Abstract:
A point management method and a point management system are provided which can transfer points based on a plea. A server, which operates a point system, includes a unit for producing and transmitting a point transfer request mail, a unit for subtracting points to be transferred from the balance of points of a user who offers a transfer of points and producing and retaining point transfer information, a unit for producing and transmitting an allowance mail containing point number information and a unit for adding the number of points agreed to be transferred to the balance of points of the user who pleads for points upon receipt of an access from the user based on the allowance mail. A user, who is short of points, can positively plead with a user, who is likely to have residual points, for some points, and the user who is willing to transfer points can transfer points through a simple operation, thereby making it possible to enhance the conveniences to the users.

Description:
[0001]     The present disclosure relates to a subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-231581, filed on Aug. 6, 2004 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-130395, filed on Apr. 26, 2004, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a point management method, a point management system, a terminal and a point management program, and more particularly to a point management method, a point management system, a terminal and a point management program which can transfer a point or points based on a point transfer request (a plea for a point or points).  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Conventionally, in a downloading site for incoming call identification melodies for mobile phones, a certain number of points are accumulated when a user pays periodically (e.g. monthly) a certain amount of money for a monthly rate for a service he or she receives via his or her mobile phone, whereby the user is allowed to download an incoming call identification melody by using the points so accumulated. Consequently, in the event that he or she has used up the accumulated points, the user cannot download a new incoming call identification melody until a required number of points are accumulated. Thus, a technique has been proposed in which points are transferred among users. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-109424 (i.e. JP-A-2002-109424) discloses a technique in which accounts are settled by transferring points among the members.  
         [0006]     When the conventional point transfer method as described in the Japanese unexamined patent publication is adopted in the aforesaid incoming call identification melodies downloading site, a problem occurs. In particular, while users having residual points have to find parties to whom the points are to be transferred, time and labor have to be expended to find the user who wants points. Furthermore, a troublesome operation has to be carried out to transfer the points. In addition, there another problem is caused since users who are short of points tend to feel it difficult for them to transfer points from the users having the residual points as the former has to ask the latter to perform the troublesome operation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The invention was made to solve at least these problems, and with a view to attaining this objective, various aspects of the invention are provided  
         [0008]     According to one aspect, the present invention relates to a point management method which includes producing and transmitting a point transfer request mail containing information on the number of points requested to be transferred upon receipt of a request from a terminal of a user. A number of points agreed to be transferred are subtracted from the balance of points of a user who offers a transfer of the agreed number of points when there is an access from a terminal of the user based on the transfer request mail and a point transfer mail is prepared to be transmitted to the terminal of the user who has requested a transfer of points. The agreed number of points are added to the balance of points of the user who has requested a transfer of points when there is an access from the terminal of the user based on the point transfer mail.  
         [0009]     In addition, the subtracting further includes changing the number of points contained in the transfer request mail. The adding further includes confirming that the agreed number of points have not yet been transferred and changing the status of the points such that the points have been transferred.  
         [0010]     According to a further aspect of the invention, the present invention is directed to a point management system including a transfer request mail producer that produces and transmits a point transfer request mail which contains information on the number of points requested to be transferred upon receipt of a request from a terminal of a user. A transfer processor produces and stores transfer information by subtracting the number of points agreed to be transferred from the balance of points of a user who offers a transfer of the agreed number of points when there is an access from a terminal of the user based on the transfer request mail. A point transfer mail producer produces and transmits a point transfer mail which contains information on the number of points to be transferred. A point transfer adder adds the number of points agreed to be transferred to the balance of points of the user who has requested a transfer of points when there is an access from the terminal of the user based on the point transfer mail.  
         [0011]     Further, the transfer processor further includes a changing unit for changing the number of points contained in the transfer request mail and a downloader that downloads an application program in the terminal.  
         [0012]     According to a further aspect, the present invention is related to a computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by a computer. The program includes a transfer request mail producer code segment that produces and transmits a point transfer request mail which contains information on the number of points requested to be transferred upon receipt of a request from a terminal of a user. A transfer processor code segment subtracts the number of points agreed to be transferred from the balance of points of a user who offers a transfer of the agreed number of points when there is an access from a terminal of the user based on the transfer request mail, and produces and stores transfer information. A point transfer mail producer code segment produces and transmits a point transfer mail which contains information on the number of points to be transferred. A point transfer adder code segment adds the number of points agreed to be transferred to the balance of points of the user who has requested a transfer of points when there is an access from the terminal of the user based on the point transfer mail.  
