DESCRIPTION
TITLE OF INVENTION: IC CARD SYSTEM AND DATA COLLECTING METHOD
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
The present invention relates to an IC card system and,
more particularly, to an IC card system that collects behavior
attributes of a user.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
According to the progress of the information
communication technique, a collecting method for evaluation
information obtained by evaluating purchase states of
commodities and services and a marketing method using the
evaluation information have been respectively changing.
Further, according to the progress of the information
communication technique, a more advanced analysis of the
collected evaluation information and provision of services and
guidance for customers (users) based on the analysis have been
performed.
[0003]
In recent years, a person providing users with services
can provide the services and the like after specifying the users
1
by using cards with barcodes, magnetic cards, or IC cards
(including cellular phones having a function equivalent to the
IC cards) having ID numbers recorded therein. In particular,
memories included in the IC cards can record attribute
(behavior attribute) information and the like concerning the
behavior of the users. Therefore, the person providing the
services and the like can grasp tastes and purchase states in
a plurality of shops of each of the users by using the IC cards.
[0004]
Therefore, several methods explained below have been
proposed concerning how the IC cards record information
concerning the users or what kinds of information are stored.
[0005]
As a first method, there is proposed a method in which
a center server manages points granted to railroad users (see,
for example, Patent Literature 1) . In the first method, since
the center server manages the points, irrespective of the size
of a memory capacity in an IC card, a large amount of attribute
information and history information concerning the behavior
of a user are accumulated in the center server.
[0006]
However, a terminal or the like providing services refers
to the information accumulated in the center server.
Therefore, an on-line network system is necessary between the
terminal and the center server. In particular, when there are
2
a large number of users of services and a system required to
respond quickly uses the first method, a high-performance
network system is necessary.
[0007]
As a second method, there is proposed a method in which
an IC card records attribute information and history
information concerning the behavior of a user. The IC card
according to the second method records, for example,
demographic attributes such as the age of the user and the sex
of the user and parameters indicating interests or tastes of
the user, consumption tendencies of the user, or the like (see,
for example, Patent Literature 2 and Patent Literature 3).
[0008]
Further, the IC card according to the second method
records history information concerning the behavior of the user
such as a purchase history of the user (see, for example, Patent
Literature 4). When the history information concerning the
behavior is recorded in the IC card, a service provider can
calculate, on the basis of the history information recorded
in the IC card, a rank based on, for example, a frequency of
use by the user according to a method such as an RFM (Recency,
Frequency, Monetary) analysis. The service provider can
provide a service according to the calculated rank. The IC
card can also record points granted during purchase by using
the second method.
3
[0009]
However, since there is a limit in a memory capacity in
the IC card, the IC card cannot record many kinds of history
information. Therefore, there is proposed a method of
recording only a frequency (a counter value) for each category
of behavior such as purchase (see, for example, Patent
Literature 5).
[0010]
As a third method, there is proposed a method in which
an IC card records attribute information concerning the
behavior of a user that changes as time elapses.
[0011]
The method of granting points for, for example, purchase
of commodities is effective as a marketing method for improving
royalty of users. Therefore, in order to more continuously
guiding users to a shop, there is proposed the third method
for changing a point return rate or a service level according
to an increase or a decrease in a purchase frequency of a user
(see, for example. Patent Literature 6). This method is a
method of calculating a score added with a purchase frequency
according to attribute information concerning the behavior of
a user up to the last time, purchase information of the user
of this time, and the like and a simple recurrence formula and
providing a service according to the calculated score.
[0012]
4
On the other hand, as a system of an IC card most widely
spread at present, there are an IC card and an electronic ticket
(an IC ticket) used in a transportation system. A system in
which these IC cards are used (hereinafter described as IC card
system) is a system in which a user touches an IC card reader
of an automatic ticket checker with an IC-card type electronic
ticket when entering and exiting stations, whereby fare
calculation and charging are automatically performed. A large
number of electronic tickets have functions of electronic money
and an ID card and are used for settlement at the time of
commodity purchase in a shop and as an admission card or the
like (see, for example, Non-Patent Literature 1).
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0013]
Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2010-165307
Patent Literature 2: JP-A-2002-279368
Patent Literature 3: JP-A-2002-163727
Patent Literature 4: JP-A-11-312273
Patent Literature 5: JP-A-2006-107526
Patent Literature 6: JP-A-2003-132431
Non-Patent Literature
[0014]
Non-Patent Literature 1: Y. Shirakawa, "JR East Contract-less
5
IC Card Automatic Fare Collection System "Suica", "IEICE TRANS.
INF. & SYST., VOL. E86-D, NO. 10 OCTOBER 2003.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0015]
As one of characteristics of the IC card used in the
transportation system, every time the user uses the IC card,
a record of movement of the user, i.e. , information concerning
an activity area of the user and an activity time period of
the user and information concerning purchase by the user are
recorded in the IC card as history information. A person
providing services can provide services for users according
to a place and time by utilizing these kinds of history
information recorded in the IC card.
[0016]
However, several ten million IC cards used in the
transportation system have already been spread and
transportation facilities and shops where the IC cards can be
used are present in a wide area. Therefore, when the person
providing services provides services for the users anew, the
system in which the existing IC cards are used needs to be
substantially changed. According to the change of the system,
a large amount of costs are necessary.
[0017]
6
On the other hand, as described in Non-Patent Literature
1, in the IC card system, processing time during contact of
the ticket checker and the IC card is limited to 0.2 second
or less and history information of the user needs to be
aggregated at every fixed time. Therefore, a method in which
the IC card records a behavior history of the user is desirable.
[0018]
Further, the activity area of the user and the activity
time period of the user change according to a transfer in work,
house-moving, or a season. Therefore, the history information
concerning the behavior of the user and the attribute
information generated on the basis of the attribute information
need to be updated every time the IC card is used.
[0019]
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a system that provides a service based on attribute
information concerning the behavior of each user without
changing an existing large system. It is also an object of
the present invention to provide a system that dynamically
changes the attribute information concerning the behavior
according to use by the user.
[0020]
Further, it is an object of the present invention to
realize, in a limited range of a memory and calculation
resources of an IC card, in a sufficiently short time, an
7
acquisition and accumulation method for attribute information
of a user updated every time the user uses the IC card.
Solution to Problem
[0021]
According to a representative form of the present
invention, there is provided an IC card system including: an
IC card; and a plurality of terminals that communicate with
the IC card. The plurality of terminals include at least one
first terminal of the terminals in which a first identifier
is set and at least one second terminal of the terminals in
which a second identifier is set. When communicating with the
IC card, the first terminal transmits the first identifier and
a date and time when the first terminal and the IC card
communicate with each other to the IC card. The IC card
calculates, on the basis of the information transmitted from
the first terminal, a first score value indicating a frequency
of the communication between the first terminal and the IC card
and retains first attribute data including the first score
value and the first identifier. When communicating with the
IC card, the second terminal transmits the second identifier
and a date and time when the second terminal and the IC card
communicate with each other to the IC card. The IC card updates
the first score value on the basis of the date and time when
the first terminal and the IC card communicate with each other
8
and the date and time when the second terminal and the IC card
communicate with each other, calculates, on the basis of the
information transmitted from the second terminal, a second
score value indicating a frequency of the communication between
the second terminal and the IC card, generates second attribute
data including the second score value and the second identifier,
when a total number of the first attribute data and the second
attribute data exceeds a predetermined number, compares the
updated first score value and the calculated second score value,
and, when the second score value is large as a result of the
comparison, retains the second attribute data.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF INVENTION
[0022]
According to an embodiment of the present invention, it
is possible to provide each user with a service based on
attribute information concerning the behavior of the user
without changing a large system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a physical
configuration of an IC card system, a charging management
system, and a behavior attribute tabulation system in a first
embodiment of the present invention.
9
[Fig. 2A] Fig. 2A is a sequence chart showing processing
performed by a reader writer device and an IC card when a user
enters a ticket gate in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[Fig. 2B] Fig. 2B is a sequence chart showing processing
performed by the reader writer device and the IC card when the
user exits a ticket gate in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing ticket gate
passage data in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing charging data
in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing balance data
in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a flowchart for explaining behavior attribute
recording processing (stay) in the first embodiment of the
present invention.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a behavior
type classification in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing behavior
attribute data in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing presentation
information presented by information provision processing in
10
the first embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a ticket
checker in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a physical
configuration of an IC card system, a charging management
system, and a behavior attribute tabulation system in a second
embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 12] Fig. 12 is a sequence chart showing processing by
a reader writer device and an IC card in the second embodiment
of the present invention.
[Fig. 13] Fig. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing charging
data in the second embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 14] Fig. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a shop
classification in the second embodiment of the present
invention.
[Fig. 15] Fig. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing behavior
attribute data in the second embodiment of the present
invention.
[Fig. 16] Fig. 16 is a flowchart for explaining behavior
attribute recording processing (purchase) in the second
embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 17] Fig. 17 is a block diagram showing a physical
configuration of an IC card system, a charging management
system, and a behavior attribute tabulation system in a third
embodiment of the present invention.
11
[Fig. 18] Fig. 18 is a sequence chart showing processing by
a reader writer device and an IC card in the third embodiment
of the present invention.
[Fig. 19] Fig. 19 is a block diagram showing an overall
configuration of a service system in the third embodiment of
the present invention.
Description of Embodiments
[0024]
In the following explanation, a function for collecting
attribute information (hereinafter described as behavior
attribute data) concerning the behavior of a user using an IC
card used as an electronic ticket or electronic money and an
IC card system in which the behavior attribute data is used
are explained using the drawings.
[0025]
An IC card in an embodiment sets a period from an exit
from a ticket gate until an entrance into a ticket gate as a
stay and calculates a score value of behavior attribute data
for the stay. The IC card in this embodiment calculates a score
value of behavior attribute data for purchase in a shop. An
IC card system in this embodiment provides users with services
on the basis of the calculated score values.
[0026]
The IC card used herein is a non-contact IC card. However,
12
the same function can be implemented on a contact IC card. The
IC card includes a portable terminal that retains an IC card
function.
[0027]
(First Embodiment)
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a physical
configuration of an IC card system, a charging management
system, and a behavior attribute tabulation system in a first
embodiment of the present invention.
[0028]
An IC card 101, a ticket checker 161, and a network 152
in this embodiment are connected to a charging management
system 151 and a behavior attribute tabulation system 153.
[0029]
The IC card system in this embodiment shown in Fig. 1
includes the IC card 101, a plurality of the ticket checkers
161, and a plurality of reader writer devices 121. The
plurality of ticket checkers 161 are connected to the network
152, the charging management system 151, a card history
database 155, the behavior attribute tabulation system 153,
and a behavior history database 154 via a plurality of gateways
(GWs) 141.
[0030]
The IC card 101 communicates with the reader writer
device 121 by radio. The reader writer device 121 is connected
13
to the ticket checker 161. The reader writer device 121
receives charging information and behavior attribute
information of the IC card 101, which has passed the ticket
checker 161, from the IC card 101 via radio.
[0031]
The charging management system 151 receives the charging
information and the behavior attribute information from the
reader writer device 121 via the GW 141 and the network 152.
The charging management system 151 accumulates the received
charging information in the card history database 155 and
manages payment information and deposit information included
in the charging information.
[0032]
The behavior attribute tabulation system 153 receives
the charging information and the behavior attribute
information from the charging management system 151 and
calculates a behavior attribute value of each of users of the
IC cards 101. Then, the behavior attribute tabulating system
153 stores the calculated behavior attribute value in the
behavior history database 154.
[0033]
The plurality of ticket checkers 161 are connected to
one GW 141. The plurality of GWs 141 and the plurality of ticket
checkers 161 are hierarchically connected to the network 152.
[0034]
14
The IC card 101 includes an IC card communication IF
(interface) 102, an antenna for IC card communication 103, a
power supply circuit 104 , a CPU 105, a work memory 106 , a program
memory 107, a nonvolatile data memory 10 8, and an
authentication mechanism 109.
[0035]
The IC card communication IF 102 is an interface for the
IC card 101 to communicate with the reader writer device 121
via the antenna for IC card communication 103 . The power supply
circuit 104 converts an electromagnetic wave used for
communication with the reader writer device by the IC card 101
into electric power.
[0036]
The CPU 105 is a processor that performs calculation
processing for executing a function of the IC card 101. The
work memory 106 is a storage area for the calculation processing
by the CPU 105. The program memory 107 is a storage area for
retaining the function of the IC card 101.
[0037]
The nonvolatile data memory 108 retains data indicating
a behavior history and the like of a user. The authentication
mechanism 109 prevents an unauthorized access to the IC card
101.
[0038]
The IC card communication IF 102, the CPU 105, the work
15
memory 106, the program memory 107, the nonvolatile data memory
108, and the authentication mechanism 109 are connected by an
internal bus 110.
[0039]
The program memory 107 retains ticket processing 115,
charging processing 116, entrance processing 117, behavior
attribute recording processing (stay) 118a, behavior
attribute recording processing (purchase) 118b, and behavior
attribute readout processing 119. The ticket processing 115,
the charging processing 116, the entrance processing 117, the
behavior attribute recording processing (stay) 118a, the
behavior attribute recording processing (purchase) 118b, and
the behavior attribute readout processing 119 may be
implemented by a program or may be implemented by hardware.
