically, at the payment timing for the specific user U, the payment unit 343 aggregates the payment schedule information for the user U registered in the storage unit 310 to generate second payment target information, and performs payment processing for the second payment target information. At this time, the payment unit 343 deletes the payment schedule information for the user U from the storage unit 310 after the payment processing. Here, the payment timing in this embodiment is when biometric authentication is successful by matching the query biometric information acquired from the user U with the master biometric information when the user U leaves the facility 5. However, the payment timing is not limited to this.

[0057] The deletion unit 344 is an example of a second deletion means, and deletes the provisional payment user information 311 including the master biometric information of the user U from the storage unit 310 after the user U leaves the facility and after the payment process. Note that the timing of deleting the provisional payment user information is not limited to this.

[0058] (Provisional Payment User Registration Process) FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of the provisional payment user registration process at the time of entry according to the second embodiment. It is assumed that user U1 has already executed the above-described advance registration processes A and B. That is, user U1 carries user terminal 100-1. User terminal 100-1 is equipped with a storage medium in which user U1's user ID and facial feature information are registered in association with each other. The payment processing system 400 then registers user U1's credit card information in association with the user ID. That is, user U1's facial feature information and card information are associated via the user ID.

[0059] At this time, user U1 carries user terminal 100-1 and enters facility 5 through entrance 501. When user U1 is detected by, for example, a human presence sensor (not shown), entrance terminal 51 establishes a short-range wireless communication connection with user terminal 100-1 within a predetermined short-range wireless communication range. The user ID and facial feature information A are transferred from user terminal 100-1 to entrance terminal 51 using a predetermined short-range wireless communication method (S231). That is, user terminal 100-1 transmits user ID 111 and facial feature information 112 read from storage medium 110 to entrance terminal 51 via short-range wireless communication. Note that user terminal 100-1 may transmit user ID 111 and facial feature information 112 in response to a read request via short-range wireless communication from entrance terminal 51.

[0060] Next, the entrance terminal 51 associates the received user ID with the facial feature information A and stores them in memory (S232).The entrance terminal 51 then photographs the face of user U1 with a camera (not shown) (S233).In other words, when user U1 enters the facility 5, the entrance terminal 51 reads the facial feature information A from the user terminal 100-1 carried by user U1 and photographs the face of user U1.

[0061] The entrance terminal 51 then extracts facial feature information C (query biometric information) from the facial image captured in step S233 (S234). The entrance terminal 51 compares the facial feature information A and C (S235) to perform facial authentication. If facial authentication fails, the entrance terminal 51 displays a message that provisional payment user registration is not possible, and the provisional payment user registration process ends.

[0062] If the facial authentication is successful, the entrance terminal 51 refers to its memory and identifies the user ID associated with the successfully authenticated facial feature information A (S236).The entrance terminal 51 then transmits a provisional payment user registration request including the identified user ID and facial feature information A to the payment support device 300 via the network N (S237).

[0063] In response to this, payment support device 300 receives a provisional payment user registration request from entrance terminal 51 via network N, and transmits a credit confirmation request for the user ID included in the provisional payment user registration request to payment processing system 400 via network N (S238). Note that payment support device 300 may specify the length of stay of user U1 based on input by user U1 via entrance terminal 51 or reservation information of user U1 at facility 5. Payment support device 300 may then include the length of stay in the credit confirmation request.

[0064] The payment processing system 400 performs credit confirmation based on the user ID included in the credit confirmation request received from the payment support device 300 via network N (S239). If credit confirmation is successful, the payment processing system 400 determines a payment limit based on the card information 412 associated with the user ID 411 (S240). For example, the payment processing system 400 may determine a provisional payment limit at facility 5 based on user U1's length of stay, credit information, etc. The payment processing system 400 transmits the credit confirmation result and the payment limit to the payment support device 300 via network N (S241). Note that the payment processing system 400 does not necessarily have to determine a payment limit.

