Electronic ticket providing device and electronic ticket providing method

Abstract

Provided is an electronic ticket providing device which, when there is support from a plurality of support groups, ensures that a user receives the support of the support groups.　An electronic ticket provision device 30 of the present invention includes: a storage unit that stores information on provision sources 3a, 3b of an electronic ticket in association with information on a distribution target person of the electronic ticket; an extraction unit that, when an electronic ticket provision request by users 2a, 2b is recognized, refers to the information on the distribution target person and extracts the provision sources 3a, 3b of which the users 2a, 2b correspond to the distribution target person; and a processing unit that performs a process for providing the electronic tickets of the provision sources 3a, 3b extracted by the extraction unit to the users 2a, 2b.

Description

Electronic ticket providing device and electronic ticket providing method

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic ticket providing device, an electronic ticket providing method, and an electronic ticket providing program.

[0002] Children's cafeterias are an initiative that provides meals to children from poor families and those who eat alone, and play a major role in realizing a society of coexistence.

[0003] In this regard, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technology for providing free meals to users at pre-registered restaurants using third-party funds. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 allows users to receive free meals at restaurants they visit by displaying a specific screen on a mobile device such as a smartphone. This technology allows children to receive free meals at restaurants registered as children's cafeterias.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-174248

[0005] Support for children's cafeterias and other such programs is provided independently by a number of organizations, including local governments such as prefectures and municipalities, NPOs, and volunteer groups.

[0006] Therefore, some children may receive support from multiple support organizations, such as support from the prefecture and the city where they live. If support can be received from multiple support organizations, this is preferable, as it increases the opportunities for children to eat at children's cafeterias. Therefore, when support is available from multiple support organizations, it is important to ensure that children can receive this support.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and therefore an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic ticket providing device, an electronic ticket providing method, and an electronic ticket providing program that enable a user to reliably receive support from multiple support organizations when such support is available.

[0008] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following means.

[0009] (1) An electronic ticket providing device having a memory unit that stores information regarding the provider of an electronic ticket and information regarding the recipient of the electronic ticket in association with each other; an extraction unit that, when a user's request for electronic ticket provision is recognized, references the information regarding the recipient and extracts the provider that corresponds to the recipient for the user; and a processing unit that performs processing to provide the user with the electronic ticket from the provider extracted by the extraction unit.

[0010] (2) The electronic ticket providing device described in (1) above, wherein the memory unit further stores information about the user, and the extraction unit extracts the provider by referring to information about the recipient and information about the user.

[0011] (3) In the electronic ticket providing device described in (1) or (2) above, when the extraction unit extracts multiple providers, the processing unit presents information about the multiple providers to the user and prompts the user to select a provider.

[0012] (4) An electronic ticket providing device as described in (1) or (2) above, wherein the memory unit further stores information about stores where electronic tickets can be used in association with information about the provider, and the processing unit performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to information about the store.

[0013] (5) An electronic ticket providing device as described in (1) or (2) above, wherein the memory unit further stores information regarding the usage content of the electronic ticket in association with information regarding the provider, and the processing unit performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to the information regarding the usage content.

[0014] (6) The electronic ticket providing device described in (2) above, wherein the memory unit further stores information indicating the frequency of use or the available amount of the electronic ticket in association with information about the provider as information regarding the usage content of the electronic ticket, the information indicating the frequency of use or the available amount having a first value and a second value greater than the first value, the information about the user including information indicating a specific situation about the user, and the processing unit performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to the first value if the information about the user does not include information indicating the specific situation, and performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to the second value if the information about the user includes information indicating the specific situation.

[0015] (7) The electronic ticket providing device described in (2) above, wherein the information about the user includes identification information for identifying the user on a household basis.

[0016] (8) In the electronic ticket providing device described in (1) or (2) above, when the electronic ticket is used, the processing unit presents an input screen for inputting a message and performs a process to prompt the user to input a message, and if the message is not input, the processing unit performs a process to prohibit the user from using the electronic ticket next time.