[0040]
The ticket processing 115 and the charging processing
116 are processing executed when the user passes through the
ticket checker 161 in order to exit a ticket gate of a station.
The entrance processing 117 and the behavior attribute
recording processing (stay) 118a are processing executed when
the user passes through the ticket checker 161 in order to enter
a ticket gate of a station.
[0041]
The behavior attribute recording processing (purchase)
118b is processing executed when the user purchases a commodity
16
or a service using the IC card 101. The behavior attribute
recording processing (purchase) 118b is used in a second
embodiment explained below.
[0042]
The behavior attribute readout processing 119 is
processing for invoking behavior attribute data.
[0043]
The nonvolatile data memory 108 retains balance data 111,
ticket gate passage data 112, and behavior attribute data 113.
The balance data 111 is data indicating balances of an
electronic ticket and electronic money retained in the IC card
101. The balance data 111 includes data indicating at least
one balance.
[0044]
The ticket gate passage data 112 is data transmitted when
the IC card 101 passes through the ticket checker 161 and
includes at least two data, i.e., latest passage time and second
latest passage time (most recent entrance and exit) . That is,
when the IC card 101 passes through the ticket checker 161,
the ticket gate passage data 112 includes at least the ticket
gate passage data 112 at the time when the user passed through
the ticket checker 161 this time and the ticket gate passage
data 112 at the time when the user passed through the ticket
checker 161 immediately preceding this time (the last time).
[0045]
17
The behavior attribute data 113 is attribute information
concerning the behavior of the user who uses the IC card 101.
A value stored in the behavior attribute data 113 is calculated
by the behavior attribute recording processing (stay) 118a or
the behavior attribute recording processing (purchase) 118b.
The behavior attribute data 113 is generated according to kinds
of behavior of the user and includes at least one data.
[0046]
The reader writer device 121 includes an IC card
communication IF 122, an antenna for IC card communication 12 3 ,
a CPU 124, a work memory 12 5, a program memory 12 6, an
authentication mechanism 127, a communication IF (interface)
12 8, a display IF 12 9, and an apparatus control mechanism 131.
The reader writer device 121 is connected to a display 130,
a gate 132, and a ticket checker 161.
[0047]
The IC card communication IF 122 is an interface for the
reader writer device 121 to communicate with the IC card 101
via the antenna for IC card communication 123.
[0048]
The CPU 124 is a processor that performs calculation
processing for executing a function of the IC card 101. The
work memory 125 is a storage area for the calculation processing
by the CPU 124. The program memory 126 is a storage area for
retaining a function of the reader writer device 121.
18
[0049]
The authentication mechanism 127 prevents an
unauthorized access to the IC card 101. The communication IF
128 is an interface for the reader writer device 121 to
communicate with the GW 141. The display IF 129 is a function
for presenting information to the display 13 0. The apparatus
control mechanism 131 is a function for controlling opening
and closing and the like of the gate 132.
[0050]
The display 130 is a display for displaying information
transmitted from the reader writer device 121. The gate 132
is a device for stopping the progress of the user and is
controlled to open and close by the reader writer device 121.
[0051]
The IC card communication IF 122, the CPU 124, the work
memory 12 5, the program memory 12 6, the authentication
mechanism 127, the communication IF 128, the display IF 129,
and the apparatus control mechanism 131 are connected by an
internal bus 133.
[0052]
The program memory 12 6 retains fare calculation
processing 135, charging processing 136, entrance processing
13 7, behavior attribute readout processing 13 8, and
information presentation processing 139. The fare
calculation processing 135, the charging processing 136, the
19
entrance processing 137, the behavior attribute readout
processing 138, and the information presentation processing
13 9 may be implemented by a program or may be implemented by
hardware.
[0053]
The fare calculation processing 13 5 and the charging
processing 13 6 are processing executed when the user passes
through the ticket checker 161 in order to exit the ticket gate
of the station (during an exit). The entrance processing 13 7
is processing executed when the user passes through the ticket
checker 161 in order to enter the ticket gate of the station
(during an entrance).
[0054]
The behavior attribute readout processing 13 8 and the
information presentation processing 13 9 are processing
executed when the user passes through the ticket checker 161.
That is, the behavior attribute readout processing 13 8 and the
information presentation processing 13 9 are executed during
the entrance and the exit.
[0055]
Processing for calculation, recording, and readout of
behavior attribute information performed when the user passes
through the ticker checker 161 is explained below using Figs.
2 to 10.
[0056]
20
Sequences of communication between the reader writer
device 121 of the ticket checker 161 and the IC card 101 and
processing executed when the communication is performed are
explained using Figs. 2A and 2B.
[0057]
The sequences shown in Figs. 2A and 2B are started in
a state in which the communication between the reader writer
device 121 and the IC card 101 is established. In the sequences,
it is already determined during the start whether the IC card
101 is used for an entrance or used for an exit.
[0058]
Fig. 2A is a sequence chart showing processing performed
by the reader writer device 121 and the IC card 101 when the
user enters the ticket gate in the first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0059]
The sequence chart of Fig. 2A shows processing performed
by the reader writer device 121 and the IC card 101 when the
user carrying the IC card 101 passes through the ticket checker
161 in order to enter the ticket gate.
[0060]
The reader writer device 121 starts the entrance
processing 137. The reader writer device 121 transmits,
through the entrance processing 137, data (ticket gate passage
data 112a) concerning the station where the ticket checker 161,
21
through which the user passes, is arranged to the IC card 101.
[0061]
Upon receiving the ticket gate passage data 112a, the
IC card 101 starts the entrance processing 117. The IC card
101 stores, through the entrance processing 117, the received
ticket gate passage data 112a in the nonvolatile data memory
108 of the IC card 101. Thereafter, the IC card 101 in this
embodiment ends the entrance processing 117.
[0062]
Thereafter, the IC card 101 starts the behavior attribute
recording processing (stay) 118a. The IC card 101 calculates
the behavior attribute data 113 referring to the data stored
in the nonvolatile data memory 108 through the behavior
attribute recording processing (stay) 118a. The IC card 101
stores the calculated behavior attribute data 113 in the
nonvolatile data memory 108 of the IC card 101.
[0063]
Thereafter, the IC card 101 transmits an end notification
2001 to the reader writer device 121 in order to transmit an
indication that the calculation of the behavior attribute data
113 ends to the reader writer device 121 through the behavior
attribute recording processing (stay) 118a. The IC card 101
ends the behavior attribute recording processing (stay) 118a.
[0064]
Upon receiving the end notification 2 001 from the IC card
22
101, the reader writer device 121 ends the entrance processing
13 7. Thereafter, the reader writer device 121 starts the
behavior attribute readout processing 13 8. The reader writer
device 121 transmits a readout request 2 0 02 for the behavior
attribute data 113 to the IC card 101 through the behavior
attribute readout processing 13 8.
[0065]
Upon receiving the readout request 2002, the IC card 101
starts the behavior attribute readout processing 119. The IC
card 101 extracts the behavior attribute data 113 from the
nonvolatile data memory 108 of the IC card 101 and transmits
the extracted behavior attribute data 113 to the reader writer
device 121 through the behavior attribute readout processing
119. The IC card 101 ends the behavior attribute readout
processing 119.
[0066]
The behavior attribute data 113 transmitted to the reader
writer device 121 through the behavior attribute readout
processing 119 is at least one data indicating the behavior
of the user who uses the IC card 101. The behavior attribute
data 113 to be transmitted may be the behavior attribute data
113 having a highest score value included therein or may be
an arbitrary number of behavior attribute data 113. The score
value is explained below.
[0067]
23
Upon receiving the behavior attribute data 113, the
reader writer device 121 ends the behavior attribute readout
processing 13 8 and, thereafter, executes the information
presentation processing 13 9. The reader writer device 121
provides the user with a service through the information
presentation processing 13 9 according to the score value of
the received behavior attribute data 113. The service
provided to the user is a service for providing, for example,
information concerning weather along a railroad line used by
the user or a town around the railroad line.
[0068]
Note that the reader writer device 121 may acquire, via
the network 152, necessary information through the information
presentation processing 13 9 from a server or the like that
retains information.
[0069]
Fig. 2B is a sequence chart showing processing performed
by the reader writer device 121 and the IC card 101 when the
user exits the ticket gate in the first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0070]
The sequence chart of Fig. 2B shows the processing
performed by the reader writer device 121 and the IC card 101
when the user carrying the IC card 101 passes through the ticket
checker 161 in order to exit the ticket gate.
24
[0071]
First, the reader writer device 121 starts the fare
calculation processing 135. The reader writer device 121
transmits, through the fare calculation processing 13 5, an
inquiry about the ticket gate passage data 112a received by
the IC card 101 when the user enters the ticket gate in the
closest date and time (the ticket gate passage data 112a at
the last entrance time) and ticket gate passage data 112b at
this exit time to the IC card 101.
[0072]
Upon receiving the inquiry about the ticket gate passage
data 112a at the last entrance time and the ticket gate passage
data 112b at this exit time, the IC card 101 starts the ticket
processing 115. The IC card 101 extracts the ticket gate
passage data 112a at the last entrance time from the nonvolatile
data memory 108 through the ticket processing 115.
[0073]
The IC card 101 transmits the extracted ticket gate
passage data 112a to the reader writer device 121 according
to the inquiry transmitted from the reader writer device 121.
The IC card 101 stores, through the ticket processing 115, the
received ticket gate passage data 112b at this exit time in
the nonvolatile data memory 108. Thereafter, the IC card 101
ends the ticket processing 115.
[0074]
25
Upon receiving the ticket gate passage data 112a at the
last entrance time, the reader writer device 121 calculates
a fare from the entrance to the exit of the user on the basis
of the received ticket gate passage data 112a and the station
where the reader writer device 121 is arranged. The reader
writer device 121 determines a charging amount on the basis
of the determined fare.
[0075]
Subsequently, the reader writer device 121 starts the
charging processing 136. The reader writer device 121
transmits, through the charging processing 13 6, charging data
14 01 including the determined charging amount to the IC card
101. The charging data 14 01 includes the charging amount,
information indicating the station, and time of charging.
[0076]
Upon receiving the charging data 14 01, the IC card 101
starts the charging processing 116 . The IC card 101 calculates,
through the charging processing 116, a settlement amount from
the balance data 111 stored in the nonvolatile data memory 108
and the charging amount included in the charging data 1401.
The IC card 101 updates the balance data 111 of the nonvolatile
data memory 108 with the calculated settlement amount.
[0077]
The IC card 101 transmits, through the charging
processing 116, an end notification 2003 indicating that the
26
charging processing 116 ends to the reader writer device 121.
Thereafter, the IC card 101 ends the charging processing 116.
[0078]
The end notification 2003 includes a value indicating
whether charging (settlement) is successful, the charging
amount, and the settlement amount. When the value indicating
whether the charging is successful includes a value indicating
"No", i.e., indicating that the charging is unsuccessful, "0"
is set in the balance in this embodiment.
[0079]
Upon receiving the end notification 2003, the reader
writer device 121 ends the charging processing 13 6 and starts
the behavior attribute readout processing 13 8. The behavior
attribute readout processing 13 8 and the information
presentation processing 139 by the reader writer device 121
and the behavior attribute readout processing 119 by the IC
card 101 shown in Fig. 2B are the same as the behavior attribute
readout processing 13 8 and the information presentation
processing 13 9 by the reader writer device 121 and the behavior
attribute readout processing 119 by the IC card 101 shown in
Fig. 2A.
[0080]
Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the ticket gate
passage data 112 in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
27
[0081]
The ticket gate passage data 112 shown in Fig. 3 includes
four fields of a station code 1302, time 1303, a ticket checker
ID 13 04, and an entrance and exit flag 13 05.
[0082]
The station code 13 02 includes an identifier uniquelyindicating
the station where the ticket checker 161, through
which the IC card 101 passes, is arranged. The time 1303
includes a value indicating a date and time when the IC card
101 passed through the ticket checker 161. The ticket checker
ID 13 04 includes an identifier uniquely indicating the ticket
checker 161, through which the IC card 101 passes.
[0083]
The entrance and exit flag 13 05 includes a value
indicating whether the passage through the ticket checker 161
by the IC card 101 is an entrance into the ticket gate or an
exit from the ticket gate. A value indicating the entrance
is stored in the entrance and exit flag 13 05 of the ticket gate
passage data 112a during the entrance. A value indicating the
exit is stored in the entrance and exit flag 13 05 of the ticket
gate passage data 112b during the exit.
[0084]
The reader writer device 121 refers to the station code
13 02 of the received ticket gate passage data 112a through the
fare calculation processing 13 5 . The reader writer device 121
28
calculates a fare between a station indicated by the station
code 13 02 and the station where the reader writer device 121
is arranged to thereby calculate a fare from the entrance to
the exit of the user and determine a charging amount.