[0065] The payment support device 300 receives the credit confirmation result and the payment limit from the payment processing system 400 via the network N, and if the credit confirmation result confirms the credit of user U1, determines the expiration date of user U1's provisional payment user information (S242). For example, the payment support device 300 may determine the expiration date based on the length of stay of user U1. Note that the payment support device 300 does not necessarily have to determine the expiration date. Furthermore, if the credit confirmation of user U1 is confirmed, the payment support device 300 may determine the payment limit of user U1, taking into account the length of stay, instead of the payment processing system 400. Note that the payment limit does not necessarily have to be determined.

[0066] Then, payment support apparatus 300 registers provisional payment user information that associates the user ID, facial feature information A, expiration date, and payment limit (S243). Specifically, payment support apparatus 300 generates provisional payment user information 311 by associating user ID 3111 and facial feature information 3112 included in the received payment user registration request with expiration date 3113 determined in step S242 and the above-mentioned payment limit 3114. Then, payment support apparatus 300 registers the generated provisional payment user information 311 in storage unit 310. Then, payment support apparatus 300 generates a provisional payment user registration result that includes expiration date 3113, payment limit 3114, etc.

[0067] Thereafter, payment support apparatus 300 transmits the generated provisional payment user registration result to entrance terminal 51 via network N (S244). In response, entrance terminal 51 displays the received provisional payment user registration result on its screen (S245).

[0068] 8 is a diagram showing an example of the display of the provisional payment user registration result according to the present embodiment 2. The provisional payment user registration result screen 61 shows an example displayed on the entrance terminal 51. The provisional payment user registration result screen 61 includes an expiration date 611 and a payment limit 612. Note that the display contents of the provisional payment user registration result screen 61 are not limited to this.

[0069] As described above, user U1's master biometric information and card information are associated via a user ID. Specifically, user U1's user ID and facial feature information A are pre-registered in the storage medium of user terminal 100-1 carried by user U1. Furthermore, card information and user ID are pre-registered in association with each other in payment processing system 400. Therefore, in the provisional payment user registration process, provisional payment is permitted and provisional payment user information including the master biometric information is registered on the condition that facial authentication is successful upon entry to facility 5. This prevents impersonation when provisional payment is permitted. This also means that the user's consent is obtained for the (temporary) registration of their master biometric information, etc. in payment support device 300. Furthermore, by performing credit verification, provisional payment can be appropriately permitted for users who have the ability to pay (whose credit information meets certain conditions).

[0070] The provisional payment user registration result screen 61 may be displayed on the user terminal 100-1 carried by user U1. For example, the user terminal 100-1 may receive the provisional payment user registration result from the entrance terminal 51 via short-range wireless communication and display the provisional payment user registration result screen 61. Alternatively, the destination information of the user terminal 100-1 may be registered in the provisional payment user information 311, as described above. For example, the entrance terminal 51 further acquires the destination information of the user terminal 100-1 in step S231, and transmits the destination information of the user terminal 100-1 together with a provisional payment user registration request in step S237. The payment support apparatus 300 may then register the provisional payment user information 311 by further associating the destination information of the user terminal with the user ID. Then, in step S244, the payment support apparatus 300 may transmit the provisional payment user registration result to the user terminal 100-1 via the network N. In response to this, user terminal 100-1 may display provisional payment user registration result screen 61 according to the provisional payment user registration result received from payment support apparatus 300.

[0071] In the above, facial authentication is performed at entrance terminal 51, but facial authentication may also be performed at payment support apparatus 300. For example, entrance terminal 51 transmits a provisional payment user registration request to payment support apparatus 300, including the user ID and facial feature information A acquired from user terminal 100-1, and a facial image of user U1. Then, in response to receiving the provisional payment user registration request, payment support apparatus 300 may perform facial authentication through steps S234 to S236 described above.

[0072] Furthermore, the provisional payment user registration process at the time of entry described above involves one-to-one face authentication, which allows for faster authentication speed and higher authentication accuracy than one-to-N face authentication.

