WO2000065520A1

WO2000065520A1 - Electronic commerce system

Info

Publication number: WO2000065520A1
Application number: PCT/ZA1999/000021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lionel Nicholas Mantzivis
Original assignee: Lionel Nicholas Mantzivis
Priority date: 1999-04-22
Filing date: 1999-04-22
Publication date: 2000-11-02
Also published as: AU3674399A

Abstract

The invention provides an electronic commerce system which would facilitate a trading entity, not necessarily a service provider, to encourage clients to make use of the trading entity's goods and services, besides the network connection system. The system includes a terminal, a modem and a set of instructions for the terminal which causes predetermined information about the trading entity to be displayed, and to remain displayed, whenever the terminal is activated. The invention extends to an electronic commerce system in which reward points are provided on credit so that goods and/or services may be obtained for the thus obtained reward points, which reward points can be earned back by purchasing activity from the trading entity.

Description

ELECTRONIC COMMERCE SYSTEM

This invention relates to a system for doing electronic commerce over a network such as the Internet.

DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART

The inventor is aware that presently use of the internet from private or business premises, requires a user to possess a terminal, whether stand alone or slave, network connection means for connecting to the network, and a subscription to a so called "service provider" through which a connection to the network is made.

Usually the subscription is a paid subscription, however, certain service providers are providing free subscriptions in return for advertising revenues generated when the user accesses the service providers network site and views advertisements posted by the service provider, or its clients.

Yet other service providers will provide a modem for connecting to the network, the cost of the modem being included in the cost of a long term subscription e.g. 12 or 24 months. These are sometimes erroneously referred to as being provided free.

The inventor has now identified a need for an electronic commerce system which would facilitate a trading entity, not necessarily a service provider, to encourage clients to make use of the trading entity's goods and services, besides the network connection system. The need extends further to a system which would typically be set up to entice clients to purchase goods and sen/ices from the trading entity which they might otherwise have purchased from other trading entities, either on-line or from physical outlets, for example, shops.

Yet a further often identified need is that for client demographics linked to purchasing profiles.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary, the term "service provider" is to be understood to mean a person or entity operating a point of presence on a network and providing access to the network for users who connect to the point of presence, and optionally routing the user to other points of presence on the network. Usually the connection by the user to the service provider is via a modem, however other means of connecting which already exist or may in the future exist are not excluded from the scope of this specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an electronic commerce system for a network, said system including: one or more terminal connectable to the network via a service provider operated by or on behalf of a trading entity, the one or more terminal having one or more central processing unit

(CPU); one or more display means operatively connectable to the one or more terminal, optionally including a display device; at least one set of instructions being associated with the one or more terminal, the set of instructions including instructions for the one or more terminal to, at least whenever the terminal is connected to the network for a session, to process the instruction set and cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user during the session on the network.

In one embodiment, the at least one set of instructions includes instructions for the one or more terminal to, whenever the terminal is activated: - a) check whether the terminal is connectable to the network for a session; b) if the terminal as configured at activation is connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set thereby to cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user; or c) if the terminal as configured at activation is not connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set to prevent further use of the terminal until the terminal is configured to be connectable to the network, and once the terminal is so configured to proceed according to step b) above. Typically, by "configured to be connectable to the network" is meant that the terminal, or any accessories associated therewith, include a modem or other network connection means, which network connection means is set up, either in the hardware or by software, to connect to the network by a predetermined service provider selected by or for the trading entity.

The electronic commerce system may include the provision of the terminal to the user by or on behalf of the trading entity. The provision of the terminal may be free, for payment, or on credit.

The terminal of said system may be a dumb terminal, having embedded software for connecting to the network by telephone line, data line, by radio, by satellite, or by any other suitable means.

Likewise, the terminal may be a free standing computer having readable-writable data storage media, random access memory, and the like, as is found in personal computers (PC's™, MAC'S™, and the like), minicomputers, and the like.

The terminal may be provided with an operating system, optionally having a graphics user interface, such as the Windows™ system from Microsoft™, the Macintosh™ system, the Linux™ system, or any other present, past or future graphical user interface system.

The display means may be a graphics card and the display device may be a graphics monitor.

The said system may include a modem for connecting to the network.

The modem may be pre-programmed with the connection details of the trading entity's service provider. The connection details may be permanently embedded in hardware associated with the modem, such that a user using the modem is limited to connecting to the trading entity's service provider only. However, the connection details may be alterable with the use of a hardware or software key or other security means for limiting access to the connection details.

The instruction set may be provided in the form of software on readable media or on the hardware. The instruction set may include information regarding the goods and services of the trading entity, in particular, the information may include advertising of goods such as groceries, computers, music, clothing, stationery, or the like, and/or advertising of services such as financial services, restaurant services, entertainment services, and the like.

The information may be displayed in the form of selectable icons on the display device, the selection of icons being by any conventional or novel means, for example, by using a pointing device or mouse, voice activation, a keyboard, a joystick, or the like.