[0017] (9) An electronic ticket providing device as described in (1) or (2) above, further comprising a donation processing unit that performs processing to provide a donor with an input screen for depositing funds for the electronic ticket.

[0018] (10) In the case where there are multiple providers, the donation processing unit performs processing to present information about the multiple providers to the donor and prompt the donor to select the provider to which the funds will be donated.The electronic ticket providing device described in (9) above.

[0019] (11) The electronic ticket providing device according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the electronic ticket includes an electronic ticket that can be used at a restaurant.

[0020] (12) A method for providing an electronic ticket, comprising the steps of: (a) storing information about an electronic ticket provider and information about a recipient of the electronic ticket in a memory unit in association with each other; (b) extracting, when a user's request for providing an electronic ticket is recognized, the provider corresponding to the recipient by referring to the information about the recipient; and (c) performing a process for providing the user with the electronic ticket from the provider extracted in step (b).

[0021] (13) An electronic ticket provision program that causes a computer to execute the following steps: (a) storing information about the provider of an electronic ticket in a memory unit in association with information about a recipient of the electronic ticket; (b) extracting the provider corresponding to the recipient of the electronic ticket by the user when a request for electronic ticket provision from a user is recognized, by referring to information about the recipient; and (c) performing a process to provide the user with the electronic ticket from the provider extracted in (b).

[0022] According to the present invention, when support is available from a plurality of support organizations (providers), the user can be sure to receive this support.

[0023] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic ticket providing system. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a mobile terminal device. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a terminal device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a server device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents stored in a storage unit of the server device. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of service information. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of store information. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of user information. FIG. 7 is a sequence chart showing the procedure of an electronic ticket providing process. FIG. 8 is a diagram following FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a store search screen. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a service list screen. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a store list screen. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a menu list screen. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an order confirmation screen. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a payment confirmation screen. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a message input screen. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a donation recipient list screen. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of an image for accessing a donation deposit screen.

[0024] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following preferred embodiments are merely exemplary and may be modified in various ways.

[0025] 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an electronic ticket providing system to which an electronic ticket providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The following describes an example in which the electronic ticket providing device provides electronic tickets for meals.

[0026] The electronic ticket is a ticket that allows users 2a, 2b to receive a meal free of charge by presenting it to a staff member or the like at restaurants 1a, 1b. The electronic ticket is provided independently by multiple support organizations 3a, 3b, such as local governments such as prefectures and cities, towns and villages, nonprofit organizations, and volunteer groups. Donors 4a, 4b deposit donations that serve as the source of the electronic ticket into the support organizations 3a, 3b. The support organizations 3a, 3b pay the meal fees of users 2a, 2b to restaurants 1a, 1b on behalf of users 2a, 2b, depending on the results of using the electronic ticket.

[0027] 1, the electronic ticket distribution system includes multiple mobile terminal devices 10a to 10c, multiple terminal devices 20a and 20b, and a server device 30. The mobile terminal devices 10a to 10c, the terminal devices 20a and 20b, and the server device 30 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network 40 such as the Internet.

[0028] The mobile terminal devices 10a to 10c are, for example, smartphones and are used by the users 2a and 2b and the donor 4a. The terminal devices 20a and 20b are, for example, personal computers (PCs) and are used by the system administrator 5 of the electronic ticket providing system and the donor 4b.

[0029] The types and number of devices connected to the network 40 are not limited to the example shown in Fig. 1. A large number of mobile terminal devices and terminal devices are connected to the network 40.

[0030] <Mobile Terminal Device> Next, the configuration of the mobile terminal devices 10a to 10c will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Note that the mobile terminal devices 10a to 10c have similar configurations, so the following description will be made using the mobile terminal device 10a as a representative.

[0031] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the mobile terminal device 10a. As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal device 10a includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, and an operation display unit 14, which are interconnected by a bus.

[0032] The control unit 11 is configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and controls the above-mentioned units and performs various arithmetic processing according to programs.

[0033] The storage unit 12 is configured by an SSD (Solid State Drive) or an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), and stores various programs and various data.