[0073] (Provisional payment processing) Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of provisional payment processing according to the second embodiment. As a premise, it is assumed that provisional payment user information 311 of each of users U2-1 to U2-3 in shopping area 502 has been registered in payment support apparatus 300 through the provisional payment user registration processing described above. At this time, for example, it is assumed that user U2-1 has made a purchase in front of provisional payment terminal 52-1. Furthermore, user U2-1 does not need to carry his or her own user terminal.

[0074] The provisional payment terminal 52-1 receives first payment object information from user U2-1, either through input by a store staff member or by user U2-1 scanning the product code of the purchased item (S251). The first payment object information includes product information and the price. The provisional payment terminal 52-1 then takes a picture of user U2-1's face using a camera (not shown) (S252). Note that steps S251 and S252 can be performed in any order. The provisional payment terminal 52-1 then transmits a provisional payment request including the first payment object information and the facial image to the payment support device 300 via network N (S253).

[0075] Payment support apparatus 300 receives a provisional payment request from provisional payment terminal 52-1 via network N and performs facial authentication based on the facial image included in the provisional payment request (S254). Specifically, payment support apparatus 300 extracts facial feature information D from the facial image as in step S234 described above. Then, payment support apparatus 300 performs one-to-N facial authentication between facial feature information D (query biometric information) and each piece of facial feature information 3112 (master biometric information) in each provisional payment user information 311 stored in storage unit 310. That is, payment support apparatus 300 compares each piece of facial feature information 3112 with facial feature information D to calculate the degree of match, and if the highest degree of match is equal to or greater than a threshold, determines that the user corresponding to the relevant facial feature information 3112 has succeeded in facial authentication. Furthermore, if there is no facial feature information with a matching degree equal to or greater than the threshold, payment support device 300 determines that facial authentication has failed, returns a message to temporary payment terminal 52-1 that temporary payment is not possible, and terminates the temporary payment process.

[0076] If facial feature information exists whose degree of match is equal to or greater than the threshold, i.e., if user U2-1 has successfully passed facial authentication, payment support apparatus 300 identifies user ID 3111 associated with facial feature information 3112 for which facial authentication was successful from provisional payment user information 311 in storage unit 310 (S255). Then, payment support apparatus 300 generates payment schedule information based on the identified user ID and the first payment object information included in the provisional payment request (S256). Specifically, payment support apparatus 300 issues a new provisional payment ID, identifies the provisional payment date and time based on the date and time of receipt of the provisional payment request, and identifies the amount and provisional payment details from the first payment object information included in the provisional payment request. Then, payment support apparatus 300 generates payment schedule information 3121 by associating the issued provisional payment ID 31211, the identified provisional payment date and time 31212, user ID 31213, amount 31214, and provisional payment details 31215. Payment support apparatus 300 then registers the generated payment schedule information 3121 in storage unit 310 (S257). Payment support apparatus 300 may generate and register payment schedule information 3121 if expiration date 3113 associated with identified user ID 3111 is within the expiration date. Payment support apparatus 300 may also determine whether the total amount of unsettled payment schedule information (or the total amount including unsettled and paid amounts) is within the payment limit, and generate and register payment schedule information 3121 if it is within the payment limit.

[0077] Thereafter, payment support apparatus 300 generates information indicating the registration result of the payment schedule information (provisional payment result) and transmits the provisional payment result to provisional payment terminal 52-1 via network N (S258). In response, provisional payment terminal 52-1 displays the received provisional payment result on its screen (S259).

[0078] 10 is a diagram showing an example of the display of a provisional payment result according to the second embodiment. A provisional payment result screen 62 is shown as an example displayed on the provisional payment terminal 52-1. The provisional payment result screen 62 includes a target product 621, a provisional payment amount 622, a payment limit 623, and a remaining balance of the payment limit 624. Note that the contents displayed on the provisional payment result screen 62 are not limited to this.