[0085]
Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the charging
data 14 01 in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0086]
The charging data 14 01 shown in Fig. 4 is transmitted
from the ticket checker 161 to the IC card 101. The charging
data 1401 includes four fields of a charging type 1402, time
1403, a charging amount 1404, and a station shop code 1405.
[0087]
The charging type 1402 includes an identifier uniquely
indicating processing in which the IC card 101 was used such
as fare adjustment, ticket adjustment, or commodity purchase.
The time 1403 of charging includes a date and time when the
processing indicated by the charging type 14 02 was performed.
The charging amount 14 04 includes a value indicating an amount
paid or deposited by the processing indicated by the charging
type 1402. The station shop code 1405 includes an identifier
uniquely indicating a station or a shop where the processing
indicated by the charging type 14 02 is performed.
[0088]
Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the balance data
29
Ill in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0089]
The balance data 111 shown in Fig. 5 includes three fields
of a success or failure flag 1502, an actual charged amount
1503, and a balance 1504. The success or failure flag 1502
includes a value indicating whether charging processing is
successful. The actual charged amount 1503 includes a value
indicating a charged (settled) amount. The balance 1504
includes a value indicating a balance retained by the IC card
101 after the charging processing.
[0090]
The IC card 101 extracts, through the charging processing
116, the charging amount 1404 included in the received charging
data 1401 and the balance 1504 of the balance data 111 stored
in the nonvolatile data memory 108. The IC card 101 subtracts
the extracted charging amount from the extracted balance 1504
to thereby calculate a settlement amount. The IC card 101
stores, in the success or failure flag 1502, a value indicating
whether the calculation of the settlement amount is successful
and stores, in the actual charged amount 1503, the charging
amount 1404 included in the received charging data 1401.
[0091]
Fig. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the behavior
attribute recording processing (stay) 118a in the first
embodiment of the present invention.
30
[0092]
When the user passes through the ticket checker 161 in
order to enter the ticket gate, upon receiving the ticket gate
passage data 112a from the reader writer device 121, the IC
card 101 starts the behavior attribute recording processing
(stay) 118a. First, the IC card 101 classifies a behavior type
of the user on the basis of the ticket gate passage data 112a
received from the reader writer device 121 and the ticket gate
passage data 112b obtained when the user exits at the closest
date and time (the ticket gate passage data 112b at the last
exit time) (step 301).
[0093]
In the first embodiment, the behavior of a person is
classified into movement and stay. The stay in this embodiment
indicates a state from an exit from a ticket gate until the
next entrance into a ticket gate. The movement is opposite
to the stay and indicates a state from an entrance into a ticket
gate until an exit from a ticket gate after the use of a railroad
and the like.
[0094]
In recent years, a commercial facility on the inside of
a ticket gate called "EKINAKA" has been spreading. However,
a main purpose of entering the ticket gate passing through the
ticket checker 161 is to move to another place using a railroad.
A purpose of the movement is to move to a place after an exit
31
from the ticket gate for work, study, shopping, dining with
a friend, a play such as sightseeing, or return to the home.
[0095]
Therefore, it is possible to classify the purpose of the
movement by associating the purpose of the movement and a
station at a moving destination (a station where the person
stays) and further associating the station at the moving
destination and time of stay or a stay time in the station.
For example, when a stay in a specific station is a stay for
days and a frequency of the stay for days in the specific station
is high, it is considered that a user has the home near the
specific station and is present in the home in a stay time from
the specific station.
[0096]
Further, in a stay for 15 minutes or less, it is considered
that this indicates that the purpose of the movement is simply
a transfer of a railroad. It is considered that a station where
the user stays for a medium length of time or a long time and
at a high frequency is a station where the user stays for work
or attending school.
[0097]
Therefore, in step 301, the IC card 101 in this embodiment
classifies the stay of the user into six types (or groups)
according to whether the stay is for days, the length of a stay
time, and staying start time (i.e., time of the last exit).
32
The IC card 101 acquires a behavior type of the user from the
classified type of the stay.
[0098]
Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a behavior type
classification 2010 in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0099] The behavior type classification 2010 is retained
in the nonvolatile data memory 108 of the IC card 101 and stored
in the IC card 101 in advance by an administrator, an operator,
or the like. The behavior type classification 2010 includes
a last date 2011, a stay time 2012, exit time 2013, and a type
2014.
[0100]
The last date 2011 includes a value indicating what kind
of relation a date of the last exit has with a date of this
entrance time, i.e., a date when the behavior type
classification 2011 is referred to. The stay time 2012
includes a stay time from the last exit time to this entrance
time. The exit time 2013 includes a value indicating in which
range time of the last exit is. The type 2014 includes an
identifier indicating a behavior type.
[0101]
In step 301, the IC card 101 refers to the ticket gate
passage data 112b at the last exit time and the ticket gate
passage data 112a at this entrance time stored in the
33
nonvolatile data memory 108 and associates values referred to
and the last date 2011, the stay time 2012, and the exit time
2013. Consequently, the IC card 101 selects which type 2014
a stay from passage through the ticket checker 161 at the last
exit time until passage through the ticket checker 161 at this
entrance time is.
[0102]
Specifically, the IC card 101 specifies a value
corresponding to the last date 2011 by determining whether a
date indicated by the time 13 03 of the ticket gate passage data
112b at the last exit time is different from a date indicated
by the time 13 03 of the ticket gate passage data 112a at this
entrance time.
[0103]
The IC card 101 specifies a value corresponding to the
stay time 2012 by subtracting the time 1303 of the ticket gate
passage data 112b at the exit time from the time 13 03 of the
ticket gate passage data 112a at the entrance time. The IC
card 101 specifies a value corresponding to the exit time 2013
according to time indicated by the time 13 03 of the ticket gate
passage data 112b at the last exit time.
[0104]
When the date indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time and the date indicated by the time 13 03 at this entrance
time are different, the behavior type classification 2010 in
34
Fig. 7 indicates a type 1. The type 1 indicates that it is
highly likely that the purpose of the stay is to return home
because the stay is a stay for days.
[0105]
When the date indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time and the date indicated by the time 13 03 at this entrance
time are the same date and the stay time 2 012 is equal to or
shorter than 15 minutes, the behavior type classification 2010
in Fig. 7 indicates a type 2. The type 2 indicates that it
is highly likely that the purpose of the stay is a transfer
of a railroad or the like.
[0106]
When the date indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time and the date indicated by the time 13 03 at this entrance
time are the same date, the stay time 2 012 is longer than 15
minutes and equal to or shorter than 4 hours, and the time
indicated by the time 1303 at the last exit time is before 16
o'clock, the behavior type classification 2010 in Fig. 7
indicates a type 3. The type 3 indicates that it is highly
likely that the purpose of the stay is shopping or the like.
[0107]
When the date indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time and the date indicated by the time 13 03 at this entrance
time are the same date, the stay time 2 012 is longer than 15
minutes and equal to or shorter than 4 hours, and the time
35
indicated by the time 1303 at the last exit time is after 16
o'clock, the behavior type classification 2010 in Fig. 7
indicates a type 4. The type 4 indicates that it is highly
likely that the purpose of the stay is a lesson at night or
the like.
[0108]
When the date indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time and the date indicated by the time 13 03 at this entrance
time are the same date, the stay time 2 012 is longer than 4
hours, and the time indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time is before 16 o'clock, the behavior type classification
2010 in Fig. 7 indicates a type 5. The type 5 indicates that
it is highly likely that the purpose of the stay is work or
the like.
[0109]
When the date indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time and the date indicated by the time 13 03 at this entrance
time are the same date, the stay time 2 012 is longer than 4
hours, and the time indicated by the time 13 03 at the last exit
time is after 16 o' clock, the behavior type classification 2010
in Fig. 7 indicates a type 6. The type 6 indicates that it
is highly likely that the purpose of the stay is a drinking
party or the like.
[0110]
Note that values stored in the behavior type
36
classification 2 010 in this embodiment may be any value and
are not limited to the values stored in the behavior type
classification 2010 shown in Fig. 7. Purposes allocated to
the types are not limited to the purposes explained above. In
the behavior type classification 2010 shown in Fig. 7, one day
is from 3 o' clock in the morning to 3 o' clock in the next morning.
[0111]
Subsequently, in processing in step 3 02 and subsequent
steps of the behavior attribute recording processing (stay)
118a, the IC card 101 calculates the behavior attribute data
113 using a different data area for each type selected in step
301.
[0112]
The behavior attribute data 113 stored in the nonvolatile
data memory 10 8 is explained.
[0113]
Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the behavior
attribute data 113 in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0114]
The behavior attribute data 113 in the first embodiment
stores a behavior attribute indicating a stay by the user. The
behavior attribute data 113 includes a station code 501, a stay
date and time 502, a score value 503, a score offset value 504,
a score coefficient 505, and a saturated number of days 506.
37
[0115]
The behavior attribute data 113 in the first embodiment
includes a plurality of entry groups corresponding to the type
2014 classified by step 301 in Fig. 6 and the behavior type
classification 2010 in Fig. 7. The behavior attribute data
113 shown in Fig. 8 includes six entry groups of the type 1
to the type 6 (entry groups 511 to 516).
[0116]
Rows of the behavior attribute data 113 in the first
embodiment include, as attribute information indicated by
numerical values, information concerning the stays by the user.
[0117]
The station code 501 includes an identifier uniquely
indicating a station where the ticket checker 161, through
which the user exits, is provided. That is, a station indicated
by the station code 501 indicates a station where the stay is
started. The station code 501 corresponds to the station code
1302 of the ticket gate passage data 112.
[0118]
The stay date and time 502 includes a date and time when
the stay was started. The stay date and time 5 02 corresponds
to the time 1303 of the ticket gate passage data 112b
transmitted from the reader writer device 121 during an exit.
[0119]
The score value 503 includes a score value calculated
38
0
by the behavior attribute recording processing (stay) 118a.
The IC card 101 and the reader writer device 121 provide the
user with a service according to a value of the score value
503. In this embodiment, an entry with the high score value
503 indicates a stay performed at a high frequency.
[0120]
The score offset value 504 includes an offset value used
in a function for calculating the score value 503. The score
offset value 504 may be a value given in advance by the operator
or the like or may be updated according to a frequency of a
stay of the user. When the score offset value 504 is high,
even if an interval of the stay decreases, the score value 503
is maintained at a high value.
[0121]
The score coefficient 505 includes a coefficient used
for calculating the score value 503. The score coefficient
505 may be a value given in advance by the operator or the like
or may be updated according to an interval of a stay of the
user. When the score coefficient 505 is low, even if the
interval of the stay decreases, the score value 503 less easily
decreases.
[0122]
The saturated number of days 506 includes a value used
for calculating the score value 503. The saturated number of
days 506 includes a value that increases when the score value
39
503 exceeds a fixed value. The score offset value 504 and the
score coefficient 505 may be updated according to a value of
the saturated number of days 506.
[0123]
In the first embodiment, rows included in the entry
groups of the behavior attribute data 113 are four rows. The
rows included in the entry groups are set in advance by the
operator or the like. The operator or the like sets the rows
included in the entry groups according to a capacity of a memory
such as the nonvolatile data memory 108 of the IC card 101.
Therefore, the rows included in the entry groups may be five
or more rows or may be one or more and three or less rows.
[0124]
Since the number of rows of the entry groups included
in the behavior attribute data 113 is the number set in advance,
the IC card 101 in the first embodiment can execute the
processing in the first embodiment using the nonvolatile data
memory 108 having a limited capacity.
[0125]
After step 301, the IC card 101 specifies, out of the
entry groups 511 to 516 of the behavior attribute data 113,
an entry group corresponding to the type 2014 selected
according to the behavior type classification 2010. The IC
card 101 determines whether a station code corresponding to
the station code 1302 of the ticket gate passage data 112b at
40
the last exit time is present in the station code 501 of the
specified entry group (step 302). That is, the IC card 101
determines whether a station at the last exit time is a station
where the user stayed in the past and a station where the user
stays at a frequency equal to or higher than a fixed frequency.
[0126]
When the station code corresponding to the station code
1302 of the ticket gate passage data 112b at the last exit time
is present in the specified entry group in step 3 02, a stay
immediately before the execution of the behavior attribute
recording processing (stay) 118a (hereinafter described as
stay of this time) is a stay used in the past and used at a
frequency equal to or higher than a fixed frequency. The IC
card 101 already retains the score value 503 of the behavior
attribute data 113 concerning such a stay. Therefore, the IC
card 101 shifts to step 303 in order to update the score value
503.
[0127]
After step 302, the IC card 101 calculates the score value
503 concerning the stay of this time on the basis of the score
value 503 already retained in the behavior attribute data 113
(step 303). After step 303, the IC card 101 updates the
behavior attribute data 113 according to the calculated score
value 503 and a value of the time 1303 of the ticket gate passage
data 112b at the last exit time (step 304).
41
[0128]
When a station code corresponding to the station code
13 02 of the ticket gate passage data 112b at the last exit time
is absent in the specified entry group in step 3 02, the stay
of this time is a stay not used in the past or used at a frequency
lower than the fixed frequency. Therefore, the IC card 101
does not retain a score value of the behavior attribute data
113 concerning such a stay. Therefore, the IC card 101 shifts
to step 3 05 in order to generate a new row of the behavior
attribute data 113 and calculate the score value 503 stored
in the new row.
[0129]
After step 302, the IC card 101 calculates the score value
503 concerning the stay of this time of the behavior attribute
recording processing (stay) 118a anew (step 305) . After step
3 05, the IC card 101 updates the behavior attribute data 113
according to the score value 503 calculated anew and the ticket
gate passage data 112b at the last exit time (step 306).
[0130]
A calculation method for a score value Sn+i for updating
the score value 305 in step 303 is explained below.
[0131]
The new score value 503 (the score value Sn+i) is
calculated using the score value 503 (a score value Sn) included
in a row of the behavior attribute data 113 in which the station
42
code 1302 and the station code 501 match in step 302, the score
offset value 504 (a score offset value A) , the score coefficient
505 (a score coefficient K), and a calculation formula (1).
[0132]
[Math 1]
Sn+1=sat {Pn+i+sat (e-K(T
n+1"VA)) Sn} (1)
[0133]
The score coefficient K is a value of the score
coefficient 505. The score offset value A is a value of the
score offset value 504. A date Tn+i is a date indicated by the
time 1303 of the ticket gate passage data 112b at the last exit
time. A date Tn is a date indicated by the stay date and time
502 of the row of the behavior attribute data 113 in which the
station code 1302 and the station code 501 match in step 302.
That is, a value calculated according to a calculation formula
(Tn+i-Tn) is the number of days from the stay of the last time
to the stay of this time . In the following explanation, a value
calculated by the calculation formula (Tn+1-Tn) is described
as use interval Tn+i-Tn. The use interval indicates an interval
of a stay.
[0134]
A function sat(X) is calculated using a calculation
formula (2).
[0135]
[Math 2]
43
sat(X)=l (X>1)
=X (X<1) (2)
[0136]
The function sat(X) is a saturation function.
[0137]
That is, when the use interval Tn+i-Tn is set on the
abscissa, the score value Sn+i is given by an exponential
distribution in which a maximum value is saturated at 1.
[0138]
A point value Pn+i is a value selected according to a
condition of a stay. As the point value Pn+i in this embodiment,
four values, i.e., a new value, a new indefinite value, a normal
value, and a same day value are selected. When the point value
Pn+i is large, the score value Sn+i is also large. In this
embodiment, the new value is 0.75, the new indefinite value
is 0.5, the same day value is 0.5, and the normal value is 0.25.
[0139]
In step 303, i.e., when the score value 503 is updated,
the IC card 101 selects the same day value or the normal value
as the point value Pn+i- For example, when a value of the use
interval Tn+i-Tn is a multiple of 7, the IC card 101 selects
the same day value as the point value Pn+i. When the value of
the use interval Tn+i-Tn is not a multiple of 7, the IC card
101 selects the normal value as the point value Pn+i-
[0140]
44
That is, when the same day value is selected as the point
value Pn+i, the score value Sn+i is set to a value higher than
the score value Sn+i set when the normal value is selected as
the point value Pn+i- By selecting the same day value as the
point value Pn+i, when the stay is started in the same day every
week, the score value Sn+i can be set to a high value.
[0141]
When the score offset value A is high, the use interval
Tn+i-Tn at which the score value Sn+i starts to decrease from
the maximum value 1 can be increased. That is, as the score
offset value A is higher, the score value Sn+i less easily
decreases.
[0142]
When the score coefficient K is high, a degree of a
decrease in the score value Sn+i with respect to the use interval
Tn+i-Tn increases. Specifically, a degree (a gradient) of a
decrease in an exponential distribution of the score value Sn+i
becomes steep. That is, as the score coefficient K is higher,
the score value Sn+i more easily decreases.
[0143]
In this embodiment, the operator or the like sets an
initial value of the score offset value A to 3 and sets an initial
value of the score coefficient K to 0.1 in advance.
[0144]
Further, when a value of (3) is equal to or larger than
45
1, i.e., when the score value Sn+1 is 1, the IC card 101 adds
a value of the use interval Tn+i-Tn to the saturated number of
days 506 . Conversely, when the score value Sn+i is not saturated,
the IC card 101 sets the saturated number of days 506 to 0.
That is, the saturated number of days 506 includes the number
of days in which the score value Sn+i is saturated at 1.
[0145]
[Math 3]
Pn+1+sat(e-K(T
n+rVA))Sn (3)
[0146]
The IC card 101 increases the score offset value A every
time the saturated number of days 506 reaches a fixed value
and reduces the score coefficient K every time the saturated
number of days exceeds the fixed value. Consequently, the IC
card 101 can update the calculation formula (1) such that a
calculation formula for preventing the score value Sn+i from
easily decreasing is used for a stay in which a high state of
the score value Sn+i continues.
[0147]
For example, when the saturated number of days 506
indicates fourteen days and twenty-eight days, the IC card 101
increases the score offset value A by 1 and, when the saturated
number of days is forty-two days and fifty-six days, reduces
the score coefficient K by 0.01. When the saturated number
of days 506 is 0, the IC card 101 resets the score offset value
46
A and the score coefficient K to the initial values.
[0148]
When the saturated number of days 5 06 explained above
is not used, for example, when a user who repeats a stay for
the purpose of, for example, returning home cannot, for example,
return home because of a long-term business trip or the like,
the initial values of the score offset value A and the score
coefficient K are used to calculate the score value Sn+i, the
score value Sn+i of the stay for the purpose of, for example,
returning home immediately decreases. However, since the
saturated number of days 506 is used, the score offset value
A and the score coefficient K are updated from the initial
values. Therefore, even after the long-term business trip,
the score value Sn+i corresponding to the stay for the purpose
of, for example, returning home less easily decreases.
[0149]
The IC card 101 stores the score value Sn+i calculated
by the processing explained above in the score value 503 , stores
the score offset value A in the score offset value 504, stores
the score coefficient K in the score coefficient 505, and stores
the time 1303 of the ticket gate passage data 112b at the last
exit time in the stay date and time 502. Consequently, the
IC card 101 updates the row of the behavior attribute data 113
with which the station code 501 matches in step 302 (step 304) .
[0150]
47
In step 305, the IC card 101 calculates the score value
Sn+1 of a new row of the behavior attribute data 113. The IC
card 101 calculates a new score value Sn+i using a calculation
formula (4).
[0151]
[Math 4]
Sn+i=Pn+i (4)
[0152]
When a station indicated by the station code 13 02 of the
ticket gate passage data 112b at the last exit time and a station
indicated by the station code 13 02 of the ticket gate passage
data 112a at this entrance time are the same, a new value (0.75)
may be set in a value of the point value Pn+i in step 3 05 in
the first embodiment. When the station indicated by the
station code 13 02 of the ticket gate passage data 112b at the
last exit time and the station indicated by the station code
1302 of the ticket gate passage data 112a at this entrance time
are different, a new indefinite value (0.5) may be set.
Consequently, it is possible to calculate a low score value
Sn+i for a stay in which a station that the user exited last
time and a station that the user entered this time are
different.
[0153]
Further, in step 305, the IC card 101 updates, using a
calculation formula (5), the score value 503 (a score value
48
Si (i=l to 4) of the behavior attribute data 113 corresponding
to existing rows in the entry group selected in step 301.
[0154]
[Math 5]
Si-=sat(e-K(T
n+rT
n-A))Si (5)
[0155]
The score value Si- is a new score value calculated in
order to update the existing rows.
[0156]
As in the calculation method for the score value 503 in
step 303, the score coefficient K is a value of the score
coefficient 505 of the behavior attribute data 113
corresponding to existing rows and the score offset value A
is a value of the score offset value 504 of the behavior
attribute data 113 corresponding to the existing rows.
On the other hand, the date Tn+1 is a date indicated by
the time 1303 of the ticket gate passage data 112b at the last
exit time. The date Tn is a date indicated by the stay date
and time 502 of the behavior attribute data 113 corresponding
to the existing rows.
[0157]
That is, when the score value Si- of the existing rows
is calculated, the use interval Tn+i-Tn indicates the number
of days from a day when the stays were used last. The IC card
101 updates the score value 5 03 of the existing rows according
49
to the calculated score value Si< .
[0158]
After updating the score value 5 03 according to the new
score value Si- in step 3 05, the IC card 101 calculates a sum
of the row of the behavior attribute data 113 generated anew
in step 3 05 and rows in which values are already stored in the
sentry group selected in step 301. When the calculated sum
does not exceed the rows retained by the entry group selected
in step 3 01, the IC card 101 adds the row of the behavior
attribute data 113 generated anew in step 305 to the entry group
selected in step 301 (step 306).
[0159]
When the calculated sum exceeds the rows retained by the
entry group selected in step 3 01, the IC card 101 compares the
smallest score value Si- in the existing rows of the entry group
selected in step 3 01 of the behavior attribute data 113 and
a value of the score value Sn+i of the new row generated in step
305 and determines which of the values is larger. When the
value of the score value Sn+i of the new row is larger, the IC
card 101 updates the row including the smallest score value
Si- among the existing rows with the new row including the new
Sn+i (step 306) .
[0160]
Specifically, the IC card 101 replaces the row including
the smallest score value Si- among the existing rows with the
50
station code 1302, the time 1303, the calculated score value
Sn+i, the initial value of the score offset value A, the initial
value of the score coefficient K, and the saturated number of
days ( = 0) of the ticket gate passage data 112b at the last exit
time.
[0161]
When it is determined in step 3 06 that the value of the
score value Sn+i of the new row is smaller than the smallest
score value Si- among the existing rows, the row of the behavior
attribute data 113 generated anew does not include the score
value Sn+i equal to or larger than a fixed value. Therefore,
the IC card 101 deletes the row of the behavior attribute data
113 generated anew.
[0162]
As explained above, when the stay of this time
corresponds to the row already retained in the behavior
attribute data 113, the IC card 101 in the first embodiment
updates the score value 503 of the existing rows. When the
stay of this time is not retained in the behavior attribute
data 113, the IC card 101 generates a row including a new score
value 503 . On the other hand, the IC card 101 updates the score
value 503 of the existing rows as well. The IC card 101 deletes
a row including the smallest score value 503 among the new score
value 503 and the score value 503 of the existing rows.
[0163]
51
Consequently, the IC card 101 can always retain the
behavior attribute data 113 including a high score value 503.
Since it is unnecessary to retain a row in which the score value
503 is low, the capacity of the nonvolatile data memory 108
can be reduced.
[0164]
Note that, in step 303, all the score values 503 in the
entry group selected in step 3 01 may be updated. A method of
updating the score values 503 of the existing rows is the same
as step 305.
[0165]
Since the score value 503 of the existing stay is updated
every time a new stay is performed, the score value 503
conforming to a latest state of the user can be retained. For
example, when the user changes a station in use because of
house-moving or the like, the score value 503 concerning a stay
in the station before the house-moving decreases every time
the user stays in a new station. On the other hand, every time
the user stays in the new station, the score value 503 of the
behavior attribute data 113 concerning a stay in the new station
increases.
[0166]
As a result, the behavior attribute data 113 in the first
embodiment can retain a value conforming to the latest behavior
and a life style of the user.
52
[0167]
Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing presentation
information 2 03 0 presented by the information presentation
processing 13 9 in the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0168]
The presentation information 2 03 0 may be retained in the
memory or the like included in the reader writer device 121.
The presentation information 203 0 is set in advance by the
operator or the like and retained in the reader writer device
121.
[0169]
The reader writer device 121 refers to, through the
information presentation processing 13 9, the behavior
attribute data 113 and the presentation information 2030
transmitted from the IC card 101 and determines information
to be presented to the user. The presentation information 2030
includes a matching station 2031, a state 2032, a time period
2033, and display contents 2034.
[0170]
The matching station 2031 includes an identifier for
uniquely indicating a station where the ticket checker 161,
through which the user passes, is arranged. The matching
station 2031 corresponds to the station code 501 of the behavior
attribute data 113. The state 2032 includes an identifier
53
indicating whether the passage through the ticket checker 161
by the user is an entrance into the ticket gate or an exit from
the ticket gate.
[0171]
The time period 2 03 3 indicates a time period in one day.
In the time period 2 03 3 shown in Fig. 9, values indicating
"morning" (e.g., first train to 10 o'clock), "daytime" (e.g.,
10 o'clock to 16 o'clock), "evening" (e.g., 16 o'clock to 19
o'clock), and "night" (e.g., 19 o'clock to last train) are
stored.
[0172]
The display contents 2034 include contents of
information presented to the user by the reader writer device
121.
[0173]
For example, when the user passes through the ticket
checker 161 of the station in the morning to commute from the
home to a place of work and enters the ticket gate, the station
where the reader writer device 121, through which the user
passes, is arranged is highly likely to be a station where the
user stays for days, i.e., a station present near the home
(equivalent to the type 1) . The user is highly likely to move
to a station where the user stays for the purpose of work
(equivalent to the type 5).