[0034] The communication unit 13 is an interface for communicating with other devices, and uses a communication interface conforming to various wired or wireless standards.

[0035] The operation display unit 14 is, for example, a touch panel display, and is used to display and input various types of information.

[0036] <Terminal Device> Next, the configurations of the terminal devices 20a and 20b will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Since the terminal devices 20a and 20b have the same configuration, the following description will be given using the terminal device 20a as a representative.

[0037] 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the terminal device 20a. As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device 20a includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, a display unit 24, and an input unit 25, which are interconnected by a bus. Note that, among the above-mentioned units of the terminal device 20a, those having the same functions as the above-mentioned units of the mobile terminal device 10a will not be described in order to avoid duplication.

[0038] The display unit 24 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays various information.

[0039] The input unit 25 includes a keyboard, a numeric keypad, a mouse, etc., and accepts input of various information.

[0040] <Server Device> Next, the configuration of the server device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The server device 30 corresponds to the electronic ticket providing device of the present invention.

[0041] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the server device 30. As shown in Fig. 4, the server device 30 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a communication unit 33, which are interconnected by a bus. Note that each of the above units of the server device 30 has the same function as each of the above units of the mobile terminal device 10a, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0042] 5 is a diagram showing the contents stored in the storage unit 32 of the server device 30. As shown in FIG. 5, the storage unit 32 of the server device 30 stores service information 110, store information 120, and user information 130. The service information 110 is information about the rules for using electronic tickets for each support organization that provides the electronic ticket. The store information 120 is information about registered stores, and the user information 130 is information about registered users. Details of the service information 110, store information 120, and user information 130 will be described later.

[0043] Furthermore, the memory unit 32 of the server device 30 stores programs corresponding to the extraction unit 210, the processing unit 220, and the donation processing unit 230. When the extraction unit 210 recognizes an electronic ticket provision request from a user 2a or 2b, it references the service information 110 and extracts support organizations (services) 3a or 3b to which the user is eligible to receive an electronic ticket. The processing unit 220 performs a process of providing the user with an electronic ticket for the service extracted by the extraction unit 210. The donation processing unit 230 performs a process of providing donors 4a or 4b with an input screen for depositing donations. The functions of each of the above units are fulfilled by the control unit 31 executing the corresponding program.

[0044] It should be noted that the mobile terminal devices 10a to 10c, the terminal devices 20a and 20b, and the server device 30 may include components other than those described above, or may not include some of the components described above. For example, the mobile terminal devices 10a to 10c may include a camera.

[0045] Next, the service information 110, the store information 120, and the user information 130 will be described in order with reference to FIGS.

[0046] 6 is a diagram showing an example of the service information 110. The service information 110 is information relating to the rules for using electronic tickets, and is registered in the storage unit 32 of the server device 30 by the system administrator 5 via the terminal device 20a, for example.

[0047] As shown in Figure 6, service information 110 includes service ID information 111, service name information 112, target person age information 113, target person address information 114, usage frequency information 115a, 115b, available amount information 116, available store information 117, number of tickets information 118, and number of issued tickets information 119.

[0048] The service ID information 111 is information for identifying the support organizations 3 a and 3 b that are the providers of the electronic tickets, and the service name information 112 is information indicating the name of the ticket provision service provided by the support organizations 3 a and 3 b. The target age information 113 is information indicating the age of the recipient of the electronic ticket, and the target address information 114 is information indicating the address (prefecture and city / town / village) of the recipient of the electronic ticket.

[0049] The usage frequency information 115a, 115b is information indicating the number of times an electronic ticket can be used by a user in a week, and includes first usage frequency information 115a and second usage frequency information 115b. The first usage frequency information 115a is information indicating the number of times a user who is not receiving welfare benefits can use the ticket, and the second usage frequency information 115b is information indicating the number of times a user who is receiving welfare benefits can use the ticket. The available amount information 116 is information indicating the amount (maximum amount) that a user can use for a single meal, and the available store information 117 is information indicating restaurants where the electronic ticket can be used.

