Abstract:
An apparatus and method for creating coupons for free gift presentation is provided, which encrypts an instant coupon number capable of indicating whether the instant coupon number is a winning number while allowing a customer who receives a coupon to immediately check whether he or she has won a free gift using a smart phone or the like.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates, in general, to an apparatus and method for creating coupons for free gift presentation and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for creating coupons for free gift presentation, which allow a customer who receives a coupon, on which an encrypted instant coupon number capable of indicating whether the instant coupon number is a winning number is printed, to immediately check whether he or she has won a free gift using a smart phone or the like. 
         [0002]    Generally, as a type of marketing, free gifts are directly provided when products are purchased, or are provided using various types of coupons so as to prompt customers to purchase products. Typically, a free gift means that another product is provided free or at a low price to persons who purchased a certain product for a predetermined period of time. Such a free gift is used as a means for constructing a customer database (DB) and contributes to the improvement of the image of a brand. 
         [0003]    However, marketing that presents free gifts, gift cards, and complimentary tickets using coupons, rather than marketing that provides free gifts when customer purchase products, has been mainly used so as to achieve publicity effects, prompt the purchase of products, and collect customer information. Typically, on coupons for free gift presentation, coupon numbers are printed, and methods of presenting free gifts are mainly implemented as an unconditional presentation method of receiving the coupon number of a relevant coupon from a coupon user who accesses the corresponding site using a computer or the like, registering the coupon number, and then providing a free gift, and a winning method of providing a free gift only when an input coupon number is a winning coupon number. 
         [0004]    Therefore, the latter case has inconvenience in that a coupon user must personally access the site of a company that provides coupons using a computer each time, individually enter coupon numbers printed on coupons, and then check whether he or she has a winning coupon number. 
         [0005]    Further, conventional coupons are problematic in that coupon numbers are printed to allow anyone to easily view coupon numbers printed on the coupons, thus causing the coupon numbers to be easily exposed to a third party. Accordingly, there is a problem in that a third party who views the coupon number of the coupon can register the coupon number and receive a free gift before the actual coupon user does. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for creating coupons for free gift presentation, which allow a customer who receives a coupon, on which an encrypted instant coupon number capable of indicating whether the instant coupon number is a winning number is printed, to immediately check whether he or she has won a free gift using a smart phone or the like. 
         [0007]    An apparatus for creating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention to accomplish the above object includes a winning reference number generation unit for generating winning reference numbers, in which group numbers, each including a plurality of different one-digit numbers, indicate a plurality of groups, a winning reference number storage unit for storing the generated winning reference numbers, a coupon number generation unit for loading each of the stored winning reference numbers, and generating coupon numbers including both winning numbers, generated using one of group numbers of the loaded winning reference number, and winning group information having information about the group number, a coupon number storage unit for storing the coupon numbers corresponding to each of the winning reference numbers, and an instant coupon number generation unit for generating instant coupon numbers by combining the winning reference number, used when the coupon numbers are generated, with the individual coupon numbers, wherein coupons on which the instant coupon numbers are printed are created. 
         [0008]    The coupon number generation unit may include a winning reference number loading unit for loading one winning reference number from the stored winning reference numbers so that the numbers are not duplicated, a winning group number generation unit for receiving the winning reference number from the winning reference number loading unit, and generating a winning group number indicating a group of a group number to be used to check winning of winning numbers to be generated, a winning number generation unit for generating the winning numbers using group numbers corresponding to a group of the winning group number generated by the winning group number generation unit with respect to each of the group numbers of the winning reference number, and a combination unit for generating the coupon numbers by combining the winning group number with the winning numbers. 
         [0009]    The coupon number generation unit may arrange the winning group number on a leftmost side and arrange each winning number on a right side of the winning group number. 
         [0010]    A method of creating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention to accomplish the above object includes a winning reference number generation step of generating and storing winning reference numbers, each composed of a plurality of group numbers that each include a plurality of different one-digit numbers, a coupon number generation step of generating coupon numbers including both winning numbers, generated using one of the group numbers for each of the stored winning reference numbers, and a winning group number having information about the group number, an instant coupon number generation step of generating instant coupon numbers by combining the winning reference number generated when the coupon numbers are generated with individual coupon numbers, and a coupon creation step of printing the instant coupon numbers on coupons, and then creating the coupons. 
         [0011]    The coupon number generation step may include a winning reference number loading step of loading one winning reference number from the stored winning reference numbers so that the numbers are not duplicated, a winning group number generation step of generating a winning group number having group information of a group number to be used to check winning of winning numbers to be generated using random group numbers of the loaded winning reference number, a winning number generation step of generating winning numbers using group numbers of the group indicated by the winning group number, and a coupon number generation step of generating coupon numbers by combining the winning group number with the individual winning numbers. 
