JP4634331B2 - Information provision device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus that provides information related to a code read by a communication terminal, such as a camera-equipped mobile phone, having a code reading function.

In recent years, by reading a code such as a two-dimensional data code with a communication terminal such as a camera-equipped mobile phone, the communication terminal and a web function on an information communication network such as the Internet are linked, and information related to the code is A system provided to a communication terminal has been developed and put into practical use. An intermediary service system that uses this information provision system to mediate a content provision service or an electronic commerce service corresponding to a read code to a consumer who uses a communication terminal is already known (for example, , See Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-280626

  By the way, this type of service user is not limited to general users such as consumers. For example, it may be possible to construct a service that provides store managers with content useful for store operations. Thus, when constructing a system that provides a service only to a specific user, user authentication is required.

  The present invention has been made based on such circumstances, and intends to provide an information providing apparatus capable of separately presenting services for general users and services for specific users using the same code. Is.

  The present invention includes an information providing apparatus that includes a communication unit that communicates with a communication terminal connected via an information communication network, and provides information related to a code read by a code reading function of the communication terminal to the communication terminal via the communication unit. A code determining means for determining whether the code read by the code reading function of the communication terminal and received via the communication means is a code for user authentication or a code for product identification; and a code received from the communication terminal When it is a code for user authentication, terminal specific information holding means for acquiring and holding information unique to the communication terminal of the code transmission source, and when the code received from the communication terminal is a code for product identification, Terminal determination means for determining whether or not information unique to the communication terminal of the transmission source is held by the terminal unique information holding means; If it is determined that the corresponding terminal specific information is held by the terminal specific information holding means, the store information creation for creating the service information for the product specified by the product identification code received from the communication terminal is created. And information response means for transmitting the service information for the store of the specific product created by the store information creation means to the communication terminal of the product identification code transmission source via the communication means.

  According to the present invention in which such a measure is taken, an information providing apparatus capable of separately presenting a service for general users and a service for specific users using the same code can be provided.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
In this embodiment, the user of the mobile phone can read the two-dimensional code provided in association with a specific product at each store using the two-dimensional code reading function of the mobile phone with a CCD camera. An information providing apparatus that provides service information related to the product when the user is a general user such as a shopper, and provides customer performance information of the product when the user is a specific user such as a store clerk. This is a case where the present invention is applied.

First, the configuration of the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system configuration of the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 1 indicates a site that provides an information providing service, that is, a so-called information providing site 1, and reference numeral 2 indicates a store that receives the information providing service from the information providing site 1. Although only one store is shown in FIG. 1, there are actually a plurality of stores.

  In the information providing site 1, computers functioning as an authentication server 11, a database server 12, and a POS (Point Of Sales) server 13 are installed. Each server 11, 12, 13 is connected by a LAN (Local Area Network) 14.

  The authentication server 11 is one form of the information providing apparatus of the present invention. The authentication server 11 has a function as a web server published on the web. That is, by specifying a URL (Uniform Resource Name) of the authentication server 11 with a communication terminal such as a mobile phone or a personal computer, the authentication server 11 can be accessed via the Internet 3 and data can be acquired. That is, the authentication server 11 includes means for communicating with a communication terminal connected via an information communication network (Internet 3).

  The database server 12 manages various databases necessary for providing information according to the present invention. The POS server 13 is connected to a POS system built in each store that receives the information providing service through a dedicated line. And it has a function which collects the data of the sales number according to goods and the number of customers which are totaled in real time by the POS system of each store in a timely manner.

  Each store 2 is provided with an authentication plate 21 for each store clerk and a product plate 22 for each product. The authentication plate 21 is prepared for each store clerk. On the surface of the authentication plate 21, the name of the store clerk who owns the authentication plate 21 and the two-dimensional code 23a are displayed. Each store clerk, for example, attaches the authentication plate 21 to clothes as a name tag.