         [0013]     A further aspect of the present application is directed to terminal that includes a request mail producer that produces a point transfer request mail in cooperation with a server. An allowance transmission assistant assists in producing an allowance point transmission mail in cooperation with the server based on a received point transfer request mail and a receipt assistant assists in a point receiving process based on a received allowance transmission mail.  
         [0014]     Thus, according to the first to eighth aspects of the invention, a technique can be provided in which residual points of a user can easily be transferred. In addition, since a user who is short of points can positively plead with a user who is likely to have residual points for some points and the user who is ready to transfer points can transfer the points by a simple operation, an advantage in is provided that the convenience to the users can be enhanced. Additionally, there is another advantage that a user who has residual points can reduce time and effort that are required to find a user who is short of points. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing schematically illustrating and explaining the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the invention,  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an example of the internal configuration of a server according to an embodiment of the invention,  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the invention,  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory drawing illustrating the configuration of a point purchase table which manages the transfer of points,  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating the contents of a point transfer request mail producing step according to an embodiment of the invention,  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating the contents of an allowance transmitting step according to an embodiment of the invention,  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating the contents of a point receiving step according to an embodiment of the invention,  
         [0022]      FIGS. 8A, 8B  and  8 C are explanatory drawings illustrating an example of a screen displayed in the allowance transmitting step, and  
         [0023]      FIGS. 9A, 9B  and  9 C explanatory drawings illustrating an example of a screen displayed in the point receiving step. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]     Hereinafter, a best mode for carrying out the invention will be described in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings. In this mode, an example is disclosed in which a mobile phone is used as a terminal. However, the invention can be applied to any terminal which can be connected to an internet, such as for example a personal digital assistant (PDA). Firstly, the configuration of the entire system will be described.  FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing schematically illustrating and explaining the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0025]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, this system is such that a mobile terminal (a mobile phone  3  as a non-limiting example thereof) and a server  1  can communicate with each other across a mobile phone network  4  and an internet  5 . The mobile phone network  4  includes a packet network  41  which is connected to a base station, not shown, and which governs a packet processing and a gateway server  42  which is connected to the internet  5  and which governs communication with various types of terminals which are connected to the internet  5 . The gateway server is configured to enable the transmission and connection to the internet  5  from the mobile terminal side.  
         [0026]     The mobile phone  3  stores a Web browser  31  which enables Web browsing via HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), a mailer application program (hereinafter, referred to as an application) according to the invention and the like. The mobile phone  3  can enjoy a Web browsing service by accessing respective sites of the internet  5  via the Web browser  31 .  
         [0027]     The server  1  includes or is connected to a database  2 , communicates with other terminals via the internet  5  using a program  11  and performs a process, which will be described later on, in response to an access from a mobile terminal. The database  2  is a large-scale storage unit connected to the server  1 , stores a downloading mailer application  21  and point-related data  22  such as purchase table data for managing the balance of points of each user and the transfer of points. The database provides required data to the server  1  based on the control by the server  1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of the server  1  according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , for example, the server  1  is connected to the internet  5  and includes such units as a communication control unit  101  which is connected to the internet  5  so as to govern a two-way communication with other apparatuses such as a mobile terminal and a PC via the internet  5 , a control unit  102  which includes a CPU, ROM, RAM and the like and which governs the control of the entirety of the server  1 , and a clock unit  103  for measuring time. The program  11  for providing a Web browser display to other terminals and performing processes of the server itself, a storage unit  104  for storing various types of data or parameters, and a database interface  105  which is connected to the database  2  so as to transmit and receive data to and from the database are provided, whereby the respective units are connected to a bus line  106  in the interior thereof so as to enable the transmission of data, address signals and control signals.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating an example of the internal configuration of the mobile phone  3  according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , for example, the mobile phone  3  includes units or components such as a communication control unit  302  to which an antenna  301  is connected, a control unit  303 , an operation unit  304 , a display unit  306 , a storage unit  307 , and a voice/sound control unit  308 . The respective units are connected to a bus line  311  so as to enable the transmission of data, address signals and control signals there between. The communication control unit  302  performs radio communication with the mobile phone network  4  via the antenna  301 . This communication control unit  302  can perform a voice transmission between other terminals with a telephone function and the mobile phone  3 , and data transmission between the server  1  and the mobile phone  3 .  