[0050] The ticket number information 118 indicates the number of electronic tickets that the support organizations 3 a and 3 b can provide, and the issued ticket number information 119 indicates the number of electronic tickets that have already been issued. The ticket number information 118 is updated when a donation is received, and the issued ticket number information 119 is updated when an electronic ticket is issued.

[0051] 7 is a diagram showing an example of the store information 120. The store information 120 is information about registered stores, and is registered in the storage unit 32 of the server device 30 by the system administrator 5 via the terminal device 20a, for example.

[0052] As shown in Figure 7, store information 120 includes store ID information 121, store name information 122, location information 123, available time period information 124, menu ID information 125, menu name information 126, menu price information 127, available number of meals information 128, and number of meals already served information 129.

[0053] The store ID information 121 is information for identifying a restaurant, the store name information 122 is information indicating the name of the restaurant, the location information 123 is information indicating the location (prefecture / city / town / village) of the restaurant, and the available time period information 124 is information indicating the time period during which the restaurant can provide the menu for the electronic ticket (the time period during which the user can use the electronic ticket).

[0054] The menu ID information 125 is information for identifying a menu for which the electronic ticket can be used, the menu name information 126 is information indicating the name of the menu, and the menu fee information 127 is information indicating the fee for the menu.

[0055] The available meal number information 128 indicates the number of meals that the restaurant can provide in a day using electronic tickets, and the already provided meal number information 129 indicates the number of meals that the restaurant has already provided in a day.

[0056] 8 is a diagram showing an example of the user information 130. The user information 130 is information about registered users, and is registered in the storage unit 32 of the server device 30 by the users 2a and 2b themselves via their mobile terminal devices 10a and 10b, for example.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 8, the user information 130 includes user ID information 131 , name information 132 , date of birth information 133 , address information 134 , and public assistance information 135 .

[0058] User ID information 131 is information for identifying a user, and name information 132 is information indicating the user's name. Date of birth information 133 is information indicating the user's date of birth, and address information 134 is information indicating the user's address (prefecture / city / town / village). Public assistance information 135 is information indicating whether the user is receiving public assistance (not receiving: 0, receiving: 1). User ID information 131 is assigned to each household. In addition, information indicating the electronic tickets used by the user in a week (not shown) is stored in association with the user ID information 131 and user name information 132.

[0059] The information stored in the storage unit 32 of the server device 30 is not limited to the information described above. For example, the storage unit 32 of the server device 30 may include information indicating the business hours and account number of a restaurant, information indicating the address and account number of a support organization that provides electronic tickets, and information indicating the user's contact information. Furthermore, the values ​​of the ID information and the like are not limited to the above examples, and any letters, numbers, or symbols may be used.

[0060] The operation of the electronic ticket providing system will be described below with reference to Figures 9 to 17. Note that the following description will be given taking as an example a case where a user 2a of a mobile terminal device 10a uses an electronic ticket.

[0061] 9 and 10 are sequence charts showing the steps of the electronic ticket provision process executed in the electronic ticket provision system. The process of the sequence charts is executed by the control units 11, 31 of the mobile terminal device 10a or the server device 30 in accordance with a program stored in the storage unit 12, 32 of each device. Note that the process units of the sequence charts are divided according to the main process content to make each process easier to understand, and the method of classifying the process steps does not limit the present invention.

[0062] First, the mobile terminal device 10a receives a store search instruction (step S1). More specifically, the mobile terminal device 10a displays a store search screen 310, such as that shown in Fig. 11, on the operation display unit 14 to receive an instruction from the user 2a to search for stores that accept electronic tickets. The store search screen 310 is provided to the mobile terminal device 10a by the server device 30 when the registered user 2a logs in to the system.

[0063] The mobile terminal device 10a that has received the store search instruction transmits search instruction information instructing execution of a store search to the server device 30 (step S2).