  The product plate 22 is prepared for a specific product for which service information is provided from the information providing site 1. On the surface of the product plate 22, the name of the product corresponding to the product plate 22 and the two-dimensional code 23b are displayed. In each store, for example, the product plate 22 is attached to the display shelf of the product as a shelf label. Alternatively, the product plate 22 is directly attached to the product as a product label.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the two-dimensional code 23a, 23b is a symbol that represents a character / numerical string in a vertical and horizontal pattern. In this embodiment, the two-dimensional code 23a, 23b is a URL, an identification code, and the like. In addition, letters and numbers of each item are expressed in the order of the identification names. The URL of the authentication server 11 is set in both the two-dimensional code 23a of the authentication plate 21 and the two-dimensional code 23b of the product plate 22. In the case of the two-dimensional code 23a of the authentication plate 21, the identification code includes an upper two-digit ID code [XX], a lower six-digit store code [SSSSSS], and a fixed code [00000] therebetween. In the case of the two-dimensional code 23b of the product plate 22, it consists of an upper two-digit ID code [20] and a lower eleven-digit product code [XXXXXXXXXXXXX]. The store code is a store-specific code set for each store. The product code is a product-specific code set for each product. Note that the number of digits of each code is not limited to the present embodiment, and can be appropriately changed by the user as needed. In the case of the two-dimensional code 23 a of the authentication plate 21, the identification name is the name of the clerk who owns the authentication plate 21. In the case of the two-dimensional code 23 b of the product plate 22, the name of the product corresponding to the product plate 22. Here, the two-dimensional code 23a of the authentication plate 21 functions as a user authentication code. The two-dimensional code 23b of the product plate 22 functions as a product identification code.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 denotes a mobile phone. The cellular phone 4 is equipped with a CCD camera (not shown). Also, two-dimensional code reader software for reading the two-dimensional codes 23a and 23b using this CCD camera is installed. Here, a code reading function is constituted by the CCD camera and the two-dimensional code reader software. The mobile phone 4 also has a browser function for accelerating to various websites from the nearest access point 5 via the Internet 3 and browsing web pages. The mobile phone 4 having such a function is already on the market.

  In the present embodiment, the storage device of the authentication server 11, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) device stores the phone-specific information unique to the mobile phone and the authentication date / time information in association with the store code as shown in FIG. An access permission table 6 is formed. The phone-specific information is fixed ID information set in advance for each mobile phone 4. The telephone unique information may be a telephone number or may be set separately from the telephone number. Incidentally, an algorithm for acquiring telephone-specific information is defined for each mobile phone communication company.

  Further, in the present embodiment, in the database server 12, the service target product table 7 having the area structure shown in FIG. 4, the service data table 8 having the area structure shown in FIG. 5, and the customer by product having the area structure shown in FIG. A record table 9 is stored and managed. As shown in the drawing, the service target product table 7 includes a service ID for specifying the service content corresponding to the product code of the specific service target product for which the product plate 22 is prepared, Information specifying an expiration date is set. In the service data table 8, URLs (service URLs) for specifying resources on the web that provide corresponding service information are set corresponding to each service ID.

  The product-specific customer acquisition record table 9 is formed for each store. That is, the customer attraction record data (product code, number of customers, points, sales date) for each service target product is stored corresponding to the store code of one store. The customer collection data is regularly updated based on the sales number data and the number of customers data collected by the POS server 13 from the POS system of each store. Here, the customer-by-product attracting record table 9 constitutes sales record data storage means.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 to 11 and the screen display transition diagrams of the mobile phone 4 of FIGS.
In the present embodiment, it is assumed that each store clerk who owns the authentication plate 21 carries the above-described mobile phone 4 with a CCD camera. In addition, it is assumed that many consumers who come to the store as shoppers carry the same camera-equipped mobile phone 4.

  The store clerk uses the mobile phone 4 to confirm the sales performance of the service target products displayed on the sales floor. The clerk first activates the two-dimensional code reader software of the mobile phone 4. After the activation, the two-dimensional code 23 a of the authentication plate 21 owned by the user is read by the CCD camera of the mobile phone 4.

  As a result, in the cellular phone 4, as shown in ST (step) 1 in FIG. 7, the CCD camera operates to start reading the two-dimensional code 23a, and at the same time, the timer is started. When the two-dimensional code 23a is displayed in the imaging region of the camera and the two-dimensional code 23a is read within, for example, 5 seconds when the timer times out (see screen 31 in FIG. 12), the cellular phone 4 As shown in ST2 of FIG. 7, the read two-dimensional code 23a is analyzed to obtain character / number string information.

  Here, when the URL is included in the character / numeric string information obtained from the two-dimensional code 23a, the cellular phone 4 displays the character / numeric string information on the display unit as shown in ST3 of FIG. (See screen 32 in FIG. 12). Here, when the store clerk operates the “return” function key, the mobile phone 4 reads the two-dimensional code again.

