IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,315,001

Granted Patent B2

US 12,315,001 · App. 17/708,055 · Granted May 27, 2025

Electronic payment system, electronic payment method, and information storage medium

Inventor: Sachiko Fukushima (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.

G06Q30/0633 G06Q20/102 G06Q20/18 G06Q20/4015 G06Q20/40145

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12,315,001
App. No.: 17/708,055
Granted: May 27, 2025
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Provided is an electronic payment system which receives a payment request for electronic payment when a user visits a predetermined place to use a series of services, the electronic payment system including at least one processor configured to: determine, depending on the user, which one of real-time payment to be executed for each payment request or lump-sum payment to be collectively executed for a plurality of payment requests is to be executed; and execute one of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment based on a result of the determination.

Claims (114)

1. An electronic payment system which receives a plurality of payment requests from a user for electronic payment at a predetermined event venue to purchase service vouchers or products from different vendors, wherein the service vouchers or products are purchased by the user at different times during an event and at different locations within the predetermined event venue,

wherein the electronic payment system comprises at least one computer server in electronic communication via a network with: a user computing terminal, a plurality of payment computing terminals comprising a plurality of POS terminals, and at least one check-in computing terminal, and

wherein a plurality of payment terminals are positioned at a plurality of locations within the predetermined event venue and correspond to the plurality of services, the plurality of payment terminals being configured to obtain the plurality of payment requests based on obtaining a purchase ID from the user computing terminal by reading a code displayed on the user computing terminal when the user visits one from among the plurality of payment terminals,

the electronic payment system comprising:

at least one memory configured to store computer program code; and

at least one processor configured to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code comprising:

display code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to transmit information to the user computer terminal to cause the user computer terminal to display a user interface for selecting a payment scheme from among:

a real-time payment scheme to be separately executed for a first plurality of payment requests from among the plurality of payment requests, and

a lump-sum payment scheme to be collectively executed for the first plurality of payment requests,

wherein the user interface allows the payment scheme to be selected on a purchase-by-purchase basis; and

first executing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

receive, from the at least one check-in computing terminal, based on the user checking in at the predetermined event venue, a user ID corresponding to the user computing terminal;

generate the purchase ID, wherein the purchase ID corresponds to the user, and wherein the purchase ID is based on the user ID and a user payment account previously set by the user and stored by the electronic payment system;

receive, from the user computing terminal, first selection information indicating, for the first plurality of payment requests, a selected payment scheme from among the real-time payment scheme and the lump-sum payment scheme;

receive the first plurality of payment requests from the plurality of payment terminals;

determine, for the first plurality of payment requests, whether the real-time payment scheme or the lump-sum payment scheme has been selected based on the first selection information;

based on determining the lump-sum payment scheme has been selected for the first plurality of payment requests, temporarily suspend payment for the first plurality of payment requests;

generate a usage history of a plurality of purchases corresponding to the first plurality of payment requests;

transmit information based on the usage history to the user computing terminal to cause the user computing terminal to display a list of purchases from the usage history;

receive a confirmation from the user computing terminal corresponding to the usage history;

transmit information to the user computing terminal to cause the user computing terminal to display a completion screen indicating the lump-sum payment scheme as the payment scheme, a date and time of a corresponding payment request of the first plurality of payment requests, and an amount of the corresponding payment request; and

receive, from the at least one check-in computing terminal, the purchase ID of the user and execute the lump-sum payment for the first plurality of payment requests based on at least one of: a predetermined date and time being reached, a predetermined time period having elapsed, or the event ending.

2. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the program code further comprises determining code and second executing code,

wherein the determining code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to determine which of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment is to be executed after the user checks into the predetermined event venue, and

wherein the second executing code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute one from among the real-time payment and the lump-sum payment for a second plurality of payment requests, from among the plurality of payment requests, after the user checks into the predetermined event venue.

3. The electronic payment system according to claim 2 , wherein the program code further comprises checkout code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute check-out of the user from the predetermined event venue via at least one of the user computing terminal, the at least one check-in computing terminal, or another terminal at the predetermined event venue,

wherein the determining code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to determine which of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment is to be executed before the user checks out of the predetermined event venue, and

wherein the second executing code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute one from among the real-time payment and the lump-sum payment for the second plurality of payment requests before the user checks out of the predetermined event venue.

4. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises determining code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

receive from the user computing terminal second selection information of one from among the real-time payment scheme and the lump-sum payment scheme; and

determine, based on the second selection information, which of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment is to be executed.

5. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises determining code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

acquire a reliability level of the user for electronic payment; and

determine, based on the reliability level, which of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment is to be executed for a second plurality of payment requests from among the plurality of payment requests.

6. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises determining code and second executing code,

wherein the determining code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

determine, as each of a second plurality of payment requests, from among the plurality of payment requests, are received, which of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment is to be executed; and

exclude, from the lump-sum payment for the second plurality of payment requests, one or more payment requests for which the real-time payment has already been executed, and

wherein the second executing code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute the lump-sum payment for one or more payment requests for which the real-time payment has not been executed.

7. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the program code further comprises determining code and second executing code,

wherein the determining code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to determine one from among the real-time payment- and the lump-sum payment to be executed for a payment request received via a payment application installed on the user computing terminal, and

wherein the second executing code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute one from among the real-time payment and the lump-sum payment based on the payment request received via the payment application.

8. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the program code further comprises second executing code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

determine, prior to the lump-sum payment being executed for a second plurality of payment requests from among the plurality of payment requests, whether a total amount of a sum of usage amounts of the second plurality of payment requests is equal to or larger than a threshold value;

change the lump-sum payment scheme to the real-time payment scheme based on the total amount being equal to or larger than the threshold value; and

execute the real-time payment each time a payment request is received after the lump-sum payment scheme has been changed to the real-time payment scheme.

9. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises second executing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

determine, prior to the lump-sum payment being executed, whether a total amount of a sum of usage amounts of a second plurality of payment requests, from among the plurality of payment requests, is equal to or larger than a threshold value; and

execute the lump-sum payment for the second plurality of payment requests based on the total amount being equal to or larger than the threshold value.

10. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises determining code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to determine, based on a balance of a payment method of the user, which of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment is to be executed for a second plurality of payment requests from among the plurality of payment requests.

11. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises determining code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to determine, for a second plurality of payment requests from among the plurality of payment requests, which of the real-time payment or the lump-sum payment is to be executed based on, a first payment method among a plurality of payment methods of the user, wherein the first payment method is selected by the user.

12. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the program code further comprises determining code and second executing code,

wherein the determining code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to: determine, prior to the lump-sum payment being executed for a second plurality of payment requests, whether a balance of a payment method of the user is equal to or larger than a total value of a sum of usage amounts of the second plurality of payment requests, and

wherein the second executing code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute the lump-sum payment for the second plurality of payment requests based on the balance being equal to or larger than the total value.

13. The electronic payment system according to claim 12 , wherein the second executing code is configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

receive, from the user computing terminal, an execution instruction for the lump-sum payment;

execute the lump-sum payment for the second plurality of payment requests based on the execution instruction being received; and

transmit information to the user computing terminal to cause the user computing terminal to display a predetermined notification to the user based on the balance being smaller than the total value before the execution instruction is received.

14. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises second executing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to transmit information to the user computing terminal to cause the user computing terminal to display a receipt for a total amount of the lump-sum payment based on the lump-sum payment being executed.

15. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 ,

wherein a first service provides the electronic payment and a second service relates to the predetermined event venue, and

wherein the program code further comprises second executing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

acquire first information for identifying the user for the first service via at least one of transmission from the user computing terminal or transmission from one check-in computing terminal from among the at least one check-in computing terminal at the predetermined event venue; and

execute check-in to the predetermined event venue based on one of second information associated with the first information or the first information.

16. The electronic payment system according to claim 1 , wherein the program code further comprises usage code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

acquire a plurality of usage amounts of the first plurality of payment requests; and

transmit information corresponding to the plurality of usage amounts to the user computing terminal.

17. The electronic payment system according to claim 2 ,

wherein an authentication device for executing biometric authentication of the user is disposed at the predetermined event venue, and

wherein the program code further comprises third executing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:

execute the electronic payment via the user computing terminal; and

permit, based on check-in being executed for the user, the electronic payment to be executed based on the biometric authentication without use of the user computing terminal.

18. An electronic payment method of an electronic payment system for receiving a plurality of payment requests from a user for electronic payment at a predetermined place venue to purchase service vouchers or products from different vendors, wherein the service vouchers or products are purchased by the user at different times during an event and at different locations within the predetermined event venue,

wherein the electronic payment system includes at least one computer server in electronic communication via a network with: a user computing terminal, a plurality of payment computing terminals comprising a plurality of POS terminals, and at least one check-in computing terminal,

the electronic payment method comprising:

transmitting information to the user computer terminal to cause the user computer terminal to display a user interface for selecting a payment scheme from among:

a real-time payment scheme to be separately executed for a first plurality of payment requests from among the plurality of payment requests, and

a lump-sum payment scheme to be collectively executed for the first plurality of payment requests,

wherein the user interface allows the payment scheme to be selected on a purchase-by-purchase basis;

receiving, from the at least one check-in computing terminal, based on the user checking in at the predetermined event venue, a user ID corresponding to the user computing terminal;

generating the purchase ID, wherein the purchase ID corresponds to the user, and wherein the purchase ID is based on the user ID and a user payment account previously set by the user and stored by the electronic payment system;

receiving, from the user computing terminal, first selection information indicating, for the first plurality of payment requests, a selected payment scheme from among the real-time payment scheme and the lump-sum payment scheme;

receiving the first plurality of payment requests from the plurality of payment terminals;

determining, for the first plurality of payment requests, whether the real-time payment scheme or the lump-sum payment scheme has been selected based on the first selection information;

based on determining the lump-sum payment scheme has been selected for the first plurality of payment requests, temporarily suspending payment for the first plurality of payment requests;

generating a usage history of a plurality of purchases corresponding to the first plurality of payment requests;

transmitting information based on the usage history to the user computing terminal to cause the user computing terminal to display a list of purchases from the usage history;

receiving a confirmation from the user computing terminal corresponding to the usage history;

transmitting information to the user computing terminal to cause the user computing terminal to display a completion screen indicating the lump-sum payment scheme as the payment scheme, a date and time of a corresponding payment request of the first plurality of payment requests, and an amount of the corresponding payment request; and

receiving, from the at least one check-in computing terminal, the purchase ID of the user and executing the lump-sum payment for the first plurality of payment requests based on at least one of: a predetermined date and time being reached, a predetermined time period having elapsed, or the event ending.

19. A non-transitory information storage medium having stored thereon a program for causing a computer, which receives a plurality of payment requests from a user for electronic payment at a predetermined event venue to purchase service vouchers or products from different vendors, wherein the service vouchers or products are purchased by the user at different times during an event and at different locations within the predetermined event venue,

the program being configured to cause the computer to:

transmit information to the user computer terminal to cause the user computer terminal to display a user interface for selecting a payment scheme from among: