JP7516800B2 - Purchase management system, server device, purchase management method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to purchasing goods in stores, etc.

In recent years, the introduction of self-checkout registers has been progressing in supermarkets, convenience stores, and other places. Patent Document 1 describes a shopping support system in which the self-checkout register automatically handles not only the payment process but also the packing process when purchasing products in a store.

International Publication No. WO2017/150226

The shopping support system described in Patent Document 1 automatically processes payment and packing when a customer places items in a shopping basket and places them at a self-checkout register. In this case, if multiple people place items in their own shopping baskets and check out at the self-checkout register, each person will pay separately. In order to consolidate payments for items in each shopping basket into a single payment source, the payments need to be made at the same time at a single self-checkout register. For this reason, it can be cumbersome to consolidate payments for items into a single payment source when a parent and child are shopping in a large store with their own carts, or when a group of friends are making multiple purchases in a group.

The main objective of the present invention is to consolidate payments made separately by multiple people into a single payment source when purchasing products.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a purchase management system including a server device and a checkout terminal,
The server device includes:
a payment method registration unit that registers a payment method by a payment source customer who is a payment source customer;
a payment ID issuing unit that issues a payment ID in association with the payment method of the payment source customer;
a payment method transmission unit that transmits a payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal;
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Department and
Equipped with
The settlement terminal includes:
A payment ID acquisition unit that acquires the payment ID;
a payment method receiving unit that receives a payment method associated with the payment ID from the server device;
a settlement unit that settles the payment for the purchased product using a payment method associated with the payment ID;
Equipped with
The payment ID sharing unit acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
The payment ID is then transmitted to the mobile terminal used by the sharer .

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a server device capable of communicating with a settlement terminal,
a payment method registration unit that registers a payment method by a payment source customer who is a payment source customer;
a payment ID issuing unit that issues a payment ID in association with the payment method of the payment source customer;
a payment method transmission unit that transmits a payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal;
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Department and
Equipped with
The payment ID sharing unit acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
The payment ID is then transmitted to the mobile terminal used by the sharer .

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a purchase management method executed by a server device capable of communicating with a checkout terminal, comprising:
Register a payment method by the paying customer, who is the paying customer;
issue a payment ID in association with the payment method used by the payment source customer;
Transmitting the payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal.
,
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Processing is performed,
The payment ID sharing process acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
The payment ID is then transmitted to the mobile terminal used by the sharer .

In yet another aspect of the invention, a program comprises:
Register a payment method by the paying customer, who is the paying customer;
issue a payment ID in association with the payment method used by the payment source customer;
Transmitting a payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal;
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Processing is performed,
The payment ID sharing process acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
and executing a process of transmitting the payment ID to a mobile terminal used by the co-owner on the computer.
To make .

The main objective of the present invention is to consolidate payments made by multiple people separately for product purchases into a single payment source.

1 shows a configuration of a purchase management system according to an embodiment. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a POS server. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a management server. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a mobile terminal. 1 shows the schematic configuration of an accounting machine. 13 is a flowchart of a payment ID issuing process. 13 is a display example of a payment ID screen and a shared payment ID screen. 13 is a flowchart of a product purchasing process. 13 is a display example of a purchase product list screen. 13 is a display example of a payment method selection screen. 13 is a display example of a reading prompt screen. 13 is an example of an approval screen. 13 is a display example of a refusal screen. 13 is a display example of a settlement completion screen. 13 is a flowchart of a restricted payment ID issuance process. 13 is a display example of a restricted payment ID request screen. 13 is a flowchart of a product purchase process involving a restricted payment ID. 13 is an example of a stop screen. This is a diagram showing a store floor plan and the types of products available. 13 is a display example of a restricted payment ID request screen on which zone restrictions can be set. 13 is a flowchart of a notification process. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a notification using wireless communication.

The following describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[Purchase management system configuration]
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a purchase management system 100 according to this embodiment. The purchase management system 100 mainly comprises a POS server 1, a management server 2, a mobile terminal 3, and a checkout machine 5. The purchase management system 100 is installed in a store such as a supermarket or a convenience store. A customer places one or more products to be purchased in a basket 8 in a store that sells products. When the customer places the basket 8 containing the products in a predetermined position on the checkout machine 5, the checkout machine 5 performs checkout for the purchased products (also called "purchased products") by reading an RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) tag attached to the product. When a payment ID is selected as a payment method for checkout, the checkout machine 5 reads a payment ID from a two-dimensional code such as a QR (Quick Response; registered trademark) code displayed on the mobile terminal 3 used by the customer, and performs checkout for the purchased products based on the payment ID. When checkout for the purchased products is completed, the checkout machine 5 automatically packs the purchased products into a shopping bag or the like. Customers can receive their products automatically packed.

The POS server 1 is a server that manages various sales information such as product information including prices and stock status of products sold in the store, and sales information of the store. The POS server 1 is capable of communicating with the accounting machine 5 via a network or the like. The POS server 1 may be a server that collectively manages the sales information of multiple affiliated stores, or a server that exists for each store and manages only the sales information of that store.

The management server 2 is a server device that controls the mobile terminal 3 and the payment machine 5, and is capable of communicating with the mobile terminal 3 and the payment machine 5 via a network or the like. The management server 2 obtains information necessary for display control of the mobile terminal 3 from the POS server 1 and stores it. The management server 2 also stores information about customers who are members of the store. The management server 2 sends display information to the mobile terminal 3 for the mobile terminal 3 to display various screens. The various screens mentioned above include a payment ID screen that displays a two-dimensional code indicating a payment ID for settlement.

The management server 2 may be composed of multiple server devices. For example, the management server 2 may be composed of a server device that mainly performs interface operations with the mobile terminal 3, such as sending and receiving data to and from the mobile terminal 3, and a server device that stores and manages various information such as information acquired from the POS server 1, a list of purchased items (also called a "purchased item list"), and information about members. In this case, the former server device functions as a so-called application server, and the latter server device functions as a so-called database server. In this case, these server devices send and receive information necessary to execute the processes assigned to them via a network, etc.

The mobile terminal 3 is a smartphone or the like used by customers who shop at the store, and has a function of acquiring and displaying various screens such as a payment ID screen by communicating with the management server 2. Note that for the sake of convenience, only one mobile terminal 3 is shown in FIG. 1, but in reality there are as many mobile terminals as there are customers who enter the store and use their payment ID to make payment.

The accounting machine 5 is a payment terminal (a so-called self-payment machine) through which customers make payment. The accounting machine 5 can communicate with the POS server 1, and transmits and receives various information necessary for payment as necessary. The accounting machine 5 is equipped with a handy barcode reader 56 for reading product barcodes attached to products, a light 57 for calling a store clerk, and a payment ID reading unit 70 for obtaining a payment ID by reading a two-dimensional code displayed on the mobile terminal 3. The accounting machine 5 is also equipped with a counter table 80 for temporarily placing baskets 8 and products, a storage unit 90 for placing the baskets 8 for payment, a shutter 91 for opening and closing the top of the storage unit 90, a card insertion slot 92 for making payments by credit card, a cash insertion slot 93 for making payments by cash, and a change withdrawal slot 94 for taking out change.

[Device configuration]
Next, the configuration of the POS server 1, management server 2, portable terminal 3, and payment machine 5 will be described with reference to FIGS.

(POS server)
2 shows a schematic configuration of the POS server 1. The POS server 1 mainly comprises a memory unit 13, a communication unit 14 for data communication, and a control unit 15. These elements are connected to each other by a bus line 10.

The storage unit 13 is composed of a memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 13 stores the programs executed by the control unit 15, and information necessary for the control unit 15 to execute a predetermined process by executing the programs. In this embodiment, the storage unit 13 includes selling price change information 17, a product information DB (database) 18, and sales information 19, which is information related to product sales. Note that the storage unit 13 may store various types of sales-related information other than the selling price change information 17, the product information DB 18, and the sales information 19.