[0064] Upon receiving the search instruction information, the server device 30 extracts services available to the user 2a of the mobile terminal device 10a (step S3). More specifically, the server device 30 first references the user information 130 to recognize the age and address of the user 2a of the mobile terminal device 10a. The server device 30 then references the target age information 113 and target address information 114 in the service information 110 to extract, from among multiple services, services for which the user 2a is a recipient of an electronic ticket. At this time, the server device 30 references the service information 110 to exclude from the available services services those services for which the number of issuable electronic tickets is "0" and those for which the number of times the user 2a has used the electronic ticket exceeds the values ​​in the usage frequency information 115a and 115b.

[0065] The server device 30 then generates display information for displaying a list of the extracted services and transmits it to the mobile terminal device 10a (steps S4 and S5).

[0066] The mobile terminal device 10a, which has received the display information, displays a service list screen 320 as shown in Fig. 12 on the operation display unit 14, and prompts the user 2a to select a service (support organization) to use (step S6). Note that Fig. 12 shows an example in which two services are extracted as services to which the user 2a is eligible to receive an electronic ticket.

[0067] The mobile terminal device 10a then accepts the selection of a service by the user 2a through the service list screen 320 (step S7). More specifically, the mobile terminal device 10a accepts the selection of one service by the user 2a from two services presented on the service list screen 320, for example.

[0068] Upon receiving the service selection, the mobile terminal device 10a transmits information about the selected service (for example, service ID information) to the server device 30 (step S8).

[0069] Upon receiving the information about the selected service, the server device 30 extracts available restaurants (step S9). More specifically, the server device 30 references the available restaurant information 117 in the service information 110 to extract restaurants that can use the selected service. At this time, the server device 30 references the restaurant information 120 to exclude from the available restaurants any restaurants that are not open during the time period in which the electronic ticket can be used or that have a capacity of "0" meals.

[0070] The server device 30 then generates display information for displaying a list of the extracted stores and transmits it to the mobile terminal device 10a (steps S10 and S11).

[0071] The mobile terminal device 10a that has received the display information displays a store list screen 330 as shown in Fig. 13 on the operation display unit 14, and prompts the user 2a to select a store to use (step S12). Note that Fig. 13 shows an example in which three stores are extracted as stores that the user 2a can use.

[0072] The mobile terminal device 10a then accepts the selection of a store by the user 2a through the store list screen 330 (step S13). More specifically, the mobile terminal device 10a accepts the selection of one store by the user 2a from, for example, three stores presented on the store list screen 330.

[0073] The mobile terminal device 10a, which has received the store selection, transmits information about the selected store (for example, store ID information) to the server device 30 (step S14). Thereafter, the user 2a visits the selected store.

[0074] The server device 30, which has received the information about the selected restaurant, extracts available menu items (step S15). More specifically, the server device 30 refers to the restaurant information 120 to extract available menu items at the restaurant selected by the user 2a.

[0075] The server device 30 then generates display information for displaying the extracted menu items in a list, and transmits the display information to the mobile terminal device 10a (steps S16 and S17).

[0076] The mobile terminal device 10a, which has received the display information, displays a menu list screen 340 as shown in Fig. 14 on the operation display unit 14, prompting the user 2a to select a menu to use (step S18). Note that Fig. 14 shows an example in which one food menu (children's set meal) and the option "specify price" are extracted as menus available to the user 2a. The option "specify price" will be described later.

[0077] Then, the mobile terminal device 10a accepts the selection of a menu by the user 2a through the menu list screen 340 (step S19). More specifically, the mobile terminal device 10a accepts the selection of one menu by the user 2a from two menus presented on the menu list screen 340. Note that if there are two or more users corresponding to the user ID information (for example, if siblings are registered for one piece of user ID information), the user 2a selects his or her own name through a user selection screen (not shown) and then selects a menu.

[0078] Upon receiving the menu selection, the mobile terminal device 10a transmits information about the selected menu (for example, menu ID information) to the server device 30 (step S20).

[0079] The server device 30 receives the information about the selected menu item, generates display information for displaying an order confirmation screen, and transmits the display information to the mobile terminal device 10a (steps S21 and S22).

[0080] The mobile terminal device 10a, which has received the display information, displays an order confirmation screen 350 as shown in Fig. 15 on the operation display unit 14 (step S23). The user 2a presents the order confirmation screen 350 as an electronic ticket to a store clerk at the store and presses (tap) the order confirmation button 351.