  On the other hand, when the store clerk operates the “connect” function key, the mobile phone 4 starts up the browser as shown in ST4 of FIG. 5, and displays the character / number string information of the two-dimensional code 23a. An access request signal to the website designated by the included URL is transmitted. This access request signal is transmitted from the nearest access point 5 to the authentication server 11 of the information providing site 1 via the Internet 3.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when receiving the access request signal as ST11, the authentication server 11 determines the communication telephone company of the mobile phone 4 from the mobile phone company code incorporated in this access request signal as ST12. Then, a telephone information request command corresponding to the company is generated as ST13, and an authentication start page including this telephone information request command is edited as ST14. Thereafter, in ST15, the signal of the authentication start page is transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4 via the Internet 3.

  Therefore, in the mobile phone 4 to which the access request signal is transmitted, the authentication start page is displayed on the display unit in response to the reception of the authentication start page signal as shown in ST5 of FIG. 7 (FIG. 12). (See screen 33). Therefore, the store clerk confirming the authentication start page clicks the [OK] button on the screen 33.

  Thereby, in the mobile phone 4, as shown in ST6 of FIG. 7, a screen for confirming to the user whether or not the phone-specific information held in advance by the mobile phone 4 may be transmitted (FIG. 12). Is displayed on the display unit. Here, when the store clerk operates the [Yes] button on the screen 34, as shown in ST7 of FIG. 5, in the mobile phone 4, the user includes the data of the two-dimensional code 23a and the phone-specific information held in advance. The code data for authentication is edited. The user authentication code data signal is transmitted to the authentication server 11 via the Internet 3. At this time, a screen (see screen 35 in FIG. 12) for notifying that the authentication is being performed is displayed on the display unit.

  After transmitting the authentication start page signal to the mobile phone 4, the authentication server 11 waits for a data signal from the mobile phone 4 as ST16 and ST17. When a data signal is received, it is determined whether the data signal is a signal for the above-mentioned user authentication code data or a product identification code data signal (code determination means).

  If the received data signal is a signal for user authentication code data, the authentication server 11 executes an authentication process specifically shown in FIG. That is, the store code “SSSSSS” and the phone-specific information are acquired from the user authentication code data received as ST21. Next, the access permission table 6 is searched with the store code “SSSSSS” acquired as ST22, and the elapsed time from the authentication date to the current date is less than the preset access refusal time in the record in which the same store code is set. The record number A is calculated. Incidentally, the access refusal time is a time for invalidating the authentication permitted at the previous access when the elapsed time from the previous access to the current access takes a certain time or more, for example, 30 minutes is set. Yes.

  If the record number A is calculated, the authentication server 11 determines whether or not the record number A exceeds the permitted setting number in ST23. The number of permitted settings is the number of shop assistants allowed to perform work using the mobile phone 4 in one store. For example, when up to three persons are permitted, the number of permitted settings is set to 3. Yes. That is, the authentication server 11 approves the use of the mobile phone 4 if the record number A is equal to or less than the permitted setting number, and does not approve the use of the mobile phone 4 if it exceeds the set permission number (terminal authentication means).

  When the record number A exceeds the permitted setting number, the authentication server 11 edits a response page indicating that access is not possible in ST24. In ST27, the response page signal is transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4 via the Internet 3.

  As a result, as shown in ST8 of FIG. 7, the mobile phone 4 displays the received response page screen, that is, a screen indicating that access is not permitted (see screen 36 of FIG. 12) on the display unit.

  On the other hand, if the record number A is equal to or less than the permitted number of records, the authentication server 11 records the store code and the phone specific information acquired from the user authentication code data as ST25 and the authentication date and time data that is the current date and time. Is added to the access permission table 6 (terminal specific information holding means). In ST26, an access permission response page including the same store code is edited. In ST27, the response page signal is transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4 via the Internet 3.

  As a result, the mobile phone 4 displays the received response page screen, that is, the access permission information response page screen including the store code (see screen 37 in FIG. 12) on the display unit, as shown in ST8 in FIG. The

  The clerk confirming the access permission information response page screen 37 clicks the [OK] button. Next, the store clerk causes the CCD camera of the mobile phone 4 to read the two-dimensional code 23b of the product plate 22 provided corresponding to the service target product for which the sales performance is to be confirmed.