The icons may be locatable anywhere on the display field of the display device, but are preferably configured to be always on top of other displayed information for at least as long as the terminal is connected to the network.

The said system may include a database of client demographics and shopping patterns, which database is populated during use of said system.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic commerce system for doing commerce over a network, the system including: a user terminal connectable to the network provided to a client on credit; a client account containing information on the client and reflecting at least the client's balance, the client account being either located on, or in data communication with, a remote accounting terminal; one or more display means operatively connectable to the user terminal, optionally including a display device; at least one set of instructions being associated with the user terminal, the set of instructions including instructions for the user terminal to, at least whenever the user terminal is connected to the network for a session, to process the instruction set and cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user during the session on the network; and - transaction logging means for logging any transactions between the client and the trading entity, the transaction logging means being at least periodically linked to the remote accounting terminal and the client account and reducing the outstanding balance owing by the client for the provision of the user terminal, or increasing the positive balance of the client, in relation to the number and/or value of transactions logged.

In one embodiment, the at least one set of instructions includes instructions for the user terminal to, whenever the user terminal is activated: - a) check whether the user terminal is connectable to the network for a session; b) if the user terminal as configured at activation is connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set thereby to cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user; or c) if the user terminal as configured at activation is not connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set to prevent further use of the terminal until the terminal is configured to be connectable to the network, and once the terminal is so configured to proceed according to step b) above. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for encouraging a client to patronise a specific trading entity, the system including: provision of goods and/or services at least partially on credit by the trading entity to the client; a client account containing information on the client and reflecting at least the client's balance, the client account being either located on, or in data communication with, a remote accounting terminal; - transaction logging means for logging any transactions between the client and the trading entity; and the transaction logging means being at least periodically linked to the client account and reducing the outstanding balance owing by the client for the provision of the goods and/or services on credit or, once the initial debt has been substantially eliminated, increasing the positive balance of the client, in relation to the number and/or value of transactions logged.

This system differs from conventional rewards programmes, such as those currently operated by airlines, credit card companies, hotel chains, and others, in which the client generally accumulates rewards points or counters in proportion to money spent, miles travelled, nights stayed, or the like, in that in the present system the client is advanced his reward, in the form of credit points or counters which are exchangeable for goods and/or services, and by subsequently patronising the goods and/or services of the trading entity that advanced the points or counters, reduces the credited reward with time, i.e. the client is incentivised by being in debt and wanting to reduce said debt, which debt is redeemable in rewards points or counters collected during transactions between the client and the trading entity.

The system for encouraging a client to patronise a specific trading entity may include an algorithm for accelerating the rate of rewards with increased use of the system by a client. The system for encouraging a client to patronise a specific trading entity may in addition to, or in the place of, the acceleration algorithm, include an algorithm for the charging of interest on client account balances which are not decreasing at a desired rate. This algorithm may only be implemented where such charging of interest would be legal.

The above invention, in all its various aspects, may be used to gather demographic data about client trends, particularly relating to client income groups, family sizes, product selection, and other commonly or less commonly gathered marketing intelligence data, which will be clear to those skilled in that art, to fall squarely within the ambit of this invention.

The inventor submits, that amongst others, the iπcentivisation of clients to use the goods and/or sen/ices of a specific trading entity is a common thread linking the various aspects of the present invention. Another such thread is the use of a computer system to log client usage of a trading entities goods and services.

In the above specification, the term "trading entity" may refer to a wholesaler, a retailer, a service outlet, or similar business form.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings are included by way of example only of the countless ways in which the systems of the invention may be configured, and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention. In Figure 1 , reference numeral 10 broadly indicates an electronic commerce system for a network. The system 10 includes a terminal 12, in the form of a personal computer or PC having a CPU 13. The terminal 12 is connectable to the network 14 via a service provider 16 operated by or on behalf of a trading entity 18. The terminal 12 has a display means and a display monitor 20. The CPU 13 is loaded with a set of instructions 22. The set of instructions 22 include instructions for the terminal 12 to, at least whenever the terminal 12 is connected to the network 14 for a session, to process the instruction set 22 and cause the display means to cause to be displayed on the monitor 20 predetermined information regarding the trading entity 18 and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity 18, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user during the session on the network 14.

In Figure 2, reference numeral 30 broadly indicates a trading entity, in the form of a supermarket operator 32 and the invention finds application in that the supermarket operator 32 provides its client 34 with goods and/or services 36 on credit. The goods may be a computer 38 with a modem 40 for connection to a network 41 , as described for Figure 1 above. Whenever the client 34 purchases goods from the supermarket operator 32, either at an outlet 40, over the internet (network), or by any other means, the debt of the client 34 for the goods and/or sen/ices received on credit, is reduced.

The computer 38 with modem 40 are provided and the account 42 of the client 34 is debited, not with a monetary amount but rather with a number of reward points, the client then earns reward points by making purchases, which reward points are used to reduce the debt of reward points created by the goods and/or services provided originally i.e. the goods and/or services for which the clients account is debited with reward points are not necessarily the goods and/or services which the supermarket operator 32 sells, and could include holidays, vehicles, computers, music recordings, luxury items, and the like.