[0081] When the order confirmation button 351 is pressed, the mobile terminal device 10a receives confirmation of the order from the user 2a (step S24). Having received the order confirmation, the mobile terminal device 10a transmits information indicating that the order has been confirmed to the server device 30 (step S25).

[0082] Upon receiving the information indicating that the order has been confirmed, the server device 30 generates display information for displaying a payment confirmation screen and transmits it to the mobile terminal device 10a (steps S26 and S27). At this time, the server device 30 updates the number of issued tickets information 119 in the service information 110, the number of served meals information 129 in the store information 120, and information indicating the number of electronic tickets used by the user 2a in a week.

[0083] The mobile terminal device 10a, which has received the display information, displays a payment confirmation screen 360 as shown in Fig. 16 on the operation display unit 14 (step S28). The user 2a presses the payment confirmation button 361 while presenting the payment confirmation screen 360 to the store clerk at the store.

[0084] When the payment confirmation button 361 is pressed, the mobile terminal device 10a accepts the confirmation of the payment by the user 2a (step S29). Having accepted the confirmation of the payment, the mobile terminal device 10a transmits information indicating that the payment has been confirmed to the server device 30 (step S30).

[0085] Upon receiving the information indicating that payment has been confirmed, server device 30 stores the payment information (step S31). More specifically, server device 30 stores information about the restaurant where user 2a received the meal, information about the date and time the meal was served, and information about the name and price of the menu item served as payment information in storage unit 32. At a later date, the support organization that provided the electronic ticket will pay the restaurant the fee based on the payment information.

[0086] Then, the server device 30 generates display information for displaying the message input screen and transmits it to the mobile terminal device 10a (steps S32 and S33).

[0087] The mobile terminal device 10a that has received the display information displays a message input screen 370 as shown in FIG. 17 on the operation display unit 14, and prompts the user 2a to input a thank-you message (step S34).

[0088] The mobile terminal device 10a then accepts a message from the user 2a via the message input screen 370 (step S35). After accepting the message input, the mobile terminal device 10a transmits information related to the message to the server device 30 (step S36).

[0089] The server device 30, which has received the information about the message, makes the message public (step S37). More specifically, the server device 30 makes the message public so that the donors 4a and 4b who made donations to the support organization that provided the electronic ticket can view the thank-you messages from users on their mobile terminal devices 10c and 20b.

[0090] If a thank-you message is not entered, the server device 30 prohibits the user 2a from using the electronic ticket again until a thank-you message is entered. This configuration ensures that the user can enter a thank-you message reliably.

[0091] As described above, according to the electronic ticket provision system of this embodiment, when a user requests the provision of an electronic ticket, first, services (support organizations) that can provide electronic tickets to the user are extracted, and a list of available services is presented to the user. Then, if the user selects one service, stores that the user can use are extracted, and a list of available stores is presented to the user. If the user selects one store, an electronic ticket that can be used at that store is provided. With this configuration, if the user can use electronic tickets from multiple services, the multiple services are listed, so the user can reliably receive electronic tickets from multiple services.

[0092] Furthermore, according to the electronic ticket provision system of this embodiment, the frequency of electronic ticket use is changed depending on the user's welfare status. Specifically, users who do not receive welfare are allowed to use the electronic ticket once a week, while users who receive welfare are allowed to use it seven times a week. This configuration allows users who receive welfare to receive more generous support.

[0093] In the above-described electronic ticket provision process, when an electronic ticket is used by specifying an amount, the server device 30 refers to the available amount information 116 in the service information 110 and performs a process of presenting an amount input screen (not shown) to the user 2a, with the available amount as the upper limit. When the user 2a inputs the amount to be used, the server device 30 issues an electronic ticket for that amount.

[0094] Hereinafter, the process of accepting input of donations from donors 4a and 4b will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0095] The server device 30 provides each support organization 3a, 3b with an input screen (not shown) for depositing donations into the support organization's account and a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for accessing the screen. Donors 4a, 4b can easily deposit donations to the support organizations 3a, 3b by accessing the input screen from their mobile terminal device 10c or terminal device 20b.