  As a result, in the mobile phone 4, as in the case where the two-dimensional code 23 a of the authentication plate 21 is read, the camera operates to start reading the two-dimensional code 23 b and the timer is started at the same time. When the two-dimensional code 23b is displayed in the imaging area of the camera and the two-dimensional code 23b is read before the timer times out (see the screen 41 in FIG. 13), the mobile phone 4 reads the two-dimensional code 23b. The two-dimensional code 23b is analyzed to obtain character / number string information. In this case, since the character / numeric string information obtained from the two-dimensional code 23b includes a URL, the cellular phone 4 displays the character / numeric string information on the display unit (see screen 42 in FIG. 13).

  Here, when the store clerk operates the “connect” function key, the mobile phone 4 starts a browser, and an access request signal to the website designated by the URL included in the character / numeric string information of the two-dimensional code 23b. Is sent. This access request signal is transmitted to the authentication server 11 via the Internet 3 as described above. In the authentication server 11, an authentication start page including a telephone information request command corresponding to the communication telephone company of the mobile phone 4 is edited and transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4. Thereby, in the mobile phone 4, the authentication start page is displayed on the display unit (see screen 43 in FIG. 13).

  Here, when the store clerk clicks the [OK] button on the screen 43, a screen (see screen 44 in FIG. 13) for confirming to the user whether the phone-specific information of the mobile phone 4 may be transmitted is displayed. Therefore, the store clerk clicks the [Yes] button on the screen 44.

  As a result, the mobile phone 4 edits the product identification code data including the two-dimensional code 23b and the phone-specific information. The product identification code data signal is transmitted to the authentication server 11 via the Internet 3. At this time, a screen (see screen 45 in FIG. 13) for notifying that communication is being performed is displayed on the display unit.

  When the authentication server 11 transmits the authentication start page signal to the mobile phone 4 and the data signal received from the mobile phone 4 is a product identification code data signal, the authentication server 11 is shown in FIG. The product information response process shown is executed. That is, the product code, product name, and telephone specific information are acquired from the product identification code data received as ST31. Then, in ST32, the access permission table 6 is searched with the telephone specific information, and the presence / absence of a record in which the same telephone specific information is set is determined (terminal determination means).

  Here, when a record in which the same telephone-specific information is set exists in the access permission table 6 (YES in ST33), the authentication server 11 determines the elapsed time from the authentication date / time to the current date / time in ST34. calculate. Then, it is determined whether this elapsed time is equal to or shorter than the access rejection time.

  As a result, when the elapsed time exceeds the access refusal time (NO in ST35), the authentication server 11 edits a response page indicating inaccessibility as ST36. In ST40, the response page signal is transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4 via the Internet 3.

  As a result, on the mobile phone 4, the screen of the received response page, that is, a screen indicating that access is not permitted (see screen 46 in FIG. 13) is displayed on the display unit.

  On the other hand, when the elapsed time is equal to or shorter than the access refusal time (YES in ST35), the authentication server 11 updates the authentication date and time of the record to the current date and time as ST37. In ST38, the store code of the record is acquired from the access permission table 6. Then, the database server 12 is accessed as ST39, and the number of customers, the number of points, and the number of customers stored and managed in correspondence with the product code in the received product identification code data from the product-specific customer collection record table 9 in which the store code is set. Import sales date data. And based on these data, the response page of a customer achievement confirmation is edited (information creation means for stores). Thereafter, in ST40, the response page signal is transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4 via the Internet 3 (information response means).

  As a result, on the mobile phone 4, the received response page screen, that is, the screen for attracting customers confirmation page (see screen 47 or 48 in FIG. 13) is displayed on the display unit. In FIG. 13, the screen 47 is the top screen of the customer acquisition status confirmation page. When the item “sales analysis” on the top screen 47 is clicked, a screen 48 is displayed.

  Therefore, the store clerk can confirm sales performance data such as the number of customers who have purchased a specific service target product and the number of sales points from the contents of the screen 47 or the screen 48 displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 4.

  On the other hand, the shopper also uses the mobile phone 4 when receiving the service of the service target product displayed on the sales floor. The shopper first activates the two-dimensional code reader software of the mobile phone 4. After the activation, the two-dimensional code 23b of the product plate 22 provided corresponding to the service target product to be serviced is read by the CCD camera of the mobile phone 4.