Product information DB18 is a database of information about products handled by a store or affiliated stores including the store. Product information DB18 includes various information such as product price, information for identifying products such as JAN (Japanese Article Number) code (also called "product identification information"), product classification information, and product inventory status.

The selling price change information 17 is information related to a change in selling price. Specifically, the selling price change information 17 includes at least one of any discount information or discount information such as category discount information, bundle discount information, set discount information, total amount discount information, category discount information, bundle discount information, set discount information, and total amount discount information.

The control unit 15 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory), all of which are not shown, and performs various controls over the components in the POS server 1. For example, the control unit 15 communicates with the accounting machine 5 via the communication unit 14, thereby providing information about the product information DB 18 to the accounting machine 5.

(Management Server)
3 shows a schematic configuration of the management server 2. The management server 2 mainly includes a storage unit 23, a communication unit 24, and a control unit 25. These elements are connected to each other via a bus line 20.

The storage unit 23 is composed of a memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 23 stores the programs executed by the control unit 25, and information necessary for the control unit 25 to execute a predetermined process by executing the programs. In this embodiment, the storage unit 23 stores a member information DB 26, selling price change information 27, a product information DB 28, and a purchased product list DB 29.

The member information DB26 is a database of member information for each customer who has registered as a member. The member information includes customer identification information to identify the customer, as well as information such as name, gender, date of birth, and number of accumulated points. A customer is registered as a member by, for example, submitting an application form with their name and other information filled in to a service counter or the like set up in the store, and is given a member card. In this embodiment, when registering as a member, the customer pre-registers a valid credit card that can be used for payment. Credit card information is included in the member information as credit information.

Similar to price change information 17, price change information 27 is information relating to changes in price resulting from a discount or reduction. Based on the control of control unit 25, price change information 27 is updated periodically or irregularly so as to be synchronized with price change information 17 stored in POS server 1. Similar to product information DB 18, product information DB 28 is a database of information relating to products. Based on the control of control unit 25, product information DB 28 is updated periodically or irregularly so as to be synchronized with product information DB 18 stored in POS server 1.

The purchased item list DB29 is a database of a list of purchased items of customers who are shopping at the store. The purchased item list is, for example, a list that includes item identification information indicating the items to be purchased and the planned purchase quantity of the items, and is associated with the mobile terminal 3 or the customer identification information of the customer who uses the mobile terminal 3.

The communication unit 24 communicates with the POS server 1, the mobile terminal 3, and the payment machine 5 via wired or wireless communication. The control unit 25 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown), and performs various controls on each component in the management server 2. The processing performed by the control unit 25 will be described later. In the above configuration, the communication unit 24 is an example of a payment method sending unit and notification unit of the present invention, and the control unit 25 is an example of a payment method registration unit, payment ID issuing unit, and payment ID sharing unit of the present invention.

(Mobile device)
4 shows a schematic configuration of the portable terminal 3. The portable terminal 3 mainly includes a display unit 31, an input unit 32, a storage unit 33, a communication unit 34, a control unit 35, and a reading unit 36. These elements are connected to each other via a bus line 30.

The display unit 31 displays various information such as a list of purchased items and an accounting barcode under the control of the control unit 35. The input unit 32 is an interface that accepts user input, and may be, for example, a touch panel, a button, or a voice input device.

The storage unit 33 is composed of a memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 33 stores the programs executed by the control unit 35, and information necessary for the control unit 35 to execute a predetermined process by executing the programs. For example, the storage unit 33 stores a dedicated application program that is activated when shopping at a store, when issuing and sharing a payment ID (described below), when notifying whether a product can be purchased, etc., and that controls the display of various screens such as a payment ID screen.

The communication unit 34 communicates with the management server 2 via wireless communication. The control unit 35 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown), and performs various controls on the components within the mobile terminal 3. The controls performed by the control unit 35 will be described later.

The reading unit 36 is an optical device such as a camera that reads the product barcode attached to the product and supplies the read information to the control unit 35. For example, the control unit 35 can obtain product identification information such as a JAN code from the product barcode attached to the product based on the information output by the reading unit 36.

(Accounting machine)
5 shows a schematic configuration of the accounting machine 5. The accounting machine 5 mainly comprises a display unit 51, an input unit 52, a memory unit 53, a communication unit 54, a control unit 55, a handy barcode reader 56, a light 57, a speaker 58, a basket detection unit 59, a packing device 60, and a payment ID reading unit 70. These elements are connected to each other via a bus line 50.

The display unit 51 displays various information such as a payment ID screen and a settlement screen under the control of the control unit 55. The input unit 52 is an interface that accepts customer input, and corresponds to, for example, a touch panel and buttons. In this embodiment, the display unit 51 is configured as a touch panel and also has the functions of the input unit 52.

The storage unit 53 is composed of a memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 53 stores the programs executed by the control unit 55, and information necessary for the control unit 55 to execute a predetermined process by executing the programs. For example, the storage unit 53 stores a dedicated application program that operates when a customer makes a payment and that performs product purchase processing.

The communication unit 54 communicates with the POS server 1, the management server 2, and the mobile terminal 3 by wired or wireless communication. The control unit 55 includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM (not shown), and performs various controls on each component in the accounting machine 5. The control performed by the control unit 55 will be described later. The handy barcode reader 56 reads the product barcode attached to the product by the customer's reading operation when the RFID tag attached to the product cannot be read, and supplies the read information to the control unit 55. The light 57 turns on when a malfunction occurs in the accounting machine 5 or when a store clerk is called. The speaker 58 outputs an operation sound or a voice message to call attention as necessary. In the above configuration, the communication unit 54 is an example of the payment ID acquisition unit and payment method receiving unit of the present invention, and the control unit 35 is an example of the settlement unit, judgment unit, and approval request unit of the present invention.

The basket detection unit 59 detects whether the basket 8 has been placed at a predetermined position. In this embodiment, the predetermined position is on the bottom surface of the storage section 90 of the counter table 80. The basket detection unit 59 detects whether the basket 8 has been placed at a predetermined position by a weight sensor installed on the bottom surface of the storage section 90. Note that instead of detecting the basket 8 by a weight sensor, the basket 8 may be optically detected by an infrared device or the like. The basket 8 may also be detected by whether a physical switch installed on the bottom surface of the storage section 90 has been pressed by placing the basket 8. When the basket detection unit 59 detects that the basket 8 has been placed at a predetermined position, the control unit 55 closes the shutter 91.

When the payment for the purchased items in the basket 8 is completed, the packing device 60 opens the bottom of the storage section 90 and the bottom of the basket 8, and automatically packs the purchased items by moving them to a bag installed at the bottom of the storage section 90. Specifically, the floor of the basket 8 is attached so that it can be opened and closed, as shown in FIG. 1. The bottom of the basket 8 can be opened by opening the floor in the direction of the arrow, and the items can be moved downward, i.e., to the packing device 60. Note that the packing device 60 is not limited to a mechanism that moves the purchased items downward in the basket 8 as in this embodiment, but may also be a mechanism that moves the purchased items sideways in the basket 8. In other words, the packing device 60 may be a device that automatically packs the purchased items in the basket 8 into a container that the customer can take home, such as a plastic bag, an eco bag, or a cardboard box.

The payment ID reading unit 70 is, for example, an optical device such as a camera, and reads the two-dimensional code displayed on the mobile terminal 3 to obtain payment ID information indicating the payment ID.