         [0030]     The control unit  303  includes a CPU, ROM, RAM and the like and controls the entire mobile phone  3  according to the ROM and various types of programs of the storage unit  307 . The control unit  303  controls the Web browsing via the Web browser  31  (for example, JAVA (trademark) application) which is provided therein as standard equipment and performs a process, which will be described later on, via the mailer application  32 , according to the invention, which is downloaded to be installed therein. The mailer application  32  is an application program including electronic mail transmitting and receiving functions.  
         [0031]     The operation unit  304  an input device which can include dial keys for inputting telephone numbers and characters, selection keys used to invoke a main menu and to enable the vertical and horizontal movements of a cursor relative to selectable icons on the screen so as to select one of a plurality selectable items, a confirmation key for confirming the item selected with the dial keys and selection keys and keys used to enter symbols while using the mail function or entering characters. The input device is not limited to keys but can be embodied in any type of input mechanism.  
         [0032]     The display unit  306  includes, for example, a liquid crystal (or other) display and displays thereon, for example, the Web browser or operation screens used when the telephone and mail functions are used. As has been described above, the storage unit  307  stores therein the Web browser  31  and the mailer application  32 . A speaker  309  and a microphone  310  are connected to the voice/sound control unit  308 , so that the speaker  309  is controlled with respect to the sound output of a calling tone, an incoming call identification melody and an incoming call identification song or “Chaku Uta (trademark)” and the voice output when talking and the microphone  310  is controlled with respect to the voice input when talking.  
         [0033]     Hereinafter, the function and operation of a point management system according to the present invention will be described. Note that while the server  1  may be, for example, a server for providing a registered paying user with a service in which an incoming call identification melody is downloaded, the point management method according to the invention can also be applied to any point utilization system. In addition, users J, K are assumed to have already completed a user registration in this site by a known method, and the application program (the mailer application  32 ) is assumed to have been downloaded in their mobile phones. Further, the term mail as used herein refers to electronic mail or e-mail.  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating the contents of a point transfer request mail producing step in the point management system according to the invention. Vertical lines denote the passage of time, whereas horizontal dotted lines denote the movement of data (the same applies to all descriptions hereinafter). In a point transfer request mail producing step, which is a step or process for preparing and transmitting a point transfer request mail which contains information on the number of points requested to be transferred, an example will be described in which the user J pleads with the user K for some points to be transmitted to user J and the user K transmits points to the user J as an allowance.  
         [0035]     In S 10 , the user J accesses a point pleading or request page with his or her mobile phone  3  using the browser. Note that in the event that the server  1  is an official server approved by a common carrier of the mobile phone network  4 , since the server  1  can obtain from the mobile phone network  4  user ID information (hereinafter, referred to as UID) which is single intrinsic or unique identification information that is given to the user of a mobile phone  3  when attempting to have access e.g. the server from the mobile phone  3 , the server  1  obtains this UID so as to identify a mobile phone  3  used to access the page and uses it as a user ID. In addition, in this invention, a known authentication method can be adopted which uses an ID and a password.  
         [0036]     In S 11 , the server  1  transmits the point pleading page. In S 12 , the browser of the mobile phone  3  of the user J displays the point pleading page. The user J enters the number of points for which he or she wants to plead on this page. In S 13 , the mobile phone  3  of the user J transmits information on the number of points entered by the user J to the server  1 .  
         [0037]     In S 14 , the server  1  produces and transmits to the mobile phone  3  of the user J data of a URL containing a point allowance page ID and a point number ID. In S 15 , the application  32  is activated when the data is received from the server  1 , and a pleading mail is produced. In this pleading mail, the URL is described after a specific delimiter (no further description is allowed), and when this mail is received using the same application, the application is designed to identify the URL. Note that since there exists a situation where the mail is received by a mobile phone in which the application is not installed, the URL is described before a delimiter in the main text. In addition, the data of the URL may be embedded in a header portion of the mail. In S 16 , the mobile phone  3  of the user J transfers the pleading mail so produced to the user K with whom the user J wants to plead for the points based on the operation of the user J.  
