Description

PAYBACK SERVICE METHOD AND SYSTEM USING A SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE

Technical Field

[1] The invention relates to a method and system for providing a payback service using a text message service of communication devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a payback method and system using a short message service, in which when a customer sends a serial number on a commodity to an event-providing company as a text message of a mobile device the company draws lots, and then gives a prize, or return a payback points through a mileage or cash back so as to increase purchasing or to encourage the customer's loyalty to the company or sticking to the company or its products or services. Background Art

[2] In general, providing the customers who purchase products or services with event- related gifts or prizes, as marketing for promoting the products or services which are new or already known to the market, has been widely practiced by manufacturers or service-providers.

[3] Usually, a promotion event for increasing the purchases of a product is performed by the company's advertising the event through media such as newspapers, magazines, handouts, or broadcasting and the customers' applying for participating in the event by sending an event-related serial number assigned to one the promoting products or services sold during the promotion period to the event-sponsoring company through a postcard, ARS phone call, or internet. And, when the promotion period for the event is over, the company draws lots to determine one or more winners and awards the gifts or prizes.

[4] However, marketing through the above type of events has some downsides that it cannot make the participants more enthusiastic because the event is advertised to unspecified individuals who are not defined clearly. Also, the participating customers have to access the company using the ARS phone call or internet in order to check the results of the event. Especially, in case of internet, since one must go through a tedious verification process which requires to input one's own verification information, the participant is forced to suffer waste of considerable time and inconvenience. On the other hand, in case of the ARS phone call, there is another inconvenience of waiting for the phone call to be connected, answering to a couple of guiding messages with questions once connected, and the like. For these reasons, the customers tend to avoid applying for the events through the above methods, such that the marketing for

promoting the products or services, increasing the customer's loyalty, and manipulating the customers to turn into spontaneous and long-term customers of the company becomes to be not that effective. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[5] A short message service (SMS) is a service, which sends a message with a maximum of 160 syllables to a portable telephone which uses a global system for mobile communication (GSM). At first, GSM and SMS services were provided in Europe only. Presently, however, the SMS is being supported in almost all communications including a code division multiple access (CDMA), a time division multiple access (TDMA) as well as GSM. The SMS is similar to a wireless paging service. But, even when the phone is switched off or located in an area out of range, an SMS message is saved for days until the phone gets available again. The SMS message can be sent to any one who is in a same cell or has a roaming service. The message can be sent from one portable phone to another, and further from a portable phone to a server or from a server to a portable phone.

[6] Thanks to the above useful functions, these days, the text message has been introduced to and widely used by nearly every one.

[7] Therefore, an object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a payback service method using a short message service which solves the above problems in marketing in the prior arts using the merits of the SMS message, in which an application to the event is achieved just by a customer's sending the event serial number on a product as a message of a mobile device simply and conveniently, so as to increase the customers' participating in the event.

[8] Another object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a payback service method and system using a short message service, in which the event-sponsoring company determines one or more winners out of event serial numbers collected through simple type of text message applications, provides information on gifts, or provides gifts, cash, or prizes based on mileage, so as to increase the customers purchasing and to encourage the customer's loyalty to the company and sticking to the company and its products and services further. Technical Solution

[9] A payback service method using a short message service according to an embodiment of the invention to achieve the above objects is a method for a service- provider's managing a service that provides a payback for a purchase of product to a purchaser using a computer system, which comprises: storing in a database of the computer system a serial number list issued by assigning a serial number and in-

formation on corresponding payback which are proper to each product in order to provide the payback for purchasing one of the product to a purchaser; when a purchaser purchasing a product to which a serial number is assigned transmits the serial number through a communication network using a text message of a wireless communication terminal, receiving the text message and extracting the serial number and the number of the wireless communication terminal from the text message; searching the database for determining whether the extracted serial number exists in the serial number list; and verifying that the application is successful if the extracted serial number exists in the serial number list on searching and sending a verification success message to the wireless communication terminal of the purchaser.

[10] According to the embodiment of the invention, it is desirable to obtain product information including the name of the product, serial number of each product, and payback information from a company who asked a event to the service provider and to store them in the database.