[Payment ID]
Next, the payment ID in the purchase management system 100 will be described. In this embodiment, in addition to credit card payment using a credit card and cash payment, payment using a payment ID is used as a payment method for settling the purchase of purchased goods. In order to use the payment ID, the customer registers a valid credit card that can be used for payment in advance when registering as a member. When the management server 2 receives a payment ID issuance request, it issues a payment ID linked to the customer's credit card and sends it to the mobile terminal 3 used by the requesting customer (also called the "paying customer"). The paying customer can settle the purchase of goods using the issued payment ID. When the payment ID is used, the accounting machine 5 settles the purchase of goods by making payment with the credit card linked to the payment ID.

The expiration date of the payment ID is the same as the expiration date of the linked credit card, unless a process is performed to invalidate the payment ID. In other words, the issuance of the payment ID, which will be described later, is performed on the premise that the credit card is valid and the settlement method has been established.

In addition, the payment ID can be shared with other people. For example, if a parent is the paying customer, the issued payment ID can be shared with the child. When the child uses the shared payment ID in the accounting machine 5, the accounting machine 5 settles the payment for the products purchased by the child by paying with the parent's credit card. The payment ID can be shared with any number of people designated by the paying customer, such as family members or friends. Here, a customer who shares a payment ID is called a sharer, as opposed to a paying customer.

In this way, the payment ID can be shared with other people, and the price of the products purchased by the sharer can be added together with the price of the products purchased by the paying customer. In other words, the sharer can use the payment ID when shopping to ask the paying customer to pay for the products.

First Embodiment
[Payment ID issuing process]
Next, the payment ID issuing process in the first embodiment will be described. The payment ID issuing process is a process for issuing and sharing a payment ID. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of the payment ID issuing process. The payment ID issuing process is mainly realized by the management server 2, the payment source mobile terminal 3a, and the shared mobile terminal 3b each executing a program prepared in advance.

Here, the payment source mobile terminal 3a is, for example, a mobile terminal 3 used by a "parent" who is a member of a store and has a valid credit card registered that can be used for payment, and the shared mobile terminal 3b is a mobile terminal 3 used by the "child" of the parent. Note that in this embodiment, the relationship is that the payment source customer is the parent and the co-owner is the child, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as long as the payment source customer is a representative who has a valid credit card registered, the relationship with the co-owner is arbitrary, and the number of co-owners is not limited to one.

First, the parent uses the payment source mobile terminal 3a to send a payment ID issuance request (step S101). Upon receiving the payment ID issuance request from the mobile terminal 3a, the management server 2 acquires credit information from the member information DB 26 based on the customer identification information included in the payment ID issuance request. The management server 2 then extracts a credit card valid for payment from the acquired credit information, and issues a payment ID linked to the credit card (step S102). The management server 2 generates a payment ID screen displaying a two-dimensional code indicating the issued payment ID, and transmits it to the payment source mobile terminal 3a (step S103).

When the payment source mobile terminal 3a receives the payment ID screen from the management server 2, it displays it on the display unit 31 (step S104). FIG. 7 (A) is an example of the display of the payment ID screen sent to the payment source. In this example, the payment ID screen is displayed on the payment source mobile terminal 3a, and has a two-dimensional code 75 indicating the payment ID and a share button 76. The parent presses the share button 76 to specify a co-owner who will share the issued payment ID. For example, when the share button 76 is pressed, the payment source mobile terminal 3a pops up a co-owner designation screen, etc., and allows the parent to designate the child as a co-owner. Specifically, when the parent registers as a member, information about the child is also registered, and the co-owner may be designated by selecting the child's name on the co-owner designation screen, or the co-owner may be designated by registering information about the child on the co-owner designation screen. In other words, the method of designating the co-owner can be set arbitrarily.

When the designation of the sharer is completed, the payment source mobile terminal 3a transmits the information of the sharer to the management server 2 as the sharer information (step S105). When the management server 2 receives the sharer information (step S106), the management server 2 generates a shared payment ID screen and transmits it to the shared mobile terminal 3b used by the child designated as the sharer based on the sharer information (step S107). When the shared mobile terminal 3b receives the shared payment ID screen from the management server 2, it displays it on the display unit 31 (step S108). FIG. 7(B) is a display example of the shared payment ID screen transmitted to the sharer. In this example, the shared payment ID screen is displayed on the shared mobile terminal 3b and has a two-dimensional code 75 indicating the payment ID and an OK button 77. When the child confirms the payment ID displayed on the shared mobile terminal 3b, he presses the OK button 77. When the OK button 77 is pressed, the shared mobile terminal 3b transmits sharing completion information to the management server 2 and returns the display to the main menu (step S109). When the management server 2 receives the sharing completion information from the shared mobile terminal 3b, it considers that the issuance and sharing of the payment ID is completed and ends the payment ID issuance process (step S110).

In the above example, the share button 76 on the payment ID screen is pressed to specify the sharer, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the sharer may be specified at another time. The customer may also use the payment source mobile terminal 3a to send the payment ID directly to the shared mobile terminal 3b used by the sharer, without going through the management server 2. The payment ID can be shared with the shared mobile terminal 3b in various ways, such as using communication within a dedicated application or using an email address, as long as it is possible to send a two-dimensional code indicating the payment ID.

In addition, although the present invention uses a two-dimensional code as information indicating the payment ID, the present invention is not limited to this, and a password or a PIN (Personal Identification Number) code may also be used. For example, if an eight-digit password is issued as the payment ID, the sharer does not need to have the mobile terminal 3, and can simply enter the password on the accounting machine 5.

[Product purchase process]
Next, the basic operation of the product purchase process in the first embodiment will be described. The product purchase process is a process in which a customer purchases a product at a store. Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing an outline of the product purchase process. The product purchase process is mainly realized by the management server 2, the payment source mobile terminal 3a, the shared mobile terminal 3b, and the payment machine 5 each executing a program prepared in advance.

First, when a customer enters a store, he or she picks up a basket 8 from the basket area and places the products he or she wants to purchase in the basket 8. Once all the purchased products are in the basket 8, the customer places the basket 8 in the storage section 90 of the accounting machine 5 for payment (step S201). When the basket detection section 59 detects that the basket 8 has been placed in the designated position, the accounting machine 5 closes the shutter 91 and acquires the product identification information of the purchased products by communicating with the RFID tags attached to the products in the basket 8 (step S202). Next, the accounting machine 5 creates a purchased product list by referring to the product information DB 18 of the POS server 1 based on the acquired product identification information via the communication section 54, and displays it on the display section 51 (step S203). The purchased product list is a list that includes, for example, product identification information indicating the purchased products, product names, the planned purchase quantity of the products, and prices.

Figure 9 shows an example of the display of the purchased item list screen. In this example, the purchased item list screen has a list display field 41, a subtotal display field 42, a total amount display field 43, a payment button 45, and a cancel button 46. The list display field 41 displays the name, quantity, and price of each purchased item. The subtotal display field 42 displays the subtotal of the prices of all items in the purchased item list excluding tax, and the total amount display field 43 displays the total of the prices of all items in the purchased item list including tax. The payment button 45 is a button that a customer presses when proceeding to pay for items displayed on the purchased item list screen. The cancel button 46 is a button that is pressed when canceling the purchase of an item.

The payment machine 5 determines whether the customer has selected payment or cancellation (step S204). If the cancellation button 46 has been pressed and it is determined that the customer has selected cancellation, the payment machine 5 cancels the purchase of the product and ends the product purchase process. On the other hand, if the payment button 45 has been pressed and it is determined that the customer has selected payment, the payment machine 5 displays a payment method selection screen including a list of purchased products on the display unit 51 (step S205).

Figure 10 is an example of the display of a payment method selection screen. In this example, the payment method selection screen has a list display field 61, a subtotal display field 62, a total amount display field 63, a credit button 64, a cash button 65, and a payment ID button 66. The list display field 61 displays the name, quantity, and price of the purchased items. The subtotal display field 62 displays the subtotal of the sales prices of all purchased items displayed in the list display field 61, excluding tax, and the total amount display field 63 displays the total of the sales prices of all purchased items, including tax. The customer looks at the payment method selection screen, confirms the payment amount, and presses either the credit button 64, the cash button 65, or the payment ID button 66.