[0079] As described above, in this embodiment, a user who enters the facility 5 can make a provisional payment in the shopping area 502 without carrying an electronic payment method such as a credit card or a user terminal. Furthermore, the provisional payment process described above is one-to-N facial authentication, but the facial feature information 3112 included in the plurality of provisional payment user information 311 in the storage unit 310 is used as master biometric information. Therefore, compared to, for example, when facial authentication is performed on master biometric information managed by the authentication infrastructure system 200, the authentication speed is faster and the authentication accuracy is higher.

[0080] 11 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of the payment process at the time of exit according to the present embodiment 2. It is assumed that user U3 is at the exit terminal 53 near the exit 503 to exit the facility 5.

[0081] For example, when user U3 is detected by a human presence sensor (not shown), exit terminal 53 captures an image of user U3's face using a camera (not shown) (S261). Exit terminal 53 then transmits the captured facial image to payment support device 300 via network N (S262). Note that exit terminal 53 may also extract facial feature information from the facial image and transmit the extracted facial feature information (query biometric information) to payment support device 300.

[0082] In response, payment support device 300 receives the facial image from exit terminal 53 via network N, and performs facial authentication based on the facial image (S263), similar to step S254 described above. If facial authentication fails, payment support device 300 notifies exit terminal 53 and the terminals of staff or security guards at facility 5 that exit is not permitted (the payment is not permitted), and terminates the payment process.

[0083] If user U3's facial authentication is successful, the payment support apparatus 300 identifies the user ID 3111 associated with the facial feature information 3112 for which facial authentication was successful from the provisional payment user information 311 in the storage unit 310 (S264). Then, the payment support apparatus 300 identifies all pending payment schedule information associated with the identified user ID (S265). Specifically, the payment support apparatus 300 identifies all of the payment schedule information 3121, etc., including user U3's user ID 31213 from the storage unit 310. Then, the payment support apparatus 300 calculates the total amount from the amounts 31214 of the identified payment schedule information 3121, etc., and generates second payment target information (S266). Here, the second payment target information includes at least the calculated total amount. Furthermore, the second payment target information may include various information within the payment schedule information. Then, the payment support device 300 sends a payment processing request including the second payment target information including the total amount and the user ID identified in step S264 to the payment processing system 400 via the network N (S267).

[0084] The payment processing system 400 receives a payment processing request from the payment support device 300 via network N and identifies card information 412 from the user ID 411 included in the payment processing request (S268). Specifically, the payment processing system 400 identifies and reads card information 412 associated with the user ID 411 from among multiple registered payment user information 410. The payment processing system 400 then performs electronic payment processing for the total amount using the identified card information 412 (S269). In other words, the payment processing system 400 electronically settles the provisionally settled total amount using the credit card information of user U3, whose face was successfully authenticated upon exiting the venue. The payment processing system 400 then transmits the payment processing result to the payment support device 300 via network N (S270).

[0085] Payment support apparatus 300 receives the payment processing result from payment processing system 400 via network N. In response, payment support apparatus 300 deletes the payment schedule information identified in step S265 from storage unit 310 (S271). Instead of deleting the payment schedule information, payment support apparatus 300 may set a payment completion flag. Payment support apparatus 300 also deletes provisional payment user information 311, including user ID 3111 identified in step S264, from storage unit 310 (S272). Payment support apparatus 300 then generates a final payment result including the received payment processing result and deletion result (S273). Payment support apparatus 300 then transmits the generated final payment result to exit terminal 53 via network N (S274). In response, exit terminal 53 displays the received final payment result on its screen (S275).

[0086] 12 is a diagram showing an example of the display of the final payment result according to the second embodiment. The final payment result screen 63 shows an example displayed on the exit terminal 53. The final payment result screen 63 includes a payment date and time 631, a payment amount 632, a payment method 633, and a deletion notification message 634. Note that the display contents of the final payment result screen 63 are not limited to this. For example, the final payment result screen 63 may include a breakdown of the payment details (e.g., the target product and amount) of each payment scheduled information that has been final paid.