         [0012]    The coupon numbers may be configured such that the winning group number is arranged on a leftmost side and each winning number is arranged on a right side of the winning group number. 
         [0013]    The present invention is advantageous in that an instant coupon number is primarily converted into and displayed as a barcode, and the coupon number itself is secondarily encrypted and printed, thus preventing the coupon number from being exposed to a third party. 
         [0014]    Further, the present invention is advantageous in that a user can immediately check whether he or she has a winning coupon number using a smart phone, on which an application program enabling the encrypted coupon number to be recognized according to the present invention is installed, without accessing a corresponding site using a computer. 
         [0015]    Furthermore, the present invention is advantageous in that winning number information indicating whether the coupon number of the corresponding coupon is a winning number is encrypted, thus preventing a third party from visually checking whether the coupon is a winning coupon. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an apparatus for creating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a method of generating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing a method of checking whether a coupon for free gift presentation is a winning coupon according to the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing one surface of a coupon generated according to the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a winning number generation method according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Hereinafter, an apparatus and method for creating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention will be described. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an apparatus for creating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention,  FIG. 4  is a diagram showing one surface of a coupon generated according to the present invention, and  FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a winning number generation method according to the present invention. Below, a description will be made with reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 . 
         [0023]    An apparatus for creating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention includes a winning reference number generation unit  10 , a winning reference number storage unit  2 , a coupon number generation unit  30 , a coupon number storage unit  40 , and an instant coupon number generation unit  50 . 
         [0024]    The winning reference number generation unit  10  receives input data, such as the number of coupons to be output, and then generates winning reference numbers  302 , each composed of a plurality of group numbers that each include a plurality of different one-digit numbers. In detail, when there are about ten thousand or more coupons to be output, such a winning reference number  302  is composed of five groups, each including four numbers, as represented by the following Equation 1. Numbers of the respective groups are referred to as group numbers. 
         [0000]      winning reference number=[{ 10   P   4 },{ 9   P   4 },{ 8   P   4 },{ 7   P   4 },{ 6   P   4 }]  [Equation 1]
 
         [0025]    As shown in Equation 1, the winning reference number  302  is composed of five groups, and each group is composed of four numbers using permutation. A leftmost group is set to a first group, and a rightmost group is set to a fifth group in the present invention. The first group is composed of numbers corresponding to  10 P 4  (10 permutation 4), and a second group, a third group, a fourth group, and a fifth group are composed of numbers corresponding to  9 P 4 ,  8 P 4 ,  7 P 4 , and  6 P 4 , respectively. For example,  10 P 4  denotes group numbers implemented as four numbers that are selected from among 10 numbers of 0, 1, 2, . . . , 9 without duplication of numbers, and that are sequentially arranged. Therefore, in the first group, 5040 group numbers are generated, in the second group, 3024 group numbers are generated, in the third group, 1680 group numbers are generated, in the fourth group, 840 group numbers are generated, and in the fifth group, 360 group numbers are generated. In the above example, the case where four numbers are selected from among 10, 9, 8, 7 or 6 numbers and are arranged has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. 
         [0026]    The winning reference number storage unit  20  stores a plurality of winning reference numbers  302  generated by the winning reference number generation unit  10 . For example, when the winning reference number  302  is composed of five groups and is given by Equation 1, the total number of generated winning reference numbers  302  may be 5040*3024*1680*840*360. Even if the number of winning reference numbers generated as described above is excessively large, there is no probability that numbers will be duplicated, so that such a winning reference number is an issued number and is used as an encrypted issued number. That is, the winning reference number storage unit  20  stores 5040*3024*1680*840*360 winning reference numbers  302 . 
         [0027]    The coupon number generation unit  30  sequentially loads one of the winning reference numbers  302  stored in the winning reference number storage unit  20  without duplicating the numbers, generates winning numbers  306 , each composed of group numbers of four groups, using individual group numbers of the loaded winning reference number  302 , generates each winning group number  305  indicating a group number used to generate the winning number  306 , and generates coupon numbers  303  by combining the winning group number  305  with the winning numbers  306 . The winning group number  305  is formed as a single group, as shown in  FIG. 4 , and is preferably arranged on the left side of the winning number  306  when combination is performed. 
         [0028]    In detail, the coupon number generation unit  30  includes a winning reference number loading unit  31 , a winning group number generation unit  32 , a winning number generation unit  33 , and a combination unit  34 . The operations of individual components of the coupon number generation unit  30  and a coupon number generation method performed by the components will be described using an example in which a group used to generate a winning number is a first group, and group numbers of the first group are [1, 2, 3, 4]. 