The payment method selection screen includes a list display field 61 and a subtotal display field 62, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient if the payment amount can be confirmed and a payment method can be selected. Furthermore, payment methods other than payment by payment ID are not limited to credit card payment or cash payment, and any payment method such as electronic money payment can be applied.

The accounting machine 5 determines whether the payment ID button 66 has been pressed (step S206). If it is determined that the payment ID button has not been pressed (step S206; No), the accounting machine 5 determines that the customer has pressed the credit button 64 or the cash button 65 on the payment method selection screen, and proceeds to the process of step S218. Specifically, if the customer selects payment by credit by pressing the credit button 64, in step S218 the accounting machine 5 displays a message on the display unit 51 prompting the customer to insert a credit card into the card insertion slot 92 or enter a PIN number, and performs credit payment. If the customer selects payment by cash by pressing the cash button 65, the accounting machine 5 displays a message on the display unit 51 prompting the customer to insert cash into the cash insertion slot 93, and when the cash is inserted, the accounting machine 5 pays change as necessary.

When payment is made by credit card or cash, the accounting machine 5 will display a payment completion screen on the display unit 51, as will be described in more detail below.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the payment ID button 66 has been pressed (step S206; Yes), the payment machine 5 displays a reading prompt screen on the display unit 51 (step S207). FIG. 11 shows an example of the reading prompt screen. In this example, the reading prompt screen has a message prompting the user to hold the two-dimensional code of the payment ID over the payment ID reading unit 70 of the payment machine 5, and an OK button 67. Here, it is assumed that the customer who pressed the payment ID button 66 is a child using the shared mobile terminal 3b described above, and the payment source customer is a parent using the payment source mobile terminal 3a. The child displays a shared payment ID screen as shown in FIG. 7(B) on the display unit 31 of the shared mobile terminal 3b, and holds the two-dimensional code 75 indicating the payment ID over the payment ID reading unit 70 of the payment machine 5 (step S208).

The payment machine 5 determines whether the two-dimensional code 75 indicating the payment ID was successfully read by the payment ID reading unit 70 (step S209). If it is determined that the two-dimensional code 75 could not be successfully read (step S209; No), the payment machine 5 returns to the process of step S207 and repeatedly displays the reading prompt screen until it is successfully read. On the other hand, if it is determined that it was successfully read (step S209; Yes), the payment machine 5 reads the two-dimensional code 75 by the payment ID reading unit 70 and obtains the payment ID. The payment machine 5 then sends an approval request including the payment ID and the purchased item list to the management server 2 (step S210).

The management server 2 receives an approval request from the payment machine 5. The management server 2 then extracts from the member information DB 26 the member information of the member who has registered the credit card linked to the payment ID included in the approval request. The management server 2 then generates an approval screen based on the purchase item list included in the approval request and transmits it to the payment source mobile terminal 3a based on the extracted member information (step S211). When the payment source mobile terminal 3a receives the approval screen from the management server 2, it displays it on the display unit 31 (step S212). FIG. 12 shows an example of the display of the approval screen. In this example, the approval screen has a list display field 61, a subtotal display field 62, a total amount display field 63, a message asking whether to approve or not, an approval button 68, and a rejection button 69. The list display field 61, the subtotal display field 62, and the total amount display field 63 are the same as those in the payment method selection screen described above, so their explanations will be omitted. The customer, in this case a parent, checks the purchased items and payment amount displayed on the approval screen, and if there are no problems, presses the approval button 68 to approve the payment. On the other hand, if there is a problem, such as the child purchasing unnecessary items or the payment amount being too high, the parent presses the rejection button 69 to reject the payment.

The payment source mobile terminal 3a determines whether the payment has been approved or rejected on the approval screen (step S213). If it determines that the reject button 69 has been pressed and the payment has been rejected, the payment source mobile terminal 3a sends rejection information including the payment ID and information indicating that approval of the payment is rejected to the payment machine 5 (step S214). When the rejection information is obtained from the payment source mobile terminal 3a, the payment machine 5 displays a rejection screen on the display unit 51 (step S215). Figure 13 shows an example of how the rejection screen is displayed. In this example, the rejection screen includes a message indicating that the payment using the payment ID has not been approved by the payment source and that the purchase will be canceled. When the payment machine 5 displays a rejection screen such as that shown in Figure 13, it cancels the purchase of the product and ends the product purchase process.

On the other hand, if the approval button 68 has been pressed and it is determined that the payment has been approved, the payment source mobile terminal 3a sends approval information including the payment ID and information indicating that the payment has been approved to the management server 2 (step S216). When the management server 2 receives the approval information from the payment source mobile terminal 3a, it extracts credit information related to the credit card linked to the payment ID included in the approval information from the member information DB 26. The management server 2 then sends the credit information to the accounting machine 5 (step S217). The accounting machine 5 settles the bill based on the credit information received from the management server 2 (step S218). Specifically, the accounting machine 5 settles the bill for the purchased items using the credit card linked to the payment ID based on the credit information received from the management server 2 as ID payment, and settles the bill for the purchased items.

In this embodiment, the accounting machine 5 makes a payment using a credit card linked to the payment ID based on the credit information received from the management server 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. The management server 2 may make a payment using a credit card linked to the payment ID and send completion information to the accounting machine 5 to indicate that the payment has been completed. In this case, the accounting machine 5 considers that the payment for the purchased items has been settled upon receiving the completion information from the management server 2.

After the payment is made, the accounting machine 5 displays a payment completion screen on the display unit 51. FIG. 14 shows an example of the payment completion screen. In this example, the payment completion screen has a payment information field 71, a receipt button 72, and an end button 73. The payment information field displays the payment amount, and the information to be displayed, such as the payment method, can be set arbitrarily. The receipt button 72 is a button for printing out a receipt. The end button 73 is a button for confirming that the customer has completed the payment of the purchase consumption. When the customer presses the end button 73, the payment is considered to have been completed, and the accounting machine 5 controls the packing device 60 to pack the purchased products in the basket 8 (step S219). When the packing is completed, the accounting machine 5 opens the shutter 91, and the customer can receive the purchased products in a packed state. This ends the product purchase process.

The present invention can be applied not only to self-checkout registers 5 as shown in FIG. 5, but also to manned registers operated by store clerks. The present invention can also be applied to a method in which a mobile terminal 3, advanced basket, advanced cart, etc. used by a customer reads the barcode of a product to obtain product identification information, and transmits the obtained product identification information to the register to perform payment.

The present invention can also be applied to a method in which the mobile terminal 3 acquires product identification information and performs settlement. In this case, the mobile terminal 3 functions as a settlement terminal instead of the accounting machine 5. For example, the shared mobile terminal 3b acquires product identification information, registers a purchased product, and selects the payment ID shared with the payment source mobile terminal 3a as the payment method for the purchased product. The management server 2 then approves the payment source mobile terminal 3a based on the payment ID acquired from the shared mobile terminal 3b, extracts credit information from the member information DB 26, and sends it to the shared mobile terminal 3b. This allows the mobile terminal 3b to make a credit settlement based on the credit information linked to the shared ID, and settlement can be performed.

When the payment source mobile terminal 3a sends the refusal information in step S214, it may include a message such as "Cola may not be purchased." The refusal information may also be sent to the shared mobile terminal 3b in addition to the accounting machine 5. In this way, the sharer can understand why approval was not granted by checking the message. If the accounting machine 5 is a cash register operated by a store clerk, the cola can be returned from the purchased items in accordance with the message, and an approval request including the purchased item list with the cola removed can be sent again to the payment source mobile terminal 3a.