[0087] Note that final payment result screen 63 may be displayed on user terminal 100 (not shown) carried by user U3. For example, user terminal 100 may receive the final payment result from exit terminal 53 via short-range wireless communication and display final payment result screen 63. Alternatively, the destination information of user terminal 100 may be registered in provisional payment user information 311, as described above. In this case, in step S274, payment support apparatus 300 may transmit the final payment result to user terminal 100 via network N. In response, user terminal 100 may display final payment result screen 63 corresponding to the final payment result received from payment support apparatus 300.

[0088] In this way, this embodiment makes it possible to realize so-called "credit" in electronic payments using biometric authentication. In other words, user U can electronically pay all the amounts provisionally paid in the shopping area 502 during his / her stay at facility 5 when he / she leaves. Therefore, as with the first embodiment described above, the timing of economic transactions and actual payment processing can be separated, thereby dispersing the concentration of payment processing access in the payment processing system. In particular, when there are two or more scheduled payments for a specific user, electronic payments can be made in one go at the time of exit. This reduces the number of electronic payment processes in the payment processing system 400, thereby reducing payment procedure fees. Furthermore, the number of connections from the payment support device 300 to the payment processing system 400 and the amount of communication traffic can be reduced.

[0089] In addition, in the provisional payment user registration process at the time of entry, card information 1011 may be temporarily registered in payment support apparatus 300 and deleted after the actual payment. In this case, payment support apparatus 300 may send a payment processing request to payment processing system 400, including card information 1011, in the actual payment process.

[0090] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which facial feature information is associated with user ID 411 and card information 412 in a storage medium carried by the user, and user ID 411 and card information 412 are associated and managed on the payment processing system 400 side. By managing facial feature information and card information separately via the user ID in this way, security can be increased and electronic credit payment can be realized without disclosing the card information itself to payment support device 300 side.

[0091] In addition, in this embodiment, when facial authentication is successful when the user leaves the facility, the actual payment process and provisional payment user information are deleted, which allows for the facial authentication process to be consolidated and processing to be made more efficient.

[0092] Other Embodiments The payment unit described above may set the payment timing to a periodic timing outside of the facility 5's business hours and during the user U's stay at the facility 5. For example, the payment timing may be after the end of business hours each day, for example, at night. That is, the payment unit may list the pending payment schedule information 3121 and the like in the storage unit 310 every night, compile the pending payment schedule information for each user, set the total amount as second payment target information, and perform electronic payment for each user's second payment target information. This also makes it possible to separate the timing of the economic transaction from the actual payment process, and even if multiple provisional payments are made in one day, the amounts of the multiple payment schedule information can be electronically paid in one lump sum.

[0093] The registration unit may also register the expiration date, which is set to a date after the user U's stay in facility 5, in association with the master biometric information of user U in storage unit 310. In this case, the payment unit performs payment processing using the expiration date as the payment timing. Payment support device 300 may further include a first deletion unit that deletes the master biometric information of user U from storage unit 310 after the expiration date. In other words, the timing of payment and the timing of deletion of temporary payment user information are not limited to when the user U leaves facility 5, but may be after the expiration date has passed.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, only facial authentication (biometric authentication) is used at the time of provisional payment and final payment, i.e., single-factor authentication is used. However, provisional payment and final payment may also be performed using multi-factor authentication. This improves security during provisional payment and final payment. Authentication other than biometric authentication may also be performed using, for example, a PIN code or name verification. That is, the registration unit acquires additional personal authentication information (e.g., a PIN code) other than the user's master biometric information upon entry, and, if the biometric authentication upon entry is successful, associates the personal authentication information with the master biometric information and registers it in the storage device. Then, if the biometric authentication during the economic transaction and personal authentication using the user's personal authentication information (e.g., a PIN code) are successful, the provisional payment unit registers payment schedule information in the storage device in association with the master biometric information. That is, provisional payment may be permitted on the condition that multi-factor authentication is successful.