[0174]
54
Therefore, in the presentation information 2 03 0 in this
embodiment, information that should be presented to the user
is set according to a purpose of the next stay to which the
user moves.
[0175]
Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the ticket
checker 161 in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0176]
When the user passes through the ticket checker 161, the
user holds the IC card 101 over the reader writer device 121.
The reader writer device 121 receives, through the behavior
attribute readout processing 138, the behavior attribute data
113 from the IC card 101 via the antenna for IC card
communication 123 and the antenna for IC card communication
103. The reader writer device 121 presents, through the
information presentation processing 13 9, information for the
user passing through the ticket checker 161 to the display 13 0
on the basis of the received behavior attribute data 113.
[0177]
Specifically, when the user passes through the ticket
checker 161, the reader writer device 121 refers to the behavior
attribute data 113 received from the IC card 101 and compares
identifiers stored in the station code 501 of the type 1 to
the type 6 (the entry group 511 to the entry group 516) and
an identifier (retained in advance) indicating the station
55
where the reader writer device 121 itself is arranged. The
reader writer device 121 determines whether the station where
the reader writer device 121 is arranged is included in the
type 1 to the type 6 of the behavior attribute data 113.
[0178]
When the station where the reader writer device 121 is
arranged is included in the type 1 to the type 6 of the behavior
attribute data 113, the station where the reader writer device
121 is arranged is a station where the user started stay in
the past for the purposes indicated by the type 1 to the type
6. Therefore, the reader writer device 121 refers to the
presentation information 2030 in order to present, to the user,
information concerning a station (a stay destination) to which
the user is highly likely to move from the station where the
reader writer device 121 is arranged.
[0179]
The reader writer device 121 specifies a row of the
presentation information 2030 on the basis of a type including
the station where the reader writer device 121 is arranged,
a direction in which the user passes through the ticket checker
161 (an entrance or an exit) , and a time period when the user
passes through the ticket checker 161.
[0180]
For example, when the user passes through the ticket
checker 161, if the matching station 2031 of the presentation
56
information 2030 is the "type 1", the direction in which the
user passes through the ticket checker 161 is the entrance,
and the time period is morning, the reader writer device 121
specifies a row in which the display contents 2 034 is "type
5 station direction service information".
[0181]
The reader writer device 121 specifies the station code
501 in a row in which a value stored in the score value 503
is the highest in the type 5 (the entry group 513) of the behavior
attribute data 113 received from the IC card 101. The reader
writer device 121 presents, on the display 13 0, service
information in a station direction indicated by the specified
station code 501.
[0182]
The example explained above indicates that, in the
example shown in Fig. 7, when the user enters the ticket gate
in order to move from the home (equivalent to the type 1) to
the place of work (the type 5), the reader writer device 121
presents, to the user, service information of a railroad in
a station direction in which the place of work is present.
[0183]
For example, when the user passes through the ticket
checker 161, if the matching station 2031 of the presentation
information 2030 is the "type 1" and the direction in which
the user passes through the ticket checker 161 is the exit,
57
the reader writer device 121 specifies a row in which the
display contents 2034 is "type 1 station periphery service
information".
[0184]
The example explained above indicates that, in the
example shown in Fig. 7, the user arrives at the station near
the home and the reader writer device 121 presents, to the user,
information concerning a service provided in the periphery of
the station near the home.
[0185]
According to the first embodiment, the IC card 101
calculates the score value 503 concerning a stay on the basis
of the ticket gate passage data 112 transmitted during passage
through the ticket checker 161. The IC card 101 transmits the
behavior attribute data 113 including the score value 503 for
each stay to the reader writer device 121. Therefore, it is
possible to provide a service based on the behavior attribute
data 113 for each user only by changing the IC card 101 and
the ticket checker 161 including the reader writer device 121
without involving a change of an entire large and wide-area
system that treats the electronic ticket of the IC card 101.
[0186]
The IC card 101 in the first embodiment dynamically
changes the score value 503 of the behavior attribute data 113
according to a use interval of a stay, periodicity of the stay,
58
or the like. Therefore, it is possible to cause the score value
503 of the behavior attribute data 113 to automatically follow
a station in use, a range of behavior, or a rhythm of life that
changes according to a transfer in work, house-moving, or the
like of the user. As a result, it is possible to provide a
service most suitable for the user conforming to a latest state
of the user.
[0187]
Further, the numbers of rows of each entry group included
in the behavior attribute data 113 are set in advance and only
the behavior attribute data 113 having the high score value
503 is retained. Therefore, the IC card 101 in the first
embodiment can execute the processing in the first embodiment
using the nonvolatile data memory 108 having a limited
capacity.
[0188]
Further, the IC card 101 in the first embodiment can
transmit, through the behavior attribute readout processing
119, only the behavior attribute data 113 having the high score
value 503 to the reader writer device 121. Therefore, it is
possible to end the communication between the IC card 101 and
the reader writer device 121 in a sufficiently short time.
[0189]
(Second Embodiment)
Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a physical
59
configuration of an IC card system, the charging management
system 151, and the behavior attribute tabulation system 153
in a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0190]
The system shown in Fig. 11 includes the IC card 101,
a POS register terminal 145, a reader writer device 621, the
gateways (GWs) 141, the network 152, the charging management
system 151, the behavior attribute tabulation system 153, the
behavior history database 154, and the card history database
155.
[0191]
The IC card 101 in the second embodiment and the IC card
101 in the first embodiment may be the same IC card 101. The
reader writer device 621 communicates with the IC card 101 via
radio and is connected to the POS register terminal 145 via
a communication line 146. The reader writer device 621
transmits charging information and the behavior attribute
information of the IC card 101 to the charging management system
151 via the GW 141 and the network 152.
[0192]
The GWs 141, the network 152, the charging management
system 151, the behavior attribute tabulation system 153, the
behavior history database 154, and the card history database
155 in the second embodiment are the same as the GWs 141, the
network 152, the charging management system 151, the behavior
60
attribute tabulation system, the behavior history database 154 ,
and the card history database 155 in the first embodiment.
Therefore, explanation thereof is omitted.
[0193]
One GW 141 is connected to a plurality of the reader writer
devices 621 via a network 142. A plurality of the GWs 141 and
the reader writer devices 621 are hierarchically connected to
the network 152.
[0194]
Like the IC card 101 in the first embodiment, the IC card
101 in the second embodiment includes the IC card communication
IF (interface) 102, the antenna for IC card communication 103,
the power supply circuit 104, the CPU 105, the work memory 106,
the program memory 10 7, the nonvolatile data memory 108, and
the authentication mechanism 109 . Like the program memory 107
in the first embodiment, the program memory 107 in the second
embodiment retains the ticket processing 115, the charging
processing 116, the entrance processing 117, the behavior
attribute recording processing (stay) 118a, the behavior
attribute recording processing (purchase) 118b, and the
behavior attribute readout processing 119.
[0195]
Further, like the nonvolatile data memory 108 in the
first embodiment, the nonvolatile data memory 108 in the second
embodiment retains the balance data 111, the ticket gate
61
passage data 112, and the behavior attribute data 113.
[0196]
Like the reader writer device 121 in the first embodiment,
the reader writer device 621 in the second embodiment includes
the IC card communication IF 122, the antenna for IC card
communication 123 , the CPU 124, the work memory 12 5, the program
memory 126, the authentication mechanism 127, the
communication IF (interface) 128, and the display IF 129.
[0197]
The reader writer device 621 in the second embodiment
is connected to the display 130. The reader writer device 921
displays, through the information presentation processing 13 9
and the display IF 12 9, information presented to users on the
display 130.
[0198]
The program memory 12 6 retains the charging processing
13 6, the behavior attribute readout processing 13 8, and the
information presentation processing 139. The behavior
attribute readout processing 13 8 and the information
presentation processing 13 9 in the second embodiment are the
same as the behavior attribute readout processing 138 and the
information presentation processing 13 9 in the first
embodiment. The charging processing 13 6 in the second
embodiment includes the same function as the charging
processing 136 in the first embodiment and performs electronic
62
money settlement in purchase.
[0199]
Fig. 12 is a sequence chart showing processing performed
by the reader writer device 621 and the IC card 101 in the second
embodiment of the present invention.
[0200]
The sequence chart in Fig. 12 shows processing executed
when a user holds the IC card 101 over the reader writer device
621 connected to the POS register terminal 145 in order to
purchase a commodity and the purchase of the commodity is
settled by electronic money of the IC card 101. The sequence
in Fig. 12 is started in a state in which communication between
the reader writer device 621 and the IC card 101 is established.
[0201]
First, the POS register terminal 145 transmits a charging
amount 711 to the reader writer device 621. The charging amount
711 includes a value indicating an amount (a charging amount)
that should be subtracted from the balance of the electronic
money retained by the IC card 101. Upon receiving the charging
amount 711, the reader writer device 621 starts the charging
processing 136.
[0202]
Processing from transmission of charging data 12 01 to
the IC card 101 by the reader writer device 121 until an end
notification 2020 is transmitted from the IC card 101 to the
63
reader writer device 621 in the second embodiment is the same
as the processing from the transmission of the charging data
1401 to the IC card 101 by the reader writer device 121 until
the transmission of the end notification 2003 from the IC card
101 to the reader writer device 621 in the first embodiment
shown in Fig. 2A.
[0203]
Specifically, the reader writer device 621 transmits the
charging data 12 01, in which the charging amount included in
the charging amount 711 is stored, to the IC card 101. The
charging data 12 01 includes the charging amount, a value
indicating a shop where the POS register terminal 145 is
arranged, and time when purchase was performed.
[0204]
Upon receiving the charging data 1201, the IC card 101
updates the balance data 111 stored in the nonvolatile data
memory 10 8 with the charging amount stored in the charging data
1201. Thereafter, the IC card 101 transmits the end
notification 2020 including a value indicating whether the
charging processing 116 is successful and a value indicating
the balance 1504 of the balance data 111 to the reader writer
device 621.
[0205]
After transmitting the end notification 2020 to the
reader writer device 621, the IC card 101 ends the charging
64
processing 116 and starts the behavior attribute recording
processing (purchase) 118b. The IC card 101 calculates,
through the behavior attribute recording processing
(purchase) 118b, score values included in the behavior
attribute data 113 corresponding to kinds of purchase. The
IC card 101 updates the behavior attribute data 113 with the
calculated score values. Concerning the behavior attribute
recording processing (purchase) 118b, details are explained
below.
[0206]
After the behavior attribute data 113 is updated by the
behavior attribute recording processing (purchase) 118b, IC
card 101 transmits an end notification 2021 to the reader writer
device 621 and ends the behavior attribute recording processing
(purchase) 118b.
[0207]
Upon receiving the end notification 2 021, the reader
writer device 621 transmits an end notification 712 to the POS
register terminal 145 and ends the charging processing 136.
The end notification 712 includes a value indicating whether
the charging processing 116 by the IC card 101 is successful
and a value indicating the balance 1504 of the balance data
111 of the IC card 101.
[0208]
After ending the charging processing 136, the reader
65
writer device 621 starts the behavior attribute readout
processing 13 8 . The behavior attribute readout processing 13 8
in the second embodiment is the same function as the behavior
attribute readout processing 13 8 in the first embodiment. The
behavior attribute readout processing 119 by the IC card 101
is also the same function as the behavior attribute readout
processing 119 in the first embodiment.
[0209]
The IC card 101 may transmit, through the behavior
attribute readout processing 119, the behavior attribute data
113 including the highest score value to the reader writer
device 621 or transmit several behavior attribute data 113 to
the reader writer device 621.
[0210]
However, upon receiving the behavior attribute data 113
from the IC card 101, the reader writer device 621 transmits
the received behavior attribute data 113 to the POS register
terminal 145 through the behavior attribute readout processing
13 8 in the second embodiment.
[0211]
Consequently, the POS register terminal 14 5 can present
shopping information and the like to the user according to the
score values included in the received behavior attribute data
113. Note that the reader writer device 621 may specify,
through the information presentation processing 13 9,
66
information presented to the user according to the score values
included in the behavior attribute data 113 and transmit the
specified information to the POS register terminal 145.
[0212]
Note that the reader writer device 621 may acquire,
through the information presentation processing 13 9,
necessary information from a server or the like, which retains
information, via the network 152.
[0213]
The behavior attribute readout processing 119 in the
second embodiment is the same as the behavior attribute readout
processing 119 in the first embodiment.
[0214]
Fig. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the charging
data 12 01 in the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0215]
The reader writer device 621 transmits the charging data
1201 to the IC card 101 through the charging processing 136.
The charging data 12 01 includes a terminal ID 12 02, time 12 03,
a charging amount 12 04, a shop type 12 05, and a shop taste 12 06 .
[0216]
The terminal ID 12 02 includes an identifier for uniquely
indicating the reader writer device 621 and corresponds to a
shop where the reader writer device 621 is provided. Note that
a plurality of the reader writer devices 621 may be provided
67
in one shop.
[0217]
The time 1203 includes a value indicating a date and time
when purchase was performed. The charging amount 12 04
includes a value that should be subtracted from the balance
1504 of the IC card 101 according to the purchase.