[0096] At this time, the donor can select one support organization (service) to which the donation will be sent from among multiple support organizations (services) via a donation recipient list screen 400 as shown in Fig. 18. With this configuration, the donor can donate to the support organization of their choice.

[0097] The guidance to the input screen may be achieved, for example, by displaying a poster 500 such as that shown in Fig. 19 in a restaurant or the like. In this case, donors 4a and 4b can immediately access the input screen (URL) for depositing donations by reading a two-dimensional code image 510 such as a QR code (registered trademark) with the camera of their mobile terminal device.

[0098] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims.

[0099] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the number of times an electronic ticket can be used (usage frequency) is changed depending on the user's welfare status. However, the usage content that is changed depending on the user's specific status is not limited to the frequency of electronic ticket use, and the available amount of the electronic ticket may also be changed. In this case, two values ​​of the available amount information 116 are set so that the available amount is larger when the user is receiving welfare than when the user is not receiving welfare.

[0100] In the above-described embodiment, the case where a user visits a restaurant and uses an electronic ticket has been described as an example. However, the electronic ticket for a meal provided by the electronic ticket providing device of the present invention is not limited to an electronic ticket that can be used at a restaurant, and may be, for example, an electronic ticket that can be used for a food delivery service.

[0101] In the above-described embodiment, the electronic ticket providing device of the present invention provides an electronic ticket for a meal. However, the electronic ticket provided by the electronic ticket providing device of the present invention is not limited to an electronic ticket for a meal, and may be, for example, an exchange voucher that can be exchanged for a product or service other than a meal, or a voucher that can be used at a store other than a restaurant.

[0102] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which information on the usage rules for electronic tickets is registered for each of the support organizations 3 a and 3 b that provide the electronic tickets as the service information 110. However, the providers of electronic tickets are not limited to the support organizations 3 a and 3 b, such as local governments and NPOs, but may be various funding groups. In this case, information on the usage rules for electronic tickets is registered for each funding group.

[0103] In the above-described embodiment, the functions of each device may be realized by another device. For example, the functions of the server device 30 may be realized by the mobile terminal devices 10a and 10b, or may be realized by another server device. Alternatively, some of the functions of the mobile terminal devices 10a and 10b may be realized by the server device 30.

[0104] The means and methods for performing various processes in the electronic ticket providing device according to the above-described embodiments can be realized by either a dedicated hardware circuit or a programmed computer. The above-described programs may be provided by a computer-readable recording medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)-ROM, or may be provided online via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the programs recorded on the computer-readable recording medium are typically transferred to and stored in a storage unit such as a HDD. The above-described programs may also be provided as standalone application software or may be incorporated into the software of the electronic ticket providing device as a function of the device.

[0105] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2024-130528) filed on August 7, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0106] 10a, 10b, 10c Mobile terminal device, 11, 21, 31 Control unit, 12, 22, 32 Memory unit, 13, 23, 33 Communication unit, 14 Operation display unit, 20a, 20b Terminal device, 24 Display unit, 25 Input unit, 30 Server device, 40 Network, 110 Service information, 120 Store information, 130 User information.

Claims

1. An electronic ticket providing device having: a memory unit that stores service information that associates information about providers of electronic tickets that can be used at restaurants with information about the ages and addresses of recipients of the electronic tickets, and user information that includes information about the user's age and address; an extraction unit that, when a request for electronic ticket provision from a user of a mobile terminal device is recognized, identifies the age and address of the user of the mobile terminal device by referring to the user information, and refers to the information about the ages and addresses of the recipients of the service information to extract from multiple providers the provider that corresponds to the recipient of the electronic ticket to which the user of the mobile terminal device is to be distributed; and a processing unit that performs processing to provide the user of the mobile terminal device with the electronic ticket from the provider extracted by the extraction unit.