[11] According to the embodiment, the invention may further comprise registering as a member of the payback service the purchaser by recording the number of the wireless communication terminal and the date and time of purchasing of the purchaser, whose application was verified in the database.

[12] According to the embodiment, the invention may further comprise registering further, to the database, customer information including name and address of the purchaser, which are obtained from the purchaser registered as the member of the payback service by contacting the purchaser off-line or obtained from what the purchaser logs in on a website for the payback service and inputs.

[13] According to the embodiment, the invention may further comprise registering, to the database, an option that the registered purchaser selects online or offline from options of the payback including mileage, cash back, and donation or the like, and handling the payback based on the selected option.

[14] According to the embodiment, in case of raffle drawing for the event, the invention further comprises: determining a winner of the raffle by drawing the application numbers of purchasers who entered the raffle application; sending a winning notification message to each wireless communication terminal of the winners; and storing a list of the winners.

[15] According to the embodiment, when the application is successful, the invention may further comprise: recording and storing the mileage in the database, and notifying the corresponding purchaser of the result as the text message.

[16] According to the embodiment, the invention may further comprise checking, from the database, accumulated mileage of the purchaser whose application is successful, and notifying the purchaser of the accumulated mileage.

[17] According to the embodiment, the invention may further comprise, when the accumulated mileage reaches a predetermined amount, searching the database for an account number of the corresponding purchaser and transferring money of an amount corresponding to the accumulated mileage in the corresponding account.

[18] According to the embodiment, the invention may further comprise providing a marketing database by analyzing tendency, preference, and habit of purchasing based on the database.

[19] Another aspect of the invention provides a system for a service-provider's managing a rewarding service which provides a payback for purchasing of a purchaser, which comprises: a product information database configured to store a serial number list issued by assigning a serial number and information on corresponding payback which are proper to each product in order to provide the payback for purchasing one of the product to a purchaser; an event database configured to record raffle application information in which the serial number extracted from a text message from the raffle applicant through a wireless communication terminal matching the telephone number of the raffle applicant corresponding to the serial number; a customer information database configured to record the customer information, the mileage of the customer, and prize information; and a server configured to: when the purchaser who purchases a product assigned with a serial number transmits the serial number as a text message using a wireless communication terminal through a communication network, extract the serial number and the number of the wireless communication terminal from the text message; search the product information database for determining whether the extracted serial number exists in the serial number list; and verify that the application is successful if the extracted serial number exists in the serial number list on searching, send a verification success message to the wireless communication terminal of the purchaser, and provide the information to the event database and the customer information database.

Advantageous Effects

[20] As disclosed above, a method for a payback service using a short message service according to the invention makes more purchasers apply for a raffle application by sending a serial number assigned to a product as a text message to an event provider so as to simplify the application procedures. Since applying and notifying of the raffle results are achieved by a text message, applicants can go through the procedures or check the status of the raffle.

[21] By providing gifts or prizes by drawings lots based on applications of embodiments of the invention or providing accumulated points for mileage, cash back or the like, it is possible to increase purchasing of the purchasers. Also, by encouraging spontaneous

participation due to the simple application process, it is possible to encourage purchasing, increase loyalty to the corresponding manufacturers, or facilitate making persistent purchasers.

[22] According to embodiments of the invention, by returning a part of sales profit to the purchasers, it is possible to heighten customer's loyalty, advertisement of products, and sales further. Brief Description of the Drawings

[23] Embodiments of the invention are described in detail referring to the accompanying figures, in which the corresponding elements or parts are referred with a same or similar numeral.

[24] Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system for providing a payback service using a short message service according an embodiment of the invention;

[25] Figs. 2 and 3 are flowcharts of a first embodiment of the invention illustrating a payback service using a short message service;

[26] Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the payback service in Fig. 2 using a specific product as an example to show processes more easily;

[27] Figs. 5 and 6 are flowcharts of a second embodiment of the invention illustrating a payback service using a short message service;

[28] Fig. 7 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the payback service in Fig. 5 using a specific product as an example to show processes more easily;

[29] Fig. 8 is a schematic block diagram of a third embodiment of the invention illustrating a marketing method using raffle application;

[30] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a customer information database according to the invention; and

[31] Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating analyzed types of promotions.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[32] A transmitting/receiving mode of the SMS comprises a batch processing mode that is an unilateral communication and a dialog mode that is a bilateral communication, and the batch processing mode comprises a message transmitting mode (mobile origination: MO) and a message receiving mode (mobile termination: MT). Especially, the MO technology is not transmitting a short message of a mobile phone to another mobile phone, but stores the short message in a server and then transmits it to a specific ID, for example, other server or a personal computer (PC). Recently, various services using the MO technology have been introduced.

[33] The invention uses the MO technology of SMS, in which a product purchaser applies for a raffle application by transmitting a serial number to an event provider through a text message of the mobile phone, and the server extracts the serial number

and telephone number of the purchaser from the text message, and searches a product information database (DB) registered with serial numbers for the specific product for the serial number obtained from the text message.

[34] Here, if there is not the serial number from the text message in the product information database, a serial number error message is transmitted to the purchaser who sent the text message. On the other hand, if there is the serial number from the text message in the product information database, the purchaser is registered as a member for a payback service by recording the raffle application information in the event database. And, the server transmits a verification success message as a text message to the purchaser's telephone number to notify that the raffle application was successful.

[35] The verification success message includes an application pass phrases, a guide phrases (information) regarding to a raffle drawing date and how to check if he/she wins in a case of awarding gifts or prizes on raffle, or regarding to an accumulated mileage in a case of mileage awarding.

[36] After sending out the verification success message, in the case of awarding gifts or prizes on raffle, the server draws lots from the applicants registered in the event database and transmits information on the drawing to the mobile phone of the purchaser. Here, the drawing is performed by the server using a traditional program for drawing lots, and the program may adopt an appropriate type of method among various traditional drawing methods.

[37] On the other hand, in the case of awarding mileage, after transmitting the verification success message, the server transmits the accumulated mileage information message to the mobile phone.

[38] Also, the purchaser, who was registered in the database as a payback service member for gifts or mileage, is guided or encouraged to provide one's own private information secondarily or optionally after the raffle application, such that the purchaser's loyalty to the manufacturer is heightened or the additional information is going to be used data for analysis of the purchaser. Here, inputting of the private information can be performed online or offline. That is, the inputting can be performed by having the applicants to type in their own information on a web page of the service provider or the event provider, or by a telemarketing staff who calls the purchaser to ask questions on private information items and input the information into the customer information database. The private information may comprise name, age, address, email address and others, from which the customer information database is built. The customer information database may be used to analyze and manage the customers and to analyze and react to the purchasing trends of the customers.

[39] Embodiments of the invention are explained in detail referring the figures below.

[40] Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system for providing a payback

service using a short message service according an embodiment of the invention.

[41] In an embodiment of the invention: a manufacturer (10a) or a distributor (10b) of a product sells the product which is assigned with a serial number; a purchaser transmits, through a text message, the serial number assigned to the purchased product to an event service provider (20) which the manufacturer (10a) or the distributor (10b) asked to provide the event; and the event service provider (20) receives the serial numbers and provides gifts or mileage according to predetermined criteria.

[42] In such a system, a wireless communication terminal, for example a mobile phone

(30), is used by the purchaser for sending the serial number displayed on the product as a text message to a server (22) of the event service provider (20) which hosts the event, and for receiving message showing the results of the application such as pass or fail of application from the server (22).

[43] The server (22) of the event service provider (20) comprises an MO function for receiving a text message including the serial number sent from the mobile phone (30) of the purchaser via an SMS server of a mobile communication network (40) and an MT function for sending the result of processing the raffle application through text message to the mobile phone (30).