         [0038]     Note that in a case where a pleading mail is produced on a mobile phone in which the application is not installed, the following procedure is performed. In S 14 , the server  1  produces a pleading mail in which the URL containing the point allowance ID and the point number ID is described and transmits the pleading mail to the mobile phone  3  of the user J. In the mobile phone  3  of the user J, the mailer receives the pleading mail transmitted from the server  1 , and the pleading mail so received is then transferred to the mobile phone  3  of the user K with whom the user J wants to plead for the points based on the operation of the user J. This process is a normal mail transfer process.  
         [0039]     Next, an allowance transmission step will be described.  FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating the contents of an allowance transmission step in the point management of the invention. In an allowance transmission step which is a step in which based on a received transfer request mail (the pleading mail in the embodiment of the invention), the number of points to be transferred is subtracted from the balance of points of the user who offers a transfer of points, and a point transfer mail (an allowance mail in the embodiment of the invention) is prepared to be transmitted. First, in step S 30 , the mobile phone  3  of the user K receives the pleading mail using the mailer application. In S 31 , when the user K operates the mobile phone  3  to open the mail received using the mailer application, the mobile phone  3  of the user K activates the application to display the pleading mail.  
         [0040]      FIG. 8A  shows an example of a screen  50  of the pleading mail that is displayed by the application in S 31 . A transmitter (the address thereof (from)) and the number of points pleaded for are displayed, and an area  51  indicating “transmit the allowance” is displayed at a lower part of the screen by the application. In addition, a “menu” area  52  is displayed at a bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Note that when the display is implemented by the application, the URL in the main text is not displayed, and instead, the area  51  is displayed. If the user K transmits an allowance without changing the pleaded number of points, the user K selects the “transmit the allowance”, whereas in the event that the user K changes the number of points, the user K selects the menu and then selects a “change the amount of allowance” from a menu displayed in  FIG. 8B .  
         [0041]     In S 32 , the mobile phone  3  of the user K determines whether or not the number of points is changed via the selecting operation by the user K, and if the result of the determination indicates that no change is needed (the “transmit the allowance” is selected), the flow proceeds to S 36 . However, when the result indicates that a change is needed (the “menu” is selected and then the “change the amount of allowance” is selected), the flow proceeds to S 33 . In S 33 , the mobile phone  3  of the user K accesses the point allowance page based on the point allowance page ID information contained in the URL described in the pleading mail.  
         [0042]     In S 34 , the server  1  transmits the point allowance page. In S 35 , the mobile phone  3  of the user K displays the point allowance page.  FIG. 8C  shows a screen example  57  of the point allowance page. A point number entering area  58  is displayed in a middle part of the screen. The user K enters the number of points to be transferred on this screen.  
         [0043]     In S 36 , the mobile phone  3  of the user K transmits the point number data to the server  1 . Also, in the event that the flow proceeds from S 32 , the mobile phone  3  of the user K accesses the point allowance page based on the point allowance page ID information contained in the URL which is described in the pleading mail. In S 37 , a transfer process of points of the user K is implemented in the server  1 . Namely, the server  1  subtracts the number of points that is transferred from the balance of points of the user K that is stored in the point-related data  22  of the database  2  corresponding to the user ID of the user K and adds a new record to a transfer table.  
         [0044]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory drawing showing the configuration of a record on a point transfer table which manages the transfer of points. A slot ID is an identification number of this record. The number of points to be transferred as an allowance is entered in an item of the record which relates to the number of points, and a bus code is produced to be set uniquely and randomly. A receiving user UID column and a receiving date and time column are left blank (not yet received) when producing the record.  
         [0045]     In S 38 , the server  1  produces an allowance mail and transmits the mail to the mobile phone  3  of the user K. The allowance mail contains a URL which contains, in turn, a character-string parameter in which the point transfer information is encrypted. This URL is the address of a point receiving page, and the point transfer information contains data such as the user ID of a user (J) who receives the allowance, carrier (common carrier) ID, server ID of the transfer table in addition to the slot ID, point number and pass code thereof.  
         [0046]     In S 39 , the server  1  transmits a mail transmission completion page. In S 40 , the mail transmission completion page is displayed on the mobile phone  3  of the user K. In S 41 , the mobile phone  3  of the user K receives the allowance mail that is transmitted in S 38 . In S 42 , the allowance mail received on the mobile phone  3  of the user K is then transferred to the mobile phone  3  of the user J based on the operation by the user K. This is the end of the allowance transmission step.  