[0095] For example, entrance terminal 51 may accept input of a PIN code from user U1 by step S236 of FIG. 7 and cause payment support apparatus 300 to further register the PIN code with facial feature information A and user ID of user U1. Alternatively, entrance terminal 51 may accept a PIN code after step S245 and cause payment support apparatus 300 to additionally register the PIN code with provisional payment user information 311 of user U1. Alternatively, the storage medium of user terminal 100-1 may store personal authentication information such as user U1's name (or PIN code, etc.) in association with user ID 111 and facial feature information 112. In this case, entrance terminal 51 may further include personal authentication information in the provisional payment user registration request and transmit it in step S237 of FIG. 7.

[0096] The provisional settlement unit may also calculate the total amount of unsettled transactions at that time for each transaction and determine whether to approve the provisional settlement based on the total amount and the settlement limit. Specifically, if the total amount of the planned payment information exceeds the settlement limit, the provisional settlement unit may prevent the registration of the planned payment information at the time of the transaction. This makes it possible to prevent provisional settlements that exceed the payment capacity from being used.

[0097] Alternatively, if the total amount of the payment schedule information exceeds the payment limit, the provisional payment unit may perform credit checks on the user for a predetermined amount equal to or greater than the excess amount. If credit checks are successful, the provisional payment unit may add the predetermined amount to the payment limit and register the payment schedule information for the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the user's master biometric information. For example, if the balance of a pre-charged electronic payment method such as electronic money is insufficient, it becomes possible to continue using provisional payments by automatically charging the balance. This improves the convenience of provisional payments.

[0098] In the above-described embodiment, personal authentication (authentication of identity confirmation, identity authentication, identity identification processing, etc.) has been described as face authentication. However, other biometric authentication methods using biometric information may be used. Other technologies using captured images of a person may be applied to biometric authentication and biometric information. For example, biometric information may be data (features) calculated from physical characteristics unique to an individual, such as fingerprints, voiceprints, veins, retinas, irises, and palm patterns. Furthermore, biometric authentication may involve extracting feature information indicating a person's physical characteristics from a captured image of a portion of the user's body, comparing the extracted feature information with pre-registered feature information, and determining that authentication is successful if the degree of match is equal to or greater than a threshold. For example, biometric authentication may be based on a person's external shape. In this case, the feature information may be information related to the person's external shape, such as information indicating characteristics such as body shape, height, and clothing. Furthermore, other personal authentication methods may be applied instead of biometric authentication, and the biometric information may also be other personal authentication information. For example, the personal authentication information may include, but is not limited to, a user ID, a combination of ID and password, the contents of an identification card such as a My Number or a driver's license (identification number or password), an electronic certificate, code information, etc. The code information may be a two-dimensional code, for example, a QR code (registered trademark).

[0099] In the above examples, the program includes instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The program may also be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0100] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the present disclosure may be implemented by appropriately combining the respective embodiments.