In addition, when the purchase of a product is canceled due to the refusal information, the management server 2 may send a message to the payment source mobile terminal 3a, such as "The purchase of the product has been canceled. There is a child at register number X." In this way, for example, if a child who is a sharer is shopping using the payment ID as practice for running an errand, the parent, who is the payment source customer, can respond appropriately even if the purchase of the product is canceled.

With this system, when a parent and child or friends are shopping in a store using different carts, even if they do not visit the cash register 5 at the same time, the payment ID can be used to identify the source of payment. In other words, the total amount paid for the purchased items is added together and paid by one customer.

The payment ID can also be used when the child is shopping in the store alone, such as in the errand practice mentioned above, while the parent is waiting in the store's parking lot or at home. This eliminates the need for the parent to hand over a credit card or cash to the child, and the child can purchase products by sharing the payment ID with the mobile device used by the child. This avoids the risk of losing cash or credit card. Even if the payment ID is leaked for some reason, approval from the payment source is required to make a payment using the payment ID, so the risk is thought to be smaller than when cash or credit card is lost.

Second Embodiment
[Restricted payment ID issuance process]
Next, the restricted payment ID issuing process in the second embodiment will be described. The restricted payment ID issuing process is a process for issuing and sharing a payment ID with usage restrictions. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an overview of the restricted payment ID issuing process. The restricted payment ID issuing process is mainly realized by the management server 2, the payment source mobile terminal 3a, and the shared mobile terminal 3b each executing a program prepared in advance.

The restricted payment ID is useful, for example, when traveling with a group of friends. Therefore, here, the payment source mobile terminal 3a is the mobile terminal 3 used by the "representative" who is the payment source customer, and the shared mobile terminal 3b is the mobile terminal 3 used by the "friends" of the representative who are traveling together. The representative is assumed to have registered a valid credit card in advance when registering as a member. Note that there may be multiple friends who share the restricted payment ID, in which case each of the multiple friends is assumed to own a mobile terminal 3 as the shared mobile terminal 3b.

First, the representative operates the payment source mobile terminal 3a to display a limited payment ID request screen on the display unit 31 (step S301). FIG. 16 is a display example of the limited payment ID request screen. In this example, the limited payment ID request screen has a name field 81, a time limit field 82, a number of days limit field 83, a limited date field 84, and a limited payment ID issue button 85. The name field 81 is a field for inputting the event name or group name that caused the limited payment ID to be issued. The time limit field 82, the number of days limit field 83, and the limited date field 84 are input fields for setting the period during which the limited payment ID can be used as a limit. The time limit field 82 is a field for inputting a number such as "1" hour or "2" hours to set the time during which the limited payment ID can be used. The number of days limit field 83 is a field for inputting a number such as "2" days or "3" days to set the number of days during which the limited payment ID can be used. The restriction date field 84 is a field for inputting a date, for example, up to the 31st of March, in order to set a deadline for using the restricted payment ID. The restricted payment ID issue button 85 is a button that, when pressed, sends a payment ID issue request and restriction information regarding the set restrictions to the management server 2.

The representative sets restrictions on the use of the payment ID by entering information in any input field on the restricted payment ID request screen displayed on the payment source mobile terminal 3a (step S302). Upon completing the settings, the representative presses the restricted payment ID request button 87 on the payment source mobile terminal 3a. When the restricted payment ID request button 87 is pressed, the payment source mobile terminal 3a sends a payment ID request and restriction information to the management server 2 (step S303). Note that by not setting restrictions, a payment ID without restrictions similar to those in the first embodiment may be issued.

When the management server 2 receives a payment ID issuance request and restriction information from the mobile terminal 3a, it first obtains credit information from the member information DB 26 based on the customer identification information included in the payment ID issuance request. The management server 2 then extracts a credit card that is valid for payment from the obtained credit information. Furthermore, the management server 2 issues a restricted payment ID that is linked to the extracted credit card and sets restrictions based on the restriction information (step S304). The management server 2 stores the restriction information and the issuance date and time in the member information DB 26 in association with the credit card and the restricted payment ID. The management server 2 then generates a payment ID screen that displays a two-dimensional code indicating the issued restricted payment ID, and transmits it to the payment source mobile terminal 3a (step S305).

Note that the processing in steps S306 to S312 in FIG. 15 is similar to the processing in steps S104 to S110 in FIG. 6, so a description thereof will be omitted.

Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, the present invention uses a two-dimensional code as information indicating the payment ID, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the information may be a password, a PIN code, etc.

In this embodiment, the issuance and sharing of the restricted payment ID is performed on the mobile terminal 3 using a dedicated application, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the issuance of the restricted payment ID and the unrestricted payment ID may be performed on an in-store terminal installed in the store. This allows friends to easily issue and share a restricted payment ID on the spot when they come shopping together. Also, if a customer has a credit card but does not have a mobile terminal 3, the in-store terminal registers the credit card and issues a payment ID with a password, for example, an eight-digit number. This allows payment to be made using the payment ID by entering the password into the accounting machine 5, so that customers who do not have a mobile terminal 3 can easily use the payment ID.

[Product purchase process]
Next, the basic operation of the product purchase process using a restricted payment ID in the second embodiment will be described. The product purchase process is a process in which a customer purchases a product at a store. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an overview of the product purchase process using a restricted payment ID. The product purchase process is mainly realized by the management server 2, the payment source mobile terminal 3a, the shared mobile terminal 3b, and the payment machine 5 each executing a program prepared in advance.

In FIG. 17, steps S401 to S407 and steps S415 to S423 are similar to steps S201 to S207 and steps S211 to S219 in FIG. 8, so their explanations are omitted. Also, the customer who pressed the payment ID button 66 in step S406 is the "friend" who uses the shared mobile terminal 3b described above, and the payment source is the "representative" who uses the payment source mobile terminal 3a.

In the processing of step S408, the friend displays a shared payment ID screen as shown in FIG. 7(B) on the display unit 31 of the shared mobile terminal 3b, and holds the two-dimensional code 75 indicating the payment ID over the payment ID reading unit 70 of the payment machine 5 (step S408).

The payment machine 5 determines whether the two-dimensional code 75 indicating the payment ID was successfully read by the payment ID reading unit 70 (step S409). If it is determined that the two-dimensional code 75 could not be successfully read (step S409; No), the payment machine 5 returns to the processing of step S407 and repeatedly displays the reading prompt screen until it is successfully read. On the other hand, if it is determined that it was successfully read (step S409; Yes), the payment machine 5 reads the two-dimensional code 75 by the payment ID reading unit 70 and obtains the restricted payment ID. The payment machine 5 then sends a determination request including the restricted payment ID to the management server 2 (step S410).

The payment ID represents both an unrestricted payment ID and a restricted payment ID, and includes information indicating whether it is an unrestricted payment ID or a restricted payment ID. In this embodiment, it is assumed to be a restricted payment ID. In addition, it is possible to issue multiple unrestricted payment IDs and multiple restricted payment IDs, and each can be used.

The management server 2 receives a determination request from the accounting machine 5. Then, the management server 2 acquires restriction information and the issue date and time from the member information DB 26 based on the restricted payment ID included in the determination request (step S411). Based on the acquired restriction information and issue date and time, the management server 2 determines whether the current date and time is within the limit set for the restricted payment ID or outside the limit. Specifically, if the management server 2 determines based on the restriction information that the set restriction is "the number of days that the restricted payment ID can be used is three days", it determines whether the current date and time is within three days from the issue date and time to determine whether the current date and time is within the limit or outside the limit. Furthermore, the management server 2 sends the determination result to the accounting machine 5 as result information (step S412).