[0218]
The shop type 12 05 and the shop taste 12 0 6 are values
indicating a type and a tendency of a shop where purchase was
performed. The shop type 12 05 and the shop taste 12 06 are set
by an operator or the like in advance according to the shop
where the reader writer device 621 is provided. The reader
writer device 621 stores, in the charging data 12 01, the shop
type 1205 and the shop taste 1206 retained by the reader writer
device 621.
[0219]
Fig. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a shop
classification 1208 in the second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0220]
The shop classification 12 08 is set by the operator or
the like in advance. The shop type 1205 and the shop taste
12 06 of shops are set in advance according to the shop
classification 1208 . The reader writer device 621 retains the
shop type 12 05 and the shop taste 12 0 6 of the shop, where the
68
reader writer device 621 is provided, in a memory or the like
in advance.
[0221]
One shop type 12 05 and one shop taste 12 06 are set for
each of the shops in the second embodiment. However, a
plurality of the shop types 1205 and a plurality of the shop
tastes 12 0 6 may be set for each of the shops. The retained
shop type 12 05 and shop taste 12 06 may be updated according
to time.
[0222]
The shop classification 1208 includes a name 1207, the
shop type 12 05, and the shop taste 12 06. The name 1207
indicates a name of a type of a commodity or a service treated
by the shop. The shop type 1205 is an identifier uniquely
indicating the name 1207. The shop taste 1206 is an identifier
for classifying the shop type 1205 into a predetermined type
and uniquely indicating the type.
[0223]
There are sixteen types as the shop type 12 05 in the second
embodiment and there are three types as the shop taste 12 06
in the second embodiment. The shop taste 1206 in the second
embodiment is classified according to convenience and
entertainment. 1 is set for the shop taste 12 0 6 of a shop having
high convenience such as a convenience store. 2 is set for
the shop taste 12 06 of a shop having high entertainment such
69
as a sweets shop. 3 is set for the shop taste 1206 of a shop
having both the characteristics.
[0224]
Fig. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the behavior
attribute data 113 in the second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0225]
The behavior attribute data 113 in the second embodiment
retains the score values calculated on the basis of kinds of
behavior concerning kinds of purchase by the user. Therefore,
rows of the behavior attribute data 113 indicate kinds of
purchase by the user as numerical values. The behavior
attribute data 113 in the second embodiment includes a shop
terminal group 517, a shop type group 518, and a shop taste
group 519.
[0226]
The shop terminal group 517 includes score values for
each shop where the user performed purchase. That is, the shop
terminal group 517 retains score values of shops where
frequencies of purchase by the user are high.
[0227]
The shop type group 518 includes score values of each
shop type 1205 of a shop where the user performed purchase.
That is, the shop type group 518 retains score values of the
shop type 1205 with high frequencies of purchase by the user.
70
[0228]
The shop taste group 519 includes score values for each
shop taste 1206 of shops where the user performed purchase.
That is, the shop taste group 519 retains score values of the
shop taste 12 06 with high frequencies of purchase by the user.
[0229]
The shop terminal group 517 includes a terminal ID 521-1.
The shop type group 518 includes a shop type 521-2. The shop
taste group 519 includes a shop taste 521-3. Each of the shop
terminal group 517, the shop type group 518, and the shop taste
group 519 includes a use date and time 522, a score value 523,
a score offset 524, a score coefficient 525, and a saturated
number of days 526.
[0230]
The terminal ID 521-1 includes an identifier uniquely
indicating the POS register terminal 145 with which the user
performed purchase and including the reader writer device 621.
The terminal ID 521 corresponds to the terminal ID 12 02 of the
charging data 12 01.
[0231]
The shop type 521-2 includes an identifier uniquely
indicating the shop type 12 05 of a shop where the user performed
purchase. The shop type 521-2 corresponds to the shop type
12 0 5 of the charging data 1201.
[0232]
71
The shop taste 521-3 includes an identifier uniquely
indicating the shop taste 1206 of the shop where the user
performed the purchase. The shop taste 521-3 corresponds to
the shop taste 1206 of the charging data 1201.
[0233]
The use date and time 522 indicates a date and time when
the purchase was performed and corresponds to the time 12 03
of the charging data 1201. The score value 523, the score
offset 524 , the score coefficient 525 , and the saturated number
of days 526 are the same as the score value 503, the score offset
value 504, the score coefficient 505, and the saturated number
of days 506 in the first embodiment.
[0234]
In the second embodiment, the shop terminal group 517
includes four rows and the shop type group 518 includes four
rows. The shop taste group 519 includes two rows because there
are only three kinds of the shop taste 1206. The rows included
in the shop terminal group 517 and the shop type group 518 are
set in advance by the operator or the like.
[0235]
The operator or the like sets the rows included in the
shop terminal group 517 and the shop type group 518 according
to the capacity of the memory such as the nonvolatile data
memory 108 of the IC card 101. Therefore, the rows included
in the shop terminal group 517 and the shop type groups 518
72
may be five or more rows or may be one or more and three or
less rows.
[0236]
In the second embodiment, the rows included in the shop
taste group 519 of the behavior attribute data 113 are two rows.
This is because, in the second embodiment, there are three kinds
of the shop taste 12 06. However, when there are four or more
kinds of the shop taste 1206, three or more rows may be included
in the shop taste group 519 as in the shop terminal group 517
and the shop type group 518.
[0237]
The numbers of rows of the shop terminal group 517, the
shop type group 518, and the shop taste group 519 included in
the behavior attribute data 113 are set in advance. Therefore,
the IC card 101 in the second embodiment can execute the
processing in the second embodiment using the nonvolatile data
memory 108 having the limited capacity.
[0238]
Fig. 16 is a flowchart for explaining the behavior
attribute recording processing (purchase) 118b in the second
embodiment of the present invention.
[0239]
The behavior attribute recording processing (purchase)
118b is executed when the user performs purchase in a shop.
The behavior attribute recording processing (purchase) 118b
73
roughly includes three kinds of processing.
[0240]
Processing in steps 1101 to 1105 is generation of the
behavior attribute data 113 concerning the shop where the
reader writer device 621 is provided and accumulation of the
generated behavior attribute data 113. Processing in steps
1106 to 1110 is generation of the behavior attribute data 113
concerning the shop type 12 05 and accumulation of the generated
behavior attribute data 113 . Processing in steps 1111 and 1112
is calculation of a score value of the behavior attribute data
113 concerning the shop taste 1206 and accumulation of the
calculated behavior attribute data 113.
[0241]
First, the IC card 101 determines whether the terminal
ID 521-1 corresponding to the terminal ID 1202 of the received
charging data 1201 is stored in the shop terminal group 517
of the behavior attribute data 113 (step 1101).
[0242]
When the terminal ID 521-1 corresponding to the terminal
ID 1202 is stored in the shop terminal group 517, the user
performed the purchase in a shop where the user frequently
performs purchase and performed purchase before. Therefore,
in order to update the score value 523 of a row including the
terminal ID 521-1 same as the terminal ID 1202, the IC card
101 shifts to step 1102.
74
[0243]
When the terminal ID 521-1 corresponding to the terminal
ID 1202 is not stored in the shop terminal group 517, the user
performed purchase in a shop where the user visited first or
a shop where the user rarely visits. Therefore, in order to
generate the behavior attribute data 113 anew and calculate
the score value 523 anew, the IC card 101 shifts to step 1104.
[0244]
After step 1101, in order to update the score value 523
of the row including the terminal ID 521-1 same as the terminal
ID 1202, the IC card 101 calculates a new score Sn+i (step 1102) .
[0245]
The IC card 101 calculates the new score value Sn+i using
the score value 523, the score offset 524, and the score
coefficient 525 of a row (an existing row) of the shop terminal
group 517 in which the terminal ID 521-1 same as the terminal
ID 1202 is stored in step 1101. The new score value Sn+i is
calculated by the calculation formula (1) in the first
embodiment.
[0246]
In the second embodiment, the score coefficient K is a
value of the score coefficient 525, the score offset value A
is a value of the score offset 524, the date Tn+i is a date (a
purchase date of this time) indicated by the time 1203 of the
received charging data 1201, and the date Tn is a date (a
75
purchase date of the last time) indicated by the use date and
time 522 of the existing row. That is, a value calculated by
the calculation formula (Tn+i-Tn) is the number of days from
purchase of the last time until purchase of this time. The
value calculated by the calculation formula (Tn+i-Tn) is
described as use interval Tn+i-Tn below.
[0247]
As the point value Pn+i in the second embodiment, three
values, i.e. , a new value, a normal value, and a same day value
are selected according to conditions for purchase. In the
calculation of the score value Sn+i in step 1102, when a value
of the use interval Tn+1-Tn is a multiple of 7, the same day
value is selected as the point value Pn+i. When the value of
the use interval Tn+i-Tn is not a multiple of 7, the normal value
is selected.
[0248]
In the second embodiment, for example, 0.75 is set as
the new value, 0.5 is set as the same day value, and 0.2 5 is
set as the normal value. For example, an initial value of the
score offset value A is set to 3 and an initial value of the
score coefficient K is set to 0.1. These numerical values in
the present invention may be changed to any values by the
operator or the like.
[0249]
In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment,
76
when the value of (3) is equal to or larger than 1, that is,
when the score value Sn+i is 1, the IC card 101 adds the value
of the use interval Tn+1-Tn to the saturated number of days 526.
Conversely, when the score value Sn+i is not saturated, the IC
card 101 stores 0 in the saturated number of days 526.
[0250]
As in the first embodiment, the IC card 101 increases
the score offset value A every time the saturated number of
days 52 6 reaches a fixed value and decreases the score
coefficient K every time the saturated number of days 526
exceeds the fixed value. Consequently, the IC card 101 can
update the calculation formula (1) such that a calculation
formula for preventing the score value Sn+i from easily
decreasing is used for purchase in which a high state of the
score value Sn+i continues.
[0251]
For example, when the saturated number of days 526
indicates fourteen days and twenty-eight days, the IC card 101
increases the score offset value A by 1 and, when the saturated
number of days is forty-two days and fifty-six days, reduces
the score coefficient K by 0.01. When the saturated number
of days 526 is 0, the IC card 101 resets the score offset value
A and the score coefficient K to the initial values.
[0252]
When the saturated number of days 5 06 explained above
77
is not used, for example, when a user who repeats purchase in
the same shop cannot perform purchase in the same shop because
of a long-term business trip or the like, the score value Sn+1
of the purchase in the shop immediately decreases. However,
since the saturated number of days 526 is used, the score offset
value A and the score coefficient K are updated from the initial
values. Therefore, even after the long-term business trip,
the score value Sn+i corresponding to the purchase in the same
shop less easily decreases.
[0253]
The IC card 101 in this embodiment stores the score value
Sn+1 calculated by the processing explained above in the score
value 523, stores the score offset value A in the score offset
value 524, stores the score coefficient K in the score
coefficient 525, and stores the time 1203 of the charging data
1201 in the use date and time 522. Consequently, the IC card
101 updates the row in which it is determined in step 1101 that
the terminal ID 521-1 corresponding to the terminal ID 12 02
is stored (step 1103) .
[0254]
After step 1101, in step 1104, the IC card 101 calculates
anew the score value Sn+i included in a new row of the behavior
attribute data 113 according to the calculation formula (4)
in the first embodiment. The new value is set as a value of
the point value Pn+i in step 1104 in the second embodiment. The
78
IC card 101 generates a new row of the behavior attribute data
113 including the score value Sn+i calculated in step 1104.
[0255]
Further, in step 1104, in order to update the score values
523 (score values Si (i=l to 4)) already stored in the shop
terminal group 517, the IC card 101 calculates a new score value
Si- according to the calculation formula (5) in the first
embodiment.
[0256]
Values of the score coefficient K, the score offset value
A, the date Tn+i when purchase was performed this time, and the
data Tn when purchase was performed last time are the same as
the values in step 1101. By calculating the score value Si<
using the calculation formula (5) in the first embodiment,
concerning other purchase rather than the purchase of this time,
the IC card 101 can update the score value 523 according to
the number of days from a day when purchase was performed last.
As the number of days from the day when the purchase was
performed last is larger, the score value Si- is calculated as
a smaller value.
[0257]
In step 1104, the IC card 101 updates, with the score
value Si- calculated by the calculation formula (5) , the score
value 523 of a row corresponding to the score value Si- .
[0258]
79
After updating the score value 5 03 with the new score
value Si- in step 1104, the IC card 101 determines whether a
sum of the row of the behavior attribute data 113 generated
anew and rows in which values are already stored in the shop
terminal group 517 exceeds the rows retained by the shop
terminal group 517.
[0259]
When the sum of the row of the behavior attribute data
113 generated anew and the rows in which values are already
stored in the shop terminal group 517 does not exceed the rows
retained by the shop terminal group 517, in step 1105, the IC
card 101 adds the row generated a new to the shop terminal group
517.