[0101] Some or all of the above embodiments may be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes: (Supplementary Note A1) A payment support device comprising: registration means for registering master biometric information of a user in a storage device when the user enters a predetermined facility; provisional payment means for, in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during a financial transaction of the user at the facility with the master biometric information, registering scheduled payment information based on the financial transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information; and main payment means for processing payment for the user's unsettled scheduled payment information in accordance with a predetermined payment timing for the user after the financial transaction. (Supplementary Note A2) The payment support device described in Supplementary Note A1, wherein the main payment means processes the payment for the user for the total amount of two or more scheduled payment information of the user that are unsettled at the payment timing. (Appendix A3) The payment support device according to Appendix A1 or A2, wherein the payment means generates payment target information for the user that was registered in the storage device at the payment timing, compiles the payment schedule information for the user that was registered in the storage device at the payment timing, performs the payment process for the payment target information, and deletes the payment schedule information for the user from the storage device after the payment process. (Appendix A4) The payment support device according to any one of Appendix A1 to Appendix A3, wherein the registration means, if biometric authentication by comparing the master biometric information acquired from a storage medium carried by the user at the time of entry with query biometric information acquired from the user at the time of entry is successful, registers the master biometric information in the storage device. (Appendix A5) The payment support device according to Appendix A4, wherein the registration means, if the biometric authentication at the time of entry is successful, performs credit confirmation for the user based on the master biometric information, and if credit confirmation is successful, registers the master biometric information in the storage device. (Appendix A6) The payment means is a payment support device described in any one of Appendices A1 to A5, in which the payment timing is determined to be when biometric authentication is successful by comparing query biometric information obtained from the user with the master biometric information when the user leaves the facility.(Appendix A7) The payment support device according to any one of Appendices A1 to A5, wherein the payment means sets the payment timing to a period during the user's stay at the facility and a period outside of business transaction hours at the facility. (Appendix A8) The payment support device according to any one of Appendices A1 to A5, wherein the registration means registers an expiration date that is after the user's stay at the facility in association with the master biometric information in the storage device, and the payment means performs the payment processing using the expiration date as the payment timing, and further comprises first deletion means that deletes the user's master biometric information from the storage device after the expiration date. (Appendix A9) The payment support device according to any one of Appendices A1 to A8, further comprises second deletion means that deletes the user's master biometric information from the storage device after the user leaves the facility and after the payment processing. The payment support device according to any one of Appendix A1 to Appendix A9, wherein the registration means further acquires personal authentication information other than the master biometric information of the user at the time of entry, and registers the personal authentication information in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to success of the biometric authentication at the time of entry, and the provisional payment means, if the biometric authentication at the time of the economic transaction is successful and personal authentication using the user's personal authentication information is successful, registers the scheduled payment information in the storage device in association with the master biometric information. (Appendix A11) The payment support device according to any one of Appendix A1 to Appendix A10, wherein the registration means further acquires personal authentication information other than the master biometric information of the user at the time of entry, and registers the personal authentication information in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to success of the biometric authentication at the time of entry, and if the biometric authentication at the time of the economic transaction is successful and personal authentication using the user's personal authentication information is successful, registers the scheduled payment information in the storage device in association with the master biometric information. (Supplementary Note A12) The payment support device according to Supplementary Note A11, wherein the provisional payment means inhibits registration of the payment schedule information at the time of the economic transaction if the total amount of the payment schedule information exceeds the payment limit.and a payment support device configured to: (a) register a user's master biometric information when the user enters the facility; (b) register a user's master biometric information when the user enters the facility; (c) register a user's master biometric information when the user enters the facility; and (d) register a user's master biometric information when the user enters the facility; and (e) perform a payment process for the user's pending payment information in accordance with a predetermined payment timing for the user after the financial transaction. (Appendix B2) The payment means performs the payment processing for the user for the total amount of two or more pieces of unsettled payment information for the user at the payment timing. (Appendix C1) A payment support method, comprising: when the user enters a predetermined facility, a computer registers master biometric information of the user in a storage device; when biometric authentication is successful by matching query biometric information acquired during a financial transaction of the user at the facility with the master biometric information, registers payment schedule information based on the financial transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information; and performs payment processing for the unsettled payment schedule information of the user at a predetermined payment timing for the user after the financial transaction.(Appendix D1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a payment support program that causes a computer to execute the following steps: a registration process that registers a user's master biometric information in a storage device when the user enters a specified facility; a provisional payment process that, depending on success of biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the user's economic transaction at the facility with the master biometric information, registers payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information; and a final payment process that performs payment processing for the user's unsettled payment schedule information in accordance with a specified payment timing for the user after the economic transaction.

[0102] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments (and examples), the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments (and examples). Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention.