Based on the result information received from the management server 2, the payment machine 5 determines whether the restricted payment ID is within the restricted range or outside the restricted range (step S413). If it is determined that the restricted payment ID is outside the restricted range (step S413; No), the payment machine 5 displays a cancel screen on the display unit 51 (step S424). Figure 18 shows an example of the cancel screen. In this example, the cancel screen includes a message that the payment ID is invalid and that the product purchase will be canceled. When the payment machine 5 displays a cancel screen such as that shown in Figure 18, it cancels the product purchase and ends the product purchase process.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the restricted payment ID is within the restricted range (step S413; Yes), the payment machine 5 sends an approval request including the restricted payment ID and the purchased item list to the management server 2 (step S414). The management server 2, the payment source mobile terminal 3a, and the payment machine 5 then perform steps S415 to S423, and the product purchase process ends.

As in the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited to self-checkout registers 5, but can also be applied to manned registers operated by store clerks. The present invention can also be applied to a method in which a mobile terminal 3, advanced basket, advanced cart, etc. used by a customer reads the barcode of a product to obtain product identification information, and transmits the obtained product identification information to the register to perform payment.

The present invention can also be applied to a method in which the mobile terminal 3 acquires product identification information and performs settlement. In this case, the mobile terminal 3 functions as a settlement terminal instead of the accounting machine 5. For example, the shared mobile terminal 3b acquires product identification information, registers a purchased product, and selects the payment ID shared with the payment source mobile terminal 3a as the payment method for the purchased product. The management server 2 then approves the payment source mobile terminal 3a based on the payment ID acquired from the shared mobile terminal 3b, extracts credit information from the member information DB 26, and sends it to the shared mobile terminal 3b. This allows the mobile terminal 3b to make a credit settlement based on the credit information linked to the shared ID, and settlement can be performed.

Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, when the payment source mobile terminal 3a sends the refusal information, it may include a message indicating the reason for non-approval, or it may also send the refusal information to the shared mobile terminal 3b.

In this embodiment, the usage period set for the restricted payment ID is counted from the date and time of issue, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the start date and time of use and the end date and time of use may also be set. Furthermore, the restricted payment ID can be set with various restrictions, such as the number of uses and an upper limit on the payment amount for purchased items, in addition to the usage period. For example, restrictions may be set on items that are permitted to be purchased or items that are prohibited from being purchased. By setting strict restrictions on such a payment ID, the purchase management system 100 may settle the payment using the payment ID without the approval of the paying customer.

In this way, restricted payment IDs can be set with restrictions such as the period of use, the number of times they can be used, and the upper limit of payments, making it easier for paying customers to manage their budgets. Also, by limiting the number of times they can be used to one time, it becomes possible to issue disposable restricted payment IDs, so that restricted payment IDs can be shared easily even with friends who do not have the same trust relationship as family members. Furthermore, by tightening the restrictions and eliminating the need for approval, sharers can settle accounts smoothly and save time, improving customer service.

Third Embodiment
[Restricted payment ID issuance process]
Next, a process for issuing a payment ID with a zone restriction set in the third embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the period of use, the number of times of use, and the upper limit of the payment amount are set as restrictions on the payment ID, but in this embodiment, the area into which the store is divided is set as a zone restriction. A zone is an area in which the purchase of products is permitted.

Figure 19 is a diagram showing a floor plan of a store and areas into which the store is divided according to the type of product. In this example, products are displayed in the store by type, and the types of products include fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, alcoholic beverages, and sweets. The areas shown by dashed lines are areas into which the store is divided in advance according to the type of product, with the area of dashed line 96 being the alcoholic beverage area and the area of dashed line 97 being the sweets area. In addition, although not shown, there are also a fruits and vegetables area and a fresh fish area. Note that the division of areas in a store is not limited to each type of product, and can be made in any manner. A sharer of a restricted payment ID can purchase products placed in an area included in the zone as a zone restriction, but cannot purchase products placed in other areas. Specifically, if a sweets area is set as a zone restriction, a sharer of a restricted payment ID can purchase products placed in the sweets area, but cannot purchase products placed in the fruits and vegetables area.

When issuing a restricted payment ID with a zone restriction set, the restricted payment ID issuing process shown in FIG. 15 is performed as in the second embodiment described above. Note that the restricted payment ID issuing process is similar except for the processes in steps S301 and S302, so a description is omitted. Also, in the third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the payment source mobile terminal 3a is a mobile terminal 3 used by the "representative" who is the payment source, and the shared mobile terminal 3b is a mobile terminal 3 used by a "friend" of the representative who is traveling together.

By the representative's operation, the payment source mobile terminal 3a displays a limited payment ID request screen on the display unit 31 (step S301). FIG. 20 is a display example of a limited payment ID request screen that can set a zone restriction. In this example, the limited payment ID request screen has area names in the store, check boxes 95 corresponding to each area name, and a limited payment ID issue button 88. The representative sets the zone restriction by inputting a check mark in the check box 95 corresponding to the area in which the representative wants to be able to purchase the product on the limited payment ID request screen displayed on the payment source mobile terminal 3a (step S302). Specifically, if the representative wants to set the snack area and the fruit and vegetable area as the zone restriction for which the product can be purchased, the representative inputs a check mark in the check box 95 corresponding to the snack area and the fruit and vegetable area. Then, the management server 2, the payment source mobile terminal 3a, and the shared mobile terminal 3b perform the processes of steps S303 to S311, and the limited payment ID issue process ends.

The management server 2 stores information about the area set as the zone restriction as restriction information in the member information DB 26 in association with the credit card and the issued restricted payment ID.

Furthermore, as in the above-described embodiment, the present invention uses a two-dimensional code as information indicating the payment ID, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the information may be a password, a PIN code, etc.

[Notification Processing]
Next, the notification process in the third embodiment will be described. The notification process is a process for notifying a customer via the shared portable terminal 3b whether or not a product is available for purchase in the area where the customer is currently located, based on zone restrictions, when selecting a product to purchase in the store. FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing an outline of the notification process. The notification process is mainly realized by the management server 2 and the shared portable terminal 3b executing programs prepared in advance. The shared portable terminal 3b is equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) and is capable of acquiring location information. The management server 2 is also assumed to have stored in advance location information of areas in the store and cash registers.

First, a friend who shares the representative's limited payment ID operates the shared mobile terminal 3b to execute a dedicated application program and specify a purchase using the limited payment ID (step S501). The shared mobile terminal 3b then determines whether or not the current location is inside the store based on pre-stored store location information and current location information acquired by GPS (step S502). If it is determined that the current location is not inside the store (step S502; No), the shared mobile terminal 3b repeats the process of step S502 until it determines that the current location is inside the store. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current location is inside the store (step S502; Yes), the shared mobile terminal 3b transmits the limited payment ID specified in step S501 and the current location information to the management server 2 (step S503).

When the shared mobile terminal 3b determines in step S502 that it is in the store, it may send a message to the payment source mobile terminal 3a indicating that it has arrived at the store. By receiving the message in advance, the representative using the payment source mobile terminal 3a can smoothly approve the product purchase process.

The management server 2 determines whether the current location is near the payment machine 5 based on the location information received from the shared mobile terminal 3b and the pre-stored location information of the payment machine 5 (step S504). If it is determined that the current location is not near the payment machine 5 (step S504; No), the management server 2 further identifies the area to which the current location belongs based on the location information received from the shared mobile terminal 3b and the pre-stored location information of each area (step S505). The management server 2 also acquires restriction information from the member information DB 26 based on the restricted payment ID received from the shared mobile terminal 3b. Then, the management server 2 determines whether the identified area is included in the areas set as zone restrictions based on the acquired restriction information (step S506).