2. An electronic ticket providing device having a memory unit that stores service information that associates information on the provider of an electronic ticket with information on the age and address of the recipient of the electronic ticket, and user information that includes information on the user's age and address; an extraction unit that, when a request for electronic ticket provision from a user of a mobile terminal device is recognized, identifies the age and address of the user of the mobile terminal device by referring to the user information, and refers to the information on the age and address of the recipient in the service information to extract from multiple providers the provider to which the user of the mobile terminal device is a recipient of an electronic ticket; and a processing unit that performs processing to provide the user of the mobile terminal device with the electronic ticket of the provider extracted by the extraction unit, wherein the electronic ticket providing device further has a donation processing unit that performs processing to provide a donor with an input screen for depositing funds for the electronic ticket, and when there are multiple providers, the donation processing unit performs processing to present information on the multiple providers to the donor and prompt the donor to select the provider to which the funds will be donated.

3. An electronic ticket providing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein when the extraction unit extracts multiple providers, the processing unit performs processing to present information regarding the multiple providers to the user of the mobile terminal device and prompt the user to select a provider.

4. An electronic ticket providing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the service information further associates information about stores where electronic tickets can be used with information about the provider, and the processing unit performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to the information about the store.

5. An electronic ticket providing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the service information further associates information regarding the usage content of the electronic ticket with information regarding the provider, and the processing unit performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to the information regarding the usage content.

6. The service information further includes information indicating the frequency of use or the available amount of the electronic ticket, which information is associated with information about the provider as information regarding the use of the electronic ticket, the information indicating the frequency of use or the available amount has a first value and a second value greater than the first value, the user information further includes information indicating a specific situation for the user, and the processing unit performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to the first value when the user of the mobile terminal device is not in the specific situation, and performs processing to provide the electronic ticket by referring to the second value when the user of the mobile terminal device is in the specific situation. An electronic ticket providing device as described in claim 1 or 2.

7. The electronic ticket providing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the user information includes identification information for identifying users on a household basis.

8. An electronic ticket providing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, when the electronic ticket is used, the processing unit presents an input screen for inputting a message and performs a process to prompt the user of the mobile terminal device to input a message, and if the message is not input, the processing unit performs a process to prohibit the user from using the electronic ticket next time.

9. An electronic ticket providing device as described in claim 1, further comprising a donation processing unit that performs processing to provide a donor with an input screen for depositing funds for the electronic ticket, and if there are multiple providers, the donation processing unit performs processing to present information about the multiple providers to the donor and prompt the donor to select the provider to which the funds will be donated.

10. A method for providing electronic tickets, comprising the steps of: (a) storing service information in a memory unit that associates information about the provider of an electronic ticket that can be used at a restaurant with information about the age and address of a recipient of the electronic ticket; (b) storing user information in the memory unit, including information about the user's age and address; (c) when a request for electronic ticket provision from a user of a mobile terminal device is recognized, recognizing the age and address of the user of the mobile terminal device by referring to the user information and referring to the information about the age and address of the recipient of the service information, and extracting from multiple providers the provider that corresponds to the recipient of the electronic ticket to which the user of the mobile terminal device is to receive; and (c) performing a process of providing the electronic ticket from the provider extracted in step (b) to the user of the mobile terminal device.

11. A method for providing an electronic ticket, comprising: (a) a step of storing service information in a memory unit that associates information on the provider of an electronic ticket with information on the age and address of a recipient of the electronic ticket; (b) a step of, when a request for providing an electronic ticket from a user of a mobile terminal device is recognized, recognizing the age and address of the user of the mobile terminal device by referring to the user information and referring to the information on the age and address of the recipient of the service information to extract from multiple providers the provider to which the user of the mobile terminal device is to receive an electronic ticket; and (c) a step of performing a process of providing the user of the mobile terminal device with the electronic ticket of the provider extracted in step (b), wherein the method further comprises a step of performing a process of providing a donor with an input screen for depositing funds for the electronic ticket, and where, if there are multiple providers, in step (d), information on the multiple providers is presented to the donor and the donor is prompted to select the provider to which the funds will be donated.

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