[44] The event service provider (20) includes a product information database (24a) registered with the serial numbers assigned to the products on the market. The product information database (24a) receives from the client of event service provider (20), manufacturer (10a) or the distributor (10b) and stores product names, list of serial numbers or serial numbers issued for each of the products, payback service awards (for example, mileage) for corresponding products, etc. Also, the event service provider (20) provides an event database (24b) for recording an application information (for example, the serial numbers) received from the mobile phones (30). The event database (24b) manages the serial numbers and the applicant's telephone numbers corresponding to the serial numbers as raffle application information matching the two numbers. That is, the server (22) checks the serial number in the text message sent by the applicant so as to determine whether the serial number is one of the registered numbers in the product information database (24a), and build an applicant database by recording the serial numbers and corresponding telephone numbers as application information in the event database (24b). The event database (24b) stores a list of winners of drawings in the case of awarding gifts or prizes.

[45] The event service provider (20) also provides a customer information database

(24c) for storing private or personal information and mileage of the customers. In order to receive the personal information of the applicants (customers) for recording in the customer information database (24c), the server(22) of the system comprises a function of a web server for receiving the personal information inputted on a web page from a

PC (50) of the applicant. That is, the applicant is encouraged or guided to log in the web page of the event service provider (20) and key in his/her information, which is going to be recorded in the customer information database (24c) at the server (22). Here, the personal information comprises name, age, address, , email address and the like. Alternatively, a plurality of terminals of a call center (26) are connected to the server (22), such that telemarketing staffs call directly the telephone numbers of the applicants registered in the event database (24b), obtain the information, and then record them in the customer information database (24c). Furthermore, if an accumulated mileage exists, the staffs or the server (22) can check a preferable option such donation, prize, cash back or the like with the applicant, and then process accordingly. To be more specific, the server (22) checks the choice of the applicant, processes the mileage, and then records the results in the customer information database (24c). For example, the applicant can choose one out of donation, prize, and cash back for the accumulated mileage and have the choice processed accordingly.

[46] As explained above, based on the registered customer information database (24c), the event service provider (20) can analyze the tendency, taste, and purchasing trends of the purchaser and build a marketing database (24d) using them.

[47] The manufacturer (10a) or the distributor (10b) may obtain various informations from the event service provider (20) that are useful to marketing including the tendency, taste, and purchasing trends of the purchaser and are stored in the marketing database (24d).

[48] The event service provider (20) may advertise the event through mass media such as newspaper, television, radio, and internet so as to encourage more notification of event itself and how to participate and therefore participation.

[49] Figs. 2 and 3 are flowcharts of a first embodiment of the invention illustrating a payback service using a short message service. And, Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the payback service in Fig. 2 using a specific product as an example to show processes in order.

[50] The content (72) of the raffle can be printed on a wrapping paper of a product (70), green tea, or issued as a separate raffle subscriber form to be attached to the product or provided along with the product. As shown in Fig. 4, the raffle content (72) includes the event period, the serial number (74), and a telephone number to call as well as catch phrases to encourage applying. The event is advertised widely to potential purchasers using various media including newspaper, television, radio, and internet so as to encourage more customers to participate. Thus, a purchaser who purchased a product (70) can apply for the event (Sl, S3) very easily by sending the serial number (74) to the event service provider's telephone number (or number for applying for the event) as a text message of the mobile phone (30). The server (22) of the event service

provider extracts the serial number (74) from the text message transmitted from the purchaser (event participant), searches the serial number list of the product for the serial number (74) from the purchaser, and determines if the serial number (74) is in the serial number list (S5, S7). Then the server (22) transmits to the mobile telephone (30) of the purchaser whether the application was successful or failed according to determining. That is, when the serial number is not in the product information database, an error message saying that the serial number was not inputted correctly or the verification was failed (S9). On the other hand, if the serial number is in the product information database, a verification success message (for example, "Thank you for your participating the event!") showing that the application was successful is transmitted to the mobile phone of the purchaser (Sl 1). The verification success message may further comprise information on how to check the event result as well as the verification result and appreciation for participating. Here, the new purchaser is encouraged to become a member of a web site by guiding the purchaser to check the result of application on the web site (for example, "www.ab.co.kr"). Further personal information of the new purchaser can be obtained through the procedures for becoming a new member. For a successful application, the server relates and registers the serial number and the phone number (mobile phone number), through which the serial number had been sent, as the application information to the event database.