[0260]
When the sum of the row of the behavior attribute data
113 generated anew and the rows in which values are already
stored in the shop terminal group 517 exceeds the rows retained
by the shop terminal group 517, in step 1105, the IC card 101
compares the smallest score value Si- in the score values 523
of the shop terminal group 517 of the behavior attribute data
113 and the score value Sn+i of the row generated anew in step
1104 and determines whether a value of the score value Sn+i
calculated anew in step 1104 is larger.
[0261]
When the value of the score value Sn+1 calculated anew
80
in step 1104 is larger, in step 1105, the IC card 101 stores,
in a row including the smallest score value 523, data of the
terminal ID 521-1, the use date and time 522, the score value
523, and the score value Sn+1, initial values of the score
offset 524 and the score coefficient 525, and the saturated
number of days (=0) of the behavior attribute data 113 generated
anew corresponding to the purchase of this time.
[0262]
After step 1103 or step 1105, the IC card 101 determines
whether the shop type 521-2 including an identifier same as
the identifier of the shop type 1205 of the received charging
data 1201 is stored in the shop type group 518 of the behavior
attribute data 113 (step 1106).
[0263]
Processing in steps 1107 to 1110 is the same as the
processing in steps 1102 to 1105. The IC card 101 updates the
score values 523 of the rows of the shop type group 518 according
to the processing in steps 1107 to 1110.
[0264]
In step 1110, as in step 1104, when the sum of the row
of the behavior attribute data 113 generated anew and the rows
in which values are already stored in the shop type group 518
exceeds the rows retained by the shop type group 518, the IC
card 101 updates, with the row of the behavior attribute data
113 generated anew, the row including the smallest score value
81
Si- among the rows in which the values are already stored. When
the sum of the row of the behavior attribute data 113 generated
anew and the rows in which values are already stored in the
shop type group 518 does not exceed the rows retained by the
shop type group 518, the IC card 101 adds the row of the behavior
attribute data generated anew to the shop type group 518.
[0265]
After step 1108 or step 1110, the IC card 101 calculates
the score value 523 of the shop taste group 519 (step 1111).
In step 1111, the IC card 101 uses the shop taste 1206 of the
received charging data 1201.
[0266]
The shop taste group 519 of the behavior attribute data
113 in the second embodiment includes only two rows. This is
because, since there are only three kinds of the shop taste
1206, it is possible to discriminate magnitudes of all score
values of the shop taste 12 0 6 if the behavior attribute data
113 concerning the two shop tastes 1206 are fixedly retained.
[0267]
The shop taste group 519 in the second embodiment
includes the behavior attribute data 113 in the case in which
the shop taste 1206 is "1" and the behavior attribute data 113
in the case in which the shop taste 1206 is "3". The score
values 523 of the shop taste group 519 are calculated using
the calculation formula (1) used in step 1102 and step 1107.
82
[0268]
Information concerning in which shops users perform
purchase, in what kinds of shop types the users perform purchase,
and in which shop tastes the users perform purchase is
calculated as the score values 523 by the behavior attribute
recording processing (purchase) 118b. Therefore, the
behavior attribute data 113 is transmitted to the reader writer
device 621 in the behavior attribute readout processing 13 8
by the reader writer device 621 and the behavior attribute
readout processing 119 by the IC card 101. Consequently, the
reader writer device 621 can present information conforming
to the tendencies of the behavior of the users to the users
according to the score values 52 3 of the received behavior
attribute data 113.
[0269]
For example, the reader writer device 621 or the POS
register terminal 145 in the second embodiment refers to the
score value 523 of the behavior attribute data 113 received
from the IC card 101 and, when the shop type 1205 is a high
value of the score value 523 of the behavior attribute data
113 indicating sweets, presents information concerning a shop
for purchasing the sweets to the user. When the shop taste
1206 is "1", the reader writer device 621 or the POS register
terminal 145 presents information concerning a shop with high
convenience to the user.
83
[0270]
As in the first embodiment, the IC card 101 in the second
embodiment uses the score offset 524, the score coefficient
525, and the saturated number of days 52 6 in order to calculate
a score value. By using these values, the IC card 101 can
calculate the score values 523 conforming to, for example,
changes in life styles of users. For example, the IC card 101
can calculate high score values 523 for purchase by a user who
performs purchase in the same shop on the same day every week.
The reader writer device 621 or the like can present information
concerning shops with the high score values 523 to more users.
[0271]
According to the second embodiment, the IC card 101
calculates a score value concerning purchase on the basis of
the charging data 1201 transmitted when the POS register
terminal 145 is used in a shop. The IC card 101 transmits the
behavior attribute data 113 including the score value for each
purchase to the reader writer device 121. Therefore, the IC
card system in the second embodiment can provide a service based
on the behavior attribute data 113 of each user through only
a change of the POS register terminal 14 5 including the IC card
101 and the reader writer device 621 without involving a change
of an entire large and wide-area system in which the IC card
101 is used.
[0272]
84
The IC card 101 in the second embodiment dynamically
changes a score value of the behavior attribute data 113
according to a use interval of purchase, periodicity of the
purchase, or the like. Therefore, it is possible to cause the
score value of the behavior attribute data 113 to automatically
follow, for example, a change of a life style of the user. As
a result, it is possible to provide a service most suitable
for the user conforming to a latest state of the user.
[0273]
The IC card 101 in the second embodiment calculates the
behavior attribute data 113 for each type of a shop where the
user performed purchase and each taste of the shop. Therefor,
it is possible to provide a service most suitable for the user
conforming to a taste, an interest, or the like of the user.
[0274]
Further, the numbers of rows of the shop terminal group
517, the shop type group 518, and the shop taste group 519
included in the behavior attribute data 113 are set in advance
and only the behavior attribute data 113 having a high score
value is retained. Therefore, the IC card 101 in the second
embodiment can execute the processing in the second embodiment
using the nonvolatile data memory 108 having a limited
capacity.
[0275]
Further, the IC card 101 in the second embodiment can
85
transmit, through the behavior attribute readout processing
119, only the behavior attribute data 113 having the high score
value 523 to the reader writer device 621. Therefore, it is
possible to end the communication between the IC card 101 and
the reader writer device 621 in a sufficiently short time.
[0276]
(Third Embodiment)
Fig. 17 is a block diagram showing a physical
configuration of an IC card system, a charging management
system, and a behavior attribute tabulation system in a third
embodiment of the present invention.
[0277]
The systems shown in Fig. 17 include the IC card 101,
an information terminal 961, a reader writer device 921, the
gateways (GWs) 141, the network 152, the charging management
system 151, the behavior attribute tabulation system 153, the
behavior history database 154, and the card history database
155.
[0278]
The IC card 101 in the third embodiment and the IC card
101 in the first embodiment and the second embodiment may be
the same IC card 101. The reader writer device 921 communicates
with the IC card 101 via radio and is connected to the
information terminal 961.
[0279]
86
The information terminal 961 and the reader writer device
921 may be connected to the GW 141 via the network 142. The
information terminal 961 and the reader writer device 921 maybe
arranged stand-alone without being connected to the GW 141.
When connected to the GW 141, the reader writer device 921
transmits charging information and behavior attribute
information of the IC card 101 to the charging management system
151 via the GW 141 and the network 152.
[0280]
The GWs 141, the network 152, the charging management
system 151, the behavior attribute tabulation system 153, the
behavior history database 154, and the card history database
155 in the third embodiment are the same as the GWs 141, the
network 152, the charging management system 151, the behavior
attribute tabulation system, the behavior history database 154 ,
and the card history database 155 in the first embodiment and
the second embodiment. Therefore, explanation thereof is
omitted.
[0281]
The IC card 101 in the third embodiment retains the same
function as the IC card 101 in the first embodiment and the
second embodiment and retains the same data.
[0282]
Like the reader writer device 121 in the first embodiment
and the reader writer device 621 in the second embodiment, the
87
reader writer device 921 in the third embodiment includes the
IC card communication IF 122, the antenna for IC card
communication 123 , the CPU 124, the work memory 12 5, the program
memory 126, the authentication mechanism 127, the
communication IF (interface) 12 8, and the display IF 12 9.
[0283]
The reader writer device 921 in the third embodiment is
connected to the display 130. The reader writer device 921
displays information to users on the display 13 0 through the
information presentation processing 139 and the display IF 129 .
[0284]
The program memory 126 retains functions of the behavior
attribute readout processing 13 8 and the information
presentation processing 13 9. The behavior attribute readout
processing 138 and the information presentation processing 139
in the third embodiment are the same as the behavior attribute
readout processing 13 8 and the information presentation
processing 13 9 in the first embodiment and the second
embodiment.
[0285]
Fig. 18 is a sequence chart showing processing by the
reader writer device 921 and the IC card 101 in the third
embodiment of the present invention.
[0286]
The sequence chart of Fig. 18 is processing started when
88
a user holds the IC card 101 of the user over the reader writer
device 921 of the information terminal 961. The sequence in
Fig. 18 is started in a state in which communication between
the reader writer device 921 and the IC card 101 is established.
[0287]
In the sequence chart in Fig. 18, the reader writer device
921 acquires the behavior attribute data 113 from the IC card
101 through the behavior attribute readout processing 138.
The IC card 101 transmits the behavior attribute data 113 to
the reader writer device 921 through the behavior attribute
readout processing 119 according to the readout request 2 002
from the reader writer device 921.
[0288]
Processing shown in Fig. 18 is the same as the processing
by the behavior attribute readout processing 13 8, the
information presentation processing 13 9, and the behavior
attribute readout processing 119 in the first embodiment and
the second embodiment. Note that the reader writer device 921
may acquire necessary information from a server or the like,
which retains information, through the information
presentation processing 13 9 via the network 152.
[0289]
Note that the IC card 101 in the first embodiment, the
second embodiment, and the third embodiment can communicate
with the reader writer devices (121, 621, and 921) in the
89
respective embodiments mutually.
[0290]
Fig. 19 is a block diagram showing an overall
configuration of a service system in the third embodiment of
the present invention.
[0291]
The service system shown in Fig. 19 includes the IC card
system in the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the
third embodiment. The service system shown in Fig. 19 includes
IC cards (8021, 8022, 8023, 8024, and 8025), a ticket checker
8031, ticket vending machines (8032 and 8033) , a POS register
terminal 8034, an information terminal 8035, reader writer
devices (8041, 8042, 8043, 8044, and 8045), GWs (8051, 8052,
8053, 8054, and 8055), a network 8061, a charging management
system 8071, a card history database 8072 , a behavior attribute
tabulation system 8073, a behavior history database 8074, and
a terminal 8081.
[0292]
The IC cards (8021, 8022, 8023, 8024, and 8025) are IC
cards used by a user. The IC cards (8021, 8022, 8023, 8024,
and 8 025) may be implemented by one IC card or may be implemented
by a plurality of IC cards.
[0293]
The ticket checker 8031 and the ticket vending machines
(8032 and 8033) are terminal devices for using a railroad, which
90
are arranged in, for example, a shop in the premise of a station,
around the station, or outside the station. The POS register
terminal 8034 is a terminal device for settlement involved in
purchase of a commodity or a service and service benefiting.
The information terminal 8035 is a terminal device for
providing information.
[0294]
The reader writer devices (8041, 8042, 8043, 8044, and
8045) are respectively connected to the ticket checker 8031,
the ticket vending machines (8032 and 8033), the POS register
terminal 8034, and the information terminal 8035. The reader
writer devices (8041, 8042, 8043, 8044, and 8045) may be
implemented in devices same as the ticket checker 8 031, the
ticket vending machines (8032 and 8033) , the POS register
terminal 8034, and the information terminal 8035 or may be
implemented in different devices.
[0295]
The reader writer device 8041 is connected to the ticket
checker 8 031 and communicates with the IC card 8 021 via an
antenna 8141 and an antenna 8121. Further, the reader writer
device 8041 communicates with the charging management system
8 071 via the GW 8051 and the network 8061.
[0296]
Like the reader writer device 8 041, the reader writer
devices (8042, 8043, 8044, and 8045) communicate with the IC
91
cards (8022, 8023, 8024, and 8025) via antennas (8142, 8143,
8144, and 8145) and antennas (8122, 8123, 8124, and 8125) . The
reader writer devices (8042, 8043, 8044, and 8045) communicate
with the charging management system 8071 via the GWs (8052,
8053, 8054, and 8055) and the network 8061.
[0297]
The IC card 8021 corresponds to the IC card 101 in the
first embodiment, the reader writer device 8 041 corresponds
to the reader writer device 121 in the first embodiment, and
the ticket checker 8031 corresponds to the ticket checker 161
in the first embodiment. The antenna 8121 corresponds to the
antenna for IC card communication 103 in the first embodiment,
the antenna 8141 corresponds to the antenna for IC card
communication 123 in the first embodiment, and the GW 8051
corresponds to the GW 141 in the first embodiment.
[0298]
Further, the IC card 8024 corresponds to the IC card 101
in the second embodiment, the reader writer device 8 044
corresponds to the reader writer device 621 in the second
embodiment, and the POS register terminal 8034 corresponds to
the POS register terminal 145 in the second embodiment. The
antenna 8124 corresponds to the antenna for IC card
communication 103 in the second embodiment, the antenna 8144
corresponds to the antenna for IC card communication 123 in
the second embodiment, and the GW 8 0 54 corresponds to the GW
92
141 in the second embodiment.