Claims

1. An electronic commerce system for a network, said system including: one or more terminal connectable to the network via a service provider operated by or on behalf of a trading entity, the one or more terminal having one or more central processing unit (CPU); one or more display means operatively connectable to the one or more terminal, optionally including a display device; at least one set of instructions being associated with the one or more terminal, the set of instructions including instructions for the one or more terminal to, at least whenever the terminal is connected to the network for a session, to process the instruction set and cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user during the session on the network.

2. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of instructions includes instructions for the one or more terminal to, whenever the terminal is activated: a) check whether the terminal is connectable to the network for a session; b) if the terminal as configured at activation is connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set thereby to cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user; or c) if the terminal as configured at activation is not connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set to prevent further use of the terminal until the terminal is configured to be connectable to the network, and once the terminal is so configured to proceed according to step b) above.

3. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claiml or claim 2, which includes the provision of the terminal to the user by or on behalf of the trading entity.

4. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 3, wherein the provision of the terminal is selected from the group consisting of provision for free, for payment, or on credit.

5. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the terminal of said system is a dumb terminal, having embedded software for connecting to the network by communication means selected from the group consisting of a telephone line, a data line, by radio, by satellite, or by any other suitable means.

6. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the terminal is a free standing computer having readable-writable data storage media, random access memory, and the like

7. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the terminal is provided with an operating system, optionally having a graphics user interface.

8. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display means is a graphics card and the display device is a graphics monitor.

9. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes a modem for connecting to the network.

10. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 9, wherein the modem is pre-programmed with the connection details of the trading entity's service provider.

11. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 10, wherein the connection details are permanently embedded in hardware associated with the modem, such that a user using the modem is limited to connecting to the trading entity's service provider only.

12. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 10, wherein the connection details are alterable with the use of a hardware or software key or other security means for limiting access to the connection details.

13. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the instruction set is provided in the form of software on readable media.

14. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the instruction set is provided on the hardware.

15. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the instruction set includes information regarding the goods and services of the trading entity.

16. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 15, wherein the information includes information selected from the group comprising, advertising of goods such as groceries, computers, music, clothing, stationery, or the like, and/or advertising of services such as financial sen/ices, restaurant services, entertainment services, and the like.

17. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is displayed in the form of selectable icons on the display device.

18. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 17, wherein the icons are locatable anywhere on the display field of the display device.

19. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 17, wherein the icons are configured to be always on top of other displayed information for at least as long as the terminal is connected to the network.

20. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in claim 17, wherein the icons are configured to be always on top of other displayed information whenever the terminal is activated.

21. An electronic commerce system for a network as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including a database of client demographics and shopping patterns, which database is populated during use of said system.

22. An electronic commerce system for doing commerce over a network, the system including: a user terminal connectable to the network provided to a client on credit; a client account containing information on the client and reflecting at least the client's balance, the client account being either located on, or in data communication with, a remote accounting terminal; - one or more display means operatively connectable to the user terminal, optionally including a display device; at least one set of instructions being associated with the user terminal, the set of instructions including instructions for the user terminal to, at least whenever the user terminal is connected to the network for a session, to process the instruction set and cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user during the session on the network; and transaction logging means for logging any transactions between the client and the trading entity, the transaction logging means being at least periodically linked to the remote accounting terminal and the client account and reducing the outstanding balance owing by the client for the provision of the user terminal, or increasing the positive balance of the client, in relation to the number and/or value of transactions logged.

23. An electronic commerce system for doing commerce over a network as claimed in claim 22, wherein the at least one set of instructions includes instructions for the user terminal to, whenever the user terminal is activated: a) check whether the user terminal is connectable to the network for a session; b) if the user terminal as configured at activation is connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set thereby to cause the display means to cause to be displayed predetermined information regarding the trading entity and/or goods and services offered by the trading entity, which displayed information cannot be removed or altered by the user; or c) if the user terminal as configured at activation is not connectable to the network for a session, to process the instruction set to prevent further use of the terminal until the terminal is configured to be connectable to the network, and once the terminal is so configured to proceed according to step b) above.

24. A system for encouraging a client to patronise a specific trading entity, the system including: provision of goods and/or services at least partially on credit by the trading entity to the client; a client account containing information on the client and reflecting at least the client's balance, the client account being either located on, or in data communication with, a remote accounting terminal; - transaction logging means for logging any transactions between the client and the trading entity; and the transaction logging means being at least periodically linked to the client account and reducing the outstanding balance owing by the client for the provision of the goods and/or services on credit or, once the initial debt has been substantially eliminated, increasing the positive balance of the client, in relation to the number and/or value of transactions logged.

25. A system for encouraging a client to patronise a specific trading entity as claimed in claim 24, the system including an algorithm for accelerating the rate of rewards with increased use of the system by a client.

26. A system for encouraging a client to patronise a specific trading entity as claimed in claim 24, the system including an algorithm for the charging of interest on client account balances which are not decreasing at a desired rate.