         [0047]     Next, a point receiving step will be described.  FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating the contents of the point receiving step in the point management system of the invention. In the point receiving step which is a step in which the number of points to be transferred is added to the balance of points of the user based on the point transfer mail so received, the mobile phone  3  of the user J receives the allowance mail in S 50 . In S 51 , based on an operation for opening the allowance mail, the mobile phone  3  of the user J activates the application to display the allowance mail.  FIG. 9A  shows an example of an allowance mail screen which is displayed by the application in S 51 . A transmitter (a mail address of the user who offers the allowance) and the number of points transmitted as the allowance are displayed, and an area designated as “receive” is displayed at a lower part of the screen. Here, the user J selects the “receive”.  
         [0048]     In S 52 , the mobile phone  3  of the user J accesses the point receiving page based on the URL which contains the character-string parameter in which the point transfer information is encrypted. When this access is attempted, the server  1 , as has been described before, obtains the UID from the mobile phone network  4  so as to identify the mobile phone  3 . In S 53 , the point receiving page is transmitted from the server  1 . In S 54 , the mobile phone  3  of the user J displays the point receiving page.  FIG. 9B  shows an example of the screen of the point receiving page displayed in S 54 . Here, the user J selects an “add to the balance of the receiver.” Then, the mobile phone  3  of the user J transmits to the server  1  the character-string parameter in which the point transfer information described in the allowance mail is encrypted.  
         [0049]     In S 55 , after confirming that the points that have been transmitted as the allowance have not yet been received, the server  1  changes the status of the points to show that the points have been received. Namely, firstly, the point transfer information received from the mobile phone is decrypted. As has been described before, since the point transfer information contains the slot ID, point number and pass code of the transfer table, the contents of the transfer table are read out using the slot ID as a key so as to compare the received transfer information with the contents of the transfer table. Then, it is confirmed that the point numbers and pass codes coincide with each other, and furthermore, it is confirmed that the receiving user ID and receiving date and time columns are left blank. After these confirmations, the UID, which is the identification information on the user J obtained from the mobile phone network  4  when the mobile phone  3  of the user J attempted to have an access, is written in the receiving user ID column of the record identified by the slot ID of the transfer table, and the current time is written in the receiving date and time column.  
         [0050]     In S 56 , the server  1  adds the number of points that have been so transferred to the balance of points of the user J which is stored within the point-related data  22  of the database  2  corresponding to the user ID of the user J. In S 57 , an allowance transmission receiving process completion page is transmitted from the server  1 . In S 58 , the allowance transmission receiving process completion page is displayed on the mobile phone.  FIG. 9C  shows an example of a screen of the allowance transmission receiving process completion page that is displayed in S 58 . The number of points that has been added and the current balance of point of the user are displayed on the screen. This is the end of the point receiving step.  
         [0051]     Thus, the user can plead for points through the configurations and operations that have been described heretofore, and the user pleaded with for points can transmit the allowance through the simple operation. Note that in this embodiment, any user, who is the first to execute the receipt, can receive points. Consequently, it is possible that the allowance mail is transferred to a third party, so that the third party can receive points allowed to be transferred by the mail.  
         [0052]     While an embodiment has been described heretofore, it is possible to make the following modifications to the invention. While the example is described in the embodiment in which any user is allowed to receive points, it is possible to design the system such that only a specific user can receive points. In this case, a user ID for the specific receiver is registered in the transfer table, and may be checked while the receiving process is being carried out.  
         [0053]     While the example is disclosed in the embodiment in which the pleading mail and the allowance mail are sent to the mobile phone of the user who pleads for allowance and the mobile phone of the user who offer the allowance, respectively, and the users transfer from their mobile phones the respective mails to the mobile phones of the user who is willing to transfer the allowance and the mobile phone of the user who is pleading for allowance, respectively, the users may transmit addresses of other users as addresses to which the mails are sent to the server  1  from terminals thereof for designation, so that the server  1  transmits the mails to terminals of the other users. While the example is disclosed in the embodiment in which the application is downloaded for installation, the invention can be executed using only browsers and mailers which are equipped on mobile phones as standard equipment. In this case, processes similar to those of the embodiment can be performed by selecting the URLs described in the mails for access.  
         [0054]     It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope of spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular structures, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.