If it is determined that the area is included in the area set as the zone restriction (step S506; Yes), the management server 2 generates a purchase permission screen including a message indicating that the product in this area is available for purchase and a "O" mark, and transmits it to the shared mobile terminal 3b (step S507). When the shared mobile terminal 3b receives the purchase permission screen from the management server 2, it displays it on the display unit 31 and returns to step S503 (step S508). On the other hand, if it is determined that the area is not included in the area set as the zone restriction (step S506; No), the management server 2 generates a purchase prohibition screen including a message indicating that the product in this area is prohibited from purchase and a "X" mark, and transmits it to the shared mobile terminal 3b (step S509). When the shared mobile terminal 3b receives the purchase prohibition screen from the management server 2, it displays it on the display unit 31 and returns to step S503 (step S510).

Note that, although messages and marks are displayed on the purchase permission screen and purchase prohibition screen, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the screen color may be "blue" on the purchase permission screen and "red" on the purchase prohibition screen, or the shared mobile terminal 3b may vibrate only when a purchase is possible. In other words, as long as it is possible to use the shared mobile terminal 3b to notify the customer whether the area in which the customer is located is an area in which a purchase is possible or an area in which a purchase is prohibited, the notification method can be set arbitrarily.

Returning to step S503, the shared mobile terminal 3b again transmits the restricted payment ID and current location information to the management server 2 (step S503). The management server 2 determines whether the current location is near the payment machine 5 based on the location information received from the shared mobile terminal 3b and the location information of the payment machine 5 stored in advance (step S504). If it is determined to be near the payment machine 5 (step S504; Yes), the management server 2 determines that the user has finished selecting the product to be purchased and is heading toward the payment machine 5, and transmits product selection completion information to the shared mobile terminal 3b (step S511). The shared mobile terminal 3b receives the product selection completion information from the management server 2 (step S513) and terminates the notification process.

[Product purchase process]
Next, in the third embodiment, the product purchase process using a limited payment ID with a zone restriction is performed as shown in FIG. 17, similar to the second embodiment. The product purchase process using a limited payment ID with a zone restriction is similar except for the processes in steps S410 and S411, so the description will be omitted. In the third embodiment, similar to the second embodiment, the payment source mobile terminal 3a is a mobile terminal 3 used by the "representative" who is the payment source, and the shared mobile terminal 3b is a mobile terminal 3 used by the "friend" of the representative who is traveling together. The product information DB 28 stores product area information related to the area in which each product is displayed.

In step S410, the payment machine 5 sends a judgment request including the restricted payment ID and the purchased item list to the management server 2. The management server 2 acquires restriction information from the member information DB 26 based on the restricted payment ID included in the judgment request (step S411). The management server 2 then determines whether the restricted payment ID is within the range of the restriction set for the restricted payment ID or outside the range of the restriction based on the acquired restriction information, the purchased item list included in the judgment request, and the product area information included in the product information DB. Specifically, the management server 2 determines whether the purchased item list includes products outside the area set as the zone restriction, and if so, it is deemed to be outside the range of the restriction, and if not, it is deemed to be within the range of the restriction. The management server 2, the payment source mobile terminal 3a, and the payment machine 5 then perform the processes of steps S412 to S423, and the product purchase process involving the restricted payment ID is terminated.

As in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to self-checkout registers 5, but can also be applied to manned registers operated by store clerks. The present invention can also be applied to a method in which a mobile terminal 3, advanced basket, advanced cart, etc. used by a customer reads the barcode of a product to obtain product identification information, and transmits the obtained product identification information to the register to perform payment.

Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to a method in which the mobile terminal 3 acquires product identification information and performs settlement. In this case, the mobile terminal 3 functions as a settlement terminal instead of the accounting machine 5. For example, assume that the shared mobile terminal 3b acquires product identification information, registers a purchased product, and selects the payment ID shared with the payment source mobile terminal 3a as the payment method for the purchased product. Then, the management server 2 approves the payment source mobile terminal 3a based on the payment ID acquired from the shared mobile terminal 3b, extracts credit information from the member information DB 26, and transmits it to the shared mobile terminal 3b. In this way, the mobile terminal 3b can make a credit payment based on the credit information linked to the shared ID, and can perform settlement. In this embodiment, the shared mobile terminal 3b used by the sharer can register the product as a purchased product when it acquires product identification information in an area where a purchase permission screen is displayed based on the zone restriction. However, if the product identification information is acquired in an area where a purchase prohibition screen is displayed, it cannot be registered as a purchased product.

In addition, if the sharer does not have a mobile terminal 3, this embodiment can be applied by inputting a password indicating the restricted payment ID into the advanced basket or advanced cart. In other words, the notification terminal to which the notification is sent in the notification process is not limited to the mobile terminal 3, but may be the advanced basket, advanced cart, etc. In this case, in an area where the purchase of products is possible as a zone restriction, a purchase permission screen or purchase prohibition screen may be displayed on the display of the advanced basket or advanced cart instead of the shared mobile terminal 3b. In addition, a purchase permission screen or purchase prohibition screen may be displayed on a shelf tag 98 on a product shelf as shown in FIG. 22.

Furthermore, as in the above embodiment, when the payment source mobile terminal 3a sends the refusal information, it may include a message indicating the reason for non-approval, or it may also send the refusal information to the shared mobile terminal 3b.

In addition, in this embodiment, the zone restriction is set to an area where the purchase of products is possible, but instead, the zone restriction may be set to an area where the purchase of products is prohibited. The zone restriction is set by the user of the payment source mobile terminal 3a, but it may be set by the store. For example, the age of the customer may be calculated based on the date of birth at the time of member registration, and for a payment ID used by a customer under the age of 20, the alcohol area or tobacco area may be set as the area where the purchase of products is prohibited as the zone restriction. This makes it possible to prevent minors from purchasing products such as alcohol and tobacco that require age verification. Furthermore, when a customer enters an area set as an area where the purchase of products is prohibited as a zone restriction, not only a purchase prohibition screen but also a warning message such as "Please leave this area quickly" may be displayed on the shared mobile terminal 3b.

Furthermore, instead of an area, zone restrictions may be set to products that are permitted to be purchased or products that are prohibited from being purchased. In this case, when the shared mobile terminal 3b reads the barcode of the purchased product to obtain product identification information, it communicates with the management server 2 and determines whether or not the purchased product is permitted to be purchased based on the zone restrictions. If it is determined that the purchased product is permitted to be purchased, the shared mobile terminal 3b displays a purchase permission screen and allows the product to be registered. On the other hand, if it is determined that the purchased product is prohibited, the shared mobile terminal 3b displays a purchase prohibition screen and does not allow the product to be registered.

In addition, in the notification process of this embodiment, location information acquired from the shared mobile terminal 3b equipped with a GPS is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a notification using wireless communication. In this example, the management server 2 manages wireless communication transmitted from product shelves installed in advance in each area. Specifically, when the management server 2 recognizes that the shared mobile terminal 3b has received wireless communication transmitted from the shelves in the sweets area, the management server 2 displays a purchase permission screen including a "○" mark on the shared mobile terminal 3b based on the zone restriction.

This allows the sharer to recognize areas where product purchases are permitted or prohibited using the restricted payment ID through notifications within the store. In particular, even customers who have difficulty reading messages, such as children or the elderly, can easily visually recognize whether or not they are permitted to purchase products through notifications such as "o" marks, "x" marks, blue or red marks, etc. displayed on the screen.

[Modification]
Modifications of the above embodiment will be described below. The following modifications can be implemented in appropriate combination.

(First Modification)
In the above embodiment, the restriction information is stored in the member information DB 26, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the payment ID may include the restriction information. This allows the checkout machine 5, rather than the management server 2, to determine whether or not a product purchase is within a restricted range during product purchase processing. Also, in notification processing, the shared mobile terminal 3b, rather than the management server 2, to determine whether or not the area is within a zone restriction.