[51] On a drawing day after last due date of application, the server draws lots from the entered serial numbers using a drawing algorithm provided in the server (S 13). And, the server sends a winner guide message to the mobile phone of the winner (S15). The winner guide message may include phrases such as "You are the Winner. Thank you" and a prize pick-up guide. Since the prize pick-up guide may need much more information rather than just a short message, it might be desirable, not to limited to, to guide the winner to visit the web site of the service provider.

[52] Additionally, as shown in Fig. 3, when he/she visits the web site of the service provider, the winner can be made or encouraged to input age, sex, preferred subjects, and email address as well as his/her name and address (S21). With these customer information inputs to the PC, the server of the service provider builds the customer information database (S23). The service provider sends the gifts or prizes to the winners based on the customer information database (S25).

[53] The customer information database obtained this way can be used for analysis and management of purchasers of the corresponding products, and for analyzing and utilizing the purchasing trends. Figs. 5 and 6 are flowcharts of a second embodiment of the invention illustrating a payback service using a short message service, and Fig. 7 is a schematic block diagramillustrating the payback service in Fig. 5 using a specific product (for example, green tea) as an example to show processes more easily. The

method according to this embodiment is performed not with the prize-winning as in the previous embodiment, but with a mileage accumulating, in which since the serial number is an account number for awarding the mileage, for every application the purchaser is processed to receive or win some mileage. Here, it is disclosed in detail.

[54] As shown in Fig. 7, an event product (70a) comes with a mileage coupon (72a) having a serial number (74a), 2AZ349VX1. If the purchaser, after purchasing, reads out the serial number (74a) from the mileage coupon (72a), and sends the serial number to the event service provider (20a) as a text message, then the application is finished simply (S31, S33). For these processes, the server (especially MO server, 22a) of the event service provider is assigned with an event phone number (for example, 2000-123) for receiving the application text message from the purchaser. This event can be advertised through various mass media before introducing the products to the market or along with selling, so as to encourage more customers to participate the event.

[55] On receiving the text message from the purchaser (event participant) as above, the server (22a) of the service provider extracts and checks the serial number and the phone number from the text message, searches the product information database for the serial number, and determines whether the serial number exists in the serial number list assigned to the product introduced to the market (S35, S37). According to the results, if the serial number does not exist in the serial number list of the product information database, the server sends an error (verification failed) message to the mobile phone of the event participant (S39). This error message may comprise, for example, phrases including "The serial number may not be input correctly or the verification failed. Please check at www.ab.co.kr". On the other hand, if the serial number exists in the serial number list of the product information database, the server sends a verification success message to the mobile phone of the purchaser (S41). The verification success message comprises phrases, for example, "Thank you for your participating! Green Tea product 1000 Won was awarded. Check online at www.ab.co.kr".

[56] For successful application, the server searches the customer information database for the phone number of the participant and deposits the mileage for the corresponding customer. Here, when the customer information is a first time customer who does not exist in the customer information database, the first time customer is registered as a new customer and awarded with the mileage, while when the customer information exists the new mileage is added and accumulated to the mileage which was there already (S43, S45, S47). And then, a text message notifying the total amount of the mileage to the customer is sent to the mobile phone of the participant (S49). For example, a message such as "The total green tea mileage for 0172376130 customer is

8,900 Won. Please check online at www.ab.co.kr" may be sent.

[57] For a newly registered customer in the above, as shown in Fig. 6, a telemarketing staff calls the new customer at a phone number obtained from the customer information database to request additional customer information (S61). The additional customer information may comprise name, age, address, job, email address, etc. The additional customer information is recorded in the customer information database by the telemarketing staff (S63). Furthermore, the mileage can be processed according to an option which the customer chooses on request from the telemarketing staff (S65, S67). That is, when the customer wants to receive the accumulated mileage with cash, a bank account asked and received from the customer is recorded in the customer information database, and cash corresponding to the accumulated mileage is wired as cash to the bank account. The accumulated mileage can be donated or provided as gifts according to the option chosen by the customer.