  As a result, in the mobile phone 4, the camera starts to start reading the two-dimensional code 23b, and at the same time, the timer is started. Then, before the timer times out, when the two-dimensional code 23b is projected in the imaging area of the camera and the two-dimensional code 23b is read (see the screen 51 in FIG. 14), the cellular phone 4 reads the two-dimensional code 23b. The two-dimensional code 23b is analyzed to obtain character / number string information. In this case, since the character / numeric string information obtained from the two-dimensional code 23b includes a URL, the cellular phone 4 displays the character / numeric string information on the display unit (see screen 52 in FIG. 14).

  Here, when the shopper operates the “connect” function key, the mobile phone 4 starts a browser and requests access to the website specified by the URL included in the character / numeric string information of the two-dimensional code 23b. A signal is emitted. This access request signal is transmitted to the authentication server 11 via the Internet 3. In the authentication server 11, an authentication start page including a telephone information request command corresponding to the communication telephone company of the mobile phone 4 is edited and transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4. Thereby, in the mobile phone 4, the authentication start page is displayed on the display unit (see the screen 53 in FIG. 14).

  Here, when the shopper clicks the [OK] button on the screen 53, a screen (see screen 54 in FIG. 14) for confirming to the user whether or not the telephone-specific information of the mobile phone 4 may be transmitted. The clerk clicks the [Yes] button on the screen 54.

  As a result, the mobile phone 4 edits the product identification code data including the two-dimensional code 23b and the phone-specific information. The product identification code data signal is transmitted to the authentication server 11 via the Internet 3. At this time, a screen (see screen 55 in FIG. 14) for notifying that communication is being performed is displayed on the display unit.

  When the authentication server 11 transmits the authentication start page signal to the mobile phone 4 and the data signal received from the mobile phone 4 is a product identification code data signal, the authentication server 11 is shown in FIG. The product information response process shown is executed. That is, the product code, product name, and telephone specific information are acquired from the product identification code data received as ST31. Then, in ST32, the access permission table 6 is searched with the telephone specific information, and the presence / absence of a record in which the same telephone specific information is set is determined (terminal determination means).

  In this case, since the record in which the same telephone specific information is set does not exist in the access permission table 6, the authentication server 11 executes the consumer service process specifically shown in FIG. That is, the database server 12 is accessed as ST51 and the service target product table 7 is searched. Then, it is determined whether or not the product code data acquired from the product identification code data received in ST52 is set in the service target product table 7.

  If data of the same product code is set in the service target product table 7, the authentication server 11 checks the expiration date of the data as ST53 and determines whether the data is within the expiration date. Here, when the data is out of the validity period, or when the data of the same product code is not set in the service target product table 7, the authentication server 11 confirms that there is no service to be provided as ST54. Edit the response page shown. In ST57, the response page signal is transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4 via the Internet 3.

  As a result, on the mobile phone 4, the screen of the received response page, that is, a screen indicating that there is no service to be provided (see screen 56 in FIG. 14) is displayed on the display unit.

  When the data of the same product code set in the service target product table 7 is within the expiration date, the authentication server 11 acquires the service ID in the data as ST55. Then, the database server 12 is accessed and the service URL set corresponding to the service ID is acquired from the service data table 8. Next, in ST56, service information is fetched from resources on the Internet indicated by the service URL, and the consumer service page is edited (information creation means for consumers). Thereafter, in ST57, the consumer service page signal is transmitted to the access request source mobile phone 4 via the Internet 3 (information response means).

  Thereby, on the mobile phone 4, the screen of the received consumer service page (see screen 57 in FIG. 14) is displayed on the display unit. The screen 47 shows a case where the service information is a quiz related to the service target product.

  Accordingly, the shopper can answer the quiz from the contents of the screen 57 displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 4 and show it to the store clerk. If the answer is correct, the shopper can receive services such as discounts on the product from the store side. Note that the content of the service information is not limited to a quiz, and may be, for example, a slot game. Moreover, a discount ticket etc. may be sufficient.

  In this way, the consumer reads the two-dimensional code 23b of the product plate 22 provided corresponding to the specific service target product with the code reading function of the mobile phone 4, and thereby receives the product via the mobile phone 4. You can get related services. Therefore, the sales promotion effect of the service target product can be obtained.