[0299]
Further, the IC card 8025 corresponds to the IC card 101
in the third embodiment, the reader writer device 8 045
corresponds to the reader writer device 921 in the third
embodiment, and the information terminal 8 03 5 corresponds to
the information terminal 961 in the third embodiment. The
antenna 812 5 corresponds to the antenna for IC card
communication 103 in the third embodiment, the antenna 8145
corresponds to the antenna for IC card communication 123 in
the third embodiment, and the GW 8055 corresponds to the GW
141 in the third embodiment.
[0300]
The charging management system 8071 receives historyinformation
of IC card such as entrances, exits, or purchase
from the reader writer devices (8041, 8042, 8043, 8044, and
8045) of the ticket checker 8031, the ticket vending machines
(8032 and 8033), the POS register terminal 8034, and the
information terminal 8035. The charging management system
8071 accumulates the received history information in the card
history database 8072.
[0301]
The reader writer devices (8041, 8042, 8043, 8044, and
8 045) transmit behavior attribute information of the
respective IC cards (8021, 8022, 8023, 8024, and 8025) to the
93
charging management system 8 071. The charging management
system 8071 transmits the transmitted behavior attribute
information to the behavior attribute tabulation system 8073.
The behavior attribute tabulation system 8 073 accumulates the
transmitted behavior attribute information in the behavior
history database 8074.
[0302]
The charging management system 8 071 corresponds to the
charging management system 151 in Fig. 1, the behavior
attribute tabulation system 8073 corresponds to the behavior
attribute tabulation system 153 in Fig. 1, the card history
database 8072 corresponds to the card history database 155 in
Fig. 1, and the behavior history database 8074 corresponds to
the behavior history database 154 in Fig. 1.
[0303]
An operator or the like inputs an instruction to the
behavior attribute tabulation system 8073 using the terminal
8081. The behavior attribute tabulation system 8073
calculates statistical information of behavior attributes or
calculates fluctuation in purchase attributes due to sales
promotion activities of a specific shop according to the
instruction input from the operator or the like. The terminal
8081 displays a result calculated by the behavior attribute
tabulation system 8073.
[0304]
94
According to the third embodiment, information can be
provided to the user by only the IC card 101 and the information
terminal 961. Therefore, it is possible to provide a service
conforming to the user even in an offline environment not
connected to the network 152 or the like.
[0305]
The IC card 101 in the third embodiment is connected to
the system including the ticket checker 161 of the station and
the POS register terminal 145 of the shop via the network 152.
Therefore, the IC card 101 can collect the behavior attribute
data 113 generated by passage through the ticket checker 161
and the behavior attribute data 113 generated by the use of
the POS register terminal 14 5 and can more complexly acquire
behavior attributes of the user from score values of the
collected behavior attribute data 113. The IC card 101 can
provide a service most suitable for the user according to the
complexly acquired behavior attributes.
[0306]
According to this embodiment, in the system of the
electronic ticket and the electronic money in which the IC card
101 is used, it is possible to provide information provision
services conforming to the behavior attributes of the user by
updating and using the behavior attribute data 113 of the user
retained in the IC card 101. Further, it is possible to
implement these information provision services while
95
suppressing a substantial change of the system and reducing
costs.
[0307]
The score value of the behavior attribute data 113 is
dynamically changed according to a frequency of use of the
ticket checker 161 or the POS register terminal 145 . Therefore,
the IC card system in this embodiment can cause the score values
(503 and 523) of the behavior attribute data 113 to
automatically follow a station in use, a behavior range, or
a rhythm of life, which changes according to a transfer in work,
house-moving, or the like or a change in a taste, an interest,
or the like of the user. As a result, it is possible to provide
a service most suitable for the user conforming to the latest
state of the user.
[0308]
Further, the numbers of each entry group included in the
behavior attribute data 113 are set in advance and only the
behavior attribute data 113 with the high score values (503
and 523) is retained. Therefore, the IC card 101 in this
embodiment can execute the processing in this embodiment using
the nonvolatile data memory 108 having the limited capacity.
[0309]
Further, the IC card 101 in this embodiment can transmit,
through the behavior attribute readout processing 119, only
the behavior attribute data 113 with the high score value (503
96
and 523) to the reader writer devices (121, 621, and 921).
Therefore, it is possible to end the communication between the
IC card 101 and the reader writer devices (121, 621, and 921)
in a sufficiently short time.
Reference Signs List
[0310]
101 IC card
102 IC card communication IF (interface)
103 Antenna
104 Power supply circuit
105 CPU
106 Work memory
107 Program memory
108 Nonvolatile data memory
109 Authentication mechanism
111 Balance data
112 Ticket gate passage data
113 Behavior attribute data
115 Ticket processing
116 Charging processing
117 Entrance processing
118a Behavior attribute recording processing (stay)
118b Behavior attribute recording processing
(purchase)
97
119 Behavior attribute readout processing
121 Reader writer device
122 IC card communication IF
123 Antenna for IC card communication
124 CPU
12 5 Work memory
12 6 Program memory
12 7 Authentication mechanism
129 Display IF
130 Display
131 Apparatus control mechanism
132 Gate
135 Fare calculation processing
13 6 Charging processing
137 Entrance processing
13 8 Behavior attribute readout processing
13 9 Information presentation processing
141 Gateways (GWs)
142 Network
151 Charging management system
152 Network
153 Behavior attribute tabulation system
154 Behavior attribute database
155 Card history database
98

CLAIMS
[Claim 1]
An IC c a r d system comprising:
an IC c a r d ; and
a plurality of terminals that communicate with the IC
card, wherein
the plurality of terminals include at least one first
terminal of the terminals in which a first identifier is set
and at least one second terminal of the terminals in which a
second identifier is set,
when communicating with the IC card, the first terminal
transmits the first identifier and a date and time when the
first terminal and the IC card communicate with each other to
the IC card,
the IC card calculates, on the basis of the information
transmitted from the first terminal, a first score value
indicating a frequency of the communication between the first
terminal and the IC card and retains first attribute data
including the first score value and the first identifier,
when communicating with the IC card, the second terminal
transmits the second identifier and a date and time when the
second terminal and the IC card communicate with each other
to the IC card, and
the IC card updates the first score value on the basis
of the date and time when the first terminal and the IC card
99
communicate with each other and a date and time when the second
terminals and the IC card communicate with each other,
calculates, on the basis of the information transmitted from
the second terminals, a second score value indicating a
frequency of the communication between the second terminal and
the IC card, generates second attribute data including the
second score value and the second identifier, when a total
number of the first attribute data and the second attribute
data exceeds a predetermined number, compares the updated first
score value and the calculated second score value, and, when
the second score value is large as a result of the comparison,
retains the second attribute data.
[Claim 2]
The IC card system according to claim 1, wherein
the communication between the terminal and the IC card
is classified into a plurality of groups,
the predetermined number is a number of the attribute
data included in each group, and
the IC card allocates a first group of the groups to the
first attribute data and, when the second attribute data is
allocated with the first group and a total number of the first
attribute data and the second attribute data exceeds the
predetermined number, compares the updated first score value
and the calculated second score value.
[Claim 3]
100
The IC card system according to claim 2, wherein
the first terminal includes a third terminal of the
terminals and a fourth terminal of the terminals, and
when communicating with the fourth terminal following
communication with the third terminal, the IC card determines,
according to a date and time when the third terminal and the
IC card communicate with each other and a date and time when
the fourth terminal and the IC card communicate with each other,
the first group to which the first attribute data is allocated.
[Claim 4]
The IC card system according to claim 2, wherein
when communicating with a fifth terminal of the terminals
in which a third identifier is set, the IC card transmits the
retained attribute data to the fifth terminal, and
the fifth terminal extracts the attribute data including
the third identifier among the attribute data, specifies the
group allocated to the extracted attribute data, and presents,
according to the specified group, information related to the
group.
[Claim 5]
The IC card system according to claim 1, wherein
the terminal is classified into a plurality of types,
the first and second identifiers indicate types into
which the first and second terminals are classified,
the predetermined number is a total number of the
101
plurality of types, and
when the first identifier is different from the second
identifier and a total number of the first identifier and the
second identifier exceeds the predetermined number, the IC card
compares the updated first score value and the calculated
second score value.
[Claim 6]
The IC card system according to claim 1, wherein
the first terminal includes a sixth terminal of the
terminals and a seventh terminal of the terminals, and
when communicating with the seventh terminal following
communication with the sixth terminal, the IC card calculates
an interval of communication with the first terminal by
subtracting a date and time when the sixth terminal and the
IC card communicate with each other from a date and time when
the seventh terminal and the IC card communicate with each other
and calculates the score value using a damping function
including the calculated interval of communication as an
argument.
[Claim 7]
The IC card system according to claim 6, wherein the IC
card calculates the score value using a damping function
including a value obtained by subtracting an offset value from
the interval of communication as an argument.
[Claim 8]
102
The IC card system according to claim 7, wherein
the damping function is a saturation function, and
the IC card retains a number of days in which the damping
function is saturated and sets the offset value according to
the number of days in which the damping function is saturated.
[Claim 9]
A data collecting method by an IC card system including
an IC card and a plurality of terminals that communicate with
the IC card,
the plurality of terminals including at least one first
terminal of the terminals in which a first identifier is set
and at least one second terminal of the terminals in which a
second identifier is set,
the method comprising:
when communicating with the IC card, the first terminal
transmitting the first identifier and a date and time when the
first terminal and the IC card communicate with each other to
the IC card;
the IC card calculating, on the basis of the information
transmitted from the first terminal, a first score value
indicating a frequency of the communication between the first
terminal and the IC card;
the IC card retaining first attribute data including the
first score value and the first identifier;
when communicating with the IC card, the second terminal
103
transmitting the second identifier and a date and time when
the second terminal and the IC card communicate with each other
to the IC card;
the IC card updating the first score value on the basis
of the date and time when the first terminal and the IC card
communicate with each other and a date and time when the second
terminals and the IC card communicate with each other;
the IC card calculating, on the basis of the information
transmitted from the second terminals, a second score value
indicating a frequency of the communication between the second
terminal and the IC card;
the IC card generating second attribute data including
the second score value and the second identifier;
when a total number of the first attribute data and the
second attribute data exceeds a predetermined number, the IC
card comparing the updated first score value and the calculated
second score value; and
when the second score value is large as a result of the
comparison, the IC card retaining the second attribute data.
[Claim 10]
The data collecting method according to claim 9, wherein
the communication between the terminal and the IC card
is classified into a plurality of groups,
the predetermined number is a number of the attribute
data included in each group, and
104
the method further comprises:
the IC card allocating a first group of the groups to
the first attribute data; and
when the second attribute data is allocated with the
first group and a total number of the first attribute data and
the second attribute data exceeds the predetermined number,
the IC card comparing the updated first score value and the
calculated second score value.
[Claim 11]
The data collecting method according to claim 10 , wherein
the first terminal includes a third terminal of the
terminals and a fourth terminal of the terminals, and
the method further comprises:
when communicating with the fourth terminal following
communication with the third terminal, the IC card determining,
according to a date and time when the third terminal and the
IC card communicate with each other and a date and time when
the fourth terminal and the IC card communicate with each other,
the first group to which the first attribute data is allocated.
[Claim 12]
The data collecting method according to claim 10, further
comprising:
when communicating with a fifth terminal of the terminals
in which a third identifier is set, the IC card transmitting
the retained attribute data to the fifth terminal;
105
the fifth terminal extracting the attribute data
including the third identifier among the attribute data;
the fifth terminal specifying the group allocated to the
extracted attribute data; and
the fifth terminal presenting, according to the
specified group, information related to the group.
[Claim 13]
The data collecting method according to claim 9, wherein
the terminal is classified into a plurality of types,
the first and second identifiers indicate types into
which the first and second terminals are classified
respectively,
the predetermined number is a total number of the
plurality of types, and
the method further comprises, when the first identifier
is different from the second identifier and a total number of
the first identifier and the second identifier exceeds the
predetermined number, the IC card comparing the updated first
score value and the calculated second score value.
[Claim 14]
The data collecting method according to claim 9, wherein
the first terminal includes a sixth terminal of the
terminals and a seventh terminal of the terminals, and
the method further comprises:
when communicating with the seventh terminal following
106
communication with the sixth terminal, the IC card calculating
an interval of communication with the first terminal bysubtracting
a date and time when the sixth terminal and the
IC card communicate with each other from a date and time when
the seventh terminal and the IC card communicate with each
other; and
the IC card calculating the score value using a damping
function including the calculated interval of communication
as an argument.
[Claim 15]
The data collecting method according to claim 14 , further
comprising the IC card calculating the score value using a
damping function including a value obtained by subtracting a
predetermined offset value from the interval of communication
as an argument.
[Claim 16]
The data collecting method according to claim 15, wherein
the damping function is a saturation function, and
the method further comprises:
the IC card retaining a number of days in which the damping
function is saturated; and
the IC card setting the offset value according to the
number of days i n which the damping f u n c t i o n i s s a t u r a t e d.