[0103] 1 Payment support device 11 Registration unit 12 Provisional payment unit 13 Main payment unit 1000 Payment support system 100 User terminal 110 Storage medium 111 User ID 112 Facial feature information 101 Credit card 1011 Card information U User N Network 200 Authentication infrastructure system 300 Payment support device 310 Storage unit 311 Provisional payment user information 3111 User ID 3112 Facial feature information 3113 Expiry date 3114 Payment limit 3121 Scheduled payment information 31211 Provisional payment ID 31212 Provisional payment date and time 31213 User ID 31214 Amount 31215 Provisional payment details 312n Scheduled payment information 313 Program 320 Memory 330 Communication unit 340 Control unit 341 Registration unit 342 Provisional payment unit 343 Actual payment unit 344 Deletion unit 400 Payment processing system 410 Payment user information 411 User ID 412 Card information 5 Facility 501 Entrance 502 Shopping area 503 Exit 51 Entrance terminal 52 Provisional payment terminal 53 Exit terminal 61 Provisional payment user registration result screen 611 Expiry date 612 Payment limit 62 Provisional payment result screen 621 Target product 622 Provisional payment amount 623 Payment limit 624 Remaining payment limit 63 Actual payment result screen 631 Payment date and time 632 Payment amount 633 Payment method 634 Deletion notification message U0 User U1 User U2-1 User U2-2 User U2-3 User U3 User 100-0 User terminal 100-1 User terminal 52-1 Provisional payment terminal 52-2 Provisional payment terminal 52-3 Provisional payment terminal

Claims

1. a registration means for registering the master biometric information of the user in a storage device when the user enters a predetermined facility; a provisional payment means for registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the economic transaction of the user at the facility with the master biometric information; a payment means for performing a payment process for the user's pending payment schedule information in accordance with a predetermined payment timing for the user after the economic transaction; A payment support device comprising:

2. The payment method is: At the payment timing, the payment process is performed for the user for the total amount of two or more pieces of payment schedule information that have not yet been paid by the user. The payment support device according to claim 1.

3. The payment method is: Collecting the payment schedule information of the user registered in the storage device at the payment timing to generate payment target information, and performing the payment process for the payment target information; After the payment process, the payment schedule information of the user is deleted from the storage device. The payment support device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The registration means If biometric authentication is successful by comparing the master biometric information acquired from the storage medium carried by the user at the time of entry with query biometric information acquired from the user at the time of entry, the master biometric information is registered in the storage device. The payment support device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The registration means If the biometric authentication at the time of entry is successful, the user's credit is confirmed based on the master biometric information; If the credit check is successful, the master biometric information is registered in the storage device. The payment support device according to claim 4.

6. The payment method is: The payment timing is determined to be when biometric authentication is successful by matching query biometric information acquired from the user with the master biometric information when the user leaves the facility. The payment support device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The payment method is: The payment timing is set to a period during the user's stay at the facility and outside the facility's business transaction hours. The payment support device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. a storage device for provisional payment at a predetermined facility; A payment support device, The payment support device a registration means for registering master biometric information of a user in the storage device when the user enters the facility; a provisional payment means for registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the economic transaction of the user at the facility with the master biometric information; a payment means for performing a payment process for the user's pending payment schedule information in accordance with a predetermined payment timing for the user after the economic transaction; A payment support system equipped with:

9. The computer When a user enters a predetermined facility, the user's master biometric information is registered in a storage device; registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the economic transaction of the user at the facility with the master biometric information; performing a payment process for the user's pending payment schedule information in accordance with a predetermined payment timing for the user after the economic transaction; Payment support methods.

10. a registration process for registering the user's master biometric information in a storage device when the user enters a predetermined facility; a provisional payment process for registering payment schedule information based on the economic transaction in the storage device in association with the master biometric information in response to successful biometric authentication by matching query biometric information acquired during the economic transaction of the user at the facility with the master biometric information; a main payment process for performing payment processing for the user's pending payment schedule information in accordance with a predetermined payment timing for the user after the economic transaction; A payment support program that causes a computer to execute the above.

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