  On the other hand, the store clerk can know the sales result data of the product via the mobile phone 4 by reading the two-dimensional code 23 b of the product plate 22 with the mobile phone 4. Therefore, the sales promotion effect of the service target product can be confirmed. In this case, a person who can obtain sales result data is limited to a store clerk who has previously read the two-dimensional code 23a of the authentication plate 21 with the same mobile phone 4 and has been authorized to access the information providing site 1. Therefore, there is no problem that the sales performance data of the product is known to unspecified persons.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, a limit is imposed on the number of shop assistants who perform business using the mobile phone 4 in one store, but this restriction may be eliminated. That is, in the authentication process executed by the authentication server 11, the processes of ST22, 23, and 24, which are processes of the terminal authentication means, may be omitted.

  Further, the authentication plate 21 may be prepared for each store instead of each store clerk. That is, all clerk in the same store may have an authentication plate on which the same two-dimensional code is displayed.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the service information for shops of goods was used as sales performance data of the goods, the contents of service information are not limited to this. For example, product inventory data, scheduled arrival date data, and the like may be provided as service information for store clerks.

  In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, the constituent elements over different embodiments may be combined.

The figure which shows the system configuration | structure in one embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the data structure of the two-dimensional code used in the embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the area structure of the access permission table which an authentication server has in the embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the area structure of the service object goods table which a database server has in the embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the area structure of the service data table which a database server has in the embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the area structure of the sales results table according to goods which the database server has in the embodiment. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the main processes performed with a mobile telephone in the embodiment. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the main processes performed with the authentication server in the embodiment. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the authentication process in FIG. 8 concretely. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the merchandise information response process in FIG. 8 concretely. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the consumer service process in FIG. 10 concretely. The screen transition diagram of the mobile phone when the store clerk reads and operates the two-dimensional code on the authentication plate with the mobile phone. The screen transition diagram of the mobile phone when the store clerk reads and operates the two-dimensional code of the product plate with the mobile phone. The screen transition diagram of the mobile phone when the consumer reads and operates the two-dimensional code of the product plate with the mobile phone.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information provision site, 2 ... Store, 3 ... Internet, 4 ... Mobile phone, 6 ... Access permission table, 7 ... Service object product table, 8 ... Service data table, 9 ... Sales result table according to product, 11 ... Authentication server , 12 ... Database server, 13 ... POS server, 21 ... Authentication plate, 22 ... Product plate.

Claims (4)

In an information providing apparatus comprising a communication means with a communication terminal connected by an information communication network, and providing information related to a code read by a code reading function of the communication terminal to the communication terminal via the communication means.
Code determining means for determining whether the code read by the code reading function of the communication terminal and received via the communication means is a code for user authentication or a code for product identification;
When the code received from the communication terminal is the code for user authentication, terminal specific information holding means for acquiring and holding information specific to the communication terminal of the code transmission source;
When the code received from the communication terminal is the product identification code, terminal determination means for determining whether information unique to the communication terminal of the code transmission source is held by the terminal unique information holding means;
When it is determined by the terminal determination means that the corresponding terminal specific information is held by the terminal specific information holding means, service information for the store of the product specified by the product identification code received from the communication terminal Information creation means for stores to create,
Information response means for transmitting service information for stores of a specific product created by the store information creation means to the communication terminal of the product identification code transmission source via the communication means;
An information providing apparatus comprising: Terminal authentication means for determining whether to approve use of the communication terminal based on the user recognition code when the code received from the communication terminal is the user authentication code;
Further comprising
The terminal-specific information holding unit holds only the information specific to the communication terminal of the user recognition code transmission source determined to approve the use of the communication terminal by the terminal authentication unit. Information provision device. If the terminal determination unit determines that the corresponding terminal unique information is not held by the terminal unique information holding unit, the consumer service for the product specified by the product identification code received from the communication terminal Further comprising consumer information creation means for creating information,
The information response means includes means for transmitting the consumer service information created by the consumer information creation means to the communication terminal of the product identification code transmission source via the communication means. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. A sales record data storage means for storing sales record data for each product;
The store information creation means obtains sales result data of the product specified by the product identification code received from the communication terminal from the sales result data storage means, and stores service based on the sales result data The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information providing apparatus creates information.

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