[58] Recording the additional customer information can be guided to be done spontaneously by the customer through the web page. That is, when the success or failure message of the mileage deposit in the above is sent to the mobile phone of the participant, the customer is guided to visit the web page by inserting a phrase saying that more details can be checked from the web page of the service provider, and the customer is encouraged to become a member to check the mileage status, by which the additional customer information can be obtained. The additional customer information which entered on the web page by the customer is recorded in the customer information database by the server. Input of the additional customer information through the web page is performed similarly as in the previous embodiment.

[59] The customer information stored in the customer information database can be used after the event to analyze/manage the profiles of the customers, analyze the purchasing trends, and act according to the result.

[60] Fig. 8 is a schematic block diagram of a third embodiment of the invention illustrating a marketing method using raffle application including applying and the entire marketing procedures including the payback process.

[61] As illustrated, applications are done when purchasers (90a, 90b) who bought

"Jin" (trademark) ramen at a market 1-5 (80a - 80e) send serial numbers assigned to the Jin ramen as a text message through their own mobile phones to the server (22b) of the event service provider. In this embodiment that is about a marketing method awarding mileage to participants as in the second embodiment, if the application is successful, the server (22b) immediately awards and records the mileage in the customer information database (24c- 1) and notifies the participant of the results as a text message right away. Here, the server (22b) checks the accumulated mileage of the participant from the customer information database (24c- 1) and notifies the accumulated mileage,

too.

[62] If the accumulated mileage reaches a predetermined amount, the server (22b) searches the customer information database (24c- 1) for the account number of the corresponding participant, and pay back the amount of cash to the participant by transferring the amount of money corresponding to the accumulated mileage to the corresponding account.

[63] The payback of the accumulated mileage in the above may be performed through a call center (26b). In other words, the server(22b) does not payback automatically the mileage accumulated to the predetermined amount to the corresponding purchaser or participant, but when the accumulated mileage reaches the predetermined amount the call center (26b) calls up and asks the purchaser whether he/she wants to have the payback. If not wanted, the accumulated mileage is left to be further accumulated, while only if wanted the cash corresponding to the accumulated mileage is transferred to the account of the purchaser.

[64] Furthermore, by allowing the customer information database (24c- 1) shared by other brand shops (100b) of the manufacturer, for example Ottoogi, of the Jin ramen, the mileage obtained from purchasing Jin ramen can be allowed to use in the other bra nd shops.

[65] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a customer information database according to the invention, and Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating analyzed types of promotions.

[66] As shown in Fig. 9, The customer information database obtained in embodiments of the invention may comprise items including profile, data, and information attribute. The profile may comprise a cell phone number, a Serial No., transmission time, etc., and may produce additional items according to properties of the database. As corresponding data, a cell phone number of the purchaser can be inputted to the cell phone number, the serial number may be inputted to the Serial No., and the date and time of application can be inputted to the transmission time. The information attribute may comprise information indicating old/new purchaser, purchased product and its quantity, new/changing/old brand, purchasing timing and period, or others. Especially, the serial number is chosen from a group of serial number classified according to the kinds of products, so that what kind of product is purchased by the purchaser can be identified. For example, for four-digit serial numbers, the serial number for green tea start with letter A, that is "A" + three digits, so that the serial numbers starting with "A" can be identified as a serial number assigned to a purchaser who bought green tea.

[67] Promotion types can be obtained as in Fig. 10 by analyzing the customer information database of the above. From the figure, it can be seen that the customers of high loyalty are highly interested in the application, while the estranging customers are

relatively less interested in the application. As such, by categorizing the customers and analyzing corresponding behaviors and promotion types, one or more directions of marketing of a product of the manufacturer or distributor can be chosen based on the results.

[68] Even though the invention is explained using some embodiments in the above, one skilled in the art will recognize clearly that many various possible changes are possible without leaving the scope of the invention. The embodiments in the above have been chosen out of possible embodiments and disclosed only to help persons with an ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention, but do not or are not intended to limit or restrict the invention to them. Industrial Applicability

[69] The payback service method and system using a short message service according to the invention can be applied to events for marketing a product by its manufacturer or distributor.

[70] Also, The payback service method and system using a short message service according to the invention enables to heighten or diversity product advertisement for purchasers of the manufacturer by providing prizes or gifts by drawing lots, or awarding payback points including mileage, cash back or the like.