(Second Modification)
In the above embodiment, the payment ID is issued in association with a credit card, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a payment ID can be issued as long as it can be associated with a valid payment method. For example, if the mobile terminal 3 is a smartphone, a valid payment method that can be applied is carrier payment, which combines the payment of the purchased product with the mobile phone fee or communication fee.

(Third Modification)
The payment ID may be shared by communication using a dedicated application, an email address, an SNS, etc., or by using a screenshot of a two-dimensional code indicating the payment ID or a password. However, these methods have a large security risk, such as leakage or misuse by others. Therefore, the sharing of the payment ID may be limited to short-range wireless communication such as NFC (Near Field Communication), and security may be enhanced by performing authentication and communication simultaneously or by including terminal information of the mobile terminal 3 in the payment ID during communication.

In addition, some or all of the above embodiments (including modified examples, the same applies below) can be described as, but are not limited to, the following notes.

(Appendix 1)
A purchase management system including a server device and a checkout terminal,
The server device includes:
a payment method registration unit that registers a payment method by a payment source customer who is a payment source customer;
a payment ID issuing unit that issues a payment ID in association with the payment method of the payment source customer;
a payment method transmission unit that transmits a payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal;
Equipped with
The settlement terminal includes:
A payment ID acquisition unit that acquires the payment ID;
a payment method receiving unit that receives a payment method associated with the payment ID from the server device;
a settlement unit that settles the payment for the purchased product using a payment method associated with the payment ID;
A purchasing management system comprising:

(Appendix 2)
The purchase management system described in Appendix 1, characterized in that the server device further includes a payment ID sharing unit that shares the payment ID with a sharer who is a customer different from the payment source customer.

(Appendix 3)
The payment ID issuing unit issues a payment ID with a restriction set as a condition for use,
The settlement terminal includes:
a determination unit that determines whether or not the purchase of the product is within a range of a restriction set for the payment ID,
The purchase management system described in Appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that the settlement unit settles the payment using the payment method linked to the payment ID only in the case of a payment ID that is determined by the judgment unit to be within the limit.

(Appendix 4)
The purchase management system described in Appendix 3, wherein the restriction is at least one of the maximum number of times the product can be used, the period during which the product can be used, and the maximum amount to be paid for the purchased product.

(Appendix 5)
The store where the product is purchased is divided into a plurality of areas,
5. The purchase management system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the restriction is a zone restriction indicating an area in which the purchase of the product is permitted or an area in which the purchase of the product is prohibited.

(Appendix 6)
The purchase management system includes a notification terminal used by the customer,
The server device includes:
A purchase management system as described in Appendix 5, characterized in that it has a notification unit that notifies the notification terminal of purchase permission if the notification terminal is in an area where the purchase of the product is permitted, and notifies the notification terminal of purchase prohibition if the notification terminal is in an area where the purchase of the product is prohibited, based on the zone set as the restriction for the payment ID used by the customer.

(Appendix 7)
The settlement terminal includes:
an approval request unit that sends an approval request to the payment source customer to inquire whether or not to approve the settlement of the payment for the purchased product by the payment method linked to the payment ID;
The purchase management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the settlement unit performs the settlement only when approval information indicating the approval is received.

(Appendix 8)
A server device capable of communicating with a settlement terminal,
a payment method registration unit that registers a payment method by a payment source customer who is a payment source customer;
a payment ID issuing unit that issues a payment ID in association with the payment method of the payment source customer;
A server device comprising: a payment method transmission unit that transmits the payment method linked to the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal.

(Appendix 9)
A purchase management method executed by a server device capable of communicating with a checkout terminal, comprising:
Register a payment method by the paying customer, who is the paying customer;
issue a payment ID in association with the payment method used by the payment source customer;
A purchase management method that transmits a payment method linked to the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal.

(Appendix 10)
Register a payment method by the paying customer, who is the paying customer;
issue a payment ID in association with the payment method used by the payment source customer;
A program that causes a computer to execute a process of transmitting a payment method linked to a payment ID received from a settlement terminal to the settlement terminal.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Various modifications that a person skilled in the art can understand can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention. In other words, the present invention naturally includes various modifications and amendments that a person skilled in the art could make in accordance with the entire disclosure, including the scope of the claims, and the technical ideas. In addition, the disclosures of the above cited patent documents and the like are incorporated into this document by reference.

Reference Signs List 1 POS server 2 Management server 3 Mobile terminal 5 Accounting machine 8 Basket 60 Packing device 70 Payment ID reader

Claims (9)

A purchase management system including a server device and a checkout terminal,
The server device includes:
a payment method registration unit that registers a payment method by a payment source customer who is a payment source customer;
a payment ID issuing unit that issues a payment ID in association with the payment method of the payment source customer;
a payment method transmission unit that transmits a payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal;
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Department and
Equipped with
The settlement terminal includes:
A payment ID acquisition unit that acquires the payment ID;
a payment method receiving unit that receives a payment method associated with the payment ID from the server device;
a settlement unit that settles the payment for the purchased product using a payment method associated with the payment ID;
Equipped with
The payment ID sharing unit acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
and transmitting the payment ID to a mobile terminal used by the sharer . The payment ID issuing unit issues a payment ID with a restriction set as a condition for use,
The settlement terminal includes:
a determination unit that determines whether or not the purchase of the product is within a range of a restriction set for the payment ID,
The purchase management system according to claim 1 , wherein the settlement unit settles the payment using a payment method linked to the payment ID only when the determination unit determines that the payment ID is within the limit. 3. The purchase management system according to claim 2 , wherein the restriction is at least one of an upper limit of the number of times the product can be used, a period during which the product can be used, and an upper limit of the amount of payment for the purchased product. The store where the product is purchased is divided into a plurality of areas,
4. The purchase management system according to claim 2 , wherein the restriction is a zone restriction that indicates an area in which the purchase of the product is permitted or an area in which the purchase of the product is prohibited. The purchase management system includes a notification terminal used by the customer,
The server device includes:
A purchase management system as described in claim 4, characterized in that it is further provided with a notification unit that notifies the notification terminal of purchase permission if the notification terminal is in an area where purchase of the product is permitted, and notifies the notification terminal of purchase prohibition if the notification terminal is in an area where purchase of the product is prohibited, based on the zone set as the restriction for the payment ID used by the customer. The settlement terminal includes:
an approval request unit that sends an approval request to the payment source customer to inquire whether or not to approve the settlement of the payment for the purchased product by the payment method linked to the payment ID;
6. The purchase management system according to claim 1, wherein the settlement unit performs the settlement only when approval information indicating the approval is received. A server device capable of communicating with a settlement terminal,
a payment method registration unit that registers a payment method by a payment source customer who is a payment source customer;
a payment ID issuing unit that issues a payment ID in association with the payment method of the payment source customer;
a payment method transmission unit that transmits a payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal;
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Department and
Equipped with
The payment ID sharing unit acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
and a server device that transmits the payment ID to a mobile terminal used by the sharer . A purchase management method executed by a server device capable of communicating with a checkout terminal, comprising:
Register a payment method by the paying customer, who is the paying customer;
issue a payment ID in association with the payment method used by the payment source customer;
Transmitting the payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal.
,
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Processing is performed,
The payment ID sharing process acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
and transmitting the payment ID to a mobile terminal used by the sharer . Register a payment method by the paying customer, who is the paying customer;
issue a payment ID in association with the payment method used by the payment source customer;
Transmitting a payment method associated with the payment ID received from the settlement terminal to the settlement terminal;
A payment ID sharing method in which the payment ID is shared with a co-owner who is a customer different from the payment source customer.
Processing is performed,
The payment ID sharing process acquires sharer information regarding a sharer designated by the payment source customer.
and executing a process of transmitting the payment ID to a mobile terminal used by the co-owner on the computer.
A program to do so .

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