         [0029]    The winning reference number loading unit  31  sequentially loads one of winning reference numbers  302  from the winning reference number storage unit  20 , and provides the loaded winning reference number to the winning group number generation unit  32  and the winning number generation unit  33 . 
         [0030]    The winning group number generation unit  32  receives the winning reference number  302  from the winning reference number loading unit  31 , and generates a winning group number  305  indicating the group corresponding to a group number to be used to check the winning of the winning numbers  306  to be generated. For example, since the group used to generate the winning numbers is a first group, the winning group number  305  must be configured to indicate the first group. Therefore, the winning group number generation unit  32  configures individual numbers of the winning group number  305  so that the numbers satisfy the following Equation 2, thus generating the winning group number  305 . 
         [0000]      winning group=Remainder[sum( a,b,c,d )/10]  [Equation 2]
 
         [0031]    That is, since the winning group is a first group, numbers a, b, c, and d must be determined so that a remainder obtained by calculating (a+b+c+d)/10 becomes 1 and the numbers a, b, c, and d are not duplicated. For example, the numbers a, b, c, and d of the winning group number  305  may be 3, 5, 6, 7 (Remainder [(3+5+6+7)/10]=1), 2, 4, 7, 8(Remainder [(2+4+7+8)/10]=1), or the like. 
         [0032]    The winning number generation unit  33  generates winning numbers using the winning reference number  302  and group numbers that can be generated by permutation corresponding to a group corresponding to the winning group number generated by the winning group number generation unit. 
         [0033]    When a description is made using the above example, the winning number generation unit  33  arranges 5040 generated group numbers of the first group in a column (hereinafter referred to as a “first column”), randomly shuffles the 5040 group numbers of the first group arranged in the first column and arranges the shuffled group numbers in a column (hereinafter referred to as a “second column”) on the right side of the first column, randomly shuffles the group numbers in the first or second column and arranges the shuffled group numbers in a column (hereinafter referred to as a “third column”) on the right side of the second column, and randomly shuffles the group numbers in the first or third column and arranges the shuffled group numbers in a column (hereinafter referred to as a “fourth column”) on the right side of the third column, thus forming a seed  401 . Individual rows of the seed  401  refer to winning numbers. Therefore, the winning number generation unit  33  reads numbers in the seed  401  for each row, and outputs each number as a winning number. Therefore, the winning group number generation unit  32  must output the same winning group number  305  until all of winning numbers  306  of the seed  401  are output. 
         [0034]    The combination unit  34  generates coupon numbers  303  by combining each winning group number  305  output from the winning group number generation unit  32  with the winning numbers  306  output from the winning number generation unit  33 , and stores the coupon numbers  303  in the coupon number storage unit  40 . 
         [0035]    The coupon number storage unit  40  stores coupon numbers  303  for one winning reference number  302 , and if another winning reference number  302  is newly loaded, deletes the stored coupon numbers and stores coupon numbers  303  for the newly loaded winning reference number  302 . However, when the memory capacity of the coupon number storage unit  40  is configured to be large, the coupon number storage unit may be configured such that all winning reference numbers  302  and coupon numbers  303  corresponding to each winning reference number are stored to be mapped to each other. 
         [0036]    The instant coupon number generation unit  50  receives each winning reference number  302  from the winning reference number loading unit  31  of the coupon number generation unit  30 , sequentially reads coupon numbers  303  stored in the coupon number storage unit  40 , and generates and outputs instant coupon numbers  301 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . In this case, the instant coupon number generation unit  50  combines the same winning reference number  302  with all coupon numbers  303  stored in the coupon number storage unit  40 , and outputs resulting instant coupon numbers. 
         [0037]    The generated instant coupon numbers  301  are provided to a coupon print data generation unit  60 . 
         [0038]    The coupon print data generation unit  60  combines the individual instant coupon numbers  301  with different types of print data of coupons (text, an image, or the like), generates coupon print data, as shown in  FIG. 4 , and provides the coupon print data to a printer (not shown) so that coupons are printed. 
         [0039]    The coupon creation apparatus according to the present invention may further include a barcode conversion unit (not shown). The barcode conversion unit may convert the winning reference number  302  and the coupon number  303  of each instant coupon number  301  generated by the instant coupon number generation unit  50  into barcodes, generate instant coupon barcode data, and provide the instant coupon barcode data to the coupon print data generation unit  60 . In this case, the coupon print data generation unit  60  may generate coupon print data including instant coupon barcode data and text and image data, and provide the coupon print data to the printer. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a method of generating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention. 
         [0041]    Hereinafter, a method of generating coupons for free gift presentation according to the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 . 
         [0042]    First, the winning reference number generation unit  10  examines whether input data, such as the number of coupons and the number of winners, has been received (S 211 ). 
         [0043]    If the input data has been received, the winning reference number generation unit  10  generates winning reference numbers based on the input data, and stores the generated winning reference numbers in the winning reference number storage unit  20  (S 213 ). For example, where the number of coupons is about ten thousand and the number of winners is 120, winning reference numbers  302  are generated so that 24 winners can come out of a single group and a total of 120 winners can come out with respect to group numbers corresponding to a total of five groups, on the basis of the above Equation 1. As in the case of the above example, when ten thousand coupons are created, only a single winning reference number  302  needs to be generated when the above Equation 1 is used. The reason for this is that a total of 10944 (5040+3024+1680+840+360) winning numbers can be generated for a single winning reference number  30  in consideration of the number of winning numbers that can be generated for the first group, that is, 5040, the number of winning numbers that can be generated for the second group, that is, 3024, the number of winning numbers that can be generated for the third group, that is, 1680, the number of winning numbers that can be generated for the fourth group, that is, that is, 840, and the number of winning numbers that can be generated for the fifth group, that is, 360. 
         [0044]    When each winning reference number  302  is generated, the coupon number generation unit  30  generates winning group numbers  305  and winning numbers  306  (S 215  and S 217 ), and then generates coupon numbers  303  by combining the winning group numbers with the winning numbers  306 , thus (S 219 ). 
         [0045]    When the coupon numbers are generated, the instant coupon number generation unit  50  generates instant coupon numbers by combining the winning reference number  302  with a plurality of coupon numbers  303  corresponding to the winning reference number  302  (S 221 ). 
         [0046]    When the instant coupon numbers are generated, the coupon print data generation unit  60  generates coupon print data including the instant coupon numbers  301  and text and image data, outputs the coupon print data to a printer (not shown), and causes coupons including different instant coupon numbers  301  to be printed (S 223 ). In this case, it is preferable that the instant coupon numbers be converted into barcodes and printed on coupons. 
         [0047]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing a method of checking whether a coupon for free gift presentation is a winning coupon according to the present invention, wherein the method is described as being performed by a winning checking terminal (not shown), such as a smart phone or an exclusive terminal on which an App (an abbreviation of an application) for checking whether a coupon for free gift presentation is a winning coupon according to the present invention is installed. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the winning checking terminal examines whether the instant coupon barcode of a coupon  300  for free gift presentation according to the present invention has been scanned (S 311 ). 
         [0049]    If the instant coupon barcode has been scanned, it is converted into an instant coupon number  301  (S 313 ). 
         [0050]    If the instant coupon barcode is converted into the instant coupon number  301 , the winning checking terminal detects a winning group number  305  from the coupon number  303  (S 315 ), and thereafter calculates a winning group based on the above Equation 2 (S 315 ). 
         [0051]    If the winning group has been calculated, the winning checking terminal detects the group number of a winning reference number corresponding to the calculated winning group (S 317 ), and then examines whether any one of group numbers of a winning number  306  includes all numbers corresponding to the detected group number (S 319 ). 
         [0052]    If even one of the numbers corresponding to the group number of the winning number is not identical to the numbers of the winning reference number, the winning checking terminal determines the coupon  300  to be a losing coupon (S 325 ), notifies the user of the losing coupon by displaying the losing coupon, and terminates the process. 
         [0053]    In contrast, if the numbers corresponding to any group number of the winning number are identical to those of the group number of the winning reference number, the winning checking terminal calculates identicalness in the sequence of the numbers (S 321 ), determines the ranks of winning based on the sequence identicalness (S 323 ), and notifies the user of the ranks by displaying the ranks on a screen. The winning ranks may be configured such that when four numbers among a total of four numbers are identical even in the sequence, the user is determined to be a first prize winner, when three numbers are identical, the user is determined to be a second prize winner, when two numbers are identical, the user is determined to be a third prize winner, and when one number is identical, the user is determined to be a fourth prize winner. Further, winning ranking may also be configured such that when all four numbers are identical, the user is determined to be a first prize winner, and in the remaining cases, the user is determined to be a second prize winner. 
         [0054]    Meanwhile, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to the above-described typical embodiments, and that various improvements, modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. It should be understood that as long as the implementation of improvements, modifications, additions and substitutions fall within the scope of the accompanying claims, the spirit thereof belongs to the scope of the present invention. 
       DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               10 : winning reference number generation unit 
               20 : winning reference number storage unit 
               30 : coupon number generation unit 
               31 : winning reference number loading unit 
               32 : winning group number generation unit 
               33 : winning number generation unit 
               34 : combination unit 
               40 : coupon number storage unit 
               50 : instant coupon number generation unit 
               60 : coupon print data generation unit